Appellation Australia

Curly Flat is a small producer in the cool climate region of Macedon in Victoria, Australia. They have been gaining a reputation for excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the past few years, so I was glad to get the chance to try this lineup of their recent Chardonnay releases.

2005 Curly Flat “Lacuna” Chardonnay
This is un-oaked, with Lacuna translating to “missing space”. Pale straw colour. Lovely bright nose, very reminiscent of Chablis with flint, slate, chalk as well as some lychee and lime. Palate is medium weighted and has good texture and focused acid. Could be seen as a little bit simple side by side with the regular Chardonnay, but I think this is a brilliantly pure wine that over delivers for the money.
92/100

2002 Curly Flat Chardonnay
Deep nose of cashew, butternut squash, peach and some funky yeast. The palate is powerful in flavour but still seems well weighted. Has enough acid for now to bring the wine into line. Drink now.
89/100

2003 Curly Flat Chardonnay
Seemed to be in an akward stage between youth and maturity. Nose was very restrained, some peach and pear but quiet otherwise. Good length to the palate but lacked weight and complexity. I think this may look better in a couple of years.
86/100

2004 Curly Flat Chardonnay
The nose on this was just exceptional - Layered oats, hay, wet wool, lilies, slate and minerals. Palate shows off great clarity and superb length. Continued to get better and reveal more layers with each sip and by the end left me convinced that this is a world class wine.
93/100

2005 Curly Flat Chardonnay
A taut nose, but some lime, slate, florals and pure Chardonnay fruit managed to shine through after some time spent swirling. The balance of the palate was impossible to fault. Good flavour intensity and lots of potential to improve. To be released very shortly I believe.
91/100

2006 Curly Flat Chardonnay (Barrel Sample)
Looked pretty promising from the sample. I think it may head along the same lines as the 2005. Lots of floral notes at the moment and pure fruit on the palate. Not rated.

This is a blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Roussane.

Tasting Note: An aromatic nose of musk, peach, apricot and floral notes. Medium to full weighted palate, texturally very good. Sound balance, there is a bit of warmth present but it isn’t dominating. An interesting wine that suits pairing with food and is well worth a look.

Score: 87/100 Drink: 2007-2008
Price: $22 AUD RRP
Source: Winery Sample
Producer Website: http://www.kidyounot.com.au/

This is from the Yarra Valley in Victoria and is a blend of 81% Chardonnay, 14% Viognier and 5% Sauvignon Blanc. There is also a “Red Hat” blend that I didn’t get the chance to try. The marketing angle is quite clever with the two wines in the range easily identifiable and a link to the Shelmerdine family’s past as hat manufacturers. I did find the label to be a little bit “busy” for my personal liking, but it may appeal to others more.

Tasting Note: Stonefruit, apricot, lots of peach and a mealy, spicy oak character aromas comprise the nose. It possesses good intensity of fruit flavour on the front and mid palate, although it fades slightly at the finish. Even though the wine is 13% alcohol, there is still a hint of some heat to the nose and certainly a little bite of alcohol on the finish - perhaps this is the (typically high alcohol when ripe) Viognier influence showing through? It’s an interesting wine for sure, but I’d want to see it around at a lower price than the RRP to recommend trying it.

Score: 85/100 Drink: 2007-2008
Price: $17.99 AUD RRP
Source: Winery Sample
Producer Website: http://www.hatwines.com

A great eight hour long dinner at a friends place to enjoy and compare various bottles of Krug and then to try some various wines afterward.
The food was as follows;

-Amuse bouche: fresh oysters, salmon and avocado tartare, confit of ocean trout, duck and beetroot tartlet.
-Terrine au Saumon
-Roast Rainbow Trout
-Kangaroo Fillet
-Various salads
-Raspberry tarte with fresh cream
-Selection of various cheeses

The first flight compared the three labels that have been on the Krug Grande Cuvee bottle.  There has been some discussion on various message boards that the new label bottles have been not up to the Krug standard. One bottle I have had previously of the new label was brilliant and one was disappointing, in this case the new label performed well - but was blown away by the old old label.  I can see the new label going in the same direction though and it too should be unbelievable with time.
MV Krug Grande Cuvée (disgorged 1987)
Golden yellow colour. Incredibly fine bead. From the very first intake of aroma this left me stunned. Incredibly complex aromas of hazelnut, lightly burnt butter, earthy, ginger, caramel and chocolate. The palate is superb, exhibiting great power, texture and depth at the same time as the fresh acidity cleanses and refreshes across the incredible length of the wine, leaving you wanting more after every sip. Structurally flawless. This is the kind of experience that changes how you think about wine.
99/100

MV Krug Grande Cuvée (disgorged 2003)
Straw yellow colour. Very fine bead with good mousse. Nose is shy to begin with but opens up with time in the glass to reveal nutty oak, lemon, floral notes and some nutmeg. Great intensity and carry of flavour across the palate with a creamy texture along and a strongly structured acid backbone. Delightful to drink.
93/100

MV Krug Grande Cuvée (disgorged 2005)
Slightly lighter colour than the 03 disgorgement. Slightly larger bead than the previous two but still fine. The nose is powerful with lemon, graphite, smoke, peach and lime. The freshness of the palate is incredible. Intense fresh flavour and pinpoint focused acidity leading into a long, long finish. Obviously the one needing the most time of the three to develop, but still enjoyable now for my tastes.
94/100

The next flight showcased three vintages that are considered excellent years in Champagne. All three were excellent, with the 1988 standing out as a wine of distinction.

