The Auswine Forum

I've been really out of the wine tasting scene and am hoping you all can help. I am organising a tasting of 2018 wines tomorrow, are there any in particular I should look out for? I already have the Grosset Polish Hill and Drumborg riesling on the list. TIA.

Have the 2018 Tahbilk Marsanne and Elizabeth Semillon been released?

Mahmoud.

Chase up more quality Riesling’s. That might be all you have to go for at this early stage.Tahbilk Marsanne might have ticked over to ‘18, but I think the Elizabeth Semillon is a vintage (or two) behind ??

Pikes... traditional and Merle.. and Riesling freaks range

It was slightly difficult to find a store that had lots of 2018s, but I managed to get the Pikes traditional, rieslingfreaks 4, hanlin hill and pewsey valley. Should be interesting!

Petaluma Hanlin Hill
Crawford River
Bests GW Riesling (5-8g/L)
Lethbridge (off-dry)

Quick tasting notes on the following rieslings:

Chalkboard Great Southern 2018 - Expressive fruity nose, quite pleasant, on the palate lacks a bit in the acidity department and in oomph.
Jim Barry Watervale 2018 - Not too dissimilar to the previous wine.
Rieslingfreak no 4 2018 - Very interesting and complex nose. Quite an enjoyable wine which I would buy again for short to medium term consumption.
O'Leary Walker Polish HIll 2018 - This of all wines had the least interest at the moment, being quite closed and one-dimensional. I agree with another review that I read that it is all citrus. However it does have a great acidic backbone so I will probably lay down a few.
Petaluma Hanlin Hill 2018 - This is by far the standout of the day. Already quite complex and has racy acidity. Worth a six-pack at least.
Spy Valley Envoy 2014 - Back label suggests 4-10 years storage. This bottle, left at room temperature over the years, already shows some development and is quite yellow. Nonetheless a delicious wine.


There was also a Hoddles Creek Whole Bunch Pinot Gris 2018 - which had a lovely orange colour, and was savoury, spicy, and sappy, quite delicious and would be wonderful with food.

Finally, the 1983 Seppelt Single Vintage Tawny. This bottle confirms my last impression, it is going downhill and has lost its primary raisiny fruit, and developed quite a volatile, brandy like, bitter chocolate character. Nonetheless, still a wonderful privilege to have such a wine.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now I remember I had the Bests at the cellar door which was also wonderful and different. I tried to find a bottle of the drumborg to retaste it but like the Grosset, was unable to find any of the 2018 vintage.

I picked up in this thread possibly too late. Dukes 2018 Magpie Hill Riesling would have been the go.

2018 Granite Hills might be worth chasing down.

Waiters Friend wrote:I picked up in this thread possibly too late. Dukes 2018 Magpie Hill Riesling would have been the go.

The size of those bottles are so annoyingly big!

Waiters Friend wrote:I picked up in this thread possibly too late. Dukes 2018 Magpie Hill Riesling would have been the go.

I concur with Waiter’s Friend. The Dukes rieslings are sensational. Nothing better in Australia.

Good stuff but pretty early for 2018 releases?

PS Welcome back! long time no see

odyssey wrote:PS Welcome back! long time no see

Thanks! Been a hectic few years. I have to start thinking about the 2018 whites otherwise the 2019s will be here in a blink of an eye and it will be hard to get stuff to put down! Already kicking myself that I missed the Hunter 2014 vintage.