Penny's Hill Cracking Black 2009

This shiraz is grown on the Bay of Biscay soils in McLaren Vale. What does that mean?  Well Bay of Biscay sub-soils are mainly found in the Barossa and they are ancient soils that expand in winter, if it rains, whilst in summer they shrivel up in the hot sun.  The team at Penny's Hill say that the soil pops and crackles during the extreme heat.

Penny's Hill Cracking Black 2009

What I like about this wine: forward nature and plushness.

What I don't like: It is very sweet. I would say that it would pair better with dessert or cheese than a lot of main meals.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $22
Rated: 88
Drink: Over the next 5 years

Kangarilla Road Winery Primitivo 2008

Primitivo has found a fine home in Puglia where it is grown in Italy. Many believe that the history of the grape variety originated in Greece and jumped ship in Italy in the 17th Century where the monks got their hands on it. In many cases, all around the world, the monks have been the front runners in cultivating wines so I thank them for their dedication. Generally the flavours of Primitivo are in the red spectrum with a hint of spice but if you leave them on the vine longer you get jammy black fruits coming through.

Kangarilla Road Winery Primitivo 2008

Oh boy this is tart with flecks of cranberry, raspberry and spice coming into play.  There are some nice chalky tannins providing an extra degree of interest but it just doesn't have the length like its stable mate.  What you get here is an easy drinking good quality quaffer with a bit of interest and what held me back from going nuts over this was a slight dehydrated character on the mid palate.

Alcohol: 15%
Price: $22
Rated: 84
Drink: Now to 2 years

Kangarilla Road Winery Zinfandel 2009

Zinfandel is ultra popular in Italy and the United States but you don't see much of it in Australia. Why is that? I'm not sure as it can sit in the sun just taking it all in. They tend to be high in alcohol but can still be balanced.

Kangarilla Road Winery Zinfandel 2009

Darkness is coming.  Well it must be as this wine is scaring me with the level of darkness in the glass. On the nose there is plenty of wood work but it is a different story on the palate.  Notes of dark cherry mixed with all manner of spices.  I was thinking cinnamon, cardamom and Dutch licorice with a some sort of torte thrown in. What sets this apart from some of the others in this category is the fine acidity that freshens up the flavours.  Yummo.

Alcohol: 15%
Price: $32
Rated: 88+
Drink: I could go this now or in 5 years.

Tyrrell's Vat 1 2009

So for Christmas at our place, everyone has to bring a dish and this year I was booked in for the first course of the day.  What to cook? Well I love Seafood and Thai style cooking so I put this little number forward.  The dish itself doesn't take too long but the prep work takes a while.  The good thing is that the sweet chilli and ginger sauce you can keep in the fridge for another dish.

Sweet Chilli and Ginger Sauce.

5 Red Chillies finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves
4 Coriander roots washed and scraped


pound together all the above ingredients in a motor and pestle until a paste is formed.

4 tblspns finely grated ginger
1 Cup coconut vinegar
1 Cup caster sugar
2 tblspns fish sauce

heat paste in pan and add in ginger, vinegar, sugar and bring to boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for 4 min and then add fish sauce.  The sauce should start to thicken up and then pour into glass jar and refrigerate.

Ruby Grapefruit and Mint Salad

2 Ruby Grapefruit's sliced into segments
1 red chilli
1 handful mint shredded
1 handful of coriander leaves
2 tsp palm sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
juice from 1 lime

Mix palm sugar and fish sauce into paste and then add lime juice. Mix chilli, mint and coriander together and then mix in with other ingredients except ruby grapefruit. Lay ruby grapefruit and mixture on plate.

Deep Fried Coconut Prawn with Pork Stuffing

21 U8 uncooked prawns, peeled, deveined and slit down the back.

2 Garlic cloves
3 tblspns coriander root washed and chopped
10 White pepper corns
1 tsp palm sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
200 g good quality pork mince

Batter

1 Cup rice flour
1/2 cup cold water
pinch of salt

3 Cups shredded coconut

Pound the garlic, roots and pepper corns in a mortar and pestle to make a paste. Blend in palm sugar and fish sauce and mix with pork. Line prawn opening with pork mixture.
Mix batter together and heat a wok with 2 L canola oil to 180 c.  The oil has to be very hot! Dip prawn in batter and then in coconut and then place in oil. Be very careful as oil may spit!

