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From The WineStar Annual, Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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Best Sparkling Shiraz Buy
for 3 years!
Constellation Wines nee Hardys, more so than any other company have reputation for massively over-delivering on quality for new brands. This is evident with uber value wines such as Hardys Oomoo, Stonehaven Rat & Bull, Leasingham Circa and Bin wines. It has never been as obvious as the Leasingham Magnus Sparkling Shiraz 2004. I first tried this wine close to the time of its release more than one year ago, I was, and still am a huge fan of Leasingham's flagship Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz. I was poured a glass of the Magnus and after tasting mentioned to my host how much I enjoyed the Classic Clare over the years. The '92, the '94, the '97 and '98 as examples. "But this is not Classic Clare, it is Magnus". "It's what?"
I wasn't even aware at the time that a lower priced sparkling red was being produced by Leasingham but I made it my job to learn more. Since then, the wine has been a hit at wine shows around the country with probably its best achievement winning one of only 3 Gold Medals at the 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show and in the process beating home the likes of E&E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz, Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz, the Seppelt pair of Original Sparkling and Silverband, the Morris Sparkling Shiraz Durif and perhaps the bitter sweet victory for the winemaking team, not one but three vintages of the gorgeous Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz ('98, '02, '04). A Highly Commended Wine at the Sydney International shows it is also a food wine of note.
On my most recent tasting, the wine showed ripe and luscious berry fruit sweetness with some licorice and spice. In the mouth it has mountains of complexity and interest. There is so much going on you could be forgiven for thinking you were drinking an absolute top-shelf sparkling red - because you are. This jam-like fruit is beautifully balanced by a crunch of cleansing acid on the finish. A 2004 vintage, at fifteen bucks a bottle? An Excellent wine and for me, the best Sparkling red buy since the Seppelt releases of '98 and '02 - and at less dollars too.
4 Trophies, 8 Gold – and in very fresh news; The World’s Best Semillon We had a great deal of success only weeks ago with the 2004 version of this wine and had the Tyrrells Stevens Semillon 2005 pencilled in for a promo this week following its recent release and none too shabby show record. I honestly don’t get too excited about Tyrrells success at major shows with their Semillon as they always seem to dominate in much the same way as Morris always seems to take out the Trophy awarded in their name for fortified wines. Some makers are clearly the schoolyard bully when it comes to dominating certain varieties. The beauty about Stevens however, is that the price has been brought down considerably to the point that must make other producers cringe when contemplating how they will compete. So our blurb was going to be get stuck into this now, $19.99 wine that already has Gold Medals in the biggest and best wine shows in the country including the National Wine Show (three times, 05, 06, 08), Melbourne Wine Show (twice, 05, 08), Sydney Wine Show, Brisbane Wine Show and its own Hunter Wine Show. The price and accolades alone there would have been enough to sell a few hundred cases of the wine. Lo and behold, literally minutes before signing off on this newsletter, news through that the wine has won, not one but four Trophies at the very prestigious International Wine Competition in London. Among them, the International Semillon Trophy. Yep, 4 Trophies, 8 decent Gold, Screwcap and twenty bucks – it’s what we call a no brainer.
More medals, less dollars and some bottle age I don’t know if I like the idea of Gold Medals being splashed across the front of a bottle of wine but I guess it’s a bit like the old ‘got it, flaunt it’ adage. The Yarra Burn Shiraz Viognier 2003 certainly has it! It has collected a Trophy, and no less than 6 gold medals to go with a 94-point James Halliday review. But the thing that really impresses me about this buy is that it has bottle age and it is only twenty bucks. This is your classic ‘show pony’ wine, the one you open up for any large group and 99% of them will ‘ohh and ahh’. As well as the show success it did exceptionally well at the Sydney International Wine Competition (Blue-Gold and Top100) which is the only major wine challenge dedicated to assessing a wines performance with food (I really do need to get myself a gig at this show!). The only downside is that there is very little of this wine available and frankly, I can’t guarantee it will see out the week with the expected demand. Despite Halliday’s window, I can’t think of too many $20 wines that you could crack open now and enjoy as much.
