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2021 Torbreck Run RigBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 15 Years (2024-2039)ABV: 15%Closure: CorkProduced from a blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% Viognier, Torbreck’s Run Rig is modelled on the Northern Rhone appellation of Cote Rotie’s wines. Fruit was sourced from the Lyndoch, Rowland Flat, Moppa, Ebenezer, Light Pass and Greenock districts of Barossa Valley with maturation taking place in a combination of new (50%) and older French barriques for a period of 30 months.
Ultra dense in colour featuring an impenetrable inky black heart along with an equally deep black dark red hue. Exotic and enormously potent the nose is almost overwhelmed by intoxicating aromas of ripe black cherry, liquorice, dark plum and fennel. Hints of smoky vanillin cedar, faint apricot and peppered earth notes lend further intrigue. Rich, voluptuous and totally bewitching, a tidal wave of seductive black cherry, liquorice and dark plum fruits saturate every corner of the palate. Boasting a surreal level of power and concentration it’s framed by a firm yet seamlessly integrated tannin structure. Fennel, earthy dark chocolate, subtlety toasted vanillin oak, traces of dried apricot and blackpepper characters endue across the back half. Concludes spectacularly long, deep and opulent.
Drink over the next 10-15 years.
Alc. 15%Other Reviews…..
This is the wine that people seem to lose their minds over, and just between you and me, I do understand that. It's one of a handful of super sensational Shiraz Viognier from this great country, and the ability of this cuvée to speak so eloquently of both the Barossa and its harmonious varietals is impressive to say the least. So is, while we're discussing it, the density and volume of the wine. On the nose, the 2021 RunRig is savory and meaty, with charry oak at the fore, backed by black cherry, graphite, dried rose petals, red and purple fruit, flowers and black tea. There is both detail and density. On the palate, the wine is both silky and huge. It's momentous, long and complex. It's like the volume has been turned up in every possible way, and what I know of sound mixing is on show here; it's a loud mix, but all the elements are perfectly in balance. And ultimately, that's what's up. Like Nick Cave, it's got it all, and it does it with conviction and intellect. It's a great wine, from a great season. Bigger than perhaps ever before. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. Drink 2024-2051.
98+ points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate2021 RunRig will make you turn your head while you gawp in disbelief. This wine has something I have never seen in Runrig before – an immovable mountain of terroir, monolithically anchored in its core. Standing at the foot of this gargantuan flavour, I could not see the summit. There is so much ravishing Shiraz skin draped decorously around this totemic terroir it appears wholly demonic and fear-inducing. But the fruit notes are as refined and finely tuned as ever, providing the taster with a baffling counterpoint between the Dark Side and a Venetian dandy, resplendent in its filigree and finery. I cannot remember seeing two such opposing characters in one wine before, and every time I went back to the glass, there was more to admire, and these elements fuse and shape-shift into a glorious amalgam of sophistication and power. Of course, it deserves a perfect score. This wine is unique and uniquely stunning. I wish I could attend every opening of 2021 RunRig – oh, to be a fly on the wall, listening to the gasps of delight when people are lucky enough to taste this wine. (2030 – 2045)
20+/20
Matthew Jukes
Pour moi, since Ian Hongel took over the reigns at Torbreck, the house 'thumbprint' seems less percussive, the trademark Torbreck plushness remains, but subregion and site seem to have a little more light on it. The RunRig in a strong vintage is always much anticipated. Shiraz with 2% viognier, from across Torbreck's best sites, aged for 30 months in French oak (50% new). It's a dark-eyed, powerful release, with clove-studded blackberry and black plum fruits and deep, dark spices, cardamom, star anise, licorice, espresso, cedar, 'Old Jamaican' chocolate and earth. Thick-shouldered and meaty with layers of silty, fine tannin and a crème de cassis-like flow to the fruit as it powers off. Drink by 2043.
97 points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion
Lifted and aromatic with deeply brooding aromas of blood plums, blackberries, cured meat, citrus rind, potpourri, violets and iodine. The palate is full-bodied with firmly integrated tannins and finely focused acidity, giving notes of mocha, mulberries, olive tapenade and black pepper. Wonderfully balanced, with a seamless texture and a never-ending finish. Excellent. Drink or hold.
97 points
JamesSuckling.com -
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2023 Torzi Matthews Schist Rock ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$21. 99Bottle$263.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinTorzi Matthews is partnership between Domenic Torzi and Tracy Matthews. Their Schist Rock Shiraz is sourced from the Eden Valley sub region of Mt McKenzie with the vines 27 years old. Maturation takes place in predominately older French oak barrels (only 10% are new) and 10% whole bunch fruit is included in the ferment.
Rich and plump with a silky flow of dark fruit.
Totally opaque black dark red heart with a dark red hue. Intense ripe black cherry, liquorice and dark plum aromas are complimented by dried herb, vanillin cedar, fennel and peppered earth notes. Rich and plush, a silky flow of dark plum, liquorice and spicy dark cherry fruits are layered across the medium to full bodied palate. Notions of fennel, vanillin cedar and peppered dried herbs ensue. Deep and powerful it has velvet smooth tannins and a long, sumptuous finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.5% -
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Valdespino El Candado Pedro Ximenez SherryJerez, SPAIN$47. 99Bottle$575.88 DozenABV: 18%Closure: CorkOne that proclaims to be the crème de la crème of PX’s and with six centuries of sherry production under their belts, Valdespino can lay claim to being one of the oldest sherry houses in the region. In a process called Soleo, after harvesting, the grapes are sun dried for two weeks to concentrate the sugar and turn the grapes into raisins. After partial fermentation of the must the wine is fortified and then enters the soleras where it’s aged for between 10-12 years in American oak casks.
A Magnificent Black Sherry
Deep sienna brown colour with deep olive green hue. Wonderful nose filled with the aroma of toffee, molasses, spice and brandied ripe raisins. The palate is a viscous treasure with its rich luscious texture and oil like consistency. Totally mouthfilling flavours of spice, honey, toffee and crushed dried raisins fill the mouth. Incredible length – perfect harmony with clean finish and exceptionally long aftertaste of treacle, caramel, honey and raisins. Perfect with chocolate cake and a must with the Christmas pudding.
Drink Now
Alc/Vol: 18.0% -
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Valdespino Pedro Ximenez Yellow Label SherryJerez, SPAIN$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenABV: 17%Closure: CorkWith six centuries of sherry production under their belts, Valdespino lay claim to being one of the oldest sherry bodegas in the region.
Pedro Ximenez is often referred to as “Black Sherry” due to its dense, dark colour. This is a superb example of the style made entirely from the Pedro Ximenez grape and is a wonderful pairing for chocolate dishes of any sort (or that ‘special’ mid year Christmas celebration being the perfect wine with Christmas pudding). The wine has the viscosity of oil. Very dark sienna brown colour with olive green hue. Superb nose of mollasses, treacle, crushed dried honeyed raisins. Rich and luscious, totally mouthfilling with a silky, oily texture which disolves into honeyed toffee. Layers of treacle and caramel add further depth and complexity to the wine. Sweet, yet clean finish with exceptionally long aftertaste. -
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2023 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet SauvignonMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinEstablished in 1967, the Vasse Felix is one of Margaret River’s founding estates. Known as the ‘son of’ Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon the Filius Cabernet Sauvignon is made in a more fruit forward style designed for earlier drinking. The 2023 vintage is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot matured in a combination of 1-7 year old French oak barriques for a period of 10-12 months.
An impressive sub $25 Cabernet from one of Margaret River’s premier estates.
Dense pitch black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Captivating aromatics of red to black currant and mulberry enchant the olfactory senses followed by some cedary tobacco, dried herb and spicy black olive notes. Rich blackcurrant and ripe mulberry fruits are layered across the mid weighted palate with an impressive degree of intensity. Cedary tobacco, earth and spicy bay leaf elements extend across the back half. Showing ample freshness, it has structured yet integrated tannins, concluding with classic Margaret River refinement and length.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews….
Consistently one of the best cabernets from WA. It’s designed to express its best qualities as a young wine, with its brightness and energy immediately apparent. It’s a blend of cabernet with a small amount of malbec, an important variety at Vasse Felix. Smooth and seamlessly structured with a sublimely elegant expressive palate. It’s medium-bodied with a fine boned structure. Subtle use of oak and fine tannins adds support. The best yet.
94 Points
RayJordanWine.com.au
Abundant black-fruit aromas supported by spices, cedar, crushed stones and violets. The medium-bodied palate has a creamy texture and finely tuned, generous tannins with so much purity of fruit. Grown further away from the ocean with a more continental feel. Delicious and early-drinking yet serious. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
94 points
JamesSuckling.com -
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2023 Vasse Felix ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinRich yet brimming with freshness and carrying a sublime refined feel, this is quintessential Margaret River Chardonnay.
Sourced from two vineyards in the Margaret River sub regions of Wilyabrup and Wallcliffe with fermentation and maturation taking place in French oak barriques (28% new) for a period of 9 months.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a faint glimmer of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Drifting through the nostrils are attractive scents of white peach, nectarine and dried honey with subtle cashew, citrus and spicy nougat also evident. Rich white peach, nectarine, dried honey and cashew flavours carry a sublime refined feel across the mid weighted palate. Brimming with freshness it has notions of biscuity nougat, citrus and spice extending across the back half. Finishes long and finessed with a gentle creamy textural feel.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews….
A Chardonnay to get the mouth watering. The scent of sea spray and rockpool is inviting, so sunny and fresh, with peach, nectarine, concentrated citrus, nougat and gently nutty oak. Luscious, generous and well-trimmed in bright acidity, the palate features some nicely worked winemaking overlay – including nine months in French oak barriques, 28% new – and complexity cast across summer stone fruits, lemon sorbet, lime peel, hazelnut and floral citrus blossom. A warm, buttery texture is well countered on the finish with neat line of lip- smacking quince tartness. The quintessential Margaret River Chardonnay. Drink 2025-2033.
