Port Of Leonardtown Winery
Taylor's
Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2019
Yarra Yering
Dry Red Wine No°2 Shiraz
On the downward side of its life and a little thin but still so delightful — 11 days ago
Bindi
Original Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015
My last bottle of the 2015 Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot. Pale in colour - almost transparent. More savoury, mulchy, Sous Bois than the tasting note in 2021 but it is red fruited with raspberry notes. Fine tannins. I don’t buy much wine these days but I do try to buy Bindi most years. I just received a mixed 6 and put away a couple of bottles of the 2023 Original Vineyard Pinot into the cellar. — 8 months ago
Giant Steps
Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017
Mid to pale crimson - actually transparent. The pale colour belies the aromatic and palate intensity. Aromatics of cherry and raspberry transforming on to the medium bodied sweet red fruited palate. A touch of Sous Bois. An excellent Pinot as always from the Applejack Vineyard from Giant Steps. — 4 days ago
W. & J. Graham's
Aged 10 Years Tawny Port Blend
Date, fig, apricot, almond, tobacco. Layer upon layer of flavor! Delicious! — 12 days ago
Craiglee
Sunbury Shiraz 2006
This is a riper style than is normal for Craiglee which is usually quite cold climate peppery. This is full bodied showing blackberry, spice, liquorice and some black pepper. Always a reliable top quality Shiraz. The vineyard is just to the north of Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport in cool climate Macedon. Could see out the 2020s in the Cellar. — 8 months ago
Mount Mary
Quintet Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005
From the Yarra Valley a Bordeaux blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. 20 months in new French oak. Mid Ruby to garnet in colour. Classic aromas of cedar and cigar box with fading Cassis. A medium bodied palate with those smooth ultra silky flowing tannins. This is drinking well at 20 years of age. My last bottle. This producer has probably flown under the radar for many North American wine lovers as Robert Parker was never a fan with some of his Tasting Notes being quite hostile. The Middletons probably stopped exporting to the USA after that as they had no trouble selling their production locally and in the UK. The just released 2023 vintage was honoured with Australian Wine of the Year by The Australian newspaper and given 99 points by Wine editor Nick Ryan. Quintet is always one of Australia’s best Cabernet blends. — 21 days ago
By Farr
Sangreal Pinot Noir 2019
Very dark Ruby in colour - impenetrable. Red fruits, dried herbs, plum and plum skins - evidence of whole bunch in the ferment ( 70% apparently). Lovely balance, fruit quality and complexity, all at only 6 years of age. An overall sweetness on the palate which overrides the savoury characters. Being from Geelong it’s interesting to compare with the Yarra Valley and Mornington Pinots on the opposite (eastern) side of Port Phillip Bay - same latitude - this seems more succulent although all 3 districts are excellent for Pinot Noir. This is the first of 5 bottles - the drinking window will go another 6 years into the 2030s. This is an exceptional Australian Pinot. — 5 months ago
Jan A
Battle of the ports. We had a port/cheese night with some friends and I opened 7 late bottled vintage ports from well known producers. Some notable wines included:
Favorite was 2019 Taylor's LBV: as with the vintage port of Taylor's which is always amongst my favorites, this LBV was balanced with hedonistic fruit and just the right amount of tannins.
2020 Dow's LBV was dark and dusty
2020 and 2019 Grahams LBV were very structured, needing a couple more years of cellar time.
2018 Quinta do Noval gave the most floral vintage port profile on the nose, close after the Taylor's.
2020 Niepoort LBV was also notable, with a different, typical Niepoort profile compared to the rest with the least amount of tannins. — 5 days ago