Eric LaMasters

9.5

Really lovely Syrah with a beautiful combination of fruit and savory characteristics. Excellent balance on the palate. Terrific stuff @Fraser McKinley ! — 6 days ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a tasty one from Australia.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, chocolates, spices and black pepper. Nose of a California Cabernet.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, sweet strawberries, earth, light vegetables, spices, chocolates, light bell pepper, tobacco, coke, graphite and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice surprise. A tasty 16 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia. Very fruity, even at this point. Looks and feels very young. Just unbelievable.

Good right out of the bottle and good by itself.

Showing very nice complexity on the palate, but simpler on the nose.

I really enjoyed this 16 year old. Surprisingly, but I did.

I paired it with heavy appetizers.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$12 ( for current vintage. Now you wait 15 years 😊). — 21 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

At the Peter Lehmann Dinner at the Downs Club. Interesting to compare this top quality Barossa Semillon with the Hunter Valley style. These are more approachable young (from the warm valley floor) than the searing acidity of young HV Semillon. Soapy lanolin nose with notes of beeswax and a blue cheese component. Fuller on the palate than HV Sems. Zero oak influence. Very good. We also had the 2010 of this wine but I didn’t get a photo unfortunately. It had more lanolin, wet straw and beeswax than the 2012 with at least another 5 years in front of it. Giving it 95 points and a Gold Medal. The 2005 is still winning Trophies at Wine Shows around the country. — 22 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The final wine at the Peter Lehmann dinner at the Downs Club and the whole point of the dinner. Delectable: this new cuvée is called the Masterson and is a Barossa Valley Shiraz. Wine Pricing in Australia has become an arms race and this new Cuvée has set the benchmark at $1650 for a magnum - only available in magnum. This was sourced from a vineyard in the Moppa sub district of the Barossa owned by Glen Hammerling from vines planted in 1992 on original rootstocks, dry grown in deep sandy loam with ironstone over clay. The wine itself is an exercise in restraint. Matured in a large 2500 litre fourdre imparting minimal oak influence. You could happily drink this wine now or cellar for over 30 years. It is so well balanced. A brilliant wine but is it worth $1650? I think the pricing is too ambitious but the owner of Peter Lehmann, John Casella, the owner of export star, Yellow Tail, probably doesn’t care as he continues to make money from his budget line. 1458 magnums created and only 1000 released for purchase. — 19 days ago

Martijn

9.6

Typical cab s nose with that savory almond paste tones. Only the thin edge in the glass showed its age. Beautiful wine. Real treat. Thanks E! — 13 days ago

Shay A

9.2

Fun wine. Aromatics of cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, ripely squeezed raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with some Mexican vanilla on the nose. Unabashed and no prisoners on the palate...a flavor bomb that has mellowed as it’s a bit stewed, but it’s smooth and integrated at this point. Drink up. Thanks @joe leatherwood — 2 days ago

with Dan and joe

Ryan Vento

9.1

A very lively and aromatic blend with loads of cherries, sweet pipe tobacco, licorice, mint, and incense. — 9 days ago

with Krystal

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.3

Drinking awesome. Starting to show some secondary aromas and flavors but still full throttle. Silky and suave but with the wild character I love about Clarendon hills. Very Rhône like — 8 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Mid Lemon in colour. Developing and putting on weight from 4 years ago and not as austere. Paraffin aromas on the way but not quite there yet - a touch of lanolin. Could cellar for at least another 5 years if desired. Fresh and clean from Frankland River and the Great Southland of Western Australia. Barb and I are heading that way over Christmas and New Year for our first visit taking in the towns of Albany and Denmark. Known for great Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet. — 20 hours ago

Shay A

9.4

Great pull by Keith. My first Relic. Up front, holiday baking spices, eucalyptus/Andes mint, and sandalwood aromatics. The palate was rich without being dense or flabby, showing chocolate dipped blueberries and blackberries, ripe jam over graham crackers, cocoa, and some sweet tobacco. Delicious. Thanks @Keith Fisher — 2 days ago

with Dan and joe