Maximin Grunhauser M-S-R Abtsberg Riesling Special Fuder 219 1998 - a very deep gold colour, somewhat overdeveloped compared to the otherworldly 1994 version of this remarkably finely-detailed and visually stunning label. What the colour suggests is reflected in the bouquet with citrus peel, ripe yellow peach, yellow nectarine and concentrated lime aromas with touches of honey and slate as top notes. In the mouth things continue to beat of the same drum with a honeyed, fat texture, masses of extract (aka to what’s found in the nose) but cleaned up nicely by some essential slate-driven acidity. Long, satisfying finish. About the top end of excellent. 8.5% A/V. For the near term. 90
Krug N/V - obviously been in the bottle for a while with the colour somewhat developed but the wine was pretty much up to speed with developed autolysis characters on both nose and palate providing full body, a creamy mouthfeel and whoppingly long, explosive finish. Must admit to not being enamored to Krug’s oxidative house style these days. 91
Toolangi Reserve Chardonnay 2007 - made for Toolangi by Rick Kinsbrunner at Giaconda. Youthful starbright straw gold colour. Worked funky barrel characters on the nose followed by a powerfully oaked palate in full throttle mould with slightly underdone peach, melon and fig fruit underneath. Big, almost astringent, alcoholic finish with lashings of very fine spicy French oak dominating. I’m not sure if this going to get any better. Just might be a case of a little too much of everything but made very much in the “new wave” style. 88
Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 - my last bottle. In terrific condition and drinking superbly. Quintessential Coonawarra with an array of complex aromas and flavours. A case of the whole being substantially greater than sum of the parts. Leafiness, wet earth, cigar box, herbs, capsicum, weedy blackcurrant, hints of creosote, road tar, old leather, iodine, even a bit sweaty saddle!!! … quite thrilling in the mouth with great moutfeel, plenty of fruit and wonderful integrated savoury oak backing, a terrific line followed by a smooth but resolute finish wrapped in a shroud of cleansing acidity and soft, cuddly tannin. Outstanding bordering on exceptional. 94
Zind-Humbrecht Clos Jesbal Pinot Gris Selection de Grains Nobles 2001 - burnished gold colour, surprisingly low in alcohol but unctiously sweet with decadent extraction levels redolent of apricot, caramel, peaches, almond meal, honey and sweet baking spices. Beguiling minerailty in a distinguished mouthfilling departure of great length. Almost comparable to a fully blown, high calibre Sauternes just without the oak. This paired very well with a sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Although the colour is a bit of a worry, I expect this wine will hold until the end of the decade. 94
Buller’s Vintage Port 1972 - another wonderful Rutherglen example full of sweet earth, licorice but not in the class of the Stanton & Killeen or All Saints from the same (most excellent) vintage. Looks old in the glass but smells and tastes a lot fresher. 91
Seppelt Drumborg Riesling 2003 - remarkably underdeveloped bright straw colour. Pure and invigorating pithy grapefruit dominates the superior bouquet and palate with hints of lime and apple in support. Marvellous linear attack in the mouth with bracing mineral acidity providing the perfect foil to a brilliantly poised but focussed Australian classic riesling. Drinking incredibly well now but somehow I detect this will only get better in the medium term. Fantastic cellaring prospect. Exceptional. 95
E & E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz 2004 - a wonderfully opulent sweetly fruited (as against “sweet”) sparkling red chockablock of Baroossa “goodness” at this stage, swallowing up plenty of savoury/vanilla oak . If you like the style this is one of the best releases of all time and compares favourably with the better examples of Seppelt Great Western or Leasingham Classic Clare I’ve tried in the past. 93
Pepper Tree Coonawarra Reserve Cabernet 1998 - a recent bottle opened was lighter and significantly more developed than the bottle I opened in Sydney last night. A gorgeously seductive, still fresh Coonawarra classic here with some considerable development to come. 93
All Saints Rutherglen Vintage Port 1972 - opened at great friends’, Bill and Marg Beasley’s daughter’s 40th birthday party last night. Jaw-dropping, sensationally fresh with plum, chocolate but mostly licorice fruit abounding and buttressed by awesome structure and mouth-cleansing, but remarkably balanced, astringency. Long as the night. Up there with best of them. An absolute joy to behold, sniff and drink. 95
