The Auswine Forum

I was interested to see that Nick Stock for James Suckling has released a list of the Top 100 Australian Wines of 2017.

Source: [url]https://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-r ... s-of-2017/[/url]

Seems like quite a well thought out list of wines - quite an eclectic mix of traditional and new wave producers.

What does everyone think?

1 HENSCHKE SHIRAZ EDEN VALLEY HILL OF GRACE VINEYARD 2012
2 SAMI-ODI SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY HOFFMANN DALLWITZ 2016
3 S.C. PANNELL MCLAREN VALE THE VALE 2015
4 VASSE FELIX MARGARET RIVER TOM CULLITY 2014
5 BASS PHILLIP PINOT NOIR GIPPSLAND RESERVE 2015
6 PENFOLDS CHARDONNAY SOUTH AUSTRALIA YATTARNA 2015
7 CLARENDON HILLS SYRAH MCLAREN VALE ASTRALIS 2012
8 CLONAKILLA SYRAH CANBERRA DISTRICT MURRUMBATEMAN 2015
9 PETER LEHMANN RIESLING EDEN VALLEY WIGAN 2012
10 MOUNT MARY YARRA VALLEY QUINTET 2015
11 YALUMBA CABERNET SAUVIGNON SHIRAZ COONAWARRA BAROSSA THE CALEY 2012
12 PENFOLDS SOUTH AUSTRALIA YATTARNA BIN 144 2013
13 GIACONDA SYRAH BEECHWORTH ESTATE VINEYARD 2015
14 PENFOLDS CHARDONNAY ADELAIDE HILLS RESERVE BIN A 2016
15 GIACONDA CHARDONNAY BEECHWORTH ESTATE VINEYARD 2015
16 PENFOLDS SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY BIN 798 RWT 2015
17 VASSE FELIX CHARDONNAY MARGARET RIVER HEYTESBURY 2016
18 RUGGABELLUS BAROSSA EFFERUS 2016
19 CHATTO PINOT NOIR TASMANIA HUON VALLEY ISLE 2016
20 OCHOTA BARRELS GRENACHE MCLAREN VALE 186 2016
21 PENFOLDS AUSTRALIA 50 YEAR OLD RARE TAWNY
22 SPINIFEX SHIRAZ BAROSSA LA MALINE 2015
23 YARRA YERING CABERNET SAUVIGNON MALBEC YARRA VALLEY AGINCOURT 2015
24 PENFOLDS SHIRAZ SOUTH AUSTRALIA BIN 95 GRANGE 2013
25 WILLIAM DOWNIE GIPPSLAND 2016
26 CAPE MENTELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON MARGARET RIVER 2014
27 BEST'S SHIRAZ GREAT WESTERN THOMSON FAMILY 2015
28 CLONAKILLA SHIRAZ VIOGNIER CANBERRA DISTRICT 2016
29 BY FARR SHIRAZ GEELONG 2015
30 SPINIFEX SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY MOPPA SINGLE VINEYARD 2015
31 PENFOLDS SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY BIN 150 MARANANGA 2015
32 LEEUWIN ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON MARGARET RIVER ART SERIES 2013
33 CIRILLO GRENACHE BAROSSA VALLEY SURVIVOR VINE THE VINCENT 2016
34 HENSCHKE EDEN VALLEY CYRIL HENSCHKE 2012
35 CAPE MENTELLE SHIRAZ MARGARET RIVER BLOCK 5 SINGLE VINEYARD 2015
36 S.C. PANNELL SYRAH ADELAIDE HILLS 2015
37 MURDOCH HILL PINOT NOIR ADELAIDE HILLS THE PHAETON 2016
38 PENFOLDS CABERNET SHIRAZ SOUTH AUSTRALIA BIN 389 2015
39 DANDELION VINEYARDS RIESLING EDEN VALLEY WONDERLAND OF THE EDEN VALLEY 2016
40 DR. MAYER PINOT NOIR YARRA VALLEY 2016
41 GIANT STEPS CHARDONNAY YARRA VALLEY LUSATIA PARK VINEYARD 2016
42 XANADU CHARDONNAY MARGARET RIVER DJL 2016
43 PIKE & JOYCE CHARDONNAY ADELAIDE HILLS LENSWOOD KAY'S RESERVE 2014
44 PENFOLDS SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY RWT BIN 798 2014
45 CLOUDBURST CABERNET SAUVIGNON MARGARET RIVER 2014
