Appellation Australia

2007 Two Hands Moscato Brilliant Disguise - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

500ml bottle, 7% alcohol, $18AUD from cellar door. From 80-100 year old White Frontignac/Muscat vines.

Palest straw green in colour. The nose is fresh with florals, guava and mango. Clean, crisp and ultra refreshing mouth-feel from the slight spritz character. Just a tinge of sweetness to compliment the crispness, finishing with decent length. As long as you don’t try to take it too seriously, I think it is immensely enjoyable and fun. I have adored this and the previous couple of vintages of this wine. Drink it from now until the release of the 2008. 90/100

In November of last year a tasting was held to compare two of Australia’s most prominent Cabernet Sauvignons. It was expected that we would see two very different styles of Cabernet with the family owned Mount Mary from the cool Yarra Valley in Victoria and the corporate giant Southcorp owned,
Penfolds 707 Cabernet from the warmer Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
The first dinner was Cullen and Moss Wood and I wrote about it here.

The tasting was as follows, in order served;

Pol Roger NV:
This bottle was cellared for 3 years after release. Citrus, touch of yeast, apple, pear and toasty development. A balanced and delicate palate with lovely restrained, focussed fruit intensity. This was ready to drink now.
88/100

St John’s Road Eden Valley Riesling 2005:
Opened with a fair bit of sulphur which was difficult to get past, but there was some light honey, lime and toast lurking in the background. The palate was soft and dilute across the mid-palate, lacking much to get excited over.
83/100

Penfolds Yattarna 1996:
Corked, just slightly - but enough to ruin the experience for me.
NR/100

Mount Mary Chardonnay 2005:
Pears, grapefruit, passionfruit, florals and minerally slate on the wonderfully pure nose. The palate is structured, balanced and elegant - it is already lovely to drink, but this is going to be sensational with time. Drink now if you like them young, but otherwise check back in 5+ years.
93/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1986:
Aromas of briar, tobacco, leather, violets and crushed rocks. Good depth of flavour, with elegance and balance but not a whole lot of complexity or texture/mouth-feel to it. This bottle was drinking at, or just past its peak.
90/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1990:
A nose of tobacco, blackcurrant, blackberry and cedar. Excellent structure to the mouth-coating palate, with tannins still prominent at this stage. There is the potential to improve over the next 6-7 years from here. I took a quarter of the bottle home and it was holding up very well the next evening.
91/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1991:
Cinnamon, liquorice, aniseed, rhubarb and cherry aromas on the nose. A mature, structured palate with components well integrated at this stage and the fruit holding up well. This bottle has reached its peak but I think it would have held its plateau for a number more years.
89/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1993:
Some smoked meats, chocolate and brief whiffs of capsicum comprise the nose. Good texture to the palate, but there are some bold tannins poking out and a flash of bitterness on the back palate. I still found enjoyment in drinking it but it was one of the weaker vintages on the night.
86/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1994:
The nose opens with pepper, roasted vegetables, violet and some artificial citrus type notes. Palate shows green, bitter tannin and oak flavours smothering the thin fruit. Couldn’t see this coming together with more bottle age, but others had more hope for it.
82/100

Mt Mary Quintets 1996:
A nose dominated by intense red cherry, raspberry, rhubarb and cedar. Very youthful and richly fruited on the palate, but with the tannin structure and depth of fruit behind it to indicate that this could be superb with some more time. While it provided some pleasure to drink now, it will improve over the next 10 years and maybe more.
92/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1986:
A weedy, pumpkin and dill dominant nose. The palate lacks cohesion, with tannins standing out and some acidity on the mid-palate throwing the line right off. The more that I tasted this as it sat in the glass, the less that I liked it. This bottle was quite youthful but I doubt it would have ever found balance.
81/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1990:
Restrained nose of tobacco, black fruits and a touch of American oak backing. The palate was quite fleshy and showed some richness to the fruit flavour. Dipped away at the end of the palate, finishing a bit short, but otherwise the balance was good and this had the stuffing to improve for another 5 years.
88/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1991:
Black cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and some nicely integrated oak aromas. There is good balance and length to the palate with the structure and depth of fruit to continue developing well over the next 6 to 7 years. This was probably my favourite wine from the 707 line up on the night, with the depth of fruit and the integration of the oak the deciding factors.
91/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1993:
Briar, tobacco and red currants as well as noticeable oak and volatile acidity that ruin the experience on the nose slightly. The palate is well fleshed out and has decent length but not a great amount of depth or complexity. Enjoyable drinking, but not for the long haul. Drink now.
87/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1994:
Cassis/blackcurrant and oak aromas form the restrained nose. Good texture and mouth-feel to the palate, but lacks depth and anything else much to provide a wow factor or to make me want to drink it again. Could well get better given some extra time as it may just be in a slightly quiet phase, but on the night it was no better than very good.
88/100

