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A delightful Pinot Gris that shows terrific intensity of flavour. Brilliant water like colour with the faintest tinge of green around the outskirts. Intense ripe pear, red apple, subtle honeysuckle and musk aromas burst out of the glass. Beautifully rounded texturally the palate is brimming with concentrated fresh pear and red apple fruits which overlay musk and a touch of spice. Finishes dry with brisk acidity. The aftertaste long, flavoursome and highly refreshing.
Drink now.
Alc. 11%

Located in the north-west sector of Chablis in the village of Maligny, Pierrick Laroche runs this family estate which was established by his father in the 1970s. After getting a degree in oenology from Beaune and after graduating Patrick travelled the world, doing various internships to gain experience before returning home to start making wine and take over the family vineyards for himself. In 2010 he ceased selling grapes to the local co-operative and produced his first vintage to great acclaim.
Bright pale straw to straw colour with a watery hue. Streaming from the glass are aromas of pear, lime and subtle dried honey which mix with hints of wet stone and oyster shell. Intensely flavoured the palate is shaped by a beautifully rounded feel and brisk acidity. Generous pear and dried honey flavours overlay a back drop of lime, stony mineral characters and oyster shell. Finishes dry and crisp with a long textured aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13%

Domaine Saint-Damien is run by Joel and Amie Saurel whose family has been tending vineyards for four generations, dating back to 1821. Until relatively recently they sold all of their grapes to negociants. In 1998 they brought on consulting winemaker Philippe Cambie and haven’t looked back. Of the estates 42 acres of vineyards, 30 acres are in Gigondas with vines that have an average age of 50 years.
Totally opaque black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Leaping out of the glass are heady aromatics of black raspberry, liquorice and black cherry followed by notions of herbs du Provence, incense, subtle scorched earth and spicy pepper. Opulent, chewy and full bodied, the palate is layered with rich black raspberry, black cherry and liquorice fruits which sit over scorched earth, dried herbs, infusions of incense, leather and pepper. Ripe muscular tannins firm up the finish a touch. The aftertaste long, chewy and rich.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 15%

Other Reviews…..
The base Gigondas, the 2018 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes is a blend from both the La Louisiane and Pigière lieux-dits near the estate (due to the dismal yields, there’s no Souteyrade cuvée in 2018) and is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah brought up in foudre. It has a wonderful flowery incense and blue fruit quality as well as medium to full body, a ripe, rounded mid-palate, and a great texture. It’s a more forward, charming, sexy wine that’s going to drink nicely in its youth yet also evolve gracefully.
92-94 points
JebDunnuck.com

Deep, glistening ruby. Expansive aromas of ripe red/blue fruits, potpourri and licorice are complemented by bright mineral and exotic spice nuances that emerge with air. Juicy, penetrating raspberry, bitter cherry and candied violet flavors become sweeter with aeration and show a surprisingly delicate touch. Velvety tannins lend subtle grip to an impressively long, spice-laced finish that emphatically echoes the red fruit and floral notes.
91-93 points
Josh Raynolds – Vinous

Best known for producing arguably Australia’s greatest Chardonnay, Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon has demonstrated over recent vintages that it can match it with best of the region and comparatively still remains under priced when compared to other Margaret River heavy weights such as Cullen & Moss Wood.
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec this wine spent 22 months maturing in French oak barriques. Deeply coloured black as night heart with a dark red black hue. Alluring aromatics of red to black currant, mulberry and violets have a perfumed like intensity and are complimented by dusty vanillin cedar, tobacco and bay leaf notes to complete what is a wonderful bouquet. Marrying power with finesse, the medium bodied palate has a Bordeaux like aristocracy to it. Rich red to black currant and mulberry fruits seamlessly meld into vanillin cedar, tobacco, light earthy black olive characters and bay leaf. Beautiful integration of tannins and acidity provide a great framework for the longer term. Polished and refined it finishes with a regal elegance, the aftertaste lingering on for minutes.
Drink over the next 15-20 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews…..
Wow. Silky smooth aromas of red berries, grey minerality (granite, graphite etc) and breaths of oceans air whispered about. The palate is exactly as the nose promises, elegant and refined. Length of flavour is where this really kicks into gear, extending seamlessly across the palate, lingering and swirling in its profile. Beautiful, classical cabernet from a cool vintage. What a pleasure this is. Drink by 2041.
97 points
Erin Larkin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion

Established in 1996 by Paul and Jennifer Champion the Mermerus Pinot Noir is produced from a single vineyard in the Geelong sub region of Bellarine Peninsula. The fruit was hand picked from low yielding vines (1.8 tonnes per acre), open fermented, basket pressed and matured in French oak barriques (20% new) for 12 months.

Seductive and powerful this is a superb expression of Geelong Pinot Noir that delivers terrific value.