95 Points
Jeni Port - WinePilot.comOne of the best chardonnays yet under this label. But you expect that with mature vineyards, a great vintage and continually refined winemaking. Opens with a slightly savoury cashew aromatic, which is intense and immediately engaging. The palate is deep and multi-layered. Explosive and powerful, it extends with real purpose to a long though still linear and defined finish. One of the best.
96 Points
RayJordanWine.com.au
If this chardy were in a rock band, it would be more than a backup singer to the lead vocals of Heytesbury – it would also belt out a few solos. It has its own voice. A little fleshier with white stone fruit but, of course, it comes with grapefruit and ginger flowers, fennel fronds, some neat phenolics and oak spice, the acidity pure and fine. It has delicious leesy/smoky/flavours. It’s a lovely drink and there's no need to wait to drink it. Drink by 2033.
95 points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
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2015 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Paola Paronetto Artist Edition ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $399.00$275. 00Bottle$3300.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkFor this new vintage of La Grande Dame, Italian ceramist and color master, Paola Paronetto collaborated with Veuve Clicquot to interpret the excellence of La Grande Dame's 2015 vintage. Paronetto, akin to Madame Clicquot, is an intuitive innovator who shares a passion for color. Her artistic approach results in a chromatic symphony reflecting the harmony of the 2015 vintage. The packaging, featuring six unique gift boxes, showcases a shower of hues from Paronetto's personal color palette.
The La Grande Dame 2015 is the 24th Vintage of La Grande Dame, a showcase of the House’s excellence. It perfectly expresses the Maison’s love for Pinot Noir, which since the 2008 vintage, has represented over 90% of the blend.
12.5% Alc./Vol.Other Reviews....
The 2015 La Grande Dame is bright and nicely focused. There’s good energy driving a core of Pinot Noir fruit. Pear, white flowers, mint, white pepper and lime are nicely delineated. The 2015 is not the most complex Grande Dame I have ever tasted, but it offers plenty of immediacy with no vegetal notes or hard contours that have proven so challenging elsewhere. This is an expertly made Champagne by any measure. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: October, 2021. Drink 2023-2030.
95 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is sleek and vivid with aromas of green apples, lemon peel, lime blossom, salted almonds and pastries on the nose. Medium-bodied and refreshing with lively acidity throughout and tiny bubbles. 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay. Drink or hold.
93 Points
JamesSuckling.comThis graceful Champagne offers hints of smoke and toasted brioche that transition to patisserie apple and blackberry fruit, candied ginger and mandarin orange peel notes. Seamlessly knit and mouthwatering, with a minerally underpinning and a finely detailed, dotted bead. Lush and creamy on the vibrant, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2035.
95 Points
Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator2015 shows off the sunny fruits of the year with more grip and intensity than the 2008 and 2012. Fleshy orange, red pear, dried pineapple and chewy grapefruit peel build on a firmly structured frame, although there is a suppleness of nougat and acacia honey lurking in the middle that promises to emerge with a little patience. The bustling energy of the vintage is sitting proud for now, bitter almond and fruit skin building to an energising close despite the moderate acidity. An edition that will perform especially well at the table. 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay from 8 Grand Cru villages. Dosage 6 g/L. Drink 2023 - 2033.
94 Points
Tom Hewson - DecanterThis fine Champagne is rich and beautifully structured. It is full with fine maturity, boasting layers of ripeness against the generous texture. Drink this impressive wine now.
95 Points
Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast Magazine -
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2015 Veuve Clicquot Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $160.00$130. 00Bottle$1560.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkA blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier sourced from selected Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards with an average of 5 years on lees. A plentiful mousse slowly dissipates to reveal a pale straw coloured base that has pale gold tinged edges. Very persistent and fine bead. Pronounced citrus and yeast lees aromas mingle with baked bread, almond, chalk and subtle toast. Racy and tense the palate is vividly sculptured by crisp acidity with citrus, oily toast and yeast lees characters melding into a dry chalky back drop of oyster shells and minerals. Airy mouth feel finishing long and stimulating.
Alc. 12.5% -
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W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)Kentucky, UNITED STATESReduced from $119.99$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 45%"Almost too soft and easy to drink. A thousand kisses in a glass."
94 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021Weller is a “wheated” bourbon, meaning that it doesn’t have the spicy rye notes found in a more traditional “ryed” bourbon. Originally created by the Stitzel-Weller Distilling Company, the brand is named after William Larue Weller, a distiller who is credited by some as being the first to use wheat as the secondary grain in bourbon as opposed to the more common rye. The style here is softly spoken on the nose, so give it ample time to open up. Threads of vanilla wafer biscuit, honeycombe and caramel nib weave a silky tapestry across the tongue with a seductively sweet, oily, tea biscuit-like finish where oak adds delicate spice. The overall effect feels elegant, understated. In short, a textural Bourbon that whispers and hints, which for some will make it all the more engaging. If you like wheated styles, put this next on your list. 45% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Once a 7 year old product, W.L. Weller Special Reserve no longer carries an age statement, but the wheated bourbon still brings caramel-forward joy and hints of watermelon and fresh-baked bread. Enjoy the short bursts of crème brulee, praline, honey, Jolly Rancher watermelon candy, and a hint of nutmeg, because it’s not there long. You can see the potential. 82 points - maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Spring 2016)
...The bourbon maintains its abundant sweetness on the palate, delivering a tasty yet classic mix of honey, caramel, vanilla, and light fruit. A very slight amount of oak rounds things out. Spice fails to make an appearance, likely a result of the wheated mashbill and relatively low proof, but in doing so, allows the sweet flavors to really come forth. The resulting experience is a nice one, leaving little to complain about aside from its characteristically gentle delivery. - breakingbourbon.com
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2024 Wantirna Estate Isabella ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $110.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 14%Closure: Stelvin2025 marks 62 years since the first vines were planted at Wantirna Estate, established in 1963 on an east-facing slope in Melbourne's southeastern outskirts. Once a mix of orchards, bush, and grasslands, the vineyard thrives today under the care of Maryann, Reg's daughter, though Reg remains actively involved. The wines, named after his four grandchildren, feature labels illustrated by Michael Leunig, reflecting each grandchild's personality, a heartfelt touch to this family-run estate.
Chardonnay vines, over 40 years old, grow on an east-facing slope that captures gentle morning and afternoon sunlight, ideal for producing high-quality fruit. Hand-harvested early in the day, the fruit is pressed, chilled, and fermented in French oak barrels (new, one, and two years old) in a cool underground cellar. The wine matures on yeast lees with regular stirring to enhance texture and is bottled after 11 months.
Other Reviews....
This is always a complex and beautifully crafted wine. On the nose you'll find aromas of white peach, just-ripened apricot, crushed stone and a little praline. On the palate, I really like the interplay between the wine's flavour and texture and the fine thread of acidity, giving the wine both structure and length. It's good now but will be even better in four to six years, if not longer from now. Lovely wine. As good, if not better than, the '23. Just 85 dozen bottles made. Drink 2026-2032.
97 points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Wine Companion50-60 year old vines. 85 dozen made (1020 bottles) which is a better crop than the miserly 2023 vintage at 64 dozen (772 bottles).
It’s a richer expression in 2024 offering plenty of Chardonnay flavour, though it’s still bright and focussed. I’m thinking white nectarine and yellow peach, grapefruit, a little lemon zest and aniseed, almond meal, with spicy cedar oak in support. It has some gloss combined with intense acidity, a light chalkiness, feels concentrated and pulls a little toasty and savoury on a finish of excellent length, and a bit of lemon zest. Give it a year to settle I’d say. Very nice. Drink 2026-2033+.
94+ points
Gary Walsh - The Wine FrontThe 2024 Isabella Chardonnay leads with crushed nuts and white flowers, lemon zest and brine. In the mouth, the wine is rich and full, nutty and wide, ripe and concentrated. I confess to preferring the Cabernets to the Chardonnay at this tremendous little estate; that being said, the distinctive style and identity of this wine is to be both noted and respected. It's a wonderful wine—honest and not interfered with. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2034.
94 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
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2023 Wantirna Estate Lily Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $110.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 13.6%Closure: Stelvin2025 marks 62 years since the first vines were planted at Wantirna Estate, established in 1963 on an east-facing slope in Melbourne's southeastern outskirts. Once a mix of orchards, bush, and grasslands, the vineyard thrives today under the care of Maryann, Reg's daughter, though Reg remains actively involved. The wines, named after his four grandchildren, feature labels illustrated by Michael Leunig, reflecting each grandchild's personality, a heartfelt touch to this family-run estate.
The vineyard's three distinct Pinot Noir blocks, covering just ten acres, are hand-harvested separately, often with up to two weeks between harvest dates. The mature block, with vines from the early 1970s, contributes savory tones and fine tannins. The Front block adds spice, while the Fruit Tree block offers generous fruitiness. Blended together, these components create the complex Pinot Noir style Wantirna Estate is renowned for.
Other Reviews....
A deep and brightly coloured crimson purple. Both to look at and smell, this is a concentrated and complex Wantirna pinot that's going to need some time. Aromas of black cherry, damson plum and dried red rose petals lead onto the palate, which is densely packed, structured and very long. Have it with food now, for sure, but those who still have some five to ten years from now will be very well rewarded. Drink 2026-2035.
96+ points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Wine CompanionI visited Wantirna Estate around this time last year, and didn’t taste any wine, rather we had tea and biscuits on the porch. Lovely. It’s a vineyard as a garden, if you take my meaning, The place has a sense of intimacy and it’s a world away from many larger producers. 130 dozen produced using very light weight bottles at that. Yay!