1976 Krug Vintage
Deep golden colour. Rich nose of butterscotch and caramel, honey, grilled nuts, toast and apricot. A lovely honeyed, sweet rich flavour to the long palate that is balanced out by the excellent acid structure. This bottle was in great condition, but it requires no further age, drink now and enjoy!
95/100

1982 Krug Vintage
A lighter yellow gold colour. The nose is reclusive, but it opened to show toast, nuts, dough and vanilla oak characters. The palate is more open, with intense, youthful characters and a long, lingering flavour. Excellent now, but seems to be in a bit of an awkward stage between youth and maturity. I think it may be a bit more coherent in 5 years time.
92/100

1988 Krug Vintage
Lighter again, straw gold colour. The nose is brilliantly layered with notes of pear, gunpowder, vanilla, smoke, lime, grilled cashew and floral undertones. The carry, persistence and depth of flavour along the palate is awe inspiring. This wine is the definition of class and it has the supreme structure and balance to get even better over the next 10+ years.
97/100

The final flight of Krug was a comparison of the old label Rose and the new label Rose. Of all the flights, this was the only one that disappointed. The wines were both very good, but at $450 a bottle very good does not cut it.

NV Krug Rosé (disgorged 1988)
Only very slightly darker in colour than the recent disgorgement. Ginger, caramel, toast and earth aromas to the appealing nose. The palate had a nice initial burst of simple flavour that faded away slightly toward the end. Good balance and enjoyable, but rather obviously not brilliant for my taste.
90/100

NV Krug Rosé (disgorged 2004)
Golden hued with just a tinge of pink. Fine bead comparable in size to the old disgorgement, but just slightly more aggressive in speed. Strawberry, brioche and toast on the lightly scented bouquet. Very light and fluffy palate weight with fresh flavour and good length. Nice to drink, but especially based on the older disgorgement, I can’t see this getting any better with age. Maybe I just don’t get these wines, but they seem to be missing the character to be considered exceptional.
90/100

Then to finish the night, a selection of random wines.

2006 Knappstein Clare Valley Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling
Opened at the start of the evening while waiting for people to arrive. Floral, lime, some botrytis style character. Some cloying sweetness and sherbet like flavour on the palate that ended oily and flabby. Got no better, and may in fact have been worse by the end of the night when we returned to it. The 2005 was very highly regarded, so this may be a product of the vintage.
79/100

1993 Domain Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Nose has good intensity of aroma with strong earth, pepper, raspberry and a slightly feral streak through it. The palate was not giving a whole lot with some stalk and otherwise looking pretty lean. An interesting wine, if only the palate lived up to the nose it may have been more.
87/100

2000 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Cazetiers” 1er Cru
Corked.
:(/100

1982 Penfolds Bin 820 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
Tobacco, rich blackcurrant, smoky oak, redcurrant and just a hint of background DMS. The palate is nicely integrated with the core of fruit richness just still holding things together. Drink up if you have bottles remaining.
89/100

1996 Rene Renou Bonnezeaux Cuvée Zenith
Poached pears, honeydew melon, kiwi fruit, honey and vanilla. Found the medium sweetness and intensity on the palate to want for a touch more acid. Simple at the moment, but could take on some complexity as long as the balance doesn’t slide too far out of place over the next 6-7 years.
89/100

2005 Mollydooker Carnival of Love McLaren Vale Shiraz
Ultra concentrated ripe and interesting nose of caramel, blackberry, blueberry, tar, blackcurrant, tobacco and a bit of spirit at the end of each sniff. The richness follows through onto the palate and it is quite approachable except for the slight spirity burning sensation down the back of my throat. I enjoyed trying it, but I don’t know that I could have faced a second glass and I think it would have overpowered any food it was served with. Don’t know that this has the structure to age, but time could prove me wrong. Glad I tried it, but I think I’ll leave it to the people that enjoy this style.
86/100

1996 Noon Grenache Shiraz
The nose consisted of pepper, smoky black cherry and some more alcohol. Palate lacks fruit and there is a burning sensation to the mouth-feel. Really struggled to drink this, I imagine that when it was young the fruit would have covered the problems somewhat, but now that it is fading they are all too apparent.
80/100

2005 Wild Duck Creek Fortified
A nice way to finish things off. On the nose there was liquorice, fennel, blueberry, earth and cherry. A smooth, sweet palate with just a touch of spice and florality to freshen it up and provide a needed lift. Very good length and actually very enjoyable to drink!
92/100

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

Sealed in screwcap, 13.2% alcohol.

