Alkoomi Blackbutt Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (63%), Malbec (20%), Merlot (10%), Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc (at 3.5% each).

Interestingly released as a six year old. Showing that time in bottle. Dusty, dried leaf matter, blackcurrant leaf. Has a distinct 'purple' feel to it.

Sweet fruit, blackcurrant, cedary hints, seasoning and a touch of cigar box. Tannin nicely integrated - lends a silken feel.

Concludes with red fruit and acid. Good, but questions about where it's at for the price. 90

Tasted on: Sunday 26th April, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $64
Alcohol: 13.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.alkoomiwines.com.au/

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View Road Wines Chardonnay 2012

Sourced from the Swaby Vineyard - up near the Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills - a vineyard also used as a fruit source by Michael Hall, BK Wines and Yalumba.

Oxidative notes on the nose, giving that nuttiness and bruised apple complexity. The palate sees more of the same with an edge of saline acidity, the driving force of the wine.

It's a style that will likely polarise, for sure it caught me off guard, but it's a grower. A quality, if unconventional, wine - excellent length, a testament to the fruit quality. My only quibble is I would have liked a little more in the middle. 92

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $37
Alcohol: 13.3%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://viewroadwines.com.au/

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Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

A little sweet grass, ripe stonefruit, and vanilla accented nougat oak. 'Golden' is a sense I found myself being drawn to more than once, a little honey and floral edges here too.

Full in the mouth, an impressive wine of weight and substance. Citrus, stonefruit, a phenolic dryness that provides an embrace and undulates across the palate through an impressive length.

no surprise that a wine as substantive as this appears, equally carries such length. A superb release. 94+

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $75
Alcohol: 13.8%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://tapanappa.com.au/

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Ridgemill Estate WYP Chardonnay 2013

WYP was an internal winery code for a wine that winemaker Pete McGlashan thought showed some promise. Such is the run of success that the Ridgemill Chardonnay is having, WPY has made it onto the label permanently.

Beautiful aromatics. Barrel ferment character here, pulled off without over-stepping what can be a fine line. Showing toast, touch of grilled white meat, nectarine, granny smith sharpness, with lime citrus rounding out.

Carries a little more weight round the middle than the palate profile would suggest, barrel ferment and some lees work evident here. 

Fruit carried well with the now familiar stonefruit, lime and perhaps lime brulee. Length is excellent, unforced line of spice, toast. An excellent release. 93

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://ridgemillestate.com/

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Windowrie The Mill Chardonnay 2014

This is extraordinary value at the members price of $12.54 per bottle and still fair drinking at a dollar under twenty. 

A lovely pale straw on the pour. Stonefruit, a little green melon, residual oak via a little creamy cashew - augments the fruit on intro.

Clean entry, stonefruit again flowing through. Light, balanced, delicate pitch of acid - followed up by spice and residual oak.

Solid Chardonnay at the price. 88

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $17.99
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.windowrie.com.au/

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Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz 2012

Caution! Do not approach now. A hard one to call. Premium packaging here: tall, narrow bottle with a long neck housing a pristine plug of cork.

Black fruit, a little liquer, touch of prune and oak, A black, dense mass; unashamedly big, brooding.

Slick feel, palate feels off balance compared to its intro - the fruit being suppressed. It has presence, but feels hard and bitter initially.

Length is good - no doubting the quality of the source material. Questions however do persist on whether that quality will be allowed to flourish over the life of the wine. 90+

Tasted on: 22nd April, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $56
Alcohol: 15%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.bremerton.com.au/

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Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris 2014

Spiced, and poached pear; vanilla, mere hints of florals - magnolia perhaps, a little musk and Turkish delight.

The spice carries through to the palate, a consistent and pleasing presence throughout. It's textural, yes, but with enough balancing backbone to carry the wine forward.

The finish sees the spice maintain its presence and authority. Aiding in the wine's standing as a Gris of some repute. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $21.95
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.redbankwines.com/

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Cooks Lot Allotment 66 Pinot Gris 2014

Touch of bronzing ball applied here. Musky, hints of honeysuckle, pear, and suggestions of stonefruit.

Mineral, nippy acid, barely there fruit, short in short. Bit of texture, but nay much else, Length just falls away on this occasion. 86

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.cookslot.com.au/

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Ridgemill Estate Pinot G 2014

The Australian Wine Research Institute developed a scale for the determination of whether a wine was a Grigio (typically crisp, apples, florals etc) or a Gris (poached pears, spice, textural).

Ridgemill Estate undertook to see whether this wine, sensorily, sat in which camp and the result was pretty neutral, hence the name Pinot G.

Particularly expressive: florals, citrus/orange peel/oil in the mix here.

Textural for sure, with effective balancing phenolics and acid. Yes, it does sit on the fence a bit. Regardless of that stylistic neutrality, it carries good length, the kind that catches you unawares. Nashi pear on the finish - good phenolic coating to caress you on its way home. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $22
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://ridgemillestate.com/

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Angullong Pinot Grigio 2014

I've been impressed with the Angullong wines of late, that good impression is continued here with this appropriately called Pinot Grigio.

Pear and green apple - pronounced aromatics here, certainly of its variety. Small presence of some guava-esque tropicals only add to it.

Crisp, punchy from the off. Good use of phenolics for an extra lingering mouthfeel. Calls itself a Grigio and certainly behaves like one. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $19
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.angullong.com.au/

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Rusden Driftsand GSM 2012

Good gear from the Rusden label. Winemaker Christian Canute certainly seems one that marches to his own beat, his wines - Barossan for sure, but with his own unique signature. More reviews to follow, but they certainly carry a lightness and freshness to them that's not often seen. But, by the same token, I can see how they may polarise.

