TN: Steward notes - Sydney Top100
Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:37 pm
I took these at the '19 show in October-18; a mix of entry wines along with some steward-supplied efforts (see the names in the TN).
Always a lot of fun; a really wide range of stuff is usually entered, although some categories are rather carpet-bombed by certain regions.
Overall trophy winner was a kiwi RUA pinot; not tasted by me, sorry. There may be some other trophy winners here; certainly a smattering of Top 100 wines.
[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=40121]"2019" SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW - STEWARDING NOTES - Blue Mountains, NSW (7/10/2018-12/10/2018)[/url]
Tasted over the course of the show, at lunch or at the stewards accomodation in the evenings. Also interspersed with a few blind wines from us. Most wines were show entries, although some were surplus stocks from previous years over lunch, etc.
As I work my way through some other show wines over the next little while I might try to post some of those notes here too, just to fill the set.
cheers,
Graeme
Always a lot of fun; a really wide range of stuff is usually entered, although some categories are rather carpet-bombed by certain regions.
Overall trophy winner was a kiwi RUA pinot; not tasted by me, sorry. There may be some other trophy winners here; certainly a smattering of Top 100 wines.
[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=40121]"2019" SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW - STEWARDING NOTES - Blue Mountains, NSW (7/10/2018-12/10/2018)[/url]
Tasted over the course of the show, at lunch or at the stewards accomodation in the evenings. Also interspersed with a few blind wines from us. Most wines were show entries, although some were surplus stocks from previous years over lunch, etc.
- [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342612]2017 d'Arenberg Riesling The Dry Dam[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 10.5%} Soft and lemony. Ironically in view of the name, this is veering into the distinctly off-dry territory, with a stopped ferment and some RS. Still a talc quality to the palate, with medium acid. Light/medium body with a medium length finish. Pleasant drinking over 5 years. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342614]2014 Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (7/10/2018)
{screwcap} Smokey, dusty, dark cherry aromas. Mild dusty tannins on palate, dry, light/medium body, short/medium finish. Decent enough; tasty and satisfying. Should hold or improve a while. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342615]2014 Blind River Pinot Noir[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Light fresh nose of tart cherry. Fruity, though, not stalky. The palate has just a little smoky oak, mild dusty tannins, medium/high acid and red cherry fruit, all quite up-front and youthful. Short/medium finish. Good wine. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342617]2013 St Hugo Grenache Shiraz Mataro[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.8%} Youthful nose of liquorice, blackberry and sweet jam. Warm palate, a bit raisiny, with low/medium powdery tannins, plummy flavours, medium/full weight; lots of fruit but soft structure. Sound but a bit commercial in style and clearly built to drink young. Medium length finish with a big mid-palate presence but a bit obvious otherwise. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342619]2015 Mondillo Pinot Noir Mondillo Vineyard[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Tobacco & twig nose. The palate has blacker fruit flavours, is light/medium-bodied with low gritty tannins. It almost holds the alcohol but there seem to be holes in the palate; it’s a bit patchy. Short-medium length. Not over-oaked but just a little unbalanced. Cellaring a little may help. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342620]2015 Brancott Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Tobacco, dirt and a stemmy note. Earthy. The palate has tingly, simple red cherry fruit, is light/medium-bodied, with low dusty tannins and medium acid. Not sweet or oaky; rather a bit on the thin side, with a short finish. Basic workmanlike stuff. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342622]2017 Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (7/10/2018)
{screwcap, 12.5%} Limes, a little oak. Light-medium weight palate with a burst of fresh lime flavor, no oak, no heat. Low acid, not much flavor beyond a vague fruitiness which is at least never sweet. Dull, dull, dull. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342637]2017 Tenuta Ulisse Montepulciano d'Abruzzo[/url] - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (8/10/2018)
{cork, 14%} Soft raspberry fruit nose. Medium acid palate supporting plenty of ripe jammy flavours on the medium-full palate. Soft easy finish but with furry, powdery tannins speaking more of grape than oak. A bit on the short side, also sits very much on the front palate. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342638]2015 Brand's Laira Cabernet Sauvignon 171 / The Patron Brand's Laira[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Currants and jam. No surprises here. Medium-weight palate, modern & youthful, with seasoned chocolatey oak, black fruit flavours low/medium dusty tannins, medium acidity. Mid-palate dip. Dry finish, just short of medium length. Seems a bit dull, but maybe some cellar-time will help. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342639]2012 Casella Cabernet Sauvignon 1919[/url] - Australia, South Eastern (8/10/2018)
{cork} Deep currant aromas, dark chocolate. Bit furry palate, with medium powdery tannins, medium/high acidity, full body. Bruiser-style chocolatey wine, maybe not terribly varietal but plush and ripe, dense and fruity. Medium length finish. Quite drinkable now, best before its ten years old I suspect. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342640]2015 Velenosi Lacrima di Morro d'Alba Querci’Antica[/url] - Italy, Marche, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba (8/10/2018)