Once the coconut is golden take prawns out of oil and place on paper.  Serve the prawns hot with a rudy grapefruit salad and some sweet chilli and ginger sauce.

This is the prawns minus the salad as I ate this again the next day as I catered for too many people. 

So I decided to pair this meal with a semillon and it worked perfectly. Give it a go at home or do it for a party.

Tyrrell's Vat 1 2009

This worked perfectly with the dish! Actually they are better as a team than as an individualcomponant.  The length and breadth of this wine is brilliant. As a young wine it feels complete which makes it ok to drink now.  Well the acidity might not be too friendly but it is counter balanced by the flavours of the prawn. At the moment the main stay of the flavours are in the lemon/lime end of the spectrum and this should drink perfectly as a teenager.

Alcohol: 11%
Price: $35
Rated: 94++
Drink: 2020 - 2034

Wild Duck Creek Estate Reserve Cabernet 1998

David Anderson has been making some great booze for a while now and it is amazing that they keep so long.  This wine is a case in point and it is in an elegant style.  I was up in Heathcote a little while back so I dropped in to see how things were going with David.  The vineyard looks really healthy whilst he had a few people around bottling a Muscat that will not be sold.  It is his personal project that keeps him enthusiastic about wine-making.  'Variety is the spice of life' so to speak.

This is the original Shiraz vineyard that the Springflat used to come from. Now the grapes go into the Springflat, Reserve Shiraz and the Duck Muck, if it is made.

Wild Duck Creek Estate Reserve Cabernet 1998

Medium bodied and elegant as all hell.  This is still fresh as a daisy with flecks of blackcurrant, spicy red-fruits and a roast meat component.  The chef that cooked the meat must have thrown in a hell of a load of fresh flowers as a pungent element hits you towards the back of your palate.  This wine shatters what people think about wines from Heathcote as it is not over the top at all.  In fact it is not as big as some wines from Coonawarra.  What finishes me off is the bright core of lively tannins running up my tongue adding flavour and texture.  It is just a pity that I don't have any of these in my cellar.

Alcohol: 12.8%
Price: ?
Rated: 94 ++
Drink: Not now just give it another 3 to 5 years them go  for your life.

Seppelts Benno 2006

Seppelts Benno 2006

What was 2006 like in Bendigo? I'm not sure but this wine has shut down totally.  What I got from the wine over the period that I sat with it was a nice light set of chalky tannins with nothing much else apart from a bit of alcohol heat.  While I like this wine it doesn't have the length or balance to up its score.

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $55
Rated: 87
Drink: 2016 - 2024

Vazart-Coquart Blanc de Blanc NV

This winery started out as a farming estate that focused on everything except grape but in 1954 that things started to turn around.  Now the estate is run biodynamically and all the old farming building have been converted into either tasting rooms or the winery.

Vazart-Coquart Blanc de Blanc NV

This is a step up in quality to the last wine and you can see it in the flavours and length.  The wine reminds me of a old comedy movie where the host pelts the guest with a lemon meringue pie at the end of the show but in this wine it is the first flavour you get. There are also masses of smoked oysters, bread dough and spicy marzipan that fill out the mid palate which make this wine rather inviting. Love it.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $80
Rated: 94
Drink: Now
Importer: Heart and Soil

Launois Pere & Fils Cuvee Quartz Grand Cru NV

The vineyard that this little number comes off of are right next to Salon so I thinking this is going to be a good one.  The average age of this vineyard is around 16 years of age which puts it in the younger side leaving room for improvement in the depth of the wine in the coming years. What surprised me was the fact that the base wine sees not oak ageing at all.

Launois Pere & Fils Cuvee Quartz Grand Cru NV

There is a brightness to this wine which is really refreshing with the flavours of brioche, lemon, spicy grapefruit and bucket loads of cut quartz creeping up your tongue.  It is a classy reserved sort of a wine so you will need to have your thinking hat on for this one but if you do then you are in for treat.  The finish of this wine leaves me with a lovely mouthwatering acidity which gets me in the mood for some oysters.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $85
Rated: 91 (whoops I had the wrong score down)
Drink: Now but will keep
Importer: Ross Duke Wine Company

Coriole V Mclaren Vale

So at the end of work today I decided to take home the last bits of the bottles to compare against the samples that I have been sent.  The Coriole wines were all tasted tonight but the others were tasted over a prolonged period.  Firstly I work for Coriole but I only applied for the job because I loved the wines that they produce, particularly the Sangrantino and Fiano. These tasting notes will be head to head so no scores. Wait until my article is released and I will post the full notes.