46 RUGGABELLUS SHIRAZ EDEN VALLEY ARCHAEUS 2016
47 CHATTO PINOT NOIR TASMANIA HUON VALLEY 2016
48 SAMI-ODI SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY LITTLE WINE VII
49 S.C. PANNELL SHIRAZ MCLAREN VALE KOOMILYA 2015
50 PENFOLDS SHIRAZ ADELAIDE MAGILL ESTATE 2015
51 JACOB'S CREEK RIESLING BAROSSA STEINGARTEN 2015
52 A. RODDA CHARDONNAY YARRA VALLEY WILLOWLAKE 2016
53 MOSS WOOD CABERNET SAUVIGNON MARGARET RIVER 2014
54 OAKRIDGE CHARDONNAY YARRA VALLEY 864 FUNDER & DIAMOND DRIVE BLOCK 2016
55 MONTALTO PINOT NOIR MORNINGTON PENINSULA MAIN RIDGE BLOCK 2015
56 HEAD WINES GRENACHE EDEN VALLEY ANCESTOR VINE 2015
57 YANGARRA SHIRAZ MCLAREN VALE IRONHEART 2014
58 GROSSET RIESLING CLARE VALLEY POLISH HILL 2016
59 SONS OF EDEN SHIRAZ EDEN VALLEY REMUS OLD VINE 2015
60 HENTLEY FARM SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY THE BEAST 2015
61 FLAMETREE CHARDONNAY MARGARET RIVER S.R.S. 2016
62 LEEUWIN ESTATE CHARDONNAY MARGARET RIVER ART SERIES 2014
63 ST HALLETT SHIRAZ EDEN VALLEY DAWKINS 2015
64 BK WINES SYRAH MCLAREN VALE SPRINGS HILL MAZI 2015
65 PENFOLDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON SOUTH AUSTRALIA BIN 707 2015
66 MOORODUC PINOT NOIR MORNINGTON PENINSULA ROBINSON VINEYARD 2015
67 DORMILONA CHARDONNAY MARGARET RIVER CLAYFACE 2016
68 TURKEY FLAT GRENACHE BAROSSA 2016
69 SHAW + SMITH PINOT NOIR ADELAIDE HILLS 2016
70 CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOT NOIR MORNINGTON PENINSULA CRIS DE COEUR 2015
71 TORBRECK BAROSSA VALLEY THE FACTOR 2014
72 HEAD WINES SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY THE BRUNETTE 2015
73 TORBRECK EDEN VALLEY THE GASK 2015
74 WIRRA WIRRA SHIRAZ MCLAREN VALE RSW 2014
75 TORBRECK BAROSSA VALLEY DESCENDANT 2014
76 FIRST DROP SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY FAT OF THE LAND SEPPELTSFIELD 2015
77 HEIRLOOM VINEYARDS SHIRAZ EDEN VALLEY A'LAMBRA 2014
78 CAPE MENTELLE SHIRAZ MARGARET RIVER 2015
79 YARRA YERING YARRA VALLEY DRY RED WINE NO. 2 2015
80 TORBRECK BAROSSA VALLEY THE STRUIE 2015
81 TORBRECK SHIRAZ BAROSSA VALLEY WOODCUTTER'S 2016
82 OCHOTA BARRELS CHARDONNAY ADELAIDE HILLS +5V OV 2016
83 BY FARR PINOT NOIR GEELONG FARRSIDE 2015
84 SHAW + SMITH CHARDONNAY ADELAIDE HILLS M3 2015
85 EXPRESS WINEMAKERS CHENIN BLANC GREAT SOUTHERN 2017
86 MURDOCH HILL CHARDONNAY ADELAIDE HILLS THE TILBURY 2016
87 WIRRA WIRRA SHIRAZ MCLAREN VALE CHOOK BLOCK 2014
88 D'ARENBERG MCLAREN VALE THE IRONSTONE PRESSINGS 2014
89 JIM BARRY SHIRAZ CLARE VALLEY THE ARMAGH 2013
90 JAMSHEED SYRAH PYRENEES PYREN 2015
91 MEDHURST YARRA VALLEY YRB 2017
92 BEST'S SHIRAZ GREAT WESTERN BIN NO. 0 2015
93 YANGARRA ROUSSANNE MCLAREN VALE ROUX BEAUTÉ 2015
94 YALUMBA SHIRAZ BAROSSA PARADOX 2015
95 ARTIS RIESLING CLARE VALLEY SINGLE VINEYARD 2016
96 DIRTY THREE WINES PINOT NOIR GIPPSLAND DIRT 2 2016
97 GROSSET RIESLING CLARE VALLEY ALEA 2016
98 SORRENBERG GAMAY BEECHWORTH 2015
99 SEPPELT SHIRAZ HEATHCOTE MOUNT IDA 2014
100 DANDELION VINEYARDS SHIRAZ BAROSSA LIONHEART OF THE BAROSSA 2016

