A summary of Oz’s Wine Reviews from January, February and March of 2016.
March 2016
| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name: Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Vintage: 2007 Region: Kumeu, Auckland, New Zealand Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Bright golden straw Aroma: Elegant perfumed mix of grapefruit, citrus, lemon and lime Palate: Crisp and refreshing Finish: Medium - long Comment: Another great Chardonnay from Kumeu River. Still very bright and youthful, will continue to improve with age. Well worth a look or four! |
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| 2 | Name: Felton Road Bannockburn Vintage: 2013 Region: Bannockburn, New Zealand Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 14% Colour: Bright straw Aroma: Grapefruit, peach and French oak, possibly marzipan Palate: Medium-bodied with an abundance of fruit and a mineral / chalky finish Finish: Medium - long Comment: Very nice wine, not as good as the Mate's Vineyard, but still worth a look. |
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| 3 | Name: Sequillo Swartland White Vintage: 2014 Region: Swartland, Paardeberg Mountain, South Africa Varietal: Chenin Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdellho, Palomino Alcohol: 14% Colour: Golden straw Aroma: Fragrant combination of peach, almond, honey and vanilla Palate: Full-bodied, savoury and balanced Finish: Medium - long Comment: Great wine, lots of fruit with a great finish. Interesting mix of grapes, my first Clairette Blanche. |
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| 4 | Name: Cremes Gaja Vintage: 2014 Region: Langhe DOC, Piedmont, Italy Varietal: Dolcetto 50% e Pinot Nero 50% Alcohol: 13% Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Cherry, blackcurrant and plum Palate: Complex and balanced Tannin: Silky Finish: Long Comment: Interesting wine, enjoyed it, drinking well now. |
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| 5 | Name: Katnook Estate Odyssey Vintage: 2004 Region: Coonawarra, South Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14% Colour: Deep garnet Aroma: Plum, oak, mocha and vanilla Palate: Full-bodied structured and balanced Tannin: Smooth Finish: Long Comment: Very enjoyable wine that has evolved nicely and will continue to for a few more years. Definitely worth a look. Obviously some bottle variation as my last tasting of this wine was not as enjoyable. |
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| 6 | Name: Suckfizzle Vintage: 2003 Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Deep garnet Aroma: Fragrant mixture of blackcurrant, mocha, herbal and spice aromas Palate: Balanced and structured, a bit of fun Tannin: Savoury Finish: Long Comment: A good example of Margaret River Cabernet, definitely a great BBQ wine. Drinking well now. |
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| 7 | Name: Kaesler The Bogan Vintage: 2004 Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia Varietal: 98% Shiraz 2% Viognier Alcohol: 15% Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Earthy combination of blackcurrant, plum, vanilla, spice and cedar Palate: Full-bodied with a sweet finish Tannin: Silky / smooth Finish: Long Comment: Another great Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, aging gracefully, still has more years in it. |
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| 8 | Name: Requiem Ribera Del Duero Vintage: 2012 Region: Ribera de Duero, Spain Varietal: Tempranillo Alcohol: 14% Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Blackberries, tobacco and cherry aromas Palate: Full-bodied, structured and smooth Tannin: Silky Finish: Long Comment: A decent Tempranillo, silky tannins with an enjoyable long finish. |
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| 9 | Name: Seville Estate Reserve Vintage: 2001 Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: % Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Cherry, blackcurrant, spice and a hint of dark chocolate Palate: Balanced and structured Tannin: Smooth Finish: Long Comment: A great wine, really enjoyed this. A good example of an Australian cool climate Shiraz. Hope I get to try this again, soon! |
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| 10 | Name: Fox Creek Reserve Vintage: 2001 Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Aromatic blend of blackberry, spice, plum and liquorice Palate: Full-bodied balanced palate with a subtle dark chocolate finish Tannin: Smooth Finish: Long Comment: IMHO McLaren Vale is one of the regions in South Australia that does not get enough recognition, Fox Creek is one of the best wineries in the Vale and their Reserve wines are usually very good, this was no exception, loved the finish. |
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| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Name: Penfolds Bin A Vintage: 2007 Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Bright golden straw Aroma: Elegant combination of peach, almond, lemon, lime and flint aromas Palate: Balanced, refined and complex Finish: Long Comment: Great wine, shows why Penfolds are one of the best wine makers in Australia and why the Adelaide Hills produces some of the best Chardonnays in Australia. Bin A wines are definitely worth a look! |
