The Seppelt St Peters Shiraz was originally released as Seppelt Great Western Hermitage in 1964 (winning the Jimmy Watson trophy in 1965, a prestigious award, especially back then) and is mostly a blend from two vineyards adjacent to the Seppelt winery, St Peters and the Imperial vineyard. St Peters was one of the first vineyards in the region, planted in 1863 and subsequently replanted during the 1930s and 1960s. Occasionally there is some material from other vineyards around 4 kilometers to the south blended in, but the two mentioned always form the majority. In 1998 the wine underwent a branding change and is now known as St Peters. The wine is matured in a mix of new and old French oak, for between 12-18 months.

We also tasted two “reserve” wines in the Seppelt lineup, from 1997 and 1998. These were winemaker selections of the 10 best barrels, and those 10 barrels happened to be a higher percentage of new oak compared to the final wine but they did not spend any extra time in oak as a number of sources online indicate. I think there is sometime a touch of pre-judgement involved where people expect them to be heavily oaked based on the incorrect belief that they had spent a good deal more time in oak. Unfortunately the “normal” 1997 was corked, but the 1998 flight was offered blind as well and I asked people specifically to see if one stood out as having significantly more oak and while one might have seemed to have a tiny touch more, the general feeling I got from around the room was that it was far from obvious. The flight was split evenly with 5 voting for the normal and 5 for the reserve before they were revealed.

Mount Langi Ghiran is about 30 kilometers south east of Seppelt and the vineyards here at the base of Mount Langi were replanted in the 1960s. The wine is from a single block known as the “Old block”, planted to “swiss clone” material sourced from Best’s Great Western Concongella Vineyard. The clone is apparently only found in the Great Western region in Australia and Mount Langi Ghiran are working with Michel Chapoutier to find out more about this clone via ampelographic and DNA research. This clone is one of the reasons that Trevor Mast, former owner and winemaker, believed was responsible for the distinct pepper character often found in this Shiraz. The wine we tasted saw a mix of American and French oak and it was mostly new. The wines that we tried at this tasting ran up to the last vintage where Mast was head winemaker, and the style was changed following his departure, including switching to entirely French oak, with less % new.

Overall I think the tasting was quite successful, there were plenty of diverse opinions about the wines we tried and I thought it was good to see that not many flights had a clear “winner”, with 3-4 flights ending in a tie and I believe in every flight there was at least one vote for each wine, meaning there was plenty of interest across the line up.

I feel like we got a good idea of the styles of both wineries by the end and it seemed like half the people fell on the side of Mt Langi and the other half on Seppelt. The Seppelt wines seemed very consistent in style (and also consistently very good), where as the Mount Langi were more up and down, which for many proved much more interesting.

Two wines were corked, one from both brand, each winery has offered a replacement with no drama, which is great customer service and was much appreciated. Both were also helpful when I was compiling information for a handout to pass out at the tasting, but especially Seppelt who put me in touch with Melanie, a winemaker there who went the extra mile to help with my questions!

• 2009 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Cuvée Fidèle Extra Brut – France, Champagne
  Fairly consistent with other bottles – Pinot Noir dominant and intense nose with cherry, earthy, autolysis character and honeyed aromas. The palate counters the richness and punch of the nose with a cleansing citrus acidity, while still having great depth and intensity to it. Not sure that others at the tasting liked this as much, but I think it is an interesting wine that is worth looking at. 91/100

• 2012 Kalleske Viognier Plenarius – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Another really lifted nose – this time is is orange peel, nutty, mandarin, musk and apricot. The palate has brilliant texture, I was quite smitten by it actually. There is some light tannin that gives it some grip and I think it is really well balanced with a rush of acidity to finish. This really impressed me, I’ve had only a few wines in this style that I’ve really liked, and this was definitely one of them! Super value at around $25 for a wine with this much interest as well. 92/100

• 2009 Grampians Estate Shiraz Rutherford Sparkling – Australia, Victoria
  Crown seal. Quite a lifted nose with cherry cola, violets and some light earth. Nice savoury mouthfeel while still having a dose of sweet red fruit. The fruit sweetness isn’t overpowering and I think this is a well balanced wine with good intensity and length. I haven’t tried this sparkling Shiraz previously and I’m keen to give other vintages a go at some point. 90/100

• 1988 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  The cork was in poor shape, though the level looked to be fine and the wine seemed in reasonable condition. The nose in particular had lots of interest with dense earth and spices, as well as a splash of florality right at the start. The palate did not have the same character to it – it was resolved and holding on to life but also a bit flat, especially towards the finish, confirming its best years were probably past. It still had some fans in this flight but I think the 89 Mount Langi had a better showing. 87/100

• 1989 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Another poor cork but the we must have just got to it in time as the wine was very pleasant. The nose is pretty classic with white pepper, some stems and earth. The palate is well structured, the tannins are still quite firm and it’s quite possible that they will outlive the fruit. Still, there is good flow of flavour through the palate and it doesn’t dip away. Drink now and in the short term. 90/100

• 1995 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Charcoal, flint, roses and a bit of cherry still in the background – in fact the nose was a bit hard to pin down as there was a fair bit going on and it was shifting around with time, something that for me is always enjoyable when spending time with a wine. The palate is quite lithe, with good savoury texture and elegance. This had medium depth and probably slightly better length. I liked it more and more each time I came back to it in the flight, with the last sip being my favourite. Drink now and over the not too distance future but spend some time with it if you can. 91/100

• 1996 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  I last tried this wine 7 years ago and I loved it, thinking that 3-5 years would be a good time to come back to it. On this occasion it was just as good and possibly even a touch better. The nose is intense but at the same time it is quite pretty; there is red cherry, plum, some smoky meat and graphite. The palate has a core of bold fruit, but there is the structure and drive to keep it from ever feeling like a burden. Especially good persistence and length to it. A very different wine to the 1995 Seppelt Shiraz, but just as interesting and even has potential to improve. A friend mentioned he has had some bottle variation with this wine, this bottle was on song though. 93/100

• 1995 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Cloves and pepper, with a nice truffly earthy character – along with the cloves there is a touch of gamey animal element to it, which was possibly some low level brett – the good kind in this case! The palate is medium weighted, with soft red fruits combining with structure that is starting to fold into the wine. Good length and I’d be starting to drink these now. 91/100

• 1996 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Badly corked. NR/100

• 1995 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  An interlude in the vertical to have with dinner. A bright high-toned nose of cherry, raspberry, licorice and plums. Palate is medium weight, showing a bit more development but still has quite pure red fruit and it is delicious. I don’t think it has the structure to age a large amount more, but it should make it to 20 years if the bottle is sound. 90/100

• 1997 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Corked, a shame as I really wanted to see how this wine was travelling and also to have it next to the 97 Reserve. NR/100

• 1997 Seppelt Shiraz Reserve Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Quite a strong animale character, probably the most evident of all the Seppelt wines tried tonight for me – there is also leather, light mint and some charcoal. The palate is a good mix of forward fruit and more of that animale style meatiness. Still well structured, there are a lot of elements in play here and some additional years in bottle should have it showing very nicely. 91/100

• 1997 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Superb floral notes leap out of the glass at first, as well as leather and smoky meats – there was some funk/brett as well, at first it was just in the background but I found it start to come through more with time. The palate is pleasant but it doesn’t have the structure or driven character of some of the better wines tonight. Still very good and I’d be drinking this soon. 89/100

• 1997 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  Smelled amazing at first but it seemed to recede into itself quickly – stalks, cherry, game and some light capsicum aromas. The palate is more impressive, with beautiful texture and length. It doesn’t have as much complexity as I would have hoped for and while the structure was fine, it wasn’t so imposing that I thought it would develop greatly over more than the medium term. It really didn’t stand above the other wines in this flight and even though was probably just my favourite wine of the flight, if you look at the comparative costs involved it was not good value, even though I know that this is not the best vintage for Hermitage. 91/100

• 1998 Seppelt Shiraz Reserve Great Western – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Pepper and spices, black cherry, blackberry and slightly charred coffee notes, it is cleaner in style than the 1997 Reserve but still has great complexity. The fruit is ripe and persistent but well controlled by some serious structural components. The texture and depth is brilliant and this was one of my very favourite wines on the night. This was very close in both style and quality to the 1998 St Peters in the same flight, but this just held the edge for me. 93/100

• 1998 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Shows a fair bit of pepper and spices with cherry and graphite – it is quite similar to the 1998 Reserve, maybe being very slightly less intense. The structure is a bit looser on the palate in comparison, giving it a more open character and even seemed to be a bit more stylish with the fruit showing through a tad more, while still having a feeling of overall restraint. The fruit is still very deep and textured and it is probably more appealing right now while still having potential to age over the next 5+ years. It was a very close contest between this and the 1998 Reserve and the table was split equally as to their preference. 92/100

• 1998 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Sage and herbs, very earthy and some leather. It’s nicely savoury and complex on the nose, the palate isn’t as interesting unfortunately. It is fairly lightly weighted, which isn’t a problem in itself, but I felt the depth and length were not playing enough of a part to shine in this company. Drink now and in the short term. 88/100

• 1999 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Lovely five spice aromatics here, there is also red cherry, liquorice and truffle. The palate is bold and fairly forceful, the balance is fine for me but the extra fruit intensity definitely stood out at this tasting. Very good, but with a bit more restraint and complexity on the palate it would be an even better wine, I’d like to see it in a few more years to track how it is progressing. 90/100

• 2000 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  The nose was fairly odd on this wine, I wasn’t sure if I liked it but in the end it was good over the course of the glass. There is a dark chocolate, nutty and very ripe berry character while also hinting at stalky and slightly green notes – with more time in the glass the green started to show through more. The palate is much more standard, with nice mouthfeel from some restrained red fruits and good length as well, while not having the same depth as some of the other wines in the lineup. Probably one of the weaker wines on the night even though it was interesting trying to work it out. 88/100

