- 2017 Chapel Hill Grenache Bush Vine - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (2022-12-18)
I really enjoyed this wine. In the nose and medium bodied palate, there was a mix of red fruits, licorice and a potpourri of spices. Nice purity to the fruit here, not a heavy or overworked grenache at all; only slight tannins left. No rush, but nice now. (A-) - 2014 Jean Bourdy Chardonnay Côtes du Jura - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (2022-12-12)
This wine is getting in the zone now. A nice mix of citrus and stonefruit on the nose and medium bodied palate. Just a kiss of oak and no oxidation at all. Nice intensity and balance. No rush: lovely wine. (A-) - 2015 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2022-12-12)
I had this last week, so just remember a great balance of stone fruit and acid as usual on this wine. Definitely halbtrocken in style, with ripe fruit and good acidity here. A little closed at first, and will last years. (A-) - 2014 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling Pewsey Vale - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (2022-12-11)
Hazy notes from last night. Eight years have given more weight and depth to this dry riesling. Citrus and stonefruit on the medium bodied palate, with more roundness and non-citrus fruits than in younger versions of this wine, with gives it greater complexity and palate presence. Very nice now, but no rush. (A-) - 2015 Kellerei Nals-Margreid Pinot Bianco Alto Adige - Südtirol Sirmian - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (2022-12-11)
Hazy notes from last night. This is one of those wines where you say, damn, I wish I had abought a case of this! I tend to think Pinot blanc isn't the most prestigious of grape varieties, but this is one exception to that rule. Drinking really well now, it was the intensity and breadth of the wine - the fruit was mainly in the stonefruit and melon spectrum - on the medium bodied palate that made a strong impression. Rich and round, but balanced with good acidity too. Wish I had more. (A-/A) - 2012 Majella Sparkling Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2022-12-09)
The colour and nose were a little lighter than usual for the Majella sparkling shiraz. The palate was medium bodied, quite elegant, with plum and cherry notes. It finished dry. Not as rich or deep than the 2006 I finished off last year, a different style, but quite nice. (B+) - 2014 KWV The Mentors Canvas - South Africa, Coastal Region (2022-11-30)
My previous note still seems relevant. An unusual red blend, it has a mix of red, black and blue fruits with some leather and tar; medium bodied, ripe but not overly so, smooth texture and the tannins have subsided a bit. A modern version drinking well now, but there's no rush. (B+) - 2018 Muddy Water Chardonnay - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara (2022-11-28)
Hazy notes from a couple of days ago. An elegant, medium bodied Chardonnay that exuded class. A slightly mealy, cashew nut note together with a range of both citrus and tropical fruit. Nothing out of place here. (A-) - 2000 Quinta Vale D. Maria Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (2022-11-14)
Drank this over a few nights. On the sweet side, but it had good concentration, violets, plums, tar and a medium bodied palate with a smooth texture. Not hot at all, and few tannins left. Rather simple, but certainly tasty as well. Maybe at peak now? But it will last years, I don't think there's any danger of it falling off a cliff soon. (B+) - 1998 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2022-11-12)
I was expecting to see signs of age in the colour, nose and palate: no to all three. Still dark in colour with little bricking, with blackfruits and hints of tar, caramel and mint on the nose. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with earthy blackfruits, chocolate, graphite, a tiny bit of tomato leaf and good tannins. Nice fruit/acid/tannin balance here. Maybe some secondary notes are coming into play, but it's still quite youthful. Very nice now but will last another 10 years at least I imagine. Not too complex, but quite tasty. (A-) - 2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (2022-11-10)
Took this to a BYO and it was enjoyed by all. Rich, smooth style as Napa usually is. But it showed character, some structure and a tasty blend of black fruits, cedar and tar. (A-) - 2012 Turkey Flat Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (2022-11-08)
Still fairly dark in colour. The nose leans on the savory side, a good sign to me. There are redfruits (cherry, plum) but also earthy notes and olives. Similar flavours and impression on the medium bodied palate. Not a fruit bomb at all, no heat, nicely balanced, good savory notes, rather elegant for a Barossa shiraz. Impressive bottle drinking well now but there is no rush. (A-) - 2004 Château La Grave a Pomerol Trigant de Boisset - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (2022-11-06)
Second night open. Very similar to my previous note. Medium ruby in colour, not much sign of aging. A mix of mainly redfruits on the nose, with some chocolate and cedar. Medium bodied palate, with similar flavours and some tar and earth as well as some blackberries and tannins too. This is drinking nicely now, but will last. Not earthshattering, but a nice midweek Bordeaux that offered good QPR. (B+/A-) - 2008 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2022-11-04)
Similar to the last bottle tried: still fairly dark in colour, with lots of blackfruits, mint and a herbal note on the nose. Very similar on the medium bodied palate, with still quite significant tannins. Perhaps the fruit is losing the battle with the tannins now. I would drink up fairly soon. Best with food - a nice steak - I think. (B+/A-) - 2019 Charles Baker Riesling Ivan Vineyard - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench VQA (2022-10-06)
The new vintage of this wine from one of the top riesling specialists (an offshoot of Stratus) in Niagara. Light in colour with a green tinge. Mainly sulphur on the nose now. Nice intensity on this medium bodied riesling, quite dry, with nice acid and mainly citrus fruit and pineapple and some pear and crisp apple; there is a healthy minerality too. It a bit surprising (in a good way) 10.2 alcohol on such a dry wine. This is a good vintage of this wine, I really enjoyed it. A fine example of Niagara riesling. Great now, but no doubt will age well. (A-) - NV Callejuela Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda Origen Callejuela - Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda (2022-09-26)
I enjoyed this Manzanillo over the last week. No rough edges, good depth and a long finish. Lots of nutty notes, fresh salty notes and great as an aperitif. (A-) - 2015 Delas Frères Crozes-Hermitage Domaine des Grands Chemins - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (2022-09-20)
This wasn't as impressive as the first bottle. Dark in colour, with deep red fruits and only a hint of game. Similar on the medium-full bodied palate, with solid tannins and a prick of acid. Needs time I assume. (B+/A-) - 1997 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (2022-09-18)
Hazy notes from a couple days ago. Light gold/yellow in colour. The nose and palate was a little one note, but what a note it was! The palate was medium bodied but incredibly intense lemon preserve, the deepest, most flavourful lemon flavour I've ever tasted in a wine. Quite dry, but there is a slightly creamy texture due to the depth of the lemon fruit; there is a nice length of finish too. Very unique and impressive. (A-) - 2007 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le "L" d'Or - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (2022-09-18)
Muscadet is usually seen as being best young, and few age these wines. I find they really become richer and gain some deeper fruit with age. Light gold in colour, rich but with citrus, mineral and nutty notes. Great balance and intensity still. Some said it has some oxidative notes, but I didn't get that. I love these aged Muscadets! No rush on these, but ready now. (A-) - 2004 Domaine Tempier Bandol La Tourtine - France, Provence, Bandol (2022-09-18)
Mourvedre doesn't really get a lot of love, especially as a single varietal (though this wine is only 85% mourvedre, with grenache and cinsault I think). Dark in colour, but didn't have the meaty notes I was hoping for. But it had lot of deep, rich red fruits and slight tannins. Still on the young side, although I had given it about 3 hours of air. (A-)