John And Jen Leonard

9.3

I like Paso Robles more than some other micros that’s my baseline. Consumed with a Sunday steak dinner. Tasted first. Surprisingly ready 2020: aroma more tobacconist or saddlery rather than orchard. smooth not tannic, but with underlying structure. Fruit flavors and notes are deeper underneath, plums, currants, Maybe dried cherries ? Fully ripened fruit neither just-picked floral nor over ripe sweet. Fruit was not forward, rather the base for notes my wife and I were scrambling to put “wine critic” descriptions to: pencil shavings minerals tobacco graphite maybe a touch of white pepper ? No vegetal notes at all. A pretty substantial wine; weight to it with mouth coating glycerine viscosity but no tannic pucker We sensed it more front of mouth and absolutely in the back of mouth and throat going down “Masculine wine” said my wife who “really liked” vs my “loved” Great steak wine that matches perfectly a minimalist prep of the meat solid flavor galore, but not tons of conflicting and competing notes The grape speaks as sometimes should the steak Bought on special I hope to get more ! — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Guests over for Sunday lunch. No formal notes. Went down well with fresh strawberries and cream. The colour was like a dark burnished copper. An apricot note - not overly sweet which was good. The bottle size at 500ml was perfect. One of Australia’s best performed dessert styles on the Australian show circuit with numerous trophies and gold medals. — 3 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.7

Palomino harvested from Carrascal vineyard in four passes during the season. Grapes exposed to sun for approx. 4 hrs to elevate sugars, no fortification necessary. Vintages prob-2013-2017 Saca iv.
N: Old wooden boats, tinned peaches, iodine, the sea baby!, Hazelnuts,Orange and lemon rinds, wax, petroleum, …
P:Oranges and peaches, So delicate, some wood, tactility seductive, Viscous yet refreshing.preserved citrus. The “ inner mouth energy” is tremendous.
Not overly oxidative, I could go on.
Find some.
Thanks @enramistas, @NickAfricano, @LuisPérez — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Last Sunday lunch with Roast Lamb. A 20 year old Rioja fitted the bill nicely. A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. Aged in new French and American oak for 24 months. Aromatics of tobacco leaf, plum, ashphalt and a bit of tar. A medicinal note the following night. The palate is medium to full bodied with berry, plum and liquorice. Resolved Tannins - quite fluid. This was Wine Spectators No. 1 wine for 2013 and now drinking at its peak but could go on for another 5 years on the evidence of this superb wine. — 2 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.3

From Bodegas Alvear, all Pedro Ximinez
Vineyards since the 1700’s.
8 yrs. under flor in Montilla.
Big buttery, old boats(wood) nose, pepper.
Pepper on the tongue, some butterscotch, salinity. The mouthfeel is ridiculously seductive.
I used a bit to deglaze pan of merguez sausages…Yah!
Thanks @ enramistas — 3 years ago

David Bourke

9.5

Easy like a Sunday morning. Consistency of pasta water, quenched like fresh pear juice with a little honeysuckle tenderness. Could drink all day or all night and then all day again, no judgement here. Because after two glasses, that’s kinda what I wanna do. On the Mediterranean. With a James Bond looking boat. And some Dickey Greenleaf fashion.

— 3 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

Sunday evening casual pour. No real notes. Flinty and lemony on the nose. Fresh, acid driven with almond and lemony notes all along. Fresh and minerally finish that goes on for a while. It's simple and fresh and everything I want to drink right now. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

The 2nd of two vintage Cape Mentelle wines for Sunday lunch. A medium plus crimson red in colour. Notes of mulberry and herbaceous Margaret River characters. Even at 15 years a whiff of French oak. With time in decanter sweet red and black fruits revealed themselves on the medium plus bodied palate. Finishing with velvety tannins. A classic Margaret River Cabernet from a good vintage - the first of 4 bottles from the cellar. Loved this with a Porterhouse Waygu score of 4. Cape Mentelle was one of the early stars of Margaret River, with David Hohnen at the helm they won 3 Jimmy Watson trophies in a row in the early 1980s. Nowadays owned by LVMH. Had another 52 weeks later on 7th January 2024 with consistent notes. Still have 2 left. Have next in 2025 and then the last one anytime up to 2028. I ended up having the 2nd last one on 8th June 2024 with consistent notes as previous. I had the last one on 26/7/25 with consistent notes. No real change from previous tasting. Mulberry. — 3 years ago

Becky lyttle

9.1

Didn’t know what to expect. It’s a gorgeous clear copper colored wine. Coats your tongue- guessing that must be the muscat? Hint of sweetness, ripe stone fruit, no pronounced aromas but a nice long finish of sherry. Super fun, will try again and think about what to pair it with. Or just enjoy it on a Sunday afternoon. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Our final lunch in Cairns last Sunday for the boys weekend away. A wonderful lunch at the Salt House on the Cairns waterfront. No formal notes. Pepik is the 2nd label of Josef Chromy from the East coast of Tasmania. Red fruits on nose and palate with a little white pepper. A good match with the superb seafood curry. — 4 years ago