Bob McDonald

9.0

Initial aged savoury notes featuring coffee grounds. See if I can continue this note. Wendouree Shiraz produced from ancient vines provides one of Australia’s iconic wines. This however was a little disappointing at 28 years from a big ripe vintage. I must say it still had a full bodied palate with amazing length and persistence with mid palate concentration. Ultra savoury. Despite this I have had better Wendourees. Similar to my sentiments on a previous Delectable note in November 2015. — 5 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Delectable - this is the Mourvèdre - not in your Database. Requested an expert review. Notes of plum and black to blue fruits - spicy, umami - finishing with a touch of tar. Easy to drink. I have always thought that McLaren Vale does Mourvèdre well. Also some old vineyards in the Clare Valley as with Wendouree (Mataro). Although one must acknowledge the Old Garden from Hewitson in the Barossa, planted in 1853 and reputedly the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Very deep crimson in colour. More cassis than tomato bush - throw in some mint and liquorice. Medium to full bodied yet with great intensity in this excellent Clare Valley Cabernet: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Thankfully (IMO) no overt Clare Valley menthol (like Wendouree can be). Palate has lovely black currant flavours with fine persistent tannins. Jeffrey Grosset is better known for his award winning Rieslings but has made a beauty with this Cabernet. Has the fortitude to go another 10 years if so desired. — 6 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.2

Good to be back home with my cellar🥰
The wine took a while to open up, but then it showed all the elegance of the Wendouree Shiraz and the muscular intensity of the allegedly oldest vines of Malbec in the world.
It is always something special to open this producer.
Definitely not a typical Australian wine; extremely good with food. I would say supportive with the meal. Long and reassuring.
@Delectable Wine i am having a big issue, about 1500/1600 wine reviews of mine have gone. I can't visualise them anymore..could you please help?🙏thanks — 20 hours ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.2

Bit of a change of gear following the Wendouree shiraz. Probably still a bit too young, but pretty and with firm texture. Red fruits and florals. I’d give it a few years and a lot more time to breathe. — 3 years ago

with Sam

Bob McDonald

9.5

Lunch with friends on Saturday. Excellent as always. See previous notes. Yalumba’s premium red from a good vintage. A classic Cabernet Shiraz from the Barossa. Preferred by most over the 2002 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec. Had another bottle 132 weeks later on 12th January 2024. This was my 2nd last bottle of an original dozen. Have the last one in mid 2025 or 2026 when 20 years old. This tasting predictably good. The mint of the Cabernet coming through (69%). All of the flavours balanced and interwoven. — 5 years ago

Steven Lee

9.2

Xmas 19 bottle 1. Rye. Nose of eculyptus, mineral and bubblegum. Abit savoury and bitter finish. Crushed rocks and woody bark, crystaline, blue fruits, tea bag and spicy. Talcum powder — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

I donated my 3 bottles to a Rare and Collectible Shiraz Dinner at the Downs Club to go with a 2018 Wendouree Shiraz, 2022 Standish Lamella, 2020 Rockford Basket Press and a 2021 Langmeil Freedom. The Sami Odi Little Wine finished middle of the field in this stellar lineup. It was an unvintaged assemblage of 8 different vintages starting with 2022 (49%) through to 2015 (2%). Lush and medium bodied with fluid tannins and great length. Brambley. Fraser likes to drink Little Wine when young and fresh like this is now. Purchased 2 years ago in mid 2023. The consensus winner of the 5 wines was probably the Rockford or the Standish Lamella. Erin Larkin gave the latter 100 points. All 5 Shiraz were outstanding. — 10 months ago

Simon Gilligan

9.5

Amazingly found this bottle at rustic pizza, Clare Valley at a $130. Thought this might be our only chance to drink a Wendouree so grabbed it. Beautifully fresh fruited, lovely balance, crisp acidity, medium bodied. Black/red fruited with violet highlights, spice, earth, eucalypt, silky dry tannin. The longer we sat with it the leather and tannin became quite firm, perhaps overwhelming some of the earlier fruit flavours. Drunk too young but still memorable. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Woody Oaky notes with Blackberry and menthol/eucalypt aromas like a typical Clare Valley Shiraz best exemplified by Wendouree for the menthol. On the palate oodles of Blackberry and briar. Full bodied and rich with sweet fruit flavours and softening mellow chocolatey tannins. A typical South Australian Shiraz - in this case Clare Valley. — 6 years ago