Penfolds Bin 707 1996:
A dark, brooding nose of cassis, cedar, vanilla and cola syrup. There is a great deal of richness and sweet fruit on the palate but there is also firm structure through some monumental tannins. Allow it time to rest, as of now it is too youthful and forceful at 10 years of age, come back in another 10 and it may still need more time. Could be headed for greatness.
92/100

Rausan Segla Margaux 1996:
A welcome change of pace after some of the full on 707s. Savoury, earthy and meaty with a bit of brett styled complexity and blackcurrant undertones. Elegant and showed very good balance. Tannins are still evident but they are nicely woven into the rest of the elements. Very good now and I think this bottle was only 2 or 3 years away from hitting its peak.
89/100

Orlando St Hugo 1998:
Smoked meat, blackberry, tobacco and cedar from the French oak. Tightly knit palate structure with tannins providing good structure that should bode well for aging this wine. Fairly bold primary fruit flavour and a medium length finish. Give it at least another  5 years as it is too young now.
89/100

De Bortoli Noble One 1998: Two 375ml bottles from the same source which made for an interesting comparison.
Bottle 1: Weak apricot and marmalade with a touch of botrytis. Palate is flabby and lacks acid. Finishes short, dilute and disappointing. No identifiable fault. 80/100
Bottle 2: Wow, what a difference. There is much more intensity and swirling aromas to the nose, still with plenty of apricot and botrytis but with another layer of tropical fruit and honey. The palate shows a similar difference with greater richness and intensity of flavour and a much better acid structure, although perhaps needing a touch more acid to be fully balanced. Good length and delicious to drink. 89/100

There was no theme chosen for this small, informal get together by four of us last Saturday. I had a very good time thanks to some great company, food and wine.

Bruno Michel “Cuvee Rebelle” Extra Brut NV (Champagne, France):

On the nose were breadcrumbs, apple, floral scents and a pinch of earth. Very easy to drink on the palate, with good balance between fruit sweetness and acidity and decent length. A pleasing enough way to start the night.

86/100

Weinkellerei Der Pfarrkirche Alsheimer Rheinblick Riesling Auslese 1976 (Rheinhessen, Germany - AP 4 372 082 75 79):

A deep amber-copper colour. The nose took a while to come together but when it did there were some nice aromas of marzipan, apricot and roasted almonds as well as some wax and petrol. The palate is balanced and had a medium sweetness to it, across its touch-short length. I really enjoy getting to try obscure wines that I will probably never see again, how many bottles of this could possibly be left? Thanks Christo!

87/100

Wolfberger “Grand Cru” Pfersigberg Gewurztraminer 1997 (Alsace, France):

There were a few concerns over the nose of this on opening but we thought it was alright and by the time it was served it was confirmed to be fine. Subtle spices, musk, lychee and floral aromas on the nose. There is a touch of alcohol induced heat on the palate as well as some sightly unbalanced sweetness. There is good weight and length to the palate, but perhaps just lacking some balance and points of interest.

87/100

Bass Phillip “Reserve” Rose 2004 (Gippsland, Victoria):

A cloudy, dark pink in colour. The nose is fairly confronting and is sure to be a bit of a love/hate proposition - stalks, rhubarb, earth, strawberry, violets and some sawdusty, toasty oak. I really enjoy the savory flavours and texture on the palate which is also to me, quite clean in comparison to the nose. Well balanced and I think there are plenty of things to enjoy about it, but only if it sounds like your kind of style.

89/100

Mitchelton “Print” Shiraz 1996 (Goulburn Valley, Victoria):

A youthful, sweet fruited nose of blueberry, raspberry, mushroom, pepper and some background oak. I quite like the restrained palate weight and dusty tannins. Still looking pretty primary, it seems to have the balance and structure to continue developing over the next few years.

89/100

M. Chapoutier “La Mordoree” 1994 (Cote-Rotie, France):

Captivating. Complex aromas of game, earthy undergrowth, pepper and spice, tobacco, grilled meats and smoke. Medium weighted with aged complexity and depth of savoury flavors. Outstanding balance across the length of the palate into a lingering finish. This bottle I feel was drinking at its peak.

94/100

Capercaillie “The Clan” 2001 (Barossa/Coonawarra/Orange):

80% Cabernet, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Tobacco, pencil shavings, bramble as well as some low level Brett style complexity. Medium bodied and easy to drink, having good balance. A nice wine without doing anything to stand out as being great in any aspect.

88/100

Glaetzer “Amon Ra” Shiraz 2005 (Barossa Valley, South Australia):

I could happily smell this wine all night long. Entirely captivating just like the Chapoutier, but in a totally opposite manner - totally saturates your nose with aromas of licorice, chocolate, raspberry, cherry, tobacco, blueberries and floral notes. So luscious and ripe, and with velvet like texture on the palate. Firm tannins and background classy use of oak provide much needed structure for this immense wine. I doubt my one bottle will last anywhere near long enough for me to find out how this will age as it is just so approachable and pleasurable right now.

