Bob McDonald

9.5

Barb and I first tasted this wine at the winery in a structured tasting, as the 2019 vintage on 31 March 2021 and it was very impressive. A couple of years later I bought 6 bottles of the 2021 and this is the 2nd of those 6. Made by the dream team of Michael Hill-Smith (Australia’s first MW), David LeMire MW plus winemakers Martin Shaw and Adam Wadewitz. Appley notes, noticeable funk. More detailed notes over the course of the next 4 bottles in the next few years. A class act from the Adelaide Hills. — 3 days ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Handsome #pessacléognan; 2nd wine from this famous producer. Took a good bit to open up. #bordeaux — 9 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.5

Brilliant and complex wine. Personally i couldnt find any hint of sauvignon blanc on the nose and it reminds me more of a chardonnay. Great use of wood and acidity. Will improve in the coming years. Highly recommmend! Served with roasted cauliflower soup — 8 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep, slightly hazy garnet color with a slightly orange rim and a near opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with pretty significant staining of the tears. Showing some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of desiccated dark and red fruits: brambles, dark cherry, cassis, leather, green bell pepper, tobacco, cocoa, purple flowers, damp earth, and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and extremely satisfying.

Initial conclusions, this could be Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or a blend of Bordeaux varieties, Syrah or Tempranillo from France or Spain. I think this wine has too many non-fruit characteristics for me to place this in California, Argentina or Australia. Because I don’t get enough purple or any black pepper, I’m ruling out Syrah. There aren’t any olive/coconut/dill tones to put me in Spain so I’m ruling that out. I think there is a decent amount of Merlot in this because it’s has some elegance…but it’s just not quite plush enough for me to put this in the Right Bank.

So I’m going Left Bank. Final Conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from France, from Bordeaux, from the Medoc, from Saint-Julien. Classified growth (I was thinking Saint-Pierre but wasn’t that sure of myself) with 20-25 years of age. Welp…I was in the right area. This bottle was hand carried from the chateau. Truthfully, I need to gain more experience to refine my ability to pick out subtle nuances within Bordeaux but I digress. The 2001 Smith Haut Lafite is bangin’. Drinking well now but you don’t have to be a huge rush.
— 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

At the Shaw and Smith tasting from the Cellar Door. The Balhannah Shiraz is made from a few select rows in the Shiraz vineyards. From a cooler year - very stalky, herbal and earthy. As different to Barossa Shiraz as you can imagine. Detailed and fine. Ultra ultra savoury and just medium weight. Not for everyone - vive la difference. Barb loved it. Just checked Huon Hooke’s rating where he gave 97 points and said “sensational Shiraz “. — 6 years ago

S Butterfield

Sommelier Flask Fine Wines

9.5

Beautiful Biodynamic estate with a hidden cellar straight out of a James Bond flick. From their selection of young vines. And ahhhhhhhhhbbb the stony floral Sauv Blanc gives the wine lift and air, the wings, while the secret engine of Semillon provides a deep counterbalance, a waxy rudder guiding the whole contraption smoothly thru the air. Day two: even more aerodynamically pure. Drink then. — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2019 pours a pale straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of bright tropical fruit, apple, petrol, white flowers and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with zippy minerality. So tasty. Drink now through 2034. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Earthy nose with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, earth, dark chocolates, green vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, oak, dark chocolates, coffee, spices, earth, black tea, light green vegetables and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a young Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and complex, with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few different vintages of this wine and this vintage seems to be more approachable at this young age.

Delicious by itself, and paired beautifully with the beef brisket.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70. — 3 months ago

Jan de Weerd

9.0

We had the battle of the Shiraz at our family gathering over Christmas. A Shiraz from South Australia and South Africa. Both 2016. This Shiraz, despite from the Adelaide Hills where I think it is a little cooler, was very rich, very bold and broad and a slight jammy note on the edge perhaps. People liked it, but all the votes when for the Shiraz of Cederberg from South Africa. Fun!!! — 9 months ago

with Tammy

Michele Hug

9.5

Opens up super nicely, immediately pleasant on the nose. Plummy and buttery, classic example of a good Napa cab. — 4 years ago

Frank Kuo

9.0

Color of bubbly purple, nice legs. Nose is fruity of dark berries, like blackberry and grapes, some ripe pineapple too, spice, a bit fermented cabbage, a bit peppery, and a bit coke cola. Taste is mellow tannins and a bit sweet, with bittersweet zest plus the notes from the nose. Aftertaste is a bit overpowered by bitterness. Average. — 5 years ago

Dawn E.

9.3

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all!
Exceptional bottle...a bit more complex than the 2015! Delicious Mike Smith magic! I cannot say enough about this wine! QPR is outstanding!
One hour decant on this! — 6 years ago

Tristan

9.2

$35 a glass Peter Luger — 14 hours ago

Chris

9.6

Incredible wine! So smooth and with a fantastic finish. Not sure I’d pay $250 for it though. — 2 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Beast! Big, burly, brooding, and bawesome.
Rich and gamey with smoky olive brine and savory layers of earth. Tucking a couple away. — 8 months ago

Donald Williams

9.4

We don’t get much Sémillon. Too bad. Eric and Alison did a great job on this one. — 9 months ago

with Bonnie

Brandon T

9.6

In a great spot after an hour of air. A fantastic complement to lamb chops. Bravo, @Mike Smith! — 4 years ago

Michelle M

9.4

Blackberry bramble, baked black cherry and plum, hints of maraschino, mint and menthol, bell pepper and geranium, cedar, tobacco, and bakers vanilla with whiffs of aged leather jacket on the nose. Blackberry, cherry, juicy raspberry, vanilla extract and weak black tea on the palate with a medium heavy body but a medium short finish. Overall a great wine for pumpkin pie brunch on Christmas morning (no it’s not too early). Merry Christmas! — 5 years ago

Karen Tripson

9.2

Saving this for a big juicy steak night soon. March 5, 2021 found the moment to open with s dear friend and a lamb leek mushroom cottage pie. Fabulous. — 6 years ago

A E Weber

8.9

Each of the varietals is present like the uncomfortable, yet reassuring experience of a class reunion. Together, you’re the Class of 86. — 7 years ago