Sparkling :
Leasingham Magnus Sparkling Shiraz 2004 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle This wine has been a hit at wine shows around the country with probably its best achievement winning one of only 3 Gold Medals at the 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show and in the process beating home the likes of E&E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz, Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz, the Seppelt pair of Original Sparkling and Silverband, the Morris Sparkling Shiraz Durif and perhaps the bitter sweet victory for the winemaking team, not one but three vintages of the gorgeous Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz ('98, '02, '04). A Highly Commended Wine at the Sydney International shows it is also a food wine of note. On my most recent tasting, the wine showed ripe and luscious berry fruit sweetness with some licorice and spice. In the mouth it has mountains of complexity and interest. There is so much going on you could be forgiven for thinking you were drinking an absolute top-shelf sparkling red - because you are. This jam-like fruit is beautifully balanced by a crunch of cleansing acid on the finish. A 2004 vintage, at fifteen bucks a bottle? For me, the best Sparkling red buy since the Seppelt releases of '98 and '02 - and at less dollars too. Excellent! Drink: Now-2011; Quality: Excellent; BW; WineStar© November 2008
Gold Medal - 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show Gold Medal - 2008 Rutherglen Wine Show Silver Medal - 2008 Royal Adelaide Wine Show Silver Medal - 2007 National Wine Show Silver Medal - 2007 International Wine Challenge
Highly Commended - 2008 Sydney International;
A big, rich, ripe fruit style. Soft palate. Generous flavour. It does seem to work a little bit with the food. Complements it a bit. John Ellis
Shows some age and is more complex on the nose. It is rich and tarry in the mouth, generous and long. It remains fairly unchanged by the food. Neil Hadley
Bright purple red hues. Dense plum, black fruits and hints of spice. Plummy sweet palate. The dish brings forward the savoury notes into the wine. David Bicknell
White :
Tyrrells Stevens Semillon 2005 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle Sourced from Neil Stevens’ Glenoak vineyard in Pokolbin, regarded as one of the finest white vineyards in the Hunter Valley. The oldest block was planted in 1911 ranging through to the youngest block planted in 1965. A predominantly hillside vineyard that features rich and unusually coloured purple ochred clay loams.
A dry winter with some late spring rains that reduced the size of the crop. Some rain through mid to late December filled out the bunches and was followed by a dry harvesting period which gave us a smaller crop but with more concentrated flavours. After a relatively cool fermentation, the wine spent minimal time on yeast lees and was quickly bottled to maintain its freshness. No oak fermentation or maturation. Alc 11.0%
Slightly more rounded and softer than the 2004 vintage, the 2005 has complex mineral and flint aromas with a palate that has good length and wonderful balance between the fresh citrus flavours of youth and the aged 'toasty' characters beginning to surface. The 2005 vintage has been awarded 8 Gold medals.
Australian White Trophy - International Wine Competition London 2009 International Semillon Trophy - International Wine Competition London 2009 Australian Semillon Trophy - International Wine Competition London 2009 Hunter Valley Semillon Trophy - International Wine Competition London 2009 Gold Medal - Sydney 2009 Gold Medal - Canberra 2008 Gold Medal - Melbourne 2008 Gold Medal - Brisbane 2005 Gold Medal - Canberra 2005 Gold Medal - Canberra 2006 Gold Medal - Hunter Valley 2006 Gold Medal - Melbourne 2005
The Ned Marlborough Pinot Gris 2008 - $191.88 per dozen or $15.99 per bottle Classic fresh pear, nectarine, peach and rose petal aromas and flavours have been produced from fruit beautifully ripened during the 2008 harvest. Dry in style, this memorable wine has been left with a hint of blush in colour.
The Ned, standing 909m above sea level, sits proudly with commanding views over the magnificent wine country of Marlborough. Its rugged beauty inspires winemaker, Brent Marris, to craft authentic wines from varieties for which the region is renowned. An impressive Marlborough icon, the Ned is an abiding symbol of "The Summit of Marlborough".
The most noticeable thing about the 2008 The Ned Pinot Gris is the faint pink hue, not often seen in NZ pinot gris. The nose has plenty of fruit (mostly baked pear), quince, vanilla and spice and some floral notes. Lightish in body, just off dry with talcum powder and quince notes and a textural element perhaps from the small proportion that was barrel fermented, though again that slightly pithy element as seen on the sauvignon creeps in on the finish. 16.5; Independent Wine Monthly
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - $395.88 per dozen or $32.99 per bottle Scented and simmery, the 2008 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc has deliciously vibrant aromatics that infuse the tropical fragrance of fresh passionfruit and juicy pineapples with garden-fresh basil and the spiciness of crushed tomato leaves. The palate is long and succulent, combining exotic fruits with ripe, red capsicum and a twist of green olive – beautifully complemented by crisp natural acidity and a hint of lemon zest. Kevin Judd, Cloudy Bay Winemaker.