• 1999 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Black pepper, graphite, cherry and a light touch of leather – this seems to be very much classic Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz on the nose. The pepper carries onto the palate giving the red fruits an interesting kick, there is great texture and length here as well. Very consistent with a bottle from late last year, maybe a touch better even and probably my favourite Langi wine other than the 1992 tonight. 92/100

• 2000 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  First bottle was not right, dirty and flat. NR/100

• 2000 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Considerably better bottle than the first. Chocolate and cherry on the nose with a just a hint at green character. The palate is medium bodied and quite well balanced initially, though it finishes slightly thin. Like many of the Langi wines, it does have plenty of character so it is interesting despite any downsides. 88/100

• 2001 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  The intensity and vibrancy ramps up a notch on this wine, almost as though it is considerably younger than some of the other bottles we tried from just a few vintages prior. Lots of licorice, violets, plum, blackberry and just a touch of regional spice. The oak is much better integrated since I last tried it close to release. The balance is really top shelf, the concentrated but vibrant fruit and very fine tannins work harmoniously and the length and drive is fantastic. There is a great deal of potential with this wine to develop over the next 10 years. 92/100

• 2002 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  Five spice, red cherry, vanilla and violets – there isn’t as much leaping intensity compared to the 2001 but it is a little bit more deep and serious. The seriousness continue on the palate, with great purity and fruit richness that is reigned in by fine tannin structure and a framework of light oak. Still very primary in nature, but with great depth and the balance to age, I’ll leave my other bottle alone for another 7-10 years. I’ve tried this wine a number of times now – twice close to release when it was stunning and again about 4 years ago when it was awkward and relatively disappointing. I left my next bottle until now and thankfully I think it is swinging back upwards, even if it isn’t up to the same level as those early bottles just yet. 92/100

• 2002 Mitchelton Shiraz Print – Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes
  A ring in to show a different style/region within Victoria. A nose with lots of bright fruit – cherry, blackberry and raspberry with graphite and peppery notes also. The fruit is bold but still has that bright quality to it, with good acidity playing a big part in balancing out the density. Has very good potential over the medium term as it is still very youthful now. 91/100

• 1992 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi – Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
  Served blind by Dave at the end of the evening. Deeply coloured, I probably wouldn’t have guessed 20+ years old. Clean and engaging nose – black cherry, five spice, blackberry and liquorice. Beautifully balanced palate, with spicy savoury elements combined with the still bright mid weight fruit. Great length and very classy, this was a fantastic way to finish looking at these wines and my equal wine of the night. 93/100

Then a cavalcade of “backups” thanks to Dave including a 1970 Mildara Shiraz Cabernet Malbec, 71 Best’s Bin 0 that was sadly past it and some stunning whisky and bourbon!

I can happily report that except for 1 bottle that was really not showing well (unfortunately the DRC!), all the wines had character and life, with many in stunning condition. Of course this underlines the critical importance of provenance with these kind of wines – the majority of these bottles were sourced from two cold cellars in Europe where the wines had been purchased on release and stored until being brought over to Australia, 90 years later in some cases!

A few highlights were;

The 1985 Veuve Clicquot Rare Rose Champagne (disgorged 2007) to start was fantastic and a little bit surprising how much I liked it, considering I very often don’t care much for Rose Champagne.

The 1947 Violland Corton Charlemagne which was in brilliant form, lots of nutty aromas on the nose with richness, minerality and still having plenty of acidity to lift the wine. The 2000 Ramonet Batard Montrachet was the token young gun and it had amazing potential.

For the reds, the highlight of the night for me was the 1929 Drouhin Clos De Vougeot – a wine of exceptionally complex aromas, a classy and texturally beautifully palate that gained weight with time in the glass and above all it was just seductively delicious (a lucky person with experience in the area said that it was utterly classic 1929 Burgundy – unfortunately I don’t have the experience to say the same!). This was followed closely by the 1937 Bouchard Clos De Vougeot, 1923 De Beuverand & De Poligny Nuits St.G and the 1919 Rigault Vosne Romanee.

• NV G. H. Mumm & Cie Champagne Cordon Rouge Brut – France, Champagne
  Served as a palate cleanser and arrival drink. Some lemon curd and apple on the palate. I found the palate to be very light intensity, with decent freshness but a serious lack of depth. Okay value for Champagne, but I prefer many Australian sparkling wines at a similar price point. 86/100

• 1985 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rosé Rare – France, Champagne
  Disgorged 2007. Redcurrant, earthy, lemon and honeycomb notes on the nose. There is lovely vibrant acidity to go along with the medium weighted richness. Great length and really impressive, especially considering Rose Champagne often leaves me underwhelmed. Good bottles will continue at this very high level for some time to come. 93/100

• 1947 Louis Violland Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
  Almost the same golden colour as the 1978 Lafon, this was just slightly darker in the core. The nose does have lots of aged elements, but it retains a sense of freshness – there is orange peel, lots of nutty aromas and some old oak and mint. The palate has a fantastic line of acidity, which some felt was clearly added by the winemaker but I thought was nicely integrated. Alongside this bright acid and framing minerality is good richness that built when given time in the glass. A very classy wine in brilliant form. 93/100

• 1978 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
  Grilled almonds on the nose, with ginger and a little resin element. The medium length palate is fairly soft but has glimpses of minerality that held my interest. Very good but it would be great with a little bit more drive and persistence. It is holding but I don’t think it will improve from here based on this bottle. 89/100

• 1986 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
  Quite reticent nose with light florals, honey and some pineapple, possibly from some botrytis influence. The palate has rounded out well and has very good balance, assisted by a flash of acidity at just the right moment. Improved in the glass after some vigorous swirling and while I liked it a lot, it didn’t quite deliver enough complexity to rate this higher. Drink now. 91/100

• 2000 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
  The token young gun at this tasting. Mint, lime, spicy/toasty oak and apple aromas. The palate was especially true to the Ramonet house style – with layered and powerful fruit paired with superb tension, focus and length. Above all, though it is a outstanding wine already, the potential to improve is very much evident. 94/100

• 1929 Joseph Drouhin Clos Vougeot – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
  A stunning nose – spices, tea, cherry, roses, autumn leaves and some cocoa. The palate is beguiling, still possessing alluring red fruit and complex earthy spices. The layers of flavour, texture and especially the length are verging on out of this world. While it doesn’t have the outright structure of some of the other wines tonight, it is beautifully balanced and drinking perfectly now. Magic. 96/100

• 1919 Leon Rigault Vosne-Romanée – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
  Bramble, raspberry, rhubarb and very nice clove and earthy aromatics. Medium bodied and with a real purity to the fruit that is just unbelievable for the age. Not only is the palate fresh and lifted by this pure fruit, there is earthy complexity and even has fine structure with tannins still there to guide the wine. Totally outstanding. 94/100

• 1923 De Beuverand & De Poligny Nuits St. Georges – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
  Opened up wonderfully even a short time after pouring with tar and roses, musk and ground coffee all present. The structure on the palate had me reeling in consideration of just how good it was – at 90 years of age it was not my expectation but the tannins were perfectly placed and really gave the wine a feeling of great purpose and balance. Not quite as complex as some of the other wines that were highlights tonight, but I loved it all the same. 93/100

• 1929 Pierre Bourée Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Clos de la Justice – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
  I adored the nose on this wine right from the first moment, it subdued a little bit over time but they still had me captive – complex spices, incense, cherry, pencil shavings and earth. The nose was hard to live up to, and for me the palate didn’t really manage it – it was taut and not willing to give much back, the length was good but it terms of depth it just wasn’t there as much as I tried to find it. Still very good and on almost any other night it might have starred. 90/100

• 1937 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
  Incredibly pretty aromas right away – highly perfumed florals, spice, truffle and a wisp of smoke. The palate has superb poise, it is balanced with a precise line of acidity and some delicious cherry fruit. Complex, depth and having great texture, this is a wine of immense class that is both appealing and extremely interesting. 94/100

• 1951 Arthur Barolet et Fils Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
  The nose is earthy and nutty, with a fair bit of volatile acidity and a yeasty character. The palate is better with some acidity to carry the light fruit but it is still lacking a bit in interest and depth. There is still life and it is entirely decent to drink, however it was just not up to scratch tonight with the interest that the other wines had to offer. 87/100

• 1961 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
  Very earthy nose, it is smoky with mulch and an edge to it that is port like. The palate for me was showing less obvious aged character, it has a sense of structure and fruit rather than either being obvious. Drinkable but probably not a bottle in great condition and certainly not meeting the lofty domaine reputation. NR/100

• 1961 Pol Mairesse Richebourg – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
  A nose that took some getting used to – there is dettol and deep heat, with lots of charcoal, gunpowder, stems and boot polish. It had plenty of interest, though it is not particularly easy to like. The palate is more conventional, with cherry fruit and some of that stemmy character coming through. The finish is a little bit short. Overall even though I think it was a bit too confronting for me, I can’t recall drinking anything quite like it and I valued the chance to try it. 87/100

• 1928 Chevillot Tâche-Romanée Grand Cru – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
  A very fitting way to end the burgundy flights. There was plenty happening on the nose with five spice and hoisin, coal, red cherry and strawberries. The palate was quite elegant and restrained and while it did become a bit more expansive with time, it didn’t end up having the power or weight I might have expected from a La Tache based wine. Despite that, it was still lovely to drink with medium length and a gentle finish. Some people mentioned that it was more what you might expect from a 1928 compared to some of the other wines that were still quite impressively vibrant – not that this was falling over but it was certainly time to drink it. 91/100

• 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese – Germany, Rheingau
  Good freshness and plenty of style on the nose – there is apricot, pineapple, pear and peach along with dense honey and caramel. The palate is lovely, with the acidity really driving and lifting the wine into a long finish. I do feel like this wine was on the cusp of brilliance and others at the table that have had another bottle indicated that the previous bottle had more intensity while maintaining the same impressive balance, something that I think would take it onto that next level. 92/100

Of course the big guns were the main draw to the tasting, and they all had impressive elements – my favourites being the Les Amis Grenache, Factor Shiraz, Run Rig Shiraz Viognier and Laird Shiraz. On the whole this was a very strong showing and the Torbreck portfolio seems to keep improving every time I come back to it.

