This wine comes from the Adelaide Hills so it is streets
away from the Shiraz based wines that 1st Drop produces yet it is
the first wine I wanted to sample when these came across my desk. The colour of
the wine is very light but the savoury flavours come rolling down the glass
into my mouth with drive and attention. To start with there is plum and spice
covered in dirty Christmas cherries and pipe tobacco. These Medium bodied flavours continue along the
palate but they are melded nicely to a smooth yet mouth-filling amount of fun
loving tannins. The structure, flavour
and acidity of the wine, all fits together nicely and makes for a high quality
experience as soon as the cap is cracked.
Alcohol: 14%
Price: $30
Rated: 88
Drink: Now – 2017
Around Christmas time, I get a hankering for quality
Sparkling reds. In fact my Dad and I polished off a dozen Joseph Sparkling last
year between December 1st and the 24th. The Joseph is in my view the best quality
sparkling red in Australia but the Wild Duck Creek is only a smidge behind in
terms of quality but bucket loads behind in terms of price. This wine has spent
three years on lees before being released and is a blend of Shiraz heading
right back to 1993. The flavours of this creamy and luscious wine is pure
Heathcote with things like mint and plum hanging around in abundance
nonetheless they take second fiddle to the Dutch chocolate, spice and leather.
The flavours fill the mouth and inch their way along coating serious goodness
as they go. It’s the sort of wine that would normally be sweet but this version
is bone dry which takes up the quality level up a notch.
Alcohol: 15%
Price: $45
Rated: 93
Drink: Now – 2020
Woodlands have been growing some of the best Chardonnay in
Margaret River for decades but they have been selling those grapes to other
wineries and it is only now they have been putting the wine out under their
own. In 2011 Western Australia
experienced a nice and easy cool vintage which produced wines with beautiful
acidity backbones. This wine is that to a tee but here there is an amazing rich
flavour spectrum of roasted nuts, peach, yellow nectarine and spice all coiled
up which will be ready to go once they are given a little time in the
bottle. The palate is like being fed at
night with a blind fold on as it is exhilarating and engaging at the same time.
You know what I’m talking about…..don’t you? Try it and find out.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $70
Rated: 93+
Drink: Give it 5 years before opening them
South Australia has a stranglehold on top quality Grenache
Shiraz blends but they are normally very expensive if they come from 100 year
old vines. This wine comes from an ancient vineyard in Marion which is 15 minutes
drive south of the heart of Adelaide. It is a vineyard that I have driven past
so many times and have always wondered where the grapes went. Now I know and I
will be buying this wine so I can serve it to friends and family. Why you ask? Well this vineyard has a huge
story. You will have to head to
Patritti’s website as I would take too long to run through. Now back to the
wine. The aromas of the wine are ultra-spicy and savoury with hints of red
lipstick and old school humbugs thrown in.
On the palate black fruits take center stage with an abundance of
pulsating tannins kicking in. This wine is not a big baller but it does have
plenty of flavour and structure to hold its own in a blind line up yet it
shines the most when it sits by itself with some food which is what I think
good wine is all about.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $18 A stupidly low price for the quality
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2017