I just did a quick search and Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc doesn’t seem to have ever been reviewed on The Wine Front. Seeing as though I do indeed get to taste it, or drink it, in one setting or another most years this surprised me quite a bit. It’s the white wine icon of its generation … though more often than not I find it a bit ho-hum. I love the story of it and the influence of it and the power of it and the status of it, but the flavour of it rarely rocks my boat. All that said, I like this 2008.
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008, $32 (NZ). Austere, dry wine with lovely minerality plus lemon grass, wild herb and a hint of tropical fruit. Good food wine. Impressive fruit purity and power. Tight, long, and with an ethereal texture. Points: 94; Highest rating wine in $30 - $39 price point. Taste (magazine, NZ). Bob Campbell MW
I’m not saying that this is an especially great release, but it does have a lot going for it. It’s got texture, driving acidity, penetrating lemongrass and apple-like flavour and while there is a whisper of fruit sweetness to both the aroma and mid-palate, it finish distinctly dry, almost slatey. Crisp, textural, and flavoursome - this release will not disappoint its legion of fans. Rated : 92 Points Alcohol : 13.5% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2008 - 2010 Gary Walsh; The Wine Front
Houghton Wisdom Frankland River Riesling 2008 - $287.88 per dozen or $23.99 per bottle Harvesting by hand ensures true riesling characters are at the fore in the resultant wine from Frankland River, Western Australia. Citrus flower, green apple and a touch of orange zest lead to a palate that is gracefully balanced by a combination of crispness and a soft mineral lingering aftertaste. Drinking now or cellar for up to 8 years. The Riesling sourced from patch 4 and 5 on our Justin vineyard was selectively harvested to ensure only the ripest and most flavoursome fruit was picked for the wine.
Particularly lovely aromatics here - flowers, spice, lime and green apple lead into a full and flavoursome palate offering more of the same. Sweet green apple and citrus fruit that’s cut with a little mineral and spice flow through the mouth with only a minor bump of fractionally bitter phenolics along the way. It has balanced but fine soft acid and a good long finish. I’d enjoy it (and I did) in the full flower of youth although it will take a few years of bottle age if you like them a little plumper. Rated : 92 Points Tasted : Aug08 Alcohol : 12.5% Price : $30 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2008 - 2015 Gary Walsh; The Wine Front
Knappstein Ackland Riesling 2006 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle The Ackland Riesling is a pure expression of the vineyard site at Watervale where the fruit is grown and the grape variety from which it comes. The wine shows lifted lemons and limes with delicate floral aromas. On the palate the wine displays the Watervale generosity of intense citrus fruits, and the persistent flavour is balanced by a refreshing mineral acidity.
Kubota Trophy for the Best White Wine Royal Melbourne
Spicy floral blossom aromas; a long, lingering and powerful palate has considerable drive right through to the finish. 13.5º alc. Drink Now - 2019." James Halliday - 93 points
A perfumed, musky and intensely flavoured riesling in the typically tangy, juicy house Knappstein style. It’s floral and limey aromas are backed by suggestions of mineral. Long and shapely, it’s also quite round and juicy, with an intense core of rich, tangy citrus fruit that extends well down the palate towards a lingering finish of refreshing lime juice acidity. Drink 2011-2014. Jeremy Oliver - 92 points
Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale riesling is a knockout. Loads of citrus aromas mixed with softer floral aromatics give the nose a wonderful buzz while the flavours of zesty lemon and the stronger tang of lime lift the palate. Add crispness from the acidity, and the result is a delightful young wine that will go on for a long, long time. Jeff Gordon, Melbourne Times
Silver-green. Perfumed nose offers an array of citrus, spice and salty mineral scents. Brisk, focused and packed with bitter citrus pith and wet stone flavors that saturate the palate. Gains an exotic clove note on the long, vibrant finish. This convincing, uncompromisingly dry riesling is built for the cellar." Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar – 91 points
Gorgeous lime blossom, intense, focused and tightly coiled, impressive finesse and bold, racy acidity. Sunday Times; Peter Forrestal
Recommended Rating; "... offers honest varietal flavour supported by balanced acidity..." Winewise; Lester Jesberg
Brilliant, brilliant Riesling... It's that great. Seriously; Taste Food & Wine 2007; Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer
Red :
Yarra Burn Shiraz Viognier 2003 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle Bright crimson in colour, the wine has aromas of ripe blackberry, raspberry and blueberry coupled with a hint of creamy vanilla bean and toasty French oak. The discerning consumer will also find spice, rhubarb and floral characters. White pepper on the palate is complexed by juicy acid. The palate is fine with chewy tannins and a plush velvety texture. 2003 Shiraz Viognier was a strong follow-up to the 2002 and low cropping levels helped us achieve good concentration from even some of our younger vineyards. The addition of Viognier imparts plushness and generosity on the palate. Viognier is blended back as dry white wine, not co-fermented like some styles on the market.
