Winestate Magazine July August 2022

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 100% Independent Panel Reviews AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE CABERNET & BORDEAUX Wines of Victoria CHALLENGE 146 tasted XIIFEATURING New Releases Chateau Lafite Rothschild 190 tasted Wolf Blass The Master Wolf Blass Platinum Sweet White & Fortified Pertaringa Tipsy Hill Gralyn Estate 77 tasted &ORGANIC BWIOINDEYSN1A0M3ICtasted July/August 2022 THE SWEET, Vol 45 Issue 4 AND NOT SO SWEET, $12.00 AUS (inc GST) STORY OF LOWER AUSTRIA NZ $13.00 SGD $17.95 US $17.99 GBP £10.95 EUR $9.95 China RMB100 HKD $120 CHF 15.00 plus River Regions • Wines of Victoria • New Releases • Recent Releases (NZ) Sweet White & For tifieds • Organic Wines • Clare Valley & Surrounds

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NO.314 JULY/AUGUST 2022 Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E: [email protected] Managing Editor Lara Simic E: [email protected] Uniquely Yorke NZ Editor Michael Cooper E: [email protected] Peninsula Administration Lyn Hannam E: [email protected] Cellar Door and Function Centre Open 7 days 10am-5pm Graphic Designer Naomi Fry E: [email protected] Maitland, South Australia Marketing & Sales Debra Silver E: [email protected] Phone (08) 8834 1258 Tasting Coordinator E: [email protected] barleystackswines.com Printing DAI Rubicon Winestate Web Site E: [email protected] WINESTATE New Zealand Administration Kay Morganty Phone: (02) 7618 2945 E: [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS New South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive Hartley South Australia Joy Walterfang, Nigel Hopkins, Dan Traucki Victoria Hilary McNevin Western Australia Mike Zekulich, Berlinda Conti Queensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie Loel New Zealand Michael Cooper, Emma Jenkins MW National Travel Winsor Dobbin EUROPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MW ASIA Denis Gastin HONG KONG Lucy Jenkins ADVERTISING SALES Australia & International Winestate Publishing Phone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] Mike O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] New South Wales Pearman Media Phone: (02) 9929 3966 Queensland Jaye Coley E-mail: [email protected] New Zealand Debbie Bowman – McKay & Bowman Phone: +64 9 419 0561 Email: [email protected] France Espace Quadri - Philippe Marquézy - Phone: +33 607 78 04 66 Delphine Rouget-Marquézy - Phone: +33 787 49 36 27 Email: [email protected] - Web: www.espacequadri.com DISTRIBUTORS Australia Ovato Retail Distribution Pty Ltd International DAI Rubicon WINESTATE is published six times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD, 81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061. Copyright 2022 by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD. This publication may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine- readable form without the express permission of the publisher. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. ABN 56 088 226 411 Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212 E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 3

contents JULY/AUGUST 2022 24 FEATURES Australia & New Zealand R E G U L A R S 24 THE SWEET, AND NOT SO 8 Briefs INTERNATIONAL 16 NZ Briefs with Emma Jenkins MW SWEET, STORY OF AUSTRIA CERTIFIED 18 European Report with Sally Easton MW For a country that not only traces 20 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley its organised winemaking origins organic 22 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King back to the Roman Empire but 28 Grapevine also makes some of the finest & Biodynamic 32 What’s it Worth? contemporary rieslings in the WINE AWARDS™ 2022 78 Subscription Form world, Austria cuts a modest 90 Aftertaste figure in global wine; certainly 72 THE WINNERS OF THE ORGANIC in Australia, its wines are little & BIODYNAMIC WINE AWARDS W I N E TAST I N G S known, writes Charles Gent. 36 Wines of Victoria However, this article kicks off Peter Simic reports that this year 42 Cabernet Sauvignon & a series exploring Austria's was certainly a challenge to bring Bordeaux Blends wonderful wine regions and all you our take on the best organic 54 Clare Valley & Surrounding Regions that they're famous for, starting and biodynamic wines offered to us 60 River Regions with the regions of lower Austria. from Australia and New Zealand. 62 Sweet White & Fortified Unfortunately, Millesime Bio, our 66 Michael Cooper’s Recent Releases 27 European partners closed their operation and the wide range of 73 Organic & Biodynamic Wines 4 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022 wines that they were able to provide 79 New Releases however, we soldiered on with some 85 Best Value Buys under $20. fabulous examples from our trans- Tasman competition. For a complete list of what we tasted for this issue please refer to www.winestate.com.au After Covid, vintage issues, freight breakdowns and floods we were just waiting for the locusts to arrive! Our thanks go to our major award partners (OIA) Organic Industries Australia for our Best in Show Award and (SXC) Southern Cross Certified for the best Australian and New Zealand trophy award. Our congratulations go to Eric Semmler from 919 Wines for the overall winner - the 919 Reserve Riverland Touriga Nacional 2018 and to Rudi Bauer for his Quartz Reef Central Otago NZ Pinot Noir 2020 for the New Zealand trophy. Winestate Magazine Issue Number 314 July/August 2022 Cover photograph 9dreamstudio

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travelbriefs WINSOR DOBBIN WINES OF VICTORIA WALK THE HIGH COUNTRY The Cheeky Fox Trail is a new family THE CREAM OF THE CROP experience including accommodation VICTORIA’S High Country, home to several at the Cheeky Fox Retreat, a short walk MELBOURNE residents and visitors to the outstanding wine producers, has launched following a guidebook, with stops and city are spoilt for choice when it comes to new, bookable walk-based experiences. fun activities along the way. The full-day wine regions to visit. The Yarra Valley and experience finishes with a picnic in the Mornington Peninsula are right on the city’s The new experiences mix the High paddock, locally crafted drinks from the doorstep and Geelong and the Bellarine Country’s renowned food and drinks with Cheeky Horse Float Bar and curated Peninsula are just an hour away. valley and mountain scenery as well as games for the kids. new ways to explore picture-postcard For visitors who prefer to base themselves villages the slow way. The Secluded Adventure Picnic is held in the city and make day trips to vineyard at a private waterfront location at Lake regions there is a new destination hotel with At Mt Hotham, visitors can Hike & Feast Moodemere Estate in Wahgunyah. The a lot going for it. with Jean-Francois Rupp, founder of the experience includes a lakeside walk to Alpine Nature Experience. He combines a chef-prepared private picnic, guided The Mövenpick empire - built from a Swiss a fully guided small-group hike with a cellar door tastings and - for the full ice-cream business - is now part of the touch of luxe, like gourmet lunch, dinner, experience - two nights’ accommodation Accor group but sets itself apart from the drinks and campfire singing at the eco- at The Lake House. crowd, not least because of its daily free village, punctuated by a spectacular day’s chocolate experiences for in-house guests. traverse of the 18km Hotham Huts Walk. It offers a chance to wander, relax and unwind in historic Beechworth, The Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Where There Is A Grill There Is A Way is and takes guests through a journey of Spencer opened a few months ago and a collaboration between All Terrain BBQ scenic wanderings, yoga or Pilates and is home to Miss Mi, the excellent Asian and Alpine Nature Experience. A short, meditation, local produce tastings and fusion eatery. guided, family-friendly walk from the alpine private luxury accommodation. village of Dinner Plain village to Precipice It is Australia’s second Mövenpick Hotel Plain with its incredible views across the Go to www.victoriashighcountry.com.au and certainly has a terrific location - remote Dargo Valley for a gourmet lunch. for more details. opposite Southern Cross Station and on the doorstep of Little Collins St. In the gorgeous Kinglake Ranges, The 172-room Mövenpick forms the 32 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

travelbriefs six-level podium of the striking 78-storey There is a solid wine list with offerings “When he migrated to Australia he Premier Tower development at the from the likes of Longview and Helen’s Hill grew his own produce, raised chickens, meeting point of Spencer and Bourke by the glass. pigeons and pigs so that he could feed Streets in the CBD. his family and friends at his home. He See https://www.movenpick.com/en/ was living sustainably, growing and An ode to Melbourne’s vibrant arts australia-pacific/australia/melbourne/hotel- recycling at a time when that was just scene, the hotel showcases a collection melbourne-on-spencer.html what you did. of works from outstanding local photographers including Steve Scalone DE BORTOLI GETS HEAD “My family are also living with similar and Sean Mcdonald. HONCHO CHEF values to leave a healthy and viable business for generations to come.” Located on levels one to six, each room THERE is a new big-name chef working features premium linens and blackout in the Yarra Valley. Esposito says he is excited to curtains, a rain shower, and amenities collaborate with local producers and from YUNI Beauty. De Bortoli Locale has appointed former with the potential to grow produce on the Otto, Stokehouse and Il Bacaro chef De Bortoli farm. From 3.30pm to 4.30pm daily, hotel Maurizio Esposito as head chef. guests can indulge in complimentary “We know we have a responsibility to sweet treats, such as chocolate petit Esposito has also worked at eateries do what we can to mitigate the effects fours, churros, mini-ice-cream cones, and including Cecconi’s in Melbourne and his of climate change and to protect the ice cream sandwiches. I made certain to own award-winning restaurant Esposito planet we all call home. I am eager to arrive in time! in Carlton. use locally grown produce and highlight dishes reflecting my Italian heritage and The hotel has a dedicated recreation floor He has told the De Bortoli family that he that of the De Bortoli family,” he says. featuring a 25-metre swimming pool, hot wants to create food in an environment tub, sauna, and well-equipped gymnasium. that cares about sustainability, fresh Plans are already underway to enlarge Open until 10pm, this is one of only a few produce, and nose-to-tail eating. the kitchen garden and orchard on the hotel pools in Melbourne where guests can farm and the menu features dishes like swim at night. Leanne De Bortoli says: “My grandfather’s deep-fried zucchini flower filled with dream was to make wine a part of everyday silver beet and cashew nut purée, served Miss Mi offers tastes from the Philippines life, affordable and enjoyable. with homemade tomato relish; and salt- to Myanmar, Vietnam to Sri Lanka: and cured Yarra Valley Buxton rainbow trout attracts a lot of locals of Asian heritage. with fresh fennel, herb jelly and vodka caviar. Locally raised Dixons Creek beef Some of the star starters of a very tasty also features heavily. show: delightfully crispy and flavoursome Vietnamese-style chicken ribs with nuoc “With Maurizio at the helm and mam; an intriguing plantain and banana leading a young and enthusiastic team, dish, and dangerously moreish Hong Kong expect to see a vibrant, rustic menu; prawn toast with chives. a reintroduction of the family’s salami- making celebration in winter; cooking Mains standouts include wild kingfish classes throughout the year and regional kinilaw, a Filipino take on ceviche, and the Italian lunches,” says Leanne De Bortoli. excellent Burmese goat curry with lemon verbena from Myanmar. July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 33

