2004 Tamar Ridge Gewurztraminer (Tasmania)
Under screwcap, and without any signs of reduction or any other closure-associated flaws. The problem here isn't the closure though - it's the 14.5% alcohol. Typical Gewurz aromatics with musky floral notes over lychee and other tropical fruit flavours, but it's impossible to drink with the alcoholic heat dominating everything else in the mouth. Yuck. Rather sad to see what shape this is in now, as I had really liked this wine when I had it in Sydney and at the winery a couple of years ago, but age hasn't done it any favours.
2002 Jamieson's Run Winemaker's Reserve Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec (Coonawarra)
Like liquid eucalyptus. This is a 100 point wine if you're a koala. If not, off to the dump bucket.
2008 Sebastien Riffault Sancerre Akméniné
Really unusual stuff, well outside my frame of reference for Sauvignon Blanc. This is a sans soufre bottling, deep yellow in colour and quite cloudy with some yeast still visible in the bottle, and the aromatics are very un-Sauvignon-like - there are some bright grapefruit and faint tropical fruited flavours, but what stands out is the slightly oxidative flavour profile with elements of roasted nuts, beeswax and a yeasty overlay not unlike a fino sherry. Surprisingly fresh and precise in the mouth with bright acidity beneath the ripe fruit and a saline minerality on the back end. Really unusual, but very enjoyable and fascinating to explore with air.
2008 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge
Tight and unyielding at first, but this becomes much more friendly with some time in a decanter, showing a core of deep plummy fruit and cassis flavours accented with fresh herbal notes and touches of dark chocolate and earth. There's no shortage of structure here with plenty of acidity keeping it very precise and firm, grippy tannins on the back end - although with time the tannins start to become a little overwhelming and make this feel a bit austere and hard.
2007 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Cuvée Domaine
Incredibly fragrant with fantastic aromatics of fresh red fruits, gravel, herbs and some leathery funk leading into a very elegant, polished palate with that typical Baudry elegance and lightness. This has all the refreshment value of a really good rosé or Riesling Kabinett, and it's ridiculous value for money.