94/100

Rudolf Muller Muller-Burggraef Reiler Sorentberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 1994 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany - 375ml - AP 2 598 172 08 96):

A deep golden amber colour similar to the 1976 opened earlier. Intense nose of caramel popcorn, ripe peaches, apricot, cinnamon, raisins and noticeable botrytis influence. The palate is lacking ever so slightly in acid profile to rein the incredible intense sweetness in and take the step from brilliance to genius. Inspirational length and really very delicious. This half bottle was as ready as it was ever going to be to drink.

94/100

Giaconda is one of the biggest names in boutique Australian wineries, especially for their Chardonnay. While they were not the first wine producer in Beechworth in Victoria, winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner has certainly put it on the wine lovers map as an area with massive potential.

With this in mind, some friends and I set out to try four vintages of each of the four top wines produced by Giaconda to see if the wines live up to the hype (leaving out the two “lesser” wines Nantua Les Deux and Aeolia Roussanne and second label McClay Road wines, some of which I talked about here). From the cellar door, new releases of the Chardonnay are $98 AUD, Shiraz $80, Pinot Noir $67 and Cabernet Sauvignon $55.

At the end of the evening, we also tried a few assorted other wines that were not related to Giaconda at all.

A Champagne to begin -

NV Gosset Grande Reserve Champagne - (from magnum)

Some toasty notes to the nose, with a hint of apricot and hazelnut. There is alright intensity of flavour on the palate but it is broad, lacking focus. There is some harshness on the finish disrupting the line and length of the wine.

84/100

Chardonnay -

1997 Giaconda Chardonnay

A rich nose, with complexity that draws you into the wine - intense aromas of honey, slightly floral honeysuckle, roasted nuts, lanolin and mellow butterscotch in the background. A luscious, delicious palate that has good texture and very good length, as well as a vein of acid bringing the richness into balance. Drinking brilliantly and at its peak. My favourite wine of this flight.

94/100

1999 Giaconda Chardonnay

This was darker in colour than the 1997. Initially the nose was fairly muted with some honey, after some time in the glass this fell over, descending into oxidised, spirity aromas. The palate was similar, starting off with a lack of character and the heading downhill. A bottle that was not a good example would be my presumption, although Oliver rates this as already past its drinking window - so maybe not.

80/100

2001 Giaconda Chardonnay

Initially asparagus and onion skins on the nose that blew off to reveal an ungenerous, reclusive nose. The palate is soft and lacks depth, finishing alcoholic and sharp. Not very pleasant.

83/100

2004 Giaconda Chardonnay

A light straw-yellow in colour. Has a tight but interesting nose that exhibits restrained peach, minerals, citrus and honeysuckle. The palate has scintillating focus with brilliant balance as well as lingering flavours and length that cannot be faulted. Excellent now, and could well be breathtaking in a couple of years with some additional complexity.

94/100

Pinot Noir -

1998 Giaconda Pinot Noir

A murky red colour with bricking around the edges. Nose showed signs from the beginning of being over the hill and descended into vinegary territory with time in the glass. The palate is dry, tannic and dead.

NR/100

2000 Giaconda Pinot Noir

Capsicum dominates the nose initially, with stalks, briar, vegetables, pepper and floral notes coming through after letting the wine breath. The palate is clean, but lacks the depth and texture of good Pinot Noir. Almost to be expected, it finishes short and watery - completing the disappointment.

80/100

2002 Giaconda Pinot Noir

The nose opens with interesting smoked meaty and gamey aromas, with background scents of cherry and raspberry. Unfortunately the palate doesn’t deliver on what I thought was a promising nose. The length is alright and it seems balanced, but looking past that, it is devoid of character or interest. Drinkable, but it needs to be much more than that for the price level.

86/100

2004 Giaconda Pinot Noir

The least murky in colour of the four Pinots. The nose expresses dark cherry, violets, briar and spices with some earth and gamey notes also being hinted at. The palate is again elegant but too simple, without texture or depth. The best wine of the Pinot Noir flight, but still a letdown.

88/100

Cabernet Sauvignon -

1999 Giaconda Cabernet Sauvignon

A nose of restrained blackcurrant, smoky notes along with a slightly funky undergrowth element to it. The palate is elegant and at the same time complex, with tingling, teasing flavours across the length of the wine. Classy texture with well integrated tannins providing backing and structure. Very enjoyable and my favourite Cabernet from this tasting.

92/100

2000 Giaconda Cabernet Sauvignon

Tobacco, blackcurrant/cassis, with some hints at floral notes as well as some more funkiness. The palate is elegant, but in this case it lacks complexity, texture and the overall impressive structure of the ‘99. Will drink nicely over the next couple of years, but I don’t think it’ll get a whole lot better.