Coriole Vita Sangiovese 2007 v Alpha Box and Dice Blood of Jupiter Sangiovese/Cabernet 2007

While they both have a lovely sourness to them with an underlying earthiness the Vita takes it up a notch with its breadth and depth.  Are they Italian? Well they are brilliantly complex with loads of savoury friendliness.  These are my top eight for the country.

1. Coriole Vita 2007 $50
2. Sutton Grange Giove 2008 $50
3.  Alpha Box & Dice Blood of Jupiter 2007 $45
4. Pizzani Coronamento 2004 $120
5. Pizzani Sangiovese 2008 $25
6. Coriole Sangiovese 2010 $25
7. Castagna La Chiave 2008 $70
8. Lucy Margaux Sangiovese 2009 $60

One zero Coriole

Coriole Estate Shiraz 2009 v Wirra Wirrra Woodhenge 2010

Even though the Coriole drinks rather nice the Woodhenge has spectacular length and balance.  Is in unfair to judge against two different vintages? Well no as they release their wines at different stages.

One all.

Coriole Barbera 2010 V Alpha Box & Dice Enigma 2010

This is the hardest to judge as they both have a beautiful balance in a medium bodied style. What wins it over for me is the spread across the palate. You will have to give them a bit in the bottle

Coriole two McLaren Vale one

Coriole Tempranillo / Samual's Gorge Tempraniollo 2010

Coriole didn't even have one so they forfeited. Does it matter that Coriole focuses on the Italian varieties? Not at this stage in the game.

Two pieces all.

Coriole Sagrantino 2009 (this was a preview as it will be released in 2012)/ Oliver's Taranga Sagrantino 2009

These are both beautiful wines but the Oliver's doesn't have the tannin structure to hold itself against the wine from Coriole. If you want to drink it now or in the next 10 years you have to love tannin.

Coriole three and the Vales two.

Villa Medoro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2009

Last week I had a conversation with a winemaker about wine styles and we got onto the subject of how Australia should make some of the Italian varieties.  His point of view was that it is too difficult to sell wine with tannin so we should treat all varieties like Shiraz.  To say I was a little disappointed would be an understatement. As the numbers for Italian wines, a lot of their wines possess huge tannin structures, are in the biggest growth area in Australia, I would say that people are calling out for added texture and structure.  Furthermore, if a variety has thick skins and would normally show tannin why not harvest the natural qualities of the variety? Why not increase the diversity within Australian wines?

Villa Medoro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2009

Oh boy oh boy this is a dirty little number as the main stay of the wine is dirt or potting mix.  There are moments of spice, roasted meats and dark cherries intermixed with a lovely acid structure that runs right along the wine and then the tannins kick in. They are like James Bond in that they are very seductive and enchanting and you know that you are on track for an action packed ride.  This wine is highly drinkable and oozes juiciness even if it is a little sour. In fact I love that sour mid-palate! I want more. This would be in line for a top three finish for the bargain of the year.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $30
Rated: 92+
Drink: Now -2018
Importer: Mediterraneo Wines

Houghton White Classic 2011

Houghtons is one of my favourite wineries from Western Australia but it is the reds that I have in my cellar.  The white wines that I have tasted have all been fresh and lively and I have never bothered to put them away.

Houghton White Classic 2011

You get a huge amount of wine for your money here.  The wine starts out rather exotic with guava and peach juice kicking off the show but it then moves to the fresh flavours of lemon zest and lemon twist. The lemon twist is a little bit sweeter and it really plumps up the mid palate.  The finish is a bright core of acidity and not much else.  The length of the acidity is beautiful but the flavours on your tongue resemble the shape of a shovel.  At $8 a bottle this is a bargain and I'm sure many bottles of this will be drank over summer. Here is cheers to a deserving icon quaffer wine.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $8.99
Rated: 83
Drink: Now  - 2018

Niccolo Prosecco 2011

So I lied about Dal Zotto (88 pts) being the most expensive Prosecco in Australia because I tasted this wine the next day.  It is grown from the oldest Glera vines in Australia which is the variety that goes into Prosecco in Italy.  If grown outside the area of Prosecco it would have to be called Glera. However the Italian government has only just only just started the process of registering the region and name world wide so we are allowed to use it for a small amount of time. After the Glera vines were planted in the Hills they went to Yalumba's nursery blocks to be grown into a commercially viable area that could be sold Australia wide.

