3/9/2024 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Superb.

2/28/2024 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Good and getting better. The acid is becoming more prominent improving the balance.

2/3/2024 - Julian B wrote:

Maybe a smidgin over the ideal drinking window (it’s drying out a touch), but the purity of the fully resolved black plum is lovely and it’s great QPR.

12/25/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Post Xmas lunch…

Open for about 2 hrs. All the pieces are in the right place, but it’s very light on its feet. Rhubarb, fruit mince pies and fine tannin. There’s also a faint taste of when you bite on apple pips on the finish and it feels a bit too sweet (like apple juice).

Still a nice drink with enough complexity for interest. Like to see what it tastes like tomorrow but the way the in-laws are getting through it, it’ll be unlikely to last the hour.

12/3/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Amazed at the development of this wine. Last time I tried one of these (2018) the acid was so prominent that, even after being open for 24 hours, l tipped most of it down the sink.

It’s now a pretty reasonable drop and my dinner companions were certainly appreciative of it last night.

10/7/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Glorious.

8/26/2023 - Julian B wrote:

On the front it’s all chocolate and rich Christmas pudding (is there any other type), towards the back I get a salty liquorice note and it finishes a bit hot and sharp.

I want to like it more because it’s lovely to start with and it’s not without interest, but the finish lets it down.

8/8/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

On the first sip I was excited... The fruit is a bit richer and complex than many Australian rieslings and the acidity facilitates that desirable crispness. On further exploration I stumbled on some citrus pith notes, but on the whole it's an enjoyable package.

8/8/2023 - Julian B Does not like this wine:

Very ordinary...

Had a punt on this at auction because I've enjoyed previous editions, but this was disjointed and lacked fruit.

8/8/2023 - Julian B wrote:

Underwhelming...

Drunk over two nights, it tasted like an old wine which had dried out. Unless it's in a 'dormant' phase and some fruit magically reappears in time, I really can't see it improving with age.

7/16/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

More enjoyable/integrated night two, but a pleasure regardless. It’s densely textured. Sometimes the oak - vanilla essence - was pronounced, but other times the fruit - dark cherry, plums - and even a note of lavender was more prominent. There are some dusty tannins and plenty of length on the finish. Lots of development left.

7/10/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Very pleasant, wish I had more.

5/17/2023 - Julian B wrote:

Very good. The structure is excellent with rich dark fruit, balanced by chewy tannins.

3/31/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Night 1. Drank half a bottle over the course of a couple of hours. Improved showing since last time, wine feels more resolved. Some work is required, but enjoyment can be derived from the subtle mix of red fruit, red meat and earthy flavours that hang off the backbone of acid holding it all together. Filled out over the time I was drinking, but never more than light to medium body with most of the interest at the front and mid palate.

3/8/2023 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Excellent light to medium bodied fruit forward Shiraz. After the first glass I left it alone for 30 mins and some tannin did develop providing complexity. Tastes of red apple, red currants. Reminded me of an aged Pinot Noir. Can’t see much improvement in the cellar though so will look to drink over the next 12 months.

10/22/2022 - Julian B Does not like this wine:

Bought three bottles and tipped most of it down the sink. The first bottle I had a few years ago was so tart I struggled to drink more than a couple of sips, even after it had been open for over a day. Second bottle a year later was the same. Third bottle last week had developed some bruised apple flavour, but was still very tart. Disappointing as I love their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

10/30/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

The glass I had on opening was superb. A riot of primary fruit flavours - cherry, cassis and licorice - with great dusty tannins. After breathing in the bottle for about two hours it was a lovely drink but more subdued with only occasional hints of the complexity I experienced earlier. It’s not drying out though, so maybe a couple more years cellaring is needed.

10/26/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Very easy and enjoyable drinking. Great quaffer.

10/14/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Had a bottle last night for the first time in years. Really appreciated how savoury it was, for a very medium bodied wine. It also had less tannin than I remembered, but still went well with my blue sirloin. It’s a lot of wine for the money.

10/8/2022 - Julian B wrote:

In a very good place. Has real depth of dark cherry flavour and good length. A steal for what I paid for it at the time.

10/8/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Very good and should keep getting better.

10/8/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Very drinkable, but lacks the development I have experienced in other bottles in their peak window. I think all the parts are there it probably just needs another 4-5 years.

9/17/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Very pleasant. Red fruit, medium body and length.

9/10/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Superb. Great balance of zesty acid, lime and gooseberries and plenty of length. Will continue to get better for several years yet.

9/5/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Holding up well. Was richly fruited on opening, then had a bit of a dull patch after 30 mins, but it eventually recovered. Cherry, dark plum and tobacco.

