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- Museum Release
2012 Three Brothers Reunited Shiraz - Museum ReleaseSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinPlease note: Due to the age of this wine, some bottles may show signs of advanced maturity and we recommend enjoying it sooner rather than further cellaring.
The Three Brothers Reunited Shiraz has earned a reputation few Australian wines can match. For more than two decades it has delivered remarkable consistency, outstanding value, and an unwavering commitment to quality, building a loyal following that has made it one of our most enduring and popular red wines. This limited Museum Release offers a rare opportunity to experience a mature example from the brand's history. Carefully cellared since vintage, the 2012 release showcases the longevity and pedigree that have helped establish Three Brothers as a customer favourite year after year. While many value-priced wines come and go, Three Brothers has remained true to its original philosophy: prioritising quality over volume and maintaining the standards that first won over Australian wine drinkers. Fourteen years on, that dedication continues to be rewarded, making this museum release a fascinating snapshot of one of Australia's great value wine success stories.
Alc. 14.5% -
- Museum Release
2010 Three Brothers Reunited Shiraz - Museum ReleaseSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: Screw CapPlease note: Due to the age of this wine, some bottles may show signs of advanced maturity and we recommend enjoying it sooner rather than further cellaring.
The Three Brothers Reunited Shiraz has earned a reputation few Australian wines can match. For more than two decades it has delivered remarkable consistency, outstanding value, and an unwavering commitment to quality, building a loyal following that has made it one of our most enduring and popular red wines. This limited Museum Release offers a rare opportunity to experience a mature example from the brand's history. Carefully cellared since vintage, the 2006 release showcases the longevity and pedigree that have helped establish Three Brothers as a customer favourite year after year. While many value-priced wines come and go, Three Brothers has remained true to its original philosophy: prioritising quality over volume and maintaining the standards that first won over Australian wine drinkers. Sixteen years on, that dedication continues to be rewarded, making this museum release a fascinating snapshot of one of Australia's great value wine success stories.
Alc. 14.5% -
- Nicks Import
2011 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Benrinnes 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$129. 99Bottle$1559.88 DozenABV: 48.4%One of the original Flora & Fauna bottlings, Benrinnes first surfaced in the early 1990s, an era when single malts were still 'out of fashion'. Not a lot has changed when it comes to improving the availability of this underdog make. Judging by the colour, which is darker than most in our current Old Particular Collection, the refill cask in question may have been x-sherry, and a relatively active cask at that. 687 bottles make up the outturn. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Custard cream biscuits give way to damp oak, ripe bananas and honey'd barley. Palate: A tang of baking spice coupled with freshly baked (buttered) scones and red apple peel. Finish: Vanilla ice cream with barley sugar and chocolate orange linger long.
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Puss & Mew Distillery Australian Dry Gin (700ml)Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 44%Made with Australian outback botanicals including Finger Lime, Peppermint Gum, Wattleseed and Cinnamon Myrtle. Appealingly dry and herbaceous on the nose, the palate crisp and lively with a savoury edge to the sharper citrus notes; piney-juniper and lime peel more salient through the lengthy pepper-laced finish. Drier-styled gin that's tautly structured. 44% Alc./Vol.
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Puss & Mew Distillery Signature Dry Gin (700ml)Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 41%A light and breezy gin, soft at first with a good rush of flavour at entry-level ABV, the initial fresh citrus turning to tangy lemonade, trailing off with pine-needles, menthol and spikes of pepper heat. 41% Alc./Vol.
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Puss & Mew Distillery Blanco Agave Spirit (500ml)Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenABV: 38%A small-batch blanco agave spirit in the tradition of tequila. The bouquet offers pure yet subdued aromatics with light tequila character, the palate is supple and well-rounded, with low-definition agave flavours becoming delicately waxy, briney, then more suggestive of grilled capsicum and white pepper in the fade. 38% Alc./Vol.
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2021 Nicks Secret PH SK McLaren Vale ShirazMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $44.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2024-2032)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinThis exceptional Shiraz hails from a critically acclaimed McLaren Vale winery, recently taken over by a prominent South Australian wine identity. Sourced from vines planted in 1991, it spent 15 months maturing in French oak puncheons (26% new, with the balance in 1- to 3-year-old barrels), with only the finest barrels making the final cut. Offered under our Nicks Secret label, we have secured a parcel of this wine in its original—and arguably more famous—packaging at an unprecedented, never-before-seen price.
Plush, powerful and opulent, this is rich, sumptuous McLaren Vale Shiraz at its absolute best.
Impenetrable pitch black heart with a very deep dark red black hue. Soaring from the glass are heady ripe blackberry and liquorice scents which are complimented by some dark plum, gently toasted vanillin cedar, dark chocolate and spicy fennel notes. Rich and lavish in its feel across the palate, opulent blackberry, liquorice, dark chocolate and dark plum flavours engulf the mouth. Vanillin oak, subtle earthy fennel, mocha and spice characters form the underbelly. Boasting fantastic power, textural volume and velvety tannins it concludes very long, plush and seductive.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
It's wonderfully styled and complex on the nose, showing dark berry, cedary oak, thyme and cake spice aromas. The palate is equally satisfying with outstanding weight and richness, well complemented by plush texture and beautifully infused tannins. Robust and structured while remaining harmonious and sophisticated, making it hugely appealing. At its best: now to 2038.
95 Points
Sam Kim- Wine Orbit -
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Poltergeist Citrus Gin (700ml)Tasmania, AUSTRALIA$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 48%Serious density and fabulous purity to the aromatics; like a fine Triple Sec as the oils mix it up with fresher peels and crushed pine buds. Wonderfully creamy; an intense rush of citrus oils, mandarine, orange and lime, backed up by vibrant piney-juniper, trace aniseed and tongue tingling peppers. Goes long. Contemporary gin at its finest. 48% Alc./Vol. 25ml sample.