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| 9 | Name: Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Vintage: 2014 Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Pale straw Aroma: Refreshing mixture of lychee, lemon, lime and flint aromas Palate: Crisp with lychee and citrus flavours Finish: Medium-long Comment: Nice wine, not in the same class as the Bin A, but still a good Chardonnay |
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| 10 | Name: Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Vintage: 2011 Region: Willamete Valley, Oregon, USA Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13.1% Colour: Bright light ruby Aroma: Earthy, medium-bodied combination of cherry, spice and black-pepper Palate: Balanced with cherry, spice, stone fruit and black-pepper flavours Tannin: Dry Finish: Long Comment: Very enjoyable, lighter style of Pinot Noir. Nicely balanced, tannins were a little dry, like the finish. |
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| 11 | Name: Tempos Vega Sicilia Pintia Vintage: 2010 Region: Castilla y Leon, Spain Varietal: Tempranillo Alcohol: 15% Colour: Rich, deep ruby Aroma: Herbal, medium-bodied mix of wild-berry, cherry and spice aromas Palate: Bold and balanced with layers of fruit Tannin: Savoury Finish: Long Comment: Really liked this wine, interesting and moreish mix of wild berries, cherries and spice with a balanced and bold palate. Worth a look, if not a few. |
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| 12 | Name: Grosset Gaia Vintage: 2007 Region: Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia Varietal: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot Alcohol: 14% Colour: Cloudy ruby Aroma: Perfumed combo of blackcurrant cedar and spice aromas Palate: Full-bodied complex and structured palate with blackcurrant, cedar, spice and tobacco flavours Tannin: Structured Finish: Long Comment: Great wine, surprised everyone at the dinner, another star produced by Geoffrey Grosset. The various varietal characteristics are easily found. This was my wine for the wine options game. |
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| 13 | Name: Lindermans Limestone Ridge Vintage: 1991 Region: Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Cabernet Alcohol: 13% Colour: Dusty garnet Aroma: Very enjoyable mix of blackcurrant, cherry, liquorice and vanilla aromas Palate: Elegant and balanced palate Tannin: Silky Finish: Long Comment: What an amazing wine. At 25 years of age this wine has evolved and is still showing the characteristics of the Coonawarra and the varietals. |
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| 14 | Name: Seppelts Para Liqueur Port Vintage: 1944 Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia Varietal: Tawny Port Alcohol: Colour: Dull cloudy amber Aroma: Volatile and funky, very unpleasant Palate: Undrinkable Tannin: Finish: Comment: Unfortunately the cork in this bottle had failed, first sign of trouble, Para Ports from this era had extremely short corks which are prone to failure. Luckily for me this is the first of the Para Ports that I have purchased that this has happened to and I still have a few more, so hopefully it will be the last one. |
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| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name: Henschke Keyneton Euphonium Vintage: 2012 Region: Barossa and Eden Valleys, South Australia Varietal: 65% shiraz, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% cabernet franc Alcohol: 14% Colour: Vibrant deep crimson Aroma: Cherry and blackberry with hints of spice, liquorice and possibly cedar Flavour: Full-bodied well balanced palate with an abundance of fruit Tannin: Fine Finish: Long Comment: Very popular, all of the tasting bottles were finished well before the other wines. Always a high quality wine, good to drink now and will also replay cellaring |
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| 2 | Name: Clarendon Hills Moritz Vintage: 2007 Region: Clarendon, McLaren Vale, South Australia Varietal: Syrah Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Opaque deep crimson Aroma: Blackberry, black pepper and spice with hints of smoke Palate: Full-bodied combo of blackberry, pepper and spice Tannin: Savoury Finish: Long Comment: Great wine, took a bit of encouragement to get people to try it, well not too much! Really like the balance and structure. A good value wine considering its quality. |
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| 3 | Name: Grant Burge Meshach Vintage: 2006 Region: Barossa Valley Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Deep garnet, still has a youthful vibrancy Aroma: Blackberry, dark stone fruit, dark chocolate and spice, with a hint of mint Palate: Full-bodied, bold fruit and spice flavours Tannin: Firm, developing tannins Finish: Long Comment: Meshach is usually a great wine when given time to age and this will be no different but, IMHO, this vintage is still young. This was the wine that divided people, they either liked or disliked it, there was no middle road. Expecting this to be a great wine when it reaches maturity. |