Raspberry, red cherry, mint, cedar, pencils and spice, something of a potpourri perfume too. It’s medium-bodied, all red fruits, a little spicy and autumnal, fresh raspberry crunch to acidity, with a firmness to tannin that offers grainy grip, finishing a little sappy with lively acidity, savoury flavours, and excellent length. Oak still shows a little too much as at now, but this is a strong release, and I like the ‘mineral’ character it offers too. Drink 2027-2034+.
95 points
Gary Walsh - The Wine FrontThe 2023 Lily Pinot Noir leads with cherry and cranberry, moss and tobacco, with layers of damp earth and exotic spice. This is beautiful. In the mouth, the wine is silky, with fine, pliable tannins that shape the course of the fruit across the tongue. The acidity is woven gently throughout and offers a delicacy and laciness that I find highly attractive. This is such a gorgeous wine. 13.6% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2038.
96 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
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2023 Wantirna Estate Amelia Cabernet Sauvignon MerlotYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $110.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: Stelvin2025 marks 62 years since the first vines were planted at Wantirna Estate, established in 1963 on an east-facing slope in Melbourne's southeastern outskirts. Once a mix of orchards, bush, and grasslands, the vineyard thrives today under the care of Maryann, Reg's daughter, though Reg remains actively involved. The wines, named after his four grandchildren, feature labels illustrated by Michael Leunig, reflecting each grandchild's personality, a heartfelt touch to this family-run estate.
Amelia Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is crafted primarily from the original 1963 plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with a smaller contribution from Petit Verdot vines planted in 1989. The blend typically consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, though proportions vary yearly. The Petit Verdot, harvested last in mid-April, adds tannin and natural acidity.
Other Reviews....
A 45/45/10% cabernet sauvignon/merlot and cabernet franc/petit verdot blend with the majority coming off the original dry-grown 1963 plantings. A fabulous, bright crimson/purple. A touch riper and richer than the '22. There's a sumptuous core of dark fruits, violets, cedar and fresh pencil shavings on the nose. It's just as enticing on the perfectly pitched, medium bodied, elegant and very persistent palate. Everything is in place for a long and productive life! Drink 2025-2035.
97+ points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Wine Companion44% Merlot/Cabernet Franc, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot.
Blackcurrant, raspberry, redcurrant, lots of pencils, a dusty spicy almost peppery top note, roast red capsicum, some menthol, violets too. It’s medium-bodied, very tight with cool glassy acidity, again those pencils and dark tobacco, a fine grainy grip to tannin, with a crunchy cranberry finish of excellent length. It’s a vintage where the Cabernet Franc perfume and brightness seems to ride quite high, and I like that sort of thing very much. And the pencils. I love pencils in my Cabernets. It’s finely-etched and classic in its Yarra Valley restraint. I reckon it’s tops. Drink 2028-2043+.
96 points
Gary Walsh - The Wine FrontThe 2023 Amelia Cabernet Sauvignon is leafy and spiced on the nose, with cassis and bramble, graphite and tobacco and delicate notes of cracked black pepper, pomegranate and cherry. This is floral and medium-bodied yet structured by tannins that feel eminently pulverized into the fruit—not a frame, rather a skeleton. I recently had the pleasure of a 1991 Cabernet Merlot from Wantirna Estate, and it was utterly fantastic. A perfect wine that moved into its apogee the following day. It was elegant, intense and incredibly fresh and a bitter disappointment to reach the end of the bottle. From that experience, one could surmise that the drinking window will span 30 or more years with ease. It is so pretty and unforced. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2043.
96 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
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- Australian Exclusive
2015 Warenghem Distillery Armorik Single Cask Australian Exclusive Cask Strength Single Malt French Whisky (700ml)Brittany, FRANCE$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenABV: 58.7%French whiskies are so rarely encountered here that when they do arrive they come with a sense of mystery. Yet, if there are regional challengers to the malts that emerge from Scotland's Western Highlands, then Northern France would have to be one. Whiskies from Brittany can be hugely flavoursome, capturing a sense of place with the freshness of the seashore and a touch of rusticity that's occasionally augmented by varying degrees of peat. Kornog and Warenghem are standouts, the latter offering whiskies under their Armorik label. When the Australian importers visited Brittany earlier in the year, their barrel selection came with a further French twist: Full-term maturation in a cask that previously held Pineau des Charentes - a speciality aperitif of Cognac, generally categorised as a fortified wine (aka 'mistelle' or 'vin de liqueur' in France, however, being a blend of grape must and eau-de-vie it could be argued that the genre is more akin to a liqueur). There is one cask only, all for Australia and the whisky it yielded continues a theme of beautifully rounded, utterly mouthfilling and wonderfully textural malts from Warenghem, this time with a light honey, fruit compote and sponge cake character in the mix. On the palate, poached fruits work to heighten the succulence of the barley before trailing off with lively spices, vanilla and honey. Hints of brine and pepper add vitality to the finish as does a slightly tart quince or citric note. It's wound up in a beautifully integrated delivery that's dangerously easy to drink uncut. With water the profile loses some of its finer points, but fluffs into a deliciously creamy dram. Distilled in October 2015 and bottled in February 2023, the visual presentation might lack sophistication, however the final result has exceeded the importer's expectations. 150 bottles are on offer. 58.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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2024 West Cape Howe Old School ChardonnayMount Barker, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$17. 99Bottle$215.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2025-2029)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinA rich, full flavoured style Chardonnay with a creamy textural feel.
The Old School Chardonnay is sourced from specific vineyard blocks in Mount Barker with barrel fermentation and maturation taking place in French oak of which 20% is new for a period of 10 months. Extended lees contact with fortnightly stirring and full malolactic fermentation enhance the wines texture to produce a full flavoured style Chardonnay.
Brilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Elevated aromas of peach, apricot and honeycomb fill the nostrils followed by hints of crème brulee, butterscotch and spice. Rich and mouth filling, the weighty palate is swamped with luscious ripe peach and apricot fruits. Notions of crème brulee, honeycomb and spicy nougat form the underbelly. A full, creamy textural feel counterpointed by a lick of fresh acidity through the long intensely flavoured finish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
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- 93
- Nick's Import
Whisky Craft Jura 36 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Jura, SCOTLAND$699. 00Bottle$8388.00 DozenABV: 48%Decanted from an octave cask (typically around 45-50 liters), just 66 bottles of this island gem made it to market. At first sniff, a spritely, salty quality overlays the barley, a bit like green olive brine, then, almost like a dry Madeira on the palate, though with more intensity from the uncut sprit. Finally, a lovely fruity quality enters. Water is required to accent those tropical notes, bringing juicy dried mango and light beeswax, mellowing the palate without diminishing the length. Typical of extra-aged bottlings from this distillery, the style here is rather feminine, quietly complex and seemingly unique to Jura. Cask #900869 tasted. 48% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Mellow and sophisticated, with aromas of warm lemon pastry, sea air, sweet orange, and crème brûlée. Palate: Light and buttery at first, evolving into rich layers of caramelised brown sugar, custard, followed by a familiar oiliness. Finish: Gently spiced with clove and cinnamon, balanced by honeyed sweetness and a light peppery lift.
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- 96
- 96
2020 Whistling Eagle Vineyard Eagles Blood ShirazHeathcote, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinA seductive Heathcote Shiraz that boasts ample power and a plush textural feel.
Renown as one of Heathcote’s leading growers and viticulturalists, Ian Rathjen also produces small parcels of wine under his own label, Whistling Eagle. Matured in French oak (30% new) for a period of 18 months, the Eagles Blood Shiraz is his ultimate expression of the Cambrian terroir displaying spectacular colour, depth and power.
Pitch black core with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Heady aromatics of ripe blackberry, liquorice and dark plum waft out of the glass complimented by some vanillin cedar, fennel and peppered earth notes. A rich, silky flow of opulent blackberry, liquorice and dark plum fruits decorate the full bodied palate. Vanillin oak, subtle earthy mocha and peppered fennel characters also chime in. Boasting ample power and a plush textural feel, it has velvet smooth tannins and a long seductive finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews…..
One sniff and you are standing on the mineral-rich soils of Heathcote, surrounded by the warm, inviting scents of the local bush. This is an evocative wine, of the place, of the dirt, capturing both the natural generosity of Heathcote shiraz and its environment beautifully, artfully. Earth, bush mint, undergrowth, acacia, briar, cassis, black cherry, anise and red licorice join forces with well-mannered oak to seduce. Seduction complete. Drink by 2038.
96 Points
Jeni Port – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- 94
Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell's 70th Anniversary 101 Proof 8 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)Kentucky, UNITED STATES$139. 99Bottle$1679.88 DozenABV: 50.5%"Outstanding... Perfection at 8 years... If there were a single bourbon to best represent Wild Turkey’s signature flavor it would be this bottle." - rarebird101.com
Wild Turkey's latest collector-worthy bourbon celebrates Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell's 70th anniversary at the distillery. The whiskey is an 8 year old with an additional blend of 8 to 9 year old bourbons, hand-selected from a few of Jimmy’s favourite Rickhouses. The bolder, higher-proof expression is one he's always preferred. When many began favouring lighter spirits, Jimmy refused to dilute his bourbon or change the distilling process, embracing a style that he learned from his predecessor, Bill Hughes. That staunch approach helped propel the popularity of many of the distillery’s classics, including Jimmy’s favourite, Wild Turkey 101, proving that a bold Kentucky bourbon would always have a place behind the bar.
