Chardonnay from USA    18.5/20
Full, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, a little
lighter edged. The nose is very full and
voluminous with densely packed and harmoniously interwoven aromas of ripe stonefruit
and citrus fruits, and savoury tropical fruits melded with a layer of creamy
and nutty barrel-ferment notes. This unfolds
plenty of complexing detail. Medium-full
bodied, the palate is softly rich with gently mouthfilling flavours of ripe
stonefruits and citrus fruits in an amalgam of creamy barrel-ferment and
savoury oak complexities. This has
richness, mouthfeel and presence, balanced by underlying acidity. The flavours carry to a soft, full, lingering
toasty finish. This is a harmonious and
already complex layered Chardonnay with stonefruit, citrus fruit, and creamy,
nutty oak flavours. Match with poultry
and pork over the next 3-4 years. Monterey
fruit fully barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 7 months in 17% new
oak, primarily French, undergoing batonnage and 15% MLF. 18.5/20
Jan 2018 RRP $40.00
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Other Red from USA    18/20
Full, near impenetrable, black-hued purple-red colour, very
youthful in appearance. The nose is
well-proportioned with aromas of blackberries, boysenberries and plums, along
with spices, liquorice and aromatic oak that grows in presence and
breadth. Full-bodied, the palate has
well-packed and concentrated flavours of ripe blackberries, boysenberries and
black plums, entwined with liquorice and spicy oak. The fruit is supported by fine-grained tannin
extraction lending a firm textured line with soft acidity enhancing the depth
and weight. The flavours carry to a
long, lingering, succulently sweet-fruited and oaky finish. This is a firmly concentrated and textured
Petite Sirah with ripe blackberry, boysenberry plum and liquorice flavours and
a spicy oak overlay. Match with roasted
and grilled lamb, beef and venison over the next 6+ years. A blend of 80 Petite Sirah, 15% Tannat, 3%
Teroldego and 2% Alicante Bouschet, fermented to13.5% alc., the wine aged in
new and seasoned French and American oak. 18.0/20
Jan 2018 RRP $25.00
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Zinfandel from USA    18-/20
Dark, deep, black-hued ruby-red with purple hues. Youthful in
appearance. The nose is softly full and
gently voluminous with ripe fruit aromas of blueberries and dark raspberries. The fruit is expressed with finesse and
builds in depth and intensity with aeration, unfolding some liquorice and spice
notes. Full-bodied, the palate has sweet
and succulently rich flavours of blueberries and dark-red berry fruits, along
with a little jam, fruit-cake and nutty oak.
The fruit sweetness is underlined by fine-grained tannin extraction
lending an elegant core and line with balanced, ripe acidity. The flavours flow smoothly to a fine-textured
finish of sweet berry fruit and jam notes.
This is a gently sweet and rich Zinfandel with blueberry, fruit-cake,
spice and jam flavours on a fine-textured palate. Match with game meat dishes over the next 4+
years. A blend of 84% Zinfandel, 14%
Petite Sirah and 2% Carignan from Mendocino, fermented to 14.5% alc., the wine
aged in predominantly French oak. 18.0-/20 Jan 2018
RRP $35.00
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Syrah from Australia – South Australia    17.5+/20
Very dark, deep, near saturated black-hued purple-red
colour, very youthful in appearance. The
nose is tightly bound and elegantly presented with firm and deep aromas of
black-berried fruits entwined with dark herbs and suggestions of stalk with a
touch of minerally reduction.
Full-bodied, the palate is firmly concentrated with a fine and taut
heart of ripe blackberry fruit along with black plums, hints of spices and
black pepper and minerally reduction detail.
The fruit is sweet and moderately luscious, and is enlivened by balanced
acidity, with fine extraction and supporting structure. The wine flows along a fine-textured line,
leading to a slender finish. This is a
taut and tightly bound Shiraz with blackberry and plum fruit with spice, herb
and minerally notes and fine extraction.
Serve with roasted red meats and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8
years. Shiraz from Anthony John
Parkinson’s ‘Epiphany’ vineyard fermented to 14.5% alc., the wine aged in
oak. 4.126 dozen made. 17.5+/20
Jan 2018 RRP $27.00
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Other Red from Australia - Other    18-/20
Full, even, near impenetrable black-hued purple-red
colour. The nose is soft and somewhat
restrained in expression, unveiling gently packed and dense aromas of ripe
blackberries and boysenberry fruit with black plums and fragrant oak
elements. Full-bodied, the palate has
rich and plush, ripe fruit flavours of blackberries and boysenberries, black
plums and subtle oak. The fruit is sweet
and mouthfilling, and balanced by grainy tannin extraction and structure. The grip increases in presence and the
structure carries the wine to a dry, textured finish with ripe black berry and
plum notes. A little shy on the nose,
this is a rich and plush, blackberry and boysenberry fruited Petite Sirah with
grainy tannin structure. Serve with
ropasted and grilled game meat dishes over the next 5-6 years. South East Australian fruit fermented to
14.71% alc., the wine given oak contact.
18.0-/20 Jan 2018 RRP $20.00
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