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| 4 | Name: Hazyblur Barossa Vintage: 2004 Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 15% Colour: Deep purple Aroma: Nice mix of blackberries, plums, black pepper and spice Palate: Jammy full-bodied balanced palate Tannin: Fine Finish: Long Comment: Not a well-known winery, surprised most people. Definitely one of the favourites. One to drink now |
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| 5 | Name: Hewitson Private Cellar Vintage: 2008 Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia Varietal: Shiraz Mouvedre Alcohol: 14% Size: Magnum Colour: Vibrant deep crimson Aroma: Dark plum, blackberry and spice, maybe a hint of chocolate Palate: Great balance of fruit and spice Tannin: Savoury Finish: Long Comment: Great wine, was amazed at how many people were worried about the bottle size, but it was another very popular wine. Good balance of fruit and spice, with savoury tannins and luxurious long finish. This is still quite young and will repay patience, if you can wait, if not, enjoy!! |
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| 6 | Name: Tahbilk Eric Steven Pubrick Vintage: 2002 Region: Nagambie Lakes, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Dark crimson Aroma: Earthy combo of dark fruit, cherry and spice with a hint of cedar Palate: Nice balance, full-bodied with a sweet finish, not as big as the South Australian wines Tannin: Fine / Smooth Finish: Long Comment: This was least popular wine on the night. IMHO I believe that it was overpowered by the company. Known as the wine that really established Tahbilk as a producer of merit. Subsequent vintages are apparently improving, therefore they must be pretty good, as this is a very good cool climate Shiraz. |
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| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grosset Springvale Vintage: 2010 Region: Springvale, Clare Valley, South Australia Varietal: Riesling Alcohol: 13% Colour: Mid Golden Straw Aroma: Refreshing combo of lemon, citrus and lychee aromas Flavour: Balanced with a bit of a zing to it. Finish: Medium Another great wine from Grosset, very refreshing, drinking very well now. Glad I have a few more bottles of this!! |
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| 2 | Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Vintage: 2010 Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 14% Colour: Mid Golden Straw Aroma: Grapefruit, citrus, still very fresh Flavour: Balanced fruit, not oaky or over buttery Finish: Medium Nice wine, one of the better value Aussie Chardonnays, shows why Leeuwin Estate are one the best Chardonnay wine makers in Australia |
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| 3 | Pahlmeyer Vintage: 2007 Region: Sonoma Coast, California, USA Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 14.9% Colour: Flat / opaque deep ruby Aroma: Medium bodied cherry with subtle hints of chocolate and mint Flavour: Good balance of fruit Tannins: Structured Finish: Long Very enjoyable with a great long finish and well worth a try or three!! |
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| 4 | Elderton Command Vintage: 1999 Region: Barossa Valley, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Deep garnet, still youthful Aroma: Perfumed mix of blackberries, vanilla, spice and oak Flavour: Full bodied, but not overpowering, combo of blackberry, vanilla and spice Tannin: Silky smooth Finish: Long Fantastic wine! The sad thing about this bottle is that this was my last one and it was the best one of all of them. Still evolving, hope to try it again in a few years!! |
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| 5 | Chateau Leoville Barton Vintage: 1986 Region: Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Deep crimson, very youthful Aroma: Initial nose was a bit earthy, over time cherry, blackberry and plum, with possibly a hint of cedar, aromas were present Flavour: Medium bodied with dark fruit flavours Tannin: Savoury Finish: Long What a great wine! This wine was one of the options wines on the night, the question that threw all of us was it's age the choices were 2006. 1996 and 1986. The wine was extremely youthful, especially the aroma and colour. My guess was 1996 as 2006 did not seem right. Even after 30 years this wine still has a long life ahead of it. Recommend trying to get your hands on it if you can!! |
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| 6 | Brokenwood Umpire's Vineyard Vintage: 2008 Region: Cowra, New South Wales, Australia Varietal: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon Alcohol: 10% Colour: Bright Golden Amber Aroma: Caramelised fruit and crème brûlée Flavour: Crème brûlée, not overly sweet Finish: Long A very enjoyable and interesting wine. A non-botrytis dessert wine, aging nicely, great balance between acid and sugar. |
