Bob McDonald 
Penfolds
Grange Hermitage Bin 95 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 1990
Penfolds
Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Dense crimson in colour - impenetrable. Strong aromas of mint. The excessive oak influence in Penfolds reds early in life has settled down after 15 years. All the individual components early on are now integrated settling in for a long life. Penfolds say to 2040. Ripe blackcurrant with plum, dark chocolate and liquorice notes. Bin 407 came about because of an embarrassment of Cabernet riches even after their flagship Bin 707. An excellent Cab - I now have 5 left for the coming decade or so. — 17 days ago
@Ira Schwartz, if you ever watched “Moonstruck”, the store was in the movie on the corner of Cranberry and Hicks, right next to the apartment where Cher, Olympia Dukakis and the others lived, it was in one or two scenes. Also, we lived right next door to the Catholic Church shown early in the movie on Cranberry, when they were filming those scenes (at night), they had a trailer parked out front. One night, I got home from work, walked to Marcolini’s, grabbed a bottle of wine and headed back to our apartment (Co-op), and the trailer door opened, a pretty woman stepped out, who I proceeded to ALMOST run over, I said sorry ma’am, and 5 stepped later I realized I almost ran over CHER in my haste to get back and open that bottle of wine. TRUE STORY!!
@Bob McDonald
Giant Steps
Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017
Mid to pale crimson - actually transparent. The pale colour belies the aromatic and palate intensity. Aromatics of cherry and raspberry transforming on to the medium bodied sweet red fruited palate. A touch of Sous Bois. An excellent Pinot as always from the Applejack Vineyard from Giant Steps. — a month ago
Mac Forbes
Hugh Gruyere Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010
From magnum. A well balanced well made medium bodied Cabernet from Mac Forbes in the Yarra Valley. Some vegetal notes to the red fruits but in balance and easy to drink with a Waygu Porterhouse on the 23rd with relatives from the UK. Probably at its peak. Bought back in the day as we have a son named Hugh who is with us from NYC and like many of his contemporaries has given up drinking! — 6 days ago
Joh. Jos. Prüm
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling 2017
Must be one of the best Kabinetts going around. Peach and mineral for days - the latter a product of the slatey notes of the Sonnenuhr. Hard to see it getting better than it is now although lacks the complexity of Prum’s better cuvées. — 9 days ago
Castle Rock Estate
Porongurup Pinot Noir 2018
As I mentioned in my previous Delectable note about this Cuvée - stewed red fruits. Strawberries and cherries. Made by the virtuoso winemaker of the Porongorups, Rob Diletti….. this time for himself instead of contract winemaking as he often does for his neighbours. Also Rob is an indemand Show Judge. Rob also makes a fabulous Riesling. — 21 days ago
Famille Perrin
Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes-du-Rhone Red Rhone Blend 2016
Aromatics of new leather and dried fruit. Not your average Côtes du Rhône as you would expect from Chateau de Beaucastel. More full bodied than expected to go with our chicken dish. Far richer than Guigal’s version of Côtes du Rhône. — 22 days ago
Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
This wine screams right bank Bordeaux supported by a blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A dark Ruby red in colour this has a lovely perfume with aromas of plum, cigar box, dried bracken and roses, tobacco and spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg from the oak. 70% of the French Oak barrels were new. Medium plus bodied. The tannins are there but lessening in impact. 14.5% ABV. This wine was #2 in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2013. A near neighbour of the aristocratic Chateau Ausone. — 9 days ago
Clarence House Estate
Block 1 Tasmania Pinot Noir 2021
This Pinot won the 2022 Australian Pinot Challenge for Australia’s Best Pinot Noir. It firstly won best Pinot in Tasmania before beating all the other State winners to win best in Australia. Proving yet again what a fabulous terroir the Coal River is for Pinot Noir. Owned by cardiologist Professor David Kilpatrick and tended to by highly regarded Tasmanian viticulturalists Mark Hoey and Max Marriott and made by neighbouring winemaker Anna Pooley. This wine achieves the trifecta of latent power, energy and elegance. One of the first sites to use the Dijon 777 clone. It is medium body with dark cherry and whole bunch notes with M+ intensity. A worthy winner. — 18 days ago
Bodegas Roda
Reserva Roda Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2015
Rich red and blue berries finishing with a slight tarry taste. 86% Tempranillo, 8% Garnacha and 6% Graciano. Matured in French Oak barrels for 14 months, 40% of the barrels were new and the rest were second use. From dry grown bush vines. Medium to full bodied. Dry cherries and spices. Solid. — 21 days ago
Bob McDonald
Last bottle of a dozen - served on Christmas Day. Holding up perfectly after 35 years and would carry on for another 10 years plus although Penfolds say to 2060. If I had more left I would be drinking before 2040 personally. Plum, chocolate, blackberry and mocha. A beautiful textured palate and a joy to drink. Everyone of the past dozen bottles was a pleasure. Thankfully I have 3 bottles of the 1991 left which is also excellent and maybe better. — 4 days ago