Blind tasting notes on Southern Hemisphere wines
2012 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Wild Yeast – very nice lime and herbal nose and on palate the lime came through with some nicely balanced fruit. Classy wine.
2001 Leeuwin Artist’s Series Chardonnay – dead
2012 Clos des Fous Pinot Noir Arenaria Pucalán – an expensive Chilean PN with a peppery spicy nose and focussed cherry on palate. Very good.
1993 Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Don Maximiano Estate – medium colour with a lightly minted cedary nose, well balanced and with good length. Aging slowly.
1998 Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – good deep colour, the nose a not too sweet mix of mint and currant/tobacco. On palate it was well balanced and medium long. Almost reserved for this vintage.
2001 Vergelegen Estate – still dark with a ripe minty nose, mellow and mature.
2003 Norman Vineyards Old Vines Grenache – dark ripe cherry nose, simple and underwhelming on palate- from Paso Robles.
2006 Mitolo Savitar – this McLaren Vale Shiraz had a big syrah nose like a warm fruit salad. Aside from being a bit of a fruit bomb it was pretty decent – not too hot and decently complex, although not really into prime time yet.
1999 Rosemount GSM – decent nose, not too sweet or hot, but the wine lacked balance, being a bit flabby and low in acidity. Drink up.
1998 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey – earthy dark fruit in the nose and an oatmeal impression, hot and sweet. Sweet in mouth and reasonably balanced. Not my style but other seemed to enjoy it.
Penfolds’ Grandfather Rare Tawny – orange colour, sweet vanilla caramel in the nose and over the top sweet on palate. Bit over the top.