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2024 San Giusto a Rentennano Chianti ClassicoTuscany, ITALY$72. 99Bottle$875.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkSan Giusto a Rentennano, originally a monastery fortified in 1204 by the Florentines as their boundary with Siena, today uses the underground vaults built as part of the fortification as their cellars. For centuries it was owned by the Ricasoli family of neighbouring Brolio, passing to the Martini di Cigala family in 1957. This beautiful 160 hectare estate, with 30 of vineyards, is run by brothers and sister team of Francesco, Luca and Elisabetta. The vineyards enjoy exceptional exposure with considerable day and night temperature differences and the terrain is composed of various soils rich in minerals. San Giusto’s wines are renowned for their elegance, balancing rich fruit and beautiful aromatics with superb freshness.
Other Reviews...
The 2024 Chianti Classico is a pretty rich wine for the year. Dark-toned Sangiovese fruit, new leather, spice, menthol and mocha all meld together in this glass. Supple and engaging, the 2024 has a lot to offer, starting with plenty of immediacy and tons of San Giusto character. Drink 2028-2042.
91 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousWhile the annata does not possess the sheer density of recently preceding vintages, it is still well saturated with flavour and balanced in composition. Aromas are austere to begin, hinting at sundried tomato, iron and warm sand. The palate expands with fresh strawberry and rhubarb compote. Fine, sandy-textured tannins caress then build with clingy persistence, finishing with a decisive bite and appetising bitterness. Luca Martini di Cigala says that bunch thinning was ‘of the essence’ in 2024. He also concentrated the must using the saignée/bleeding technique given the rainfall at harvest. Drink 2026-2030.
92 points
Michaela Morris - Decanter -
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2022 San Giusto a Rentennano PercarloTuscany, ITALY$245. 00Bottle$2940.00 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkSan Giusto a Rentennano, originally a monastery fortified in 1204 by the Florentines as their boundary with Siena, today uses the underground vaults built as part of the fortification as their cellars. For centuries it was owned by the Ricasoli family of neighbouring Brolio, passing to the Martini di Cigala family in 1957. This beautiful 160 hectare estate, with 30 of vineyards, is run by brothers and sister team of Francesco, Luca and Elisabetta. The vineyards enjoy exceptional exposure with considerable day and night temperature differences and the terrain is composed of various soils rich in minerals. San Giusto’s wines are renowned for their elegance, balancing rich fruit and beautiful aromatics with superb freshness.
Other Reviews...
The 2022 Percarlo is seriously impressive. I can't wait to see how it ages. Sumptuous and packed to the core, the 2022 flows with the essence of dark red fruit, spice, cedar, new leather, pomegranate and blood orange. I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Hints of rose petal, cinnamon and dried herbs linger on the substantial finish. The 2022 spent 22 months in oak, mostly 30hl casks with some 500-liter tonneaux. Drink 2030-2052.
97 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - Dimple 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (750ml) - 1970/80s BottlingSCOTLAND$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 43%
Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Dimple remained one of Scotland’s most recognisable blended whiskies, carrying forward the Haig family’s long whisky tradition. Its distinctive pinched bottle and established reputation gave it a strong identity, while age-stated bottlings such as the 12-year-old helped keep the brand consistent on the market. By this period, Dimple was defined less by novelty than by continuity: a long-running Scotch with a clear style and a well-known name. -
- Nicks Import
1992 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Cameronbridge 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)Lowlands, SCOTLAND$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 48.2%Of all of Scotland's grain whiskies, we do find that Cameronbridge often surpasses expectations. Even at middle age it's capable of delivering a whisky that's slightly richer and more malt-like than its peers. Thanks to independents, we're occasionally getting access to some great values from what remains an under-appreciated category. Distilled in September of 1992 and matured in a second-fill barrel, this Douglas Laing edition arrives without chill filtration or dilution, at a natural cask strength of 48.2%. The colour looks reasonably deep for a grain, suggesting that they didn't use a completely inactive cask. With good wood and three decades behind it, this promises to be a text-book example.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Shows some early barley sugar sweetness, with dry grains amongst an old book library ambience. Palate: Wonderfully dulcet with a mixed spin of vanilla and citrus, topped by florals... Finish: Catch some warm cocoa ahead of subtle spices, serial cereal and more late vanilla fudge.
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- Nicks Import
2010 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Deanston 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 48.4%As has become the case with many distilleries nowadays, Deanston tend to ‘enhance’ everything using casks that are a bit novel or influenced by various liquids, whether wines or spirits (including tequila(!) that they previously contained. Turning to independent bottlers to taste a Deanston closer to the distillate has almost become mandatory. Here's a more 'natural' one from Douglas Laing, consisting of 292 bottles charged from a refill barrel. Notes on a sister cask from whiskyfun.com state "Very good and apparently, the barley was even organic." 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Orange peel with sweet Highland Malted barley, lime juice and vanilla pods. Palate: Butterscotch with date filled stick toffee pudding and a runny caramel sauce. Finish: Gently spiced, cedarwood, green apple with blueberry and black forest fruits.
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- Nicks Import
2007 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Glentauchers 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Cara Laing has personally chosen this Glentauchers to be a part of the 'Managing Director's Selection'. She adds, “We taste widely across distilleries and vintages, and every so often a cask really shines and is particularly memorable. This Glentauchers is one of those gems, brimming with allspice, fruit and a rich cereal character. I remember trying the sample bottle for the first time and being especially impressed.” That explains why the Laings are offering more than their usual outturn. 765 bottles were drawn from a refill butt at 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Big, meaty, round and full of cream, coffee, macerated fruit and spiced aromas: PALATE: Tongue-tingling spices open matters, warming to citrus, muscovado sugar and barley: FINISH: Arrives with fizz, plus coconut, sprinkled chocolate, a distinct piquancy and cereal.
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2021 Nicks Secret BFW DYCT Barossa ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $79.99$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 15%Closure: CorkRich, large scaled, full throttle Barossa Shiraz.
From the same producer as our other Nicks Secret BFD wines comes this terrific Barossa Shiraz that’s presented in an impressively sized, Napa Valley styled bottle.
