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Obviously very young with a bit of grassy action, gooseberry, lemon barley and fruit punch aromatics. It’s light and crisp, perhaps a bit lacking in focus, but fresh and easy - not overt or mouth puckering.The flavours are of lemon barley, weak pineapple juice and some grassy character which present well and overall it offers an attractive and modestly priced glass of dry white. Excellent with food too.

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It’s always interesting doing the Buring Clare and Eden twins at the same time, and I’ll be doing the same with Leonay this vintage too as for the first time in over a decade there’s a release from each region. Generally I’m an Eden man but this vintage I ummmed and ahhhed a bit - initially being very taken with Eden, then liking the Clare, and then finally back to giving Eden the nod.

It’s pretty and perfumed with rose oil and fennel on top of fresh lime and mineral. Juicy, fresh and fine boned with excellent pure (but very strong) acidity and a lengthy lime juice finish. It’s a racy style and needs a bit more time in bottle to show its best.

Other vintages : 2007, 2005

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A new Schist on the block and pretty handy wine too.

It smells of cut apple, faint citrus, some mineral and bit of honeysuckle. On the palate it lacks real Eden finesse and focus but has good flavour. It tastes of apple, a bit of citrus and again that minerality but it’s pretty much soft and easy going with some attractive textural grip to compensate. In short, it’s good to drink young with a low risk of ‘weaned on dill pickle face’ syndrome cropping up during those vital social engagements… . It’s obviously a warm year wine and I’d say a good drinking dry white first and foremost rather than a racy Riesling, but none the worse for that.

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I like it better than the 2005, but not as much as the yet to be released 2007 - which it must be said is an absolute ripper.

It’s has the usual Steingarten finesse with lime, baked apples, cinnamon spice and a wet slate/mineral aspect - fresh and clean but juicy too. In the mouth intense and slatey with strong lime fruit and crystalline acidity - it’s dry but also feels wet and refreshing with a long lemon/lime and spice finish. Showed no signs of tiring over four days in the fridge. A great Eden Valley Riesling.

Other vintages : 2005, 2003

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2008 already. Seem to have missed tasting the 2007 somewhere along the way but never mind.

Very pretty and scented to smell with roses, talc, citrus and apple. On the palate soft and fresh with beautiful (seemingly) natural acidity and gentle flavours of flowers, apple and citrus. It’s delicate, light and charming with a touch of slatey mineral grip and a good long lemon barley flavoured finish. I’d could knock a bottle of this off on my own no worries.

Other vintages : 2006

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It’s certainly aromatically complex and fragrant with ripe dark cherry, menthol, brown spices, mint, leather, coffee and coconut ice all contributing to the riot of smells. Medium to full bodied with a mix of sweet dark fruit, spice, aniseed, coffee and malty scorched peanut giving a distinctly dry savoury impression rather than a plump fruity one. It has fine light grainy tannins, fairly prominent sappy acidity and a finish of decent length. Offering a degree of complexity and finesse rarely found in wines under twenty dollars, it’s a very successful follow up to the debut vintage.

Other vintages: 2006

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Prima puts me in mind of those little boxes of fruit juice that I used to take to school as a kiddy. Popper was the other one, which is also the sound that the highly fetching glass stopper makes when it comes out of this fruity beauty. This is the inaugural vintage of an early picked off-dry (22g residual sugar) style, and while according to at least one retailer, this resurgence of sweeter style Riesling could be confusing to all those people who are now just learning to trust their assurances that Riesling is dry, I say bugger them. And anyway, it gives the lazy idle shiftless wine sniffing pigs something useful to do…

Flowery and mineral at once with lime, mango and a little spice. On the palate an intense burst of sweet lime, mango and lemon pith that is snapped back into focus by crisp dry flinty acidity. The balance is perfect and the combination of sweet, dry and sour is both highly refreshing and almost irresistible. It’s off-dry really, or seems that way, the sweetness in no way obvious or sickly and the finish clean, dry and very long. A.W.E.S.O.M.-O!