{diam, 13%} Sweet musky nose. Spicy, peppery yet confected palate, with flavours of musk and sweet strawberries. Dry, with medium/high acidity, low gritty tannins, medium weight and a medium length finish. Better with food, and possibly a few years. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342641]2015 Corte Carista Chianti Classico[/url] - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (8/10/2018)
{diam, 12.5%} Dusty cherry nose. Medium acid, Medium/high gritty but fine tannins. Dry savoury palate but in the end is just light/medium-bodied, with a medium length finish. Cries out for food. Not sure it has the fruit to age terribly long. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342643]2015 Crossroads Pinot Noir Talisman[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} Spicy, lifted strawberry nose. Touch of green stalky character too. But mostly fruit. The palate is refined, with spicy oak notes, boysenberry flavours. A hint of smoke. Oak flavours are subtle, even if there’s plenty of texture, with medium powdery tannins, medium acid, medium weight. Wine sits a bit on the front palate and has a medium length finish. Tidy, and a few years wouldn’t hurt. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342644]2015 Princiar Fetească Neagră Special Reserve Tohani[/url] - Romania, Muntenia, Dealu Mare (8/10/2018)
{cork, 13%} Peppery nose, and equally spicy, peppery palate. Rather vague red fruit flavours in an anonymous sense; little oak to support it; it has high acidity, medium weight, no apparent oak, and low/medium chalky tannins. Rather short finish and a pretty neutral effort all round. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342646]2015 Chateau Kamnik Vranec Terroir Grand Reserva[/url] - Macedonia, Povardarie, Skopje (8/10/2018)
{cork, 16.2%} Deep ruby colour. Youthful, big plums/liquorice nose. The palate is predictably full-bodied, with massive jammy sweetness and blackberry flavours, medium chalky tannins, medium acidity. The alcohol gives it a big impact, largely on the front of the tongue, and the finish isn’t as warm as you fear, but it is only barely medium length, and I’m not sure it will improve at all. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342647]2017 Vigneti Zabù Nero d'Avola Sicilia Chiantari[/url] - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (8/10/2018)
{13.5%} Plums, jubey-jam-like aromas, but also with a rustic tobacco note. A changeable nose. The palate is medium/full-bodied, with medium powdery tannins, gentle spicy oak, medium acid, and plummy ripe flavours in line with the nose. Medium length finish, but all towards the front of the tongue. Plenty of flavour for the short term. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342648]2015 Velenosi Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare[/url] - Italy, Marche, Rosso Piceno Superiore (8/10/2018)
{cork, 14.5%} Somewhat developing, yet closed nose. Sweat, leather, earth. Vague black fruit flavours, but lots of warm dusty tannins which blossom on the medium-bodied palate. Not much back-palate; it’s a crowd-pleaser for an undiscriminating crowd. Apparently a blend of montepulciano & sangiovese; seems less than the sum of its parts somehow. Ready to drink. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342672]2015 Cantine San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Riserva Anniversario 62[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (8/10/2018)
{cork, 14.5%} Big, ripe plum and chocolate nose. The palate has bitter almonds, plums, and malty oak, Quite sweet fruit, with medium chalky tannins, medium acid and full-bodied weight. Slightly warm, medium-length finish, Big solid wine, probably for the shorter term. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342673]2017 Château Martinolles Limoux[/url] - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Limoux (8/10/2018)
{diam, 13.5%} Youthful nose of buttery oak and vanilla. Sweetly fruited palate, with tropical flavours, melon, pineapple. Mild oak, medium acid, light-medium bodied; it’s dry but sita mostly on the front palate and finishes a bit short. Rather commercial in all respects. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342674]2016 Vigneti del Salento Primitivo di Manduria Leggenda Vigne Vecchie[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (8/10/2018)
{diam, 14.5%} Deep ruby. Plum jam, coconut, chocolate. Unlike many of these other turbo-charged, heavily-packaged modern Italians I’ve been tasting, this has a distinct sense of residual sugar, with confected jam flavours, a medium/full-bodied warm palate with medium acid and a just a bit short finish. Always just tastes a bit too sweet somehow. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342675]2016 Velenosi Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Prope[/url] - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (8/10/2018)
{13.5%} All tobacco & twigs. The palate has surprising sweetnes, then strong medium/high dusty tannins, medium-high acid; a quite astringent finish cutting through the restrained montepulciano fruit. Even palate; almost understated, but I think that stems from better palate balance. Medium-long finish; I thought this was pretty tidy. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342677]2013 Bird in Hand Cabernet Sauvignon Nest Egg[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Bottle 1291 of not very many. Youthful nose of vanilla and coconut. There’s menthol & mint too – it just screams Australia. The palate is more curranty and black-fruited. It’s dry, with medium acidity, medium dusty tannins and a well-balanced palate, with an even medium-long finish. This can take another decade’s aging easily. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342678]2016 Mills Reef Merlot Elspeth[/url] - New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay, Gimblett Gravels (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 12.5%} Intnese, plummy blackberry nose. Youthful. The medium-weight palate has great intensity and depth, but not bloated. This has great balance of ripe fruit, medium chalky tannin, and a medium long finish. With its medium weight and polished fruit this should age handsomely for a decade. Only needs slightly better tannin structure for greatness. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342693]2014 Lévrier Cabernet Sauvignon Anubius[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14%} Open and inviting; brambles, blackberry, herbs. Some funky mushroom on the palate too, with sweet black fruit, liquorice, medium chalky tannins and medium/full body. Lots of palate presence, medium-long finish; this was pretty good and has just evolved nicely over a couple of years. Best by the time it’s 8 I think. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342695]2016 Rossetti Chianti[/url] - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti (8/10/2018)
{diam, 12.5%} A sweaty, dusty, rotten red fruit aroma. Mildly-flavoured palate, with a dusty texture despite fairly low powdery tannins; low-key flavours, low/medium acid and a short/medium, dry finish. Not unripe but just seems a bit dilute. A bit disappointing. Guess you only buy the ‘Classico’ version… - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342696]NV Farnese Vini Sicilia Gran Sasso Tre Autoctoni[/url] - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (8/10/2018)
{diam, 14.5%} Labelled 'YUME' as well. Soft liquorice nose. Medium-full palate of blackberry, plums, all macerated and liquefied. Medium/full palate with some oak spice, medium chalky tannins, medium acid. It has lots of flavour, but it’s a but anonymous and unstructured a bit. Plenty of weight on the tongue. As there is in the empty bottle… - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342697]2017 Hemera Estate Grenache Single Vineyard Old Vine[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.8%} Youthful, bubblegum / cherry aromas. Intense palate; tart-like but sweet fruit of glace cherries but with a simple sort of structure, with low/medium acid and chalky tannins. Medium length finish; this works together quite well; avoids heat too. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342698]2013 Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon Mentor[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Inky-dark purple colour. Rich, slightly developing nose of boysenberries and raspberries. The medium/full-bodied palate has melded fruit flavours reflecting its multi-grape identity as far as character goes; yet too fruity and even generic to ever be mistaken for a Bordeaux, for example. Medium chalky tannins are still soft and pliable; there’s plenty of presence on the middle of the tongue, and a medium finish, but it has a bland soulless quality somehow. Needs time? Air? Hmmm. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342699]2015 Nocton Vineyard Merlot[/url] - Australia, Tasmania, Coal River (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Youthful; chocolate & plums. On the palate; tobacco, twigs, brambles, basil, earth. Seems promising initially with medium powdery tannins, medium acid, medium body; does fade a bit on the palate to a short/medium finish. Good for a Oz merlot – better than 90% of the mainland stuff. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342700]2010 Patrick of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Home Block[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (8/10/2018)
{cork, 13.8%} Developing nose of brambles, twigs, currants. Dry maturing palate, medium weight, with low/medium chalky tannins, a bit of a mid-palate dip, flavours per the nose along with a subtle woodspice character. Medium length finish; OK wine probably at peak. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342701]2017 Jules Taylor Chardonnay OTQ[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Smoke and oak. Some butter/vanilla aromas too, but mostly nuts. The palate follows; butter & oak, all malo-driven in character; vanilla flavours, a chalky feel, short/medium finish. Old fashioned style – is the name trying to keep it secret? – for throw-backs only! Enjoy the wood. OTQ = 'On the Quiet'. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342790]2015 Bodegas Atalaya Almansa Laya[/url] - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Almansa (8/10/2018)
{cork, 15%} Young, generic blackberry aromas. Confected palate; jam/blackberry/plum; despite this it’s actually dry on the palate – in fact a bit dusty, with medium powder tannins and medium acidity. But the flavours have a raisins quality to them, and this lack of freshness also cuts the finish to short of medium length. Not hot on the palate, but a bit unbalanced anyway. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342791]2017 Roberto Sarotto Langhe Nebbiolo Nativo[/url] - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (8/10/2018)
{diam, 14.5%} Rather brick-like tinge to the colour; but the nose is of lovely polished cherries; on the palate is also found plum juice and a tangy orange character. It has medium dusty tannins, has a dry medium body and then somehow just finishes a bit short to properly celebrate. Pity. For the shorter term I think. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342792]2017 Cantine San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Talò[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (8/10/2018)
{diam, 14%} Developing liquorice and black fruit nose. Super-macerated cherry compote on the medium/full-bodied palate, raisiny, with lots of fruit & berry flavor, not much oak, front palate presence, low/medium acid and a medium length finish. A laboratory wine, but fun. Sort of. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342815]2017 Vigneti Zabù Sicilia Il Passo[/url] - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (8/10/2018)
