Austin Hohnke

9.1

Another outstanding Picasses that is far more accessible in its youth. Open but with more muscle, austerity, and brooding fruit than the ‘14. Need to revise my other rating up rather than this down. — a month ago

Sherwin Taghdiri

9.0

A little strong on the nose, with scents of dark berries, currant and spices.
Drink’s surprising smooth on the palate, with subtle flavors of berries, chocolate and spice…with a linger or spice at the end.
A good deal when on sale at Costco for $9. — a year ago

with Anne

ESF

9.0

Light straw w/green tint: this usually straddles the line between Old & New World and I think this vintage needs some time to fatten up. Typical toasty buttery lemon verbena on the nose with some tropical guava and melon for good measure. Firm acidic backbone & lighter body gave it an austerity on palate thru finish. — 3 years ago

roland benedetti

9.3

What a wine, once opened up.
Superdry but super structure.
Complexity and long long long.
I’d be totally lost without the label, got some Provence scents, herbs, sun, jam and then austerity, austerity, austerity.
Probably could have wait a few more years.
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— 4 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Deep ruby , garnet thinner rim . Quite deep fruits again . Spicy fruit darker in profile than the 1998 . But in style quite similar to the 1998, not the austerity or classic profile of the 1995 or 1996. Redder lighter fruits again , touch of spice and tobacco. A bit more stuffing than the 1998 , bit more tannin noticeable, with good acidity . This is better balanced than the preceding wine , has more complexity with quite good length on the slightly saline tinged finish. Certainly aromatically the youngest wine in the tasting , this can be drunk now though will improve over the 5 years perhaps and last well a further 5-10. — 8 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.5

Built for the cellar. Delicious. Maybe medium approachable in its youth. But lots of acid and structure, dryness that verges on austerity, but for a licorice sweetness that brings it back and complicates this immensely. Open from ‘25. — a year ago

David Kline

9.4

Lime pith swells with shallot, lemon peel and lemon-poppy bread, seashell, chive, carnation, orchids, candied grapefruit peel bouquet. Dry and enticing entry, has a Chablis like austerity, but rounder, showing chamomile and caper with lemon juiciness. .
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#cullen #cullenwinery #wilyabrup #margaretriver #cullenkevinjohnchardonnay #margaretriverchardonnay #Australianwine #biodynamic #sustainable #aussiewine #aussiechardonnay #ozwine #ozchard — 3 years ago

with Courtney, Emily and 1 other

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Meaty, minty and peppery nose. Wow. So gamey and bloody. Pedal to the medal St. Joseph. Ultra traditional stuff here. Lots of olive and all on a serious granitic background. Palate is elegant and so refined but also has a wild side in that it’s super gamey, olivey and very supple and has good red berry sweetness. Really clean. These wines get cleaner every year without losing their feral edge. Very fine tannin. Also some youthful austerity. Needs air. I will be back. As this opens up exotic tea scents. Maybe oolong and Puer-eh. Great concentration and super silky and long. This is so good. 19 is also best vintage since 15. — a year ago

Bill Kaplan

9.2

A grape fest. Some austerity on the nose, and a party in the mouth. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Enjoying some wonderful aged Australian Rieslings from my cellar currently. This from the Eden Valley was almost as impressive as the Eldredge from the Clare a few days ago. Pale Lemon in colour. Nose of mandarin rind, pith and flesh, dried flowers but no Kero. The palate is showing Mandarin juice, a touch of sweetness and low acid. This wine has blossomed with cellaring, becoming delicious after the austerity of its youth. The vineyard was planted in 1912. Colin Kroehn as at 2012 has tended this vineyard for 66 of his 86 years. — 4 years ago