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This is a blend of 63% Semillon and 37% Sauvignon Blanc that spends three months in new oak and is fermented with indigenous yeast. I get that many SSB and SBS blends to review it is not funny but there are certain wineries that nail (or even define) the style. Cullen is certainly one of them.

Plenty going on here with a mix of citrus, passionfruit pith, flinty reduction, honey, dried herbs, aniseed and spice. On the palate lemon, passionfruit, creamed honey, green herb and flinty flavours with excellent texture offering a little chalky grip and a light creamy glossy top coat. Acidity is penetrating and crunchy but with no hardness or bits poking out at odd angles. Finishes dry and long with a mouthwatering lime and spice aftertaste. Top wine. A paragon of style.

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Initially quite reserved, with subtle tar and roses on the nose, tarred cherries and a sense of hollowness on the palate, and a hint of distracting acetone on the finish. Not a promising start, but with time it blossomed and filled to show aromas of cherries and leather, with liquorice and sour red cherries, dusty spices, some great savoury length and a bit of tar on the finish. Silky smooth tannins - not at all what I was expecting, so I would suggest it has been made in a more New World kind of way, with the tannins subdued and tamed, and not a lot of grip. Should drink well over the next 5 years, perhaps more.

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This is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon of which half takes a three month spell in French barriques of which two thirds are new. Never mind all that though because this wine is just wow!. So wow! it impressed the pants off me and as a result I am sitting here typing up this note in my underpants…

Aromas of passionfruit, fresh pineapple, cut grass, fennel, cream and spice. Multi-layered it strikes that rare and perfect balance between herbaceous and fruity elements. Fresh, poised and precise it has crystalline acidity and a lightly creamy textured palate with flavours of tropical fruit, grapefruit, grass and spice. There’s also a funky earthy character adding complexity. Seamless and long with a dry spicy finish - this is just about as good as it gets.

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I am glad I don’t have to wear any foundation as it would give me a purple complexion (although I do know some people in the trade who like to get about wearing a touch of blue eyeshadow..). Anyway, I generally think McLaren did much better with Shiraz than the Barossa for 2002 vintage wines, of which I am not much of a fan.

Opens up a bit stinky but builds up to rich blackberry, Crème de Cassis, black licorice, flowers, black pepper, spice and truffles with a certain air of mentholated coolness. Complex and highly arousing. On the palate full bodied with a layers of fresh juicy blackberry, blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, truffles, earth, spice and licorice. Dense and velvety with fine firm ‘Greek coffee’ tannins and a long earthy black fruited finish. A wine of real character and interest.

Other vintages : 2001

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I tasted this alongside the 2005 vintage and while they share many similarities, the 2006 looks a little fresher and finer boned. The cépage (being a poncey way of saying which grapes are used) is a little different from the 2005 with the quartet of varieties falling in the following order : Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. I think that Cabernet blends from the Barossa are generally under-rated. More proof follows.

Aromas of crushed red berry, blackcurrant, violet, cocoa, earth and pencilly oak. Fragrant and clean with a slightly grassy lift. On the palate medium to full bodied with red cherry, plum and blackcurrant fruit, cocoa and vanilla and an attractive sweet grassy character (maybe from the Franc). It has lively fresh acidity, firm grainy tannins and a juicy briary finish. An excellent follow up to the 2005 and perhaps even better given a little more time in bottle.

Other vintages:2005, 2004

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The quartet in question is Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and speaking of quartets reminds me that I really must get myself off to the barbershop for a bit of a trim. Currently I am sporting something that looks like a cross between Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Richard O’Sullivan playing Robin Tripp in the 70’s classic sitcom ‘Man About The House’…

Aromas of cassis, black plum, chocolate, baking spices and pencil case oak. A fragrant and highly attractive wine showing rose garden (including the shrubbery) characters. On the palate full bodied with cherry, chocolate, baking spice and earthy briary flavours backed with some attractive vanilla oak. It also emits a rather exotic mouth perfume. Thick and supple but fresh and balanced, it has long fine grained tannins and a sustained briary earthy finish. Super wine. Smooth, seductive and very winning.