Niccolo Prosecco 2011

This wines has a lot of positives and some negatives

Positives: Brilliant acidity. Flavours of pear, roasted almonds and apple. Delicate and refreshing.

Negatives: While the palate length is very good the flavours fade into your tongue around the mid palate and only join in from the back palate on. Imagine a football and the flavours follow the outside of the ball but don't hit the middle.

Alcohol: 11%
Price: $35
Rated: 86
Drink: Now to next Christmas

Weingut Donnhoff Dry Riesling 2010

Weingut Donnhoff Dry Riesling 2010

So not an Australian Rizza on the nose as there is tropical fruits abound.  It's almost like a school yard fight in summer when your mate throws a bowl of fruit salad at you from across the room.  You know that even if that piece of banana hits you in the head you will get him back one day. The wine moves into the lemon and lime area with a bit of seashells and all of these lovely flavours sit on a good length palate.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $12
Rated: 85
Drink: Over the next few years

Dal Zotto L'immigrante Prosecco 2010

What some people have been crying out for is a refreshing beverage that can be drank to start a party over the warmer months. Prosecco fits the bill perfectly as it is light in alcohol, easy to quaff and is inexpensive compared to Champagne.  The sales of Prosecco are going through the roof and I expect them to continue over the next 5 years.

Dal Zotto L'immigrante Prosecco 2010

This is the top Prosecco from Dal Zotto and is priced as the top example in Australia and that is including the imports. A big step for a relative new comer. Is this wine good enough from an Australian point of view? Well it is up there as you get a huge burst of apples and pears with some nice almond meal and spice coming into play.  The wine spreads out on your tongue but doesn't have the huge zestiness that the Italian examples have.  I could drink bucket loads of this over summer. In fact I think I will bust out a bottle at Christmas when our guesses arrive.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $26
Rated: 88
Drink: Now but will keep for a year or two

Weingut Donnhoff Tonschiefer Trocken Riesling 2009

Considering it is heating up a bit and the thought of refreshing white is on many peoples minds here is a beautiful little number that could work on Christmas day morning.

Weingut Donnhoff Tonschiefer Trocken Riesling 2009

Da boom boom boom of crushed rock and lemon curd open in this wine with a massive force.  Then it moves to wood smoked pear tart which is so enchanting its scary. The wines has a lovely thick texture which hangs on my tongue like melted butter. I love it!

Alcohol: 11.5%
Price: $44
Rated: 92+
Drink: This Christmas day but will keep for 15 years.
Importer: Decant Wines

 

Penny's Hill Skeleton Key 2009

Penny's Hill Skeleton Key 2009

There are some wines that transcend tasting notes and this is one of them. I get feelings of when I used to see my grandmother, she has past away now, when I was younger as we would go around to her place around the time of Christmas.  We always went around to her place for a lunch where she served roast lamb, baked cheesy cauliflower and buttery steamed broad beans.   This was a lovely time but I have always hated cauliflower which gran would force me to eat. She would say something like you have to grow up nice and strong.  Even though I'm six foot two I'm not giving her any credit for my height. After a huge dinner followed by gran playing the piano, we would go to leave and as I always loved my gran I would give her a kiss on the cheek but I would never go back for a pash. And that is how I feel about this wine.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $35
Rated: 87
Drink: 2012 - 2016

Yellowglen Yellow NV

Yellow is the number one selling wine in Australia.  You see the advertising signs at bus stops, on buses and in magazines so there is no shortage of marketing saturation.  The big question is ‘does it stack up’ and ‘with value like the Jacobs Creek does this compete on a quality to price ratio’?

Yellowglen Yellow NV

There is a rather flat nose that has bubbles cascading out of the glass.  On the palate you get a little lemon and apples that turns sweet from the mid palate.  I was about to say that the flavour is of strawberry but I think it is just residual sweetness kicking in.  Apart from the initial burst of flavour everything seems a little dilute and short to take it up the quality tree.  That said this costs $6.50 and at 11 percent alcohol it works out to be 1 dollar per standard drink. At the price it works ok but there are some better value wines out there.