88/100

2001 Giaconda Cabernet Sauvignon

Corked. Slightly dusty nose, with a palate that has been stripped of fruit.

NR/100

2003 Giaconda Cabernet Sauvignon

The nose is quite reticent, revealing only some smoky, dusty and tobacco styled aromas. The palate is classy, restrained and with good structure. At odds with some critics, I found this to be enjoyable and well worth taking a look at.

89/100

Shiraz -

1999 Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz

Lots of spice to the nose, pepper, cinnamon, briar and Chinese five spice powder. There is also some crushed pepper flavours on the palate. Finishing just a touch short, the palate is otherwise balanced and flows along a focused line.

90/100

2000 Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz

Nice complexity on the nose of this wine with pepper, lavender, tobacco smoked meat and bacon fat. The palate is a little bit up and down across the slightly short length, lacking focus - but there is a vitality and intensity to the flavour that almost makes up for its shortcomings.

91/100

2001 Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz

A reserved nose of Chinese five spice, violets and earth. The palate is elegant but seems to lack some backbone and structure as well as being generally unexciting.

87/100

2002 Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz

Black olives, restrained black pepper, earth and spice with some nicely integrated cedary oak in the background. Structurally excellent on the palate with a superb length and a rich depth of flavour that really took this up a level. Intense and youthful but also showing balance and class. Delicious to drink and I think sure to get better with additional age, one of my favourite red wines of the night.

93/100

The others -

2000 Du Tertre (Bordeaux)

Ruined by heat damage (cooked) at some point in its life.

NR/100

1990 Domaine Deletang Montlouis “Les Batisses” Moelleux (Loire Valley)

An enticing nose of light honey, honeycomb, citrus fruits and apricot. The palate is soft and rounded, lacking in focus as well as intensity. The intensity may build with time in the bottle, but I don’t know that this will reach greatness.

87/100

2002 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz (Barossa Valley)

A concentrated yet approachable nose of licorice, blueberry, some cherries as well as undertones of citrus zest with some chocolate oak influence neatly playing a supporting role. A velvety, plush and deeply fruited palate that demands drinking and not necessarily thinking. Still in its youth, but I think it is so balanced and smooth that it is drinking perfectly well at the moment with the potential to change with age, but perhaps not improve depending on how you like your wine.

92/100

NV R L Buller Calliope Rare Liqueur Muscat (Rutherglen)

Simply stunning. Coats the sides of the glass for some time after each swirl. Dark orange maple coloured with flicks of golden yellow throughout. An intoxicating, intense nose of raisins, burnt brown sugar, maple syrup, orange peel caramel and more. Viscous and unctuous palate with incredibly rich sweetness, depth and complexity and yet it is somehow fresh and balanced at the same time. A finish that seems endless. A brilliant experience.

I tried this again recently alongside the Buller Rare Tokay and while they were both superb, the Muscat was a level above the Tokay.

97/100

The conclusion -

The Chardonnay can be brilliant and from two of the wines that we tasted, it deserves its place among the very top Australian Chardonnay.

The Pinot Noir was lackluster and the vintages we tried were disappointing to say the least. The ‘04 looks headed in the right direction, but it is expensive considering that not a single person at the table was wowed by any of them.

The Cabernet Sauvignon was good and the price seems reasonable for the better vintages.

Shiraz could well be the future star. I thought it consistently good and the ‘02 was a special wine (I have also tried the ‘04 which was brilliant).

Two Hands “Brilliant Disguise” 2006 - (Barossa Valley, South Australia):

The nose is bursting with lime, mango, floral notes and tropical fruit. The light fizz leads the wine into a dance across the palate. A delicate sweetness with a hint at depth of flavour. Delicious drinking and I wish I had more for summer! Previously reviewed here.

90/100

Eldridge Estate Chardonnay 2004 - (Mornington Peninsula, Victoria):

A pale yellow colour. Minerally nose, with macadamia nuts, browned butter, lemon and signs of beautifully judged oak use sitting in the background. The palate has good intensity of flavour and good length, it is also balanced and focussed except for a slight citrusy tang towards the finish. Really calls out to be paired with food in order to shine.

89/100

Kracher Muskat Ottonel Auslese 2003 - (Burgenland, Austria):

Musk, violets, citrus peel, apricot and marmalade on a rather off-beat nose. The palate is also slightly out of the ordinary, with just a hint of rich sweetness, an oily viscous mouth-feel, lacking any real depth of flavour and the finish dropping away suddenly. Something a bit different, although I doubt I would purchase again.

86/100

Paul Bara Brut Reserve Grand Cru NV - (Champagne, France):

Medium bead with a very light mousse. Smoke, rose petal, lime and a light overlay of roasted nuts form the nose. The palate has a nice intensity of flavour as well as racy, well focussed acid and a slight citrus tang. Champagne of this quality is a steal for the price (around $55AUD).

