Bob McDonald

9.5

See note on Delectable 187 weeks ago. This is my last bottle and it is superb. With age this wine has developed more stone fruit (white peach) and less citrus notes. Perfect balance with French Oak and a creamy leesy influence. As HH said “100% Malolactic fermentation but it doesn’t show “. Ticks all the boxes of an excellent modern day new world Chardonnay. Grapes are shipped in a refrigerated container from the Coal River Tasmania to the Adelaide Hills where the wine is made at Shaw and Smith (the owner of Tolpuddle). — 6 months ago

Shay A

9.6

A bottle I contributed during a trip to Napa’s Premiere Napa Valley week. This was opened at Torc, alongside a ‘97 Leflaive Les Pucelles, ‘11 Leroy Blagny, ‘89 La Chappelle and two young Napa cabs from Simon Estate. La Mouline is always my favorite due to the amount of co-ferment with Viognier.

Deserving of a 1-2hr decant, this got about an hour open in bottle by the time we got to it. I opened the ‘04 La Turque just a few weeks prior, so I had a reference point to work with. Heady aromatics, as expected…dark potpurri, spice, mesquite and mocha. On the palate, the youthful bacon-fat of Cote Rotie was gone and had channeled the classical tangy barbecue profile alongside black olive, peppered red and black berry fruit, and smoked meat at the finish. Whereas the LaTurque was almost Burgundian in profile (elegant, light), this was somewhere in-between the “bigger” LaLandonne and LaTurque…big, but balanced, likely due to vintage. Aromatics and finish here were standouts. Open now with a quick decant or hold another few years. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

A bright pale to medium Ruby in colour. Soaring aromatics of. Red cherry, rhubarb, caramel , rose petals and forest floor. Much of this carries through to the delicious palate finishing with fine savoury persistent tannins. Sometimes it’s good to drink an excellent wine in its youth to capture that fresh vibrancy and realise why it scooped the pool at Royal Adelaide this year winning the Trophies for Best Pinot and Best Red Wine of the Show. Quite an achievement in one of the most competitive Wine Shows in Australia. This is a “Judgment of Paris “ type wine which would scatter Premier Cru Candidates in Burgundy. Sourced from leading vineyards throughout Tasmania and will sell out in a flash. Tasted 41 weeks later on 2nd September 2022 with consistent notes. Has that varnishy note to the oak which is not unpleasant. A lovely wine. — 4 years ago

Doug Powers

9.5

Amazing older Napa Cabernet, redfruits (currants and cassis), this is amazingly fresh and youthful, structure is there, just a faint green note pops out in the super long finish, great wine (and clearly showing much more youthful than the 1986 Dunn Napa we opened in mid-March)!! Randy killed it in this vintage, planning to open a 1987 Howell Mountain Cabernet in the next few weeks, it should be fantastic!! — 7 months ago

with Jim

Bob McDonald

9.5

My first of 6. Smells like a full bodied Pinot Noir. The palate is rich with a lovely fruit sweetness, cherry and plum, and again, a full bodied Pinot Noir with intensity. Ticks all the boxes. Texture and the tannins are silky. Enough acid and tannin to go another 8 to 10 years. 98 points from HH. Had a 2nd bottle 25 weeks later on 14th September with similar notes. Aromatic red cherries still with that lovely fruit sweetness. Seductive mouth feel. — 2 years ago

Vino Joe

9.5

I wanted to sit on this since I opened a bottle just a few weeks ago. However, sensing that my wife needed a quality glass of wine tonight I decided to go with an obvious winner. It did not disappoint. Ton of earth with cherry and tar and thickness - this is as complex and lovely as ever. Lingering finish that is not quite puckery but lays heavy on the tongue for awhile. The bouquet is balanced. Right mix of power and perfume. The 2005 is still quite red in color and has plenty of vibrancy. It’s matured to fully drink but it’s still packing some oomph. Looks great in the glass. This was universally enjoyed over three hours and a thumbs up from the Mrs. — 3 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

These E&M wines are just stupido! What do i mean by this? Popped opened. Joined 2 bottles into one because i was not convinced/unhappy. Got close to the sink. Then decided leave in the fridge for 2 weeks. And Voilà now quite awesome. Strawberries, tart, rhubarb, ….bark, more red than Rosé. Dark, complex, orange zest, dark cherry. Would age this 2-3 years. Revisit and then decide on even more cellar time. — 9 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

Perfumed, candied citrus essence hooked up to a 9V battery.

This was opened and then left in the fridge and slowly consumed- and fully at its best after 2 weeks.

Really delicious, justifiably pricey Bourgogne Blanc. — 2 years ago

David Goldmuntz

9.6

As good as the 1986 a couple of weeks ago. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

See previous note from 96 weeks ago where I said that I would drink the last one when my son Hugh was home from NY (born 1987) which came to pass last night. Overall not as impressive as the previous tasting but retains its silky tannin structure. Very dark in colour - opaque. Notes of cassis and pipe tobacco - overall dusty without the depth of fruit of the previous tasting. Just medium bodied. Tasting Book recommend a drinking window till 2035 which I would not agree with. Leads me to think I will be drinking my bottles of 86 Mouton sooner rather than later. — 4 years ago