Wild Turkey was known as Anderson County Distilling Co. when Jimmy started work. It would soon change its name to J.T.S. Brown & Sons. From his earliest days spent sweeping the floors as an 18 year old rookie, Jimmy moved from job to job as seen fit by his mentor, the pre-prohibition distiller Bill Hughes. Through changes in ownership and shifts in the market, Jimmy rose through the ranks to finally become Master Distiller in 1967. Four years later a company from New York named Austin, Nichols & Co. (a subsidiary of Liggett Myers Tobacco. Co.) purchased the J.T.S. Brown & Sons Distillery to produce their flagship Wild Turkey Bourbon exclusively. The new management kept Jimmy in charge and the rest, as they say, is history. Seventy years working at the same business is an extraordinary accomplishment in anyone's book. It would take a dedicated biography to cover it. "In my eyes, I've never worked a day in my life. The day I do, I'll retire," jokes Jimmy. "Until then, I'm going to continue making the bourbon I love."
Other reviews... This year, master distiller Jimmy Russell celebrated his 70th year at Wild Turkey, a remarkable milestone by any stretch of the imagination (and even more so considering that he still shows up to work most days of the week). In honor of this watershed year, Jimmy’s son Eddie and grandson Bruce created a celebratory bourbon. The nose is chock-full of fresh cherries, cappuccino, vanilla cream, butterscotch, and leather. Baking spice bubbles over on the palate, backed up by toasted coconut and salted caramel, and a lick of bright citrus. Vanilla buttercream, Mounds bar, and black currant end this celebration on a high note. 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com
Outstanding. Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary Release is perfection at eight years. It’s everything it should be and nothing it shouldn’t. If there were a single bourbon to best represent Wild Turkey’s signature flavor it would be this bottle. - rarebird101.com
Notes from the producers... Best served neat or over ice, the bourbon offers rich aromas of oak, honey, cinnamon, and tobacco and a palate marked by sweet cream, butterscotch and black tea notes that transition to bitter chocolate, dark cherry and burnt sugar.
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- 93
- Reduced
2023 William Fevre Petit ChablisChablis, FRANCEReduced from $47.99$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2025-2029)ABV: 12%Closure: Diam CorkClassically refreshing Chablis with a gently rounded feel and a lengthy stony mineral laced finish.
Founded by William Fevre in 1957 the domaine has grown to now become one of the biggest land owners in Chablis with 78 hectares of prestigious vineyards, of which 15.9 hectares are classified as Premiers Crus and 15.2 as Grand Crus. The Petit Chablis was matured in stainless steel vats for a period of 8-10 months to preserve freshness.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of lime, pear and green apple infused with sea spray are trailed by some fresh herb and stony mineral notes. The palate is layered with refreshing pear and lime fruits which meld into a back drop of green apple, oyster shell and slatey mineral characters. Gently rounded in it’s feel it has brisk acidity and a lengthy stony mineral laced finish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12% -
- 96
2024 Wilson Polish Hill River RieslingClare Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinWonderfully concentrated and tense with zingy mineral laced acidity.
Wilson’s Polish Hill River Riesling is sourced from their oldest vineyards planted over 40 years ago. Its miniscule yields typically produce a wine rich in citrus fruits within a steely structure, tight with lots of minerality. Beneath the iron stained clay lies a bed of decomposing slate and scattered quartz. It’s also not unusual to find remnant pottery and agricultural implements from the Polish Settlers who once lived and farmed the area now planted to this small vineyard.
Brilliant water like colour with a faint greenish tinge around the edges. Lime and citrus aromas leap out of the glass trailed by some green apple, hints of orange rind, wet steel and chalky mineral notes. Delivered with fabulous intensity and tension are racy lemon, lime and green apple flavours. Zingy mineral laced acidity with delicate orange rind and wet steel elements also shining through. Dry and chalky it finishes very long and zesty.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12% -
- 94
- 93
- 92
2022 Wirra Wirra Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz MerlotMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinRich red to black fruits seamlessly integrated within a refined medium bodied structure.
The 2022 vintage marks 50 years of Wirra Wirra Church Block, the first vintage being produced back in 1972. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Shiraz and 7% Merlot matured for 12 months in a combination of new and seasoned French and American oak barrels.
Midnight black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Blossoming from the glass are attractive scents of red to black currant, mulberry and red liquorice which are trailed by some vanillin cedar, earth and spice notes. Rich red to black currant, red liquorice and mulberry fruits meld into a vanillin cedar, earth, dried herb and spice back drop. Boasting excellent intensity and a seamlessly integrated fine grained tannin structure it finishes long and refined. One of the best Church Block’s for quite some time.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews…..
A vintage that marks an incoming winemaker and a culling of lesser quality fruit. Cabernet and shiraz, the Aussie archetype. Consummate, medium-bodied and savory, with better tannin management than what I recall of past vintages. Bay leaves, currants and iodine, with licorice tannins serving as gentle directives to good, supple length. An everyday claret for the sophisticate, with a strong maritime feel. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
93 points
JamesSuckling.comCabernet Sauvignon (51%) Shiraz (42%) Merlot (7%).
This release of Wirra Wirra Church Block is on song and in form. It has plenty of flesh and fruit but it’s also firm and dry. It tastes of boysenberry, redcurrant, saltbush and dried herbs, with a gently ferrous-like element running throughout. It’s lovely to drink; solid but supple. Drink 2024-2029+
92 points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front -
- 91
- Australian Exclusive
Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (1000ml) - Whiskey Hunt Australia SelectionKentucky, UNITED STATES$149. 99Bottle$1799.88 DozenABV: 45.2%Whiskey Hunt Australia's debut with Woodford Reserve comes courtesy of the distillery's owners, Brown Forman. Guided by Woodford's Brand Ambassador, Andy Tsai, in December 2023 the group were invited to choose from three Woodford select profiles. Unlike most WHA releases which have been single cask picks, the Woodford Personal Selection Program asks customers to preference a bourbon that matches their palate, typically based on three distinct distillery 'profiles'. Jack Daniels (also owned by Brown Forman) have a similar approach. No.2 was judged the winner, showcasing aromas of oak shavings, cherry-dark-chocolate and dried peach, complemented by medium bodied flavours of burnt caramel, subtle smoke, orange spice cake and drying oak. True to the Woodford house style, the whiskey was distilled from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley with 180 one-litre bottles imported to Australia. 45.2% Alc./Vol.
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- Nick's Import
Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum (700ml)Kingston, JAMAICA$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 63%"made by one company that remembers its roots and continues to distil a real rum." - thelonecaner.com
Ask a native where you could sample J.Wray & Nephew over-proof rum, and they will tell you knock on the door of any household. Such is the legendary status of this spirit that it accounts for 90% of rum sales in Jamaica. Other brands produced under the J.Wray & Nephew name are Captain Morgan, Coruba and the renowned Appleton Estate range. Use this product in classic rum punches with tropical juices. Alternate with flavoured rums and liqueurs for something new. Also great in the traditional Mai Tai and Daiquiri.
Other reviews... This is the flagship rum from Wray and the rum ... familiar instantly on the nose, with a mixture of citrus and petrol notes, very aromatic with florals and the raw alcoholic notes one expects from an overproof rum. The body is a bit tougher and astringent, slightly charcoal-dusted but otherwise intense with fruit, both citrus and tropical, with overtones of overripe banana, bubble gum, and a touch of eucalyptus on the finish. Surprisingly approachable despite the heavy alcohol level. - drinkhacker.com
...I’m not a huge white rum lover but this is as good as I have had. It will give a massive kick to tiki style cocktails, where it is very often used. W&N Overproof is very popular and highly regarded amongst bartenders and mixologists. Rightly so as well. The danger in this drink maybe that at 63% its very drinkable. At the price it is also very good value. W&N Overproof needs to be evaluated on what it is. It is a very good white overproof mixer. It’s availability and price makes it a no-brainer to have on hand. 4/5 stars - thefatrumpirate.com
...I have gained a sort of sneaking appreciation for overproofs, including this one, because while it lacks the subtlety of a more refined 40% variation (subtlety? don’t make me laugh…the thing is like a charging brontosaurus on steroids at rutting time), it makes an intense, strong, powerfully tasting mix with whatever you decide to chase it. Try adding cola to a 40% low-ender and then to the White Overproof and try and tell me this one doesn’t have more character, more taste, more…well, cojones. It absolutely is not afraid to charge the gates and get the hell off the reservation. When you drink J. Wray’s clear hooch, reader, there’s no ifs, ands or buts — you know Elvis has left the building; and didn’t just exit, he took off with rocket-powered, turbo-charged steel-toed boots. And a jet pack.... made by one company that remembers its roots and continues to distil a real rum. - thelonecaner.com
5 Stars - diffordsguide.com
Recipe: Jamaican Rum Punch
1 cup J.Wray and Nephew Over-proof rum
1/2 cup Myer's dark rum
2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 1/2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tbsp grenadine syrup
Ice cubes -
- 97
2022 Yalumba Paradox ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$46. 99Bottle$563.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinOne of Yalumba’s distinguished site wines, the Paradox is sourced from the Northern Barossa and is made with an emphasis on velvet like texture and the use of less new oak than many of its counterparts. Maturation taking place in French oak puncheons, with only 8% new oak employed, for a period of 17 months.
Rich, expansive and enveloping, this marries Barossa opulence with a gorgeously refined finish.
Magnificent colour featuring a super saturated inky black core and a deep black dark red hue. Seducing the olfactory senses are captivating blackberry, liquorice and dark plum aromas which interact with delicately smoked vanillin cedar, fennel, dark chocolate and peppered earth notes. Rich, silky and concentrated across the full bodied yet perfectly proportioned palate is a sumptuous flow of blackberry, liquorice and dark plum fruits. Undertones of spicy vanillin cedar, subtle scorched earth, dark chocolate and peppered fennel lend further interest. Boasting fantastic power and depth yet not heavy handed in it’s feel, it has velvet smooth tannins and a long, opulent yet gorgeously refined finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14% -
- 97
- 96
- 97
2022 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 15 Years (2025-2040)ABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkA classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz first produced in 1962, Yalumba’s Signature pays homage each vintage to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the culture and traditions of Yalumba. The 2022 vintage’s signatory is Yalumba’s Executive Director of Sales for Australia & New Zealand, Paul Midolo. This year’s release marks the 51st vintage of Yalumba The Signature.