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| 7 | Brunello Di Montalcino - Col di Lamo Vintage: 2010 Region: Torrenieri, Tuscanny, Italy Varietal: Sangoviese Alcohol: 14% Colour: Bright deep ruby Aroma: Cherry, plum, spice and hints of cedar Flavour: Plum, spice and cedar Tannins: Savoury / Dry Finish: Long Interesting wine, still a little young. Definitely a food wine, needed more time to open up as the last glass started to show that patience was needed. |
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| 8 | Guerrieri Rizzardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Calcarole Vintage: 2009 Region: Amarone della Valpolicella, Italy Varietal: Corvina 60%, Corvinone 17%, Rondinella 3%, Barbera 10%, Sangiovese 10% Alcohol: 16.72% Colour: Deep black crimson Aroma: Red berries and spice Flavour: Full-bodied cherry, cedar, spice and pepper Tannins: Silky Finish: Long Great wine, no heat considering the alcohol. Really enjoyed the silky tannins, balanced palate and long finish |
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| 9 | Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal Vintage: 2013 Region: Walker Bay, South Africa Varietal: 52% Sangiovese, 17% Pinot Noir, 15% Nebbiolo, 8% Mourvedre, 6% Shiraz and 2% Barbera Alcohol: 14.56% Colour: Deep ruby Aroma: Red fruit, game, slight black pepper aromas Flavour: Full-bodied, red fruit, cherries and spice Tannins: Fine Finish: Long Nice wine, definitely a food wine. Amazing how the wine maker was able to balance all of the different varietals, characteristics of most can be easily identified. |
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February 2016
February 2016 was a dry month (something different)
January 2016
| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pahlmeyer Jayson Vintage: 2012 Region: North Coast, USA Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 14.9 Colour: Bright Golden Straw Aroma: Fresh combination of grapefruit, nuts and butter Flavour: Pleasant mix of Grapefruit, lime and mineral Finish: Medium Enjoyable, bright, balanced flavours, nice acid, no heat considering the alcohol. This wine was our pre-dinner drink which we had before we arrived at Gaggan. |
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| 2 | Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Vintage: 2012 Region: Kumeu, New Zealand Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 13% Colour: Pale straw Aroma: Refreshing apple, lemon and lime combo Flavour: Nicely balanced mix of apple, lemon, lime and citrus Finish: Medium Great wine, paired very well with the Bites from India. |
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| 3 | Kumeu River Coddington Vintage: 2012 Region: Kumeu, New Zealand Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Pale green straw Aroma: Pleasant apple, peach, lime and possibly almond combo Flavour: Mix of apple, stone fruit, lime and almond Finish: Medium - long This is the "little" brother of the Mate's Vineyard, still a high quality wine and has it's own style. Better value for money that the Mate's, but would still go for the Mate's if I had the option. Pairs well with the Gaggan food |
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| 4 | Atlan & Artisan Epistem No3 Vintage: 2012 Region: Yecla, Murcia, Spain Varietal: Monastrell and Garnacha Tintorera Alcohol: 15% Colour: Deep garnet Aroma: Dark fruit, spice and pepper Flavour: A mix of dark fruit, possibly blackberries, spice and pepper Tannins: Structured Finish: Long Another good selection by the Gaggan Sommeliers, this had just the right body to pair nicely with the lamb and was also not to heavy to have with the pig. |
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| 5 | Jamsheed Yarra Glen Vintage: 2012 Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Syrah Alcohol: 13% Colour: Deep ruby red Aroma: Medium-bodied combination of dark berries and fruits, pepper and spice Flavour: Combination of blackberries, black pepper and spice Tannins: Smooth Finish: Long A medium-bodied wine, just what we needed to finish of the wines. Probably would have paired well with the Fall Season dessert, but I had finished it off by then! |
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| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo | Wine Australia Provided Winery Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | BK Wines Skin & Bones White Vintage: 2015 Region: Adelaide Hills, Australia Varietal: Savignin Alcohol: 12% Colour: Bright pale yellow Aroma: An enjoyable and refreshing blend of peach and green apple, maybe a bit of citrus and minerality as well Flavour: Savoury not overly powerful on the palate with green apples, peach and citrus flavours Finish: Medium - long. Great wine and at a very reasonable price, around AUD20 / bottle. Very savoury and would go great with some fresh oysters or razor fish. FYI, in 2009 it was first discovered that grape growers and wine makers in Australia have been supplying and selling Savagnin wrongly labelled for several years. They thought they were pouring money into the market for the Spanish albarino grape, only to discover this is not the case. From 2009 vintage onward these wines have been labelled Savagnin. A visiting French expert raised questions in 2008, and DNA testing confirmed that the grapes are in fact Savagnin sourced from Spanish cuttings. The variety itself may have originated in Spain or France. |
