Category Archives: Uncategorized

2012 Dirty Three South Gippsland Pinot Noir

The Dirty Three in question are not Warren Ellis, Jim White and Mick Turner. They are jovial raconteur Stuart Gregor, man of many talents Cameron Mackenzie and winemaker Marcus Satchell. None of them play the violin. This is one of … Continue reading

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2010 Shottesbrooke Punch Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

In a region renowned for Shiraz and increasingly flirting with Italian varieties Shottesbrooke strikes me as something of a Cabernet specialist. Density and depth. Blackberries, chocolate and roasted root vegetables with some mint jelly. Fresh dark cherries and blueberries impart vitality. … Continue reading

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2012 Montalto Estate Pennon Hill Pinot Noir

The 2012 Montalto Pennon Hill wines are affable, generous and flavoursome. They’re more about simple pleasures than complexity. Red cherries, strawberry and a slick of sweet raspberry with a polished sheen of oak. Crushed spice and vanilla. Fruit forward, varietal … Continue reading

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2010 Brand’s Laira August Tide Dry Red

Old fashioned, hearty fare. Maybe even a little crass but enjoyable just the same. Slathered with chocolate custard oak that takes a day to integrate. Then the wine fleshes out, all smooth full-bodied and plush. Roughly two-thirds Merlot, the rest … Continue reading

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2009 Robert Stein Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

A big, brawling sort of wine – as is so often the case with Australian “Reserve” reds. Full bodied with loads of tarry, spiced oak sunk into curranty fruit and a melted chocolate texture. Cassis, cigar, cedar, mocha and freshly turned earth. … Continue reading

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2012 Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling

Henschke’s Peggy’s Hill Riesling is in good form with this release. Its impact is subtle but increasingly difficult to deny the longer you spend with it. Lemon over lime with talc and white flowers on a reasonably shy nose. Pithy texture alongside watermelon … Continue reading

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2012 Kirrihill Slate Creek Vineyard Riesling

A good Riesling from a terrific vintage. It’s a little simple and unexciting but the price is fair. Sunlight lemon, citrus blossom, sea shell and wet slate. The acidity is a trifle coarse and the length isn’t spectacular. It doesn’t quite … Continue reading

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2010 Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir

My struggles with Adelaide Hills Pinot continue. This is fine. Good even…but I’d hoped for more from a promising vintage. Full of cherries and strawberries. Some woodsy characters but in general it’s sweet and very approachable. It did get more savoury … Continue reading

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2010 Yering Station Village Pinot Noir

A better wine than the 2010 Little Yering Pinot, if not a style that agrees with me personally. Ripe and sweet but with greater freshness immediately apparent on the nose. Still centred around distilled red fruit (raspberry coulis, cherry liqueur and … Continue reading

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2011 Coriole Fiano

Fiano. The little grape that could. We need alternatives to Chardonnay…or I do. I drink far too much of the stuff. This is shapely but drawn taut on exit with ensconced acidity and a gentle phenolic squeeze. Texture plus weight … Continue reading

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