Alcohol: 11%
Price: $6.50

Rated: 78

Drink: Now

Seppelts Drumborg Chardonnay 2008

Chardonnay's birth place is in Clos de Vougoet where a group of monks found that some vines that were the love child of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc grew well so they planted a separate vineyard.  Gouis blanc is a rather rare variety found in Croatia and at Best's of Great Western. Go figure that you can find some of the oldest Gouais vines in the world in your back yard. Chardonnay is regarded as one of the all time great varieties of the world that adapts well to a variety of different climates.  This wine comes from the cool Henty region and as a result is very restrained.

Seppelts Drumborg Chardonnay 2008

You have to listen hard to the wine to hear what it has to say but when you do my god it talks your ear off.  If this wine was a car it would be a mini with the engine of an F1 car.  The length goes on and on and on but it is the textural experience mixed with beautiful crystalline flavours that gets me going. You need to be patient with this one as it will reward cellaring. That said the fruit and oak are perfectly integrated with the fruit taking centre stage so if pushed you could open it now.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $48
Rated: 93+
Drink: 2014 - 2018

Jacobs Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut NV

Sparkling wines are hard work to make as they require a lot of different processes.  If you want to bottle age the wine you would normally expect to pay more.  No so in the case of this wine as it sees bottle fermentation before it is released.  Just to comment on the quality to value ratio of this wine before I write my review. It is scary! This wine is available on the streets for $8 a bottle.  Just to put that in perspective, the bottle and cork for my wine comes out at $2 per wine and that is before you even start with the cost of oak, grapes, wine making and storage.

Jacobs Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut NV

Oh so delicate with specks of strawberries, grapefruit and white nectarine before the flavours move to spice and shortbread.  As a cheap sparkling this is on the drier side and it rocks as a result.  It's for the serious drinker and a bargain price.  The wine finishes with a slight crunchiness that adds interest and even though this wine doesn't pack the length or flavour intensity into it as some other wines, it does provide a hell of a lot of goodness for the price.

Alcohol: 11.5%
Price: $8
Rated: 84
Drink: Now as they will make another good one in a bit.

Passing Clouds Pinot Noir 2007

This little number was grown in the Macedon ranges which is not normal for the Passing Clouds crew as their Pinot is normally from the Yarra Valley.  They have planted a little vineyard in the ranges where the pest control is managed by a set of cute miniature sheep, baby doll sheep if you are interested.  These little workers are too small to reach the bunches but can happily keep the weeds and pests to a minimum which has resulted in a huge reduction for the need to spray.

Oh aren't these guys adorable.

Passing Clouds Pinot Noir 2007

This has a lovely fungus dirty component with the fruit still playing a major role.  There is a beautiful balance between light cherry and strawberry and forest floor meets spice that I am left feeling like I have down a good deed for the day.  This wine would work brilliantly for a Christmas day lunch as it would pair well with a variety of dishes.  The wine finishes with a very good length of flavour and vibrant acidity which for the money is hard to beat.  

Alcohol: 12%

Price: $20

Rated: 87

Drink: Now - 2015

Seppelts Drumborg Riesling 2010

I remembering a little while ago that one of the critics didn't rate the Drumborg Riesling at all.  Not just this vintage but large proportion of the vintages so I thought I would have a look at it as other critics rave about it.  This Riesling comes from Henty which is on the cool side and some of the best wines form Penfolds and Seppelts come from this area.

Seppelts Drumborg Riesling 2010

You are hit with masses of intense lime juice and lemon blossom as soon as the wine enters your mouth.  Yet it is the even flow and cool measure of the wine that is the most satisfying.  The main flavour of the wine is slate which is like licking the old school fire places not that I do that that much.  There are moments of silence as I stand in awe of this wine. Specular length, great reserve yet flavour galore.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $34
Rated: 94+
Drink: Not now.  Give it a decade in the bottle before thinking of opening it.

Schubert Estate The Gosling 2008

Schubert estate supply some of their production to Torbreck's top wines so I was hoping for something special from the get go. The Schubert's are located in the Marananga sub-region of the Barossa and they follow a more sustainable way of making wine. Some may even call them natural wine makers as they use wild ferments and bottling without filtration.