Other vintages:2006, 2004

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Fo shizzle my pizzle this is the rizzle dizzle. The fruit comes mainly from the 36 year old Wyjup vineyard and a portion from the Hayview vineyard around Mt Barker in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

Aromas of lime, green apple, musky fragrant white lilies, mineral and spice. On the palate crisp, dry and crunchy with green apple, lime and spice flavours. It is racy, taught and minerally with a good dry flinty finish. Very excellent wine.

Other vintages : 1999

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Amazing wine in so many ways this one. The bugger had been open for four days and hardly looked tired at all. The fruit is hand picked from the St Andrews vineyard, fermented with indigenous yeasts including 40% whole bunch action and then held on skins for 38 days. It is raised in puncheons (500L) for ten months and is neither fined nor filtered. It reminds me more than a little of Tyrrells 4 Acre if you are familiar with that particular wine.

Lurid bright red purple in colour and highly fragrant with red fruits and cherries, pepper, gravel, violet and a little spicy vanilla oak. On the palate light to medium bodied with bright sappy red fruits, spice and meaty flavours with some vanilla oak. Lithe and energetic with very lively tangy acid and a fine chalky tannic grip. Light and airy - it feels as much like Pinot (or Chianti perhaps) as anything else. Finishes dry with perfumed red fruits to close. I am betting this is going to be magic with extended cellaring and I’m going to grab a couple of bottles just so I can prove myself right.

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I like all those ‘up’ places that you see when knocking about the South West of WA. Meelup you long time Mister!

Aromas of nectarine, grapefruit, oatmeal, cream and clove spice oak. Quite wild and yeasty too. On the palate flavours of apple, grapefruit and nectarine, cashew and spicy oak. A complex mix of intense fruit and savoury wine maker inputs. It has a lightly creamy texture combined with tight minerally acidity and outstanding length of flavour. Yet another top flight 2006 Margaret chardonnay.

Other vintages: 2005, 2005

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Nothing new here, but confirming what we already know. Blackberries and blueberries, tar and florals with a bit of gunsmoke. The palate is medium in weight, perhaps on the lighter side, certainly not showing the richness of the ‘05, light black fruits, blackberries, red cherries, savoury characters and a bit of earth, followed by a bit of orange and apricot, earth and gunsmoke on the finish. There is also some acid that lifts and lightens the palate, refreshing and enlivening it. Not a long termer, but should take 5 to 8 years I reckon.

Other vintages : 2006, 2005, 2005, 2004

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Well well, do do do do do (as John Lennon sang), this is a great bargain for sure.

Aromas of sweet berry, plum, menthol, licorice, a touch of black pepper and toasty coconut marshmallow oak. Classic old school shiraz - obvious but very Yum. On the palate medium to full bodied with rich plum and berry fruit, milk chocolate, mint and coconut flavours. It has soft fine tannin, feels supple and soft, and drinks like a champion. Finishes with juicy berry and chocolate flavours. In short, it (over) delivers the goods.

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The first of three new Riesling releases from Henschke (the others being Julius and Peggy’s Hill) and I think that maybe this Adelaide Hills number is my favourite of the three. I’ll review the others later when I am not nearly dropping off my perch. Actually this would go really well with Perch now I think about it..

Aromas of lemon, mixed peel, blossom and some light reductive struck match characters. On the palate intense lemon, passionfruit and mineral flavours with a dry chalky texture and plenty of crunchy mouthwatering acidity. Finishes bone dry and flinty. Very nice.

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This is a tiny make of only 128 dozen with the fruit coming off 75-80 year old vines high in the Flaxmans Valley.

Almost water pale with subdued aromas of citrus, white peach, mineral, blossom and a faint fennel fragrance. On the palate this is delicate and refined with flavours of weak lemon barley water, lime and mineral. Fine boned and bone dry with crisp mouth-watering river pebble acidity and a long dry lemony aftertaste. An austere beauty that may develop into something special.

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Rockford Basket press and St Henri are my two favourite South Australian shiraz. These are the wines I buy year in, year out..except when the vintage was a bit iffy (like 2000 and 2003). This looked good on day one, but really came up smiling after a solid days rest.

