Bob McDonald

9.2

Currently about 5 hours east of Melbourne in east Gippsland tasting this brilliant William Downie Pinot Noir. See several previous Delectable notes from earlier vintages. This wine manages to combine light to medium weight with medium plus intensity. Red fruited with Sous Bois. Downie is a gifted winemaker working in an excellent terroir for Pinot Noir. Would like to have more access to his wines up in Queensland. — 5 months ago

Mari

9.0

Deep golden color, full body, buttery mouthfeel with flavors of biscuit and bread. — 2 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.0

Lychee bomb!!!! 💣
Reminiscent of flat Passiona.
Tasty and drinkable. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Aromatic notes of black cherry with some spice and pepper. On the palate plump black cherries and spice with medium intensity and palate weight. Could be the QPR of the year at $9.90 and a Trophy Winner from Royal Queensland Wine Show to boot. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

A week ago I posted a tasting note on the 2018 Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir that had won 3 Trophies at the 2019 Royal Queensland Wine Show. This Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot repeated the 3 Trophy win at this year’s Royal Queensland Wine Show a month ago. Pale Ruby in colour - lovely aromatics - red fruited, rose petals. Wonderful palate intensity. Barely medium bodied. I wonder how this will cellar? It is so good now you wonder how much better it can get. I have been a long time admirer of Giant Steps and winemaker Steve Flamsteed who I knew from Toowoomba but what is disappointing is how the price has doubled under the new ownership. I used to pay $45 to $50 for the individual Cuvées and now a little over $90! — 9 months ago

Sharon B

9.3

Semi dry, very fruit forward. Cabernet Merlot blend. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Drank this last Sunday for Mother’s Day. Arras is probably Australia’s best Sparkling producer. Of recent years certainly the most awarded. A few years ago this 2007 won Best Sparkling at the Royal Queensland Wine Show and then the Trophy for Champion Wine of the Show! The wine itself is mid Lemon in colour - low on fizz - we drank this from Burgundy glasses. Bakery aromas with Lemon Curd. 78% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Noir. The lemon/citrus flavours derived from the Chardonnay. The following day Sherbet, Honeycomb and Quince. 7 years on Lees giving a wonderful complexity and ridiculous value at only $60. I don’t know how Ed Carr can do it. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Delectable - this is the Nocton Vineyard - not available in your database. From the Coal River valley in Tasmania. Lovely aromatics of black cherry and spice. Giant Steps is based in the Yarra Valley and is owned these days by the Jackson Family from the USA. Gorgeous fruit from the terroir of the Coal River, a renowned district for Pinot Noir. An incredible show record of 3 Trophies from the 2019 Royal Queensland Wine Show. Best Pinot Noir, Best Red Table Wine and Champion Wine of the Show. At this year’s RQ Wine Show Giant Steps repeated the Trophy feat with their 2022 Sexton Vineyard (Yarra Valley) Pinot Noir winning the same Trophies. The same award winning wine making team except for Steve Flamsteed who is now a consultant to the Jackson team. Amazing power on the palate of the Nocton - Asian spices, somewhat voluptuous finishing with silky tannins. — 10 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

This won the Trophy for the best White Wine at the Toowoomba Wine Show last weekend and went on to win Champion Wine of the Show. Colour is very pale lemon. Notes of green Apple - skins and flesh, also Lime. The palate has quince and mandarin notes - quite unctuous and fleshy on the palate - low acid and medium plus intensity. Even though the winery is in the Granite Belt/Ballandean the fruit is from Chalmers Vineyard in Mildura in Victoria. The 2020 vintage in Ballandean was probably the most challenging on record with droughts, fires and record low yields. As a result, no Vermentino was harvested at Golden Grove Estate. — 4 years ago

Myke Morgan

9.1

Very smooth, light, non tannin’y and drinkable. A hint of tobacco, plum, cranberry, and grape. — 4 years ago

with Anjanette