• 2011 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Roussane Viognier Marsanne – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  46% Roussanne 41% Viognier 13% Marsanne. Floral nose with some lime and pear notes. The palate is medium bodied, hinting at richness but held back by good acidity that also gives the wine a fresh lift. 88/100

• 2012 Torbreck The Steading Blanc – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  44% Marsanne, 32% Roussanne, 24% Viognier. Floral as well, but compared to the 2011 Woodcutters next to it, the floral notes are much more intense and wild – there is also wax, flint and apricot. The palate has excellent mouth feel and good texture, it is quite rich in style but great fruit purity is still maintained. Very impressive and I liked it more and more every time I came back to the glass. 90/100

• 2011 Torbreck (Cuvée) Juveniles – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  62% Grenache, 23% Shiraz & 15% Mataro. Pepper, violets and some meaty elements – I found the nose to have good interest, especially at this level. The palate continues the trend towards spice influence with restrained red fruit and medium length. Very good, and a pleasant experience after some much less appealing examples in previous vintages. 89/100

• 2012 Torbreck Shiraz Woodcutter’s – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Cherry, blackcurrant, lightly sappy and light spicy aromas. Medium depth on the palate, with some decent fruit, it is good to drink but for me it’s not really exciting in any aspect. 87/100

• 2010 Torbreck Grenache Les Amis – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Very appealing aromatics for me – dark cherry/kirsch, rose, dark chocolate and there is plenty of oak but I felt the fruit matched it for intensity. The palate is lovely, with ripe, intense fruit paired with great structure and a savoury spicy edge. Needs plenty of time to age and integrate but I think it will be excellent. 92/100

• 2010 Torbreck Mataro Kyloe – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Aromas that could either fall on the side of brett or a character of mataro – either way it was strongly gamey, with truffle, earth and cherry notes. The palate has that meaty character to it as well, but the red fruit shows through a bit better here. Has good length to it and if it’s brett I don’t think this bottle suffered too much from it. I’ll look out for chances to try future vintages as it seems promising and the price is fair. 89/100

• 2009 Torbreck Descendant – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  92% Shiraz, 8% Viognier. Candied apricot, smoke, tar, raspberry and some bramble aromas. I like how the palate has quite rich fruit, but it is still bright with a lovely line of acidity, and the tannin structure here seems spot on to let that vibrancy show through now while still having potential. 91/100

• 2009 Torbreck Shiraz The Factor – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Cherry, plum, earth, tar and floral notes. Beautifully balanced, it has powerful and rich fruit, and the tannins are similarly quite big in order to provide a frame for the palate. Fantastic carry of flavours and length. Very youthful, but very very good. 92/100

• 2010 Torbreck Run Rig – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  95% Shiraz, 5% Viognier. Very floral on the nose, with supporting blackberry, spices and dark cherry. The palate has extremely bright but powerful fruit and outstanding depth and textural elements. Comes across as more classy than would be expected with this level of concentration but it is all in balance and really delicious. 94/100

• 2008 Torbreck Shiraz The Laird – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Served next to the 2010 RunRig, this is amplified in almost every aspect. Cocoa, ground coffee, outrageously floral perfume, blackcurrant and raspberry aromas. The layers of fruit are amazingly dense but they have real definition and texture to them, saving the wine from being one dimensional. Outstanding length and a great experience to taste it. 94/100

• 2002 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année – France, Champagne
  Toast, talc, apple and lemon rind aromas on the nose. Palate is excellent, with fantastic acid drive and pure fruit persistence. There is depth and texture, though I found this wine to be surprisingly delicate for Bollinger GA, the power is still there in the background but very much restrained. I thought this was brilliant and has good aging potential. 93/100

• 1995 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Vintage – France, Champagne
  Served blind. Pear, apple and some slight honeyed character emerging. The palate is very well balanced and it has great cleansing acid that leaves you wanting more. Has come along very well since I last tasted it and it still has room to develop further. 90/100

• 2004 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Blanc – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Served blind. Floral nose with pear, lemon, oyster shells and mint supporting. Very good tingly acidity on the refined palate. The fruit that is there is delicate and has excellent persistence. A lovely wine with time on it’s side. 92/100

• 2004 Cullen Wines Chardonnay – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Served blind. Bright citrus fruit on the nose with some spice and lovely floral background. There is some power behind the fruit on the palate, but a beautiful line of acidity keeps the wine in balance. Texturally very good and I was pleased when this was revealed as it is a wine that I have really liked in the past and this time was no different. 92/100

• 1988 Huët Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg – France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Honeyed with ginger and pineapple as well as strong floral perfume. Palate has more richness than I had expected based on some other reviews, but it is more ripe fruit sweetness than lots of sugar. There isn’t a great deal of complexity just yet, but it is very tasty. There is still plenty of freshness, so I don’t think you need to be in a hurry to drink it and hopefully the complexity emerges. 91/100

• 2009 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
  Ripe fruited nose, with cherry, raspberry and musk. The palate is rich as well but there is good acidity countering and it has the structure to hold together. It will age, but it is pretty appealing right now as well in its youth. 90/100

• 1992 Château Smith Haut Lafitte – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  A pretty classic bordeaux that showed much better than the vintage suggests it should. There is briar, tobacco, graphite and some stalky character (not too much though). Medium bodied, it is integrated and drinking near to its peak. Probably finishes just a tad shorter than I’d like, but it is not a big problem overall. 89/100

• 1978 Château Lafite Rothschild – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  A nicely complex nose of tobacco, pencil shavings, blackberry, cedar and earthy elements. The palate has excellent drive still, with medium weighted fruit surrounded by the structure that has almost seamlessly merged into the wine. Very classy and I would say that it is ready to drink now and over the next few years. 92/100

• 2002 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
  Layered aromas of graphite, kirsch, cassis, dark chocolate and tobacco. I was not at all expecting how refined and nuanced this was going to be on the palate, in fact I found it to be quite compellingly balanced. The fruit is beautiful and has real depth to it as well as plenty of character. I’d love to see it in another decade or so, but realistically probably won’t get the chance to do so! This was not the wine that I was really expecting, but found it seriously great anyway. 94/100

• 2001 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Mormoreto Toscana IGT – Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
  Stems, raspberry and blueberry fruit aromas along with a lightly earthy spiciness. The palate is medium bodied, there is some dark rich fruit that is reigned in by well proportioned tannins. Drinking nicely now but a few more years won’t hurt. 90/100

• 1997 Domaine Jo Pithon Coteaux du Layon Chaume – France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Chaume
  Darkly coloured which was of some concern but the wine turned out to be in fine condition. Aromatically appealing with pineapple, honey, toast, sultana and a fleck of ginger. Delicious palate has medium richness and very good length. While the complexity is lacking slightly, it is still very good to drink. 90/100

• 2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Lime, pineapple, spice and subtle white floral notes. The palate has good purity and sweetness, with some mouth-watering acidity lifting the wine as a whole. I last tried this a couple of years ago and it is has not had a chance to change much yet. I also tried the Auction GK Auslese #15 a few months back and it was a large step up in depth and excitement, despite that I really enjoyed this standard Auslese #17. 91/100

• 2000 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Vintage – France, Champagne
  Pears, honey and some nutty style notes on the nose. Palate has nicely rich fruit and good persistence. Drinking well now but will hold as well. 90/100

• 1996 Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys – France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
  Very dark colour. Oxidative nose. Palate is harsh and didn’t come around with time. I don’t seem to have much luck with these Defaix bottles. NR

• 2008 François Raveneau Chablis – France, Burgundy, Chablis
  From a plot opposite to the Vaillons slope. Lemon pith, orange, musk and a flinty minerality. Great acidity and texture to the palate, with nicely rich fruit and fine length. Has very good potential to improve over the medium term. 90/100

• 2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Aromas of chestnuts, perfumed florals and peaches. Texturally the wine is excellent and the depth of the fruit really stood out to me. Has some intensity but I couldn’t help but feeling that it was holding a little bit back and may be waiting to show more in 5-10 years time. 92/100

• 2010 Domaine Jacques Carillon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Basil, florals and lime on the nose. Some spice to the palate, there is also some textural interest and appeal even though it is evident from the soaring acidity that it is very youthful. Very good! 90/100

• 2009 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Bâtard-Montrachet – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
  Aniseed, musk, peach, honeysuckle and floral aromas. Very tightly wound on the palate, it only hints at richness with a creamy and silken mouthfeel. Great length and balance, with the structure to age well. 92/100

• 2009 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
  Citrus peel, stonefruit along the lines of apricot and peach, light smoke and a huge wave of chalky minerality. Scintillating palate, incredibly driven with seriously impressive focus. I found that it soared in the glass, taking on more persistence and richness. Extremely good length. 94/100

• 2008 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
  Very interesting nose of tobacco and coriander with pear and white floral notes. Heavily viscous and very ripe palate, though it does have enough acidity to keep up. Not as steely as I would expect from a stereotypical Corton but very good all the same. 92/100