Very dark in colour with aromas of dark fruit, plum pudding, earth, dark chocolate and a little rosy vanilla oak. A deep brooding wine. On the palate dark fruit and some brighter raspberry flavours with leather, dark chocolate, earth and tasteful vanilla oak in support. Still quite tight and backwards with a lovely spread of fine tannin and fresh balanced acidity. Feels good and smooth..and long. An excellent basket press and almost certainly a sleeper.

Other vintages : 2004, 1997

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I have had a crack at this particular wine twice now. The first out of big glasses (next to the 2006 PHI Pinot) at an informal tasting and the second out of little glasses at an informal dinner. I know I am bad and I should pay more attention, but no matter which way you slice the old tamarillo, this is an outstanding wine that stands up and performs every time.

Aromas of dark cherry, spice, dark chocolate, violet and a tangy orange peel top note. A bit earthy, fruity and fragrant all in one. On the palate smooth fine talc-like tannins and a lithe muscular frame with expansive and mouth filling fruit. Plenty of flavour, but not heavy or clumsy. There are flavours of dark cherry and berry, spice, undergrowth and tamarillo with a light (and very attractive) sarsaparilla character adding regional interest. Long and persistent (Are we finished yet? Are we finished yet?). I wasted no time buying a few bottles for the cellar.

Other vintages: 2005, 2003

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One way or another I think there are going to be a fair few Champagne corks flying around this neck of the woods over the coming weeks. This is a sample that I have been VERY much looking forward to tasting in the renowned style. I think this vintage of Belle seems a bit more subdued and stylish than I remember but I could be wrong. It has been known to happen.

Aromas of lemon biscuit, yeast, hazelnut, flowers and a little cream. Complex, sophisticated and multi-layered. On the palate a very fine persistent tingle of tiny bubbles with a lovely delicate texture and gentle acidity. Nothing abrasive or coarse. It has flavours of lemon, white peach, hazelnut, yeast, vanilla and mineral. Only fractionally off dry and quite salty and tangy to taste. Finishes very long and dry with a delicious lightly creamy salty lemon tang. A great wine.

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Such beautiful packaging and it would be even better with a DIAM or screwcap. Anyway, it has been a busy time for us this week welcoming our first born Charles (who is an absolute beauty!) into the world on Tuesday, but I still have my old baby to feed and poor old Winorama is feeling a little neglected. I’ll still aim to give him a bottle or two a day over the coming weeks if I can manage it. Burp!

An attractive perfume wafts over dark cherry, red berry, leather, dark chocolate and spice. On the palate full bodied with black cherry and red fruit, spice, leather, dried herb and dark chocolate flavours. It has plush ripe fruit but essentially tastes dark and savoury. Fine open weave lightly grainy tannins provide a supple mouthfeel and the finish is long with dark cherry, spice and leather to close. A brilliant example of rich old vine Barossa goodness.

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A friend gave me this wine to see if Wendy would like the style. It is big, rich and quite complex. It opens with aromas of oak, citrus and a bit of peach. The palate is long and very full on with a whole array of flavours, no simple fruit and oak chardonnay here. The oak is present but it is really well integrated with the fruit. The fruit flavours show a spectrum of chardonnay ripeness that extends from citrus to peach. I like the yeasty/leesy flavours too. A good wine.

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Enoteca Sileno import and wholesale a pretty good range of Italian wines and Rory of Enoteca dropped this off for me to taste. This wine is from the Le Marche region and produced from the Verdicchio grape. It has quite a golden colour but tastes fresh. It reminds me of a cross between Marsanne and Pinot Gris because it shows honey, a little blossom and some spicey apple. We tried it at room temperature and lightly chilled and preferred the latter because it has some texture and fruit that make it quite big on the palate. A different style of white to try over summer.

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Wandin Valley Estate kindly put us up in one of their splendid villas when we were up for a 2005 Shiraz tasting a few months ago and I pinched this from the fridge just before we left. I am not at a villa at present, nor do I have any milk in the fridge with which to make a cup of tea, so I saw this and thought hmmmm fruity. Must be good for you. And so it was.

Aromas of fruit salad, musk sticks, spice and licorice root. Typically yum Verdelho. On the palate a juicy explosion of fruit salad, spice and musk flavours. Full bodied with a little warmth, a lightly grippy texture and clean gentle acidity to balance. Good spicy finish with a bit of lemon zest to close. What a nice bit of fun it is too. Lovely wine.

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