Youthful; plums & chocolate. Has a darkly candied palate, sweaty tasting liquorice, candied, confected. Seems oak-free. Low/medium acid, medium powder tannins, medium weight. Finishes medium length; probably needs a little time to grow up a bit. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342816]2017 Vigneti del Salento Primitivo di Manduria Zolla[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (8/10/2018)
{14%} More chocolate bullets in a glass. This is really jammy, black and confected. Such voluptuous fruit it tends to mask low/medium dusty tannins and medium acid, bit still it sits on the front of the tongue where it offers a medium length finish. Too young, but should be enjoyable in the shorter term with just a bit of maturity. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342817]2012 Casella Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release[/url] - Australia, South Australia (8/10/2018)
{cork, 14%} Currant & mint. Classic Oz minty palate too, with sweet black fruit, vanilla oak and a mid-palate dip. Astringent finish thanks to chalky tannins, medium acid. Warm medium finish; OK but a touch one-dimensional and not totally convincing. Best before ten years I think. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342818]2018 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Greg[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (8/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Standard gooseberry with sweet lime juice nose. Juicy passionfruit palate, medium acid holding up tropical fruit flavours. Dry – just – light/medium-bodied; but seems too much fruit and not enough wine somehow. Also very young, so another year might help. Or not. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342833]2016 Bream Creek Pinot Noir Reserve[/url] - Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania (9/10/2018)
{screwcap} Polished strawberry nose, if a bit closed. The palate has medium/high acid, medium dusty tannins and medium weight. It has molten velvet flavours of strawberry and plum, intense and pure. No stalk of green, but this is serious, not just fruity. Medium dusty tannins. Medium length finish. Very youthful wine which will blossom nicely over a decade. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342834]2014 Saint Clair Family Estate Dawn[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (9/10/2018)
Meon fruits; peaches & cream too. Seems chardonnay-\dominant, with medium-sized aggressive bubbles. Medium weight, but rather short-finishing, with not autolysis character or real depth, despite a medium length finish. Needs more time on lees for some gravitas. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342835]2008 Joseph Perrier Champagne Cuvée Royále[/url] - France, Champagne (9/10/2018)
{12%} Bread and yeast nose. Fresh palate, very dry, light-bodied, surprisingly under-developed for a decade old, but likely a recent disgorgement I should think. Less yeasty on the palate then you’d think. Medium acid, and with medium-sized delicate bubbles. Medium length finish, and seems like a wine which needs to cellar a while longer now. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342836]NV Champagne Collet Champagne Brut[/url] - France, Champagne (9/10/2018)
{12.5%} Biggish, heavy nose; lots of yeast character. Developed chardonnay fruit on the palate; medium/full-bodied, medium acid, generously-flavoured and yet soft & generous on the palate. Medium-sized delicate bubbles. OK wine; would go well with food. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342838]2013 Clover Hill Vintage Release Brut[/url] - Australia, Tasmania, Northern Tasmania (9/10/2018)
{12.5%} Bread, chardonnay and grapefruit. Very dry, almost rasping palate, medium acid, mild white flower flavours, a bit dull. Medium weight, sits on the front of the tongue; has medium-sized, rather aggressive bubbles. Medium length finish. Could use more cellar time. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342839]NV Champagne Collet Champagne Blanc de Noir Premier Cru[/url] - France, Champagne (9/10/2018)
Strawberry and dust nose. Dry, medium-bodied but soft palate, despite medium acidity. A gentle hint of red pervades; there’s not a lot of yeast/lees character. Medium-sized creamy bubbles. Despite a medium length finish this is a bit anonymous. Some time might help. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342840]NV Champagne Collet Champagne Brut Rosé[/url] - France, Champagne (9/10/2018)
{12.5%} red strawberry jam nose. Barely brut, surely; there’s a real sweetness to this; it’s vivid in te mouth with medium/large aggreeive bubbles, medium weight and acid. Like the other Collet wines, the finish isn’t terribly long or special in any way. This would have better a bit drier I think. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342841]2017 Farnese Pecorino Fantini Terre di Chieti IGT[/url] - Italy, Abruzzi, Terre di Chieti IGT (9/10/2018)
{diam, 12.5%} Cheesy and a touch oily on the nose. The palate is surprisingly light-bodied, with flowery, yellow melon flavours. But’s it’s too low in acid to have much impact on the palate, which is predictably short. Dry, at least; is this supposed to transform with bottle age? A mystery to me. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342842]2013 Marisco Viognier Exemplar[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} Apricot & pot-pourri aromas. On the palate; apricot, pear; I was encouraged by the lowish alcohol but this is still too low in acidity to be properly refreshing; so although not actually sweet in flavor it does cloy a bit anyway. Medium-body, but the finish is also on the short side. If you really like viognier you’d be happy with this though I reckon. Ready to drink, not cellar. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342843]2018 Bird in Hand Arneis[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (9/10/2018)
