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Crowd pleasing aromatics of sweet vanilla and nougat oak over ripe plum and mixed berries with allspice and black pepper adding a little exotica. Medium to full bodied with good ripe plum and berry fruit backed with vanilla oak - obvious but high quality. It has strong open weave tannins and slightly edgy acid but still feels smooth and creamy with a good long finish of vanilla dusted plum. At the price it’s close to unbeatable.

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Monday is always the biggest day for delivery of samples. Three dozen or so yesterday. Not sure why. Anyway, I sauntered in yesterday to check out the last few days arrivals and grabbed this out of the box. I’d read a lot of good things but never tried the wines. So far, so good. Adelaide Hills does a good line in Merlot I think and I used to like the Shaw + Smith one..and then they grafted it over to something else.

Great colour and then an attractive mix of black plum and red berry, some leafiness, black olive, a touch of camphor and then a layer of spicy vanilla and cocoa oak. It’s medium to full bodied with a good fruity red berried attack and some more savoury olivaceous flavours backed with seductive, if not obvious, vanilla oak. With smooth but assertive powdery tannins, a fresh and supple mouthfeel and good length flavour this modestly priced Merlot delivers the goods in spades. Dial M for Merlot.

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There’s a higher percentage of the Bernard clones in this vintage and it certainly shows in the wine. It’s got a lot more arse (and soul) than previous vintages which I found to be all head and shoulders…

Flinty, matchsticky, creamy almond meal, white peach, sweet lemon and green banana sprinkled with cinnamon oak are the fine and very appealing flavours (according to me). In the mouth it has good fruit weight coupled with minerality in a complex White Burgundy style. With a lightly glossy creamy mouthfeel, excellent savoury inputs and a long dry flinty finish there’s nothing out of place - it presents itself in a cool, gentle and most stylish manner. Best I have tasted from the M3 vineyard.

Other vintages: 2006

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It’s not commercially released until next vintage, hence the cleanskin bottle image, but I’ll review it quickly anyway.

Chunky, textured and mouthfilling as is the Fiano way with a good burst of lemon, waxy apple, candle (well the smell..not taste), dried herb and licorice root flavour. It’s fresher and finer than some with clean balanced acidity and good shape through the mouth, although still refreshingly rustic and closes with a pleasingly long finish. A very promising debut.

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Grange eh? A wine that requires no introduction.

As with all Grange the aromatics are layered and complex with this vintage offering a whole raft of interesting things to smell. It’s showing a touch of char, brown spices, blackberry, coconut, liquorice, aniseed, soy sauce, camphor and fruit cake in and amongst other things. Seek and ye shall find but the overall impression over three days tasting is of a rich darkly fruited wine backed with liberal high class oak that smells terrific. On the palate full bodied and bulging with powerful dark tarry fruit, mince pie, dark chocolate, dry spices, aniseed and plenty of perfumed cedary oak. It maintains a good level of freshness and has layers of open knit very firm chalky tannins that make their presence felt from start to long finish. The tannins receded and softened over three days but still felt a little raw and blocky at the end. Young wine, no doubt, but I’d suggest it will always be a more rustic example of Grange, although a good one. A remarkable wine considering the vintage too.

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If the top end white wines from Penfold’s once used to lag behind the reds, then I’m not sure they do any longer. This looked great over two days, in fact much better on the second where it insistently nudged itself up to 95 points.

It smells of lemon, nuts, white peach, yeast and clove spice oak - a paradox of wildness and refinement. On the palate fine and tight with penetrating grapefruity acidity running through a milky texture. There’s flavours of lemon, white peach, spicy ginger and clove oak offset by more savoury yeasty characters. It’s flinty and a little nervous too finishing with with spicy oak and savoury lemon curd flavours. Expensive but first class.

Other vintages : 2005

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I’d suggest buying magnums of this wine; one bottle is clearly not enough in one sitting. We tasted this over a couple of days and the last glass evoked a little tear in the eye and the sound of cash registers ringing in my ears. Ouch..but it’s Awesom-o.

This offered a remarkable array of smells and flavours over several days with brazil nuts, flowers, cocoa, blackberry, plum, roast lamb and mint being the big ticket items on its glorious olfactory shopping list. It does have some oak showing on the nose but it’s well into the background. In the mouth medium to full bodied with powerful cherry and berry fruit and a violet mouth perfume combining with more savoury roast meat flavours. It’s fresh and smooth with strong ripe tannins that melted down into an almost creamy mouth filling texture with extended breathing. Enormous length of flavour. It’s destined to become one of the greats.

