WSET Level 3 Pass with Distinction.
See previous notes on Delectable in 2023. The Rayner vineyard in McLaren Vale is regarded as one of the best vineyards for Grenache in Australia. Raspberry aromatics comes through on the palate, typical of Australian Grenache….also cherry Barb thought. With air the palate intensity grew. Jujubey confectionery notes. Sourced from a tiny 0.7 hectare block of 48 year old Grenache vines. Only 210 dozen made. Great value at only $34 AUD for such a small production. My last bottle. — 5 days ago
Previous tasting note here was for October 2022. Aromas of menthol , plum skins and friable soil. Medium bodied palate showing a strangely sweet chocolate character amongst the savouriness. A few years left in the drinking window. Have the last one in 2+ years. — 12 days ago
Rich, buttery and luscious. Barrel fermented. Oak is there but the right amount to balance the ripe fruit. Definitely a full bodied opulent Chardonnay - stone fruit and cashew. Low in acid. I think Jancis’s drinking window of 2021-2025 is about right. I wouldn’t want to be drinking this in 2028 or later. — 12 days ago
Mid lemon yellow in colour. A caramel top note initially, from the oak. A little too cold to begin with from the fridge but once it warmed up it showed its considerable charms. Fruit characters fading - honey, savoury and mineral to the fore. 2017 probably the best year for white burgundy since 2014. — 3 days ago
Semi transparent Ruby red. Aromatics of dried rose petals and violets with Sous Bois. Profound flavour intensity with savoury red cherry. Burgundian overtones. The Langtons Classification adopted Main Ridge as a top Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir many years ago - almost the original. Oak is in balance and doesn’t intrude. A very good Pinot, and probably a point or two behind their premium Cuvée, The Half Acre. — 4 days ago
A rich Chardonnay from an excellent vintage in the Hunter Valley. Luscious stone fruit notes on the palate, showing its warm climate origins. Low acid. Mealy. Stylistically not dissimilar to the Shafer Carneros Chardonnay had recently. — 10 days ago
Brief notes. Mid Ruby in colour. Dried fruit on nose and palate. Liquorice. Finishing in very Nebbiolo fashion with fine powdery dry tannins. Went well with homemade Pizza. — 4 days ago
See previous notes for this Cuvée - a Shiraz Viognier from the ACT made by Bryan Martin who is the winemaker at the nearby and famous Clonakilla, for Tim Kirk. Pepper and Spice with Charcuterie - in fact like a junior version of Clonakilla. Interestingly the large label has pencil images of charcuterie in a butcher’s shop. Also excellent QPR. My last bottle. — 7 days ago
Still a very dense crimson with no tawny rim, at 28 years of age but the tawniness is beginning. A certain feral, Animale, earthy note. Palate is ultra smooth, medium bodied / very savoury yet with a sweetish earthy note with a hint of raspberry. Jancis Robinson was invited by Stephen Henschke to a vertical tasting at the winery in May 2013 to cover vintages back to the late 1950’s. She described the 1996 as “pure hedonism “ and gave it 19/20. Medium plus intensity on the delicious palate with those gnarled old 160 year vines showing through. An absolutely stunning wine - one of the best we’ve had this year. — 11 days ago
Bob McDonald
This is a great tipple as the weather cools down in the Southern Hemisphere. From Islay with plenty of peat and smokiness. A maritime seaweed note. Some say Laphroaig is even more peaty but for me, the jury is still out on that one. — 3 days ago