Yelland & Papps Devote Roussanne 2012

Yelland & Papps Devote Roussanne 2012

  22:15    Stu.

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This wine had me thinking of meadows, of sunlit kissed fields. It smells golden, of early morning light, florals. Walking through a field, flowers gently swaying in a breeze, or at the touch of a hand.  Up front, it's gently honeyed, some background tropical...

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Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado "Los Arcos" NV

Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado "Los Arcos" NV

  21:55    Stu.

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Sherry is Sexy. A learning exercise for me here: basically Amontillado is a Fino Sherry whereby the yeast the wine is fermented under - flor - dies off and the wine is exposed to oxygen. Resultant wine, in this case, shows a nutty complexity with hints of candied citrus....

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Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

  21:40    Stu.

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Loved how this morphed over time in the glass. Evolution, its expression changing, frequent refamiliarisation reveals something more. Leaf, dust, a hint of chocolate and a generous portion of fruit by way of damson and plum. Long, savoury, tannin is evident and backed...

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Egly-Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny 1er NV

Egly-Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny 1er NV

  21:48    Stu.

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Non-vintage premier cru juice from 100% Pinot Meunier fruit, vines approaching their half-century. Bready, yeasty with a hint of marmite, background stonefruit and meal. Bold and intense, mineral quality evident, full and rounded with a creamy palate. Dry, only 3g/l...

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O'Leary Walker Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

O'Leary Walker Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

  21:34    Stu.

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I often find Cabernet too austere in youth, preferring examples with a few years under their belt. Here, the Clare Valley - and O'Leary Walker - have produced a fantastic example in youth. If anything, I preferred this on day 2 and yet it was pretty compelling drinkable...

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Ballycroft Small Berrys American Oak Shiraz 2010

Ballycroft Small Berrys American Oak Shiraz 2010

  21:23    Stu.

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Charry, sweet, coconutty oak over black fruit compote. Black inky depth with fruit to match, a little chocolate augmenting the fruit and oak profile. Thick, glycerol mouthfeel, licorice, blueberry. A wedge of oak riven through the wine - it works, supporting the wine...

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William Hunt Light Pass Mataro 2010

William Hunt Light Pass Mataro 2010

  22:10    Stu.

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Pirate Cru are Negociant team Jennifer Graham and Dirk Pettigrew. A significant Barossa focus, with interests in McLaren Vale and Canbera, their typical crush is around 250 tonnes per vintage. The Light Pass vineyard from which the fruit comes is secured on a viticultural lease. This, their first Mataro, is naturally of interest to one such as I. One hundred dozen made, off of a single site in the...

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Terres Dorées Morgon 2010

Terres Dorées Morgon 2010

  16:31    Stu.

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Eldridge Estate PTG 2012

Eldridge Estate PTG 2012

  06:16    Stu.

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Sorrenberg Gamay 2011

Sorrenberg Gamay 2011

  06:05    Stu.

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Vinoque Gamay 2012

Vinoque Gamay 2012

  21:34    Stu.

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The 2011 version of this wine was a classic case of the maxim: "judge the wine, not the vintage".  This version carries its own calling card from 2012, along with the winemaking techniques employed - stemmy and sappy with a hint of mushroom and earth, along with...

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Bird on a Wire Marsanne 2011

Bird on a Wire Marsanne 2011

  21:10    Stu.

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Texture, texture, texture. Not overlooking the aromatic department, which itself shows a creamy mix of white flowers, a soap-nut-toffee note with a fresh herb and honeyed edge.  A roll call of descriptors could be peeled off, but in some respects that would detract...

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Dandelion Vineyard Lion's Tooth Shiraz 2008

Dandelion Vineyard Lion's Tooth Shiraz 2008

  09:26    Stu.

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 "It might just save us from the jam..." ~ Philip White, Drinkster Co-fermentation of Shiraz and Riesling are not a new technique, apparently Peter Lehmann started using the technique back in the 60s.  It's a way of adding natural acidity to a wine, where...

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