• 1996 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
  The nose here is interesting and probably divisive, there is a very nice honeyed nutty character but also some estery elements and some eucalypt that are a bit out of place. The palate is rich and beautifully textured, though the length is probably just not quite up to where it ought to be. Drink now based on this bottle. 90/100

• 2000 Mount Mary Chardonnay – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Though there was some disagreement, this was corked in my opinion. NR

• 2005 Scarborough Chardonnay Yellow Label – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Floral nose, with popcorn and lemon butter. Good freshness, with the acidity giving it a great lift. Similar in profile to when I last tasted it 5 years ago, though it has come together and developed nicely. Should continue to do well over the next 4-5 years. 89/100

• 1993 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain – France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
  Dark coloured but not more than expected. Honey, marmalade, some botrytis, spice and floral aromas. Palate is very well balanced with great acidity and fruit restraint, it only hints at a light splash of residual sugar (though it is technically 28 g/l). Opened up more with time in the glass and I thought it was an interesting wine. 91/100

• 1970 Tulloch Shiraz Pokolbin Dry Red – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
  From half bottle. Toffee, licorice and some chocolate. The palate is just barely holding on to life, there is a sliver of fruit remaining. It fell over reasonably quickly in the glass but I was glad to try it. 86/100

• 2005 Spinifex Indigène – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Spice, very earthy with beetroot and a dusty talc character. Palate has a dense jammy element to it, but I didn’t think it was over the top and there is decent structure around it. In a good place for drinking now and over the next few years. 90/100

• 2005 Grant Burge Abednego Mourvedre-Grenache-Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Raspberry, licorice, some oak and kirsch. Lots of blueberry fruit on the palate, it is stylistically bold and headily intense. Rather good in its style and around another 5 years aging would probably be worthwhile. 90/100

• 1995 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Coffee/mocha aromas, with lots of Hunter Valley style from the leather and some low level (but not unpleasant) brett. Quite well rounded on the palate, there is a good interplay of savoury and sweet fruit notes. To me it probably just lacks a little structure to take the step to excellent. 91/100

• 1996 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja
  Very appealing perfume of white pepper, earth, cherry and some leather, it was much cleaner in comparison to the Shiraz it was served next to, but it had complexity and character of its own. Very savoury on the palate, it had lovely balance and the structure here was more impressive. Drink now and over the next few years. 92/100

• 1990 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Very classic in style I thought – unmistakeably Coonawarra Cabermet. Blackberry and mulberry, toasted oak and some light mint. Great fruit/structure balance, it is still youthful but it has gained complexity and character. In a good spot for drinking but should hold/develop further. 91/100

• 2003 Seppelt Shiraz Benno – Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Bendigo
  Rosemary, pepper, licorice, menthol and a fair bit of oak still showing on the nose. Medium bodied on the palate, the tannins are still exerting quite a bit of influence. I last tried this 7 years ago and the oak was dominating at that point, it has softened and melded a little bit but probably needs more time still, maybe another 7 years. 89/100

• 2011 Fonty’s Pool Pinot Noir – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Pemberton
  Cherry and cranberry along with some stalks and strawberry. The palate is lightly structured but there is good persistence to the fruit. Didn’t get drowned out even though there were some big wines served prior to it. 88/100

The majority of the wines that are brought into Australia were shown at this event, from the estate Kabinett to the four Auslese Goldkapsel. There was also an minuscule amount of Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese from 2011, but these will be released at a later point in the future.

J.J. Prum is one of my favourite Mosel based wineries, which is probably not a controversial opinion given the respect they hold worldwide. I’ve tasted many of their wines with some age, including all the way back to a 1964 Wehlener Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese late last year, and can confirm that their aging potential is not in any way over stated as the 1964 seemed like it could hold for another 10 years at least and other older wines have seemed to be on similar trajectories.

There is also a perception that wines from J.J. Prum are totally unapproachable when young. This is something I’ve heard repeated over and over again but this tasting went a long way to changing my mind, at least for this vintage. The majority of the wines were open and in many cases were outright delicious to drink right away while still showing that they have enormous potential.

Overall the wines were extremely impressive, with great finesse and a purity of fruit that I view as critical for top level German Riesling. While it isn’t possible to judge a vintage on the results of one producer and a few vineyards, this was clearly yet another very successful year for J.J. Prum, and I’m looking forward to trying some of the other Mosel producers 2011s that are coming into Australia in the next few months.

Kabinett

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Kabinett -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Lemon, lime, peach and a tinge of earth on the nose. The palate continues the ripe peach character and has medium carry. Pretty tasty wine, though it doesn’t show a great deal of drive or acid structure. Drink over the next five or six years. 87/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Immediately appealing aromas – with wild floral perfume, spice, pineapple and peaches. The acidity takes an obvious step up from the standard Prum Kabinett, and as a result there seems to be more drive and persistence. Compared to the 2011 Graacher Himmelreich and Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinetts it doesn’t have the same level of purity or richness, but there is plenty to like here. 89/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  The minerality on the nose is impressive – it is steely, flinty and very slate driven, with some light spice and pear aromas. The purity across the palate is pervasive, with the minerality dominating and giving great lift and freshness to the wine. Racy acidity provides excellent precision and balances the flirtatious sweetness with ease. Excellent showing for this wine and it has great potential to improve. 91/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  There is a floral element to the nose, but it is less wild and more restrained than the 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube – there is also peach, pear and apricot coming through. The richest and most intense of the four Kabinett in this flight on the palate, it has the necessary acidity to carry the wine and give it structure. A touch more focus would take this to the next level for me but it is delicious to drink already and should also improve given time. 90/100

Spatlese

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Musk, graphite and florals that came through increasingly with time in the glass. There is good richness and acidity, both are a level up on the Kabinett from the same vineyard and vintage, but it suffers a bit from not having much depth to the fruit. 88/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Pear, spices, an earthy note and some light herbs. Very good balance between acidity and sweetness, with fine focus as well. Nice purity and intensity to the fruit which lingers on the palate. More interesting than the Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese and competes with the high quality of the next two wines. 90/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Lemon, light white florals, smoke and the same minerality with flint and slate that I found on the Kabinett. Truly delicious palate that offers beautiful purity and is superbly balanced with the acidity providing a vibrant framework. This is light on its feet but still has excellent depth and length. Kept improving in the glass during the short time I could spend with it. 92/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Apple pie, peach, apricot and a light layer of slate on the nose. The palate is densely weighted with ripe fruit but again the acidity rises to the challenge and balance is found if not quite having the outright finesse of some of the other wines right now. Likely to be worthy and in need of a bit more time than the Kabinett. 90/100

Auslese

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Wild florals, ginger, lime and light honey aromas. The excellent core of acidity stands out with lovely sweet fruit consistent across the length. There is sugar sweetness too but it is intertwined with the other elements and doesn’t feel at all out of place. Good for drinking now and should develop well over the medium term. 90/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  This was probably the most tightly wound 2011 Prum at this tasting. The nose has some lemon, apple and pear, and it opened up a little bit in the glass but is still aromatically reserved. A delicate palate with great acidity, the depth and structure is suitably impressive that I am sure it will emerge from its shell and start to delight, but it needs time and the conservative score reflects that. 90/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  This was the first flight where the Wehlener Sonnenuhr powered ahead of the Graacher Himmelreich for me. The nose is vivid with apricot, lemon zest, apples, honey and subtle smoke. The finesse on the palate is stunning, beautifully ripe fruit is precisely guided by wonderful acidity. It is easy to be immediately enamoured with this wine but there is underlying depth and complexity to it as well. Immensely classy wine with a very long future ahead. 93/100

Auslese Goldkapsel

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Intense and exotic aromas showing ginger, sea spray, graphite, pineapple and apricot. The palate is similarly intense but the balance is spot on thanks to a wave of cleansing acidity that lifts and drives into a long finish. There is a serious ramping up of the deliciousness over the Auslese thanks to the botrytis characters shining through. Excellent and a clear favourite for me from the Bernkasteler Badstube in this vintage. 92/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  The botrytis stands out on the nose and lends it an exotic flare, it is supported by honey, smoke and passion fruit characters. The palate is very punchy and forceful, the botrytis again showing through and quite a bit of residual sugar as well. I actually found it to lean a bit too far towards being over-opulent and not quite having the acidity to finish entirely cleanly. It’s still very good, but just falls a bit behind the other 2011 Prum Auslese GK at this stage. 90/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  A floral nose with grapefruit, apricot, lemon and smoke, it was much more open than the Graacher Himmelreich Auslese at this point. The palate truly shines with astonishingly pure fruit and an extraordinary frame of acidity. Textured and deliciously long, this really soared in the glass and I imagine it will be an even more stunning wine given time. I found it hard to split this and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, but it is exceptional in any context. 94/100

• 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel -
  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  A compellingly layered nose – there is peach, honey, apricot, quince and botrytis influence. The palate is breathtaking in its purity and balance, it is wonderfully textured and the ripe fruit is ever-present but never out of control thanks to the crackling acidity. A wondrous wine and a fitting end to this tasting of the 100th vintage from J.J. Prum. 94/100

This particular dinner was put on by Stewart Plant with a Melbourne based retailer, Fine Wine Merchant. Stewart has a keen interest in US wines and brings a small amount into the country when possible. The original theme was going to include a wider geographical selection of wines but in the end was restricted to a few sections of California and some highly rated wines that he thought would be impressive.

This was my first time trying all of the specific vintages of these wines, and for most of the producers the first time I’ve encountered them as well, so it was fun to not really have a preconceived idea about the reputation of specific wines or years.