The GSM in question a great starting point to the portfolio at $20. A mix of aromas, initially savoury and vegetal; red fruit, dusting of spice and some dill in the mix, completing the picture.

Good composure on the palate: medium bodied, soft and silken - herbal traits seen on the palate too with a little mint for added freshness.

Decent length, certainly a wine of interest. Barossan, to a different time signature indeed. 89

Tasted on: Saturday 18th April, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.rusdenwines.com.au/

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Hither & Yon Aglianico 2013

Licorice root, amaro/bitter wood and herb - deliciously savoury with a dark undercurrent.

Yet, for that darkness, it squarely fits the H&Y profile of producing deliciously appealing wines. Fruit, by way of cherry and plum, with a moreish tang and juiciness. 

That black edge reappears on the back palate - a little licorice root against the lighter touch of raspberry over spice. Conclusion? A possibly conservative 90

Tasted on: Saturday 18th April, a Leaf transitioning to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $27
Alcohol: 12.6%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.hitherandyon.com.au/

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Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Cabernet Merlot 2012

A price increase on the 2011, and one that - in my mind at least - turns this from a sub-$25 go-to, to a nudging $30 and will require a bit more thought as to its purchase.

Classic aromas here: tobacco, chocolate, berry fruit, bay and a dusting of cedar and seasoning. How could you not?

Medium of body, ease of approach - plushly textured with silken tannin entwined with a fair amount of fruit. Some structure holds things up, seems so effortless. Again it has the potential to cellar for up to ten years, but why would you? 91

Tasted on: Wednesday 15th April, a flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $28
Alcohol: 13.8%
Closure: Screwcap
Website

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Topper's Mountain Pinotage Viognier 2012

Unusual bed-fellows here, but then vigneron Mark Kirby hasn't always played by the rule book and success has often resulted. No quibbles here either, although it did show better on day two for this humble hack.

2009 bottle image

Blue-black fruit mix with a sprinkle of woody spice, rosemary perhaps. With some time and air that manifests itself as seasoned furniture.

Largely savoury palate, smooth -medium bodied and yet light on its feet. Seasoned fruit starts to discern itself a little further and barely there tannin - with a little pop of acid - reveal themselves towards the back palate.

Beefy, meaty, savoury and a 'brown' finish - if colour is your thing. 90

Tasted on: Wednesday 15th April, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $32
Alcohol: 14.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://toppers.com.au/

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Redbank King Valley Pinot Grigio 2014

Florals - white in particular - touch of mashed green banana, quince and a little grapefruit derived citrus.

Shows a bit of texture on the palate, flowing with apple, pear and florals. Fine mineral and textural spread, a little spice by way of cinnamon.

Good balance of acid, some length to boot. 88, toyed with a point higher FWIW.

Tasted on: Sunday 19th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $21.95
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.redbankwines.com/

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Alkoomi Jarrah Shiraz 2010

Named after a native Eucalypt from the area where the grapes that input into the wine are grown. Sees an increase in price of 46 on the 2009, and now in the 2010 guise released as a five year old.

Showing that additional age, with malty-mocha tones, touch of leather and black fruit by way of blackberry, mulberry and a little plum.

Smooth of palate, with the familiar sour tang from the '09. Nicely pitched against the black fruit so present. An Oliver-esque sprinkle of spice and licorice. Gentle on the finish, good for a leisurely Sunday roast now. 92

Tasted on: Monday 13th April, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $45
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://alkoomiwines.com.au/

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Fox Gordon Eight Uncles Shiraz 2012

Blackberry compote, soft and juicy - a comfort from the off, a wine that has an ability to reassure.

Good fruit presence on entry - moving to a fair whack of peppery spice. From comforting to a few select jabs around the palate to awaken the senses, with a little residual fruit on the back palate.

Shows good fruit and acid balance. soft and easy - a wine to lead you home. 90

Tasted on: Sunday 12th April, a Fruit transitioning to Root day
Source: Retail, Vinomofo
Price: $20 RRP
Alcohol: 13.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.foxgordon.com.au/

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Voyager Estate Shiraz 2012

Beautiful vibrant colour in the glass. Pine, mint, cedar and a smokey burnish on offer - over time the smokey embers linger.

Medium bodied, a wee spike of acid, excellent grain of tannin - but somewhat lacking a bit of fruit stuffing. Reviewed over two days or so, start to see a little plummy, rounded character - but I never truly warmed to it.

Length good enough, but somehow not quit convincing me now. 90+

Tasted on: Saturday 11th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $38
Alcohol: 13.8%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.voyagerestate.com.au/

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Murray Street Vineyards Gomersal Shiraz 2012

There's been a change at the tiller at Murray Street Vineyards, with Craig Viney taking over the role of Chief Winemaker from Andrew Seppelt.

MSV Chief Winemaker - Craig Viney

An anticipated release from a regarded vintage. The Gomersal is produced from fruit off a single vineyard over on the Barossa's western ridge, in a sub-region referred to as 'Gomersal'.

The wine spends 18 months in used American puncheons, yet there is the familiar aroma of vanilla creme and residual coconut. Dark intense berry fruit backs this up, slowly revealing itself - as if throwing a cloak - to reveal blackcurrant and ironstone.

The palate is in a similar vein, intensity of flavour with tannin that is fine, well integrated, resembling graphite minerality. Balance is key here with fruit, tannin and a little acid making up a midfield trio - the engine of the wine.

Excellent, sustained length - present long after the wine has slid down the gullet. 93

Tasted on: Saturday 11th April, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $55
Alcohol: 14.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.murraystreet.com.au/

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