The tension and focus of the cool 2011 season are on show here in exact, honed white fruits and well-textured grapefruit-pith-like structure. Layers of classy, spicy cashew nut French oak overlay a backdrop of pristine white peach and grapefruit. It lingers long and true, with fruit and oak propelling each other forward, neither dominating. $22 […]
readArticles
Refined and fragrant, John Hancock’s latest syrah tactically includes just two percent of viognier skins and stalks to inject spice, cleverly avoiding the tropical pungency of viognier juice. A beautifully fragrant pepper and violet bouquet announces a seamless palate of fine, textural tannins and lingering elegance of pepper, plum skin and blackberry fruit flavours. $34 […]
readA refined style of brightness and detail, this is one of Taltarni’s top Heathcote wines yet. The bouquet exudes a succulent dark berry fruit profile, fragranced with violets and notes of sarsaparilla and liquorice. The palate presents a shiraz of impressively concentrated, ripe black fruit and black pastille presence, pulling into a classic Heathcote finish, […]
readA delightful bouquet at once epitomises the pristine lemon blossom, white peach, grapefruit and fig of Upper Yarra chardonnay and at the same time the beautiful nutmeg and vanilla overlay of sensitively handled French oak. The palate is a spectacular continuation of the same show, strung together by an intricate, silver thread of cool season […]
readThis single vineyard Yarra Valley shiraz is fragranced with an intricate assembly of understated black plum skin, blackberries, black pepper, black cherries and a hint of fresh liquorice straps. The palate captures wonderful density without ever losing control of its elegantly medium-bodied aspirations, a trail of black that is dead straight, immaculately polished and yet […]
readColdstream Hills’ foray into south-eastern Tasmania is an impeccably assembled pinot noir of outstanding persistence and a promising future. An enticing bouquet captures beautifully fragrant rose hip aromas amidst blackberry and strawberry fruits and hints of brambles. The palate exemplifies the concentration and expression of southern Tasmanian pinot, with deep-set blackberry and black cherry fruit […]
readA brilliantly honed Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay with a grand future before it. Its bouquet is desperately, breathtakingly pristine, singing with lemon blossoms on crisp dawn air, freshly picked grapefruit and almost ripe white peaches. The palate is charged with impeccable poise, an exactingly focused vector of white fruits that will uncoil slowly and assuredly […]
readIt is difficult to overstate the significance of the 2010 vintage in the flow of the grand history of Penfolds. Late last year I was privileged to a very rare sneak preview of this vintage at Penfolds’ Rewards of Patience tastings. In assessing almost every vintage of its top red wines spanning seven decades, one […]
readThe cool and wet 2011 season was tougher for grenache in the Barossa than it was, for instance, in McLaren Vale, so the focus of this blend has moved decidedly to shiraz (65%), supported by just 20% grenache and 15% mataro, all from vines older than forty years, and some older than a century. Its […]
readAt just 13.5%, 2011 Bin 128 is an elegant Coonawarra shiraz that accurately captures this cool region in a cool season in its lifted violet perfume and lively acid profile. It’s tangy, taut and finely structured, with a refined tannin profile that underlines crunchy blackberry and blueberry fruits and white pepper. A well-balanced wine that […]
read