Angullong Fossil Hill Sangiovese 2013

Angullong Fossil Hill Sangiovese 2013

  06:37    Stu.

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Cherry leads supplemented with a little earth and licorice root. Good juice laden body, moderate intensity; red fruit tinged with a little woody spice. Finishes on a good length - all present and correct Sir! 90 Tasted on: Saturday 1st August, a Root day Source: Sample Price:...

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Redbank Emily Brut Cuvee NV

Redbank Emily Brut Cuvee NV

  10:00    Stu.

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A little quince here, and in the wrong glassware smells sweeter than one anticipates. Fine moussey texture, marmalade citrus - in a normal stem it's actual coarser in texture - bready with some yeast autolysis character. A decent fizz for the price. 88 Tasted on: Saturday...

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Mitchell Harris Fumé Blanc 2014

Mitchell Harris Fumé Blanc 2014

  10:00    Stu.

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Always a classy addition to the Sauvignon Blanc scene, a world away from the overt fruit of many examples on the market. Familiar passionfruit - sans the grass - augmented with a little pineapple. Feels rounded, textural and savoury - but doesn't quite reach the heights scaled...

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The Lane Block 10 Sauvignon Blanc 2015

The Lane Block 10 Sauvignon Blanc 2015

  10:00    Stu.

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Passionfruit, a little nettle, Hendricks and cucumber G'n'T - clean and cool. Fleshy, showed a bit of texture - interesting given it's tank fermented - carried by a sharp line of acid. Impressive achievements given it sees no oak, a thorough approach to picking achieves...

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Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2015

  20:16    Stu.

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So fifteen is being hailed as a great Hills vintage. On the basis of this classy Sauvignon Blanc, you'd believe the hype. Classic aromatics, albeit a little paired back, controlled - nettle, a little grassiness, some tropicals and hints of butter menthol. Abounds with...

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Mitchell Harris Shiraz 2012

Mitchell Harris Shiraz 2012

  20:34    Stu.

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Shiraz from the Pyrenees with the inclusion of 2% of Viognier (not really evident). Also sees 20% whole bunch, but really it's all about red berry aromatics with a fair twist of the regional pepper grinder over the top. Medium bodied, elegance personified, the wine...

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Leeuwin Estate Siblings Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014

Leeuwin Estate Siblings Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014

  19:24    Stu.

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Blend of Sauvignon Blanc (68%) and Semillon (32%) from leading Margaret River winery Leeuwin Estate. Grassy, nettley, touch of bath salt and grapefruit sharpness, tropical edges creep through assuredly for a balancing act. Clean on entry afore a little chalky phenolic...

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Ferngrove Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Ferngrove Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

  11:22    Stu.

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Classic aromatics on offer with this Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon from Ferngrove. Intense, powerful fruit of mulberry and cassis is immediately on offer. Violets, plum and a little residual oak seasoning further to seek to highlight the quality here.  Minerally,...

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Topper's Mountain Barrel Ferment Gewürztraminer 2014

Topper's Mountain Barrel Ferment Gewürztraminer 2014

  19:47    Stu.

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A wine that could easily lay claim to the title of Australia's best Gewürztraminer, a title it may only be challenged by its stable-mate, or the Symphony Hill Gewürz from just over the border, but made with New England fruit. A little oak here frames...

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Yalumba Galway Shiraz 2013

Yalumba Galway Shiraz 2013

  18:51    Stu.

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Juicy little number here and despite not being the most complex number, there's plenty going on, with spice and earth backed up with plenty of berry fruit.  Easy going moreish nature, just slides across the palate and backed up with a nice rub of tannin and more...

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Oxford Landing Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Oxford Landing Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2015

  08:30    Stu.

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A sub-$10 Savvy B that I was more than happy to chug a glass of. Fresh, pithy citrus, hints of grapefruit and gooseberry. Clean, fresh - if a little dilute, easily overlooked at the price-point. Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself. Reasonable length of citrus carry....

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Rusden Full Circle Mataro 2012

Rusden Full Circle Mataro 2012

  19:20    Stu.

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I first wrote on the 2009 vintage of Rusden's Full Circle Mataro back in the early days of 'Project Mataro'. Whilst that particular initiative has lost a little focus as varietal wines became more ubiquitous, it's still nice to get the chance to reacquaint oneself with...

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d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

  14:23    Stu.