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BK Wines was established in 2007 by Brendon and Kirstyn Keys. The goal has been to create fabulous art. Beautiful, unique, sensuous, deceptively minimalist, envelope pushing art. After learning from masters in NZ, Argentina and California, BK Wines trained their sights on the Adelaide Hills because it's just a cracking great place to live and make wine. With no pretentions to be somewhere it's not and few preconceived notions about what wine styles to expect, this is a place where non-conformity is the rule. BK Wines winery is situated in Lenswood where it is tucked away surrounded by bush land and vines. BK Skin 'n' Bones White is made from the Savignin grape variety grown in the cool climate Adelaide Hills and has been aged in French oak. |
| 11 | La Linea Vintage: 2014 Region: Adelaide Hills, Australia Varietal: Tempranillo Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Youthful ruby Aroma: Interesting balanced combination of Black Olives, spice and earthy aromas Flavour: Savoury mixture of spice, dark fruit and cherries Tannins: Dry / savoury Finish: Long As the finish tapered off the tannins built, whilst this was an ok wine, have tried better Australian Tempranillos in the past. Would give it another look |
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"La Linea is a partnership of several experienced wine industry professionals, including Peter Leske and David LeMire MW. Peter was among the first to recognise the potential of tempranillo in Australia, and his knowledge of it is reflected in the three wine styles made from the variety: Tempranillo Rose, Tempranillo blended from several Adelaide Hills vineyards, and Norteno, from a single vineyard at the northern end of the Hills." James Halliday Wine Companion 2016. The 2014 La Linea is a blend of two principal vineyards. The majority (53%) is from Kersbrook in the north of the Adelaide Hills; the balance is predominately from a slightly younger and cooler site, just south of the village of Gumeracha. The aim from the outset was to make a wine that speaks of the variety and region, which means a fragrant, medium-bodied but savoury style. La Linea Tempranillo spends approximately nine months in French oak barrels for evolution and maturation of the relatively firm tannins, the youngest of them is three years old and the oldest, a decade. |
| 12 | Battle of Bosworth Puritan Vintage: 2015 Region: McLaren Vale, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Bright deep purple Aroma: Reminded me of stewed fruit, not what I was expecting, apricot and peaches. Flavour: Savoury combination of peaches and dark fruit Tannins: Soft Finish: Medium - long Another very young wine that should evolve with some patience. May be a little Viongnier in this wine as apricot aromas usually indicate that. |
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Battle of Bosworth makes single vineyard, organically grown wines from their family vineyards located in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Battle of Bosworth was established in 2001 by Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsley-Smith. Battle of Bosworth make wines with flavour, texture, purity and balance, that best express the unique characteristics of their McLaren Vale foothills site. Puritan spends no time in oak and is bottled as soon as it has gone through malolactic fermentation. 'Puritan' has been bottled without any added preservatives, so it's as fresh as a daisy, with nothing added |
| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo | Wine Australia Provided Winery Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Grosset Alea Vintage: 2014 Region: Clare Valley, Australia Varietal: Riesling Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Bright green straw Aroma: Bouquet of lemon zest, lychee, mineral and lime Flavour: Elegant and balanced combination of lemon, lychee and lime with a slightly sweet finish. Finish: Medium-long This is not everyone's favourite style of wine, but I really enjoy it. Like the combination of flavours and the residual sugar adds a bit of sweetness that makes this a refreshing drink in the afternoon or a could pairing for spicy food. Almost the perfect wine for Singapore! |
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Grosset Wines is an independently owned winery producing eight highly regarded premium wines and one spirit, each vintage. Established in 1981, the winery is situated in the historic township of Auburn at the southern tip of the Clare Valley, 100 kilometres north of Adelaide. Grosset Wines' philosophy has remained steadfast over thirty years. The emphasis is on purity of fruit. The estate vineyards, which are ACO certified organic, and are hand tended and each bunch of grapes is harvested at optimum ripeness. The Alea Riesling comes from a narrow corridor of hard red rock with poor, orangey, red loam topsoil. As the early fruit from the vineyard (high altitude 460m) reminded Jeff (Grosset) of the great German Rieslings, he decided to take a very different approach to the creation of Alea. The aim was to make a wine generous, succulent and long. The winemaking process is gentle and uncomplicated |