90/100

Crabtree Watervale Riesling 1997 - (Clare Valley, South Australia):

A light golden yellow in colour. The nose is shy and reclusive, after a good deal of coaxing it revealed a little bit of honeysuckle and apricot. The palate lacks depth and anything much of interest, falling away very quickly after the mid-palate. Uninspiring and going nowhere rather quickly.

82/100

Tahbilk Marsanne 2004 - (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria):

This has a floral nose with notes of honey, nuts, pears and peaches. The palate has a slight viscosity about it that provides an interesting counterbalance to the acid. Medium length and while it was reasonably good, it is clearly in a bit of an “in between” phase - no longer youthful but not yet complex. Leave remaining bottles alone for a few years.

88/100

Yalumba “The Signature - Harold Obst” Galway Vintage Reserve Claret 1966 - (Barossa Valley, South Australia):

80% Shiraz and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

A deep red in colour with just slight browning out around the edges. The nose has strong overtones of fennel (aniseed/liquorice) with peppermint, earth, leather and violets following through. The palate was balanced, with just enough sweet fruit and tannin remaining to carry the medium length of the wine. Enjoyable for about 25 minutes and then faded away quickly.

90/100

Cooper Shiraz 2002 - (Hunter Valley, New South Wales):

An old style Hunter Shiraz nose of earth, tobacco, spice and some barnyard - with around half an hour in the glass, the tobacco seemed to turn into a dominant smoky aroma that smothered the rest of the nose. The palate showed good flavour and character, although I would suggest that it is drinking at its peak now.

87/100

A fun offline in Sydney focusing on “Cult” wines - generally defined as small production (and often hard to obtain) wines that receive large scores from prominent overseas wine critics.

All wines except for the two sparkling wines were tasted blind. The identities of the wines were known (except for the mystery wine) but not the order or the flight that they would be in. The wines were divided into the two sparklings and then four flights of four, the wines listed in the order of tasting below.

A vote was taken at the end of the night and before the identities of the wines were revealed, with each person nominating their five favourite wines, wth 5 points given for a 1st place vote and so on until 1 point for a 5th placed vote.

Tarlant “Brut Zero” NV (Champagne):
This has a light straw-green colour with a fine bead. Nose is comprised of lemon, pears and unripe nectarines. The zero dosage really shows on the palate which is very dry and tastes like tart apples. Finishes rather abruptly, but for the price it serves its purpose.
86/100

Wild Duck Creek “Sparkling #2″ (Heathcote):
There was a very light fizz and mousse to this wine. The nose is cheesy, yeasty and there is a touch of a spirity type background character on the nose and palate that adds to the wine rather than causing problems with balance. The light fizz lends a interesting texture and creamy character to the palate. There are multiple layers of complexity to this wine and I was rather impressed overall.
91/100

Kay Brothers “Block 6″ 1996 (McLaren Vale):
There is smoky, toasted oak on the nose as well as raisins, tar, brown sugar and some alcohol heat. The oak and alcohol carries onto the palate, throwing the balance of the wine into disarray.
84/100

D’Arenberg “Dead Arm” 1996 (McLaren Vale):
Liquorice, cherry and chocolate on the somewhat reclusive nose. The palate is soft and without any real complexity or character to call attention to. Fairly disappointing, especially once the identity was revealed.
86/100

Rockford “SVS Hoffmann” 1996 (Barossa Valley):
This wine delivers a ripe, rich, crowd pleasing nose of liquorice, blueberry, raspberry, blueberry and a cherry liqueur character. The palate was ripe and packed with deep fruit flavour but also showed good length and balance. I was surprised to find out that this was ten years old and still showing so much primary fruit character - it seems like it is going to live a very long life and if it stays balanced it could be very good.
89/100

Clarendon “Astralis” 1996 (McLaren Vale):
A bizarre (read: horrible) nose of pumpkin, green beans with melted butter and tobacco. Palate is short, with drying tannins and is genuinely dreadful. Something wrong with the bottle obviously, maybe it was opened and left in the oven with a roast dinner?
75/100

Whistling Eagle “Eagle’s Blood” 2002 (Heathcote):
A nose comprised of deep spice and blackberry, red fruits and a violet floral touch. Delivers a tight, classy palate with gorgeous texture and fine-grained tannins providing serious structure. This stood out in a crowd of generally opulent wines as showing that a wine can have good flavour while also showing restraint.
92/100

Standish “The Standish” 2001 (Barossa Valley):
Shows dominant medicinal characters, chocolate, vanilla and sweet, ripe raspberry jam on the nose. The palate is dense, jammy and lacks any sense of cohesion.
82/100

Kaesler “Weapons of Mass Seduction” Shiraz/Cabernet 2002 (Barossa Valley):
A bright, perfumed, complex nose of musk, cinnamon, violet, blackcurrant, chocolate, plums and smoked meat. The palate is brooding and there are oodles of deep set fruit here. Provides a balanced, refined palate with a defined structure that bodes very well for the future potential of this wine. Drinking the remains of the bottle two nights later and it is worth a points more, the nose is still vibrant and the palate has taken on a delicious spicy and smoky character while retaining its length and balance.
93/100