As is hopefully evident by my notes I was really blown away by the Bond Estates wines. I was impressed that even though they had some family resemblance they were all distinct wines that stood out as individuals rather than blurring together with overly strong winemaker signatures. Unfortunately for me the retail prices once they get here are probably too much for me to justify, but hopefully I’ll be able to save my pennies and look to acquire a bottle of a different vintage to try at some stage.

Varner Chardonnay

• 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Quite restrained on the nose, with lemon, apple, spice and some graphite. The palate is a little bit more forward, showing oak and more richness to the fruit profile. Perhaps finishes a touch short but it is very good. 90/100

• 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Home Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Smoky oak, lemon, chalk and some estery banana style character on the nose. The palate is well proportioned, though the oak influence is still prominent at this stage of its life. Has the structure to give it good potential to improve. 90/100

• 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Flint, matchstick and pear aromas with some ginger and vanilla. Great structure to the palate, with some layers of complexity and it shows fine length. More interesting texturally than the Home Block and Amphitheatre Block that it was served next to, this improved with air and I really enjoyed it. 92/100

Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

• 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Hidden Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Stems, black cherry, smoke and cola aromas. Palate is forward with red berries leading. It isn’t overripe but I wouldn’t call it restrained either. Medium length and drinking well now. 88/100

• 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Picnic Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Black currant, smoked meats, appealing floral notes, spice and cherries. The spice comes through on the palate too, there is medium fruit density and good driven acidity. I really liked this and think it will improve over the medium term. 90/100

• 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Cola, pepper and some light red berries. The palate is lean and there is a bit of bitterness that kicks in on the mid-palate. Lacks generosity and depth. Was the weak wine in this flight. 85/100

• 2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
  Heady aromas of pepper, ginger and raspberry. Powerful (but bright) fruit on the palate with good acidity to keep things balanced. Very good length. There is heaps of character here and it took me a while to come around to it, but in the end I thought it was interesting and well worth trying. 91/100

Bond Estates

• 2008 Bond Pluribus – USA, California, Napa Valley
  Graphite, liquorice, blackcurrant and a layered spice element in the background that lends intrigue. Outstanding persistence and depth on the palate, the structure is there as well with serious but ultra fine tannic presence. Incredible wine that should get even better with time. 95/100

• 2008 Bond Quella – USA, California, Napa Valley
  Tobacco, tar, charry oak and some light cherry character on the nose. The fruit and tannins are well balanced, but even though the wine is high quality it lacks a little bit of depth to be really top class. No problems with drinking this young but also I think another 10 years would serve it well. 91/100

• 2008 Bond Melbury – USA, California, Napa Valley
  Lovely floral, cherry and mixed spice aromas with a minerality to it as well. The palate has a restrained fruit profile with lovely purity and savoury elements coming through strongly. I found this restraint appealing and it even had an element of refreshment in this context of a flight of wines that have such density and intensity. Even though it may not have the same fruit power as some of the other wines, it still had great structure and length and was eminently classy in my opinion. 93/100

• 2008 Bond St. Eden – USA, California, Napa Valley
  Rich and bold nose of blackberry, cassis, violets, tar and liquorice. Immensely structured, both the tannins and acidity are commanding, but they need to be in order to be in proportion with the dense and forceful fruit profile. A wine that is very impressive, but it also probably needs the most time in bottle out of the 2008 Bond range to really show its best. 93/100

• 2008 Bond Vecina – USA, California, Napa Valley
  Aromas that really drew me into the wine – cassis, black cherry, truffle, earth and a lovely smoky edge. The palate is breathtaking, there is immense fruit power that somehow retains its brightness and purity, making for compelling drinking. The structure here is brilliant and it finishes with sensational length. I was left awestruck by this wine and given time to age I think it will become even more magnificent. 96/100

Syrah

• 2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20 – USA, California, Central Coast
  Appealing nose of violets, charcoal, peppery spice and raspberry. The palate is certainly intense and powerful but it doesn’t get to the point where it was over the top. There is structure there, but it is overlaid with such delicious fruit that it plays its part without attracting much attention. One of those wines that is so very pleasurable over the course of a glass or two, but I don’t think I’d want to tackle an entire bottle on my own! 93/100

• 2009 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Blackberry, liquorice, cola, oak and a lifted somewhat spirity character from the alcohol. A huge palate in the ultra ripe style, there is some spice that thankfully provided some dimension and interest aside from the fruit density. It has good length, though I could feel the alcohol following through a bit as well. 89/100

• 2007 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
  Maybe this was in an awkward spot, but I found it quite hard to really get into. The nose shows sultana, earth, blackberry, sawdust and resiny oak. The palate carries across the sensation of substantial oak and I didn’t really feel like the fruit was up to the challenge even though there is quite a bit lurking. For me, not even close to greatness on this occasion. 87/100

Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

• 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
  Blackberry, kirsch, some floral notes and menthol aromas. The palate shows depth and power with a wave of fruit sweetness tempered by deft oak use and fine structure. There is good potential to improve significantly with age. 91/100

• 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
  Chocolate and earth are both assertive on the nose, there is also pepper and ground coffee elements. The palate is ripe and forward, with lots of jam styled red fruit and as a result it is approachable now. For my taste this lacks some finesse compared to the other two Diamond Creek wines tasted but it is still very good.89/100

• 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
  Deep and dark aromas of blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, black cherry and cinnamon. Full bodied on the palate with decisive intensity and power. This has serious tannin structure and is probably the least approachable of the three Diamond Creek wines tried at this dinner, but it also has the most potential over the long term. 92/100

The highlights for me were as follows (with plenty of interesting and very good wines closely behind!) ;

1964 Kesselstatt Niedermenniger Herrenberg Auslese
1959 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg feine Auslese
1975 Winzergenossenschaft Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Eiswein Beerenauslese
1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Trockenbeerenaulese

Flight 1 – Same vintage, producer, vineyard but one prädikat level apart

• 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Rheingau
  Very slightly darker in colour than the Spatlese it was next to. The nose offers earth, ginger and toast. On the palate, the remaining fruit is fading away but there is a good level of acid initially giving some freshness and lift. The wine drops away toward the finish, becoming very slightly bitter from the oxidative characters. Not bad overall. 86/100

• 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Good golden tinged colour. More expressive on the nose than the Kabinett next to it – marmalade, pineapple, pear and some peaches. Palate is honeyed with that marmalade character coming through as well. There is acidity there but it is probably a little bit on the low side for my liking, some more would have really helped the palate step up to the sweetness. Very good regardless. 88/100

Flight 2 – Same vintage, prädikat and producer but different vineyard

• 1988 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Aromas of pine needles, passion fruit, wet stones and some underlying spice. The palate has well woven acidity and there is good carry of clean flavour into the finish. While there is complexity emerging, you get the feeling that this wine has potential to improve further with time. 89/100

• 1988 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Floral aromas drive the appealing nose, there are background notes of petrol, lemon and orange peel. The palate has lovely bright acidity that compliments the sweetness perfectly, giving the wine spot-on balance. Tasted next to the Steinberg Spatlese, though it has a clear family resemblance, there is just a little bit more of everything that helps this wine stand out – perfume, acidity, sweetness, depth and fruit purity. 91/100

Flight 3 – Rheingau Spatlese

• 1976 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  I found the nose slightly dull, there is some marzipan and earthiness but it didn’t really open up over the course of the glass. I though that he palate was brighter, it had some tasty light sweetness along with decent drive, though looking at it very critically the depth isn’t really there and thus it didn’t really have the interest I look for, though it was perfectly decent to drink. 87/100

• 1966 Schloss Reinhartshausen Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Aromas of melon, earth, honey and some light spice. The palate is clean, with good acidity and a lick of sweetness remaining. The wine trails away a little bit too early on the finish and I didn’t find much complexity here. It may have been slightly better with less bottle age and some more fruit but it seemed to be holding up well overall. 88/100

Flight 4 – Auslese

• 1964 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Started off slightly muted but I found it lifted with air to show a highly perfumed nose – there are bright white floral aromas, slate, turkish delight, lime and pear. The palate is bright, with delicate purity and superb balance of acidity and sugar. A wine with excellent depth and length, this was in brilliant condition and a true pleasure to drink. 93/100

• 1971 Schloss Eltz Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Rheingau
  Marmalade, caramel, apples and a slightly wooden oxidative character on the nose. The palate doesn’t show the same level of age, there is still a caramel tinged edge to it, but it enhanced rather than detracted from the experience for me. I thought the finish was a bit abrupt at first, but with air the mid palate gained some weight and the intensity seemed to carry better into the finish. Great wine, but drink now based on this bottle. 90/100

Flight 5 – feine Auslese

• 1959 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling feine Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  A nose with impressive complexity, the initial aromas are in the smoke and tobacco spectrum, with time citrus comes to the fore through lime and tangerine notes as well as a soaring slate and mineral element. Beautifully balanced on the palate, with stunningly focussed purity and stellar acidity giving the wine a wondrous ethereal quality. Textured and with many layers of depth, this is a wine that challenges you to give it your full attention lest you miss some of its many subtle aspects. Seriously exceptional wine that showed no signs of tiring. 96/100

• 1966 August E. Anheuser Kreuznacher Rosengarten Riesling feine Auslese – Germany, Nahe
  Apricot, stewed apple and some mint aromas. Very good intensity and sweetness pairs with an excellent core of acidity that lifts and drives the palate. Doesn’t have the same class or complexity as the 59 Karthäuserhof feine Auslese it was paired with, but it was interesting in its own right. 90/100