From vines with an average age of 49 years the 2021 Signature is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz with maturation taking place in a combination of French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads (21% of which was new oak) for a period of 18 months.Deep and powerful yet finessed, this is Yalumba Signature at it’s finest.
Inky black heart with a deep dark purple black tinged hue. Unfurling from the glass in what is a wonderful show of both refinement and intensity is a mix of red to black currant, liquorice and mulberry scents trailed by some vanillin cedar, tobacco, earth and faint bay leaf notes. Rich red plum, red to black currant, liquorice and mulberry fruits flow eloquently across the medium to full bodied palate. Piquing further interest and complexity are spicy vanillin cedar, subtle tobacco, earthy dark chocolate and bay leaf accents. Deep and powerful yet finessed it has a sturdy fine grained tannin structure that bodes well for longer term cellaring. Finishes very long, sophisticated and elegant.
Drink over the next 10-15 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews....
Yalumba's famous Signature cabernet sauvignon and shiraz blend has a strong pedigree when it comes to cellaring and the 2022 release will certainly carry on long into the future. The fruit density and purity here are impressive. Blackberry, doris plum and black cherry tones, their flow elegant and graceful across the palate with hints of spice, cedar, tobacco, pencil shavings, roasting meats, dried herbs and olive tapenade. Fine-grained tannins are in abundance and there is an extended finish that rolls on and on. It's a super release. Drink by 2054.
96 Points
Dave Brookes – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
The 2022 The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is so pretty—floral, red fruited and fine. This is a beautiful iteration of this wine. Ironically, there's a coastal freshness about it—kelp, brine, crushed shells—given it is nowhere near the coast. It's capacious and mineral and so fresh. The tannins are fine and neat, and the wine has incredible focus and line through the long finish. It's very impressive, potentially one of my favorite releases of this wine to date. It has wholly Barossa fruit this vintage. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. Drink 2025-2052.
97 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate -
- 94
- Biodynamic
- Organic
2024 Yangarra Estate Vineyard Circle Blewitt Springs Field BlendMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$23. 99Bottle$287.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2025-2029)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinA juicy, youthfully vibrant Rhone blend that finishes fresh and succulent.
A blend of 70% Grenache, 17% Carignan, 10% Counoise, 2% Cinsault and 1% Mourvedre. Vibrant dark red core with black toned edges and a bright purple red tinged hue. Alluring red to dark raspberry, red liquorice and plum scents intermingle with whiffs of fresh herbs, vanillin confectionary and delicate peppered earth notes. Light to medium weight, juicy and possessing a youthful vibrancy, red raspberry, red liquorice and red plum fruits overlay dried herb, subtle scorched earth and pepper elements. Smooth, seamlessly integrated tannins finishing fresh and succulent.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13.5% -
- 95
- 95
- Organic
- Biodynamic
2024 Yangarra Estate Vineyard Circle Blewitt Springs GrenacheMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$23. 99Bottle$287.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinYangarra Estate’s Circle Collection is a new range of entry-level wines that focus on Southern Rhone varietals. Made from younger vines they are uber delicious fruit driven wines that deliver fantastic value.
An explosive, super juicy Grenache that makes for highly addictive drinking.
Deep dark purple red core with black shaded edges and a bright purple hue. The wonderfully fragrant nose is singing with red to dark raspberry, violet, red liquorice and blueberry scents. Subtle fresh herb and peppered earth notes are also evident. Super juicy and intensely flavoured, rich red to dark raspberry, red liquorice and cherry fruits explode across the exuberant palate with delicate infusions of dried herbs, scorched earth and pepper the undercard. Magnificent power and silky tannins with fresh acidity lending an energetic feel to the long super succulent finish. Highly addictive drinking over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews....
This is the younger vine bottling, coming mainly off vines planted in '08. Up to three weeks on skins; maturation in steel and old puncheons and foudre. This is a nice foil to the Old Vine bottling, showing what relatively youthful vines can do on this great site. There’s an open red-berried and cherry fruitfulness, with red florals supported by savoury spice and a foundation of purposeful natural tannin. This doesn’t have the mineral depth of the Old Vine, but the fruit vibrancy and exuberance yield their own rewards. Drink by 2030.
95 Points
Marcus Ellis – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- 93
- 93
- Reduced
Andre Clouet No. 3 Brut Rose ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $120.00$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: Diam CorkWhen it comes to Pinot Noir in Champagne, the grand cru villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay rank amongst the greatest in the region. And one of the most talented exponents from here is the Clouet family based in Bouzy. Champagne Andre Clouet have been producing Champagne for over two centuries, and under the guidance of Jean Francois Clouet the wines have never looked better. While his wines are exuberant and concentrated, Jean Francois manages to counter this with immaculate finesse and detail on the palate.
A fine satiny mousse slowly subsides leaving behind a salmon coloured base that has a very fine and persistent bead coursing through it. Attractive pomegranate and strawberry aromas are intermeshed with yeast lees, baked bread and chalky mineral notes. Full and expansive across the palate, strawberry, yeast lees, raspberry and water melon flavours are sculptured by chalky, mineral infused acidity. Nervy feel. Finishes very dry and refreshingly tense.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews…..
A frank, generous and juicy but properly dry rosé champagne that has plenty of pinot noir red-berry character. Enough substance to easily handle the dining table. Long and bright, berry and citrus finish. 100% pinot noir, of which 8% was red wine. Drink now.
93 points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 97
- 95
- 97
- 95
2021 Ata Rangi Pinot NoirMartinborough, NEW ZEALAND$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenCellar: 8 - 10 Years (2033-2035)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinOnly fruit, from the oldest parcels of vines at Ata Rangi makes it into this wine. The fabled Abel clone, allegedly smuggled from Burgundy in the mid-70s, makes up 40% of the blend. Incorporates 40% whole bunch fruit with maturation taking place in French oak (30% new) for a period of 11 months.
Deep dark red core with black toned edges and a dark red hue. Perfumed like aromas of violet, dark cherry, strawberry and plum captivate the olfactory senses with further sophistication drawn from some anise, vanillin cedar, forest floor and delicate spicy clove notes. Rich and concentrated yet structurally muscular in its feel, delicious dark cherry, strawberry and plum fruits are framed by graphite like tannins and agile acidity. Powerful yet somewhat understated at present, it’s supple on entry then tightens up towards the finish. Notions of anise, crushed rock, forest floor and spicy cedar lend further complexity. Concludes expansive yet tense and makes a long seductive exit.
Cellar 8-10 years plus.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews…..
Lively and vibrant red fruits of wild strawberries and red cherries followed by rose hips, ground spices and a touch of citrus zest. Medium-bodied, finely grained velvety tannins with a delightful acid backbone. Zesty and layered wine with beautiful balance and complexity. It’s already enjoyable but will age gracefully.
97 points
JamesSuckling.comThe 2021 Pinot Noir definitely reflects the vintage. Its good color and abundance of gravelly tannins display the smaller berried, smaller vintage. Its bright fruit, intense concentration and plentiful acidity accompany primary red fruit flavor, with an impressive show of ample black tea leaf-like tannins. It's a wine for the long haul that draws out on the extended finish. To be released in 2024. Drink 2025-2039.
95-97 points
Rebecca Gibb – VinousThe 2021 Pinot Noir is vibrant on the nose and totally precise and focused. The acid spools right from the front of the palate and has a mobile, agile way about it. The season may have had its challenges, but the wine is effortless, natural and shapely. It's great. The 40% whole bunch here sits well within the red fruit and creates a capacious mid-palate, without an impact of stalky flavor. Superb. A real pleasure to drink. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023-2037.
95 points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine AdvocateThis is impeccably composed and seductively expressed, showing dark cherry, clove, thyme and cedar characters on the nose with a gorgeous floral overtone. The concentrated palate is plush yet poised and refined with fleshy texture and perfectly pitched tannins. The wine exhibits stunning depth with layers of delectable flavours and meticulously structured mouthfeel, leading to a totally captivating, sensual finish.
99 points
Sam Kim – Wine Orbit -
- 94
- 95
- Reduced
2017 Nicks Secret BALG Shiraz CabernetBendigo, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $45.00$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2024-2026)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinThis renown central Victorian producer was established in 1969 with the first vineyards planted in Bendigo to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. With some decent bottle age behind it this well fleshed blend offers great value drinking over the next year or two.
A rich, fleshy central Victorian blend that offers terrific everyday drinking.
Midnight black dark red core with a dark red hue. An elevated combination of liquorice, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas greets the nostrils with complimenting notes of vanillin cedar, earth and choc mint like characters ensuing. Rich dark plum, liquorice and choc mint flavours are seamlessly integrated with vanillin cedar, earth and spice elements. Plush and fleshy in its feel, it carries medium to full body weight and possesses a silken yet underlying sturdy tannin structure. Finishes long and generous with traces of leather making an appearance on the aftertaste.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
Oh boy, I really did love this wine. Despite now being seven years old, its ruby colour illustrates that there’s still a lot of life left in it. This is well and truly confirmed by the aromatics, which show an equal mix between primary and tertiary characters: blackberry, violets, raspberry, dried red and black fruits, dark chocolate, cigar box, and some well-integrated oak. The palate is glorious: silky, concentrated and vivid, with the alcohol never overwhelming but sitting firmly in the background. I also loved how it was great either to sip it by itself or to consume it with food (in my case, a juicy steak and roast veggies). I predict that with a bit more cellaring, the wine will improve even more.
