86 points
A Chateauneuf De Pape inspired wine, though this is a medium bodied wine, nicely savoury although Brett seemed to be a bit higher than I would have liked. It’s a roughly 40, 40 blend of syrah and granache with 10% cinsault and a tiny 1% of mouvedre. Drink now and over the next couple of years. Screwcap (nice to see on a US wine).
Retains its wonderful label, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_humour
88 points
Barossa Valley, South Australia. 14.5%
Consumed in a New York restaurant where it was listed as Syrah 🙂 Lovely classic Penfolds style but more elegant, less dolled up with noticeable added acidity than in past vintages, and the oak handling seems more deft. Lacks the concentration of the more serious wines in the portfolio, but good restaurant drinking now and over the next 6 years.
91 points
Vouvray, Loire. 12%
I’m giving this lower points than I’d expect. It’s certainly a lovely luscious wine. Sweet bit not a dessert wine. Still with fantastic acidity. It’s concentrated almost spirity but with low alcohol.
It’s just that the lovely acidity and gentle sweetness overwhelm. It seems to lack minerality and aged characters.
Lovely elegant despite the concentration but a bit simple.
88 points
Quite a classy old-school Rioja with lightish colour lots of American oak influence and some flavour too, and some striking acidity. Comes together as a good food wine, yet in a very different style than say Bordeaux or indeed any other wine.
90 points
Haut-Medoc. 12.5%
Another fine Cantemerle. Fresh quite tight, needs another 5 years. Nothing forced about Cantermerle, more modern in recent years like this but in a good sense.
92+ points
Pokolbin, Hunter Valley. 14%
Starting to show signs of maturity in a very positive sense, exciting. A richer, plusher wine than most from the Hunter. The product of a hot vintage, but very well done. Ripe without extraction or jammy flavours.
77 points
Mt Benson, South Australia. 13%
The back label says this wine will age for up to 10 years. Not so in this case. Well past its prime, oxidized.
92+ points
Eden Valley, South Australia. 14%
Consumed over two nights. On the first night the acid is quite prominent. This is an elegant wine. Reminds me of some top Hunter Shiraz. On the second night it opened up. This really is an elegant seamless beautifully balanced wine. The antithesis of the burly or syrupy late picked Barossa styles.
On the nose it’s a bit muted due to the milky (Hungarian) oak but it all comes together taste-wise. The oak is just a frame for what is elegant supple fruit that I wouldn’t call cool climate but it’s not hot. Low tannin.
This wine should have an impressive future. Best in 10 years time (2021).
Grown at an altitude of 400 metres.
87 points
Clare Valley, South Australia. 14.5%
Compared to Wendouree next door this is more commercial less distinctive. Less American oak might help, at least a switch to French might let the fruit sing better.
77 points
Eden Valley, South Australia. 12.5%
No longer fresh and aromatic (as per the label) but nor is it luscious old Riesling. Petrol flavours dominate.
90+ points
Hawkes Bay, NZ. 13.5%
Bigger with greater depth than I’d expected. Don’t open for another 2 years (2013).
More plummy right-bank in style this year. 2006 is quite different.
70 points
Geelong Victoria. 13%
A wine that should not have been cellared, not that 6 years is exactly old!
Slight amount of jammy fruit. Low acid. No tannin.
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