Magnificent density of colour featuring a super saturated inky black heart alongside an equally deep dark red black hue. Heady aromatics of dark chocolate, liquorice and dark plum are accompanied by prominent vanillin oak, mocha and choc mint notes. Rich, densely concentrated and large scaled, the bold, full throttle palate is classic old school Barossa. Sumptuous dark plum, liquorice and dark chocolate flavours are opulent and voluminous in their flow overlaying plentiful spicy vanillin oak, mocha and earth. Deep and powerful it has velvet smooth tannins and a long, plush finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 15%Other Reviews….
I've always been a fan of the ***** shiraz. It's a big, bold style. 'Classic' Barossa, I guess you'd call it. It's familiar and comforting, not overblown in any way, and it always travels across the palate with grace and style. Pure blackberry, satsuma plum and black cherry fruits, a fair dose of cedar and oak spice, roasting meats, a wisp of crushed herbs, fruit-and-nut chocolate, licorice, violets, earth and olive tapenade. Full bodied yet detailed. A rich cassis fruit flow, with fine-grained, silty tannins and plenty of cellaring potential. A cracking vintage this one, too. Drink by 2046.
95 Points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionSo here it is, Barossa Shiraz from a great year, strutting all that you expect from both the region and the varietal combination. Loads of plummy dark fruits, plus chocolate, a little cocoa, and just a faint dried sage bush-like herby character. The palate is rich and delicious with firmish tannins in support and plenty of oak to add that final flourish. It’s a wine that could cellar for many years, but for me, I think drinking in the medium term will be most attractive. Drink 2025-2040.
95 Points
Ray Jordan – WinePilot.com -
- Nicks Import
2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Caol Ila 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 46%When the price is right, Caol Ila goes fast. This bold islander perfectly balances smoke with seaside freshness. The outturn was 813 bottles from a refill butt, however what's landed will only be for those quickest on the draw. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: A coastal explosion - ocean spray, citrus, sweet seaweed and a gentle, damp bonfire ash. Palate: An opening of zingy lemon meringue is swiftly followed by charred meats and peat smoke. Finish: Candied lime and flaked sea-salt with tantalisingly fresh, piquant and peated Malt notes.
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- Nicks Import
2015 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Tamnavulin 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%You wouldn't know it, but Tamnavulin is on its way to becoming one of the biggest-selling single malts in the world, outstripping premium brands like Ardbeg, Highland Park and Lagavulin. In 2023 it was the 14th best-selling single malt Scotch. It's said their success lies in positioning the brand as affordable and accessible without compromising quality - a formula that should make others take note. Core expressions are often matured in sherry casks. This one's from a single refill hogshead. The outturn was 426 bottles. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Fragrant & powdery with sherbet-coated hard lemon candy, grist and spices. Palate: Mouth-coating and citric with bolder spices, barley and late molasses appearing. Finish: Now it's vanilla toffee and caramel to the fore ahead of a richly malted tail.
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2026 Clonakilla RieslingCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, AUSTRALIA$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinConcentrated and texturally voluminous yet zippy, this is a superb Riesling.
Whilst best known for their Shiraz Viognier, Clonakilla also produce world class Riesling. Murrumbateman's cool climate and decomposed granite soils are ideal for it’s production.
Brilliant very pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Intense lime, citrus and orange rind scents engulf the nostrils trailed by some chalky talc and mineral notes. Zesty lime, lemon and Granny Smith apple fruits are both concentrated and texturally voluminous. Lining the back half are notions of orange rind, talc and chalky mineral elements. Possessing zippy acidity and outstanding drive, it finishes long and scrumptious.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12%
Other Reviews........
Riesling was the first white variety planted at Clonakilla, back in 1971 by John Kirk, the father of Tim Kirk, the current winemaker. It is still going strong. The grapes are handpicked and whole bunch pressed, before racking for fermentation. Tim has indicated that the fruit came in, in near perfect condition, despite it being a rather challenging year. Whilst some winemakers are a little like politicians, Tim is definitely one you can believe, even if he is based in Canberra. If he claims it was perfect, then perfect it was. This is a magic Riesling, surely one of his best. I have long been a big fan of the Clonakilla Rieslings, but this one surely exceeds all expectations. A wine of the palest lemon/lime hue, the nose is delightfully full of citrus and spices, especially an appealing lime sherbet note. This is supported by hints of river pebbles, honeysuckle, wet slate and ginger. The wine is clean, inevitably youthful, delightfully fresh with bright acidity and great length. Strike that and make it incredible length. This Riesling can sit with the best made anywhere in Australia. A twenty-year proposition. Drink 2026-2046.
97 points
Ken Gargett - WinePilot.com -
- Nicks Import
2014 Clan Denny Inchgower 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 48%Douglas McGibbon & Company is an independent, family-owned business who pride themselves in taking an old fashioned approach to whiskies. Their Clan Denny single casks are, as the name suggests, hand-selected expressions from distilleries all over Scotland typically bottled at higher than standard strengths. There's no complaints when Inchgower arrives on our table, and even better out of a bourbon barrel delivering a proper, pure young East Speyside malt, uncomplicated and characterful. The bottler's tasting notes read caramel cream, barley scones, citric tang, brown sugar and hints of nutmeg. The outturn was 249 bottles from a single cask. Non chill filtered.
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- Nicks Import
2015 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Aultmore 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%After a patchy history, Aultmore was sold to the Bacardi subsidiary, Dewars, which offered the first-ever official bottling in 2004. It's always intriguing to try Aultmore, even if it's become a little uncommon these days, especially via independents. The new-make carries a body and character that has a big impact on blends, and also accounts for why the whisky can be pretty intense, even feisty, well into middle age. Laing & Co. charged 385 bottles from one refill hogshead in September 2024. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Immediate dark chocolate, with stewed, dark fruits, especially plums and sultanas. Palate: Now chocolate fudge cake and vanilla ice cream, topped with maraschino cherries. Finish: Long and spicy, with sweet malt, cinnamon sticks and lasting peppery cloves.