Schubert Estate The Gosling 2008

On the nose there is some cooked fruits with a little chocolate mixed in.  While it is an ok wine, the flavour length isn't doing too much for me and the palate is rather hot.  It might show better in the cooler months but I would be letting someone else buy this.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $25
Rated: 84
Drink: Now - 2014

Omni Zesty Sparkling Citrus NV

You have to love bubbles........well not all the time but I can see how people would like this.

Omni Zesty Sparkling Citrus NV

What you get here is a sweet and simple beverage with bubbles.  The flavours of lemon sherbet and confected apples hit you up front and they are sweet.  This is the sort of wine that I could see a person putting orange juice in.  The bubbles allow the wine to linger a little longer in your mouth but it is sweet.

Alcohol: 9.8%
Price: $9
Rated: 76
Drink: with someone that loves sweetness.

West Cape Howe Styx Gully Chardonnay 2009

Many people would be serving chicken on Christmas day so I thought I would taste a few Chardonnays that could match this festive bird.  You will need something with plenty of flavour if you are thinking of using a creamy sauce.

West Cape Howe Styx Gully Chardonnay 2009

Massive attack of flavours flow from the bottle. My tongue is left assaulted after the creme brulee, toasted hazelnuts and peach and pineapple sorbet leave my mouth.  This is the sort wine is for people that love the heavily worked wines in the ripe end of the spectrum.  While I did like the wines quality it didn't creep up the whole of my palate. 

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $24
Rated: 85
Drink: Now to Christmas 2013



Alpha Box & Dice Tarot 2009

This little wine is 100% Grenache which I think should be given more of a central role in the warmer climates.  Generally Shiraz is regarded as the icon with Cabernet coming in second but it is the conservative nature and growing cycle that make Grenache so good.  The variety doesn't need much water to survive like some other varieties and it can handle the extreme heat and still produce a juicy wine during our draught years.  In 2010 there was only 11,335 tonnes of Grenache picked which is not even 10% of total red wines produced in Australia.

Alpha Box & Dice Tarot 2009

This example is very friendly and easy to understand as you get flavours of cranberries, strawberries and red licorice soaked in cherry juice with a touch of cinnamon and steamed earth entering the mix. The wine is medium bodied with an inherent juiciness keeping me reaching for another glass.  The tannins are nice and light but there is a little alcohol warmth on the back palate. At this price it is an easy decision. Buy it and try it.

Alcohol: 15%
Price: $18
Rated: 87
Drink: Now to 3 years

Gilbert PicQ 2009

Chablis doesn't get as much attention as Burgundy which is a shame as I think I prefer them in general to their more prestigious neighbours.

Gilbert PicQ 2009

This little number starts out with some struck flint and lime concentrate but after a while moves into a smoky oyster shell flavour mixed with dried flowers.  It isn't has minerally as a lot of Chablis but that doesn't distract from the joy of the flavours. There is a spine of nice acidity and a very long length of flavour with a bit of richness from an orange rind component.  While I don't think this is for the long haul it does provide a lot of enjoyment at this stage.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $45
Rated: 92
Drink: Now and over the next 5 years
Importer: Heart and Soil

Best's wines

Driving from Adelaide you see a few wineries but today I decided to pull into Bests of Great Western.  As an South Australia we don’t see much of their wine, especially their sparkling shiraz or their two top shiraz wines.  That got me thinking, is it fair to disregard such a maker due to the parochial nature of the Adelaide wine market?  We pulled up the long dirt drive way next to an extremely old rustic wooden cellar door.  As I got out of the car I noticed a sign for that particular vineyard.  You can see in the photo below that it is the nursery block with varieties that they still have to name. I am starting to get excited now about the possibility of trying something really unique.

As we enter the cellar door there is plenty of memorabilia regarding the history of the region and the winery.  A lovely lady greets us and asks if we would like to taste some wines today.  Hell yes says my wife as I am spitting and driving us to our final destination of Daylesford. The cellar door lady took us through almost all the range and was able to tell us about the climate during those periods, how it was made, cellaring period, etc..  Actually she was able to answer everything that we asked.  Cellar door staff are normally good but she was everything we could have asked for.