I think the idea of a Top 100 of just about anything in any given year is a nonsense if, by 'top', you mean the best. The cream of the crop. The 'Top' should mean 'The Top' and be worthy of high praise and benchmarks in their own right by which all the rest are measured (and by definition found 'wanting'.

I would expect the list to be between ten (ideal) to twenty at most.

85 EXPRESS WINEMAKERS CHENIN BLANC GREAT SOUTHERN 2017

I am amazed to see a Chenin Blanc in the list! Not familiar with the producer, has anyone tried this??

I can’t get my head around how you can have whites and reds in the same list

Its just a random list thrown together.
Doesnt mean much

Too sensible for Suckling, a critic whose opinion I would actively avoid

Lots of different wines on there but looks like it is made from someone with a narrow wine palate or limited exposure to Australia...

Someone took those wines to Suckling and said : “Rate these favorites of mine 1-100”

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but there isn't a single Hunter Valley wine in the list Tyrrells 4 Acres, Mt Pleasant Lovedale Sem, Vat 1 or anything...

It is like they have gone in depth in 4-5 regions and added the other regions almost as an afterthought (Heathcote, Mornington etc)

pretty much a nonsense list, bit like the WS top 100.
I assume this is rated on a qualitative basis, without regard to price/availability (which does differ from WS). The best two releases I saw in 2017 come in at 61 and 62 on that list, and it looks like I have seen 90% of them.
Nick Stock is the Australian James Suckling, so that makes sense anyway.

I noticed the same as Dave Vino. No NSW, not even Graveyard or Tyrrels Vats or Lovedale. Or Murrumbateman (eg. Collector?).

Nor Tasmania - surely one of Arras, Domaine A, Dalrymple or etc would rate a mention.

Unless the best wineries from both states suffered shocker years for all current releases.

Jacobs creek riesling anyone ?
No thanks.

Hunter wrote:Jacobs creek riesling anyone ?
No thanks.

It is the Steingarten.

Hunter wrote:Jacobs creek riesling anyone ?
No thanks.

And it’s 11 spots ahead of 2014 LEAS

No Wynn's Black Label 2015?

He's out of touch with the forum.

JamieBahrain wrote:No Wynn's Black Label 2015?

He's out of touch with the forum.

Mmm?? Yes it’s nice to good for a relatively low cost wine but that’s about all. Had another bottle of the 15 BL last night - ok. This wine has ridden the forum wave of hype.

Diddy wrote:What does everyone think?
...
96 DIRTY THREE WINES PINOT NOIR GIPPSLAND DIRT 2 2016
...

Diddy wrote:Not a bad little month for me:-

1 x 2016 Dirty Three Pinot Noir Three
...

You must be devastated. If only you'd seen the Top 100 list before you bought the Dirt #3 and bought the Dirt #2 instead.

James suckling / James halliday. Haters gonna hate!