Other vintages : 2003, 2003, 2002, 2002, 1997, 1995, 1991, 1986, 1976, 1971

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Hand picked fruit, 60% new oak from Diggle and Jiggle and 90% malo-lactic fermentation are the key points in the extensive technical bits that Petaluma always seem to provide…just in case you were wondering.

It presents as a more subdued and genteel wine with white peach, nectarine, grilled nuts and spicy smoky oak. On the palate medium bodied with an attractive flinty mineral texture offset by more creamy ‘banana split’ characters. It has fine acidity and feels beautifully balanced, controlled and composed throughout. It’s smooth and polished with no sharp edges or vulgar fruitiness and closes with a long dry flint edged finish. A wine of considerable charm and sophistication.

Other vintages : 2003

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It says on the back label that the Cabernet Sauvignon (65% - Barossa Valley) and Tempranillo (35% - Adelaide Hills) is an unusual blend, and I think I have read a similar thing written locally about three times. So I have three big words to offer - Ribera del Duero.

It has more than a bit of a Spainish vibe about it with an intriguing nose of black jelly bean, blackberry, meat and black olives, violet and lavender. Following on is a medium bodied palate that’s quite fresh but also meaty with a blackcurrant/blackberry/cherry sort of thing going on and a floral mouth perfume. It’s touch jubey but not sweet. Not especially deep either but tastiness is the compensation. Light dry tannins and a dry finish complete the picture. Ultimate food style. It’s a really interesting wine too so bonus points for that. Very enjoyable.

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I really like the 2005 Yellowglen Vintage Perle, it’s an excellent and most stylish wine and I’ll be writing it up later, but meanwhile something not quite as excellent. Thanks to JP for pinpointing the exact sweet to use in the tasting note…

It smells of strawberry shortcake, liquorice and roses - all sweet and pretty. On the palate quite a long way off dry (to use some understatement) with strawberry shortcake, “Ï love you candy” and a little bit of citrus flavour. It has a nice fine mousse and feels soft and attractive in the mouth. Sweetness supports and lengthens the finish. Good quality upmarket tart fuel (for both sexes) but too sickly for my tastes - Rosé need not be so sweet.

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If I were to use a meteorological simile, there is a low pressure system of Pinot Gris over me at the moment, and there will be a deluge of notes on said wines this week. I am hoping for sunnier skys on the weekend and a high pressure system of Pinot Noir. This wine was made from fruit grown in the Innes vineyard at Littlehampton on the eastern side of the Adelaide Hills.

On the nose, showing powerful aromas of honeysuckle, pears and lemons, with a touch of spice. The palate is quite punchy and ripe, pears and lemons and a bit of spice with a savoury edge. And though I say ripe, the balance of flavours are well judged and there isn’t anything sickly or heavy about the wine; crisp and fresh all the way down the line.

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Don’t laugh but in many ways this wine reminded me of a village level Rousseau (and like the Highlander there can be only one). There I said it. Those who taste the wine will probably understand what I am driving at. Perhaps it’s as much a concept (or philosophy) as a reality anyway.

Sparkling crimson red with a mix of red cherry and strawberry, spice, a little vanilla oak, mineral and a slight gaminess. On the palate light to medium bodied with pure red fruit, spice and little stalk. It has impressive clarity and definition with supple fine grained tannin and bright jumpy acidity - finely balanced and displaying a high degree of Pinosity. Good long fresh finish. Vibrant and fine boned - it’s a delicious wine of considerable grace and finesse.

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Prince Charles is opening a new hospital in Cramlington. He is dressed in a sober suit with a ridiculous hat with a real fox mounted on top of it.
After the plaque is unveiled, one nurse can contain her curiosity no longer, and asks him: “Why are you wearing that silly hat with a stuffed animal on top, your highness?”
“Well,” explains the prince, “this morning, at Highgrove I told my butler I was coming to Cramlington to open a hospital, and he said to me ‘Cramlington, eh? Wear the fox hat?’”

Aromas of strawberry, red cherry, a bit of spice, some meat and quite a bit of mint. On the palate light to medium bodied with strawberry and raspberry, spice, meat, mint and some stalky flavours. It has dry tannin and a little warmth from alcohol but nice fresh acidity. Not especially long. Not a great Pinot yet I still like it a fair bit - it drinks well enough and has no shortage of character.

