Enjoy this with a nice rock and simply sip. — 5 months ago
This hasn’t yet shed its trademark austerity even at 30 years. It was actually better day 2(!) This was built to last to put it mildly and has a gruff, craggy nobility befitting its mountainous origins. Dried black fruits (plums and currants), pepper, leather, graphite, violets, chocolate, cloves — 3 years ago
Mid yellow in colour. Nose of really ripe grapefruit and that trademark dried pear character. Good to see the oak dialled back in this Art series from their previous big style. This is an excellent new world Chardonnay (more Stone fruit than citrus/grapefruit) drinking at its peak. Wonderful Balance- medium minus acid with medium plus intensity. Consistent with previous notes from October 2019 and also 86 weeks ago. — 4 years ago
This is Stephen Henschke’s favourite vintage of H of G he said. This was the first vintage he bottled under screw cap and all subsequent vintages have been bottled that way. They have also experimented with the Vinolok glass stopper. As Stephen said “I love tradition and it is very important as a 6th generation family owned winery. However when tradition lets you down as it has with cork, there is time to evaluate better closures. “ He went on to say the 2002 has that distinctive Hill of Grace nose which you can’t define but it does have the trademark mint, spice and sage. The palate is profoundly intense and could go on for another 10 years but flirting with perfection right now. — 2 months ago
Yogi-Berry is a great sweet blackberry wine. Not near as acidic as many other black berries we have tried. — 4 years ago
See previous note in June 2023 where I questioned the ripeness of the fruit. This has the trademark spice and pepper. Very little fruit, more savoury characters. From one of Australia’s leading cool climate wineries. As Jancis said, “a real sense of place “ - in this case the Macedon Ranges just north of Tullamarine Airport. Very different to SA Shiraz. Just medium bodied - a leathery note with balanced tannins. As in previous note a touch of astringency at the finish. — 3 months ago
In the Wendouree hierarchy of Cuvées the straight Shiraz is generally considered the premium with some of the vines dating back to the 1880s in age. Aromas of blackberry and aniseed with touches of mint. Not too much of the trademark Menthol/Eucalyptus found in most Wendouree Reds. Palate is a mixture of black and red fruits with a savouriness - earthy iron notes. 2011 was not a good vintage in South Australia as vintage conditions were very wet. I would normally not approach Wendouree reds under 15 years of age but because of the vintage I decided to open this. It still has another 10 years of life in front of it. The old vine material proves its worth even in poor vintages. Wendouree Shiraz is in the top Langtons Classification of Exceptional along with Grange and Hill of Grace. — 3 years ago
Prior notes apply. Always a pleasure to drink a Sami-Odi red wine - great as the weather cools down in Autumn. Plum and chocolate with those trademark silky tannins from mainly old vine fruit. An assemblage of casks from 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 - all good years. — 3 years ago
Bob McDonald
The latest release of the iconic Mount Edelstone. Quite contained on the nose - more is promised - rated as an exceptional vintage and will cellar for 30+ years. A lovely broad palate showing sweet red and black fruits, sage and black pepper. - medium plus intensity. finishing with the trademark Edelstone seamless tannins. — 2 months ago