Bob McDonald

9.5

The 5th First Growth Bordeaux at the Downs Club last Saturday. Becoming difficult to take meaningful notes. Again, like the 2003 Latour that masculinity shows through. A little young to be drinking this to be honest. Probably after 30 years ie. 2036 would be ideal when the tannins are more resolved — 21 days ago

Chris DeMay

9.2

WineText $21.04 6/11/22 — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Another candidate in the 41 wine lineup at the Downs Club tasted blind. Unlike many of the other candidates which had ripe black fruits from 2018, this had notes of dried meat and charcuterie. Full bodied - more savoury than fruit driven. Spinifex is a boutique Barossa producer. Winemaker is the Kiwi star, Peter Schell. Very Good. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

At the Downs. Club magnum dinner on Wednesday night. A very rich Pinot Noir and one of New Zealand’s finest. A bit closed - needs a lot of swirling. A medium to full bodied palate. Tannins are a little coarse and grainy but I put that down to its youth. Too young to be drinking this particularly from magnum. Should be great in 10 years time. 99 points from James Suckling. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The final wine at the First Growth Bordeaux Lunch at the Downs Club last Saturday…. and what a great way to finish a wonderful lineup. I recall Apricot and Pear on a palate of profound intensity which delivers on the powerful nose. An obviously sweet palate with enough racy acid to keep things interesting and fresh. Will last until the late 2030s at least. Terrific! — 21 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Another candidate in the 41 wine list tasted blind at the Downs Club. Brief notes. Very dense in colour with a crimson rim. Rich and full bodied from a great producer showing those lovely ripe fruits from the 2018 vintage. Hard not to like. Turkey Flat has some of the oldest vines in the Barossa. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

The 6th wine from the Downs Club Italian dinner. Also from Magnum. Brief notes. A totally different expression from this Super Tuscan made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Blackberry with vanilla oak scents at this young age. Has a lot of developing still to do. Just a touch of tobacco. Infanticide to be drinking this, particularly from magnum. From the producers of the much more famous Sassicaia. — 3 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

First English bubbs and it was very nice. Color super vibrant! Strawberry and rhubarb, pretty dry. — a year ago

with Natasha

S.S. Mandani

9.4

Big pastry guy as you can see. This baby never stays empty.

The wine seller calls these grapes “happy grapes.”

Plummy, rich, dark, sweet like licorice and cedar. A forest perfume of pine.

They’re definitely happy because I’m happy. This is a succulent, rich wine. A lot to enjoy. A good rouse between tannins and acid on the palate, in a good way, like an entertaining joust, a rumble in the ring, or the bull and the toreador. This is the downs I imagine Hemingway drinking from the bottle at a spontaneous picnic on the Spanish countryside in his real life The Sun Also Rises.

Dry, but not leaving you puckered and wanting more, just the right balance with a creamy mouthfeel of silken roses to follow, lingering on the palate like the twirl of the toreador’s cape in the ring. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

The 3rd wine at the Downs Club Italian Dinner. Showing the many styles possible with Nebbiolo. A soft fruit forward flavoursome Red for early consumption - light tannins, red and black fruits - dry and dusty. Nothing like a big long living Barolo. — 3 years ago