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Yet again I have lost the press release but using the powers of my mind I can tell you this is made by Domenic Torzi from parcels of fruit sourced from across the Barossa Valley. Lyndoch, Eden Valley and hmmm might have been Greenock. I’m sure someone will let me know.

Grapes come from Lyndoch old vine Shiraz owned by a 6th generation Lyndoch family. This site lies in Rowland Flat along the foothills behind the original plantings by Colin Gramp. The Shiraz fruit once supplied Grant Burge for his Meshach…a truly flavour punch site.

Greenock site which is surrounded by Grange Shiraz..not his block though..it was full of plums, peaches and apricots..up rooted they went and in went Grange cuttings from next door. It’s a remarkable block for its youth.

Old vine Angaston Shiraz owned by a 4th generation Angaston grape grower. This site lies along side Henschke sourced old vine shiraz fruit. This fruit for many years supplied Barossa Valley Estate for its E & E Shiraz…it’s a super site with thin soil of iron stone.

Rich and black with cherry jam, black fruits, menthol, liquorice, Bounty Bars and vanilla oak. Flamboyant, not exactly subtle, but very winning. On the palate full bodied but not heavy; it drinks beautifully with its flavours of sweet black fruit, cherry and dark chocolate. It has smooth ripe tannin and an even flow through the mouth. It’s a gorgeous easy going crowd pleaser of the very highest quality.

Other vintages : 2005

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I think you have to be both subjective and objective when writing any sort of review. It’s insensitive to both parties, the producer and the reader, if you are not. Just for interests sake I opened this alongside a small make $50 2005 Eden Valley Shiraz to see what an extra $110 buys you. Quite a lot and not too much are the answers to that particular question.

Dense and thick with blue and black fruits, toasty mocha oak and little menthol floating about. Like sniffing at the closed door of a kitchen in anticipation of a great meal to come. On the palate full bodied with palate saturating fine tannin and extract offering flavours of dark fruit, mocha and spice. It has great weight and balance although currently feels a little leaden and solid. Remarkable length of flavour. Needs lots of time. Will it ever be an exciting wine? Perhaps.

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The Shiraz was purchased from a vineyard on Gomersal Rd in the Barossa while the Cabernet came from Moculta. The blend is 62% Shiraz & 38% Cabernet. The fruit was open fermented and basket pressed. The Shiraz is matured in American Oak, while the Cabernet is matured in French, both for 15 months. The wine is unfiltered and unfined and benefits from decanting. 150 dozen made

Quite pretty to smell with its mix of berries, milk chocolate, roses and vanilla oak with some darker notes of coal dust and a little sprig of mint adding further interest. Medium bodied and understated, it feels light and fresh in the mouth with supple fine grained tannins and flavours of plum, berry, milk chocolate, coal and vanilla oak and a good clean finish. It’s a refined wine and a safe bet for the cellar (it looked better the second day). A great example of the classic Australian red blend.

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“Good things come to those who wait”..or so they say..and the same person probably sometimes says “Third time lucky”…but not so lucky this time Mister because I managed to get my hands on it first; it’s supposed to be the third bottle they have sent along. And Pants Pie it’s good. Cork enthusiasts will also be well pleased by the length and smoothness of the bark closure.

It smells of raspberries and dark berries, aniseed, chocolate, new leather, spice and coffee. Beautiful and nothing overdone. On the palate medium to full bodied with outstanding quality fruit - the flavours are of dark berry mixed with fresh pippy raspberry, licorice, chocolate and spice with an underlying dark Barossan savouriness that’s always so appealing. Smooth fine grained tannin, freshness and length of palate are hallmarks of this wine of superb balance and style. It’s so good it made me feel like rushing out and buying some.

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Situated on Flaxmans Valley Rd high on top of the Barossa ranges at the very start of the Eden valley. In amongst many famous vineyards is Colin & Fiona Sheppards 7 acre property comprising 45+ year old Riesling, 45+ year old Semillon & 55+year old Shiraz.

I’d not heard of this winery before, and it’s a good story, but best you read it on their website to save me a bit of typing. I’m feeling lazy. 110 cases made.