travelbriefs WINSOR DOBBIN Locale restaurant is open Thursday- by visitors via a range of walking paths VIC’S BEST KEPT SECRET Monday for lunch and Saturday evenings and boardwalks along a 6km circuit. for dinner. Bookings can be made at www. EAST Gippsland is emerging from debortoli.com.au or on (03) 5965 2271. I n 2 0 1 3 , Ta h b i l k b e c a m e c a r b o n being one of Victoria best-kept secrets neutral, an extension of the work already to a popular destination for Melbourne ECO MINDED TAHBILK completed by the Purbrick family to residents seeking a different weekend restore the delicate balance once known experience. VISITORS to the Tahbilk cellar door and by the Daung-wurrung clans. restaurant can also enjoy an Eco Trail and Outdoors pursuits can be enjoyed in the Tabilk-Tabilk Indigenous Flora Trail. The walking trail is a collaboration between coastal wilderness of Croajingalong the Taungurung Land & Waters Council, National Park and the surf breaks of Established in 1860, Tahbilk comprises Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Mallacoota. some 1,214 hectares of rich river flats with a Authority and the Purbrick family. frontage of 11km to the Goulburn River and The towns of Metung, Paynesville Lakes 8km of permanent backwaters and creeks. Launched in March 2021, the walk is a Entrance, Bairnsdale and Mallacoota collective gift to both current and future (and surrounding villages) all offer In 1995 the first steps were taken to generations. See https://tahbilk.com.au/ interesting experiences. regenerate the Tahbilk Eco trail area. Additional vegetation was planted to Waterfront towns, Paynesville, Metung provide habitat necessary to attract greater Lakes, and Marlo are experiencing booms. numbers of native birds and animals. TWO NEW HOTEL OFFERINGS Prior to opening in 2005, these efforts FOR MELBOURNE were complemented by nature walking paths, timber boardwalks, docking THE tourism industry is back in a big way points for the Eco Trails boats and two in Melbourne with two international hotel bird hides. An ongoing works program brands launching recently. continues to maintain and enhance the area as an important conservation area. The newcomers are Courtyard by Marriott Melbourne Flagstaff Gardens The Tahbilk Eco Trail can be explored and the suburban inner-north Novotel Melbourne Preston. 34 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

travelbriefs Courtyard by Marriott, part of the Andrew Santarossa, who has 25 years Head chef Leon Dammenhayn is the Marriott International hotel portfolio, of wine industry experience across most recent addition to the team and welcomed the arrival of its first Melbourne Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the brings a wealth of experience, having property, located in Batman Street and Americas, stepped into the role of CEO spent 10 years working in Europe, adjacent to Flagstaff Gardens. and chief winemaker late last year. specifically Switzerland, Germany, and Holland. The 150-room hotel is a short distance “I saw the opportunities here in the King from some of Melbourne’s premier and Alpine Valleys - the rich diversities of “It’s been such a positive experience sporting venues, Queen Victoria Market, micro-climates and the ability to expand working with the team and seeing my and green spaces. upon the strong foundation that Gapsted ideas come to life,” he said. Wines has for alternative and emerging For more info see www.courtyard varieties,” he said. “The menu is regionally influenced, melbourneflagstaffgardens.com using lots of local produce; it’s quite “I’m looking forward to developing on traditional food with a European/ In Preston, meanwhile, 9km from the city that with the team here - a team that’s Australian twist.” centre, the former Mantra Bell City has got a wealth of experience and are so undergone a multi-million-dollar revamp to passionate about what they do.” Bookings at www.gapstedwines.com.au. emerge as a Novotel. Santarossa, who has worked at Previous pages left to right top to bottom: Nature walks The hotel features 383 guest rooms, suites wineries such as Giant Steps, Chandon, in Victoria’s high country, Where There Is A Grill There and fully self-contained studio apartments Mitchelton, Cloudy Bay and Cape Is A Way; Mövenpick Hotel complimentary sweet and is surrounded by vintage shops, cafés, Mentelle, is working on expanding the treats, Mövenpick Hotel interior; De Bortoli head chef bars, and a diverse range of restaurants. food and wine experience at Gapsted. Maurizio Esposito. The hotel is also home to a new on-site “We’re looking at the next steps for Opposite page top: Tahbilk Eco Walk, Long Bridge and restaurant, The Stampton. Visit www.all.com. improving our customer experience,” he Wetlands. says. “Those plans are in their infancy, Opposite page bottom: Tahbilk wine tasting. FRESH NEW PLANS FOR but now that things have opened up Top: East Gippsland. GAPSTED WINES again, we have a unique opportunity with Left: Novotel Melbourne Preston guestroom. our location, where this part of the world Above: Gapsted winery. THERE is a new confidence at Gapsted is a playground 12 months of the year. Wines, which has unveiled a fresh management team with an eagerness “We’re looking at how we can expand to take the winery, cellar door and on the rail trail that comes past the restaurant to the next level. property, it’s a really unique location in the Alpine Valleys.” Catherine Baker joined the team as cellar door and restaurant manager at the end of 2021. “I just love working with food and wine, it’s such a perfect marriage and they are two things that Gapsted Wines do really, really well,” she said. “It is what attracted me to the role. That and the amazing scenery. I still have to pinch myself that this is my ‘office’.” July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 35

146 TASTED 109 AWARDED WINES OF VICTORIA A very consistent line-up of wines across the board here showing Billy Button Alpine FIANO that consumers can be very confident with Victorian wines across Valleys King Valley different regions, ranging from warm to cool climate. Lots to like Bianco 2021 3 TASTED here! HHH 90pts 3 AWARDED Lifted musky aromatics SPARKLING OTHER WHITE Rutherglen and flavoursome Consistent, drink now, VARIETALS & Estate Shelley’s creamy green peach fresh fruity wines. 5 TASTED BLENDS Block Rutherglen palate. $20 2 AWARDED Marsanne Viognier De Bortoli Bellariva 13 TASTED Roussanne 2021 Billy Button The King Valley Fiano A borderline group with 8 AWARDED HHHH 94pts Delinquent Alpine 2021 HHH 91pts just one good example “Some well-handled Heady aromas of pears Valleys Verduzzo Bright juicy nectarine while the others nicely textured wines and honey. Lovely palate 2021 HHH 90pts aromatics and a appeared prematurely here,” said one judge. texture with flavours Interesting perfumed flavoursome, somewhat, aged. “Hard to compare in the apricot/pear fruit tropical fruit fragrances savoury palate. $18 different varietal spectrum. $19 and soft, flavoursome Grampians Estate characters, but these De Bortoli Grenache and savoury palate. $27 Billy Button Rutherford were a solid group.” Wizardry Heathcote The Honest Alpine Grampians Grenache Blanc Billy Button Valleys Fiano 2021 Sparkling Shiraz Soumah Single 2021 HHH1/2 92pts The Torment King HHH 91pts 2019 HHHH 94pts Vineyard Yarra Delicate aromas and Valley Riesling 2021 Lemony mineral bouquet Dark forest floor Valley Viognier nicely textured flinty HHH 90pts with good mineral citrus fragrances and lovely 2019 HHHH1/2 minerally palate with Nice intensity of lemon length to the palate. blackberry/oak flavours. 96pts lingering musky white blossom aromas; very Great wine! $27 Good acid/sugar Vibrant green hues and fruit flavours. $23 crisp and dry in the balance. $40 an oaky buttery bouquet Mount Avoca Estate mouth. $27 Rutherglen Estate with a slightly oily palate Organic Pyrenees Rutherglen Fiano Anderson & Marsh showing a refreshing Viognier 2021 ARNEIS 2020 HHH 91pts Cantani Alpine intensity of toasty apple HHH1/2 92pts Rich and textured wine Valleys Blanc de flavours. $35 Syrupy apricot nose and 3 TASTED with musky pear and Blanc 2015 a rich and fleshy apricot 2 AWARDED apple fruit on both nose HHH 91pts driven palate with subtle and palate. $19 A complex creamy hints of pears and A couple of nice floral sparkling with nice honey. $25.95 examples here. PINOT GRIS/ yeast autolysis, toasty Hickinbotham GRIGIO development and a crisp of Dromana Rutherglen Estate finish. $65 Mornington Rutherglen Arneis 5 TASTED Peninsula Sauvignon 2021 HHH 91pts 4 AWARDED Blanc 2019 Delicate floral citrus HHH 91pts bouquet and crisp A very good, albeit Very lifted grassy/ tropical fruit palate with small, class showing asparagus bouquet and a good acid line. $19 interest and characters a fresh citrus line of that is often lacking from flavours. $28 Billy Button The this variety. Little Rascal Alpine Valleys Arneis 2021 HHH 91pts A clean fruit driven style with nice intensity of flinty citrus/lime characters. $27 36 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