My daughter played the piano and drew on some colouring books while my wife and I tasted through the range.  In fact I would recommend stopping off here if you have a family as there is a beautiful area outside to sit and have a picnic or just let your munchkins run around for a bit to blow off some of that energy before you have to head off to your final destination.

The wines are of very good standard all round but I would say that the first white would be the one I would buy as it offers good quality and a uniqueness that no other winery can offer in Australia as the varieties encompass 17 different varieties from their nursery block in the one blend.   The sparkling shiraz is great quality and a bargain in that particular price. That said the Bin 0 was the best quality wine of the lot with great cellaring potential.  After tasting trough the range I thought we should get taste more wines like these in Adelaide as they offer depth of flavour with a more savoury profile.  

Best's wines Congella Blanc 2011

Lovely and fruity with a huge hit of acid bringing me back. I love the way it offers me different degrees of flavours but then withdraws me in with its balance. What I am left with is length and memories of flavours past.

Alcohol: 11.5%

Rated: 87

Price: $22

Best's wines Riesling 2011

Lemon pith with a bit of slate and floral action. Do I love it no. Is it good yes. 

Alcohol: 11.5%

Price: $22

Rated: 86

Best's House Block Riesling 2010

What a beautiful start to a bottle of wine with flavours of apple blossom, petrol and lime cordial.  What happens next is just to die for.  There is a ultra reserved feeling of classically crafted texture that brings me in which kisses me on the cheek but never lets me go. Is it the best? Well yes it is from them but no it is not the best yet it is very good.

Alcohol: 10.5%

Price: 35%

Rated: 92

Best's wine Bin 1 Shiraz 2010

She is light with cherry galore and cracked pepper with a little warmth from the mid palate. I really like the tannins as they hug my tongue.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $25

Rated: 85

Sparkling Shiraz 2009

Dark fruits stand tall with notes of spice emerging towards the back end. The flavours linger long with a wanting that is rare at such a price point. Yummo.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $25

Rated: 90!

Best's Bin 0 Shiraz

This wines does not show as much as some of the others but is does show tannin and length.  It is huge!

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $75

Rated: $92++

Tim Adams Riesling 2010

Tim Adams Riesling 2010

Intense lime bursts from the bottle so much so that I think that nothing else will emerge.  After a little while there are notes of lemon blossom, English blossom and a steely spicy note. The finish sucks your mouth dry in an enjoyable way. This is brilliant! And it is dirt cheap. Buy as much of this as you can.

Alcohol: 11.5%
Price: under $20
Rated: 92++
Drink: Now - 2025

Rockford Rod & Spur 2008

Rockford Rod & Spur 2008

This is your great Aussie blend from a great Aussie red producer and this wine does bring a lot.  There is a huge amount of darkness in this wine with a little leaf and chocolate action coming into play.  The flavour really hits you hard on the palate but the tannins pull it very long in your mouth.  For an 08 this is really balanced with no over ripe flavours but there is a little warmth.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $45
Rated: 87
Drink: give it a few more years in the cellar and then go for your life.

Fox Creek Shadows Run Shiraz/Cab/Merlot 2008

I've just finished tasting through a raft of wines from Mclaren Vale and I must admit that the quality of wines was extremely high. Much higher than the average from the Barossa and the Adelaide Hills plus the price was very low for the quality. In general the best wines were Grenache based or Sangioveses.  This is interesting as most of the flagship wines from the wineries were straight Shiraz which means great bargains for the wine buyer.

Fox Creek Shadows Run Shiraz/Cab/Merlot 2008

This wine was the worst of a good run.  The wine was dominated with bourbon, sweet vanilla mixed with boiled blackberry.  The wine is a little too cooked and covered in oak to provide huge enjoyment. I tasted and scored this before looking at the price so I was glad to see it only come out just over ten bucks.  At this price it does offer good drinking.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $12
Rated: 82
Drink: Ready to go

Curly Flat Chardonnay 2009

The Macedon Ranges isn't that far from Melbourne.  In fact you could be there within an hours drive of the big smoke.  Most of the vineyards are rather elevated, think up to 800m, which makes them perfect for cool climate varieties.  Generally they possess much more tannin structure with a core of vibrant acidity than the same varieties from South Australia. If I was going to say which one region is most exciting to me then I would have to hang my hat on this rather large region. Furthermore if you aren't into wine then the region boasts a lovely agricultural mix with meats, ciders, cheeses and breads plus every second town has farmers markets with antique stores galore.