Powerful wine, with silky red and black fruits, chocolate, plum and the viognier lift. Gold medal Sydney Wine Show '06. Cork. 13.7% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2015 Date Tasted Feb 06 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
Gold Medal - National Wine Show Canberra 2006 Gold Medal - Royal Sydney Wine Show 2006 Gold Medal - Royal Hobart Wine Show 2006 Trophy for the Best Shiraz Over 1 Year Old - Griffith Wine Show 2005 Gold Medal - Griffith Wine Show 2005 Gold Medal - Cowra Wine Show 2005
Blue-Gold Award Winner - Sydney International Wine Competition 2007 Top 100 Wines - Sydney International Wine Competition 2007
A lovely wine. Well made and ageing gracefully. Fermented Viognier characters accentuating the spice, the pepper and the coffee but not dominating. Sitting pretty comfortably with the Shiraz. Good, ripe fruit. Full bodied. Tannin that may be stalk derived. A little bit of a twang there. It sat really well with the food. Very comfortable. Steve Flamsteed
Spicy Shiraz. Big, bold and packed to the brim with juicy black fruits. The tannin and the acid worked well with the dish. Tony Allen
A nice, spicy nose and good, dark fruit. The palate is good. It’s still a bit tight and the wine will require some time to open up. It turned out to be a good match. The food gives the wine a lovely sweetness. Gyles Webb
Powerful wine. Lots of muscle and grip. Attractive red berry fruit. Needs time to integrate. The grippiness and tannins in the wine seemed to be covered by the dish. Ivan Donaldson
Vibrant. Lifted fruit. Some pepper and spice. Medium weight but very firm, slightly dry tannins. With the food, it looked much better. It lost its dry edges and coped very well with this rich dish. Kym Milne
A very lifted nose. Jammy, apricoty from the Viognier, I guess. Full fruit on the palate. Warm, ripe and reasonable length but not a huge depth of flavour. Quite consistent with the food. It went nicely. Robin Moody
Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a strong perfumed bouquet of blackberries, mulberries, cedar, roses and minerals. The palate is silky and sweet with inviting dark berry preserve flavours, gentle tannins and a very smooth finish.
This is Bleasdale's best selling wine, and blimey it's not hard to see why. There are layers of plush ripe red fruits, leaf and spice and a hint of - yes - mulberries, all sewn together with fine tannins on a long finish. Plenty of Langhorne Cabernets are heading down the green path of herbaceousness, but not this one. 91 points; Tyson Stelzer, Wine Business Monthly
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon 'Mulberry Tree' was aged for 12 months in 60% American and 40% French oak ranging in age from new to 3 years. Dark ruby colored, the wine has an aromatic array of cedar, red and black currants with a touch of eucalyptus, and blackberry liqueur. This leads to a medium- to full-bodied, supple wine with forward red and black fruit flavors, excellent balance, ripe tannins and a long, pure finish. Drink this outstanding value over the next 6 years. Once again, Bleasdale Vineyards has produced a portfolio of great values that consistently over-deliver. It is the second oldest family-owned winery in Australia, having started operations in 1950 and most of the vineyards are at least 50 years of age. Dr Jay Miller, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
Paringa PE Pinot Noir 2008 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle Schoolteacher-turned-winemaker Lindsay McCall has shown an absolutely exceptional gift for winemaking across a range of styles, but with immensely complex Pinot Noir and Shiraz leading the way. The wines have an unmatched level of success in the wine shows and competitions Paringa Estate is able to enter, the limitation being the relatively small size of production. His skills are no less evident in contract winemaking for others. Winery Rating 5 stars. James Halliday Wine Companion 2008
Australian Winery of the Year 2008 - James Halliday Wine Companion 2008
The fruit for this wine was sourced from our two leased Red Hill Vineyards and a number of other high quality grower vineyards across the Peninsula. The warm and dry 2008 growing season produced excellent quality fruit across all of our vineyards.