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- Nicks Import
2016 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Glenallachie 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%Glenallachie mature their own 8-year-old expression in a heavy combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry puncheons, along with a small quantity of Virgin Oak casks. It's a wood-driven style that some love, others find smothering. Scale that back to one cask type and you'll potentially get a better picture of the distillery character - which is exactly what Douglas Laing are offering here. 410 bottles were drawn from a refill hogshead. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Red Summer fruits, candied stem ginger and a touch of cocoa. Palate: Plenty of creamy cereals, mixing with raspberry jam doughnuts and white pepper. Finish: Lingers long with an oily mouthfeel, charred oak, cloves and cinnamon sticks.
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- Nicks Import
2016 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Miltonduff 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%This very affordable Miltonduff reads like a relatively rich expression for an 8 year old; "decadent" even, according to the label notes, with a finish that mimics the smell and taste of freshly milled malted barley. 385 bottles were decanted from a single refill hogshead. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: vanilla buttercream and strawberry jam, followed by warm malt loaf and walnuts. Palate: Rich and decadent, with pronounced caramel tart, hazelnut praline and milk chocolate. Finish: Medium-long, lots of what came before with a late gristy, cereal quality.
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- Nicks Import
Clan Denny Braeval 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$124. 99Bottle$1499.88 DozenABV: 46%Here we have a bit of a novelty from Speyside. Located in the far south of the region, Braeval shares the honour of being the joint highest distillery in Scotland, along with Dalwhinnie. Currently owned by Chivas Brothers, (who kick-started production in 2008), Braeval has always been reserved for blenders. The house style is unpeated, light and floral. According to the label notes, this edition offer flavours of zesty marmalade on buttery brioche with porridge oats and golden syrup. The finish lingers long with more of that fresh vanilla quality alongside caramel and gentle spice. 134 bottles were filled from a single refill barrel. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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2025 Stonier Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $39.99$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinEstablished in 1978 Stonier Vineyards was one of the pioneers on the Mornington Peninsula and has recently returned to being locally owned and run after a period of corporate ownership. The fruit for Stonier Pinot Noir is derived from a selection of estate and leased vineyards, the majority of which sit on the red volcanic basalt between Merricks and Red Hill. The high elevation (200m+) Red Hill vineyards are the primary component of this wine which provides the lovely lifted red fruit profile.
2025 is considered to be one the great vintages of the last 25 years for Mornington Peninsula.Powerful, flavour packed and expansive – this is one moreish Mornington Pinot Noir.
Dark red core with black toned edges and a crimson red hue. Showing impressive intensity, the nose features fragrant dark cherry, strawberry and anise scents which are complimented by violet, bramble, forest floor and spicy dried herb notes. Rich, supple and expansive, the gorgeous palate is detailed with dark cherry, strawberry and more subtle anise flavours. Notions of spicy cedar, delicate forest floor and dried herbs unfold across the back half. Concentrated and powerful, it has seamlessly integrated, silky smooth tannins and a long moreish finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
There’s volume, there’s flavour, there’s definition, there’s delight with every sip. Wonderful aromas of florals, autumn leaves, wood spices and warm earth filter through to the mid-weighted palate. In wait, dark cherries, pips, blood orange zest, chinotto and spicy oak, with textural tannins and lively acidity. There's much more detail coming through this vintage. Nice one. Drink by 2035.
95 Points
Jan Faulkner - James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionAll the 2025 releases from Stonier have been reviewed to The Winefront site – well worth checking out – but I thought I’d include a note on this ‘standard’ release because it’s a contender for the Best Value Pinot Noir of 2026. I appreciate that $45 isn’t the usual price that you’d associate with value but in comparative Pinot Noir terms it qualifies.
I’ve been tasting and drinking Stonier Pinot Noir for a very long time – 30 years-ish – and this is the best standard Stonier Pinot Noir that I can recall. It’s a pearler. Its quality is so high because it’s more complex than the latest round capital gains tax changes, is beautifully interwoven with tannin, is juiced up with alarmingly more-ish fruit flavour and from start to finish, more to the point, it mounts the most coherent and articulate arguments int its favour. It tastes brilliant, it tastes interesting, it feels the goods and it lingers. I couldn’t be more on board.
95 Points
CampbellMattinson.comThis wine, perhaps more than any other in the range, proves that Stonier is in the best of winemaking and wine growing hands.
Buy this, cellar it, drink it. I’ve loved this ‘standard’ Stonier Pinot Noir for decades but I dare say that this is the best release that I’ve tried. Sheesh. It’s complex, it’s cohesive, it’s balanced and it feels authentic, the latter both to its variety and to its region. Mostly and ultimately though it’s more-ish. It’s cherried and strawberried and plummy and sweet spiced, with soil or undergrowth notes interwoven. Tannin profile is top notch, and the balance between juicy drinkability and tension is so perfectly judged. Last year’s releases gave an excellent insight into the uptick of Stonier but this year’s releases take things up again. Drink 2026-2032+
95 Points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front - Bundaberg Rum Xmas Pudding Royal Liqueur (700ml)Bundaberg, Queensland, AUSTRALIA$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 20%
Back for a limited time only! The Bundy Distillers have been thinking….. "We’ve done Bundaberg Rum Ball, what else do Aussies love to eat at Christmas?" So, they developed a special festive drink featuring Bundaberg Original rum distilled with the finest Christmas flavours to create a crave-worthy new limited edition. Brandy flavoured sauce, raisins and brown sugar combine with mixed spices for a memorable post-Christmas dinner sensation. Grab it while you can! 20% Alc./Vol.
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- Nicks Import
2015 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Glenglassaugh 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 46%Glenglassaugh spent many years mothballed or closed before restarting production in 2008. Currently owned by Brown-Forman, in 2023 the range underwent a significant rebranding exercise. The quality also took a leap forward with the NAS 'Sandend' winning Whisky Advocate's Whisky of the Year for 2023! Douglas Laing capture this north-east Highlander in a youthful guise, with 351 bottles straight from a refill hogshead. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Demerara sugar, orchard fruit, sea breeze, waxy orange, and cinnamon. Palate: Juicy red berries, balanced by vanilla, ginger, and peppercorn. Finish: Fruity flapjack and creamy malt.