{vinolok, 13.5%} Vivid, fleshy rockmelon nose. Dry savoury aspect to the palate, which is almost a bit salty, with stoney, gentle melon flavours. Light/medium bodied, it has an even, gentle, low-key palate, with medium acid adding a smidgin of freshness but it’s otherwise a pretty neutral affair. Will sell on the tall striped bottle; very distinctive – if not serious – looking. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342844]2013 Peter Lehmann Riesling Wigan[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 11%} Lemon & Sulphur. Very citric. The palate is dense and thick with lemon curd, but low-medium acid; not enough. It consequently gives the impression of being full-bodied, but in a stale, turgid sort of way; and then despite all that it finishes short. This was a pretty impressive label back in 2002-8 or so, don’t know what’s happened to it in recent vintages. I don’t think cellaring will fix this. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342845]2017 Cantine San Marzano Edda Lei Salento IGT[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT (9/10/2018)
{diam, 13.5%} 60% chardonnay and 40% moscato, Gawd. The muscat dominates; in sweet grapey aroma and musky flavour. Low/medium acid doesn’t help; I’d still call this dry, but light-bodied, oakless, but the palate is dull and wet and lacking structure and finishes too short for interest. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342846]2015 Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir Home Block[/url] - New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14%} Lifted spicy fruit, candied strawberry, plum, raspberry. The palate is densely youthful too, with medium/high dusty tannins, medium acid and a medium/full weight. The fruit is packed in here, but a bit surely just now, although it’s going to tantalise the whole palate when it wakes from its slumber. Medium/long finish which promises much. Closed but wonderful; give it a decade. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342847]2014 Marisco Pinot Noir Craft Series The Journey[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14%} Journey No 1. (more than one bottling?) Bilgey, briny; a mix of rotting leaves, compost, decaying strawberries. Almost old-world in its chanelling of the earth. Seems promising. But then the palate is dense and fading; despite medium acid, chalky tannin and a general impression of medium weight, the finish goes nowhere and the whole thing just disappears in a flash. Disconcerting. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342897]2017 Concha y Toro Carménère Casillero del Diablo Reserva Privada[/url] - Chile, Rapel Valley (9/10/2018)
{cork, 13.5%} Rustic nose of smoke & dirt. Palate too; it’s like a bushfire in a glass. Confected sweet red fruit flavours – briefly – but despite the medium weight there’s not much acid, there are low loose open tannins, and the wine sits on the tip of the tongue and finishes desperately short. This variety is usually a hard slog – no exception here. Not for cellaring either. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342898]2015 Yalumba The Signature[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/10/2018)
{14.5%} Chocolatey nose; and bit muted. Too-youthful palate perhaps, but it’s a touch astringent. Doesn’t seem to have much finish. Michael called it corked; it must be below my detection threshold (which I always thought was fairly low) but I’d certainly agree that this wasn’t showing as I’d expect. And, as a bottled opened earlier in the day (with only 60-80ml removed) it’s had the time to suffer properly. NR (flawed) - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342899]2015 Cantine San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni Old Vines[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (9/10/2018)
{14.5%} Sultana aromas, almost a touch of amarone character here too. A function of some oak, I guess. Medium weight, with medium chalky tannins and low/medioum acidity, which adds to the impression of weight and heft – and detracrts a bit from freshness. Super ripe blueberry fruit flavours; I guess it’s dry but my goodness it’s ripe. Too much like a blue firecracker going off in your mouth, as it finishes rather short, and barely engages the mid or back palate at all. Fundamentally out of balance. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342900]2013 Paracombe Cabernet Merlot Cellar Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (9/10/2018)
{14.2%} Big choco-minty nose. Smoke, woody oak. Ripe flavours, red but anonymous. Too dissicated, raisined, stale. Medium-full body, but short-finishing and hollow. Low/medium chalky tannins, medium acid. Doubt further age will help. Balance problems obvious. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342901]2016 Samuel's Gorge Mourvedre[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (9/10/2018)
62. 2016 Samuel’s Gorge Mouvedre McLaren Vale
{screwcap, 14.5%} Boysenberry, plum, black jams. Not over-oaky though. Liquorice/chocolate flavours, soft dusty tannins, medium weight; loose and a touch rustic in style, with a low-key palate. Some cellar time will help this. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342902]2017 Samuel's Gorge Tempranillo[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.5%} Inky liquorice, dark chocolate, vanilla aromas. On the palate blackberry fruits; slightly confected in character, helped by that chocolately oak. Still, only low/medium dusty tannins, low/medium acid; it’s youthful but seems to lack proper structure for aging. Finish is too short. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7342903]2005 Mount Mary Pinot Noir[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley (9/10/2018)