regional tasting Gapsted Wines High Rutherglen Estate McPherson MWC Hirsch Hill Estate OTHER RED Country King Valley Rutherglen Central Victoria Single Vineyard VARIETALS & Pinot Gris 2021 Pinot Grigio 2021 Chardonnay 2020 Yarra Valley BLENDS HHHH1/2 97pts HHH 90pts HHHH 94pts Chardonnay 2021 A delicate aromatic Light floral pear/apple Complex, smooth and HHH 91pts 18 TASTED complexity of perfumed fragrances and crisply perfectly balanced Soft creamy and full 16 AWARDED tropical fruit with good textured, well-balanced, wine with ripe buttery bodied with a peach/fig- Solid consistent class depth of spicy/nutty palate. $NA bouquet and rich buttery like complexity and nice with a range of varietal pear-like flavours on the peach flavours on the mineral line. $27 characters. “Some nicely textured palate. CHARDONNAY textured palate. $22 lovely varietal depth here Still retains mineral Kooyonga Creek Soumah Single with good winemaking length. $22 14 TASTED North East Victoria Vineyard Hexham techniques,” Of Light & Shadow 11 AWARDED Chardonnay 2018 Yarra Valley commented one judge. Yarra Valley HHHH 94pts Chardonnay 2021 Pinot Gris 2020 A very solid and Deep golden wine HHH 90pts Glenwillow Wines HHHH 94pts consistent class. “Some with nice bottle age A bigger style of D’Yandoit Bendigo Fragrant orchard fruit lovely fruit and mineral complexity. Fleshy chardonnay with plenty Nebbiolo 2016 bouquet and a spicy complexity here,” said fruit fragrances and a of oak and slightly oily HHHH1/2 97pts grassy complexity to one judge. “These mouthful of creamy texture. $40 Caramel and spices lift the subtle, seamlessly had the fruit weight to nutty flavours. $20 off the nose and shows balanced, citrus palate. carry the winemaking Are You Game Hickinbotham earthy touches. The $24 intervention.” Strathbogie Ranges of Dromana gracefully ageing palate De Bortoli Bellariva Chardonnay 2020 Mornington is spicy and savoury King Valley Gapsted Wines HHH1/2 93pts Peninsula and very varietal with Pinot Grigio 2021 Ballerina Canopy Light oak/peach Chardonnay 2021 balancing tannins. $40 HHH 91pts King Valley fragrances and HHH 90pts Nicely restrained pear/ Chardonnay 2019 long, balanced and More of an austere apple characters with a HHHHH 98pts flavoursome melon/ restrained style with hint of honey and good Very attractive savoury tropical fruit palate. $25 fresh citrus flavours and acid line. $18 complexity to the Billy Button The nice minerality. $35 buttery nose as well Classic Alpine as interesting flinty Valleys Chardonnay De Bortoli Yarra complexity to the 2021 HHH1/2 92pts Valley Estate peaches and cream Rich buttery peach Grown Yarra Valley palate with some lovely aromas and nice creamy Chardonnay 2020 use of oak. $35 malo palate with peach- HHH 90pts like fruit and good acid Subtle aromas of Mount Avoca Estate line. $32 stonefruits with a dry, Organic Pyrenees Fowles Wine Farm lightweight, pear and Chardonnay 2021 to Table Victoria apple palate. $27.95 HHHH1/2 96pts Chardonnay 2020 Rich and buttery on HHH1/2 92pts ROSÉ the tropical fruit nose A simple fruit driven with nutty notes adding style with reserved spicy 2 TASTED complexity. Palate quite tropical nose and tropical 1 AWARDED tight with solid texture notes to the weighty and good savoury palate. $17 One good example that length. $37.95 has finesse and nice savoury characters. Of Light & Shadow Yarra Valley Rosé 2021 HHH1/2 92pts Fragrances of spicy red fruits and rose petals with a lovely long lingering savoury fruit palate. $24 JUDGES Clare Dry David Fleming Steve Warrick Winemaker at Wolf Blass Winemaker for Wine marketer with Wines for the past 13 years, Scarpantoni Wines. 20 years experience specialising in cool climate Has vintaged in in McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills wines. Judged California, Italy, Coonawarra, Adelaide at wine shows; Royal Adelaide, Canada and Hungary. Hills and Margaret Adelaide Hills, Clare, Barossa, Formerly winemaker River. Extensive wine Alternative - Mildura, and at Seppeltsfield in the judging experience at Small winemakers shows. Barossa Valley. the Adelaide, Hobart Has vintaged in Mornington and McLaren Vale wine Peninsula and the Pfalz region shows. of Germany. July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 37

WINES OF VICTORIA De Bortoli Vinoque Silver Spoon Mount Avoca Estate PINOT NOIR Gapsted Wines High Novo Tinto Estate The Third Organic Pyrenees Country King Valley Heathcote Touriga Man Heathcote Lagrein 2021 15 TASTED Pinot Noir 2021 Nacional 2021 Mourvèdre 2018 HHH 91pts 11 AWARDED HHH1/2 92pts HHHH1/2 96pts HHH1/2 92pts Inky rich fruit cake Overall, a consistent Aromas of spicy A classic varietal with a Intense blackcurrant-like aromas and big group of good drinking strawberries and bright lifted spicy fruit cake of a varietal fruit characters seamlessly balanced reds but without much earthy/savoury primary nose and full rich palate here with fine tannins fleshy fruit palate. $37.95 varietal character. “A fruit flavours with oaky with great density of and subtle acid. $30 Buller Wines few of the older wines tannins. Time! $22 dark berry fruit flavours, Glenwillow Wines Balladeer Rutherglen were showing forward The Domesticated balancing oak and firm D’Yandoit Bendigo Durif 2019 development.” Duck Mornington tannins. $25 Nebbiolo 2019 HHH 91pts Peninsula Pinot Noir Eaglerange Estate HHH1/2 92pts A savoury nose with Soumah Single 2021 HHH 91pts 3 Daughters Very savoury aromas. prune-like notes and Vineyard Hexham Pleasant raspberry lift Limited Release Nice intensity of savoury simple ripe plum palate Yarra Valley to the nose and lovely Alpine Valleys flavours with fine- with gravelly tannins. $29 Pinot Noir 2021 delicate cherry driven Montepulciano 2021 grained tannins and tight Yarravale Reserve HHHHH 98pts palate. $29 HHHH 94pts acid. $35 Yarra Vale Spicy red currant Clarnette & Bright purple wine Rutherglen Estate Sangiovese 2016 aromas with a perfumed Ludvigsen Clarnette with dark earthy berry Rutherglen HHH 91pts lift and a fleshy red fruit Pyrenees Pinot Noir bouquet and fresh Sangiovese 2021 Very savoury style - all driven palate with a 2021 HHH 91pts primary fruit flavours HHH 91pts prunes and spices savoury/gamey thread, Nicely textured pinot with firm tannins. Just An elegant wine with with fine acid line and chocolaty oak and soft with good length needs time. $25 delicate spicy peppery powdery tannins. $36 tannins. $40 of peppery red fruit Rutherglen Estate red berry fruit and grainy Yarravale Reserve characters. $29.99 Burgoyne’s tannins. $19 Yarra Vale Barbera Billy Button The Block Rutherglen Billy Button 2015 HHH 91pts Promised Alpine Mourvedre Shiraz Alpine Valleys King Silky smooth nicely aged Valleys Pinot Noir Grenache 2021 Valley Rosso 2021 wine with earthy plum 2021 HHH 91pts HHH1/2 92pts HHH 91pts fruit and a good lick of Nice amalgamation A well-made commercial Lovely spicy fruit toasty oak. $36 of cherries, spices, style that’s supple and expression on the nose Billy Button The savoury and earthy ripe and nicely balanced and balanced palate Renegade Alpine elements. $32 with good savoury with good briary fruit Valleys Refosco James Busby Yarra length. $19 length. $22 2021 HHH 90pts Valley Pinot Noir Billy Button De Bortoli PHI Yarra Lifted red fruit 2020 HHH 91pts The Affable Alpine Valley Gamay Noir fragrances with herbal A rich complexity of Valleys Barbera 2021 HHH 91pts nuances and dark briary cherries and spices with 2021 HHH1/2 92pts “Simple friendly wine!” fruit flavour profile. $32 hints of forest floor-like Lifted cherry nose with Has earthy berry fruits, Fowles Wine notes. $25 spicy notes and rich forest floor notes and Stone Dwellers Of Light & Shadow berry fruit flavours with fresh acidity. $30 Single Vineyard Yarra Valley crisp acid and balancing Strathbogie Ranges Pinot Noir 2019 tannins. $32 Mourvèdre 2020 HHH 91pts HHH 90pts Peppery red fruit nose Oak driven tannic style and sweet fruit flavours with spicy red fruits and with good mineral line. a dash of pepper. Needs $31 time. $30 AFOGR IYFOTU GIVE A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION! Do you know someone who would love Winestate Magazine as much as you do? Call us today on +61 8 8357 9277 or visit www.winestate.com.au 38 AD_WinWesItaNte GEifSt STubAQTPHENDJ1u5.linyd/Ad u1gust 2022 7/09/2015 11:56:21 AM