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- Nicks Import
Clan Denny Allt-A-Bhainne 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%A lesser-known Speysider, Allt-A-Bhainne is an unpretentious, straightforward malt that's typically light and fresh with sweet floral notes. The distillery is working again since having been mothballed in 2002. It's a very young operation, opened only in 1975, serving primarily to supply whisky for the Chivas Regal blends. Despite its significant output, it's designed to be run by a single person.
There's never been an official distillery bottling from Allt-A-Bhainne, although one may come across the occasional independent. This one's drawn from a single re-fill barrel, after which it was bottled by Douglas Laing for the Clan Denny series. The label notes describe flavours of coconut cream and buttery oak biscuits followed by a moreish caramel sweetness with hints of polished oak. The outturn was all of 89 bottles! 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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2015 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Glenrothes 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 46%With the entry-level age statements and 'Whisky Maker's Cut' discontinued as of 2024, options from Glenrothes are suddenly few and far (unless you have a deep wallet). Look to independents like Douglas Laing for value-for-money alternatives. This Provenance edition consists of 476 bottles filled from a single sherry butt in early 2024. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Clear sherry influence, opening with gingerbread, red fruits and butterscotch. Palate: Creamy cereals move to a tingling, winter spice style, alongside fresh figs. Finish: Medium-long, with home-baking, oak, spice, and juicy orchard fruits.
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2017 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Glengoyne 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 46%Douglas Laing seems to be one of the few independents to regularly secure casks of Glengoyne. The distillery's reputation is partly derived from its continued use of Golden Promise barley. It's also one of a dwindling few to completely avoid peat, the barley dried using only warm air. The resulting whisky is relatively light-bodied with a trademark grassy / fruity interplay (think green apples, pears, and sweet malt). Normally associated with full-term sherry maturation, the outturn for this release was 311 bottles from a refill barrel. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Bright orange peel, zesty citrus, soft vanilla sponge, and sweet malted barley. Palate: Rich marmalade, buttery pastry, malt loaf, and fresh stem ginger. Finish: Gentle and balanced with delicate orchard fruits.
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2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Glenlossie 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%An unsung hero of the Scotch whisky world, Glenlossie's fruity, oily spirit is prized for adding texture and balance to blends. Mostly reserved for the Haig Gold Label brand, the only official Glenlossie available is Diageo's Flora & Fauna 10YO bottled at 43% (if you can find it). Consider this Douglas Laing Provenance release a more than acceptable substitute! Ten years old, drawn from one refill hogshead and bottled at a proper ABV without chill filtration. Expect honey, soft oak, and rounded Summer fruits rather than bold flavours. 46% Alc./Vol.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Candy floss sweetness, then comes damp oak and orange zest. Palate: A milky cereal style with dried fruits, a citric tang and burnt brown sugar. Finish: Spices linger alongside a rich, oaky character with butterscotch.
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2024 Clonakilla Shiraz ViognierCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, AUSTRALIA$129. 99Bottle$1559.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 12 Years (2026-2038)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinRefined, beautifully fleshed and sophisticated with long resounding finale.
Clonakilla's flagship, the Shiraz Viognier, represents a meticulous selection of the finest parcels from their Murrumbateman vineyard. The 2024 vintage is a blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier with 22% whole bunch inclusion. Maturation took place in mixture of French oak barrels, barriques and puncheons of which one third was new.
Very deep dark red black colour with a dark red hue. Perfumed like aromatics of rose petal, red to dark plum, liquorice and dried apricot are intertwined with whiffs of ripe blueberry, vanillin cedar and subtle peppered earth notes. Refined and beautifully fleshed, the mid weighted palate has generous layers of dark plum, liquorice and ripe blueberry fruits coursing across it. Further sophistication is generated by subtle clove, hints of dried apricot, vanillin cedar, scorched earth and pepper elements. Polished, supple and expansive in its flow, it possesses delightful freshness and seamlessly integrated tannins. Seductive and deeply fruited yet elegant and structured all at once, it has a long resounding finale.
Drink over the next 10-12 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews…
If one may start with the bottom line, the only reason that this one didn’t get 100 points is because there would seem to be every chance that Tim Kirk will continue to outdo himself and come up with something even better. Mind you, looking at this wine, it is hard to imagine how he will do that. As always, this sits amongst the world’s very best Shiraz Viognier blends. It must also sit amongst the very best releases of this particular wine. World class. Deep and dark purple in hue, this is full of black fruits, black cherries, florals, cassis, leather, mocha, truffles, raspberries, aniseed and tobacco leaves. Immaculate balance, extraordinary length, a seductive texture and the silkiest of tannins, it will provide immense pleasure for at least the next two decades. The previous vintage was a masterpiece. This one tops it. Drink 2025-2045.
99 points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.comThis release comes off two cool La Nina growing seasons and marks a return to a savory and earth-driven style. Aromas of red cherries, raspberries, rose petals, graphite, white pepper, sandalwood and citrus peel. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins and bright acidity, offering a vibrant, finely textured mouthfeel with a long, perfumed finish. Elegant and precise with real clarity, showing all the hallmarks and charm of the Northern Rhone. Excellent. Drink or hold.
98 points
JamesSuckling.comThe 2024 Shiraz Viognier is so perfumed from the glass, with notes of orange blossom and Boscobel rose, raspberry seed and peppercorns. The wine is delicately layered, spicy and medium-bodied, with so many nuanced levels of texture and flavor. In youth, these wines express floral detail and an orange-peel lift, while with age, they begin to show meaty nuances and ethereal, dried-rose-petal complexity. I love this wine in pretty much every vintage condition; it varies each year, but it remains true to its fine, complex DNA. This is super. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2044.
97 points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - Starward Two-fold Australian Whisky (700ml) - Older BottlingVictoria, AUSTRALIA$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%
Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.
