Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

[Sean]

Pepperjack Grenache 24 - Barossa and McLaren Vale fruit. A deep, lustrous red colour and lifted aromatics. Raspberry, cherry and mulberry. Got a mix of tank and oak maturation, so this is very fruit driven. Robust and fresh on the palate. Just 14% a/v and feels medium-bodied with soft, powdery tannins. - 11/11/25

Eden Hall Springton Riesling 24 - Eden Valley. Picked off blocks 8 and 10 this vintage, different blocks from the previous one. Yields down 50% mainly due to frost. Some colour in this and showing early development. Infused with kero rather than dominated by it. Yellow straw colour and florals. Limes, tropical fruit, kero and herbs. - 13/11/25

Robert Oatley Signature Series GSM 21 - A 60/35/5 GSM blend from McLaren Vale. Got 6 months maturation in French oak. I drank this over a couple of nights. A dark ruby red colour and nice floral aromatics. Red fruits, cherry, plums, earth and spice. Feels medium-bodied and fruit driven with smooth tannins. - 13/11/25

[felixp21]

2018 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
thought I'd pop a TN here because, simply put, this is an absolute legend in the making.
drinking well despite its young age (well, very young for a LEAS CHARDONNAY), this now gets my vote as the best of this most prestigious line. (IMO only second to Grange for its long term excellence and consistency)
a powerful, complex and utterly majestic wine without peer for me in this vintage. Stunning, greeted by general "wows" around the table.
absurd length, myriad of flavours and, despite the luscious fruit, has a steely core giving it endless energy and drive.
I have seen this wine at least a dozen times since release, and while it has always been promising, I honestly didn't see it getting to this level.
Worth trying if you have ample stocks, but if you are low on numbers, it should peak in another five years and hold on for another decade after that.
Yep, best Aussie white ever for me
98 POINTS, drink: 2030-2040.

[felixp21]

PS, yes, as you probably know, I am a rusted-on Francophile when it comes to wine, but there are very, very few White Burgundies from 2018 that I would drink in preference to this.

[JamieAdelaide]

Was outbid for the 2018 at auction last year. Damn!

[jdisc]

Found a bottle of this hiding in a local bottle shop. Still a ton of fruit and acidity but so much complexity.

Straight Semillon, very textured, honey and almost light cheese? on the back palette

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[jdisc]

2018 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
thought I'd pop a TN here because, simply put, this is an absolute legend in the making.
drinking well despite its young age (well, very young for a LEAS CHARDONNAY), this now gets my vote as the best of this most prestigious line. (IMO only second to Grange for its long term excellence and consistency)
a powerful, complex and utterly majestic wine without peer for me in this vintage. Stunning, greeted by general "wows" around the table.
absurd length, myriad of flavours and, despite the luscious fruit, has a steely core giving it endless energy and drive.
I have seen this wine at least a dozen times since release, and while it has always been promising, I honestly didn't see it getting to this level.
Worth trying if you have ample stocks, but if you are low on numbers, it should peak in another five years and hold on for another decade after that.
Yep, best Aussie white ever for me
98 POINTS, drink: 2030-2040.

Jealous, how do you compare it to the 23 Heytesbury?