Curly Flat Chardonnay 2009

The wines has a tail of two halves. Firstly there is the winemakers influence which is the apparent right from the get go.  The it moves into the high quality fruit flavours that are nestled underneath.  While I love this now the potential is staggering.  What more do I want than great length, lively acidity with an enjoyment factor written all over it.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $42
Rated: 92++
Drink: 2014 - 2022

BK La Bombe Pinot Noir 2009

Most Pinots from Australia are built to drink now with the possibility of ageing them for a few years in the bottle. You now see the best ones can take 5 years with ease. However this one is built for enjoyment now.

BK La Bombe Pinot Noir 2009

This is very dark with aromas of roasted meat mixed with dark cherry and dark plum juice with a smoky sweet oak character coming through.  The wine is rather big for a Pinot but I find that I like it due to the ease that the flavours entice me back for another sip. You could give this to someone that loves Shiraz and they would be comfortable drinking this.  The structure is really good with light tannins sitting underneath the favours on a very good length palate.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $45
Rated: 88+
Drink: Now to 2014

Passing Clouds Angels Blend 2008

Passing Cloud is one of those brands that I have looked at over many years but have never bought a bottle.  This might be due to the fact that the spend most of their time making good booze and not marketing the hell out of their brand.

Passing Clouds Angels Blend 2008

This wine is more about the tannin structure than the flavours at the moment.  The tannins are nice and light with a slight chalkiness that gives them interest.  The tannins spread out over your tongue with nothing poking out at all. I love the tannins but the favour is dominated by mint, mint and mint.  This could be brilliant in a few years if the flavours flesh out.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $39
Rated: 86
Drink: not now

Thierry et Pascale Matrot Bourgogne Blanc 2009

When you think of the great wines of the world a lot of them come from France.  As an entry level wine many in Australia believe that the quality in these Burgundy wines is lacking.  This wine kicks that to the curb with gusto.

Thierry et Pascale Matrot Bourgogne Blanc 2009

I'm reminded of the kids movie "Shrek" staring Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers when Shrek is talking about Ogres being like onions as this wine has so many layers. This wine starts out gently with grapefruit and mixed nuts followed by a hint of cinnamon.  When you come back the palate has built weight and flavours of gun flint and sea-salt rolled in melon joining the fro. I'm left with a mouthwatering acidity flowing from my lips and a feeling of joy running over me.

Alcohol: 12.%
Price: $45
Rated: 90++
Drink: Now - 2017

Alpha Box & Dice Golden Mullet Fury 2009

When I first met Justin Lane I thought the guy was on fire as we spoke so fast with such passion that I had trouble understanding him.  Since meeting him and talking to him multiple times I have come to understand that he is an intellectual that has a deep appreciation for how to make good booze.  It all starts with the right union of variety, soil and climate.  And after tasting this I had a light bulb moment.

Alpha Box & Dice Golden Mullet Fury 2009

The wine is alive with mascadelle for the first day then the glorious flavour of the Adelaide Hills Chardonnay kicks in.  On the palate there is a zestiness that leaves me feeling alive, refreshes and hungry. mmm this needs something as it is a textural number with plenty of flavour and huge appeal.  What is more there is a great length on the palate and synergy in motion between the two grape varieties. One could call it dry and savoury yet with fruit sweetness. Get on board.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $20
Rated: 92
Drink: Now - 2015

Isole e Olena Cepparello 2004

This fine estate is owned and run by Paolo De Marchi, who took over from his parents in 1976.  This wine is 100% Sangiovese and is one of the first of its kinds to focus totally on this grape variety.  Some people have said that there is a large bottle variation in these....well I must have been extremely lucky.


Isole e Olena Cepparello 2004

Right from the word go this screamed charm and elegance. There are sour notes mixed with earth and spice but it is the food friendly nature and the extreme length that got my juices going. I had this wine at my wedding and it was singing that night but today it has taken the quality level up two notches!!!! The tannin structure mesmerises you, taking you in for a long kiss good night.  Every other wine served on the night paled in comparison. Breath taking!

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $99
Rated: 97+ (the only thing holding me back from a 98 is my impression that this will get better)
Drink: 2015 - 2024
Importer: Negociants