This wine is a fruit driven style that has genuine ripe pinot characteristics with considerable depth and flavour. The bouquet and palate has dark cherry fruit flavours and aromas, some spice and subtle oak characters. An excellent current drinking pinot, will reward short-term cellaring of 3 to 5 years.
Schild Estate Barossa GMS 2008 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle This winery is delivering some of the best value red in the Barossa Valley, drawing on the region’s wealth of old vine resources and delivering irresistible wine at an irresistible price. Take this old vine grenache, mataro, shiraz blend, sourced from vineyards with an average age of 70 years and do a double take on the price tag, I know I did! Impressive depth to the nose with a good whack of deep-seated red fruits, dark berries and earthy plums on show. Musky fluffy palate texture, light bouncy tannins and gentle depth building through the lingering soulful finish. 92 points, Nick Stock - The Adelaide Review, 24 May 2009, $18
A majority share of grenache (55%) followed by 25% mataro and 20% shiraz from vines which are an average 70-years-old creates a silky rich wine with cherry and spice through it, fresh fruit bite in the middle and plenty of roundness and ripeness adding to its generous proportions. 92 points, Tony Love - The Advertiser, 25 March 2009
There's no mistaking the juicy red berry fruit from the grenache in this Barossa blend. Spice and depth come from the mataro and shiraz but it's the glorious old bush vine grenache that is allowed to sing without the use of oak. 4 Stars Fergus McGhie, The Canberra Times, March 2009
This Schild Estate blend of grenache, mourvédre and shiraz (it’s 55% grenache) is grown on bush vines that are an average of 70-odd years of age. Just goes to show - not all old-vine reds need be expensive. This was made by Joanne Irvine, who last week was named the Barossa Winemaker of the Year by the Barons of the Barossa committee. It’s a jammy, ripe, sweet-accented wine with lots of tarry, raspberried, soupy flavour. There’s no doubting either the style, or the power of it. It’s alive with sweet, toasty fragrance and it delivers lots of textured flavour from go to whoa. Yes there’s warmth but the style carries it. If you like this style, this is excellent value. 89 points, Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front, Feb 2009, $16
Satisfying, no-nonsense red wine from an estate that has been at the heart of the Barossa Valley’s success for a long time. Two or three-way combinations of old vine Grenache, mataro (mourvedre) and shiraz play a big part in this regional story. This hearty version opens with a slightly porty and meaty nose in common with many of this breed, but there’s also concentrated spicy berry and chocolate-cherry fruit. The palate is mellow, ripe and juicy, with easy texture and soft, fine tannins woven through it. A complete, welcoming Barossa red at a great price. Ralph Kyte-Powell, Epicure
Coriole Sangiovese 2008 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle For many years Coriole Vineyards has been one of the main proponents of this variety in Australia. It was first planted in 1985 with the aim of being a contrasting style to Shiraz, the great tradition of McLaren Vale. It has proved to be ideally suited to the warm maritime climate of the region producing wines of natural ripeness and acidity. It shows pleasing aroma and red fruit flavours. Its natural tannins and savoury style has proved it to be a quiet achiever on the Australian table. The current vintage 2008 is the 22nd release.