regional tasting De Bortoli Riorret Gapsted Wines High Yarravale Reserve Yarravale Reserve CABERNET Lusatia Park Yarra Country King Valley Yarra Vale Yarra Vale Merlot SAUVIGNON Valley Pinot Noir Tempranillo 2019 Tempranillo 2016 2014 HHH 90pts 2019 HHH 91pts HHHH1/2 96pts HHH 91pts A nicely maturing dry 13 TASTED Obvious aged notes to A spicy earthy bouquet Prunes and raisins red with good balance 12 AWARDED the meaty nose with an with leathery-like notes. obvious on the nose between savoury and earthy savoury palate. $45 Soft and savoury in with developed savoury/ fruity. $36 Very consistent line-up the mouth with lovely meaty flavours. $36 of excellent quality Hirsch Hill Estate integration between the GRENACHE & wines with good varietal Single Vineyard oak and tannins. “A very Anderson & Marsh BLENDS character, fruit depth Yarra Valley nice wine.” $20 Parell Alpine Valleys and structure. Pinot Noir 2021 Clarnette & Tempranillo 2021 3 TASTED HHH 91pts Ludvigsen Clarnette HHH 90pts 2 AWARDED Kooyonga Creek A spicy/herbal cherry Grampians Savoury nose with hints North East nose and an elegant Tempranillo 2021 of spicy plums and firm Grampians Estate Victoria Cabernet red fruit palate. “Very HHH1/2 92pts tannins on the savoury Fields Crossing Sauvignon 2017 Burgundian!” $27 Sweet fruit cake-like driven palate. $45 Grampians HHHH1/2 97pts aromas lift off the nose Grenache 2021 Very attractive De Bortoli Riorret with rich and fruity MERLOT HHHH1/2 97pts complexity of The Abbey Yarra flavours and soft line of Turkish Delight-like blackcurrant and Valley Pinot Noir tannins. $28 5 TASTED characters to the lifted chocolate characters 2020 HHH 90pts Grampians Estate 3 AWARDED nose with an elegant supported by some Briary fruit bouquet and a The Longest spicy fruit driven lovely oak and fuller savoury and earthy Drive Grampians A small group of nice palate, a hint of Turkish developing savoury style of palate. $45 Tempranillo 2021 drinkable wines that are Delight and chocolaty maturity adding HHH1/2 92pts restrained rather than length. $28 character. $20 Hickinbotham Pretty dark fruit aromas opulent. of Dromana and youthful acid driven Grampians Estate De Bortoli Mornington palate with good fruit/ Mount Avoca Estate Woolclassers GST Melba Reserve Yarra Peninsula Pinot Noir tannin balance. $28 Organic Pyrenees Grampians Valley Cabernet 2021 HHH 90pts Rutherglen Estate Merlot 2019 Grenache Shiraz Sauvignon 2017 Lifted cherry bouquet Rutherglen HHH 91pts Tempranillo 2021 HHHH1/2 97pts with savoury nuances Tempranillo 2021 A pleasant, not overly HHHH1/2 96pts A lovely balance of and a smooth and HHH 91pts complex, wine with A youthful Cherry Ripe- varietal fruit, sweet savoury palate. $45 An intensely purple dry fragrant fruit and firm like bouquet and a tight herbs and spices with tannic wine with sweet tannins. $37.95 blackcurrant dominated bottle age adding TEMPRANILLO berry fruits and a touch palate with peppery richness and complexity of spice. $19 Hickinbotham touches and fine line of with powdery tannins in 8 TASTED of Dromana tannins. $28 support. $45 6 AWARDED Mornington Peninsula Merlot Some nice wines with 2019 HHH 91pts the best showing good Complex, floral and very tannin balance and varietal – all sweet herbs texture. and plum fruit. $40 Charnwood Estate in Mudgee is a small player kicking big goals with its Shiraz and Merlot. As small and boutique as wineries come, Charnwood demanded everyone’s attention when its 2009 Charlie’s Row Merlot won against some higher profile wineries in the 2011 Winewise Championship. Charnwood Estate is located in the Mudgee wine region of NSW; located on a historic property just 5 minutes from the centre of Mudgee and nestled at the foot of the hills in the delightful Cudgegong Valley. At Charnwood, we specialise in red wines and are particularly proud of our Shiraz which keeps going from strength to strength. For Tastings and Sales, visit our cellar door at The Winning Post Motor Inn, 101 Church Street, Mudgee. ph: 0417 451 102 email: [email protected] www.charnwoodestate.com.au July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 39

WINES OF VICTORIA Kooyonga Creek Massoni Pyrenees McPherson Jo Nash Silver Spoon Estate Mount Avoca Estate North East Cabernet Sauvignon Sunbury Cabernet The Ensemble Back Block Pyrenees Victoria Cabernet 2017 HHH1/2 92pts Sauvignon 2019 Heathcote Shiraz Shiraz 2019 Sauvignon 2018 Heady minty raspberry HHH 91pts Viognier 2018 HHHH 94pts HHHH1/2 96pts fruit fragrances with Lovely dark savoury fruit HHHH1/2 96pts Easy drinking style with A well put together wine good balance and on nose and palate with Typical cool climate plenty of sweet plum-like with a lovely rich earthy/ concentration of a spicy lift and nice use menthol-like characters varietal fruit characters leafy nose and raspberry chocolate/plum flavours. of oak. $36 on the chocolaty nose. and a powerful hit of fruit characters. Great $24.99 An elegantly structured tannins. $48 varietal definition on the Soumah Single Yarravale Reserve palate, still youthful McPherson Don’t complex palate with firm Vineyard Yarra Yarra Vale Cabernet with sweet cassis fruit Tell Gary Victoria tannic finish. $20 Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 flavours. $35 Shiraz 2020 Gapsted Wines Sauvignon 2020 HHH 91pts Soumah Single HHHH 94pts Ballerina Canopy HHH1/2 92pts Well-made warm, silky, Vineyard Yarra Blue fruit bouquet King Valley Savoury, complex and spicy and raisined wine. Valley Syrah 2020 with a meaty element. Cabernet Sauvignon balanced cab sav with Still holding up well. $36 HHHH 94pts Soft in the mouth 2019 HHHH 95pts ripe varietal fruit, sweet A fruit driven wine with with attractive spicy Firm, complex and oak and soft tannins. $40 Gapsted Wines High a slight green edge blackberry flavours, good rich cabernet filled Hirsch Hill Estate Country King Valley seamlessly integrated use of oak and powdery with blackcurrant fruit, Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with spicy oak and soft tannins. $27 drying tannins and Yarra Valley 2018 HHH 90pts tannins. $40 Yarra View Black showing good use of Cabernet Sauvignon Herbal nose with Maygars Hill Label Yarra Valley spicy oak. $35 2019 HHH 91pts medicinal edges and Strathbogie Ranges Syrah 2021 De Bortoli Yarra A soft, full bodied, solid earthy/savoury Shiraz 2019 HHHH 94pts Valley Estate meaty/savoury style of palate. $20 HHHH 94pts Powerful peppery fruit Grown Yarra Valley cabernet with subtle use A straightforward dry fragrances that follows Cabernet Sauvignon of oak. $27 SHIRAZ & red with reserved through onto the 2019 HHHH 94pts BLENDS raspberry fruit aromas complex well balanced Concentrated and expressive plum palate with a nice tight blackcurrant-like varietal 36 TASTED fruit flavours with line of acid. $39.99 fruit characters with 25 AWARDED powdery tannins. $32 Grampians Estate an herbaceous edge McPherson Jo Nash Mafeking and some firm robust The high scoring wines Sunbury Shiraz Grampians Shiraz tannins. $27.95 showed good fruit 2019 HHHH 94pts 2021 HHH1/2 93pts Maygars Hill across the board. “The Fragrant complexity of An elegant wine with a Strathbogie Ranges medium bodied ‘tension’ dark plums, pepper and musky lift to the nose and Cabernet Sauvignon is important for Victorian spices. Warm and rich in fleshy peppery red fruit/ 2019 HHHH 94pts wines,” commented the mouth with chocolaty sweet oak palate. $25 Cool menthol aromas one judge. “The older fruit flavours. $36 Hirsch Hill Estate with berry notes and a wines held up well Single Vineyard complexity of blackberry, showing freshness and Yarra Valley Shiraz chocolate and spicy varietal expression.” 2019 HHH1/2 92pts flavours with firm Chocolaty aromas with tannins. $32 Garners The Whanau black fruit nuances and a Reserve Strathbogie sweet and sour rhubarb- Ranges Shiraz 2018 like palate. $27 HHHH1/2 96pts Farmer & The Enticing nose – all Scientist Single chocolaty and plum-like Vineyard Heathcote leading to a yummy rich Shiraz 2021 complexity of chocolate, HHH1/2 92pts plum and prune flavours Lovely blackberry-like with a warming finish. varietal fruit expression Still very youthful. $35 with dark chocolaty elements and powdery tannins. $28 Clarnette & Ludvigsen Clarnette Grampians Shiraz 2020 HHH1/2 92pts Spicy earthy and savoury on the nose with a sweet palate offering fleshy blue fruit/ chocolaty flavours. $26 40 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