Flight 6 – Eiswine Beerenauslese

• 1975 Winzergenossenschaft Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese – Germany, Nahe
  Creme caramel, honey, orange peel and a salty sea spray character. Excellent acidity frames the palate and gives it a sense of finesse even though there is some serious dense fruit and sweetness. The acidity also contributes to the imposing length, driving the sweetness across the palate and leaving you wanting more. 93/100

• 1979 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese – Germany, Rheingau
  An intense nose with roast peach, violets, brown sugar and apricot. Explosive on the palate, with the sweetness taking centre stage. The intensity and force of the flavour leaves an impression on your mouth, but I would value a little bit more restraint and balance in this case. Despite that, it is undoubtedly very good and it will probably live for quite some time given its current state. 91/100

Flight 7 – A return to the producer, vintage, vineyard of flight 1, at the TBA level

• 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Trockenbeerenaulese – Germany, Rheingau
  Excellent complexity on the nose with graphite, gun smoke, coconut, orange peel and ginger. The wine displays superior balance, there is a rush of intense richness and minerality carried across the palate by a incredible core of acidity, leading into a finish that just refuses to end. Wonderfully complex and rich, this is truly great wine. 94/100

• 2000 Bay of Fires Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged – Australia, Tasmania
  Wow. Stunning nose with great depth and power, there are aromas of toast, apple pie, lemon, pear, peach and some crème caramel notes. The palate is deliciously rich with enough acidity to keep it flowing across the palate. Fantastic stuff that I wouldn’t hesitate to put up against very good Champagne. 93/100

• 1997 Tyrrell’s Sémillon Vat 1 – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Colour looked fairly youthful. Reticent nose, there is some lemon and light toast. A little bit flat on the palate, lacking drive and either brightness or development. Not nearly as good as a bottle in June last year but much better than the badly corked bottle in March last year! 88/100

• 1995 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna – Australia
  Bold nose of spice, honey, hazelnut and toast. Rounded and showing lovely richness on the palate, it still had enough drive and acidity to carry the flavours into a long finish. Has aged really well and is great for drinking right now. 90/100

• 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Oats, lemon, oak and spices on the nose. Very appealing palate, it is finely balanced between some ripe fruit, bright acid line and great length. Has really started to come together and show some of its potential since I last tried it a couple of years ago and another couple of years should see it improve further. 92/100

• 2005 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard – Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  The nose was a little bit rubbery to begin with, but it quickly dissipated to show gunsmoke, vanilla, slate and some wax. The palate is decidedly rich but it has the acidity to handle it. For me it had the edge in texture over the 05 Leeuwin AS it was served next to, but it still needs a few more years to be at its best. 92/100

• 2002 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  First vintage of this wine under screwcap. Some floral notes with plum, cranberry and plenty of Hunter Valley style leather and earth. The fruit is definitely light-medium weighted but there is enough there that it isn’t an issue for me and it melded well with the more earthy elements. Very good for the vintage, this is a relatively short term drinking prospect and I think it was showing really well right at the moment. 91/100

• 1994 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Corked. At first I thought it was only light, but it got worse and more noticeable quickly. NR/100

• 1996 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with cherry, leather and light licorice aromas. The palate is wonderfully balanced and refined, there is great depth to the fruit and it has excellent structure. Superb and really starting to live up to its early promise. 93/100

• 1993 Penfolds Grange – Australia, South Australia
  86% Shiraz and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackcurrant, plum, vanilla and cinnamon aromas. Palate has good powerful fruit and very good length, but the depth of a top Grange isn’t quite there. Drinking well now and over the next 5 years. 91/100

• 1995 Mount Mary Quintet – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Raspberry, spice and violets on the nose. The palate is light bodied and reasonably well balanced, for me though it doesn’t really have enough interest, there isn’t great complexity or all that much depth. 88/100

• 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Not a sound bottle. “Capsicum disaster” was my description, but there was some peppery and graphite aromas in the background. The palate was even less appealing unfortunately. NR/100

• 1975 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  Deep red coloured, it looked about 5-10 years old, not even close to 38! Tobacco, blackberry, some violets and quite earthy aromas. Palate is medium weighted and is quite enjoyable without feeling especially resolved or deep. Should continue to drink well for quite some time still, but I can’t really see it lifting greatly from here. 90/100

• 1967 Lake’s Folly Cabernets – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
  The first commercial release from Lake’s Folly. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz according to the label. Very typical nose of the Hunter Valley – leather, spice, earth as well as some cherry and smoke. Probably not at its very best on the palate but it is doing more than just hanging on, there is some length to it and there is balance even though it started to fade slightly after time in the glass. Another piece of history and a real treat to try. 91/100

• 1996 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Moss Wood Vineyard – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Graphite, cedar, cassis and blackberry aromas. Has a bit more fruit power than the 96 Cullen served next to it, but it is well restrained and structured. Shows excellent length. I couldn’t split this and the Cullen the last time I tried them side by side (around 6 years ago), and I still can’t, both are excellent and with time on their side. 92/100

• 1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Tobacco, chocolate, blackberry and a light kirsch note. Medium bodied and really very well balanced, this is progressing very nicely since I last tried it about 6 years ago. It is still primary but it is coming together and integrating as hoped. Give it some more time and I think it should get even better. 92/100

• 1888 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  A heady and intoxicating mix on the nose of raisins, caramel, coconut, ginger, rancio and dark chocolate – each note is so powerful it is as though it could stand on its own. Incredible richness and concentration on the palate with a balancing level of acidity that seems beyond belief. Unstoppable length, even after swallowing the wine has coated the mouth and persists brilliantly. Awe inspiring stuff. Right up there with the 1880, but the barest touch behind the 1905. 98/100

• 1908 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  There is a hit of VA to begin with that subsides to show a nose with lots of spice – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper as well as cedar, milk chocolate and pencil shavings. The palate has a touch more freshness than the 1888, without perhaps having the same unfathomable depth, but it is exciting all the same, with brilliant length and power. There is a slight spirity note to the palate but it barely detracts from this treasure of Australian wine. 94/100

• NV Morris Tokay Old Premium Rare Liqueur – Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
  Only had a small taste of this, but it was very good and held its own against some incredible wines. Ginger, caramel and chocolate aromas. Very smooth and well balanced on the palate with depth as well. 92/100

• 2002 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Cherry, strong blackcurrant, tobacco and obvious but not overpowering oak influence. Palate has bold ripe fruit but there are savoury undercurrents that keep it interesting. The tannins are assertive but they do not dominate. I would give it another 5-6 years to give it time to develop before looking at it again. 91/100

• 1995 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards – Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  Lots of chocolate, blackberry and cherry on the nose, with some US oak and pepper. Still youthful on the palate, with powerful fruit, plenty of tannin and good length. I think it could use some more time, probably another 6-7 years to fully develop. 90/100

• 1997 Yeringberg – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  White pepper, earth, vanilla and graphite aromas. Very good focus and balance on the palate, this is drinking well now and should continue to do so over the short-medium term. 91/100

Just prior to the dinner, a member contacted the rest of us to indicate that he had a problem, a 1944 Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy that he had planned to open later this year had been very lightly leaking and that our assistance was required to drink it as soon as possible.

The wine in question was made by a legend of the Australian wine industry, Colin Preece, who is often mentioned alongside other wine industry luminaries from the early to mid 1900s such as Maurice O’Shea, Max Schubert and Roger Warren. Andrew Caillard MW says that “Preece developed the quintessential Australian Sparkling Burgundy style. He was a hugely influential figure during his time and regarded as one of the most skilful blenders of his generation”. So to try a Sparkling red made by the developer of this style of wine in Australia was an exciting prospect.

These wines are exceptionally rare, in fact I don’t think I’ve seen a Sparkling wine made by Colin Preece at auction in all the time I’ve been interested in wine. The label doesn’t say, but it is likely that the wine was mostly or totally made from Shiraz (despite the Burgundy designation).

There was obviously some concern over the (very minimal) leaking, but the level was still extremely good for a wine of this age. We gathered at the restaurant early to open the bottle as a warm up for the “main” event. The cork broke during opening, but on pouring the wine there was an exciting moment as we saw that there were still very light bubbles and that it was a promising colour with a dark red core fading slightly to an earthy ruby red at the edges.

The nose has layers of complexity with cherry, chocolate, leather, licorice and the red fruit tinged molasses that seems to be a common trait with many of these very old Australian red wines. The palate still carried a tingling frizzante sensation which gave the wine a lift to go with the strongly savoury and earthy flavours.

I left some for as long as I could as the dinner progressed, coming back to it occasionally to find that it was still alive. After a couple of hours it finally started to fade away and I finished the very small amount that I had been able to resist.

This bottle of wine even at 69 years of age lived up to, and even exceeded my expectations and I’m very glad to have had the privilege to try it! I guess it shows why these wines are considered legendary when some lucky bottles continue to show their magic.

The food and service were both excellent and the value for money at lunch was fairly good at 130 SGD / 100 AUD (plus tax). The wine list was mostly very expensive even compared to Australian prices, so the total cost could very easily blow out with a decent bottle or two.

My favourite courses were the “Imperial Tsar Salmon lightly smoked, tomato and peach salad, basil flower sorbet” which was beautifully plated and had delicate flavours with lots of texture and the basil flower sorbet providing a refreshing element and the “Wild mushroom polenta bianca, 36 hour slow roast short rib beef, potato and onion praune” which didn’t really have a twist, it was just delicious. The dessert course sounded good on paper, but didn’t really come together for me and I thought it was the weakest of the dishes and probably the only misstep.

This was a very strong lunch overall and I left impressed. The dinner menu is supposed to be more ambitious and I would like to try it, but at around 3 times the cost of lunch there are a number of other places I would like to visit first.