Glaetzer “Godolphin” Shiraz/Cabernet 2004 (Barossa Valley):
A punchy nose of dark cherry, blackberry, some vanilla and floral overtones. The thing that really lifted this wine apart from the rest for me was that while it was rich and generous in flavour, unlike some of the other wines on the night that felt one dimensional and forced, there was much more to it. It was structured, focused and balanced (15% alcohol but didn’t show it) with a super seductive, pure silky texture to it. This was a really impressive wine and my favourite on the night. The only “problem” is that I can perhaps see that it could end up being a better wine while young than with much more age on it, but that it easily solved by drinking and enjoying it now for the special wine that it is.
95/100

Chris Ringland “Randall’s Hill” 1995 (Barossa Valley):
Spice, earth, smoke and tobacco on the nose as well as a smattering of oak. The palate is opulent and slightly over the top, with the richness masking any nuance that the wine has to offer at this stage. Again, I was slightly surprised by the age on this when revealed.
89/100

Greenock Creek “Roennfeldt Road” Shiraz 1997 (Barossa Valley):
Seems rather restrained on the nose with tar, earth and some blackberry. The palate has a very big flavour profile without ever seeming to stray into over the top ripe characters. Very good and could well get better with time.
92/100

Torbeck “RunRig” 1998 (Barossa Valley):
Chocolate, blackcurrant and some stewed fruit characters - didn’t get any hint of Viognier and didn’t imagine it would be revealed as the Runrig. The palate is savoury and textured but the balance is marred by alcohol spikes along the line of the wine.
87/100

Wild Duck Creek “Duck Muck” 2000 (Heatcote):
A cooked, spirity, meaty, pepper, VA, vegetable nose. Palate has no balance and finishes very short. Perhaps something bad happened to this bottle, but I think it had been cellared properly since release by the owner. The nicest thing that I could say about it is that at least it wasn’t quite as bad as the Astralis.
79/100

Kalleske “Johann Georg” 2004 (Barossa Valley):
A youthful nose of lovely floral notes, black pepper and vibrant red fruits. The standout elements of the palate were the great texture and stylish mouth-feel although the generous flavour and very good length were also positive attributes. One of the wines on the night to show the critical balance between generosity of flavour and structure that turns a very good wine into an excellent wine.
93/100

The Mystery Ring-in - Domaine du Pegau “Cuvee Reserve” 2003 (Chateauneuf du Pape, France):
Chinese five spice powder, condensed onion essence, violets and a slightly rancid funky edge. The palate is unfocused, metallic and got worse with time in the glass before getting what it deserved (poured into the spittoon of shame). I don’t mind some brett but this was terrible.
77/100

Glaetzer “Amon Ra” 2004 (Barossa Valley):
There are notes of mocha, ground coffee, vanilla bean and raspberry on the nose. The palate is rich and generous, but there are signs of class there as well. Firm tannins form the backbone of the excellent structure with the finish very long and satisfying. Perhaps a smidge too much oak at this stage but the depth of fruit could well stand tall and hold things together until it comes into balance over the next few years.
93/100

Noon “Reserve” Shiraz 2004 (Langhorne Creek/McLaren Vale):
A mix of seaweed, blood, iodine and spirit characters. The palate has weight through obvious oak influence and there is an alcohol spike on the mid-palate that destroys any semblance of balance. Not enjoyable at all.
84/100

The group of 10 rated the wines as follows;
1: Kalleske Johan Georg….39pts (six 1sts, three 3rds)
2: Glaetzer Amon Ra……….37pts (two 1sts, five 2nds, one 3rd, two 4ths)
3: Glaetzer Godolphin……..32pts (one 1st, three 2nds, five 3rds)
4: Greenock Creek RR……..12pts (one 2nd, two 4ths, four 5ths)
5: Rockford Hoffman………..7pts (one 2nd, one 4th, one 5th)
6: Kaesler WOMS ……………6pts (two 4ths, two 5ths)
7: Standish…………………….5pts (one 1st)
8= Kays Block 6………………3pts (one 3rd)
8= Whistling Eagle………….3pts (one 4th, one 5th)
10=D’Arenberg DA…………..2pts (one 4th)
10=Torbreck RunRig…………2pts (one 4th)
12=Randalls Hill……………….1pt (one 5th)
12=Noon Reserve…………….1pt (one 5th)

No votes: Duck Muck, Pegau, Astralis

An enjoyable night and as always with blind tasting, very educational. Worthy of comment is the fact that the the wines that cost $100, $65 and $40 (my favourite on the night) came out by a long margin on top of some of the other wines that can fetch upwards of $400 at auction …

Some quick notes from an excellent evening hosted by David Lole in Canberra. All wines were tasted and scored blind except for the Curlewis, the St. Henri and the Petaluma Essence.

