WSET Level 3 Pass with Distinction.
Rich, buttery and luscious. Barrel fermented. Oak is there but the right amount to balance the ripe fruit. Definitely a full bodied opulent Chardonnay - stone fruit and cashew. Low in acid. I think Jancis’s drinking window of 2021-2025 is about right. I wouldn’t want to be drinking this in 2028 or later. — 4 days ago
Mates Vineyard is considered the best of the Kumeu River Chardonnay Cuvées but to be honest they are all delicious. This has such stone fruit intensity on the palate together with ripe grapefruit and Cashew. All in balance and drinking superbly. An outstanding new world Chardonnay. A few years left in its drinking window. It will always have that superb fruit and will develop a little more complexity - have the last 2019 in a year or two. — 9 days ago
Still a very dense crimson with no tawny rim, at 28 years of age but the tawniness is beginning. A certain feral, Animale, earthy note. Palate is ultra smooth, medium bodied / very savoury yet with a sweetish earthy notes with a hint of raspberry. Jancis Robinson was invited by Stephen Henschke to a vertical tasting at the winery in May 2013 to cover vintages back to the late 1950’s. She described the 1996 as “pure hedonism “ and gave it 19/20. Medium plus intensity on the delicious palate with those gnarled old 150 year vines showing through. An absolutely stunning wine - one of the best we’ve had this year. — 2 days ago
See several previous Delectable notes. Deeply coloured but not deep in palate - medium bodied. Liquorice and almonds, a juicy palate. Finishes with a skinnsy bitter note. Great with free range chicken legs. Probably best drunk young. From a highly reputable producer in GD Vayra. My last bottle of 6. — 5 days ago
Primary red fruit aromas. Just medium weight with oak nuances on the palate. I can’t think of an Australian Cabernet that is as light as this and I’m really enjoying it. Molesworth said this was good if you like herbaceous wines (which I do). After a lifetime of Margaret River Cabernets, I can’t see herbal nuances in the Forman. — 9 days ago
Previous tasting note here was for October 2022. Aromas of menthol , plum skins and friable soil. Medium bodied palate showing a strangely sweet chocolate character amongst the savouriness. A few years left in the drinking window. Have the last one in 2+ years. — 3 days ago
See previous note in June 2023 where I questioned the ripeness of the fruit. This has the trademark spice and pepper. Very little fruit, more savoury characters. From one of Australia’s leading cool climate wineries. As Jancis said, “a real sense of place “ - in this case the Macedon Ranges just north of Tullamarine Airport. Very different to SA Shiraz. Just medium bodied - a leathery note with balanced tannins. As in previous note a touch of astringency at the finish. — 4 days ago
Sappy red and black cherries. Bright red fresh fruits with notes of pepper and spice. I could be convinced this was new world if tasted blind. An element of astringency at the finish. An excellent village red Burgundy. After a few hours, still fresh and vibrant. Have the next in a year or two. — 9 days ago
A relatively new Cuvée for Giant Steps - a blend of Shiraz, Carignan and Grenache. Brief notes. Fresh, savoury, light to medium weight palate. Spicy aromatics , easy to drink, bottle disappeared quickly. Well made as always with Giant Steps. One left I will have in a couple of years. — 10 days ago
Bob McDonald
A rich Chardonnay from an excellent vintage in the Hunter Valley. Luscious stone fruit notes on the palate, showing its warm climate origins. Low acid. Mealy. Stylistically not dissimilar to the Shafer Carneros Chardonnay had recently. — a day ago