Tasting Notes - Munari Shiraz 2002

Brand new release that was bottled mid August. In our experience Munari tend to produce Heathcote wines that reside in the more elegant camp of the regional offerings.Great lift nose, almost floral like with wafting sweet fruit. The palate is also showing great balance early, and is strictly medium bodied in weight. Some light plum and berry notes lurk but are still to assert themselves above the fine grained tannins and some unobtrusive oak. To be fair drunk far to early and should be much better in 18 months. I'd be willing to take a punt. Ok value at mid $30's.

Tasting Notes - Chalk Hill Shiraz 1997 (Recommended)

A combination of grapes sourced from vineyards planted in 1969 and 1973 on the Chalk Hill vineyard in McLaren Vale.

Colour: Dark blood red.

Nose: seems a fraction tight with some faint minty medicinal flavours. Some sweetness lurking.

Palate: medium bodied, smooth and very comfortable mouthfeel. Not simple ro overblown, balanced with persistent fruit. perhaps the benefits of age at 6 years. Some nice tar and licoricenotes but these are quite subtle, more about mouthfeel, balance and great length with some spice. Still well backed with acid and tannin. Oak in the background. A great wine. Needs just a touch more upfront fruit.

QPR @ $24 VG to Exc.

Tasting Notes - Galah Cabernet Malbec Shiraz 1998

Current release of this particular blend, although not sure if it's made every year. Some of the grapes are apparently declassified Wendouree fruit.Quite tame on opening with a subdued nose but some very distinctive stink (vegemite, yeasty?) really came to the fore after some decanting time. Probably a love or hate bouquet.The palate filled out nicely too over a couple of hours. Nice berry fruits lurk in an almost elegant manner but the palate is still essentially all about a firm tannic structure - probably comes as no surprise to fans of Stephen George and Wendouree. Drinking well now and will probably travel the next 3 - 5 ok. Bit of a question mark over whether the fruit will rise above the tannins but a good drink nevertheless.

Yarra Edge Cabernet 1998

Had this one at Verge tonight. Red brick - lightish edge- showing its age. Nose was very tight not giving much away. Palate was similar, quite tight and sinewy, medium bodied at best, opened up over timeto reveal some nice lighter berry notes, essentially a wine more about elegance than brute fruit power and should repay further cellaring.

Tasting Notes - Arakoon BFG Grenache Shiraz 2001

This is the second vintage of the grenache shiraz.

Colour: Dark red black

Nose: Very lifted, almost floral nose with plums

Palate: clean, ripe fruit,light in a sense but probably because the wine just seems so clean and pristine. Some grenache spice that builds into a fairly long, drying palate. Hides the alcohol.

Tasting Notes - HPR Pinot Noir 2001

Grapes are sourced from the pick of the two best rows from Hugh Robertsons' Mornington Estate vineyard, now leased to Dromana Estate. The 2000 vintage was considered on par with the likes of Paringa Estate and Main Ridge. And the 2001 is shaping up to be a worthy successor. The wine evolved well in the glass over an hour, started off as quite a simple bright cherry style drop but managed to pick up some complexity over time firming up nicely. Plenty of cherry/sweet and sour with a thread of spiceness running through the palate. Good mouthfeel and decent length. Probably needs some more time but clearly a pinot with class and potential and probably worthy of the status this wine has achieved from those in the know in a short space of time.

Arakoon Doyen Shiraz 2001 (Recommended)

Arakoon's flagship wine. Appearance - dark blood red with light red rim. Ripe and sweet nose with an almost intense trait coming through. Massive, actually, with some nice funky stink. Palate provides a big big big mouthful. Super powerful, plush fruit, dry tannins, low acid, aniceed. Not hot, and amazing that it holds the alcohol so well given the 16%. No noticable oak.

Tasting Notes - Lenswood Palatine Cabernet Merlot Malbec 1998

A rare true red wine vintage for a cool region. The almost opaque appearance is unusual for cool climate cab. A fairly subdued nose with some blackcurrant and tea leaves.Medium bodied wine, not a heap of primary fruit, tannic, tightly wound, astringent - maybe needs time. Really nice blackcurrant and tea leves in a secondary style. Furry mouthfeel and finish - needs 2-3 years to see where it is going.

Tasting Notes - Chalk Hill Unwooded Chardonnay 2000 (Recommended)

Sourced from a ten year old vineyard between McLaren Vale and Willunga. Surprisingly RPJ awarded the wine 88 points.

A deep yellow gold. Looks nice but quite developed for a 3 year old. The nose is ripish, with some peachy and tropical fruit notes.

Palate: more ripeness that leads to quite a mouthfeel. Some hotness but held in check. More of the simple tropical fruit that still seems quite held together with some acid but the lack of oak support is telling in the finish which does fade. That said I couldn't help but like the drink. Dead simple in many respects but well made. A touch oily and has some aged characters which do add to the appeal. Ultimately exceeded expectations. QPR @ $14 Good to VG.

Tasting Notes - Rusden GSM 2001 (Recommended)

A savoury funky nose - almost pinot like characters - shows good complexity. More funky, savoury notes on the palate but a noticable hot, sharp note that runs through the palate. This adds to the wine as a firming quality. More pinot notes. Well put together and made. Tasting is quite consistent with tastings of a month ago.