The Wine

For the wine, we had a bottle of the David Leclapart Champagne Cuvée l’Amateur NV which had very interesting aromas – lemon, orange peel, flint, green apple and a basil type note to it. The palate was pure, long and poised, with a slender shard of richness prevalent. Great length to it. I really enjoyed this wine and scored it 91/100.

Food Photos

“Snacking” Amuse Bouche

Imperial Tsar Salmon lightly smoked, tomato and peach salad, basil flower sorbet

Kaffir Lime Consomme, Baby Leek Ravioli, Carpaccio of Seafood

Perigord Black Truffle, Hot Foie Gras Jelly, Fleur de Sel

Wild mushroom polenta bianca, roast chicken, potato and onion praune

Wild mushroom polenta bianca, 36 hour slow roast short rib beef, potato and onion praune

Royal chocolate palet “nyangbo”, “beurre noisette” burnt butter ice cream, caramel caocao sponge and textures

SASHIMI of hiramasa kingfish, sesame custard, edamame puree, chardonnay and shallot dressing

ORGANIC FARM EGG potato cream, iberico jamón, herb salad

POTATO GNOCCHI handmade, spinach cream, local mushrooms, parmesan, roasted salsify

OXTAIL soy caramelised, celeriac cream, sichuan peppered enoki, chive and crispy taro salad, mushroom soil

RUMPCAP grain fed wagyu MBS 9+, buttered désirée puree, marrow and shallot sauce

CHOCOLATE warm couverture ganache, dulce de leche ice cream, peanut butter mousse

• 1998 Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Liesse d’Harbonville – France, Champagne
  Powerful nose – biscuit and coconut, earth, honey and floral notes. The richness on the palate is extremely impressive and it has superb length. Even better than a great bottle a month or so ago. 93/100

• 2005 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
  Tightly wound and closed nose, with some pine needle, musk, lemon and talc aromas. The palate is well balanced, with rich fruit and some driven acidity. Give it some time to come together and I think it would be more impressive, though a bottle in May earlier this year was showing as more open and approachable. 91/100

• 2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
  Pear, peach and slightly honeyed aromas with some nutty oak aromas. The fruit seems to have softened since my last bottle 3 years ago, though it is still quite restrained with good acid cutting through. Another couple of years should serve it well as long as the bottle is sound. 91/100

• 1999 Domaine de la Vougeraie Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
  Earthy nose as well as black cherries, dark florals, lightly peppery and still showing some oak. Lovely texture on the taut and very well structured palate. Really good stuff, but probably needs another 5-10 years to hit its peak. 92/100

• 2000 Domaine de la Vougeraie Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
  Earth and truffle aromas as well as some iron and black cherry – there is a smidge of brett as well, but for me it wasn’t dominant or off-putting. Good length to the palate and still has some grip to. Drinking well now and over the next 5 years. 90/100

• 2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
  A complex nose of cherry, rhubarb, truffle and black tea leaves. The palate is stunningly silken and pure with wonderful length. Improved greatly in the glass, this is a beautiful wine drinking well now but will certainly continue to improve as well. 93/100

• 2006 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
  Stunningly perfumed – extremely lifted floral notes with complex spices, cherry and earth. Beautifully pristine and extremely bright fruit on the palate with richness, structure and depth. A core of minerality carries the fruit into a amazingly long finish. 95/100

• 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
  This wine almost left me speechless. The aromas are exhilarating, captivating and unbelievably complex – shifting continually with every inhale – exotic spices, graphite, violets, smoke, tobacco and game. The palate has force through powerful fruit and tannin but there is superb precision and depth to the fruit as well. An incredible wine, maybe the best young red Burgundy I’ve ever tasted. 97/100

• 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  Strong kirsch along with earth, pepper and vanilla aromas. The palate is very good indeed, complex and with a lifted freshness through a line of great acidity. Very long and with excellent balance, this will drink well over the next 10-15 years. 93/100

• 1990 Chris Ringland Shiraz Three Rivers – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Range
  Powerful nose of five spice, tar, tobacco, cedar and pencil shavings. Brilliant power on the palate but it doesn’t seem at all over the top, there is balance and brightness to it despite its richness. There are savoury notes that also help balance the very youthful fruit and it finishes with incredible length. Extremely impressive and unbelievably young at 22 years old, this is a monumental wine. 96/100

• 2001 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Sélection de Grains Nobles – France, Alsace, Alsace AOC
  Orange gold coloured. A rich nose of pineapple, honey, floral notes and peaches and really shows that unique identity of sweet Alsace Pinot Gris. Fleshy and sweet on the palate but with real brightness and acid balance. Some complexity to it, but it disappeared quickly due to being delicious. 94/100

• 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico – Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella Classico
  Compelling and unbelievably rich nose of kirsch, raisin, tobacco, dark chocolate, blackcurrant and tar. The palate is just incredible in its balance between sweetness, deeply rich fruit and acidity. Intense and mouth-filling but somehow superbly drinkable at the same time. This wine was right at the very top level, what an experience! 97/100

I was fortunate a few weekends ago to finally try a wine from the revered Australian winemaker, Maurice O’Shea.

O’Shea is regarded as a master and pioneer of the winemaking craft in Australia and his best wines still have the potential to be great, despite the basic conditions under which they were made.

The wines range from the 1920s to the mid 1950s when O’Shea passed away and are incredibly rare, many were made from a single barrel (resulting in around 200 cases production) and obviously as time goes on the number of bottles available diminishes either due to cork failure and oxidization or their consumption. Even fewer become available to purchase as well, since those lucky enough to have any bottles hold them very closely.

Earlier this year a bottle of the 1952 “Stephen Hermitage” came up at auction. The level was quite low, around mid-shoulder, so there was some risk involved. Some members of a wine group I’m involved with were interested and we split the cost to minimise our exposure. We ended up getting the bottle for a very reasonable price.

There is very little information that I’ve found available about the wine, but it is from the Hunter Valley region and probably made from mostly Shiraz grapes. 1952 was regarded as a good vintage in between 2 lacklustre years in 1951 and 1953.

We opened the wine just before serving and the cork was soaked through and in poor shape. The colour was great for a 60 year old wine, maroon in the middle and fading away toward the edges. The nose was very much in the style of great Hunter Valley Shiraz – leather and earth with tobacco, cherry and some of that brown sugar character that these old wines can take on. The palate is alive with sweet old red fruit that carried across the length of the wine and some integrated acidity to give it drive. The flavours held and didn’t fade away in the hour that we spent with it. The condition was all we could have hoped for – it isn’t the very greatest old wine I’ve had, but it was still a great old wine – true to its place and maker and an experience to remember.

As for the other wines, they were a mixed bag, in fact our strike rate with old wine was well down on normal – but overall it was a truly memorable lunch.

• NV Demarne-Frison Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature Lalore – France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
  From 2009 fruit, disgorged October 2011. This was served slightly warm but was still appealing with biscuity aromas, floral notes and some oyster shell character. The palate has nicely clean acid and good persistence. Should improve with a couple of years in bottle. 90/100

• NV Demarne-Frison Champagne Goustan Brut Nature – France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
  From 2009 fruit, disgorged October 2011. There was some citrus and more earthy character on the nose. Tasted next to the same release of the Blanc de Blancs, this had more driven power and body, but also crackling acidity. Consistent with a previous bottle. 91/100

• 2009 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Cuvée Fidèle Extra Brut – France, Champagne
  Just had a small pour of this but it still left a good impression. Intense cherry, pear and floral notes on the nose. The palate has a flavour profile that is bursting with richness and intensity. Very good length. 91/100

• 1988 Pipers Brook Vineyard Riesling – Australia, Tasmania
  Still golden coloured. The nose has plenty of attraction with honey, lots of toast and some kerosene (which I happen to enjoy). The palate has some decent honeyed fruit left, though it finishes a little bit short. This was holding up well for a 24 year old Tasmanian Riesling! 88/100

• 1998 Tyrrell’s Sémillon Vat 1 – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Much more developed than a great bottle earlier this year, with buttered popcorn, wax and lime. The palate has good length and retains some of the acid line I remember on the previous bottle, but this one was ready to drink now and unlikely to improve. 90/100

• 1973 Ferdinand Pieroth Guldentaler Schloßkapelle Auslese – Germany, Rheinhessen
  No grape type listed on the label, so a slight mystery. The nose has aromas of grapefruit, ginger and honey. The palate has an interesting texture and I liked it but it fades away just too early. 87/100

• 2008 Benoit Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
  My favourite of the three white burgundy on the day. Slate, lemon and orange zest on the nose. The palate is restrained and driven by beautiful minerality, with a backbone of fine acidity. 90/100

• 2009 Michel Tessier Meursault 1er Cru Poruzots Dessus – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
  Lots of banana/ester character on the nose with some light florals coming through with effort. The palate has a nice splash of richness and good structure but the nose is tough to get past right now. 88/100

• 2007 Jean-Philippe Fichet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Smothered in oak, there are some pine needles and melon as well. The palate is of a similar ilk, though some fruit is peeking out in the background. I found it a difficult wine to enjoy now, maybe some time will help but I’m not sure. 86/100

• 2009 Sadie Family Palladius – South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland, Malmesbury
  Nutty, lemon, pear and smoky aromas. Complex and rich on the palate, there is great structure and acidity. Some at the table found that the alcohol was a bit too prominent but for me it didn’t distract. 91/100

• 1976 Jean Sanders Echezeaux – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
  From a Bordeaux (Barsac) negociant house. Swampy, hoisin and wet soil aromas, I thought it might blow off but it got worse and then quickly fell over. I was brave enough to taste it and it was short and had no depth. NR/100

• 1963 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Hermitage – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Cedar, raspberry and some caramel notes on the nose. Palate still has some tannin and grip, it is decent to drink and has some elements of interest but it is fading away and past its best. 87/100

