Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2020

Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2020

  11:22    Stu.

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A vibrant garnet in glass, redolent of maraschino cherry, rose florals and hibiscus. Bright and perfumed, one can almost feel the kiss of warmth late on a Summer's day here. 

Mid-weight on entry, it starts to firm up through the palate, building and bringing a little baking spice and even a nod towards a fresh twist of black pepper. Long and savoury on the finish - exemplary Marlborough Pinot Noir. 94

Tasted on: Tuesday 22nd July
Source: Sample
Price: $40NZ
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.nautilusestate.com/

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Castello Di Meleto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020

Castello Di Meleto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020

  12:30    Stu.

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Vibrant in glass, firm and dense in aroma. It's iodine, fennel tops, cherry and florals. It's a complex and heady mix on offer.

Tight and fine tannin, acid is persistent in line and length. Excellent length, grip, presence. Good to go now, or another ten. 93

Tasted on: Saturday 11th January
Source: Sample
Price: $150

Alcohol: TBC
Closure: Cork
Sample c/o: https://www.singlevineyards.com/ 

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Tarras Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

Tarras Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

  08:24    Stu.

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Dark cherry, rose petal, plum - almost plum sauce like in presentation.

It's a single vineyard Pinot from Central Otago, in New Zealand's South Island.

Firmer in style, typical of the region - with is dry environment. Plush, velvet like tannins - with a firmer backstop of flavour. Spiced, touch of dry leaf litter - lovely expression of CO Pinot Noir. 93

Tasted on: Saturday 11th May
Source: Sample
Price: $60
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://tarrasvineyards.com/

Sample courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Grenache Shiraz 2020

d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Grenache Shiraz 2020

  11:59    Stu.

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(c) Courtesy of d'Arenberg

Years ago, wine personality (I think that the right label) Matt Skinner published his book "Heard It Through the Grapevine" in which he gave a recommendation for bangers 'n' mash paired with d'Arry's Original. It's a pairing I've trusted in since.

To this 2022, it's been a while between d'Arry's for me - and of course not forgetting we farewelled Frances d'Arenberg Osborne just last year - respect.

The Grenache sings here, with that signature McLaren Vale deep set red fruit, over earthen chocolate notes. Mid to full weight on the palate, succulent fruit popping its head up again, with a spice tinged finish.

What's not to love? 91

Tasted on: Tuesday 10th October
Source: Sample
Price: $22
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: darenberg.com.au

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Castel Firmian Pinot Nero 2020

Castel Firmian Pinot Nero 2020

  13:36    Stu.

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Pinot Nero from Trentino.

Conveys a dark cherry with something like a choc coated aroma - altogether rather pleasant.

The palate is familiar in that respect too, the addition of a grilled nut character makes this the perfect accompaniment for the cooler months, with the nights drawing in.

There's a gentleness to it in initial entry, with a firmer backbone that translates into a good length. Enjoyable, comforting, balanced. 92

Tasted on: Tuesday 30th May
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: TBC
Closure: Cork
Website: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Téssera Wines Middle Child Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Téssera Wines Middle Child Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

  11:47    Stu.

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McLaren Vale Cabernet is - in my view - an oft overlooked pleasure. Shiraz stands tall, attempts have been made to garner Grenache as the hero variety - and that's without mentioning the strong Italian roots in the region that have seen Montepulciano and Sangiovese championed amongst the reds.

Here, a Cabernet Sauvignon with classic dark chocolate and coffee grounds aromas - those deep and dark compounds slowly reveal blue and black fruits within.

The palate is soft, rounded, approachable - oak tannin remnants married to a resurgence of fruit and associated freshness. Acid works in tandem to deliver a generous length - and satisfaction. Go now to 2028. 92

Tasted on: Sunday 26th February
Source: Sample
Price: $26.66
Alcohol: 14.6%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://tesserawines.com.au/

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Cellier des Dauphins Les Dauphins Côte du Rhone Rosé 2020

Cellier des Dauphins Les Dauphins Côte du Rhone Rosé 2020

  16:00    Stu.

