2007 Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein Schieferterrassen Riesling
Honey, spice, pencil shavings and strong pear aromas. Touch of sweetness to the palate, an interesting texture and good weight of flavour.
90/100
2006 Domaine Ninot Mercurey Vieilles Vignes
Lightly coloured, there is red cherry, musk and some earth on the nose. The palate is on the lean side and finishes a bit too early. Nice enough to drink but it doesn’t stand out.
85/100
2006 Mountain X Hunter Valley Shiraz
Spice, floral, red berries and some vanilla on the nose. The palate has a soft mouthfeel with the tannins not standing out but there is almost a floral quality to it. Medium bodied with good persistence. Very nice.
91/100
1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Cooked.
NR
1982 Château La Louvière
The nose and palate show some age but the colour is youthful with only a tinge of brick red at the edges. The nose has aromas of leather, gravel, licorice, spice, coffee and cedar. Very nicely resolved palate, there is enough structure to hold it together and this is holding right at its peak. Excellent.
92/100
1996 Château Haut-Batailley
Cedar, blackcurrant, spices and a hint of mint. Sweetly fruited palate, this is very approachable but has a good enough structure that I’d like to see it again in 2-3 years time.
90/100
2004 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta
Fairly luscious fruit on the nose with red berries, licorice and blackcurrant prominent along with a fair bit of cedar. The acid stands out a bit from the rest of the components on the palate and while the finish is of decent length it probably needs food to shine.
88/100
2006 Wendouree Malbec
A delicious, intoxicating nose of cardamon, cinnamon, roast nuts and smoke. The tannins are obvious but smooth and they do not stand in the way of approachability. Good length and excellent balance. Interesting and delicious.
93/100
2001 Sine Qua Non Sémillon Mr. K The Straw Man
So amber in colour that it appears to be gold tinged red. A complex nose of apricot, honey, grapefruit, orange peel and spices. The palate is intense and extremely rich, mouth-coating and persistent in flavour. It borders on cloying but just barely manages to steer clear (for the first glass anyway!).
92/100