Oaktavius’ no more, this label is the happy benefactor of a regime of restraint, no longer all about full-bodied Barossa shiraz in tiny barrels, now much more sophisticated and articulate in its fruit expression and style. Magnificent layers of deep-set black plums, black cherries, mixed spice, black jubes and aniseed are laced together with fine, […]
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The warm 2012 season in Great Southern and Margaret River has built an Abercrombie of impressive black fruit depth, yet retaining the control and determination to see out a very long life. A beautifully focused, exquisite bouquet of blackcurrant, cassis, black cherries, cedar and tobacco announces a generous yet compact palate, with a focused and […]
readFrom vines thought to be 169 years of age (and if they are, they represent one of the oldest vineyards in the Barossa Valley and indeed the world), this is a great vintage for The Freedom. Layered complexity of exotic spice envelops luscious blueberry, plum and cherry fruit, with the inimitable supple, harmonious tannin structure […]
readA union of all the strength of Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale, this is a deep, complex and intriguing black label of full, vibrant purple hue, surging with black olives, back fruits of all kinds and layers of liquorice. It’s built around a rigid yet fine-strung cage of cabernet tannins, powering through a […]
readNathan Scarlett was one of the keenest young minds in Australian viticulture, snatched from the world prematurely in 2013. I admired him immensely for his work across the Rathbone group in honing in on the detail and refining each of their vineyards. It is fitting that the new flagship Yering pinot is named in his […]
readA refined and classic Thomas Hardy that unites three of Australia’s finest cabernet regions of Coonawarra, McLaren Vale and Margaret River. This is a vintage of elegant, understated character, whose greatness is declared softly and slowly. Take your time and listen to it carefully, as its dark berries, dark cherry, violet, capsicum and dark chocolate […]
readA semi-sweet Oloroso style of approximate average age 43 years, from museum reserve parcels held in secret in the Seppeltsfield cellars since the mid-1900s. It’s a medium tawny in hue, with a golden rim that declared grand maturity. Layers of bitter roast hazelnuts, toffee, honey, and the olive and savoury spice nuances of old age […]
readThis is a grand old Rutherglen muscat, full brown with a mahogany hint and a golden rim, celebrating an average age of 31 years. Viscous, intense and profoundly complexity, with all the depth of mixed spice, bitter dark chocolate, toffee and honey, yet for its extreme age it upholds surprising youthfulness of apricot and marmalade. […]
readRutherglen tokay of average age 32 years, including components of 1922, this is a grand old fortified with a full black hue, golden rim and the viscosity of engine oil. Remarkable character and intensity of sweet raisins, honey and dried fig contrasts with the rumbling depth of epic maturity, reflected in notes of bitter almonds, […]
readEthereal, graceful and commanding, 2010 will go down as one of the great vintages of Hill of Grace. An exquisite bouquet of classic Hill of Grace personality is laced with delightful exotic spice, blueberry pie, black cherry and milk chocolate. The palate is at once calm and harmoniously self-assured, with the inimitable stamp of these […]
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