Nice and fragrant with classic blossom, lime, apple and minerally aromas. On the palate it is fine and soft with excellent flavour and great purity offering a mix of citrus, apple and spice. It has gentle clean acidity and feels slightly slippery although roughed up just a little by some attractive pithy characters. Jumps up and waves goodbye on the long clean dry finish. Absolute magic to drink now.

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The vineyard site is obviously fine and distinctive and I think I can see similarities now between the two vintages. Both this and the 2007 share limey fruit, flinty minerality and a certain fine boned charm even though they are quite different wines to taste (and made by different winemakers). The fruit is hand-picked from 75-80 year old dry-grown vines located in the Flaxmans Valley.

Plenty to sniff at here with Schweppes lime cordial and fresh squeezed lime, mineral, spiced honey nuts and some petrolly development showing. On the palate intense limey fruit, mineral, spice and toast flavours. Sweet and juicy yet it feels pretty dry with flinty crunchy acid and a nice tight focussed palate that fades slightly at the end. Finishes dry, toasty and limey. It will cellar well for sure, but I’d bet it’s going to develop plenty of Kero characters, so the decision largely depends on your personal tastes. I like it a lot right now.

Other vintages: 2007

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St Hallett - perhaps the patron saint of people with wine breath?

Aromas of fresh lime, kaffir lime leaf, mineral and lemon blossom. Delightful. On the palate this is fine boned and minerally with lime and lemon, florals and a little spice. It has lovely mouth-watering crunchy acidity coupled with softness and delicacy and finishes dry, long and crisp. A very fine Eden Valley Riesling.

Other vintages: 2006

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I tasted this alongside the Hewitson ‘Gun Metal’ Eden Valley Riesling of the same vintage and they were close with the Mountadam having the edge. Both good wines but I like my Eden pure and crisp, whereas these are a bit chunky, seemingly a product of a hot early vintage.

Aromas of lemon/lime, flowers, mineral and spice. On the palate a grippy lightly chalky texture and bone dry with flavours of lime, flowers, spice and mineral. It has soft acidity and feels a just a little broad and chunky although does have good flavour and an excellent long lemony aftertaste. A weightier food style (rather than aperitif).

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Well here’s the go. This is a very fine and highly drinkable Shiraz for under $20. This vintage is 60% Eden Valley fruit with the remainder coming from the Barossa Valley.

Aromas of red and blue fruit, licorice allsorts, pepper, spice and raw meat. Jubey, spicy and fragrant all in one. On the palate medium bodied with fresh red fruit, aniseed, pepper and spice with light fine tannins and crisp acidity. Light, dry and really just so very nice to drink. Good spicy finish. I’d be all over this like a fat kid on a chocolate cake if I were looking for a versatile tasty weekday wine. Great stuff.

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This is the entry level Riesling from Henschke with fruit sourced from various growers around the Eden Valley region.

Aromas of apple, tropical fruit, talc, mineral and spice. Nice and juicy. On the palate flavours of apple and citrus and a touch of spice. It has soft acidity and a little phenolic grip. Lacks a bit of cut and focus but overall a pretty tasty easy drinking Riesling.

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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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Did they release a 2004 Steingarten or was that vintage not up to scratch I wonder?

Aromas of green apple, lime and a touch of toast and honey leading on to a sweet juicy fruited palate with apple and lime and a little bit of toasty development. Fairly soft and round but as the wine gets more air it tightens up and becomes progressively drier and more flinty. Good length of flavour with a dry lemon/lime finish. Excellent, for sure, but not quite the usual wonderful Steingarten experience for me.

Other vintages : 2003

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I had this last night along with an excellent 1996 Wynns Black Label Cabernet and a fair, but not top, bottle of 1996 Penfolds Bin 407. Dreadful corks in this vintage of St Henri. They always snap.

Plenty of lovely tertiary smells including leather, chocolate and licorice on top of sweet dark fruit. On the palate medium to full bodied with dark fruit, dark chocolate, walnut and leather - a veritable gentleman’s club (no not that sort smutty) of flavours. It has powdery tannins that still make their presence felt but in no way dominate and a yummy chocolaty finish of decent length. Not a top St Henri, but a very good one, and certainly ready to drink now.

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

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