The Auswine Forum

6 x Schild Estate 2019 Edel Barossa Valley Shiraz.

3 x 24 Deep Woods Reserve Chardonnay
4 x 24 Eperosa Magnolia Shiraz
2 x 25 Eperosa Stonegarden Grenache

Another dozen of the Balhannah Wines 2025 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir but 6 for a mate.

12 x Reschke 2020 Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Primitive but effective storage area at home tapped out now. Nice problem to have.

I'm facing the same issue at home...no more case buys for the near future!

Mixed case of Noons ordered for the quaffing cabinet. I was due to replenish and was perusing DM and the like and the Noon’s letter came in. Great to support a family winery with $30 a bottle buys.

A couple of wine club orders.

Pfeiffer Riesling 25
Pfeiffer Fiano 25
Pfeiffer Chardonnay 23
Pfeiffer Tempranillo 23
Pfeiffer Great Western Shiraz 21
Pfeiffer Sparkling Pfizz Red (Shiraz)
Rockford Eden Valley Riesling 25 x 3
Rockford Frugal Farmer 25
Rockford Moppa Springs GMS 22
Rockford Rod & Spur Shiraz Cabernet 22

Got a current release Wynns BL Cab & a couple of back vintages. Not tried the 24 vintage yet.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 18
Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 19
Wynns Black Label The Original Cabernet Sauvignon 24

Also picked up repeats of wines that we have really enjoyed drinking lately.

Deep Woods Estate Hillside Chardonnay 25
Deep Woods Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 24
Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 25
Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 24
Handcrafted by Geoff Hardy Gruner Veltliner 23
Peninsula Panorama Pinot Noir 25
Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese 24

Flying visit to the BV on the weekend
Greenock pub food was fair, not quite as good as previous visits but having two parties of 50 each probably swamped the kitchen staff, oh well always next time.
Eperosa
Brett Grocke is a great bloke even gave me a couple bottles of a sold out wine.
Jack of all trades, about 20 punters at the CD, more than I had ever seen there, but he did really well
2025 Semillion, nice style, bit of lanolin, fruit and oak in lovely balance, very good.
2025 Grenache Mataro, really interesting blend, have never been a Grenache fan, can't really see what all the fuss is about, but Brett has a few, from vines going back 100+ years, so the three different wines all showed depth and precision, none of that over extracted stewed plum or lolly pop rubbish.
2024 Krondorf Shiraz, entry level wine, but holds it own against wines 2-3 times the price, wonderful fruit profile, tannins tightly coiled, really good and got a few.
2024 Magnolia Shiraz, this was lovely, different to the Krondorf, more expansive on the palate and broad dense tannins, got a few, both these wines are excellent.
2024 LRC, sold out, but picked up a couple to try at some stage. Good but quick tasting, then 200 metres down the road.
Rockford.
Ushered into the kennel, a space in the Stonewallers set up that I have never previously visited, quiet for the first 30 minutes, then a party of 6 who were half cut arrived, but generally good fun.
2026 EV Riesling, lovely florals, crisp, minerally really good.
2026 Vine Vale Riesling, this was beautiful, spends a short time in oak, rich, unctuous, picked up a sixer, now to 20 years.
2025 LG Semillion, this is a very good wine, balance between fruit and oak spot on, will go an age, the winery looked at 1992 to current release last month, apparently all held up very well, will get a few on another visit.
2026 Frontinac, 8% breakfast wine, lovely sweetness, delicious.
2026 Alicante, never been a fan, but this wine finally gets there, The sweetness actually helps, have found previous versions, tart, flat and dull.
2025 Frugal Farmer, I have never liked this wine, still don't. Astringent, stalky and a touch green, who buys this?
2023 Moppa GSM, from a difficult year, despite what anyone else says, Rockford though, through having so many growers, blocks to choose from, managed to put together a wine that has a bit of body, depth, flavour and the rest of the crew really enjoyed it.
2021 DC Grenache, this was to be fair, excellent, plush fruits, savoury, rich, long long finish, very good and picked up a few.
2023 RR, again, through having so many growers, managed to get parcels off that had enough ripeness and avoided berry split. I think time will be kind here, but jury out. Very good depth, but the faintest of green notes, we'll see but 2021/22 much better off.
2023 BP, believe that there are 70 blocks that normally contribute to this wine, but just 5?? or so made the cut. This is a good BP, certainly has the fruit, the depth and the balance. Nicely polished, no harsh edges, not sure if this is an earlier style or needs a decade, maybe both, picked up a sixer. I enjoyed it, as did others.
2022 R&S, this is a cracker, about 50/50 RR and BP, clean as a whistle, rich, dense, twinge of sweetness, such a great blend, long persistent finish, will be even better with time, picked up a few previously, picked up a few more.
Black NV, apparently a disgorgement date is now issued, comes from 8 year old stock...don't quote me. I always find this wine wonderfully polarising, I love it, but need a lie down shortly afterwards. This is rich and plush, lovely mousse, wonderful mouthfeel, flavour to burn with the fortification of VP/brandy, what ever else is chucked in the dosage...the crew loved it, so picked up 3. Very good.
Cane Cut, lovely style, rich without cloying, the lads favourite, so got a couple.
PS Marion Tawny, the lads other favourite, I could drink this all day, solera style, base stock is 30+ years, rich, smooth, chocolatey...yummo!!
2021 VP, lovely finish to a 2 hour tasting, often find VPs to be a little gritty, the fruit fighting the spirit, but this was great. Picked up a couple.
In short wines very well made, but 2023 editions should fill out and develop nicely.