Other vintages : 2005,2004

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I can’t remember having an Abbott’s prayer since the 1999 vintage, which was a wine that I liked a lot at the time, although I am not entirely sure it was completely clean. This vintage certainly is. It’s 64% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon has been polished and buffed to squeaky clean perfection. Perhaps too much so.

A fragrant mix of plums and blue fruit, blonde tobacco, coffee grounds and fine clove spice oak with a slight cooling camphor lift. Lovely to smell. On the palate medium bodied with sweet berry and plum fruit, coffee and spice flavours. Slightly briary and earthy but primarily driven by ripe fruit and oak. It has velvety tannins - polished and fine - and feels fluid and and smooth in the mouth. Good length finishing with a spice and coffee aftertaste. High quality and well mannered although (at least for me) not particularly exciting.

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This is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. I like Adelaide Hills Merlot and this wine is further proof (or encouragement) that growers should persist or even plant more of it.

Pretty and perfumed with ripe plum, berry, licorice, dried mint, camphor and cedary vanilla oak. On the palate medium to full bodied with sweet juicy plum and berry fruit, licorice and dried herbs. It’s ripe and creamy with a fresh acid bite, a little warm alcohol, and firm smooth tannins. Finishes with a plum and chocolate aftertaste and a slightly bitter herbal twist. A lovely wine with plenty of charm and character.

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No wines ever arrive on my doorstep from Yalumba unannounced as I have a highly satisfactory Biblical arrangement with them. It goes something along the lines of ‘Ask and ye shall receive’, so when I heard that a new vintage of the FDW was out, I wasted no time in touching them up for a bottle.

Aromas of preserved lemon, nectarine, nuts and cream with fine spicy oak. Intense and a little wild and funky. On the palate medium weight with concentrated flavours of nectarine, citrus and mango, oatmeal and spice. It has mouthwatering bright acidity running through the lightly creamy glossy texture and closes with a bit of grip on a long spicy fruity finish. Power without heaviness. This is a top wine offering incredible value for under $25.

Other vintages : 2005

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Quite often I am the first to review a wine; such is the immediacy of internet publishing. Other times I am a bit slow in getting round to things, and often (I don’t mind admitting) I sneak a little peek to see what others have written about a particular wine. I am always curious to see what they say as living in a vacuum is neither healthy nor wise when it comes to reviewing wine. My usual sources are probably the same as yours - namely Mattinson, Halliday, Oliver, and increasingly I am taking stock in Stock (Nick that is). I also pay a great deal of attention and respect to Huon Hooke but sadly you have to go searching bits of paper for his excellent notes. I was interested to see that this wine was rated 92 points by Halliday and 77 points by Oliver. As is usually the case, I find myself sitting squarely in the big man’s camp.

Complex and funky with struck match, grapefruit, green melon, white peach and (a fair bit of) good spicy ginger and vanilla oak. On the palate medium bodied with grapefruit, green melon, plenty of spice and some funky smoky characters that support rather than dominate. Fresh, fine boned and quite delicate with a lightly chalky texture and good crisp acid to balance. Finishes dry and spicy. An excellent wine with plenty of style and interest.

Other vintages: 2005

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I had some interesting wines at dinner last night including a ‘94 Reynella Basket Pressed Merlot (very good, bit of minty oak poking out but great fruit) and a ‘90 Leo Buring DR150 Cabernet Sauvignon (complex old cabernet nose, well structured and just fantastic really) but before that, whilst juggling a baby in one hand and scribbling notes with the other, a quick cooling glass of this beauty. In the interests of being thorough I also had a quick re-taste after dinner just to make sure….

Aromatic and spicy with grapefruit, custard apple, flowers and vanilla. On the palate juicy and soft with crunchy green apple, spice, citrus and some minerally flavours. Balanced clean acidity and good flavour make this highly enjoyable now. Another top wine from a winery that’s currently in top form.

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Curious wine this one. I alternate between liking it and not. Good fruit but not so sure about the winemaking. I also tasted the 2004 Pinot which was a developed colour with too much coconutty oak.

Golden colour. It smells of dusty old cupboards, spice racks, pineapple, ginger, whisky marmalade and lemon rind. Oxidative but interesting. On the palate intense and spicy with flavours of citrus and tinned tropical fruit in light syrup and dusty old oak. Bright fresh acidity and excellent line and length. Finishes long and spicy. I’m betting some will love this wine. It is an idiosyncratic style but too oxidative for my tastes. Nonetheless it’s still a nice drink and one with a singular personality.

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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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