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Strawberry and husk, a little watermelon and rind.

Textural with a slightly broader palate profile. Citrus running fresh across the finish. Flash of fresh herb in the frame too. A pleasing, somewhat no-nonsense style of Rosé. 88

Tasted on: Saturday 29th October
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Lapis Luna Zinfandel 2020

Lapis Luna Zinfandel 2020

  14:34    Stu.

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Char and toast, bold aromas, certainly not subtle. It's Zinfandel - a staple of Northern California,

here  specifically the North Coast/Mendocino region, the wine sees a mix of French and American oak, a small portion (10%) new.

A lightness on the palate, sweeter edged - showing its alcohol for sure against firm tannins. Reasonable length, but it feels a little unsettled and I'm not convinced it's going to improve beyond where it's at.

For those that love them fuller in profile - go now for up to three years. 88

Tasted on: Tuesday 18th October
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14.9%
Closure: Cork
Website: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Yalumba Eden Valley Chardonnay 2020

Yalumba Eden Valley Chardonnay 2020

  08:24    Stu.

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Grapefruit and lemon-citrus lead-in. Feels familiar on the palate, with an expansive and textural feel.

Residual old oak hint, a minerally suggestion on a generous length. A good all-rounder. 90

Tasted on: Friday 18th November
Source: Sample
Price: $28
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: Yalumba.com

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La Sorda Rioja 2020

La Sorda Rioja 2020

  08:56    Stu.

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Baked raspberry over earth warmed by a summer sun. Remnants of oak - in a supporting role - with bay
and woody herb.

Lovely powdery, drying tannins here - still with a freshness and vitality across the length. Delivers in spades, all too often Rioja can come across as tired and dusty, not so here. A tidy offering. 91

Tasted on: Saturday 26th November
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14.26%
Closure: Cork
Sample Courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com 

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Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2020

Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2020

  18:33    Stu.

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Cabernet dominant (81%) with the balance of Shiraz.

Black fruit prime here, at least on first showing, for it morphs and shifts - revealing layers amidst the intrigue.

Herbal - think thyme, fennel - and savoury notes supplement that. Whilst it feels coiled at this juncture, it's presence, shape and structure assure of its longevity.

Brickish tannins dominate the finish in a classy manner. 94

Tasted on: Thursday 20th October
Source: Sample
Price: $50
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://terreaterre.com.au/

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De Bortoli Organic Shiraz Field 2020

De Bortoli Organic Shiraz Field 2020

  08:30    Stu.

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This is De Bortoli's first certified organic wine, off of their Hemley vineyard. Presently they've 6.2% of their Riverina vineyards certified organic, with a goal to make that 10% by 2025.

Billed as a 'field blend', but is also 100% Sguraz. Anyway, the wine in question is rich, ripe, plummy - there's a depth here, a suggestion of clove and cocoa nib spice too.

Medium to full palate: lighter red fruit against a darker fruit backdrop. Powdery tannin through the mid palate, lick of acid.

Solid Shiraz from warmer climes, in a middleish bodied package. 89

Tasted on: Friday 18th March
Source: Sample
Price: $17.50
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.debortoli.com.au

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Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2020

  16:30    Stu.

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Melon meets something like a white pepper and sandalwood nose. Exotic, you might say; deriv,tive you would not.

Texture meets a subtle grapefruit acidity. For those familiar with the variety, here it's more of note to state how this example stands out from that crowd. It's judiciously picked, fermented and bottled to ensure its a far cry from the astringent examples you might be used to.

What it is, is poised, balanced; a fruit presence is juxtaposed against savoury elements derived from both a picking regimen and fermentation vessels.

Excellent intensity and a sustained finish that would no doubt have any wine lover re-appraising Australian Sauvignon Blanc. 93

Tasted on: Sunday 20th March
Source: Sample
Price: $50
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://terreaterre.com.au/

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Tim Adams Skilly Ridge Riesling 2020

Tim Adams Skilly Ridge Riesling 2020

  08:55    Stu.

