David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

They greet you at their new tasting room on Pritchard Hill (formerly Nine Suns) with their Sauvignon Blanc. Full disclosure, I am not the biggest champion of SB. But, this is very nice.

This is the only one I didn’t take realtime notes on. Classic New World SB. The body is a little gluey, waxy, lemon, lime, tropical melons, pineapple, some presence of dry cut hay/grass, soft minerality, good viscosity, yellow flowers, nice acidy and well polished finish.

Photos are from 1/25-24. Stunning view from the property looking over Pritchard Hill, entry way w/ Vinous wall maps of the PH producers & assorted artworks, their gate as you enter w/ your car and face plate of one of their beautiful tanks in the cellar, which they keep spotless. — 3 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

I forgot to shoot the Moonracer bottle and borrowed some of these images from their site.

This is one of my favorite wines from Realm. Very kind of Leslie to open for us. The 2021 was outstanding and have it at 97-98. Showed very well at well pop and pour.

The nose on the 2021 Moonracer was quite feminine which has great appeal to me. Dark perfume florals, ripe, lush currants but more cassis with beautiful, soft baking spices.

The palate was fresh and shows round, ruby, lush fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries. It is feminine & elegant in its style. Powdered, limestone, rocks & sandstone, soft, dark spice with gentle heat as it sets, sweet forest floor, black licorice, mixed berry cola, some soft, fresh tobacco, expensive, plush leather, softly stated baking spices-nutmeg, clove cinnamon & vanillin, melted dark chocolate, a mix of fresh, red, blue florals framed in violets & some lavender, perfect acidity, elegant, round, extremely well balanced, layered, structured long finish that is two-minutes.

One thing of note, there will be no 2022 The Absurd. The Absurd fruit will go into The Bard and a couple of their others wines. Reason, the six days of brutal heat during the potential harvest window.

Stunning pano view of Pritchard Hill from their estate. If we had been there the day before, fog and clouds would have made this photo impossible. Brand plate on their stainless steel tanks, believe a shot of their Moonracer vineyard and sitting area in their tasting room. — 3 months ago

Keith M

9.2

ルークランバートをエノロゴに迎えたオーストラリアのネッビオーロ。
ランゲやロエロのネッビオーロに比べると酸もタンニンも柔らかて厳しさがない。とにかく滑らか。
それでいて、上品な甘さと旨味。
バラの花。控えめながら上品なベリー。
厳格さや複雑さはないけれど、こんなにシルキーなネッビオーロは初めて。 — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 3 months ago

Keith M

9.0

赤い果実、小梅、ミント、バニラ、枯れ葉、タバコ、リコリス。
ビンテージの割には、少し茶色っぽい色合い。
味わいや香りにも、そのニュアンスがある。
イタリアのネッビオーロとは、明らかに違って、ネッビオーロというよりは、ピノノワールっぽい。
最初は閉じ気味だけど、2杯目からぐんぐん開いて、火薬的な要素も。 — 4 months ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

Gunpowder smoke and a reductive mealy depth dominate the nose. The palate is crisp, focused, mouthwatering. There is complexity and structure, and a dominant sourness to the aftertaste that is not unpleasant and gives incredible length. Quite different from the Hunting Hill (more forward) and the Mates (more closed but more to give). This is another superb wine, but it needs food in my view to balance the sourness. — 2 years ago

with Racquel

Keith M

9.0

ピノらしい木苺的なニュアンス。
ワイルドでピチピチしているが、ナチュラルワインらしい旨味に溢れ、滋味深さもある。
還元的な要素もなく、ピュアさもあるので、ナチュラルのネガさがないところも○。
ルークランバート氏が醸造コンサルタントらしい。
— 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.

Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.

Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 3 months ago

Severn Goodwin

9.1

1996 | Birthday weekend for my lovely wife.

Slight funk on the nose, but solid, dusty red fruits on the palate. Double decanted with notes at 5H. Complete notes on future bottles. 2006 acquisition with careful storage since.

Paired to USDA Prime Strip Steaks (baseball-cut), Allen Bros. Chicago.

I do enjoy the old, minimalist label showcasing the view of the winery in the hill. — 2 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.3

I’m not overly familiar with Malbec but this tastes pretty good. Has the Rudderless earthy/bushy/herbal flavours as in the Grenache (Sellicks hill location, picks up the nice sea breeze and has a great view as I enjoyed from Doug Govern’s Victory Hotel). Nice spread and lovely tannin with a plusher fruit profile than the Grenache. Cracked it and drank straight away late afternoon. — 3 years ago