At this young stage, the wine is guarded when first opened. With breathing, the smell of ripe, dark cherries emerges, promising big fruit to come. The nose has a touch of menthol, with cinnamon and basil. The wine shows a richness but with little apparent sweetness to the fruit. The finish retains long, complex texture with enough natural acid to satisfy, and then clean white pepper takes over, savoury as required, with very fine dry tannin
Dalwhinnie Southwest Rocks Shiraz 2005 - $839.88 per dozen or $69.99 per bottle Slightly more complex, powerful and grainy than the Moonambel, but the swings and roundabouts mean there is less hedonistically luscious fruit. It's all a question of personal taste, I suppose. Cork. 14.2% alc. Rating 96 points; Drink 2025 Date Tasted Jan 07 James Halliday Wine Companion
I tasted this a year ago and wrote this: “Plush, silky, mouthfilling shiraz. Bursts from the glass. Smooth plum and cedar and vanilla, with fine, light, soft tannins curling away through the finish. A wine of seduction, for sure - but also a wine of overwhelming peppermint aroma and flavour. If you like peppermint, get ready for a wine that you will adore - the texture is glorious.” I rated it at 91 points. On re-tasting this now those peppermint flavour are still well and truly there, but it’s become a meatier, spicier, tighter wine, with minerally tannins and perhaps even the odd gamey edge. It has become a more interesting wine in both aroma and taste, and for me a better wine. Drink: 2007-2014. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
This wine is a 100% varietal Shiraz from the Dalwhinnie Vineyard in the Moonambel region of Western Victoria. The Shiraz clone originated from the Best’s 1860’s vineyard cultivated by the Thompson family of Great Western, Victoria. The Southwest Rocks vineyard was named after the geographic location on the property where explosives were used to shatter the reef enabling planting and trellising.
The grapes were crushed and destemmed into a small 5 tonne open fermenter for a 10 day fermentation, followed by basket pressing then 18 months French oak maturation, of which 50% is new oak. Very dark red - black. A beautiful perfume displaying fresh ripe red berries with lifted five spice notes. Very fresh, just amazing. The mouth is coated with intense raspberry fruit, clean sherbet like acidity followed by very fine powdery tannins. The length of finish is impressive showing great elegance and finesse.
Like the 2004 Southwest Rocks the 2005 is a great follow-on. Complex, elegant and rustic. Syrah in style but New World passion and integrity come through in this superb single vineyard wine. A passion of mine is to make three classic single vineyard Shiraz wines expressing site, aspect and individual Shiraz clones using Rhone vinification techniques. Cellaring Potential: 6 - 8 years. David Jones, owner and winemaker
Last Week:
De Bortoli Deen De Bortoli
Vat 8 Shiraz 2006 - $120 per dozen
(includes freight free nationally!)
- 2008 WineStar Bargain of
the Year
Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2004 - $539.88 per dozen or $44.99 per bottle - 2008 WineStar Wine of the Year; 2008 WineStar Red of the Year; 2008 WineStar Winery of the Year A blend of 81% cabernet sauvignon, 14% merlot and 5% petit verdot, it spends 24 months in French oak, half new. Deeply coloured, it has a powerful bouquet and even more powerful palate, with layers of blackcurrant and cassis seamlessly interwoven with spicy oak, the tannins strong but perfectly balanced. From Margaret River, WA Drink now-2024 with butterfly leg of lamb; $60, S, 14.2% alc; 96 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 8-9, 2008 ; Penguin Award: Best Cabernet Merlot Blend - The Penguin Good Australian WINE Guide 2009 ; An outstanding Voyager cabernet. It's beautifully balanced too. Deeply flavoured, well structured, softly textured and - dare I say it for an intense young cabernet - delicious to drink. It tastes of chocolate, cassis, liquid pencils and fresh cedarwood, the lot underscored by a throaty, gravely, brooding intensity. Super wine. Has a long, long future ahead of it. Drink: 2012-2022. 95 points. Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
Voyager Estate Margaret River Chardonnay 2006 - $359.88 per dozen or $29.99 per bottle - 2008 WineStar White of the Year; 2008 WineStar Winery of the Year Again shows why the golden triangle of Margaret River (Leeuwin Estate, Devil’s Lair and Voyager Estate) make such superb chardonnay; there is a taught intensity to the fabric of the wine, allowing the nectarine, grapefruit and melon to play at will with new French oak and come out on top. Superb balance and length. Rating 96 points James Halliday – The Australian Wine Companion - 2008 ; 96 points - Nick Stock (Wine Business Monthly/Penguin Good Wine Guide)