{diam, 13%} (Eric) Blind. Smoky, quite aged nose (at least in the context of tasting a bunch of new release wines). A bit tertiary; mature & herby; sage, thyme. The palate is spicy and sweaty, with hunts of jammy/chocolate flavours too. It’s medium-bodied and seems to lack a little for length, but evolves nicely in the glass to display a savoury, elegant character. It’s a ‘pretty’ wine, with its medium chalky tannin and medium/high acidity. Decent front and mid-palate presence. Just a medium length finish. When unveiled I was maybe disappointed, expecting more somehow, but it doesn’t seem to need drinking just yet and possibly the context wasn’t great (some wine having been already drunk…) Seems to be no rush with this; another 5-8 years won’t hurt at all, and will probably help in fact. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343010]2009 Bird in Hand Shiraz Nest Egg[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Bottle 158 of just 4800. Mildy developed nose of blueberry essence. Subtle spiced oak on the palate, with medium/high fine-grained dusty tannins, medium/full body, even palate. More blue fruits, with a touch of after-dinner-mint chocolate to them in the Oz style. Medium/long dry finish. Wants more time still; very good in the context of the style. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343011]2013 Bird in Hand Cabernet Sauvignon Nest Egg[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Menthol & eucalypt nose. And mint. Lots of mint. Vanilla oak palate, with minty, rambly overtones. Still young – maybe the mint will subside? – and something of a powerhouse, with medium/full dusty tannins, medium acid, quite intense, dry, and with a medium/long finish, full of flavour, and with good weight along the palate, but always within a certain spectrum of style. If you like it, another decade will be a canter. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343012]2014 Balthazar of the Barossa Shiraz[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Vanilla nose. Balckberry fruit. Chocolate too. Mainstream style. Slightly hollow and baked palate. Light/medium dusty tannin, medium acid (added?), warm but obvious modest finish. So-so. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343013]2015 Velenosi Offida Ludi[/url] - Italy, Marche, Offida (9/10/2018)
{cork, 14.5%} Montepulciano, padded out with cabernet and merlot. Fungal and gluey aromas. Dry, soft, palate with vague vanilla-tinged red fruit flavours. Lots of powdery tannins, medium weight, shortish, rather dull finish. Underwhelming all round. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343015]2012 Zonin Amarone della Valpolicella[/url] - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella (9/10/2018)
{cork, 15%} (Michael – served blind) Youthful palate, floral, with light red fruits. Partly developed. Palate of smoke and dust, red fruits but grey and earthy too, also a charcoal character is apparent. I wondered about pinot. But medium/full body, with medium dusty rtannins and medium acid, always a bit chocolately and nicely ripe; not obviously raisined or sweet. Dunno about aging, I must say. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343016]2012 Casella Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release[/url] - Australia, South Australia (9/10/2018)
{cork, 14%} Developing nose of velvet and coconut. Very Australia I must say, with lots of mint, eucalypt, vanilla, blackberry. Manages a cabernet/tannin austerity (medium dusty tannins) but still doesn’t quite avoid a confected note. Nicely balanced palate, even if the acid is a bit reticent; some more time will help if you’re not allergic to the style. Same bottle as tasted yesterday I think… - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343037]2012 Vesevo Taurasi Ensis[/url] - Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG (10/10/2018)
{14%} Rubber, liquorice and raisins. The palate presents liquid blackberries and raisin, with additional blue flavours. Medium weight, with medium/high chalky tannins, but not obviously oaked, it’s big and warm, with a little earth and an astringent finish, medium length, but mostly ignoring the back palate. Decent. Awkwardly developing never-the-less. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343038]2011 d'Arenberg Riesling The Dry Dam[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (10/10/2018)
{screwcap, 10.9%} Once this really was ‘dry’ as the name suggests, but it seems the style has changed over the last decade. This has developing aromas of honey and citrus in the form of sweet lemon cordial. The palate still manages a spritzy quality; some sweetness is obvious, although the acid is a bit reticent. Low in alcohol, light/medium-bodied, with a short/medium length, off-dry finish. Front palate presence. Reflects the vintage a bit too I suspect; perhaps they picked a bit early and beat some of the rain? Still doesn’t quite have the acid to balance the sugar in my view. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343039]2015 Badagoni Saperavi Alaverdi Tradition[/url] - Georgia, Kakheti (10/10/2018)
{14%} Crimson coklour. Jubey fruit aromas; gum drops, confectionery. All fruit nose. Palate is gently spicy with jam/plum flavours, minimal oak, light/medium body, low dusty tannins. Dry, low key palate, warm finish on the front of the tongue. Other than the novelty of its original, not that exciting. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343040]2016 Casa Santos Lima Colossal Reserva[/url] - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (10/10/2018)
{14%} Blueberry nose, vanilla bean, then all-red, spicy fruit. Big wine, medium/full-bodied, with ripe plummy fruit, soft spicy oak, medium chalky tannins; in a modern fruity style. Medium acid, even weight, with just medium length finish. Plenty of flavour. Good effort. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343041]2013 Badagoni Saperavi Kakhetian Noble[/url] - Georgia, Kakheti (10/10/2018)
{13.5%} Developing nose, lovely woodspice aromas. Pepper, blackcurrant. Medium-bodied, with an even palate of spice and blueberry fruit. Medium chalky tannins. Seems nicely balanced, but then suddenly finishes terribly short. Very odd. Says it should be drunk young. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343042]2017 Casa Santos Lima Vinho Regional Lisboa Rabo de Galo[/url] - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (10/10/2018)