• 1968 Penfolds HV/SA Bin 333 – Australia, South Australia
  The aromas are promising with mint, earth and coconut. The palate however is flat and much too short. Well past its peak. 82/100

• 1968 Hardys Shiraz Reserve Bin C715 Burgundy – Australia, South Australia
  Cherry, ground coffee and some nail polish remover (though some found it more prominent than others). The palate had some decent red fruit initially, but this dropped away quickly after pouring leaving it flat. Another wine without enough life. 83/100

• 1952 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Liquorice and cherry, with leather and some bacon aromas. Palate still has some bright fruit and both tannin and acid are present and are well balanced. Really nice drinking, though I didn’t find it incredibly complex. 90/100

• 1977 Lake’s Folly Cabernet Sauvignon – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Totally gone. NR/100

• 1986 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Almost seemed more Cabernet in style with capsicum, raspberry and mint aromas. The palate has beautiful soft red fruits and great balance. Fully mature and delicious. 91/100

• 2000 Gaja Barbaresco – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Poured without a decant and even though it has appeal straight away, it really started to soar with time in the glass. Cherry and graphite, pencil shavings and cherry, with floral notes entwined. Structurally excellent, with super length. In 7-8 years it should be on another level. 93/100

• 2009 Motörhead Shiraz – Australia, South Eastern
  Cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry on the nose. Lively red fruit on the palate with some good power to it. Better than expected and a pleasant dose of fruit after a run of wines that were past their best. 88/100

• 2008 Sadie Family Columella – South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland
  Tobacco, raspberry, cherry and blackberry. Bright and vibrant fruit on the palate with great persistence and coiled power. Lovely wine that is drinking well already but another 10 years should serve it well. 91/100

• 1985 Niederthäler Hof Munsterer Liebeholl Bacchus Beerenauslese – Germany, Nahe
  Tropical fruits – pineapple and quince with nutty and vanilla elements. Palate is round but not as rich as expected. Fairly low in acidity but tasty. 89/100

• 1969 Seppelt Ondenc GW 88 Sauternes – Australia, New South Wales
  Lime and ginger with honey and sugar. The palate is holding up well, there is a touch of sweetness and some cleansing acidity. It could be said that it is not overly long but it’s in much better shape than I thought it would be. 88/100

• NV Scanavino Moscato d’Asti – Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d’Asti
  From 2012 fruit, a quick palate cleanser. Grape, musk and floral notes. There is a fair amount of sweetness but good countering acidity. I should buy some for summer drinking. 89/100

Recently he has attracted further attention as the winemaker for the “Thousand Candles” project (label pictured above). The first release of this wine is primarily Shiraz, with a splash of Pinot Noir and a pinch of barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc! The wine has received some glowing reviews and generated a great deal of discussion over its $100 price point, a tough ask for the first vintage of a potentially challenging wine.

The dinner was a great opportunity to try the initial releases of the Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, the first vintage from the Mornington Peninsula (2006) as well as the aforementioned Thousand Candles.

Being a small dinner, there was plenty of opportunity to speak to William throughout the night and I found him to be humble but also passionate about what he is doing. He spoke fondly about the time he spent in Burgundy during the 2003-2005 vintages and I think the wines we tasted are a good reflection of his desire to represent the sites where they are grown.

• NV Laherte Frères Champagne Les Clos – France, Champagne
  Served on arrival. Green apple and pear with some slight florals as it warms up. With piercing acid, it is very clean but there is not much more to the palate. 87/100

• 2003 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  150 cases produced. Nicely complex aromatics of dark cherries, autumn leaves and a little splash of spice. There is some mint after time in the glass. Still lively on the palate with good complexity, it is right in the zone for drinking from now to 2014. 89/100

• 2004 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Aromas of red cherries, earth and a touch of stemmy character. The medium bodied palate is impressive, with excellent acid and texture, finishing with persistence. Has really opened up since I tried it a couple of years ago. Drink now – 2016. 90/100

• 2005 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Dark floral aromas in the violet spectrum with smoky meaty elements and light oak. Very bright and lifted palate, it is deliciously appealing and has very good length. Drink 2014-2019. 91/100

• 2006 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Rosewater, red cherry and raspberry aromas. Red fruit drives the palate, there is good depth, maybe just needing a touch more acidity to be really great. Should drink well over the next 5-6 years. 90/100

• 2006 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
  This was tasted next to the 2006 Yarra Valley and they underwent the same vinification process – there is a clear regional difference evident. Aromas of mocha, dark floral notes, cinnamon and earth, Rich and deep on the palate, with great length and texture. Really very good. Drink over the next 6-8 years. 92/100

• 2007 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Stalks, violets and earth with some raspberry and smoke. There is generosity of bright red fruit flavour on the palate without being too forceful. Good length and good potential. 91/100

• 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Interesting nose of vanilla, iron and graphite. Palate has nice texture and good length. The balance is there as well and it has potential to improve over the medium term. 90/100

• 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
  Cloudy coloured. Appealing nose with soft florals and strawberry marshmallows. The palate has acid prominent right now but there is some fruit depth as well. Needs a couple of years to settle down in bottle. 88/100

• 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Gippsland
  Cloudy coloured. Perfumed raspberry, some chocolate and cherry with earth in the background. Balanced and restrained on the palate, it has the acid and structure to age reasonably well over 4-5 years. 90/100

• 2011 Thousand Candles – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  A combination of 92% Shiraz, 6% Pinot Noir and 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Controversial and interesting nose of pepper, sap, cherry, raspberry, vanilla and grass. The palate is less in dispute, it is clearly very good – balanced with silky restrained fruit, spice and savoury earth. Textured and long. It took me a while to come around to this wine, but in the end I found myself liking it more each time I thought about it. 91/100

• 2009 William Downie Petit Manseng – Australia, Victoria, North East, King Valley
  Mango, peach, apple and strawberry. Palate is medium sweetness (around 50 grams per litre residual sugar) with good acid and decent length. It isn’t overly deep but it is appealingly tasty. 89/100

A few very short notes from me follow;

• 2009 Schloss Vaux Rheingau Riesling Brut – Germany, Rheingau
  Floral, stonefruit and mineral nose. Palate has a burst of acidity and is quite fresh, but there is a lack of depth and interest. 85/100

• 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Hattenheimer Nußbrunnen Riesling Kabinett trocken – Germany, Rheingau
  Light floral notes, with some spice and citrus. Very light richness on the palate. Simple but quite tasty. 88/100

• 1998 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Goldkapsel – Germany, Rheingau
  Grapefruit and marmalade with some orange peel. Drops away too quickly on the palate for my liking, there is a touch of sweetness but not much else. This has aged but not really developed any complexity. 85/100

• 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Lime, smoke and honeysuckle aromas. Intense sweetness on the palate, I find that there isn’t enough acidity or brightness to cover for it and it ends feeling unbalanced. 83/100

• 1976 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Kumquat, apple, straw and light smoke. Good acidity brightens the palate. Good length and there is some depth evident. Drink now. 89/100

• 1964 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Amazing light straw gold colour. Enticing aromas of florals, lemon, talc and some spices. The nose was consistent over an hour or more, not dropping away but not unfurling further either. Palate is a highlight with excellent balance and imposing length – subtle initially it just builds superbly across the mid-palate and holds on for quite some time. 92/100

• 1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  Caramel, vanilla and lemon with a little bit of nutty oxidative character (but not as much as I expected). Texturally it was very interesting, though the acid was a touch prickly on the finish. 88/100

• 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Rheingau
  Lots of sulphur here, there is some white flowers and honey after time. Rich and youthful on the palate, it has just enough acid to carry the sweetness. 89/100

• 1976 Georg Müller Stiftung Hattenheimer Deutelsberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Rheingau
  Some aromas in the eucalypt/mint spectrum as well as marmalade and melting sugar. Great balance and depth, the components woven together with purpose. Drinking well now but will hold for quite some time. 91/100

• 1959 August Eser Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
  Honey, grapefruit and coconut aromas. Beautifully balanced on the palate, light richness and a good core of acidity persisting. Great length and a real pleasure to drink. 92/100

• 1994 Martinez Bujanda Rioja Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  Graphite, leather, strawberry, aniseed and some kirsch. Some balanced savoury intensity on the palate with good length. Mostly resolved and ready to drink, I preferred this to the 95 Finca Valpiedra Reserva served by its side. 90/100

• 1995 Martinez Bujanda Rioja Finca Valpiedra Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  Interesting aromas of stewed plum, charcoal, orange rind and some brett influence. Tannins still standing out on the palate, there is some red fruited character in behind but not much depth. Maybe another 3-4 years would help this wine round out its edges a little bit. 88/100

• 1975 Bodegas Valdemar (Martinez Bujanda) Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  Was served two bottles of this, the second blind. The first showed spice, cedar and caramelised fruit. The palate was holding up okay, with some grip from tannins but fades away on the finish. 87/100

• 1983 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  Complex and compelling aromas of autumn leaves, cherry, smoky leather, tobacco and spices. Beautifully balanced palate, there is sweet old fruit with earthy savoury notes. Detailed, textured and very long. Fantastic. 93/100

• 1976 Niederthäler Hof Bochinger Bischofskreuz Riesling Beerenauslese – Germany, Pfalz
  Apple, ginger, candied apricot and sultana aromas. Acidity still in tact provides good drive through the medium sweetness on the palate. Good length with some depth to it as well. 90/100

• 1975 Bodegas Valdemar (Martinez Bujanda) Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
  The second bottle was fresher with the same spice and cedar, but also some earth and cherry. The red fruit is more evident on the palate as well but there still isn’t great complexity. 88/100