95+ points
Brendan Black – WinePilot.com -
- 97
- 98
2021 Barr-Eden Estate Mengler’s Hill Avenue to Gold ShirazEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14.4%Closure: Diam CorkSitting across the Eden Valley and Barossa Valley at a high elevation on Mengler’s Hill, Barr Eden Estate is owned by Michael Twelftree (of Two Hand’s fame) and a Frenchman by the name of Pierre-Henri Morel who comes from the Northern Rhone. From the outstanding 2021 vintage, one of the world’s pre-eminent wine critics, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous Media, recently scored this wine a whopping 98 points. To put this into context, they scored the 2021 Penfolds Grange 97 points and 2021 Henschke Hill of Grace 98 points, both priced at around $1000 per bottle. At just $54.99, that makes this wine a vinous bargain by any measure.
Rich, plush and incredibly long yet not overbearing, this is a superb marriage of opulence and finesse.
Pitch black heart with a very deep dark purple black tinged hue. Wafting through the nostrils with great potency are aromas of dark plum, liquorice and dark chocolate which are complemented by some blackberry, vanillin cedar, earthy mocha and spice notes. Rich, plush and incredibly long, cascading waves of dark plum, liquorice, blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate fruit saturate the full bodied palate. Layered across the back half are notions of spicy vanillin cedar and earthy mocha elements. Exceptionally concentrated and powerful yet refined it has seamlessly integrated, velvet smooth tannins. The expansive finish, a marriage of opulence and finesse.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14.4%Other Reviews….
The 2021 Shiraz Avenue to Gold slowly reveals beautifully composed and even aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, red licorice and touches of dried herbs, all wrapped up in a cocoon of fine French oak. Its seamless, satiny texture enhances powerful and energetic flavors that are both youthful and refined. Firm yet fine tannins drive the long, impressive finish. This is absolutely great but needs time to flower. Drink 2032-2042.
98 Points
Angus Hughson - Vinous -
- 96
- 95
2021 Catena Zapata Angelica Zapata Malbec AltaMendoza, ARGENTINA$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 13.5%Closure: Diam CorkRich and generous yet elegant and fresh, this superb example of Mendoza Malbec is brimming with red and blue fruit.
Catena’s Angelica Zapata Malbec is named as a tribute to Nicolas Catena Zapata’s mother and family matriarch, Angelica Zapata. Sourced from two high altitude vineyards, it’s matured for a period of between 18-24 months in Frenck oak barrels, 70% of which are new.
Midnight black heart with a vibrant dark red hue. A fragrant mix of blueberry, red currant, red liquorice and violet scents blossom out of the glass complimented by some dark cherry, earth, dried herb and spice notes. Rich and generous yet elegant and fresh, the mid weighted palate is brimming with red currant, blueberry, dark cherry and red liquorice fruits. Very fine grained tannins with infusions of fresh herbs, delicate earthy dark chocolate and spicy cedar elements lying underneath. Concludes with a refined, cool toned feel to the long red and blue fruited finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
Fresh yet ripe nose with blackberries, chocolate mint, dark cherries, minerals and fine spices. Juicy, full-bodied and compact, with a flavorful center palate loaded with fine, dusty tannins. Long and even, with rich but fresh fruit and cocoa powder at the end. Drink or hold.
95 Points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 96
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2023 Coldstream Hills ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $32.99$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinRich and gently creamy in its feel with a long, refined finish.
Fermented and matured on lees for a period of 7 months in a mix of seasoned and new French oak barriques, puncheons and vats. Brilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Delightful nose with aromas of white peach, nectarine, dried honey and cashew streaming out of the glass. Notions of biscuity nougat and spice also chime in for additional nuance. Rich and gently creamed in its flow across the palate, flavours of white peach, nectarine and dried honey are featured over a cashew, biscuity nougat and spice back drop. Beautifully balanced acidity finishing long, refined and shapely.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews....
Barrel fermented and matured in a combination of seasoned and new French oak barriques, puncheons and vats. A light, bright green gold. Gee, Andrew Fleming and the team have a lovely touch when it comes to making chardonnay. Gentle aromas of nashi, just-ripened nectarines and a hint of vanillin spice. The palate has good mid-palate intensity, juicy acidity and a long, even finish. A steal at this price, really. Drink by 2028.
95 Points
Philip Rich – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
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2024 Coriole FianoMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$26. 99Bottle$323.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 1 Years (2024-2025)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOne of the finest Australian Fiano’s we’ve tasted.
Fiano originates from a province in Campania, east of Naples and it’s perfectly suited to the McLaren Vale climate, so much so that it has become the regions fastest growing white wine category. Coriole planted Fiano in 2001 and their first commercial release was the 2005 vintage.
Fifteen percent of the blend was barrel fermented in older French hogsheads.
Brilliant water like core with a distinct greenish tint to the edges. Filling the nostrils are intense lime and green apple scents infused with fresh herbs which are trailed by some wet slate and flinty mineral like notes. Boasting superb concentration and textural volume, the mouth watering palate is awash with crunchy lime, green apple and citrus fruits. Infusions of Mediterranean herbs and stony mineral characters linger across the back half. Crisp acidity finishing dry, super long and scrumptious. A rich, textural style of Fiano that’s incredibly moreish.
Drink over the next year.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews…..
The thing about Coriole Fiano, is that it tastes like Fiano. Is this the 20th release of this wine? Well, around about that.
Green apple, green herbs, a whiff of aniseed, lemon peel, and a little bit of seaside fun. It’s juicy, it’s quite savoury too, with some raw almond and herbs, a lively tang of green apple and pink grapefruit, a light chalky grip to texture and plenty of zing and energy, plus some quinine bitterness on a finish of excellent length. Bust out the calamari and chips, it’s game on. Drink 2024-2029+
94 points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front
Raised in tank (75%), old oak (10%) and concrete (15%), with the latter finding increasing favour with winemaker Duncan Lloyd over oak. Brightly fruited and subtly complex, with a savoury, backbone and oyster shell minerality. Lemon pith, tart golden apple, green almond, yellow grapefruit and soft herbs seasoned with fennel seed and white pepper. There’s a seamless quality to this, peppy acidity neatly meshed into the finely-tooled mouthfeel, escorting the flavours through a crisp and very long exit. Drink by 2028.
95 points
Marcus Ellis - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
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2023 Dalrymple Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIAReduced from $39.99$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinFruit was sourced from Dalrymple’s own vineyards at Pipers River and Coal River Valley along with growers in Swansea and Ouse. Utilising a variety of blocks, different clones and slightly different aspects each of these sites made its own unique contribution to the final blend. The cooler northern maritime location at Pipers River produces Pinot Noir that is focused and structured, while the Coal River Valley in the south adds texture and softness to the mid-palate. Five to twenty five percent whole bunches were included depending on the site and maturation took place in French oak barriques (20% new) for a period of 9 months.
Dark red core with black toned edges and a red hue. Wonderfully perfumed nose with aromas of violet, red to dark cherries, strawberries and subtle anise sailing out of the glass followed by notions of spicy cedar, forest floor and fresh herbs. Light, fresh and supple in its feel, delicious red cherry, strawberry and delicate rhubarb flavours move across the palate with forest floor, fresh herbs and spicy cedar lingering underneath. Polished tannins and bright acidity with the elegant, red fruited finish showing a savoury edge.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%
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2024 Dog Point Sauvignon BlancMarlborough, NEW ZEALAND$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2025-2028)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinSuper scrumptious Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at it’s best.
Sourced from eight estate-owned vineyards within the Wairau Valley with vines on average 26 years old. The fruit is whole bunch pressed to tank for fermentation and matured on lees for 4 months before bottling.
Brilliant water like core with green highlighted edges. A mix of grapefruit, passionfruit and lime scents leap from the glass complimented by some gooseberry, asparagus and herbaceous grassy notes. Delivered with terrific intensity and drive are mouth watering flavours of passionfruit, gooseberry, lime and grapefruit. Notions of guava, herbaceous grassy characters and mineral elements also chime in. Crisp acidity with a long, super scrumptious finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
A washing line of fresh linen, spring daisies and gently waving buffalo grass. There is lemon posset, limestone, chalk and grapefruit skin. Citrus and white stone fruit flavours centre deeply in the mid-palate, with a tantalising amount of fresh fruit sweetness and cascading and yet tapered acidity. This is just a top-notch white wine, full stop. Detailed, layered and moreish in every sense of the word. Close your eyes and take in the pretty aromas, taste the sandy dry mineral tones, consider the palate length and quality and you know you can only be drinking Dog Point from their esteemed Wairau sites in Marlborough. The savoury cream tones add further complexity and finesse. This is a global benchmark for sauvignon blanc. Drink by 2030.
97 Points
Shanteh Wale – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
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2023 Domaine Chantemerle Fourchaume Chablis Premier CruChablis, FRANCE$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkIt’s no big secret that the prices of Burgundy have skyrocketed in recent years and whilst the wines from Chablis haven’t risen quite as steeply it’s becoming increasingly difficult to even locate sub $50 Petit Chablis. So a $60 Premier Cru Chablis that delivers exceptional quality is indeed a rare find these days.
Francis Boudin is the third-generation vigneron at Chantemerle and the estate firmly falls in the traditional mould - he despises oak. As the story goes, his grandfather was a cooper and with so much exposure to oak during his formative years he banished it from the family cellars opting for concrete and steel alone.
Old vine material is the key to the estate’s success. While many in the region during the 1970's were re-planting vineyards to high-yielding material the Boudins were planting with naturally low-yielding vines. Along with careful vineyard management, an informed but gentle touch in the winery and judicious lees work to bring out flesh and texture, Boudin produces supple wines, that speak of place clearly layered with Chablis' prized minerality.A beautifully shaped and intensely flavoured Premier Cru Chablis that delivers phenomenal value.