{13%} Bright cherry fruit, with white pepper and little oak. A dry medium acid palate has a burst of mid-palate richness and a red fruit flavour spectrum. Low powdery tannins – somehow seems to lose structure somehow. Short finish. Pleasant but seems to promise more than it delivered. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343044]2012 Peter Lehmann Sémillon Margaret[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (10/10/2018)
{screwcap} Very advanced. Smoky, toasty aromas. Broad yellow/lemon flavours but acid deficient. Only light/medium-bodied but tending to flabby all the same. Ultimately, simple flavours, and a weak short finish. What’s happened to this label? It was a cracker until about 2005 and seems to have fallen apart since then. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343045]2017 Casa Santos Lima Vinho Regional Lisboa Azulejo[/url] - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (10/10/2018)
{13.5%} A blend of Castelao, Tinta Roriz, Pinot Noir. Soft spicy nose dominated by white pepper. The dry, medium-acid palate is quite tartly textured, with seemingly no oak, low/medium gritty skin tannins, ripe but crunchy in feel. Not exactly thin but much better with food. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343046]2017 Quinta do Conde Vinho Regional Lisboa Quinta Vista[/url] - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (10/10/2018)
A blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Castelao, Syrah. Youthful chocolate and blackberry aromas, with soft oak. Youthful, fruit-driven palate, with a balanced by low-level structure of reticent acid and low/medium dusty tannins. Dry, savoury, black-fruited finish of medium length; it all adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Works well. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343047]2017 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Casillero del Diablo Reserva Privada[/url] - Chile, Maipo Valley (10/10/2018)
{13.5%} Smoky. Scorched oak and toast, currents. Big ripe cabernet palate; medium/full weight with high powdery tannins and medium acid. Black olives and currants on the palate. Bit of a bruiser all round. Medium length finish. Probably needs a decade to settle down. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343048]2014 Totino Estate Wines Shiraz Francesco Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (10/10/2018)
{14.5%} Black/purple colour. Minty cabernet nose. Very Adelaide Hills. The palate contributes spearmint as well to add to the mint-fest, but there are olive, currant and even raisin flavours too. Medium/full body. Palate is a bit patchy somehow, kind of medium length but doesn’t quite hang together. You need to like the style/flavour profile; it only becomes more pronounced over time. For me it’s over-ripe a bit and lacks freshness and balance. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343055]2016 Mino & Co Montepulciano Little William[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote (10/10/2018)
{14.5%} Youthful mulberry and plum nose. Juicy palate; big and plummy but really too young to drink now. Medium/full weight, medium acid, plenty of mid-palate heft. Medium chalky tannins finish quite astringently on the medium length finish; this really needs a bit of time to settle. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343056]2014 Beresford Shiraz Limited Release McLaren Vale[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (10/10/2018)
{14.1%} Bottle 4089. A black monster in the glass. Quite youthful, but dominated by coconut and vanilla. The 8 barrels name hints at the full-bodied oaky character of this, with medium/high powdery tannins, low/medium acid and just a medium length finish. It mostly avoids too much heat on the finish but it still lacks freshness. Weighty mid-palate though. Good if you like the old-fashioned style; I think it’s a bit clunky myself. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343057]2015 Giesen Chardonnay The Fuder Clayvin Vineyard[/url] - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (10/10/2018)
{screwcap} May have been the oakiest wine I tasted all week. Sandalwood, nuts. Lots of buttery flavours too; there may have been primary fruit under here once but I’m damned if I can find it under the oak and butter and malo. Medium weight, with low chalky tannins and a short/medium but rather one-dimensional finish. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343059]2015 Casa Santos Lima Alenquer Quinta das Setencostas[/url] - Portugal, Lisboa, Alenquer (10/10/2018)
{13.5%} I recalled this as a widely-available cheapy; this latest tasting confirms the memory. The nose has jubey strawberries and a light smoke character; the medium-weight palate has mixed red fruit flavours, a savoury presence, decent acid, low chalky tannins and a medium length dry finish. Not complex but OK, and decent value for well under $20 as I recall. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343061]1994 Château Léoville Barton[/url] - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (10/10/2018)
{cork, 12.5%} (Me) Plenty classical ; cedar, currants, some tobacco. Medium-bodied, all gentle grey tannins and medium acid. Soft currant fruit, fully mature. Gentle and lovely. Medium length; ready to drink. Good considering the vintage, not life-changing by any means though. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343067]2000 Petaluma Shiraz B & V[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (10/10/2018)
{cork, 13.5%} (Michael) A museum-release of the inaugural vintage. Cedary French oak nose and gentle currant fruit. Has a touch of new-world eucalypt/olive on the palate, along with a bit of mint. Medium weight, and with surprisingly powerful dusty tannins. Conveys its cool-climate origin (very cool in 2000) well enough. Medium length finish. Decent, not spectacular – ready to drink. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343068]2012 Granmonte Estate Shiraz Heritage[/url] - Thailand, Khao Yai, Asoke Valley (10/10/2018)