| 6 | Vasse Felix Estate Vintage: 2014 Region: Margaret River, Australia Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 13% Colour: Bright yellow straw Aroma: Restrained mix of butter, nectarine, peach and (for want of a better descriptor) match head / sulphur. Flavour: Balanced wine with lemon, citrus and nectarine flavours Finish: Medium Chardonnay seems to be the varietal that is making the biggest impact on me recently, I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to try some "premium" chardies and they have been fantastic and this would have to be one of the better chardies I have had from Australia. FYI Cardie is Australian for Chardonnay, Kardonnay is also acceptable in some places. |
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Vasse Felix was established in 1967 by pioneer Dr Thomas Cullity and is the founding wine estate of Margaret River. Vasse Felix is situated in the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River, with vineyards also located at northern and southern sites of the wine appellation. The first vineyard blocks were planted in August, 1967. This Chardonnay 2014 is made from a selection of Chardonnay parcels from Vasse Felix's Premier Vineyards in a modern Margaret River style with elegance and power, but restraint. The fruit was hand-harvested, chilled, gently whole-bunch pressed and transferred to French oak barriques as unclarified juice for fermentation with only natural yeasts from the vineyard. Each parcel was left on lees in barrel for 9 months of maturation with batonnage |
| 7 | Moorooduc Estate Robinson Vintage: 2013 Region: Mornington Peninsula, Australia Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 14% Colour: Bright crimson Aroma: Pleasant combination of cherry and mineral Flavour: Tart mix of cherry, mineral and "chalk" Tannins: Soft Finish: Medium Another wine from the line up that I am not a fan of, not really sure why, I usually like the good Pinot Noirs from the Mornington, but not this one. May have been spoilt by the Main Ridge Half Acre and Curly Flat Pinot Noirs. |
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Established in 1982 by Richard and Jill McIntyre, Moorooduc Estate is a small, family run wine business that has developed an enviable reputation for complex and food friendly wines. Moorooduc Estate's philosophy in everything that they do is to make the most of top quality ingredients. Intensive, hands-on care in the vineyard, with minimal use of chemicals, produces the best possible fruit for their wines. Wild yeast ferments and minimal intervention winemaking, with a nod to traditional Burgundian techniques, allow their wines to express their site specificity, or terroir. This Pinot Noir has had 100% wild yeast primary fermentation, 20 days total on skins, natural malolactic fermentation in barrel and 100% French oak maturation from which 25% is new oak. 17 months in wood with 1 racking. No fining and no filtration |
| 8 | Luke Lambert Vintage: 2015 Region: Yarra Valley, Australia Varietal: Syrah Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Bright deep ruby Aroma: Restrained but balanced mix of white pepper, dark fruit and cedar Flavour: Elegant blackcurrants and white pepper combination Tannins: Soft Finish: Long This was another wine that needs some more age, the use of Syrah instead of Shiraz is to differentiate this wine from the big bold Australian Shiraz's. Needs another try with some more age on it. |
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"Luke Lambert graduated from CSUs wine science course in 2002, aged 23, cramming in winemaking experience at Mount Pleasant, Coldstream Hills, Mount Prior, Poets Corner, Palliser Estate in Martinborough, and Badia di Morrona in Chianti. He purchases grapes from quality-conscious growers in the Yarra Valley and Heathcote. He has now settled in the Yarra Valley, leasing slightly less than 1ha of Heathcote nebbiolo and larger amounts of Yarra Valley shiraz and nebbiolo. " James Halliday Wine Companion 2016. The grapes were grown in Tibooburra Vineyard in Yellingbo (South Eastern corner of the Valley), the coolest microclimate of the Yarra Valley. 15 year old plantings of Syrah sit at 200m altitude, with the Syrah slope south west facing. The soil here has very low fertility, with a very thin layer of black volcanic top soil over yellow clay with shattered rock throughout. Fermented without yeast additions, this wine had 40% whole bunches included. It was matured in an 8 year old, 4000 litre, large-format oak cask before bottling without fining or filtration |
| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo | Wine Australia Provided Winery Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Vintage: 2005 Region: Hunter Valley, Australia Varietal: Semillon Alcohol: 10.5 Colour: Bright Straw Aroma: Refreshing combination of lemon, lime and mineral aromas Flavour: Crisp but balanced mix of lemon and lime Finish: Medium Great wine, I am a big fan of the Vat 1, especially when it has some age on it. This was a great example of Hunter Valley Semillon |
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Established in 1858 by English immigrant Edward Tyrrell, Tyrrell's Wines is one of Australia's pre-eminent family owned wine companies with vineyards extending from their historic home in the Hunter Valley to the Limestone Coast (SA) and Heathcote (VIC). Headed up by fourth generation family member Bruce Tyrrell, Tyrrell's is home to some of Australia's most awarded wines including the iconic Vat 1 Semillon. Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Valley Semillon grapes were sourced from the Short Flat and Johnno's vineyards, dating back to 1908. Semillon from 2005 vintage is dry grown in alluvial sandy loam over limestone soil. The classic Hunter Semillon is unoaked style |
| 2 | St Hallett Old Block Vintage: 2012 Region: Barossa, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 13.7% Colour: Youthful ruby Aroma: Cherry, blackberries, spice and white pepper Flavour: A little tart, cherries, blackberry and stone fruit flavours Tannins: Developing Finish: Medium to long I did not enjoy this wine, guess it needs more age, but found it too tart for my liking. Will it another try when it has some more age. FYI the use of Barossa instead of Barossa Valley to define the appellation of the wine indicates that the juice has been sourced from both the Barossa and Eden Valleys |
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Established by the Lindner family in 1944 St Hallett's initial focus was the production of fortified wines. The first vintage of Old Block Shiraz in 1980 and its success, accelerated a shift of focus towards the premium table wines St Hallett has become renowned for ever since. The average age of the vines over the 30 year history of Old Block is 88 years. Low yielding and on own roots, these vines delve deep into multiple layers of should and speak volumes of the place they are grown. Vineyards are located in Barossa Valley and Eden Valley from a number of loyal growers. The St Hallett winemaking philosophy is relatively simple - minimise the intervention and maximise the attention. This Shiraz is matured in French oak with a mixture of new, second and third use barrels. All barrels are individually assessed at final blending to ensure absolute quality. |
| 3 | Wynns John Riddoch Vintage: 2012 Region: Coonawarra, Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Bright garnet Aroma: Restrained combo of blackcurrants, spice and mint Flavour: Reserved mix of blackcurrant and mint Tannins: Savoury, developing Finish: Medium - long Whilst this is way too young, I still enjoyed it. Looks like 2012 was another great vintage in the Coonawarra. |
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Wynns Coonawarra Estate was founded by Scottish pioneer John Riddoch, who planted vineyards in 1891 and built the estate's iconic gabled winery. In 1951 Melbourne wine merchants Samuel and David Wynn purchased Riddoch's original vineyards and renamed the property 'Wynns Coonawarra Estate'. They created the famous label that has made John Riddoch's winery one of Australia's most iconic buildings. First made in 1982, the John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon was conceived as a flagship wine for Wynns. John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon is made in small quantities from the best available fruit grown on the estate's extensive Cabernet Sauvignon planting in the heart of the terra rossa soil. This John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon was matured fro 16 months in French oak which is 30% new oak. |
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| 1 | Louis Rodederer Brut Premier Vintage: NV Region: Reims, France Varietal: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier Alcohol: 12% Colour: Straw Bead: Fine Aroma: Citrus and lemon and peach Flavour: Combination of citrus and lime flavours Finish: Medium to long A great drink to start off the night! |
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| 2 | Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Rosé Vintage: NV Region: Champagne, France Varietal: 56% Chardonnay, 35 % Pinot Noir and another 9% Pinot Noir added as red wine Alcohol: 12% Colour: Pale salmon pink Bead: Fine Aroma: Fresh mixture of peach and strawberries Flavour: Complex combination of berries and spice Finish: Medium-Long A very good NV Rosé, refreshing, with a fine bead indicating the quality of this wine |
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| 3 | Jacob's Creek St Hugo Vintage: 2012 Region: Barossa, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Deep ruby Aroma: Medium-Bodied, black pepper and stone fruit Flavour: Balanced combination of black pepper and stone fruit, with a hint of spice Tannins: Developing Finish: Long This wine is still developing, needs another 5 years |