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White florals, blossom, lavender, a little bruised apple in the frame. Beautiful aromatics, freshness juxtaposed against a little oxidative edge.

Minerally, a subtle tang of lime juice across the length of the wine, textural width adding breadth to length and filling the wine out. It's what marks it out from a raft of "acid and lime" merchants that we all know (and for the most part love).

A generosity of flavour to it, subtle and beguiling. A standout Rizza! 93

Tasted on: Thursday 3rd February
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.timadamswines.com.au/

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Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Chardonnay 2020

Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Chardonnay 2020

  16:30    Stu.

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Figgy kind of Chardonnay here, suggestion of citrus.

Palate shows more of a nutty, marzipan and spice character - that could be the secondary influence of the whisky barrels. Regardless, there's an appealing nature - even an offer of orange peel - to this wine.

Perhaps not the greatest of depth and length of flavour, but a well balanced and rounded proposition. 88

Tasted on: Thursday 4th November

Source: Sample
Price: $27
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.jacobscreek.com/

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Yangarra Rosé 2020

Yangarra Rosé 2020

  16:00    Stu.

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Whole berry, basket pressed; wild yeast Ferment, lees maturation and battonage. Rosé shown some love, the Yangarra way. 

Touch of Turkish Delight and rose petal, softly accented, to entice. 

Crisp, clipped, has a cool approach - in that it feels punchy across the palate. Spiced nuance moving through the final third, driving length. 

Rivals the best of any, so-called, Provençal style Rosé. 93

Tasted on: Friday 4th September 
Source: Sample
Price: $27
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.yangarra.com/

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Blue Pyrenees Bone Dry Rosé 2020

Blue Pyrenees Bone Dry Rosé 2020

  16:00    Stu.

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I had to double check that I'd not already reviewed this, for my tasting experiences show Rosés typically tend to be released in the same year as declared vintage, not here it would seem!

Strawberry, watermelon, touch of dried herb in the mix.

It's dry as, with a wicked crunch through the length of the wine. It's delicate, with a fine veneer on initial entry and following through on a tight phenolic pinch. It has it all: aromatics, flavour, length and a touch of texture. A yes from me. 92

Tasted on: Wednesday 17th November
Source: Sample
Price: $23
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://bluepyrenees.com.au/

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Tim Adams Riesling 2020

Tim Adams Riesling 2020

  16:30    Stu.

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Classic lemons and limes - not you'd expect anything else, or want more in a classic Clare Riesling. 

More lime across the palate, classic profile, touch of citrus zip, zing and zest - albeit with the dial turned down a touch. Still, refreshment personified. 91

Tasted on: Saturday 26th September 
Source: Sample
Price: $24
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.timadamswines.com.au/

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De Bortoli Blue Pinot Gris 2020

De Bortoli Blue Pinot Gris 2020

  16:30    Stu.

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I didn't read the accompanying PR at first and expected this to actually be blue with some adjunct. 

So why blue: as the press release actually states:"Blue evokes feelings of calmness, trust and confidence, paired with the dragonfly and butterfly which symbolise hope, change and freedom. That is what De Bortoli’s new BLUE Pinot Gris is all about." 

Very aromatic offering here: ripe pear, apple skins and florals - all giving aromatic lift and presence.

Textural, a generosity of weight to the palate. The pear is prominent, spice, phenolics adding a drying conclusion to the finish. Good spring drinking. 89

Tasted on: Thursday 2nd September
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: debortoli.com.au

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Jules Taylor Pinot Noir 2020

Jules Taylor Pinot Noir 2020

  13:54    Stu.

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Firmer, meatier style of Pinot Noir from the Marlborough region and the hand of Jules Taylor.

Dark fruit, oak seasoning and tilled earth on offer. Stylistically it's medium to full bodied, dark fruits represent and segue to a firm - yet fine - tannin profile that carries a dark and firm line through the finish. 91

Tasted on: Thursday 29th July
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

Sample courtesy of: Single Vineyard Sellers  

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