Glenwillow Wines Garners The Whanau FORTIFIEDS regional tasting Reserve Bendigo Strathbogie Ranges Shiraz 2016 Shiraz 2017 3 TASTED CONNECT ON SOCIAL HHH1/2 92pts HHH 91pts 3 AWARDED WITH WINESTATE Aged, warm and A well-balanced medium balanced with earthy bodied shiraz with Buller Wines www.facebook.com/Winestate-Magazine ripe fruit nose and slight sweet/sour fruit and Calliope Grand twitter.com/winestateed sweet and spicy/herbal powdery tannins $30 Rutherglen Muscat palate. $60 Glenwillow Wines NV HHHHH 98pts www.instagram.com/winestate/ Soumah Equilibrio Bendigo Shiraz Great lifted nutty Yarra Valley Syrah 2018 HHH 90pts fruitcake bouquet. Silky Follow us and keep up to date with 2019 HHH 91pts Simple primary fruit smooth in the mouth all our latest wine info, tastings, Sweet jammy fruit with nose and lovely rich with grand nutty fruit competitions and events on leathery complexity, spicy prune-like ripeness, unctuous facebook, twitter and instagram. spicy oak and drying flavours. $28 texture, smoky oak and tannins. $80 lovely aged characters Gapsted Wines El Nino Pyrenees developing. $150 High Country King Shiraz 2017 Buller Wines Valley Shiraz 2019 HHH 90pts Calliope Grand HHH 91pts Earthy plum bouquet Rutherglen Topaque Nice spicy peppery lift to and spicy savoury palate NV HHHH1/2 97pts the nose with a savoury with gravelly tannins and Butterscotch complexity intensity to the palate. warm finish. $14.99 to the raisined/muscat- $20 Glenwillow Wines like nose with a delicious McPherson MWC Bendigo Shiraz 2017 balanced richness of Central Victoria HHH 90pts aged nutty flavours and Shiraz Mourvedre Ageing raspberry a long lingering finish. 2019 HHH 91pts aromas and open style $150 Straightforward style palate with nice ageing Gapsted Wines with fleshy blackberry spicy/earthy notes. $28 Limited Release fruit, savoury oak and Yarravale Reserve Alpine Valleys soft tannins. $22 Yarra Vale Shiraz Vintage Touriga Gapsted Wines 2016 HHH 90pts 2018 HHHH 94pts Ballerina Canopy Ripe, spicy fruit Lifted raisined fruit Heathcote Shiraz fragrances and aged aromas and supple 2019 HHH 91pts sweet fruit flavours salivating Turkish A liquid fruitcake of layered with vanilla Delight-like flavours and a wine! Lovely ripe oak. $36 showing good use of tannins and nice earthy spirit. $31 complexity. $35 Best’s Wines Hamill Great Western Shiraz 2019 HHH 91pts Lifted spicy savoury aromas and warm balance of peppery berry fruit flavours. $60 Kooyonga Creek North East Victoria Shiraz 2018 HHH 91pts Maturing tarry fruit fragrances and great oak complexity to the savoury palate. $20 Are You Game Strathbogie Ranges Shiraz 2018 HHH 91pts Lovely easy drinking style with soft plum fruit laced with pepper and spice. $25 July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 41

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BORDEAUX BLENDS 227 TASTED & 147 AWARDED CABERNET SAUVIGNON BORDEAUX BLENDS Often called the king of reds, cabernet sauvignon stands out Haan Estate Silkwood Estate as the variety that gives most interest and structure. Like all Classic Barossa The Walcott reds, wines that are over ripe or over developed can lose Valley Merlot Pemberton Malbec varietal character to become “just reds”. Cabernets it could Cabernet Franc 2020 HHH 91pts be argued are the most likely to have this varietal character. 2017 HHH 91pts Excellent purple hues Along with this variety we also looked at a selection of so called A Christmas cake-like here with a lifted fruit “bordeaux blends”, namely merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and bouquet with a big lick driven nose and big rich petit verdot that make up the mix of the traditional Bordeaux, of oak on the red currant meaty palate. $30 French varieties. driven palate. $21 PETIT VERDOT MERLOT Mount Avoca Estate MERLOT MALBEC & & BLENDS Organic Pyrenees BLENDS BLENDS 10 TASTED Merlot 2019 5 TASTED 4 AWARDED HHHH 94pts 6 TASTED 5 TASTED 4 AWARDED Good use of oak 3 AWARDED 3 AWARDED “A good introduction here with hints of Lively group with nice to red wine drinking,” blackcurrant, plums, These wines have been An interesting variety spiciness and good suggested one judge. spices, some earthy made for early drinking. but the winemakers varietal concentration. “These are juicy and elements and drying noted that it should not approachable wines.” tannins. $37.95 Reillys Moonvine be overworked. Moonlighters Smith & Hooper Clare Merlot South Australia Big Easy Radio Wrattonbully Merlot Cabernet 2017 Blue Pyrenees Petit Verdot Malbec Looking Forward To 2019 HHH1/2 92pts HHH1/2 92pts Estate Cellar Door Merlot 2020 Yesterday McLaren Great concentration A big rich wine; Series Pyrenees HHHH 95pts Vale Merlot 2021 and persistence of everything in place with Malbec 2020 Spicy plum aromas HHHH 94pts juicy plums mixed with a minty/earthy nose and HHH1/2 92pts with cherry notes and Cool, lean and green berries, spices and hints an oak driven palate. $40 A lighter style with a complex mix of berry with stalky stylishness, of vanilla. $21 pretty fruit characters, and beef bone flavours laced with plums and K1 Adelaide Hills Hemera Estate chocolaty oak and a with drying tannins. chocolate, a spicy lift and Merlot 2020 Right Bank Barossa fresh crunchy line of $20 good tannins. $35 HHH 91pts Valley Merlot acid. $32 A spicy/menthol bouquet Cabernet Sauvignon Singlefile Small and great persistence of Cabernet Franc Singlefile Great Batch Pemberton herbaceous flavours. $45 2020 HHH 91pts Southern Malbec Petit Verdot 2020 Rich meaty style; great 2021 HHH 91pts HHH1/2 92pts umami presence with A pleasant, velvety, A complex vibrant mix of grippy tannins and nice fruit forward style that, spicy berries, chocolaty spicy oak. $35 according to the judges, oak and savoury/ punters will love. $25 medicinal elements. $59 JUDGES - DAY 1 Brian Miller Shane Harris Sales and Marketing Manager Winemaker for Wines by Courtney Christie for Bendbrook Wines. Geoff Hardy including, K1 National sales manager Consults to several Australian and Handcrafted by Geoff at Radoux Australia Oak wineries and was a member Hardy Wines. Has also Cooperage. Has vintaged of the Export Tasting Panel completed vintages in in Portugal, Spain and of the Australian Wine & Queensland and Victoria. Italy. Previous experience Brandy Corporation. Also, a Completed the AWRI at Rockford, Elderton former Brand Manager with advanced sensory course and Kangarilla Road. Seppelt Wines and stints with and has associate judged at Associate judge at the Richard Hamilton Wines and McLaren Vale Wine Show. Swan Valley wine show. Mitchelton. Winestate Winemaker of the Eleven years as owner of Year in 2009, 2019 & 2020. Flying Fish Cafe. 42 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