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| 4 | Château Lynch-Moussas Pauillac Grand Cru Classé Vintage: 2011 Region: Pauillac, France Varietal: 25% Merlot and 75% Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Colour: Deep ruby Aroma: Medium-Bodied mixture of berries, cedar and earthy aromas Flavour: Cherries and chocolate, slightly tart Tannins: Savoury Finish: Medium to long Very enjoyable, liked the tannins and the tart flavour |
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| 5 | Warrenmang Torchio Aged Pressings Vintage: Multi-Vintage Region: Pyrenees, Australia Varietal: Shiraz 62%, Cabernet Sauvignon 33% and Dolcetto 5% Alcohol: 14% Colour: Deep ruby Aroma: Full-Bodied mixture of blackberries, blackcurrant and spice, possibly cedar as well Flavour: Interesting combination of blackberry, blackcurrant and spice Tannins: Structured Finish: Long This an interesting style of wine. From exceptional vintages over the past decade Warrenmang has kept aside the basket pressings of Pyrenees Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. They then blend in the Dolcetto in the best barrels of wine where it is aged until it is time for bottling. I like this wine! |
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| 6 | Don Antonio Reserva Vintage: 2011 Region: Sicily, Italy Varietal: Nero d'Avola Alcohol: 15% Colour: Bright, deep ruby Aroma: Full-Bodied combination of black pepper, spice and cherry aromas Flavour: Balanced with black pepper and cherry flavours Tannins: Savoury Finish: Long Interesting wine with a great name. Enjoyable and, even though it is heavy on the alcohol, there is no heat and even a little on the finish |
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| 7 | Bibi Graetz Testamatta Vintage: 2011 Region: Tuscany, Italy Varietal: Sangiovse Alcohol: 14.5% Colour: Deep bright ruby Aroma: Full-Bodied mix of cherries, earth, cedar and vanilla aromas Flavour: Complex combination of cherries, spice and vanilla Tannins: Silky Finish: Long A great wine, always seem to enjoy Super Tuscans! Love the tannins and long finish |
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| wdt_ID | Wine | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kistler Les Noisetiers Vintage: 2013 Region: Sonoma Coast, USA Varietal: Chardonnay Alcohol: 14.1% Colour: Bright golden straw Aroma: Zesty citrus and lemon, stone fruit Flavour: Balanced combo of citrus, lemon and stone fruit Finish: Medium to long Great wine, enjoyed the balance and finish |
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| 2 | Seville Estate Reserve Vintage: 2003 Region: Yarra Valley, Australia Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 15% Colour: Deep crimson Aroma: Complex, enjoyable mixture of cherry, stone fruit and spice aromas Flavour: Elegant mix of cherry, stone fruit and spice, great balance Tannins: Soft / silky Finish: Medium to long This was my wine of the night, no heat from the alcohol, very balanced with an enjoyable finish. |
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| 3 | Chateau de Chantegrive Rouge, Graves Vintage: 2010 Region: Graves Bordeaux, France Varietal: 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14% Colour: Bright, deep ruby Aroma: Combo of earth, spice and possibly tobacco aromas Flavour: Medium-bodied mix of blackberries and spice Tannins: Savoury Finish: Medium to long Nicely balanced wine, IMHO it still has a few years of development until it peaks |
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| 4 | Chateau la Pointe Pomerol Vintage: 2000 Region: Pomerol Bordeaux, France Varietal: 80% Merlot 15% Cabernet Franc 5% Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 12.5% Colour: Ruby Aroma: Full-Bodied mixture of cold tea, tobacco and wild / dark berries Flavour: Balanced, rich combo of cherries and wild / dark berries Tannins: Silky Finish: Long Very enjoyable wine, great palate and finish |
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| 5 | Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Pauillac Vintage: 2003 Region: Pauillac Bordeaux, France Varietal: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot Alcohol: 13% Colour: Bright, deep ruby Aroma: Combination of stone fruit, spice and earthy aromas Flavour: Full-Bodied and elegant with stone fruit and oak flavours Tannins: Silky Finish: Long Great wine, consider myself lucky to get to try this. Nice way to finish of the night's red wines |
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| 6 | DeBortoli Noble One Vintage: 1994 Region: Riverina, Australia Varietal: Botrytis Semillon Alcohol: 10.8% Colour: Deep golden, similar in colour to an amber ale Aroma: Rich combination of raisins, apricots and Crème Brule aromas Flavour: Full-Bodied and complex Finish: Long Another awesome Noble One from DeBortoli, one of the best value wines around. This would have to be one of the better vintages that I have tried, so far. Will be looking for more of this on the secondary market |
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Oz’s Wine Reviews
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