Brilliant pale straw colour with subtle flecks of green to the edges and a watery hue. Enticing pear and lime scents jump out of the glass intermixing with wet stone, faint dried honey, oyster shell and mineral notes along the way. Beautifully shaped with a river stone like feel and intensely flavoured, the palate features pear, lime and green apple fruits which seamlessly intermesh with wet slate, oyster shell and minerally saline like elements. Agile acidity lends freshness to a long, supple finish that’s highly moreish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
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2023 Domaine Chantemerle Chablis Vieille VignesChablis, FRANCE$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2025-2028)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinA mouth filling Chablis that’s quite forward and ripe in style.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a subtle greenish tinge to the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of lime and green apple mix with some subtle oyster shell notes, light pear and wet stone. Quite forward and ripe in style, the palate features concentrated pear, lime and green apple fruits over an oyster shell, faint dried honey and smoky mineral back drop. Texturally mouth filling it has brisk underlying acidity which freshens up the stony mineral laced finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
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2018 Duke’s The Morrissey Cabernet ShirazPorongurup, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2022-2030)ABV: 13.8%Closure: StelvinMidnight black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Wonderful nose with pronounced blackcurrant, violet and subtle red liquorice scents drifting from the glass closely followed by cedary tobacco notes, earth, hints of bay leaf and spice. Exceptionally refined and polished, the mid weighted palate is all class. Silky flavours of red to black currant, red liquorice and plum overlay a dusty vanillin cedar, tobacco, earth and spicy bay leaf back drop. Superb tannin integration and depth concluding long, deeply fruited and elegant.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 13.8%Other Reviews….
An estate blend of cabernet and shiraz. There's nothing that the human combination of Duke Ranson in and around the vineyard and the skills of winemaker Robert Diletti can't achieve. The breathless flavours, structure and texture of this striking blend are, quite simply, superb. Glistening black cherries, satsuma plum and finely wrought tannins are all on parade. Drink by 2043.
97 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion -
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Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $189.99$149. 99Bottle$1799.88 DozenABV: 40%Note: New blue packaging, not old brown packaging.
While the twelve year old is a relatively non-descript malt, older Glenfiddich bottlings are now gaining high praise including one award as the world's best single malt Scotch whisky. However, as a representation of the house style, the 18 year old pretty much nails it. Always a centre-piece of the portfolio, the company has further emphasised its place by redesigning the packaging to give it a more superior look than its 12- and 15-year-old stablemates. Aged in a mixture of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks followed by a final spell of marrying in wooden tuns, the moderate aromas of distant smoke, honey, clove and vanilla-laced malt echo on the palate alongside hints of dried apricots and spice, augmented by the softest peat. Plush and silky with more dried fruit and spice to finish, it's is a clear step up from the 12yo - both richer and rounder while remaining in the mainstream of sherry influenced malts. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... the smoke which for long marked this aroma, appears to have vanished...one of the most complex deliveries Speyside can conjure....long, despite the miserly 40% offered, with plenty of banana custard and a touch of pear; at the moment, the ace in the Glenfiddich pack. If this was bottled at 46%, unchillfiltered etc, I dread to think what the score might be. 95 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2016
Luxe and easy-sipping. Look for enticing notes of butterscotch, baked pear, cinnamon and clove on the nose and palate, swathed in just the right amount of smokiness. 96 points - wineenthusiast.com
...Dried fruits, dark chocolate, figs, and cinnamon on the nose. The palate yields rich caramel and toffee-apple notes, plus ginger, cloves, and medium sherry. More dried fruits, cookies, and a sprinkling of allspice in the slightly smoky, medium to long finish. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com
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2024 Henschke Peggy’s Hill RieslingEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $27.99$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2024-2032)ABV: 11.5%Closure: StelvinThis Riesling takes its name from a local landmark, Peggy’s Hill, located at the top of the range between the villages of Eden Valley and Keyneton. It is produced from a selection of longstanding Eden Valley Riesling growers, whose vines range from 10 to 70 years of age, growing in low-vigour, ancient Cambrian soils at around 500m altitude.
Brilliant very pale straw almost water like colour with a greenish tinged outskirts. Leaping from the glass are intense lime juice and lemon scents which are trailed by some green apple, talc and chalky mineral notes. Mouth watering lime, lemon and green apple fruits are delivered with terrific concentration over a chalky talc and steely mineral back drop. Crisp, laser like acidity pierces its way through the wines core generating a racy feel. Finishes long and zesty.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 11.5%
Other Reviews....
Pale in the glass with a flash of green and unctuous aromas of freshly squeezed lime juice, Christmas lilies, Bickford's lime cordial, green apple sorbet, crushed stone, bath salts, orange blossom and stone. Crisp, dry and sporting a sizzling mineral line, I have to keep repeating to myself not to mention the riesling and value thing as it shines with use, but I mean really. This is a ripper. Drink by 2034.
93 points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
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2022 Izway Rob & Les ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2024-2032)ABV: 14.8%Closure: StelvinIzway is a partnership of two well-travelled winemakers Brian Conway and Craig Isbel. They like to keep things simple and minimalistic in the winemaking process putting a real emphasis on fruit purity and to this point use mostly older oak. So named as a tribute to two of the boys grandparents, the 2022 Rob & Les is sourced from John, Barb and Andy Kalleske’s Koonunga Hillside & the Hoffmann Mickans vineyards both located in the north of the Barossa Valley. These two vineyards complement each other perfectly and combined with the near perfect vintage conditions of 2022 have produced a wine that has great depth, richness, energy and personality.
Silky, exuberantly fruited and seductive.
Aged in seasoned French oak. Impenetrable inky black heart with a deep dark purple black hue. Soaring out of the glass are flamboyant aromatics of dark plum, liquorice and black cherry which are complimented by fennel, smoky vanillin cedar and blackpepper notes. Rich, plush and sumptuous, the large scaled palate is engulfed with lavish dark plum, liquorice, blackberry and black cherry fruits. Spicy vanillin cedar, infusions of fennel and blackpepper complete the picture. Amply powered with the cooler vintage conditions imparting a blueberry like freshness. Silky yet structured tannins finishing long, exuberantly fruited and seductive.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
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2024 Jim Barry AssyrtikoClare Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2024-2026)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinJim Barry’s love affair with the Assyrtiko began in 2006 whilst on holiday on the Greek Island of Santorini, the birthplace of the variety. Its crisp acidity reminded him of Clare Valley Riesling yet it had a unique flavour profile that he had not experienced before. Intrigued, he began the process of importing cuttings and by 2012 had planted Australia’s first Assyrtiko vineyard.
Brilliant water like core with a subtle greenish tinge to the edges. Aromas of pear, lime and red apple skin sail out of the glass with some fresh herb and delicate slatey mineral notes also chiming in. Pear, lime and green apple fruits are amply concentrated across what is a mouth watering palate. Crisp, invigorating acidity counterpoints the wines textural volume. Infusions of Mediterranean herbs and a tonic like minerality linger through the long scrumptious finish.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12%
Other Reviews....
An appealing white wine of gentle savouriness, brightness of fruit alongside that, floral lift and saline minerality. Yes thanks. It feels quite racy in texture but there's oatmeal and ginger biscuit qualities under tart lime and green apple fruitiness. The perfume is loaded with citrus blossom florals, sea spray, lime and ginger. A racy finish lends ultimate freshness. A very good vibe here. Drink by 2028.
93 points
Mike Bennie - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion
I am shocked to discover that I have not yet reviewed a single vintage of this wine for "The Wine Advocate," despite having consumed my fair share of it and judged it at many wine shows over the years. Here, the 2024 Assyrtiko is crunchy and fleshy, with white linen, cheesecloth, brine, green apple, nashi pear, lemon barley and vanilla wafer. The wine is complex and impressively layered, with texture and flavor in profusion. This wine comes highly—and perhaps unsurprisingly to drinkers in Australia—recommended as a great dining wine. One day, as we see more vine age develop in this vineyard, we might see a premium Assyrtiko produced, in line with some of the great, old-vine beauties of Greece. One can hope. 12% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2024--2032.
93 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate -
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2021 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet SauvignonMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 15 Years (2025-2040)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinRich and concentrated yet showing sublime finesse this is a wonderful Cabernet that draws comparisons to the great wines of Bordeaux.
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec matured for 22 months in French oak. Midnight black dark red core with a dark red hue. A bounty of red currant, violet, mulberry and vanillin cedar aromas engulf the nostrils with a Bordeaux like nobility. Subtle tobacco, earth, bay leaf and spice notes lend further interest. Rich and concentrated yet showing sublime finesse, the mid weighted palate is layered with fleshy red to black currant and mulberry fruits. Spicy vanillin cedar, delicate earth, tobacco and infusions of bay leaf extend across the back half. Beautifully proportioned and refined it marriages power and depth with seamlessly integrated, fine grained tannins. Concludes very long and wonderfully savoury. Outstanding.
Drink over the next 10-15 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
One of the distinctive features of this wine, and in a way a DNA link to all Art Series cabernet, is its savouriness. It’s the rolled tobacco, nori, iodine and whiff of new leather plus the cedary oak, but these are not separate, they form a whole impression. There’s also the core of excellent fruit, the structure, the supple tannins and the bright acidity. And the joy of drinking it. Drink by 2036.