Surely written by Nick Stock.

https://www.jamessuckling.com/videos/nick-st ... s-himself/

swirler wrote:James suckling / James halliday. Haters gonna hate!

Surely written by Nick Stock.

https://www.jamessuckling.com/videos/nick-st ... s-himself/

I thought I was Australia’s formost wine critic but Nick tells me it is him.

Did anyone compere Sucklings top 100 Australian wines list with his top wines list?
VASSE FELIX MARGARET RIVER TOM CULLITY 2014 at no#4 is also #4 on his top wines list. So where were the other top 3 Aus wines?
Well, I only went as far as finding the #3 S.C. PANNELL MCLAREN VALE THE VALE 2015 at #28.
I also found at #35 on the top 100 SEPPELT DRUMBORG RIESLING 2016. A wonderful wine and a contender for my Australian white of the year. Maybe I haven't looked closely enough, but where is it on the Australian list?
3 of his top 5, each scored at 100 (who said Halliday over scores?) are from Chile.
Go figure that!

Jeff,

I think the 2 lists are from different authors. Suckling vs Stock. Sounds like a recipe

michel wrote:

swirler wrote:James suckling / James halliday. Haters gonna hate!

Surely written by Nick Stock.

https://www.jamessuckling.com/videos/nick-st ... s-himself/

I thought I was Australia’s formost wine critic but Nick tells me it is him.

"One of" not 'the' foremost Aussie wine scribes. I'd definitely rate him top 10, hence the JS gig.

Without giving BL a whack...no love for Coonawarra period??!!
Cheers
Craig

I noticed the same thing Jeff did, that the No.4 wine on the Australian list, the Vasse Felix, is also No.4 on the overall top wine list, but Swirler's explanation that each list is by different critics make eminent sense. In effect, the list is the top 100 of the wines each critic tasted that year. Hence both writers probably tasted the Vasse Felix but the writer who made the overall top 100 list may not have tasted the three Australian wines that topped the Vasse Felix in the Australian list. Does that make sense?

I'm not that critical of the list as others are because I presume that each list is composed of wines that were tasted by the composer of each list in that year. They can't be expected to list a wine that they haven't had the opportunity to taste.

Mahmoud.

swirler wrote:

michel wrote:

swirler wrote:James suckling / James halliday. Haters gonna hate!

Surely written by Nick Stock.

https://www.jamessuckling.com/videos/nick-st ... s-himself/

I thought I was Australia’s formost wine critic but Nick tells me it is him.

"One of" not 'the' foremost Aussie wine scribes. I'd definitely rate him top 10, hence the JS gig.

Top 10 with a limited palate...

The what I find ironic is in his video he says he's looking for things that are unique and interesting in wine..memorable...and yet his top 100 list, as a whole, is anything but that..sure, a few interesting picks..but from the same typical wine regions.

looks much more like a restaurant wine list to me. look at all those penfolds but no hunter wines, maybe they mixed up the templates for something else?

I’ve never heard of the single vineyard Cape Mentelle shiraz?

phillisc wrote:Without giving BL a whack...no love for Coonawarra period??!!
Cheers
Craig

To paraphrase Craig, how many shiraz labels can you fit into 100? Seriously, a very one-dimensional listing. Lots of shiraz, some token pinot and cabernet, maybe a grenache or two, a smattering of whites .... and not much else. Don't think that it accurately reflects the Australian wine industry. I love Fraser McKinley and what he's doing at Sami Odi, but Dallwitz at #2? Very esoteric!

By the way, go to the link and reorder the ranking according to scores, from highest to lowest, and you get a different result. The Henschke drops from 1st to 4th, while the Vasse Felix drops from 4th to 12th. Apparently the highest scoring wine was the Bass Philip Pinot Noir Gippsland Reserve, followed by the Clarendon Hills Australis and the Clonakilla.

Take a look:

https://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-r ... otes-table

Mahmoud.

So here's the breakdown of varietals:-

SHIRAZ & SYRAH - 41
CHARDONNAY - 16
PINOT - 12
CABERNET - 8
BLEND - 8
RIESLING - 6
GRENACHE - 4
OTHER - 4
FORTIFIED/DESSERT - 1