Rockford Sparkling Black (Sept. 2005 disgorgement) - (Barossa Valley, South Australia):

Bright, clean raspberry, cherry, pepper, vanilla and blackberry aromas as well as a smidge of oak. Flavours refreshingly dance across the tongue into a good length finish. Rather lovely to drink - sure it is youthful, but at least you don’t have to deal with the infamous leaking/snapping Rockford corks when you open them early.

90/100

Grosset Watervale Riesling 2002 (screwcap) - (Clare Valley, South Australia):

Lemon and lemon zest, floral aromas, gunflint (although I wasn’t as troubled by the sulphur as some others) and a touch of toast and honey. The palate is austere and shows an excellent minerally acid structure. Certainly youthful and not providing all that much pleasure to drink at the moment, but the promise lies in its future in around 5-8 years time.

91/100

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 1999 - (Margaret River, Western Australia):

Toast, strong pear, peach, grapefruit and nutty, creamy oak that is well blended into the rest of the nose. A very classy palate that is just slightly let down with just a touch too much oak at this stage and just a bit of alcoholic heat on the back palate that I fear may not subside with time.

91/100

Curlewis Reserve Pinot Noir 2002 - (Geelong, Victoria):

Lots going on with the lovely nose - black cherry, earth, forest floor (I learnt a new descriptive French wine term on the night - “valley of the hare”) stalks, some beetroot, spice and honey. Superb length, great depth of fruit and fine walnut flavoured tannins. A genuine top-shelf Australian Pinot Noir that I think is drinking very well at the moment.

93/100

Seppelt Great Western Shiraz 1996 - (Grampians, Victoria):

Deep youthful colour, but there was some complexity on the nose suggesting that it had a bit more age to it. Earth, mushroom, violets, rosewood, a hint of black pepper and cassis. Tannin structure is present on the palate but showing good integration with the other components. An excellent wine that should be drinking at its peak in around 3-5 years and should live on for some time after that.

93/100

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1998 - (Regional Blend, South Australia):

Chocolate, blueberry, vanilla oak and lots of clean, vibrant red berry fruit. Lovely balance on the clean palate, with good length and importantly it is very enjoyable to drink! Sure, it doesn’t give you a sense of place - but that obviously isn’t what it is aiming for. Drinking really nicely now, but has the structure and balance to develop complexity should you want to give it time over the next 6-8 years.

92/100

Penfolds St Henri Claret “Special Release” 1979 - (Regional Blend, South Australia):

Great colour, no browning even around the edges. Leathery, sweet earthy fruit. Everything is fully resolved and balanced on the palate. A nice old wine that was drinking without faults, and not falling over in the glass, but almost certainly would have had a lot more to offer in the early to mid 90’s.

87/100

Best’s Bin 0 Great Western Shiraz 1998 - (Grampians, Victoria):

A nice coincidence to have this wine on the same night as the Seppelt Great Western. Raspberry, bramble, blackberry and a lovely touch of floral lift (which had some thinking Shiraz/Viognier). A palate that has great weight and depth of fruit flavour. Very youthful and primary but has the class to go the distance and I think it’ll hit its peak in 8-10 years. Should have been poured after the Giaconda, but that is one problem with tasting wines blind.

92/100

Giaconda Cabernet 1992 - (Beechworth, Victoria):

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Excellent colour with just a hint of thinning around the edges. Classic cabernet nose of graphite, capsicum, cedar and some some smoky ash. Excellently balanced palate flows through to a long finish. A much better bottle than the one I had late last year with some friends in Sydney at a dinner. Not showing any signs of tiring, but it is well and truly ready to drink.

92/100

Petaluma Botrytis Semillon “Essence” 1999 - (Coonawarra, South Australia):

Great depth of aromas to the nose with honey, botrytis, peaches and pears, crème Brule, burnt toffee and caramel. The palate is just a bit over the top, especially in comparison to the balanced 2000 vintage of this wine that I served late last year. The acid structure is there in the background, but it is just overawed by the level of sweetness. It did seem to come together slightly with some air. Very good but not great.

89/100

Fast Facts: Variety: White Frontignac Region: Barossa Valley Country: Australia Winemaker: Matt Wenk Closure: Cork Alcohol: 6.5% Cost: $18AUD (500ml) Source: Purchased from friend Winery Website: Two Hands

This is one of the first wines to appear from the 2006 vintage, having just been bottled mid last month.

I had a look at the 2004 version of this wine here and was too slow to get some of the 2005 since it quickly sold out. A friend recently ordered a case from the winery and he was kind enough to let me purchase a couple of bottles of this vintage from him.