Semi translucent dark red colour with black tinged edges and a bright crimson red hue. Perfumed scents of violets, ripe cherries and strawberries blossom from the glass with some anise, forest floor, light spicy cedar and fresh herb notes also chiming in. Supple and expansive in its feel, a power wave of red to dark cherry and strawberry fruits flood the mouth. Adding further complexity on the back half are accents of anise, forest floor, light cedar and infusions of fresh herbs. A silky smooth tannin structure integrates seamlessly with the fruit. Finishes fresh, long and very moreish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14%

Brilliant water like colour with a faint tinge of green around the outskirts. Leaping out of the glass are intense passionfruit, green apple and ripe gooseberry aromatics which are followed by some lime and subtle herbaceous grassy notes. Mouth watering flavours of passionfruit, lime and ripe gooseberries show terrific fruit concentration with green apple and herbaceous grassy characters in the background. Crisp acidity with a long scrumptious aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 12%

Other Reviews…..
A very strong vintage for this popular Adelaide Hills sauvignon, it sits in a deliciously ripe yet fresh zone and is bathed in peach, nectarine, green-mango and passion-fruit aromas and flavors. Delivered in straight-up, drinkable mode on release. Screw cap.
94 points
JamesSuckling.com

This Grenache was sourced from the Westlake family's vineyard located in the Barossa sub district of Moppa. Maturation took place in seasoned French oak barrels for a period of 8 months.
Very deep dark red black colour with a bright dark red hue. Lifted ripe red to dark raspberry and red liquorice aromas drift through the nostrils followed by some vanillin confectionary notes and light pepper. Rich and juicy, the palate also shows a surprising amount of freshness, a trait not always associated with Greenock Creek wines. Delicious red to dark raspberry and liquorice flavours flood the mouth with vanillin confectionary, subtle fennel and spicy pepper characters lying underneath. Wonderful power and depth with silky tannins, vibrant acidity and a long succulent aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 15%

Brilliant very pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Elevated pear aromas mix with lime, green apple and fresh herb notes. Bursting with intense juicy pear, lime and green apple fruits, the palate has superb concentration which in turn generates a viscous like yet crunchy mouth feel. Subtle stony characters and infusions of fresh herbs lie underneath. Finishes dry with crisp acidity and a long mouth watering aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews....
Pecorino as a variety has legs in Aus, is my humblest opinion. Refreshing, slightly spicy-herbal, crisp whites for seafood, hell yeah.Crunchy texture, green mango, white pepper, sage leaf, some wet slate characters. Some good concentration here too but retains lighter, fresher styling, and the finish is all crushed rock minerally and very satsifying as a conclusion. Delicious, moreish, wonderful expression. Drink 2021-2024.
94 points
Mike Bennie - The Wine Front

The Fritz Haag estate is located in the heart of the central Mosel River Valley and has a history dating back to 1605. All 18.5ha of vineyards are planted to Riesling, the excellent micro-climate and deep slate soils of the Brauneberger Juffer slope forming the basis for some of the most intensely flavoured and elegantly-structured Rieslings in Mosel. Winemaker Oliver Haag ranks 2019 as an exceptional vintage producing wines that are ‘dense, powerful, juicy, precise and tensioned but also full of finesse.’

'It is a "Wine of the Year" for me and can hardly be surpassed in its price range.' - Stephan Reinhardt – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Brilliant very pale straw colour with a distinctive ring of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Lifted lime, mandarin and red apple aromas have a faint honeysuckle edge followed by notes of wet slate. Intensely flavoured and bursting with an energetic freshness, the palate serves up lime, zesty mandarin and red apple fruits over light honeysuckle, wet slate and flinty mineral characters. Slightly off dry finish with a long zingy aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 11%

Other Reviews….
In 2019, Oliver Haag has succeeded again in producing an outstanding series of Rieslings, which includes the estate wine with concentration and length that is spectacular in this price range. After all, the grapes come exclusively from steep slopes, premier crus if you like, which are more in the side valleys, are inclined to the south and benefit from the cooling down wind like the Sonnenlay with its fine slate soil. The low yield in 2019 and the mostly old vines provide undreamt-of density and complexity here. It is a "Wine of the Year" for me and can hardly be surpassed in its price range.
The 2019 Riesling is pure, bright and crystal-clear on the precise, floral and finessed nose. Round and juicy on the palate, this is a very delicate and stimulating Riesling in the off-dry style. The wine has enormous grip, and you won't stop longing for it. Absolutely fabulous! Drink 2020-2032.
92 points
Stephan Reinhardt – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Fruit for this Chardonnay was purchased from a variety of growers located throughout Bourgogne who meet the Domaine’s strict quality criteria. Maturation is typically 25% in barrel and 75% in stainless steel vats for a period of 7 to 8 months.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a distinctive greenish tinge to the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of peach, ripe pear and dried honey are interwoven with citrusy nougat, biscuit and light gun flint notes. Round, silk like entry with mouthfilling flavours of peach, ripe pear, dried honey, light cream brulee and spicy nougat. Cream tinged finish with some subtle cashew elements rolling onto the lengthy conclusion. Great entry level drinking.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%