Thursday 26 June 2008

BINDI Pinot Noir 1996

This is the second bottle of this wine that we have consumed this year. We bought a dozen in 2000. Initially they were atypical for pinot, exhibiting spice and pepper characters more reminicient of Southern Victorian shiraz. This bottle and the previous have put a lie to those impressions. This wine has really come into its own.

In the glass it is deep in colour, the nose is showing a little aged complexity with black cherries and spice. On the palate it is similar cherries spice and some feral characters, with crisp acid and some sappiness, it is drinking as well as it ever has. Drink up!


Tasted: June 2008
Source: Mailing List
Price: $27 (2000)
Drink: Now - 2010
Score: 93

ST IMRE Pinot Noir 2006

Deep colour, ruby purple, a little green on the nose with some dark fruit in the black cherry spectrum. The palatedisplayed more black cherry with hints of asparagas and a savoury finish.

From vines planted in 1999 3rd vintage not a bad wine.

A vineyard and winery with promise. The most southerly in Australia.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $33
Drink: 2009 - 2011
Score: 89

Wednesday 25 June 2008

MAIN RIDGE Pinot Noir 1998

A sappy pinot nose showing raspberry and red cherry aromas. Lovely deep red in colour. On the palate the wine had lovely mouthfeel, full, silky and satisfying sweet red fruits.

Some sour cherry tones to finish, this wine is drinking beautifully.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Winery
Price: $32.50 (2001)
Drink: Now to 2013
Score: 93

http://www.mre.com.au/

CAPE MENTELLE Shiraz 1998

Still showing a very deep colour ,aging gently. The nose has strong meaty aroma's, initially reminding me of bolognese sauce, spice and the perfume of violets are also present. The palate is initially savoury with sweet blackberry and dark plum fruit revealing themselves with a little time, again violets and hints of spice also come through. The wine is delicious and will live for many years.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Mailing List
Price: $26 (2001)
Drink: Now till 2018
Score: 94

http://www.capementelle.com.au/

Monday 9 June 2008

MAIN RIDGE Chardonnay 1992

Deep yellow, almost gold, showing its age. Very rich peach, cashews, cream and pineapple fruit aromas. The palate delivers a rich full wine peach/pinapple nutty and creamy. Very clean finish quite delicious.

If you still have any of this you should drink it. It is still very good but there is sure to be variation between bottles of this age.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $20 (1993)
Drink: Now
Score: 92

http://www.mre.com.au/

RYMILL Shiraz 2001

Give this wine some air to drink it at its best.

Drank over 2 nights the wine opened with strong cedar aromas and flavours which had favourably disipated the following evening.

Crimson purple colour, the cedar nose had disipated to blackberries and spice, the palate reflects the nose with blackberry, plum, liquorice, salt, spice, very enjoyable. It was a good match for the pea and ham soup that graced our table.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $25
Drink: 2012 - 2022
Score: 93

http://www.rymill.com.au/

Thursday 5 June 2008

BALGOWNIE ESTATE Shiraz 2004


Bendigo grapes, deep colour purple/black. Plum pudding, spice, coffee on nose. The palate is lovely and soft in the mouth, very gentle and drinkable blackberry, spice, very gemtle tannins. The wine has a long life ahead of it if you can leave it alone.

Tasted: April 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $25
Drink: 2012 - 2022
Score: 93

http://www.balgownieestate.com.au/

BALGOWNIE ESTATE Pinot Noir 2005

This wine is made from Balgownie's Bendigo plantings. These are almost 40 years old.


Deep ruby in colour, full rich black cherry nose very pure. The palate reflects the nose with dark cherry flavours gently sweet and full. Velvety flow through the mouth. Delicious drink. Drink 2012

Tasted: April 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price:$25
Drink: 2010 - 2016
Score: 92

http://www.balgownieestate.com.au/

ASHBROOK Cabernet Merlot 1997

Deep ruby/black, appears quite youthful, blackcurrant & plum green hints. Definitive cabernet palate, sweet blackcurrant, some dusty tannins very good with pasta dishes.

Tasted: April 2008
Source: Langtons auctions
Price: $22.80
Drink: Drinking at best up to 2011
Score: 89

42° S Pinot Noir

We spent 3 weeks in Tasmania in March. A beautiful, rugged and yet refined part of the world. We spent our time between the pleasures of food, wine, sight seeing and bushwalking. A terrific holiday.

This is the first tasting note from the trip, I have a number to follow.

This wine was made by Andrew Hood. Deep ruby colour, black cherry and forest floor nose. Black fruit, cherries, plums and forest floor on the palate. Good length chalky tannins.

Tasted: March 2008
Source: Grape, Hobart
Price: $32
Drink: to 2010
Score: 92

BALGOWNIE Pinot Noir 2006

Bright red in colour, raspberry and strawberry fruit nose, on the palate raspberry, sappy palate, fresh and zippy a god drink, not a long term keeper, drink over the next year.


Tasted: May 2008
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $17
Drink: 2008 - 2009
Score: 89

http://www.balgownieestate.com.au/

BALGOWNIE ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon 1989

Made by Stuart Anderson. This wine is from a vintage that was very marginal in Southern Victoria. The more tempurate Bendigo region was more successful.

Quite youthful in appearance, deep crimson with just a little brown showing. Lovely plummy nose. Full plummy, blueberry fruit quite elegant with aged complexity, solid tannins and good length. 12.5% alcohol (weren't they all once!). Will hold for some time, 5 - 7 years.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Winery
Price:
Drink: now - 2014
Score: 92

Tuesday 3 June 2008

BOCHARA Pinot Noir 2004

We picked this wine up at the winery when travelling home following a weekend in Coonawarra. It turned out to be a highlight.

The wine is a deep crimson. It aroma's are reminicient Haigh's liquor cherry chocolates, The palate is all blackcherries and kirsch with hints of exotic spices, full, rich and velvety in the bigger style of pinot noir.


Tasted: June 2008
Source: Cellar door
Price: $20 (2006)
Drink: Now - 2012
Score: 93

http://www.bocharawine.com.au/

Monday 2 June 2008

MITCHELL Riesling 1998

The wine has a yellow colour. Toasty lemon lime on the nose and palate, showing development and beginning to dry out, but still drinking well. If you have it drink it.


Tasted: April 2008
Source: Unknown
Price: $12
Drink: Now
Score: 91
http://www.mitchellwines.com/

MOUNT PLEASANT PHILLIP Shiraz 2005

I bought this wine after reading a number of very positive reviews. We rarely drink Hunter Valley wines at our place, but that may need to change in the future. This wine is great value at its sub $20 price.

Deep garnet in the glass. The nose shows dark plummy fruit, mineraly characters and some gently vanillan, the palate is full with plummy fruit, vanilla and cinnamon/clove spices. It finishes very clean and dry, with a delicious savouriness that cries out for food.

Tasted: June 2008
Source: Dan Murphy
Price: $17
Drink: 2010 - 2016
Score: 91
http://www.mcwilliams.com.au