O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling 2008 - $215.88 per dozen or $17.99 per bottle The O'Leary Walker and Grosset examples from 2008, without looking at the retail price would be my two picks from the vintage. With an eye on price, the OLW is about half the other so it makes sense to load up on it. The OLW Polish is as fresh as the proverbial daisy with steely aromas of crisp lime, apple and pear. It's battery acid dry at this stage of its life, which is very fine with me but just watch it put on weight over the ensuing years. This wine is a lesson in structure and has been built to perfection. Drink: Now – 2018+; Quality: Excellent - BW; WineStar © September 2008 ; The Polish Hill River to the west of the Clare Valley proper is cooler and has slaty soils, resulting in later ripening. Autosuggestion or not, it has apple, lime and slate flavours on the beautifully structured and focused palate, these flavours flowing on evenly from the bouquet, with impressive line and length. From Clare Valley, SA Drink now-2018 with stuffed red capsicum $20, S, 12° alc 95 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 8-9, 2008
Charles Sturt University Chardonnay 2007 - $150 per dozen or $12.50 per bottle Given the extraordinary value the Charles Sturt chardonnay usually offers, it is no surprise it is a regular in the Top 100, but this has to be the best yet. It has lovely cool-climate nectarine, grapefruit and melon flavours supported by a touch of French oak and terrific length. $13.20, S, 13.5; From: Orange, NSW; Drink: Now-2011 94 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 10-11, 2007 ; Charles Sturt University Winery Orange Chardonnay 2007; Clever winemaking both in the picking decision and in the judicious use of a touch of French oak; has lovely nectarine grapefruit and melon flavours; simply unbeatable value. 13.5º alc. Rating 94 Drink 2012 $13.20 Date Tasted Sep 07 James Halliday Wine Companion 2009
Past Features: Shiraz – Click here for full list of Shiraz Turners Crossing Shiraz Viognier 2006 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 95/100 Halliday Starvedog Lane Shiraz Viognier 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle – 95/100; The Wine Front – The Big Red Book 2009/2010 - WINE OF THE YEAR
Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2004 - $539.88 per dozen or $44.99 per bottle - WineStar Wine of the Year 2008 96/100 Halliday; Top 100 Halliday; Penguin Best Cabernet Blend Zema Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 93/100 Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front Yalumba The Scribbler Cabernet Shiraz 2007 - $203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle - 94 Points; The Big Red Wine Book; Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh.
Other Reds – Click here for full list of Pinot Noir Brown Magpie Pinot Noir 2005 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle – ‘Outstanding’ – Winewise Hoddles Creek Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2008 - $227.88 per bottle or $18.99 per bottle - The Big Red Book 2009/2010 – Pinot Noir of the Year Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2008 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle – 91/100 Gary Walsh; 90-91/100 Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
Chardonnay – Click here for full list of Chardonnay Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2006 - $959.88 per dozen or $79.99 per bottle - 97/100 Halliday; 97/100 Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front Chandon Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 96/100 Halliday; Excellent BW; WineStar© Hoddles Creek Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2008 - $227.88 per dozen or $18.99 per bottle - 93/100 Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
Riesling – Click here for full list of Riesling Howard Park Riesling 2008 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle – 96/100 Gary Walsh; The Wine Front O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling 2008 - $215.88 per dozen or $17.99 per bottle - 95/100 Halliday; Top 100 Halliday; Leasingham Bin 7 Clare Valley Riesling 2007 - $179.88 per bottle or $14.99 per bottle - 93/100 Halliday
Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Other – Click here for full list of other Whites 3 Tales Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - $179.88 per bottle or $14.99 per bottle Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 5 Stars * * * * * Winestate Magazine; Gold Medal - London International Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 - $215.88 per dozen or $17.99 per bottle - 95/100 Halliday, Top 100 Halliday; 92/100 Mattinson
Champagne – Click here for full list of French Champagne Roederer Brut Premier - $839.88 per dozen or $69.99 per bottle - 5 Stars * * * * * Huon Hooke and Ralph Kyte-Powell; Epicure Uncorked
Sparkling - Click here for full list of Aussie bubbles Jansz Premium NV Cuvée - $275.88 per dozen or $22.99 per bottle - 93/100 Halliday; Excellent BW; WineStar© Chandon Brut Vintage 2005 (Crown Seal) - $359.88 per dozen or $29.99 per bottle - WineStar Sparkling of the Year 2008 ; 95/100 Halliday; Top 100 Halliday
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