Bob McDonald

9.6

The final wine at the Yarra Yering dinner in Brisbane last Thursday night 3rd October 2024 with winemaker Sarah Crowe. Fitting that Dry Red No. 1 should be the final wine - arguably the Jewel in the Crown. Initial aromatic impressions are gorgeous. This is the 50th vintage of Dry Red No. 1. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Brief notes - blackberry, aniseed and bay leaf. A medium bodied Cabernet with M+ intensity and finishing with fine boned tannin structure. Power with poise, concentration with finesse. Will live for 20 years plus. I have been buying on an irregular basis for many years. The 1990 was a highlight. I asked Sarah, who was Chairman of the Royal Sydney Wine Show this year to compare 3 of the main Cabernet producing areas in Australia - Yarra Valley leafy fragrance, Coonawarra Mint, and Margaret River herbaceousness. At Restaurant Dan Arnold. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.1

1 hour decant(lots of cloudy sediment). A breathtaking dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: got a few whiffs of plum, mint, smoked meat, vanilla oak, floral, herbaceous. Taste: smooth, creamy wine with muted brambly red plum, tobacco, crushed gravel, coffee and a peppery/bitter medium dry finish with just a touch of heat. Disappointed...My high expectations dashed tonight, but I live to post another day. Did I wait too long, still needs time? Seems to have faded or closed down right now. — 2 years ago

with Brenda

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Rich and full! Aromas and flavors of dark raspberry, tobacco and coffee. Hint of black pepper and vanilla on the long lasting finish. Big, Ripe and tannic. Pleasant surprise. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Deep Ruby in colour. Strong earthy stony aromas with deep ripe plum plus red and black fruits. An example of a Hunter Valley wine trying to be like a South Australian Shiraz - too ripe and full bodied. “Clumsy” HH said when it was first released. Thankfully wine makers lately in the Hunter have returned to the old medium weight, savoury, “sweaty saddle “ style. Returning to this 2005, this is more full bodied and rich but the quality of the very old vines planted by Maurice O’Shea pulls it over the line as a high quality wine. The more recent vintages of Maurice O’Shea are of extreme quality (2014 - 99 points), back to what the Hunter does best, and will live for decades. — 2 months ago

Ashly Ash

9.5

I live this! This is my favourite sip and socialise wine. Probably not for pairing with a meal more for dessert as it is lovely and sweet. Pairs nice with I icecream or cheesecake. — 4 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.9

When your dad wants to open a birth year wine he’s been sitting on for nearly 3 decades and impress your winemaker boyfriend…

My first taste of this iconic wine and it didn’t disappoint. I mean look at that color… it’s still so deep and bright. For a moment I worried it might have been a fake (that’s wayyy to much pigmentation for an almost 70 year old wine) but then again it was so good that even if it was a fake I didn’t care.

Decanted for hours and was still opening up over the course of the meal showing more fruit as the night went on (blackberry, ripe plum fresh and dried), lots of leather, tobacco and cedar. Black truffle as expected.

Will it ever live up to the hype? Never. But was it really friggin’ good? YES!!! — 2 years ago

Lorry Henny

9.0

A very pleasant well balanced wine that displays subtle fruit and mild tannins.
— 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Opened 24 hours prior and decanted for sediment before returning to the bottle; enjoyed over the course of two days. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart brambles and plums, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, all of the decomposing earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, mostly integrated tannins with medium+ acid, borderline high. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Overall, a wine that is a reflection upon the vintage and at 43 years of age, that’s a big compliment. The 1981 is very much alive and will likely live for a very long time. However, it is backward, rustic, and somewhat tough to love unless you’re an old-school masochist. But I’m guilty and this wine is charming despite all of its green character. Drink now and over the next 30 years probably. — 3 months ago

Andre

9.4

Amazing wine. Well worth the wait to live the experience — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

One of the few producers that I purchase each and every vintage. I find that Laurence Feraud’s wines are consistently some of the more interesting and enjoyable wines made in all of Chateauneuf du Pape; particularly when value comes into play. This bottle is my first experience with her 2018 vintage and the first bottle of a small tranche that I swooped up upon release. Popped and poured; consumed over 5 hours. The color is deep ruby with a near opaque core; glossy and gorgeous to behold. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this is classic Pegaü with loads of dark cherry and bramble fruit, a veritable hillside full of garrigue, lavender, black pepper, and something that reminds me of old books. On that palate, the fruit is equally generous, brambles and cherries, exotic spices, Herbs de Provence and a somewhat sanguine-like character to it. Substantial structure, though it seems to be a notch lower than the previous three vintages at this point in its young life. The tannins are very sneaky. Almost imperceptible for the first hour and yet, by hour four, they were very much making themselves known (in the Medium+ range). Acid is also Medium+ indicating these have an exciting life ahead. The finish lasts for well over a minute. All in all, another lovely Pegaü that will likely live in the shadow of some of the more heralded vintages in the last ten years however, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a stunner. Absolutely lovely stuff and I very much look forward to enjoying these well into the 2030’s. — 4 years ago