8/13/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Good first night, superb the second.

6/21/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Great QPR. Opened up nicely after an hour or so and drank well across two nights. Typical Yarra characteristics of plum, dark cherry, dark chocolate, and quite savoury as it opened up more.

6/4/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

In a good place.

I was rather nonplussed by the ‘94 and ‘96, which I found unbalanced, but this is as smooth as the proverbial baby’s bottom. Has a bit of tannic backbone too for added complexity.

6/4/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. First thing I noticed is how good it smells. For some reason the smell said ‘wine of substance’.

Had my customary mouthful and left the rest to breathe in the bottle. 45 mins later still very restrained. Still it was Friday so I eased through two glasses over a couple of glasses and it grew and grew in stature. Tasted… like Pinot, but an eminently enjoyable one.

24 hrs later it was still very drinkable, but all fruit.

Good wine, ideally needs 12-18 months more imho.

5/29/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Tasted superb as I watched Collingwood roll the Bluebaggers, but afterwards… well you had to be there. Will try again soon in laboratory conditions.

5/14/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Fruit forward and a bit warm, but some drying tannin on the finish provides some interest and lifts it above your average quaffer. Very good value and will keep for several years yet.

4/2/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Every mouthful is amazing and now there’s nothing left. Go Pies…

1/19/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Inspired after reading a few of the co-owners monthly blog posts, I thought it was time to try my first bottle of the ‘14.

Geez this good (and great value). Plenty of flavour, with notes of plum and cassis, but medium bodied and beautifully balanced with crisp acidity and fine tannin. Got years ahead of it.

1/8/2022 - Julian B wrote:

Again Drinking Trees has captured the experience perfectly. This could develop into a superb drop if it added a bit more palate weight. The lanolin, honey, apricot and almond flavours are there, but not pronounced like the really good bottles I’ve had (‘96, ‘98 & ‘00) at a similar age. Still those were under cork and this was under Stelvin, so maybe it just needs more time.

1/6/2022 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Tasted ok, but needs more cellaring. Everything is in the right place, but tannin more prominent and fruit a little reticent.

12/29/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Was open 24 hrs before it was drinkable, but magnificent once it was. Beautiful balance.

12/25/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Lovely wine. A friend I was drinking it with, reckoned it one of the best wines he’d ever tasted.

11/27/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Medium body, earthy, blackberry, cherry. The deep purple colour is amazing, I’ve never seen a wine so vibrant.

11/13/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

At first I thought there might have been a fault with the seal. For a relatively young wine, there was noticeable bricking around the edges and there were tertiary allspice notes that hinted towards oxidation. The tannin and fruit was also fully integrated, in the way that gives the mouthfeel a sort of velvety edge. A characteristic I would usually associate with a much older wine or a liqueur.

I persevered though and when it settled it was a reasonably enjoyable medium bodied wine. There was a really prominent note of violet and roses on the nose and cassis flavours in addition to the raisins.

Might open another in a week as a comparison.

11/3/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Another excellent bottle. Beautifully balance between crisp acidity and white fruit.

11/3/2021 - Julian B wrote:

Superb, really came alive after being open for an hour or so.

9/19/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

The first bottle of this vintage I’ve truly enjoyed. Up till now they have tasted a bit spritzy and light in body. Now the body is weightier and the mouthfeel is great. Lacks the balance to be great, but very slurpable.

9/8/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Night 1
Superb. Great balance of acid, red fruit and fine tannin.

(Stored half full bottle in fridge)

Night 3
Even better…

8/28/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

My first impression was bright fruit and mouth puckering tannin. After tasting so many one dimensional fruit forward Australian reds, to get some structure like this is so good.

After an hour or two, the wine came together and the filled out nicely, but it never lost that structure.

Bought a few more for the cellar.

8/9/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

My friends and I found this very enjoyable. Lots of red fruit and a smooth med+length finish.

8/9/2021 - Julian B wrote:

Superb. Starting to take on some complexity and palate weight, but for mine still years away from peak.

8/9/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Best bottle I’ve had. Long, crisp and flavoursome.

8/9/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

A bit stodgy after opening, but left to breathe for an hour it was lovely.

5/7/2021 - Julian B Likes this wine:

Hands down the best SSB blend I’ve had from Margaret River and up there with the best whites I’ve had period. The perfect balance between fruit, texture and acid, such that the experience of drinking it lingers long after the bottle is done. Should drink well for many years yet.

6/13/2021 - Julian B wrote:

Superb. Still very primary, with better tannin than others I’ve had recently (2008 & 2010).