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Red fruit, herb, oak - hints of cedar can be seen peeking through - but it is a very different Coppermine Road this year, of its time for sure. Savoury - wood and spice, fruit present - but a minor part of the mid-composition. Structure is good, tannin is fine. An enjoyable...

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Esperanza Monastrell 2013

Esperanza Monastrell 2013

  20:04    Stu.

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I reviewed the 2010 debut release of Wirra Wirra's 'Esperanza' (Spanish for hope) a few years back. Since then, the range has expanded to include a Tempranillo and, more recently, a varietal Touriga Nacional. Still shows that heavenly mix of briar, black fruit - particularly...

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Patrick Sullivan Jumpin' Juice Raz Ultra NV

Patrick Sullivan Jumpin' Juice Raz Ultra NV

  14:23    Stu.

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"Jumpin' juice Raz, it's a gaz gaz gaz..." This is winemaker Patrick Sullivan's winter take on the Jumpin Juice wine produced. He describes it as "just for drinking...an introduction". Primarily Shiraz (hence the raz) and intended to be consumed with friends. Savoury,...

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TarraWarra Estate Pinot Noir 2013

TarraWarra Estate Pinot Noir 2013

  09:23    Stu.

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Caveat emptor: The wine tasted was leftovers from a day being poured in the trade, as such I cannot confirm how long the wine had been open. The tasting note below reflects how I see the wine.Blue/black fruited, lovely aromatic profile: sour cherry, blueberry, florals -...

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TarraWarra Estate Chardonnay 2013

TarraWarra Estate Chardonnay 2013

  17:19    Stu.

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Caveat emptor: The wine tasted was leftovers from a day being poured in the trade, as such I cannot confirm how long the wine had been open. The tasting note below reflects how I see the wine. Whole bunch pressed direct to barrel, wild yeast fermented, some portion of...

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Bremerton Special Release Graciano 2013

Bremerton Special Release Graciano 2013

  17:09    Stu.

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Woody, herbal, hints of almond and cherry - in fact there's more than a suggestion of cherry bakewell about it. Lightness, assumed elegance - soft, woody, cherry with spice and anise. Touch of texture present too, lots going on, much appeal. 90 Tasted on: Tuesday 14th...

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Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Graciano 2014

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Graciano 2014

  02:19    Stu.

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Often used as a blending component alongside Tempranillo, increasingly Graciano is being seen as a varietal in its own regard. This example from Langhorne Creek shows floral top notes with a darker underbelly of ink, licorice, spice and a little beetroot earthiness. Light-medium...

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Terre à Terre Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Terre à Terre Sauvignon Blanc 2014

  10:00    Stu.

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Exemplar of the barrel fermented style of Sauvignon Blanc, that is associated with Bordeaux blanc, a style pursued by premium producers of the variety. From the close planted vineyard in Wrattonbully that is starting to come of age. It sees 15 days in tank, followed...

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Waywood Wines Tempranillo 2013

Waywood Wines Tempranillo 2013

  09:01    Stu.

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From the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale comes this inviting Tempranillo. Soft red-black aromatics lure you in, leading to savoury - nigh herbal - twists. Dry and dusty, good grain of tannin enmeshed with blue/black fruit flavour profile. Good length of flavour,...

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Bremerton Mourvédre 2013

Bremerton Mourvédre 2013

  14:00    Stu.

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The reductive hand of Mataro shows with this special release from Bremerton in South Australia's Langhorne Creek. Initially sullen, it starts to reveal some of that meaty funk, with time further varietal character reveals its hand: florals and plummy depths. Licorice,...

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Giesen Clayvin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

Giesen Clayvin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

  08:23    Stu.

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Of the three Giesen single vineyard (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) wines, I struggled to appreciate this Pinot Noir the most. From the acclaimed 'Clayvin' vineyard, reputedly Marlborough's oldest Pinot Noir plantings, a site off which both Fromm and Tongue in Groove draw...

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Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir 2013

Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir 2013

  21:47    Stu.

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Barnie Herbets never did get the horse that he sought. He did get himself a bike though and his equine requirements inspired a couple to take the name for their new wine project. Paul and Gill Lipscombe purchased a neglected vineyard site in 2010 and set about transforming...

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Murray Street Vineyards Sophia Shiraz 2012

Murray Street Vineyards Sophia Shiraz 2012

  17:53    Stu.

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We honour the pioneers of the Australian wine industry through gracing bottles of wine with their names, in their memory. But there remain those who maintain we don't do enough to encourage the continued participation of women from the current generation. Soap-box...

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