Tasting Notes - St Mary's Home Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Serious nose; tobacco, a hint of leaf, a tinge musty. Very austere in the mouth, tannic, drying, furry, more musty notes (not corked). Shy of primary fruit and doesn't offer much immediate gratification. There are better options at the price and in the region. Bottle condition has a slight question mark given the musty notes. ($28)

Tasting Notes - Redgate Cabernet Merlot 2001

Another decent effort from this normally reliable MR producer. Elegant yet full nose; nice blackberry and herbal notes. Tighter and less fruit friendly in the mouth; a touch astringent and tannic (only just) but the elegant fruit notes remain. To be fair the bottle had been open for some hours so likely to have been looking better earlier in the evening.

(Note to winery / distributor / whoever is responsible: stopping putting this winery into wine liquidation centres and we'll start buying the wine again.)

Tasting Notes - Blue Metal Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Recommended)

First wine I've tasted from NSW's Southern Highlands. Very generic dry white style early, lacking a little in true varietal notes. Opens up considerably as the wine warms up, showing nice pineapple and tropical fruit notes. Very friendly style that should have wide appeal, although won't wine a heap of fans looking for complexity. Easily the best of the current releases from Blue Metal.

Tasting Notes - TK Lenswood Pinot Noir 2003

Slight reincarnation of Tim Knappstein's former 'Lenswood' label. We have always found that the winery doesn't really excite at the pointy end (ie sales to punters) despite the lavish praise often heaped on Tim's wines by various critics.Anyway, this wine is somewhat similar to a few other 2003's we've tried from Adelaide Hills. Ripe, quite dry, some tannic backbone and ever so slightly stewed fruits. Reminds me of the AHV Picadilly. A touch simply and doesn't scream Burgundy but should have appeal for those looking for a fuller, riper dyr red style. I was quite ready to mark this wine down on QPR assuming it was north of $30) but in fact should retail for $20 even....a realistic price that shows decent value.

Hartz Barn General Store Riesling 2004 (Recommended)

Sourced from a Eden Valley vineyard. Shows a little pale gold int he glass, giving a image of some development. Nose is quite big, good lift of primary fruits (lime, tropical fruits) and a hint of nervy acid. Follows through well in the palate, more accessible lime and fruits, some acid sitting in the background. Going very well now, likely to travel well over a 6 year time frame but would seem a shame not to consumer over the next 6 months.

Tasting Notes - Hartz Barn Merlot 2003 (Recommended)

Dark blood red in the glass. Sweet nose, feels a touch sugary, but has reasonable lift. A little simple though. An interesting contrast in the palate, starts off somewhat simple and sweet. This blows off soon enough to reveal a more balanced medium bodied style that shows hints of savouriness that has really defined the Hartz Barn 2001 wines and to a lesser extent the 2002's. This is a little young right now but based on previous vintages likely to improve for drinking in a 4 - 7 yr time frame.

Tastings Notes - Holly's Garden Pinot Gris 2004 (Recommended)

True to form, high alcohol over-the-top style. Strange nose, dusty and musty like despite the stelvin closure. Blows off after an while and in any event doesn't at all impact of the super-ripe, super-charged palate with massives of powerful tropical fruits. As always a lot of fun and will appeal to many people.

Tasting Notes - Morgan Vineyard New Releases

Chardonnay 2004 $21 (Recommended)
Very pale gold, youthful looking. Subdued nose, doesn't do much. Palate is kinda similar; nice enough, but in the early stages doesn't get out of second gear. Nice green melon notes underpin the fruit profile. I wasn't totally convinced initially but the fruit certaintly opened up with time, and I think this was also a function to the wine warming up a little. Looks ok on a Yarra Valley QPR basis.

Pinot Noir 2004 $26
Blood red with some lightening at the rim. Stewed fruits on the nose, a bit of a turn-off at first, but supported with attractive spice and rhurbarb. Pretty good mouthful; more stewed fruits early, feeling a touch simple, and then gives way to a raspy, fairly acidic style with some firmness. Finishes a fraction hard. Some sour cherry appears on a fractionally dilutive finish.

Shiraz 2004 (Heathcote) (Recommended)
Nice dark blood red. Sweet juicy nose with an almost unfinished / unfermented character (think being in the winery at vintage time). Accessible fresh palate, some sweet berry fruits, delivers plenty of appeal. The only detraction is a slight hardness, probably extracted feel. From what we've seen over 2004 and 2003 this not an uncommon observation, perhaps the product of pushing younger Heathcote vineyards?

Tasting Notes - Fox Gorden 8 Uncles Shiraz 2004 (Recommended)

Solid dark red with a touch of lightness at the rim. Taunt, serious nose with spicy oak and some attractive gamey notes. Shows penetration and length.Well proportioned palate with more gamey notes lurking. Shows excellent mouth coverage and very good balance, all overlayed with a fell of elegance. Very classy wine that should age for at least 5yrs. Only minor quibble is a lack of obvious fruit upfront (muted by some right now?) but I'm tipping the winemaker never really intended for this drop to be the instant gratification type.

Tasting Notes - Grove Estate Whites

Grove Estate are a reasonably significant grower in the Hilltops area that having been keeping aside small parcels of fruit since 1997 for their own label. The shiraz goes into Clonakilla's Hilltops shiraz (will review soon) and the show performance of the entire range, along with praise from Halliday, has been impressive.

Semillon 2000 (Recommended)
This sem shows good intermediate development colour - bright light yellow - infact looking for all the world like a 3yr chard. Classic nose of lemon, a little toast , a touch of fruit sweetness and some underlying pepper. More lemon in the mouth but does give way to some tropical fruit notes. A acid / citrus feel underpins, driving length. Looking great for a 5 year old and has got another 5 to go (easily). The sliver of upfront fruitiness makes this very approachable, and provides a good halfway house between the austere Hunter style and its more flamboyant Margaret River counterpart.

Riesling 2001
Toasty, broad, has a mature feel. Similar in the mouth but has a core of zingy acid. Big citrus notes. Just a traction broad in the mouth but might gain some complexity with time.

Murringo Way Chardonnay 2003
Spicy and woody on the nose, feels a bit tired, but does have good core of sweet fruit. On the palate you again get a sence that the fruit is fading but this wine is travelling ok for the time being.