Bob McDonald

9.5

Oodles of Coonawarra mint on the nose. The medium bodied palate shows blackberry, dark chocolate, and that same mint. If you ever wanted to know what an excellent Coonawarra Cabernet was like buy a bottle of this - it is textbook. Great winemaking from Sue Bell. Barb and I did vintage there in 2021. — 16 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

I tried a pop and pour but it did need decanting - the nose was muted. Medium to full bodied - spicy and earthy with a touch of liquorice. Partial whole bunch in the ferment, basket pressed, indigenous yeasts, French Oak. Made by the talented Sue Bell with fruit from Wrattonbully, just to the north of Coonawarra. See previous note of 109 weeks ago when we did vintage at Bellwether. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Quite delicate with traces of vanilla oak. Green melon, grapefruit and citrus on show. Light to medium weight palate. A well made Wine which won the Pam Dunsford Trophy for Best Chardonnay at the Limestone Coast Wine Show. Good QPR. Drink now or cellar for a few years. Bought this at the Cellar Door in March when we went to Bellwether in Coonawarra for vintage. Tasted another bottle 43 weeks later on 16th April 2022 with similar notes. Shows melon and stone fruit with a creamy leesy texture in an overall restrained style. For short term drinking and very good value. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

This is the Bellwether Wrattonbully Shiraz from 2019. A really smart young Shiraz. Aromatic earthy and spicy. Wrattonbully is just to the north of Coonawarra. A special parcel of clone 1127 Shiraz. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

From the warm Riverland area this is a very tasty Monte. Fresh and spicy. Smooth tannins with a slippery mouthfeel. A great bistro wine to serve by the glass. Postscript: The ultimate Pizza Wine. — 5 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.1

Precision and texture make a great team. — 7 years ago

Jeremy Coffey

9.5

So legit. Tough vintage for Can Franc around the lakes, but Chris and his team bucked the trend (yet again) and made a thoughtful, imaginative wine. Fruit bursts off the glass from the jump. Nice textural decision to counter the acidity with the slight carbonic effervescence. Just wish I had more. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Concentrated and rich. Blackberry, cassis and spice - also plenty of Coonawarra mint. 2021 one of the best vintages In Coonawarra in recent memory. Barb and I did the 2021 vintage in Coonawarra at Bellwether. This Yalumba Sanctum - I don’t think I’ve had a higher awarded wine for only $18! 4 Trophies and counting. Had another bottle 57 weeks later on 2nd April 2025. Similar notes with a touch of tomato bush on the nose. Same chocolate and blackberry. Ticks a lot of boxes of quality Cabernet for an amazing price. — 2 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Dark but clear ruby. Black cherry and patent leather nose portends the medium full, leathery black cherry palate. Medium acidity from entry wrapped in supple medium tannins. Finish is lengthy and continues the palate. Rosso di Montalcino — the “Prince” red of Tuscany — is the bellwether for Brunello and Val di Suga’s entry predicts great things for the “King” in the 2019 vintage. Enjoy this with all classic fare from pizza to pork loin to Osso Bucco. Drink now and imagine what’s four years down the line. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Bought this in a 6 pack at the Cellar door in Coonawarra a few weeks ago after doing vintage at Bellwether. Bright and fresh with well balanced stone fruit, pear and nutty notes with medium minus acid. Made to be drunk young - cellar if you wish for 2 or 3 years maximum. Great value at $100 for the 6 pack including freight from SA. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Brought this to Bellwether to match with the 2009 Bellwether Cabernet Sauvignon. A pretty even match - both top quality. Shared with Penfolds Viticulture senior executive Ben Harris and Sue Bell both excellent palates. This is more herbaceous and hay silage than the Coonawarra. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

A rare and unusual grape variety native to Puglia in the heel of Italy. This is fermented on skins. Very textural with a great mouth feel. Ideal for warm climates - this is from the Riverland. Drought tolerant with thick skins. — 5 years ago

Julia Geisler

9.5

I’m not celebrating my birthday until the weekend but it’s always nice to have something the actual day of - thank you @James Forsyth for sharing this!! It’s delicious, the black currant really makes this taste 😍 chef’s kiss, as we millennials say. Almost dangerously good, it really tastes like the black currant juice I drink in Germany.
Also thank you to @Shea Bove @Matthew Burgess @Claire Troussieux for making today fun 🥳 — 7 years ago

with Shea, Matthew and 2 others

Bob McDonald

9.0

Probably a little more full bodied than the Wrattonbully Shiraz from Bellwether a few nights ago. It’s interesting that Shiraz was initially THE grape In Coonawarra back decades ago but now much better known for Cabernet Sauvignon. A whiff of vanilla oak together with black plum and dried meat/charcuterie notes on nose and palate. Great value at only $30 per bottle. Redman are one of the original producers In Coonawarra established in 1908. Bought at the Cellar door. Had another bottle 146 weeks later on 18/2:/26 with similar notes. Good but not great. Excellent value. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

This wine must be the best value red in Coonawarra and also from the great 2018 vintage. Excellent value at $17.50 per bottle. Initial aromas of mint and blackberry. Excellent structure for such an inexpensive red. Bought this at the Cellar Door exactly a year ago when we were in Coonawarra doing vintage at Bellwether. Around 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Shiraz. Weirdly, another thing I liked was the really light empty glass bottle. Had my last bottle of a dozen 170 weeks later on 7th July 2025 with consistent notes. Must be in the running for best value red wine in Australia. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Similar notes to 118 weeks ago. A dirty mid Orange/Tangerine in colour - a little cloudy. Aromas of apricot and mouldy orange. Skinnsy apricot flavours with mild acid. A skins contact white wine fermented in clay amphora in the ground. We visited there a few years ago in Sicily. Finishes with a trace of bitterness from the skins. Natural wines - when they get them right they can be quite good but having just done a week of vintage in Coonawarra at Bellwether - you need to take risks with natural wine. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

8.9

Fresh and uncomplicated. 40% carbonic maceration highlights the aromatics. Fruit from Wrattonbully. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

In Adelaide tonight and trying the entry level Yangarra Grenache from McLaren Vale made by Grenache master Peter Fraser. No detailed notes - but medium bodied, medium tannins - red and black fruits. Driving 4 1/2 hours to Coonawarra today. See you at Bellwether. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Very pale lemon in colour. Tasted after the Premier Cru Hubert Lamy and similar in many ways - the texture, the acid, the citrus the subdued oak influence, but not as much minerality or salinity. Made by Sue Bell at her Bellwether winery in Coonawarra from Chardonnay grapes from the Tamar River in Tasmania. A good wine in the leaner style - showing the quality of Tasmanian Chardonnay. Consistent notes 88 weeks later on 9th December 2020. Chablisesque. Grapefruit notes. Still bracing acidity. — 7 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.3

Often the forgotten wine of the portfolio, but it always serves as a bellwether for the vintage at Keller. And this is so typical of the sizzling, electric and concentrated wines turned out there in ‘17. Fresh milk, racy acids and elegant minerality...next level stuff! #keller #rheinhessen #pinotblanc #chardonnay — 7 years ago