96 Points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionA fascinating wine which offers all the amazing qualities that Margaret River Cabernet possesses, but it walks the fine line with nuances of Bordeaux, more than most. It works wonderfully well. The wine incorporates 2% Malbec. All up, the wine spends 22 months in French oak. Crimson/blood red hue, it offers entrancing complexity. There are notes of tobacco leaves, black fruits, chocolate, smoked meats, licorice, a touch of ever-so-slightly charry cloves and quality oak, which is superbly handled here. A silky texture, this is a wine of balance and length with the finest tannins. Intensity runs the full length. Eerily reminiscent of an Aussie version of Bordeaux (or possibly a Bordeaux version of Marg River?). Whichever, it is a cracking wine. Drink for twelve to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039.
96 Points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.comImmediately captivating: the nose is vibrant and energetic, while simultaneously the epitome of elegance and poise with restrained fruit power. This is a silk evening gown of a wine: form-fitting, precisely tailored, mellifluous and effortlessly chic. Abundant in aromatics and lifted perfume, fine red fruits include wild strawberry tip, bramble and just-ripe blackcurrant, alongside hints of piquancy: Szechwan pepper, clove and a fine dusting of deep, lightly toasted cocoa powder. There’s a charismatic iodine weave, the savoury and slightly saline minerality proving a foil to both the fruit flesh and the floral hues. Displaying extremely fine-grained tannins, it's firm, focused and delicate, with a graphite line, fresh acidity and plenty that will reveal itself in good time. Tasted pre-release. Drink 2024-2046.
96 Points
DecanterThe 2021 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is lighter in color and tannic intensity than the 2020 tasted beside it. No surprise for the vintages that birthed these wines. The latter was sunny, hot and dry, while the 2021 season was decidedly cooler, with more cloud cover and rain. This wine bears the fruits of the diligent labor in the vineyards and is one of the shining lights in the region this year. There are notes of raspberry and nori, moss and petrichor, blood and forest floor. This is a lighter style of Cabernet—and a lovely one at that. Drink 2025-2041.
96 Points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate -
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2024 Madeleine Mediterranee RoseMediterranee, FRANCE$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2025-2027)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinCrafted from a blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 30% Syrah and 10% Rolle this is a delicious Rose at a highly attractive price produced by Burgundian domaine Famille Paquet.
A moreish Provence styled Rose that over delivers.
Pale salmon pink tinged colour. Streaming from the glass are delightful scents of peach, raspberry and strawberry followed by some musk and wet stone notes. Intensely flavoured and gorgeously rounded in it’s feel, the palate sports a delicious flow of fleshy peach, raspberry and strawberry fruits. Notions of musk, pomegranate and wet stone unravel across the back half. Fresh acidity with a long slippery textured finish.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
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2021 Tenuta Tignanello Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico RiservaTuscany, ITALY$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkDeep, concentrated and bright with sturdy tannins and a long, generously fruited yet rustic finish.
The 2021 vintage is considered to be one of the best vintages ever in Chianti producing wines of power and elegance. Sourced from Antinori’s Tignanello estate, located in the heart of the Chianti Classico, the wine is produced primarily from Sangiovese with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also included in the blend. Maturation takes place in French and Hungarian oak barriques for approximately one year.
Midnight black heart with a deep dark red hue. A mix of red to black currant scents sail through the olfactory senses with some red cherry, earth, tobacco and spicy dried herb notes then ensuing. Mid weighted the palate is awash with rich red to black currant and dark cherry fruits. Notions of earth, dried herbs, dusty cedar, tobacco and spice lend further complexity. Deep, concentrated and bright it possesses a sturdy tannin structure which lends some grip onto the long, generously fruited yet rustic finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
Impressive cherry and berry fruit with hints of cedar and dried flowers. It’s medium-bodied, firm and bright with a long, nicely tannined finish. This can age, but I like the tension and drive to this now. Baby Tignanello. Sangiovese with 10% cabernet. Drink or hold.
95 Points
JamesSuckling.comThis ripe style is fresh and harmonious, delivering plum, cherry and boysenberry fruit, with accents of earth, iron and eucalyptus. Supple in texture, with a beautifully integrated structure and long, complex aftertaste. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2043.
95 Points
Wine SpectatorMarchesi Antinori General Manager Renzo Cotarella tells me that 2021 is the best vintage he has ever overseen. Ever. He prefers it to recent classics like 2016 and 2010. There was frost in the spring, and the growing cycle was very long. This is something that most grapes, and especially Sangiovese, need in order to exhibit aromatic depth and flavor complexity. "This is an exceptional year," he says, citing the inner energy certainly exhibited by the wines from 2021.
I agree, mostly, but not unequivocally. I love the precision and tension inherent to these wines, but I didn't encounter that same breathless vertical lift and linearity that I remember so well in 2016, for example. That was a vintage that managed to effortlessly balance both power and elegance, which is by no means an easy feat. To me, 2021 has the elegance but not the same piercing power that you only get in cooler vintages when sugar and phenolic ripening line up seamlessly. So, while I love these wines, especially the Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori and the outstanding Tignanello, my money is still on 2016 as the better vintage, speaking generally. But zoom in on one wine and my money is on the 2021 Tignanello over everything else.
This is one of the big surprises of this tasting and ultimately represents one of the best buys in the entire extended Marchesi Antinori portfolio. The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva Tenuta Tignanello Marchese Antinori shares the DNA of Tignanello. It is Sangiovese kissed with small parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Of course, the wine is more accessible and open compared to Tignanello, and spiritually, this wine is a Chianti Classico. By that I mean that the elegant minerality of these soils and the sunny flavors of its environs are the determining characteristics. You get wildflower, iris, tart fruit and plum. The wine's enhanced mineral character, with dusty white rock, is what adds lasting complexity and depth. Drink 2024-2033.
94+ Points
Monica Larner – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate -
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2022 Matane NegroamaroPuglia, ITALY$23. 99Bottle$287.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2024-2027)ABV: 13%Closure: Synthetic CorkMatané sources Negroamaro from various vineyards between the towns of Manduria and Lecce, very close to the heel of the boot on the Salento Peninsula. This southernmost part of Puglia is also Italy’s easternmost area with dark red soils and abundant Mediterranean sunshine. The climate is mild in winter, with adequate rainfall, but it is also very hot in summer with little rainfall. This wine represents the new winemaking approach in Puglia, with more moderate alcohol levels and gentler extractions. Negroamaro loves hot and dry conditions, and it grows particularly well in the calcareous, high-limestone soils of the area.
Dense midnight black colour with a dark red hue. Lifted ripe black cherry and liquorice aromas mix with hints of dried cherry, scorched earth and spicy dried herb notes. Rich juicy dark to morello cherry and liquorice fruits flood the mouth with scorched earth, dried herb and spice elements lying beneath. Ripe chewy tannins impart some gentle grip onto the long, deeply fruited finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13% -
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2024 Nicks Secret BBN RoseGeelong, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $24.99$13. 99Bottle$167.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 1 Years (2025-2026)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinThis Rose is from one of Geelong’s most revered estates made from a blend of estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling & Merlot grown on established vineyards, planted in 1981, 1990 & 1996. Organically farmed it’s juicy, fleshy and intensely flavoured.
Get ready for spring and step into this delicious, bargain priced Rose.
Pale blood orange tinged colour. Spicy cherry, raspberry and blood orange aromas mix with some dried clove like notes. Tangy blood orange, raspberry, watermelon and pomegranate fruits meld into a spicy dried clove back drop. Slippery textured it has brisk, slatey acidity and a long dry, spicy finish that’s quite moreish.
Drink over the next year.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews….
Made using estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling and Merlot.
Dust and leaf notes ripple through blackcurrant bud, citrus, jubey raspberry and sweet spice. It’s a dry rosé with lots of spice and leaf notes but with a good core of juicy fruit too. Colour-wise it sits just on the pale or orange side of crimson; it’s a fair indicator of the dry-but-flavoursome-style of the wine. There’s a meaty/bunchy/Campari-esque side to this; it’s not dominant but it’s there. This would be great with food. Drink 2024-2028.
93 Points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine FrontThe nose is vibrant and fresh, giving fruit-driven notes of nectarines, peaches and watermelon rind. The palate is light-bodied with focused acidity, showing fresh herbs, red apple skin and chalk. Stylish and friendly. Made from a blend of 40% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 20% riesling and 20% shiraz. Drink now. Screw cap.
92 Points
JamesSuckling.com -
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- 95
- Reduced
2021 Nicks Secret TW Barossa Valley GrenacheBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $59.99$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinFrom the same estate as the 2021 Nicks Secret TW Blewitt Springs Shiraz, this label is the proprietors personal project which is mostly centred around single site expressions from Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Normally selling for around $60, this Grenache is sourced from Barossa’s famed Greenock sub district. Maturation took place in 500 litre French oak puncheons for a period of 10 months.
Deep, powerful and intensely flavoured this is a wonderfully expressive Barossa Grenache.
Deep dark purple core with black shaded edges and a purple red hue. Peppery dark raspberry, liquorice and black cherry scents fill the nostrils with some earthy graphite and spicy vanillin cedar notes also evident. Juicy and lush in it’s texture, rich dark raspberry, liquorice and dark cherry fruits explode across the mouth filling palate. Scorched earth, spicy vanilla and pepper elements sit in the background. Boasting outstanding power, it has velvet smooth tannins and a long sumptuous finish that’s bursting with so much succulence it nearly overwhelms the senses.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
This wine has slightly more textural richness than the Blewitt Springs, but it still retains that wonderfully elegant and refined integration that comes with some clever winemaking. In fact, the wine was not crushed, it was whole bunch pressed to a point and then cold soaked before natural fermentation with 14 days on skins and only light pressings. In this case, it got slightly more oak too with 9 months in all French oak puncheons but it retains its brilliance, brightness and energy with plenty of red fruits, spices, slightly confectionery complexity and such a fine, seamless, velvety smooth palate that extends through to a tremendously long finish. Appealing wine. Drink 2025-2035.
95 Points
Ray Jordan – WinePilot.com
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