varietal tasting GMH By Geoff CABERNET & Hay Shed Hill Greg Norman Hardy Meritage BLENDS Pitchfork Margaret Estates Limestone South Australia UNDER $25 River Cabernet Coast Cabernet Petit Verdot Merlot Merlot 2020 Sauvignon 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 TASTED HHHH 94pts HHH 91pts Malbec 2020 17 AWARDED Rich and ripe and A big lively cabernet HHH 91pts “Many rich soft wines according to one judge with an elegance A lively, youthful and but not screaming – “Authentic!” with of savoury/olive “fun” style; a vibrant cabernet varietal a Cherry Ripe nose characters and huge mix of herbal/medicinal character,” said one and leafy/meaty fruit tannins. $19 elements. $20 judge. “Some of these flavours. $17 are too oaky and have Riddoch Coonawarra Trentham Estate been pushed to excess Knappstein Clare Cabernet Sauvignon Cellar Reserve ripeness rather than Valley Cabernet Merlot 2019 Murray Darling focussing on varietal Malbec 2020 HHH 91pts Petit Verdot Tannat purity.” However, there HHHH 94pts Fresh lifted aromas and 2020 HHH 91pts were still many wines to A lovely, luscious an elegant palate with a Bright red fruit enjoy here and at a great blend with big fruit, big stylish balance between fragrances with licorice price. oak and big tannins! fruit and oak. $20 and spices and lightly Definitely one for the eucalypt palate. $28 Kurtz Family cellar. 5+ $22 d’Arenberg The High Vineyards Seven Trellis McLaren Vale CABERNET Sleepers The Blend The Musician By Clarence Hill Cabernet Sauvignon FRANC & Barossa Cabernet Majella Coonawarra Adelaide Cabernet 2019 HHH 91pts BLENDS Shiraz Petit Verdot Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon 2019 Big and chewy wine 2019 HHHHH 98pts Shiraz 2020 HHHH 94pts with cherry cola, 4 TASTED Nose is an aromatic HHHH1/2 97pts Sweet plum bouquet prune and herbal-like 2 AWARDED mix of toasty oak and A pretty classic – still with a dash of vanilla characters. $22 black fruits with a violet very young and needing and a serious, grippy and Two good versions of lift and palate has a more time to really youthful palate with an Burk Salter SA this variety, the others delicious complexity shine. Some lovely oaky finish. $22 Riverland Cabernet were too angular and of dark fruits, olives Sauvignon 2018 one-dimensional. and licorice. “Needs a purple fruit characters Patrick of HHH 91pts steak!” $18 with minty nuances. “A Coonawarra P A soft, easy drinking, Artwine Pack real bargain!” 5+ Series Coonawarra “chocolate shop” of a Leader Single $19 Cabernet Sauvignon wine with a lingering Vineyard Clare 2015 HHH1/2 92pts sweet finish. $20 Valley Cabernet Bird’s Eye View Soft, complex and Franc 2020 McLaren Vale mature with a seamless Tail Spin Langhorne HHHH 94pts Cabernet Sauvignon balance of oak and Creek Cabernet Bright fresh red currant 2018 HHHH1/2 tannins. Great drinking Sauvignon 2020 and eucalypt nose and 97pts now. $20 HHH 90pts rich ripe palate; lots of A big, classy cabernet A classic dry red style oak and tannins. Ageing that is all dark and with soft savoury potential. $40 brooding and showing Gomersal Barossa elements and grippy great texture, excellent Cabernet Sauvignon tannins. $15 Artwine Pack varietal fruit weight and 2017 HHH1/2 92pts Leader Single loads of tannins. Still just A depth of Christmas CABERNET & Vineyard Clare a baby. 5+ $16 cake-like aromas and BLENDS Valley Cabernet flavours with peppery $25-$30 Franc 2021 Knappstein Clare notes and grippy HHH1/2 92pts Valley Cabernet tannins. $20 34 TASTED Great approachable 20 AWARDED medium bodied red Sauvignon 2020 Hidden Gem South that is soft, savoury HHHH1/2 96pts Eastern Australia “The 2020 vintage and surprisingly A serious young thing, Cabernet Merlot NV deserves its reputation developed. $40 quite complex and HHH 91pts of offering great value driven by the oak at the An elegant wine of wines either for good moment with spicy red sweet berry fruits and drinking now or for fruit pushing through and spicy oak with a good some cellaring,” said tannins in balance. Give it level of acid. $5 one judge. Some of the time. 5+ $22 2019s also performed Chain Of Ponds well. That these wines The Musician By Novello Adelaide are a step up from the Majella Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot previous flight was Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 HHH 91pts the consensus of the Shiraz 2021 An earthy, complex and judges. HHHH 94pts tannic wine of dark berry A serious youthful fruits with forest floor number that is a notes. $16 seamless balance of blackcurrant fruit, spices and chocolaty elements. $19 July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 43

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BORDEAUX BLENDS Wild Game Wine Brand & Sons Abbey Vale Z Wine [RUSTICA] Riddoch Elgin’s ‘The Duke’ Bakers Run Margaret River Barossa Valley Crossing Coonawarra Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 HHHH1/2 2018 HHHH 94pts Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 HHHHH 98pts 2019 HHHH1/2 96pts Pleasant compote of 2019 HHH 91pts Soft and maturing 97pts “A complete wine!” mature dark briary fruit Soft, easy and very gracefully with inviting A great example of Lifted and complex characters with some approachable cabernet secondary chocolaty the variety with a aromas of herbs, spices obvious pencil shaving- driven by upfront cool complexity to the nose lovely blackcurrant fruit and brambles with great like oak. $28 varietal fruit. $25 and a delicious mix backbone, some olives balance and persistence Hay Shed Hill of dark chocolate and and some earthiness of sweet varietal flavours Morrison’s Gift Stonehorse By black cherry flavours. with great oak to with spicy notes. $25 Margaret River Kaesler Clare Valley “Yum!” $26 balance and mocha The Composer By Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon Bec Hardy Wines notes. $26 Majella Coonawarra Cabernet Franc 2018 HHH 91pts Pertaringa Forester Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 HHH1/2 93pts A silky-smooth wine Understudy McLaren Lifestyle Margaret 2019 HHHH1/2 Warm earthy/dark with jubey blackcurrant Vale Cabernet River Cabernet 96pts berry bouquet and aromas and flavours. $25 Sauvignon 2020 Sauvignon 2020 A complex and big soft palate with HHHH1/2 97pts HHHH1/2 96pts interesting fruit driven great savoury/umami CABERNET & “Very impressive young Classic Margaret River style with attractive inky characters. $25 BLENDS wine.” Cool and classy varietal characters – intensity and showing Vale Organics $30-$40 with lovely purple hues, herbaceous, green and great varietal expression McLaren Vale 2021-2020 spicy chocolate nose spicy. Lifted green bean/ and persistence with Cabernet Sauvignon and a complex textured capsicum fragrances. good tannic grip. $25 2020 HHH1/2 93pts 14 TASTED palate with lingering Cool and dry in the Sanguine Estate Quite developed for a 11 AWARDED flavours. $25 mouth - very stylish. $25 Heathcote 2-year-old with upfront Cabernets 2019 oak, brambly fruit Starting to get serious Singlefile HHHH 95pts characters and a spicy now! “Winemaking Great Southern Interesting super lifted lift. $25 style meets varietal Cabernet Sauvignon fragrances with loads Pig In The House fruit flavour here,” Merlot 2020 of inviting oak and Organic Cowra commented one judge. HHHH1/2 97pts fruit sweetness on the Cabernet Sauvignon Big, ripe and oaky warming palate. $25 2021 HHH1/2 92pts Paulett Wines with lovely cassis and Sanguine Estate Cool, minty and leafy Clare Valley red fruit elements, Heathcote aromas with “shaded” Cabernet Sauvignon chocolaty notes and Cabernets 2021 fruit characters on the 2020 HHHHH 98pts assertive tannins. HHHH 94pts well-balanced palate. $25 A eucalypt-like freshness Popular commercial A pleasant red currant Ponting Close Of to the cassis nose and style that will be loved bouquet and a soft young Play Langhorne a classy palate with by many! $25 palate that’s brimming Creek Cabernet excellent blackcurrant- over with flavour. Very Sauvignon 2019 like varietal character drinkable. $25 HHH1/2 92pts and nice spicy oak in a Hay Shed Hill Pretty herbaceous style supporting role. $30 Margaret River with a floral lift to the Cabernet Sauvignon nose and a palate of soft 2020 HHHH 94pts plum fruit flavours. $25 Mulberry, blackcurrant, The Composer By leafy and inky characters Majella Coonawarra lift off the nose and Cabernet Sauvignon follows through to the 2021 HHH 91pts grippy tannic palate. $28 Lean and angular Cockfighter’s Ghost with crunchy red fruit Single Vineyard characters. Very young McLaren Vale give it time. $25 Cabernet Sauvignon Mr Riggs Outpost 2019 HHHH 94pts Coonawarra Complex and complete Cabernet 2020 cabernet with sweet HHH 91pts red fruits, pretty, minty Oak is a tad dominant characters and earthy here but has good fruit elements. $25 underneath with robust tannins. $25 44 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

