Friday night was a short trip down to the Turkish Fig and Olive Restaurant with a friend for a sampler from Larry Cherubino - the Ad Hoc Wallflower Mt Barker Riesling 2010 .... top class juice, brilliant florals and lime on the nose followed by a zippy but incredibly intense power-packed palate holding enormous reserves of tightly coiled fruit, perfectly integrated, indelible mineral-tinged acidity and amazing length. 93 points with a drinking window until at least 2025. 11.5% A/V, screwcap closure. Not expensive either.
With our marinated lamb chops (served with a sensational caramalised beetroot jus!), we opened my last bottle of Hollick 1984 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (12% A/V, small cork but with only 2mm of even staining from the base). The last bottle I tried was a trifle tired and possibly the only slightly under par example from well over a dozen I've purchased over a twenty year period. The colour is still a healthy brick red with some ruby at the core. After some bottle stink blew off, a classic mature Coonawarra Cabernet emerged - seamlessly integrated aromas and flavours of nettle and Provencal herbs over deepset blackcurrant supported by glimpses of "sweet" earth, sous bois, old lounge leather, cigar box and, remarkably, still some residual tomato leaf. The palate just got better and better as the wine sat in the glass - smooth, harmonious with beautifully melded acidity and soft, gentle tannins on a long, distinguished finish. Just lov-er-ly! 94 points. A terrific night of fine wine and food (which was ridiculously inexpensive - $22.50 a head for umpteen courses of very well cooked Turkish fare ... although shame about the ambience - noisy).