Tasting Note: Close to crystal clear in colour with the very faintest hint of a yellow hue. The fresh nose bursts forth with grapes, florality, tropical fruit, peach and mango. The palate is fresh and the light spritz cuts helps to keep the sweetness from being cloying. It actually has surprisingly good palate length and before you know it, the bottle has been finished.

When to Drink: Now through to the release of the 2007 early next year.

Verdict: It won’t get any better, but it sure is delicious to drink now as an aperitif or a wine for the middle of the week when you don’t want anything too alcoholic. The score is high, but it is worthy if you at all enjoy the style. 90 points.

An excellent dinner hosted by friends Gavin and Gen. I’ve included the menu items interspersed throughout the notes. I won’t post too detailed impressions on the food, but in general they were good matches, especially the Salmon with the Champagne and the smoked Duck with the Pinot/Burgundy.

Smoked Salmon, mayonnaise and avocado

Franck Bonville Grand Cru BdB “Brut Selection” N.V - (Avize, Champagne):
Fine bead, nose of citrus, spice, chalk, sea spray, vanilla bean. Medium bodied palate shows a noticeable level of acid but it is restrained enough to refresh and provide a crisp mouth-feel rather than upset the balance. Length is good. A nice wine. 88/100

Zind-Humbrecht Riesling 2003 - (Turckheim, Alsace):
On the nose, apricot, smoke, peaches, some alcohol and phenolic characters sticking out. While the palate had an interesting texture to it, it also felt really flat and lacking in acid and the richness that I’ve heard ZH is known for. Probably a product of the vintage as well as this being one of the low level ZH Rieslings (still not cheap in Australia of course). A wine that provided a decent level of hard to pick options (with Gavin saying “Well it’s definately not Zind Humbrecht), but not a whole lot else. 81/100

Oremus Furmint 1998 - (Mandolas, Tokaji, Hungary):
Speaking of hard to pick options … a dry wine from the Tokaji region best known for their sweet wines. The nose shows aromas of funk, spice, oxidative characters and ripe bananas. The structure of the palate is sound - although it is dry and oxidative again. The length is actually quite good. An interesting experience. 87/100

Château Laffitte-Ceston “Sec” 2002 - (Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, Southwest France):
Made from Petit-Manseng grapes. Aromas of passionfruit, pineapple, kiwi and floral overtones. The palate has prominent acid and also seems a touch alcoholic or spirity. Again, interesting and something I was glad to get the chance to try. 86/100

Black Pudding in Pastry
Smoked duck and raspberry sauce

Michel Gros “Clos des Reas” 1er Cru Monopole 1998 - (Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy):
Stalks and boot polish initially which did blow off to reveal a perfumed, slightly floral nose as well as primary notes of raspberry and strawberry. Took on some truffle and undergrowth notes as it breathed in the glass. Palate is delicate and elegant and fine tannins are present and providing structure. Length is excellent with the finish persisting for quite some time. My Wine Of The Night. 92/100

Salad with vegetables and cheese
Lamb with mushroom sauce, carrot and potato

Chateau Branaire 1989 - (St. Julien, Bordeaux):
Just the slightest fading around the rim, but a deep youthful crimson core. The nose was showing cedar, cassis, pencil shavings, a touch of florality and dusty notes. Palate has good structure and balance. A fine wine. 90/100

John Duval “Plexus” 2003 Shiraz Grenache Mataro - (Barossa Valley, South Australia):
The first vintage from this new label by ex Penfolds (and Grange) winemaker John Duval. The nose stands out against the previous wines. Juicy, upfront notes of blackberry, blueberry, pepper and spices, liquorice and well integrated French oak. Palate is quite well balanced and I didn’t think it was showing its 14.5% alcohol. Soft tannins and a nice long finish. 90/100

Seppelt “Great Western” Shiraz 1997 - (Grampians, Victoria):
Nose closed up about 5 minutes after I opened it. Was given some time to breath in the bottle and a decanter. Nose remained quite closed but showed a slight floral lift along with pepper, cherry and some very restrained oak. The medium intensity palate shows sweet fruit and good length. Still very youthful and tightly coiled. Is it going anywhere good? Too hard for me to call. 87/100

Cheese Plate
Fig with prosciutto
Bread and butter pudding

Brown Brothers “Patricia” Noble Riesling 2002 - (King Valley, Victoria):
Current release of this wine. Deep amber colour belies its youth. Pears dominate the nose that also shows apricot, citrus peel, honeycomb and marmalade. The palate is very sweet and ripe, but I thought the acid flowed through the length of the palate and was enough to avoid being cloying to my tastes. It finishes crisp and long. The back label says that it can be cellared for 4-6 years and while it may be possible, I think it is drinking so well now that it would be a waste of time to wait. Great value for money at around $20AUD for a half bottle. 92/100

A really good night - good company, food and wines. There were two votes for the Burgundy as the best wine of the night and two votes for the Brown Brother Patricia. I thought they were both excellent but would (and did) go for the Burgundy.