Cheers Craig

Thanks for the write up on the Rockford wines Craig.

Keen to see which vintages I get when my Rockford order turns up later this week - the ones I was invoiced for or the new ones.

Sean wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2026 5:15 pm Thanks for the write up on the Rockford wines Craig.

Keen to see which vintages I get when my Rockford order turns up later this week - the ones I was invoiced for or the new ones.

Yes Sean agree, hard to keep up, wines across 5 vintages...hope I haven't mixed them up
Cheers Craig

Probably a changeover of some of the vintages round this time of the year.

You got to see the new ones first.

6 x Corryton Burge 2026 Barossa Rose.100% Grenache. Made in the Provence style. Dry and crisp for long summer lunches and low ABV.

12 x 2021 Thorn Clarke Shotfire Quartage

6 Noon Reserve Cabernet
6 Noon Reserve Shiraz
2 Noon VP

Cheers Craig

Got an email from Ten Minutes By Tractor during the week saying the 2025 vintage of Estate & Single Vineyard wines are available now.
Dropped into the cellar door & did a tasting across the range of 10X, Estate & Single Vineyard wines.
Really liked the length in the Estate Chardonnay ($62).
I went there primarily for the Up The Hill & Down The Hill pinots ($66).
Both are excellent. Up The Hill is red fruited & perfumed, the other a little more earthy & tannic.
The Judd, McCutcheon & Wallis Chardonnays are $94 & Pinot Noirs are $98 this year.
Elegant wines, and if you are looking for tannin & structure in a pinot you will get that.
A very good vintage & some of these wines will go quickly.
Bought a mix of 6 bottles to take home.

Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Field Blend 25
Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Rose 26
Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Pinot Gris 26
Ten Minutes By Tractor Estate Chardonnay 25
Ten Minutes By Tractor Up The Hill Pinot Noir 25
Ten Minutes By Tractor Down The Hill Pinot Noir 25

A few scant notes from the last weekend in Coonawarra for Cabernet Celebration

Traditional Friday afternoon tasting at Balnaves, beautiful sitting out on the deck next to the lake, 2025 Chardonnay a standout, 2021 Cabernet and 2022 Tally also excellent.

Lots of good wine at the Decadence tasting on Friday night, with wineries putting out an old wine. Standout for me was the 2016 Yalumba Menzies. 2015 Wynns O'Dea Single Vineyard also very good. Followed by dinner at Otellia, food was excellent, wines so-so.

10 year vertical Cabernet tasting at Majella always good. Consistency is their theme for me. Enjoyed the 2019 in particular.

Great tasting of older wines at Yalumba on Saturday, including 1998 Menzies

Dinner at CD at Brands Laira Sat night, food was excellent and wines were pretty good.

Hollick was having a fire sale of some odds and sods, on Saturday bought a couple of magnums of 1998 Ravenswood for 100 bucks each, had one at our traditional bbq on Sunday night, was excellent. Then back on Sunday, bought a cleanskin imperial of 1994 Ravenswood for a measly 50 bucks. Quality not guaranteed but level looks good, cork looks intact, what could possibly go wrong?

Tasting at Bowen Estate was good. They actually had some 2025 Chardonnay which we relieved them of in quantity. 2004 Shiraz and Cabernet both outstanding.

Enjoyable lunch at Parker Estate, beef pies and Cabernet.

2021 JR at Wynns on Sunday was excellent. Four vintages of Katnook Cabernet at the last CD also enjoyable, very approachable

Backing up again this Friday with phillisc for the Limestone Coast Wine Show tasting and Redman Rouge Homme dinner at their winery on Friday night and Rouge Homme wines at Redman on Saturday. Will also pick up a few more reds at Bowen.

12 x Gemtree 2025 Luna de Fresa Rose to split with a mate.

Got a bottle of 21 Michael from cdco with quarterly
Credits for $40 . But got delivered in 30 degree heat !