varietal tasting St Johns Wine McLaren Vale Briar Ridge Big Bully Chain Of Ponds Majella Coonawarra Round Puzzle III Associates Limited Release Amadeus Adelaide Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Renaissance Wrattonbully Hills Cabernet 2019 HHHH1/2 Cabernet Malbec McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon 2019 96pts 2020 HHHHH 98pts Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 HHH1/2 92pts HHHH1/2 97pts A big rich and Inviting lifted and Merlot 2021 A rich, complex and A big, firm and complex well-balanced wine delicate aromas and a HHHH 94pts well-balanced cabernet. wine that’s dark and spicy that offers a lovely vibrant red fruit palate Pretty lifted leafy Lovely, sweet fruit and maintaining its varietal complexity of mixed with subtle varietal blackberry bouquet and good oak/tannin integrity throughout with berry fruit characters expression, meaty notes and lovely fruit delicacy integration. $35 grippy tannins and lots of laced with chocolaty oak and earthy elements. A and persistence to the oak. $35 elements. $35 very pretty wine. $39.99 palate. Very young! $30 Singlefile Single Gapsted Wines The Gate Silkwood Estate The Erin Eyes Vineyard Frankland Ballerina Canopy McLaren Vale Walcott Pemberton Ballycapple Clare River Great King Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon Southern Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2019 2020 HHHH 95pts 2020 HHHH 94pts Sauvignon 2020 2019 HHHH1/2 HHHH1/2 96pts A bold juicy red with a The nose is all HHH 91pts 97pts A pleasant lift of sweet leathery/earthy nose and spices, herbs and Toasty and spicy on A cassis fruit bomb cassis fruit aromas. Soft Old Spice notes. Similar dark chocolate. Soft the nose with sweet that is balanced by and easy in the mouth characters on the soft and simple in the blackcurrant flavours some classy oak and with a unique range of palate. $30 mouth with tangy tart laced with violets. $39 supported by a pleasant fruit flavours and mocha- Fox Creek Wines characters. $30 soft and chewy tannin like tannins. $39.95 Three Blocks Ross Hill Wines CABERNET & backbone. Great palate McLaren Vale Isabelle Orange BLENDS texture. $35 Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon $30-$40 St Johns Limited 2020 HHHH 95pts Merlot Cabernet 2019 & OLDER Release Margaret A lean and stylish Franc 2021 River Cabernet herbaceous/green style HHH1/2 92pts 28 TASTED Sauvignon Malbec of cabernet with vanillin Vibrant leafy red fruit 17 AWARDED Merlot Petit oak and soft chewy fragrances and a very Verdot 2019 tannins. $38 youthful “strawberry “Lots of consistent ripe HHHH1/2 97pts field” of a palate. $30 flavoured wines but A Christmas cake-like Catbird Seat showing less varietal complexity to the Coonawarra character than the nose and excellent Cabernet Sauvignon 2020s,” said one judge. intensity of flavours 2021 HHH1/2 92pts “With age the good sitting in the super dark Bright purple wine; wines were great, but fruit spectrum. “Very very young with lots others were just looking moreish!” $35 of blackcurrant fruit, old.” Barristers Block smoky oak and a tannic Wrattonbully grip. $30 Cabernet Sauvignon Zonte’s Footstep 1st 2019 HHHH1/2 of the Rank McLaren 96pts Vale Cabernet Chocolaty aromas with Sauvignon 2021 hints of oak. Softly HHH1/2 92pts structured palate with Blueberry, mint a black and blue fruit and dark chocolate flavour profile and good characters here which tannin/acid balance. $36 are the “essence of cabernets!” $35 JUDGES - DAY 2 Stephen John Shane Harris Senior Winemaker for The Winemaker for Wines by Stuart Blackwell Wine Group Australia and Geoff Hardy including, K1 Formerly senior owner/winemaker of Stephen and Handcrafted by Geoff winemaker / brand John Wines. More than 30 Hardy Wines. Has also ambassador for St Hallet years’ winemaking experience. completed vintages in Wines and still consults Has judged at Adelaide, Queensland and Victoria. for the company. Over National, and Barossa wine Completed the AWRI 30 years experience shows. Regular Winestate advanced sensory course in winemaking. Has panellist and chairman of and has associate judged at previously judged in the judges at the Winestate Wine McLaren Vale Wine Show. Adelaide wine show and of the Year Awards. Winestate Winemaker of the Chair of the Barossa Year in 2009, 2019 & 2020. wine show. July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 45

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BORDEAUX BLENDS Geoff Merrill Wines Fowles Wine CABERNET & Brangayne Of Saddler’s Creek G & W McLaren Stone Dwellers BLENDS Orange Tristan Wines Bluegrass Vale Coonawarra Single Vineyard $40-$50 Orange NSW Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Strathbogie Ranges Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 HHHH1/2 Cabernet Sauvignon 24 TASTED Shiraz Merlot 2018 2020 HHHH 94pts 96pts 2019 HHH1/2 92pts 17 AWARDED HHHH1/2 97pts An old fashioned, oak A soft, mature and Floral fragrances with A strong class overall Excellent depth of bright driven, style supported old-fashioned style but a chocolate note and with the 2018s and purples with aromas by a mix of berry fruits still has plenty of life a bright lean black and a selection of the like a rum and raisin and forest floor-like in it. Minty briary fruit blue fruit palate. $30 2019s a feature. chocolate bar with a complexity. $45 fragrances and silky- Majella Coonawarra “These showed well super varietal palate smooth licorice/cassis Cabernet Sauvignon thought out and well with vibrant mature fruit Haselgrove palate. $30 2018 HHH1/2 92pts executed winemaking,” flavours. $40 Protector McLaren UMAMU Estate A fine rich dry red style commented one judge. Wolf Blass Grey Vale Cabernet MacAnn Margaret with big bold chocolate/ “There was great fruit Label Langhorne Sauvignon 2019 River Cabernet vanilla characters sitting quality creating wines Creek Cabernet HHHH 94pts Sauvignon 2019 on the fruit. $35 with excellent flavour Sauvignon Leafy and savoury on HHHH 95pts Yalumba The and well worth the Shiraz 2018 the nose with leathery A peppery peppermint Cigar Coonawarra price.” HHHH1/2 97pts aged characters patty of a nose with Cabernet Sauvignon Dark and brooding developing that is great cassis flavour 2018 HHH1/2 92pts Corryton Burge The blackberry bouquet echoed on the balanced concentration and A big bold and brooding Brigadier Barossa and a powerful ripe palate. $40 persistence on the rich cabernet that is like Cabernet Sauvignon fruit driven palate Clarence Hill Red palate. $38 a rum and raisin 2018 HHHHH 98pts but it refrains from Label McLaren Vale d’Arenberg The chocolate bar with ripe Dense purple wine with being overripe or over- Cabernet Sauvignon Galvo Garage tannins. $35 subtle elegance and extracted. $45 2019 HHH1/2 92pts McLaren Vale Fox Creek Wines enduring length. It offers Riddoch The Ripe Ribena-like nose and Adelaide Cabernet Three Blocks a complexity of plum, Representative palate with an assertive Blend 2018 McLaren Vale licorice and blackberry Coonawarra tannin profile carrying nice HHHH 94pts Cabernet Sauvignon fruit characters with Cabernet flavours. $40 Soft savoury wine with 2018 HHH1/2 92pts classy oak and great Merlot 2019 Plantagenet a herbal/menthol lift to A rich and robust wine tannins. $45 HHHH1/2 96pts Aquitaine Great the nose and a chocolaty that is dense in colour K1 Adelaide Hills A wine with both power Southern Cabernet palate with big chewy with lots of ripe fruit and Cabernet 2019 and elegance. The nose Sauvignon 2019 tannins. “Yum!” $32 chocolaty tannins. $38 HHHH1/2 97pts and palate are a lovely HHH1/2 92pts Watkins Cellar Maygars Hill A very approachable balance of black fruits, A warm fruitcake of a Reserve Currency Strathbogie cabernet that is chocolaty oak and pretty nose and a full-bodied Creek Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon drinking well now. It floral nuances. $45 spicy/earthy palate Sauvignon 2016 2019 HHH 91pts has an elegant balance with simple fruit HHHH 94pts Inky fruit aromas and an between the fresh lifted characters. $45 Dark, sombre and austere grippy palate. varietal fruit and sweet serious with silky Still very young, needs oak. $45 oak characters and more age. $32 persistent secondary Mitchelton Wines characters mixing with Vine To Wine Great the fruit. $35 Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 HHH 91pts A pretty lifted varietal fruit nose and a powerful concentration of varietal flavours. $39.99 Maygars Hill Strathbogie Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 HHH 91pts A classic cool climate cabernet with pretty herbal characters and lovely use of oak. $32 46 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

varietal tasting Riddoch The Olive Hills du Cluse CABERNET & Geoff Merrill Wines Stage Door Wine Pastoralist Single Vineyard BLENDS Reserve McLaren Co. Headliner Eden Coonawarra Rutherglen $50-$60 Vale Coonawarra Valley Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernets 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon 2020 2019 HHH1/2 92pts HHH 91pts 15 TASTED 2014 HHHHH 98pts HHHH1/2 96pts Dense dark oak/ A soft pleasant oak 10 AWARDED A rich ripe fruit cake-like Cool climate capsicum fruit fragrances and a driven wine nicely driven nose and a warm and cassis varietal nose richness of ripe fruit underscored with red A mixed result here. and lively palate that is and a classy palate; and great oak on the currant-like fruit. $40 “The top scoring all class and elegance quite light with lovely palate. $45 Blue Pyrenees wines were fantastic with good retention of depth of dark fruit Allegiance Wines Estate Estate Red and really worth the freshness. Old school flavours and subtle oak The Artisan Pyrenees Cabernet money showing poise style. $50 adding complexity. $50 Coonawarra Sauvignon Merlot and balance with great Whip-Hand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 HHH 91pts flavour complexity. The Valley Cabernet 2021 HHH 91pts A good commercial style lesser wines lacked Sauvignon 2020 Clean, well-made but with clean straightforward freshness and had aged HHHH1/2 96pts super young. Lacks cherry berry fruit barrel issues.” A complexity of aromas complexity for now. characters. $44 reminiscent of a Cherry Needs time. $40 Passel Estate Patrick of Ripe chocolate bar. Smallwater Margaret River Coonawarra Home The palate is tight and Estate Precursor Cabernet Sauvignon Block Coonawarra warm and complete. All Geographe Cabernet 2017 HHH 91pts Cabernet Sauvignon it needs is some more Sauvignon Petit A nicely matured wine 2016 HHHHH 98pts time. $50 Verdot 2021 that’s all red berries, A big oak driven style HHH 91pts spices and pepper with seamlessly integrated Bright berry bouquet a savoury edge. $46 with an abundance and good level of Winton Road of blackcurrant and complexity to the fruit Barossa Valley blackberry fruit to driven palate. $45 Cabernet Sauvignon carry it. “The complete Bec Hardy Wines 2017 HHH 91pts package,” said one Pertaringa Rifle & A rich complexity of judge. $50 Hunt McLaren Vale blue and black fruit Cabernet Sauvignon with olive notes and 2019 HHH 91pts soft tannins. $40 Dense purple wine with ripe lifted varietal fruit and cigar box-like oak. Solid wine. $40 July/August 2022 W I N E S TAT E 47

