Bob McDonald

9.3

Another full bodied Wendouree from my brothers cellar. Nice and savoury with softening grainy Tannins and again the Eucalyptus kept in check. Don’t go near these Wendouree reds until at least 10 years from vintage. — 2 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

In a cellar overhaul at the beginning of the year I found I had 6 of these (now 4) which need to be drunk over the next few years. Herbal menthol and mint aromas. With time strong scent of Geraniums. Medium weight and savoury with M minus Acid and Tannins. A very good Cabernet in the lighter style - more Cru Bourgeois than Napa. — 4 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Mid crimson in colour with a tawny edge. Some tarriness on the nose with some savoury raspberry and liquorice with garrigue. Sweet mature flavours showing loam, red berries Liquorice with a hint of tar on the palate but at 16 years pretty much everything in beautiful balance. Really love aged Chateauneuf du Pape. — 10 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Rich crimson in colour. Ultra savoury on nose and palate - lacking the fruit it had a few years ago - still with M+ acidity and M- Tannins. Aromas of rose petals, earth and gravel. Have loved the Mencia grape from the first time I tasted it. It has the ability to produce flavoursome dry reds from old low yielding hillside plots on poor schist dominated soils. One of the 1001 Wines. — 10 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Delectable this is actually the Gilt Edge Shiraz. I had only ever had Riesling from this maker previously The Clare Valley does both Riesling and Cabernet well ( as well as Shiraz). This was full bodied supple and mouth filling with lovely balance. Dark chocolate Mocha and dark fruits. A welcome surprise packet. This held its own with the two Wendourees to follow. — 2 days ago

Bob McDonald

8.8

Stunningly clean and fresh with obvious sweetness (only 7.5% ABV) and cleansing acidity. At 12 years a hint of Kerosene appearing on the nose. Essentially a little simple but it is only a Kabinett. Earlier in its life there was more mineral and yellow peach and now the sweetness dominates any earlier nuances. Michael Schmidt who reviewed this wine for Jancis Robinson gave a very short drinking window of 2008 to 2013. It is still a pleasant drink in 2019 but I still believe there is little point in cellaring Kabinett over 10 years at least for Dr. Loosen. JJ Prum may fare better in this regard. — 4 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Red fruits with touches of raspberry and oak on the nose. On the medium weight palate lovely mouthfilling red fruits - the product of old vines with the trademark silky Henschke medium weight Tannins. Always a wonderful wine. The 2006 has. Short term future up to 5 years more. — 10 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Deep Ruby with purple rim - quite youthful in colour. Coonawarra Mint but overall quite restrained, latent and promising much for the future. This will cellar for decades. Black and blue fruits on the medium to full bodied palate. Fine yet stern Tannins - Medium + Acid. Crazy to say but drinking this now is infanticide at 9 years of age. Don’t touch the next one for 3 to 4 years. One of Australia’s premium Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvées. 94 points now but will eventually score 96 and higher. — 11 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Dinner at my brother Mikes place who is a complete Wendouree nut and on the hard to get onto Mailing List. This was full bodied and hugely flavoursome - perfect with slow cooked brisket on a cold night. Still concentrated at 14 years with a decade or 2 ahead of it. Avoiding the overarching Eucalyptus/Menthol Notes of many of the Cuvées from Wendouree. Black currant and a leafy note but not particularly Cab. A great drink nevertheless. — 2 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

This was a fascinating Italian White from Piemonte. This is 100% Timorasso a varietal that was rescued from near obscurity by Walter Massa. It’s native and unique to the Colli Tortonesi. In the past many growers were ripping out Timorosso and planting the more prolific and boring Cortese (Gavi). Thank God for Massa once you taste this. Mid Gold in colour. Rich and textural with notes of fruit salad and honey. Apparently aged versions show petrol like aged Riesling. Amazingly zero new oak. On the palate an absolute fruit salad of flavours with a note of guava. Medium Acid. A flat out delicious wine which I will definitely seek out in the future. Could keep this in the short term but irresistible now. Bought at Roscioli in Rome @Ceccherini Cristiano - your old haunt as a sommelier. One of the 1001 Wines. — 7 days ago