The first general release from Starward in years. Like some previous editions, this was matured in Australian red wine barrels (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir). The difference here is ‘Two-fold’ incorporates a 35% wheat component with the barley. The lighter, softer wheat spirit allows a little more of the barrel character to shine through. 6000 bottles are initially on offer (with a large volume destined for the US) - that's double the number of bottles of the inaugural Solera single malt Starward. The distillery's own allocation appears to have sold out online, and Proprietor David Vitale is already starting to wonder whether he's made enough... The hope is this will last through till Christmas!
Tasting note: Brilliant copper. Reminiscent of the standard issue Starward, only softer and slightly sweeter with notes of banana cake, toffee, vanilla-wafer biscuit and light cocoa. The sweetness is tempered by spices and delicate tannins in the mouth, with hints of dried banana, vanilla and a touch of creamy soda to finish, the distillery's characteristic notes retained. Eminently drinkable, this rolls out like a good Canadian blend. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... The temptation, when tasting a spirit for the first time, is to scrabble through your flavour memory banks looking for comparisons with spirits you've tasted in the past. With this new whisky, that proved to be a fruitless exercise because it really doesn't taste quite like any other I've tried before. It ticks the general whisky boxes of flavour and style expectation without evoking bourbon or scotch. And while it has unmistakably grain-based spirit characters on the nose and the palate, there are some quite distinctive, unexpected characters in there too: aromas of fresh toast, some dried fig, a hint of ripe banana, then a soft, pretty, creamy vanilla texture on the tongue, finishing with a little tannic grip and savoury complexity. As I say, a very good whisky, especially at this price.
- Max Allen, The Financial Review -
- Nicks Import
2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Allt-A-Bhainne 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%Founded in 1975 and owned by corporate giant, Pernod Ricard, Allt-a-Bhainne represents another oddball release from Douglas Laing's latest Provenance shipment. The single malt produced here has (officially) only come to market once, when in 2018, Allt-a-Bhaine was for the first time offered as a lightly peated NAS expression. That bottling is now more or less discontinued. Laings have sourced this youngster from a refill barrel yielding 301 bottles. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: initially mineral style develops to marmalade on toasted brioche and vanilla. Palate: Porridge oats with fleshy mango, honey'd barley and warm rhubarb crumble. Finish: Long. Anticipate a touch of ginger, thick, clotted cream and toasted oak.
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2014 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Linkwood 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 46%A 10-year-old Linkwood bottled in early 2025 from a refill hogshead that turned out 379 bottles at the Provenance standard strength of 46%. This should be a value, easy-drinking Speyside showing off Linkwood's typical orchard fruitiness. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Grassy and fresh with notes of lemon zest, barley grist and soft baking spices. Medium long finish with more of the orchard fruit notes, mingling with ginger biscuits.
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2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Balblair 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%Never a big seller for owners Inver House, in 2019 a move was made to replace Balblair's 'Vintage' dated bottlings with standard age statements (12, 15, 18 and 25yo's). It's a shame that hasn't improved sales or distribution; indeed, Balblair has become another Scotch Whisky brand that's often unavailable in Australia. That made for a logical choice in our latest Provenance shipment. Laings have filled 311 bottles from an x-Bourbon barrel, which should give the distillery's sweet, fruity distillate a good showing. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Fresh wood shavings, juicy nectarines, and a candied, nutty depth. Palate: Thick and creamy with notes of coconut, honeycomb, and malt. Finish: Gentle lingering spices with a return of the nutty style and barley.
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2012 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Tullibardine 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 46%After a decade-long closure, Tullibardine was resurrected in 2003 by two former Directors in the Spirits industry, making this distillate a 'new era' bottling. Besides remaining the spiritual home of the famous blend 'Highland Queen', the distillery has gone from strength to strength in the last decade, launching a swag of acclaimed new single malts. Unfortunately, supply is erratic in Australia. Douglas Laing fills the void with 344 bottles from a single refill hogshead. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Shows an early Italian coffee and cream content, with a later honey sweetness. Palate: Rich - full of candied fruit and liquorice plus a drift of late smoke, and subtle spices. Finish: Attractively piquant, cloves in particular, plus sugar and a gently smoking tail.
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2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Strathmill 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 46%Hidden away on a side road in Keith with no visitor facilities, Strathmill's location is as obscure as its single malt. Owned by corporate giant, Diageo, the still set-up results in a lighter spirit, however, generalising about a 'house style' is difficult. Most of the outturn goes into blends, and there have been very, very few official bottlings. This edition consists of 358 bottles charged from a single re-fill hogshead. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Heaps of vanilla initially then comes sawdust and polishes wood with a touch of spice. Palate: Thick and creamy – custard with cloves, cinnamon and fresh apple peel. Finish: Long… anticipate honeycomb and barley with much of what has gone before.
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2014 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Arran 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Arran, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%Single cask Arrans abound these days, though not many make it to Australia. Sporting a slightly different presentation to the standard Provenance range, this Arran forms part of Douglas Laing's new 'Coastal series' of single cask, limited editions. It should compare well with the distillery's official 10-year-old release, being smooth and creamy on the palate with spicy summer fruits. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: There's a freshly cut grass style alongside buttery biscuits and citrus peels. Palate: Thick and creamy with cereals and baking spice balanced by a dry smokiness. Finish: An apple strudel style lingers on sweetly plus salted caramel and toasted oak.
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2013 Douglas Laing & Co. Provenance Teaninich 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 46%Douglas Laing actively source single barrels from Scotland's 'anonymous' distilleries. On this occasion, they've brought a Teaninich to our attention, distilled in 2013, a few years before several new stills were added to the set-up. We generally enjoy this make, which, while seldom complex, can be deliciously fruity and textural. The price here falls inline with Diageo's official 10 year old, however Douglas Laing's bottling delivers a higher ABV and zero chill-filtration via a single cask. 306 bottles were drawn from a refill barrel in late 2023. 46% Alc./Vol.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Demerara sugar with warm freshly baked oat biscuits and buttery pastry. Palate: Lots of warming cinnamon spice with a creamy, caramel character. Finish: A vanilla, oaky depth lingers with juicy malt and toffee popcorn.