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BORDEAUX BLENDS Glenlofty Estate CABERNET & Hay Shed Hill Block Hay Shed Hill Yalumba The Decameron BLENDS 2 Margaret River Kerrigan + Berry Menzies Coonawarra Grampians Cabernet $60-$80 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Barker Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon 2019 2018 HHHHH 98pts Margaret River 2016 HHH 90pts HHHH1/2 96pts 18 TASTED Aromas are reminiscent Cabernet Sauvignon Confectionery cabernet Obviously cabernet – 15 AWARDED of beef jus and showing 2018 HHHH 95pts – quite fresh for its age true to the variety with A strong class! “Balance a balsamic-like intensity. A classy wine; a with good complexity. its blackberry bouquet is key, and the best Lovely fruit cake-like lovely rich compote of Drink now. $60 showing a dash of here had seamless fruit characters to the palate blackberry, cassis and herbs and savoury and oak integration with a meaty/savoury oak with plenty of acid CABERNET & notes and its firm to balance elegance nuance. $60 ensuring a long life. $60 BLENDS varietal palate framed and restraint yet with Clarence Hill UMAMU Estate $80-$100 with tannins. $50 intense flavour; a lovely Reserve McLaren Anns Margaret River Geoff Merrill Wines contradiction,” said one Vale Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon 9 TASTED Reserve McLaren judge. Sauvignon 2018 2019 HHHH 94pts 4 AWARDED Vale Coonawarra HHHHH 98pts “All about the oak!” Cabernet Sauvignon Nightfall Libra Dry Dense and brooding The oak driven aromas Disappointing! 2013 HHHH1/2 Red Coonawarra earthy/cassis bouquet and flavours are “Winemakers here 96pts Cabernet Sauvignon with a spicy oak lift. underscored by cassis were chasing intensity A solid plum nose and Cabernet Franc Intense cassis flavours fruit and savoury meaty but losing balance,” a warm firm palate Merlot 2019 are supported by some elements. $60 said one judge. “Over showing an excellent HHHHH 98pts classy oak and big chalky Peccavi Margaret extraction gives flavour elegant structure and An elegant cool climate tannins. $65 River Cabernet but the wrong kind of some great varietal Bordeaux blend. Clarence Hill Sauvignon 2019 flavour; excess tannins fruit with a good tannic Lovely floral/violet lift Reserve McLaren HHH1/2 93pts require the fruit intensity grip. $50 to the minty purple Vale Cabernet A solid old school style to handle it.” Esule McLaren Vale fruit fragrances with Sauvignon 2019 of cabernet that’s big, Cabernet Sauvignon great persistence of HHHH1/2 97pts bold and brimming over Ross Hill Wines Cabernet Franc blue/purple fruit and Intense purple wine with flavour. $75 The Griffin Orange 2020 HHHH 94pts chocolate flavours. $60 with subtle inky fruit Yalumba The Cabernet Sauvignon Rich and generous with Z Wine [FRANZ] fragrances and a Signature Barossa Merlot Cabernet a bright lift of briary fruit Barossa Valley huge intensity and Cabernet Shiraz Franc 2019 fragrances and pure Cabernet Shiraz persistence of brooding 2018 HHH1/2 92pts HHH1/2 92pts varietal fruit flavours 2019 HHHHH 98pts fruit flavours. Still fresh Quite a straightforward Cherry chocolate under the oak. $50 A solid cassis/plum and lively. $65 style with its ripe briary aromas echoed on the Knappstein nose and a beautifully d’Arenberg fruit and cigar box oak. elegant palate with Enterprise Vineyard structured palate with The Coppermine Years in it yet. $65 lingering tannins and Clare Valley a complexity of ripe Road McLaren Vale Allegiance Wines good acid. $95 Cabernet Sauvignon blackberry fruit, some Cabernet Sauvignon The Artisan Reserve 2020 HHH1/2 93pts very classy oak and nice 2018 HHHH1/2 Coonawarra Passel Estate Lot 71 Lovely ripe varietal level of spiciness. $60 97pts Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Margaret fruit richness layered Bright purple fruit 2020 HHH 91pts River Cabernet with sweet oak and aromas leap out of the Lean and green with a Sauvignon 2017 supported by persistent glass and the massive mix of bean, capsicum HHH 91pts tannins. $53 palate fills the mouth and peppercorn Subdued cool climate Plantagenet with fruit cake-like characters. $60 cabernet showing Aquitaine Great flavours. “The complete Blue Pyrenees pleasant bottle age Southern Cabernet package!” $76 Estate Richardson complexity. $96 Sauvignon 2015 Heartland One Pyrenees Cabernet HHH 91pts Langhorne Creek Sauvignon 2019 Geoff Merrill Wines A fully matured cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon HHH 91pts Parham McLaren with subtle aromas and Shiraz 2016 Tight and complex with Vale Coonawarra aged chocolaty oak/fruit HHHH1/2 97pts ripe blackberry fruit Cabernet Sauvignon flavours. $55 A lovely, aged wine – seamlessly balanced by 2016 HHH 91pts Krinklewood Vat 48 very old school, brick red the oak. $72 A huge powerful wine – Orange Cabernet in colour with intense Saddler’s Creek all earthy and chocolaty. Sauvignon Merlot aromas and flavours Wines Alessandro Very old school. $95 2017 HHH 90pts of mushrooms, red Reserve Langhorne A nicely matured wine currants and cigar box Creek Cabernet Passel Estate Lot 71 that is soft and supple oak. $79 Sauvignon 2019 Reserve Margaret and ready for enjoyable HHH 91pts River Cabernet drinking now. $55 Rich and flavoursome Sauvignon 2016 wine with a cedary oak HHH 90pts nose and an elegant oak A lovely, elegant style driven palate. $75 with an attractive subtlety of varietal characters. $96 48 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022

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CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BORDEAUX BLENDS CABERNET & Blue Pyrenees Brand & Sons Gralyn Reserve CABERNET & BLENDS Estate Richardson Sanctuary Margaret River BLENDS $100-$200 Reserve Pyrenees Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon $200+ Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 HHHH 94pts 15 TASTED 2018 HHHH1/2 2018 HHHH1/2 Earthy mocha characters 9 TASTED 11 AWARDED 97pts 96pts obvious on the nose 9 AWARDED Great consistency Dense colour with a Complex nose of sweet with a beautifully aged here. “At this level briary berry bouquet vanilla oak and licorice palate sitting in the A sensational class! the situation becomes layered with cedary with a peppermint note. savoury spectrum with “These are cracker one individual judges’ oak and followed by Good spicy length to the excellent tannins. $120 wines with fine serious preference,” said one a fruit cake-like palate elegant licorice/black Paulett Wines tannins perfectly judge. “Across the supported by some fruit driven palate. $150 109 Clare Valley matching varietal board these wines show excellent tannins. $150 Monteperle Cabernet Sauvignon expression fruit,” said intensity of fruit and Brand & Sons Reserve Barossa 2020 HHH1/2 92pts one judge. “A pleasure balanced tannin yet also Sanctuary Valley Cabernet A huge wine – very to judge,” said another. exhibit restraint,” said Coonawarra Sauvignon 2018 young with an another. Cabernet Sauvignon HHHH1/2 96pts abundance of Ribena- Bec Hardy Wines 2019 HHHH1/2 A classy number like fruit characters and a Pertaringa Tipsy Nightfall Draco 96pts with great colour, a herbal thread. $120 Hill McLaren Vale Coonawarra Dense purple, intensely beautifully complex nose GPL68 By Majella Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon grippy, wine that offers and an excellent palate Coonawarra 2018 HHHHH 98pts 2019 HHHHH 98pts a rich complexity of structure. It’s rich and Cabernet Sauvignon Inviting, beautifully A solid, well made, blackberry, cassis and generous but shows 2015 HHH1/2 92pts poised, aromas of wine that’s dark and toasty oak on both the good restraint. $185 Super cool climate dark berries with spicy inky with well-framed nose and palate with a herbal style of cabernet earthy characters. cassis fruit fragrances mineral-like thread. $150 Monteperle Reserve showing a freshness Excellent fruit flavours and great persistence of Wolf Blass Black Barossa Valley of cassis and capsicum in the purple/blue fruit blackberry and blueberry Label Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon characters. $130 spectrum. One to put fruit flavours on an Langhorne Creek 2019 HHHH 94pts Barristers Block away! $295 elegant palate. $125 McLaren Vale An intense, complex J.P. Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon and powerful bouquet Cabernet Sauvignon Wolf Blass The Shiraz 2018 with delicious dense 2019 HHH 91pts Master Barossa HHHH1/2 96pts red berry fruit flavours A “serious” bone dry Cabernet Sauvignon Caramel-like oak on the lovely palate and wine dominated by spicy Shiraz 2018 HHHHH characters sit on top seamlessly balanced by licoricey black fruit. $100 98pts of the ripe cassis fruit the oak. $185 A powerful wine but fragrances. Excellent also shows great palate, beautifully restraint with delightful structured – still tight and aromas and flavours reserved. Needs more of blackberries, coffee years on it yet. $130 grounds and dark chocolate. It has it all! $345 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux France Cabernet Blend 2017 HHHHH 98pts An excellent example of a medium bodied red that shows great intensity without the weight. Lovely mix of truffle, black pepper and minty characters. It’s all class! $2,200 50 W I N E S TAT E July/August 2022