{cork, 13%} (Nat) Vivid, spicy blueberry aromas and flavours. Fairly simple, but nicely backed by medium acid, low powdery tannins and medium weight. Quite youthful for 5 years; can age a bit longer, but doubt it’ll get much longer in the finish or more complex. But, a surprise from Thailand! - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343071]1999 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon[/url] - Australia, Tasmania, Coal River (10/10/2018)
{cork, 13.5%} (me) Olives, pyrazine, currants ; a bit bordeaux-ish, but not entirely convincing. Ripe palate, hints of roast tomato, olice, currant. Fine, medium/high chalky tannin structure, medium weight, medium-long finish. Pretty decent for 20 years, even if it does fall short of greatness. Will hold a while too. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343073]2008 Marchand and Burch Gevrey-Chambertin[/url] - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (10/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} (me) Savoury, dusty cherries. Lots of dusty tannin, less oak than I recalled from last time, bright fruit but not hard. Medium body. Even palate. Fruit has receded a bit; this seems largely structure at the moment. Not really convinced that the balance is there; if it does miss the mark a bit it’s still fairly decent. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343083]2016 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Sémillon[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina (10/10/2018)
{screwcap, 10.5%} Despite its youth this seems to be developing quickly, with massive apricot and honey aromas, with a burnished quality. The palate is luscious and honeyed, rich with botrytis. Medium-sweet, with medium acid – but not enough to really lift it properly in my view – and medium/full weight; it’s as rich as you’d want although a bit more acid would counter the hollow character I seem to detect on the medium-length finish. Might improve in the shorter term. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343085]2017 Rob Dolan Shiraz[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley (11/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} Youthful nose of polished blackberry fruit. Spicily fresh palate, with jubey blackberry flavours, gentle sandalwood oak, medium powdery tannins, medium acid, an even palate and a medium length dry finish. A proper sort of wine; wants a bit of time to mesh properly. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343086]2016 Trivento Malbec Private Reserve[/url] - Argentina, Mendoza (11/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} Reserved chocolate nose. Mild spicy red berry flavours on the palate, open gentlke dusty low/medium tannins, medium acid, medium body, avoids heat, mostly front-palate wine but avoids heat on the medium finish. OK. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343087]2015 Bremerton Shiraz Old Adam[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek (11/10/2018)
Classic minty & eucalypt, some vanilla oak, not too overdone but a touch raisiny; might have been better a bit lighter & less ripe. Medium powdery tannins, medium acid, medium/full-body. Very young; needs time but I’m not sure it’ll be a bullseye wine if you know what I mean. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343098]2016 Tintara Grenache Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (11/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} (Michael) Chocolate, vanilla, bubble-gum. Ripe, bruising Grenache palate with black fruit and dark chocolate; medium weight with medium gritty tannins. Solid mid-palate but still has a bit of a country air about it. An on-premise release I gather. Seems a bit young to drink now. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343105]2017 Paracombe V5[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 12.5%} Cheekily named (Gruner V5) blend of Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewurz. Steely, granite-like nose, dominated by the GV. But the palate is far more tropical, with pears, just a touch of residual sugar, medium weight, low/medium acid, shortish finish. Better cold. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343106]2017 Church Road Chardonnay Grand Reserve[/url] - New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay, Hawkes Bay (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13%} Gentle buttery nuts, pineapple. Spicy palate, with wood flavor and peachy fruit; it’s full-bodied despite a mid-palate dip and low/medium acid. Better in its youth I think. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343107]2018 Scott Winemaking Fiano La Prova[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 13.3%} Flour and flower, with a steely character. Similar on the palate, with a hint of white flowers. A spare, pure and savoury palate. Medium acid. Very young; medium body but more from texture and presence than flavor. Medium length finish, but I honestly think another year in bottle will help. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343108]2017 Kingston Estate Merlot[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14%} Sweet syrupy plums. Rustic palate, medium-bodied but a bit coarse, with medium acid, soft but gritty tannins and a generally manufactured air about it. Benign, but not worth seeking out. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343110]2017 Leconfield Cabernet Franc[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Spicy raspberries. Youthful, rather anonymous palate. Vague red fruit, gentle spice, medium chalky tannins, medium acid, dry medium length finish of no great distinction. A bit anonymous; 3-5 years should help. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=7343111]2018 Berton Vineyard Durif[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina (12/10/2018)
{screwcap, 14.5%} Fumey liquorice. Big, soft blackberry fruit, medium/full body, powdery grape skin tannins (any oak is well-hidden), low acid, warm finish. Standard durif. Burn the sausages and go for it.
As I work my way through some other show wines over the next little while I might try to post some of those notes here too, just to fill the set.
cheers,
Graeme