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2019 Nicks Secret PE TOL Coonawarra Cabernet SauvignonCoonawarra, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $24.99$13. 99Bottle$167.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2026-2029)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinDelivers a classic Coonawarra Cabernet experience for a miserly sum.
Deep midnight black heart with a dark red hue. Rising from the glass are pronounced blackcurrant and mulberry scents which intermingle with some vanillin cedar, tobacco, earth and bay leaf notes. Rich, fleshy blackcurrant and liquorice fruits are delivered with admirable concentration across the mid weighted palate. Elements of mulberry, earth, tobacco and subtle bay leaf lend further nuance. Sturdy, fine grained tannins with a long, deeply fruited yet eloquent finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
(Tasted December 2020). Aged for 11 months in used French puncheons. Just like its sibling (***), *** represents excellent value. There are cassis and blackcurrants with baking spices in the mix, but this is very savoury and even a little stern at present. In time the raspy tannins will melt into the medium-bodied palate. Drink by 2033.
93 Points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- 94
- Biodynamic
- Organic
2025 Kalleske Clarry’s GSMBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2026-2031)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinRich and plump with a long, super succulent finish.
Certified organic and biodynamic, this is a blend of 48% Grenache, 36% Shiraz and 16% Mataro. Midnight black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Pronounced black raspberry, liquorice and dark plum scents fill the nostrils trailed by some scorched earth and peppered dried herb notes. Rich and plump, the amply weighted palate is awash with juicy black raspberry, liquorice, black cherry and dark plum fruits which are intermeshed with scorched earth and subtle peppery dried herb like characters. Concentrated and powerful, it has velvet smooth tannins and a long, super succulent finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years
Alc. 14.5% -
- 94
2026 Brokenwood Pinot GrisNorth Eastern Victoria, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2026-2029)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinIntensely flavoured and slippery textured with a long finish that shows plenty of zest.
Brilliant very pale straw colour with a watery hue. Sailing through the nostrils are scents of pear and red apple skin followed by some musk and delicate quince notes. Possessing excellent intensity and a slippery textural feel, delicious pear and red apple fruits are underscored by refreshing acidity. Notions of musk, ginger and flinty mineral characters are also evident. Finishes long with plenty of zest.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13% -
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- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 Kilikanoon Walton 1946 GrenacheClare Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenMinimum 6 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinJuicy, energetic and intensely flavoured.
From vines planted in 1946 with 5% whole bunch inclusion and maturation in seasoned French oak puncheons for 16 months.
Dark red core with black shaded edges and a red tinged hue. Fragrant red to dark raspberry, red liquorice and red cherry scents drift through the nostrils followed by some crushed rock, gentle vanillin spice and peppered earth notes. Juicy, energetic and intensely flavoured, the mid weighted palate is awash with red to dark raspberry, cherry and red liquorice fruits. Extending across the back half are notions of crushed rock, vanillin spice and pepper. Slightly muscular tannins together with fresh underlying acidity provide great structure. The long, sumptuous finish showing good tension.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews……
This Grenache, from vines planted in 1946 on the hills of Leasingham, remains one of my favourite examples of this variety. It’s been made with very light winemaking influence and is really designed to capture both that sense of place and variety from this vineyard. Medium-bodied, with floral, subtle damp turned earth characters and a hint of ironstone gravel. A little leafy lift adds further to the nose, and that slightly dry savoury finish provides further appeal. An excellent wine for current drinking, but with cellaring potential, as you might expect. Drink 2026-2036.
96 Points
Ray Jordan – WinePilot.comLayer after layer after layer, Walton delivers an intriguing and astonishing level of Grenache flavour. Is it the old vines, the winemaking, the vintage? Maybe it’s all three, and a little bit extra. From the first sniff, it’s wonderfully complex – earth, leather, a touch of tar, dark berries, dark spices, black liquorice. Brings a concentration of flavour on the middle palate where those layers come into effect; a layering of savoury, earth, tar, leather and charcuterie melding into layers of dark fruits, spice, hints of fig and a splash of citrus peel. Tannins do a great job of producing a freshness, especially on the finish where bright tannins, red fruits and orange peel close what is an undoubted stunner of a Grenache with fabulous length. Drink 2026-2040.
96 Points
Jeni Port – WinePilot.com -
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2024 Clonakilla Hilltops ShirazHilltops, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinRich and beautifully fleshed with a long, juicy yet savoury finish.
Midnight black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Fragrant dark plum, liquorice and black cherry scents bloom out of the glass trailed by some scorched earth, dried herb and peppered meat notes. Rich and generous, bordering on opulent, in its flow, the mid weighted palate is filled with liquorice, black cherry and dark plum fruits. Lurking across the back half are notions of scorched earth, dried meats and peppered herbs. Beautifully fleshed, it has polished fine grained tannins and a long, juicy yet savoury finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews…..
The fruit for this gem comes from four vineyards in the Hilltops region of New South Wales. After destemming and fermentation in open fermenters, the wine is racked to French oak puncheons and barriques, around 10% of them new, to mature for the next year. Dark garnet/red, the nose offers a range of aromas including dried herbs, red fruits, spices with a flick of white pepper, kirsch and aniseed. The palate moves more to raspberries and charcuterie. A wine of elegance and good focus with bright energy, this is quite a mouthwatering style. One glass simply demands another. Bright acidity runs the length, and freshness is an absolute highlight here. It is a wine of serious length and undoubtedly a ten year proposition. Hard to think of too many wines which would top it for value. Drink 2026-2036.
94 points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com -
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2025 Oakridge Yarra Valley Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinLight, fresh and juicy with a finish that’s savoury and elegant.