Smoky red cherry, mocha, raspberry, a touch of stalk and some cedar in the background of the nose. The palate shows a lovely balance between savoury elements and fruit sweetness. A medium level of flavour intensity with well integrated tannins and acid leading into a lingering finish.

I think it is drinking wonderfully well now and is probably around its peak between now and 2008. This is a serious Pinot Noir but given that it is available under $20AUD, it is a seriously good deal as well. The current release, 2005 is even better!

Score: 89/100 Drink: 2007-2008

A few quick notes from a recent casual dinner with friends;

1979 Bollinger Grande Année Champagne

A slow, fine bead and tenuous mousse. The nose is explosive and intense with marzipan, yeasty bread, honey, apple and mushrooms.The palate is a delight, with lovely, balanced mouth-filling honeyed flavour and with an excellent core of acid to take it into to a very long finish.

93/100

2002 Domaine Laroche Chablis Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes Les Fourchaumes

Open with aromatic floral notes, as well as pomegranate, orange and peaches - very pure nose. Medium intensity and great depth of minerality and flavour on the palate leading into a long, clean finish. Really delicious to drink now, but will probably be better in 3 years time.

90/100

1999 Maison Louis Latour Cote de Beaune-Villages

A light, stewy nose with a touch of oak but not much else of note. Palate is awkward and disjointed. I feel that this may have been a poor bottle.

NR/100

2000 Domain Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin En Reniard

Violet, strawberry, earth and wet hay on the nose. The palate is balanced but is simple and lacks depth. Probably around its peak and nicely drinkable, but nothing more.

87/100

2000 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vignes

Lots of cherry with some gamey complexity, undergrowth and earth. Good texture and palate length with the complexity of the palate not really matching that of the nose. Still, a lovely wine with some potential to improve.

90/100

2003 Two Hands Max’s Garden Heathcote Shiraz

A bold, attractive nose of blueberry, cherry, spice, raspberry plus some coffee and cedar. The palate is quite restrained with the fruit richness balanced against some savoury characters. The initial wave of flavour trails off slightly toward the finish. Quite good structure overall, although I think it is going to be drinking at its best over the next couple of years.

90/100

I attended three masterclasses as part of the Sydney Good Living Wine Show in late October. I posted on the Lanson/Gauthier Champagne class here.

This class where a Melbourne based chocolatier matched handmade chocolates to Buller Rutherglenn fortified wines was one of the highlights of the day.

Buller Fine Old Malmsey NV with Honey and milk chocolate praline in a milk chocolate cocoa pod
A light nose of honey, toffee, orange peel, apple and a slight oxidative note. The palate is slightly sweet, with decent length, but there is a lack of concentration and complexity.
86/100

Buller Fine Old Liqueur Tawny NV with Blood orange caramel filling and dark chocolate
Cherry, blackcurrant/cassis and a spirity essence on the nose. Palate is a bit hot and awkward, with some intensity but not much depth.
82/100

Buller Fine Old Tawny NV with Layered milk and dark chocolate praline
A nose of tobacco, caramel and toffee. The palate is rich and mouthfilling, but there is no real depth and the finish tails off much too quickly.
83/100

Buller Fine Old Tokay NV with Dark chocolate and vanilla bean ganache
Rich aromas of butterscotch, malt, caramel, rancio and a touch of spirit. The palate is sweet and rich, yet with very good balance. Some depth and complexity and a medium length finish with a twist of spirit.
88/100

Buller Fine Old Muscat NV with Ginger and blood orange ganache
Raisins, caramel, fruitcake and smoke on the nose. A very sweet palate that borders on being too sweet. Smoothly textured and with good length, though it lacks in complexity.
86/100

Bulller “Calliope” Rare Tokay NV with Blackcurrant ganache and dark chocolate
Intense aromatics - caramel, toffee, rancio, raisins, almond and fig. The palate is full bodied, intense and with a refreshing freshness across its excellent length. Even the smallest sip fills your mouth with flavour. Much less spiky alcohol this time compared to the time that I tried it last at an offline.
93/100

Buller “Callope” Rare Muscat NV with Milk chocolate caramel coffee dipped in milk chocolate
Explosive nose of raisin, burnt brown sugar, maple syrup, spice, toffee, smoke and molasses. Incredible concentration of complex flavours on the palate, with stunning richness and an acid structure that somehow manages to balance and carry the deep sweetness. The finish goes on forever. This is quite simply, an incredible wine.
96/100

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).