Semi translucent dark red colour with black toned edges and a vibrant red purple tinged hue. Drifting through the olfactory senses are fragrant aromas of violet, red to dark cherry and strawberry followed by delicate forest floor, dried herb and spicy cedar notes. Light, fresh and juicy, the palate is decorated with red cherry, strawberry and red liquorice fruits. Infusions of fresh herbs, subtle forest floor and spicy cedar elements lie underneath. Supple mid palate feel with fine grained tannins. Finishes savoury and elegant with ample length.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5% -
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2021 Greenock Creek Seven Acre ShirazBarossa Valley, Australia$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 9 Years (2026-2035)ABV: 15.5%Closure: CorkRich, large scaled, thickly textured and power packed Barossa Shiraz.
Dense and viscous with a pitch black core and equally deep dark red black hue. Heady aromatics engulf the nostrils led by black plum, liquorice and black cherry scents trailed by some smoky vanillin cedar, fennel and peppered earth notes. Rich, lavish and incredibly concentrated, the large scaled palate is coated with a thick layer of black plum, liquorice and ripe black cherry fruits. Fennel, vanillin cedar, scorched earth and pepper elements lurk underneath. Deep, power packed and boasting amazing density, it has a sturdy yet velvet like tannin structure and long, decadent finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 15.5%Other Reviews……
Shiraz sourced from 1993 plantings at the Greenock Creek estate in Seppeltsfield. Purpley hued and displaying all the requisite estate concentration. This wine, all macerated plum, blueberry and summer fruits, has a ferrous edge to its form along with layers of baking spice, blueberry pie, licorice and fruitcake. There is a perfume in the mouth too, a velvety slide of jasmine and violets, before it slides away with fine tannins and concentrated blue and black fruits. Drink by 2035.
95 points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
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2025 Salo ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinGorgeously refined and beautifully fleshed with a long, sophisticated and gently creamed finish.
Made by former Giant Steps winemaker Steve Flamsteed, fruit is sourced from the Full Moon Vineyard which is located high in the southern hills of the Yarra Valley on the eastern side of the Gladysdale subregion. It’s one of the only vineyards in the vicinity, and the grapes ripen remarkably evenly despite its west-facing aspect. “It’s a ripper site for Chardonnay,” according to Flamsteed.
Brilliant pale straw colour with green tinted edges and a watery hue. Showing impressive intensity and complexity, the nose is filled with white peach, nectarine, subtle dried honey and biscuity nougat aromas which are complimented by whiffs of cashew, crème brulee and spice. Gorgeously refined and beautifully fleshed, the mid weighted palate is generously endowed with white peach, nectarine and pear fruits. Lending further sophistication are subtle dried honey, biscuity nougat, cashew and spice elements. Perfectly balanced acidity with a long, gently creamed finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews…..
From the Full Moon vineyard in Gladysdale, which, sadly (and in a sign of the times), has been pulled out by the owner. Salo has another vineyard lined up for '26. In the meantime, this is an excellent way to go out. Brightly coloured with aromas of nectarine kernel, citrus peel, flint and light marine scents. There's a gentle creaminess on the well-weighted palate that finishes chalky, tensile and long. A lovely wine to drink now and over the next four to six years at least. Drink by 2032.
96+ points
Philip Rich - James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionFruit is from the Full Moon vineyard on red and brown volcanic soils in Gladysdale. This will be the last bottling from this site as the wine moves forward into its next vineyard chapter, more to come on this. It is whole bunch pressed, gravity fed to seasoned puncheons on full solids. Wild fermentation, 50% went through malolactic fermentation. This is a wine that chimes with high florals, a waft of wattle blossom and honeysuckle. Yellow plums, white peaches and just ripe mandarin skin. There is a river stream running over blue washed stone and white pumice. Folded whipped meringue and young almond mid pate creaminess that perfectly suits the buoyancy of citrus and flowers. Alive, pulsating with energy and verve. Drink now with angel hair pasta and sweet swimmer crab meat or cellar for another 8-10 years further, this will go the distance providing further milky tones and Marcona almond flesh in time. Drink 2026-2036.
96 points
Shanteh Wale – WinePilot.comSalo Chardonnay is a side project of noted winemakers Steve Flamsteed and Dave Mackintosh. It’s been going for 17 years, with most of the wines produced from the Full Moon Vineyard at Gladysdale in the Upper Yarra Valley. I’m not sure where this 2025 release was grown but it’s the same elite quality. “Side project” sounds both cool and dismissive; this is not a wine to be dismissed.
I fell for this wine from the first sip. It’s so right that I’m almost lost for words, or for the appropriate ones. It’s mellifluous, first and foremost, in the most beautiful of ways. It tastes of white peach, cream, preserved lemons, honeysuckle and lactose, though everything comes at you as one harmonious stream. I will no doubt rate wines higher, but I can’t imagine a wine that I would more like to drink. This wine is pure, liquid gorgeousness.
96 points
Campbell Mattinson - CampbellMattinson.com -
- 94
- 92
2024 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet SauvignonMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$23. 99Bottle$287.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinA richly fruited Margaret River Cabernet that shows impressive weight, flesh and concentration yet has a refined finish.
Established in 1967, 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 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec and 3% Merlot matured in a combination of 1-7 year old French oak barriques for a period of 10-12 months.
Midnight black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Aromas of blackcurrant, ripe mulberry and liquorice engulf the nostrils mixing with some earthy black olive, gentle tobacco and spicy cedar notes. Rich blackcurrant and ripe mulberry fruits carry impressive weight, flesh and concentration across the palate. Youthfully inky yet juicy feel with liquorice, cedary tobacco, earthy dried herb and spicy black olive elements lending further nuance. Fine grained tannins impose a sense of sturdiness across the long generous yet refined finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews…..
Let this breathe to coax out the varietal flavours. The 12% malbec in the mix is strong and lovely – all plums and leather with a whiff of formic acid/crushed-ant character. But cabernet rules with its leafy freshness, mulberries, spice and menthol. The mid-weighted palate is supple thanks to neatly shaped tannins, and it feels plush throughout. Drink by 2034.
92 Points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
















































