Tasting Notes - Wynns Coonawarra Cab Sav 1996

My second look at this much hyped vintage over the past 2 years. Very much a mature wine that has clearly peaked but is holding reasonably well. Colour is good - medium blood red with no obvious fade. Nose shows very good balance with red berries giving a strong lift. Softer to taste as the fruit is starting to slide with the berry fruits fading to leave more leafy character. Structure si still quite firm with medium strength, lingering and drying tannins. If you have any of this vintage left drink up over the next 12 months. By a means of comparison not looking as good as the 1998 was last year.

Tasting Notes - Karra Yerta Riesling 2005 (Recommended)

I guess one good thing about the wine glut is that 2005 riesling from Clare and Eden Valley is still freely available. We tried a cracking riesling from Radford Dale the other week and I'm pleased to report that the Karra Yerta is bang on target (and comparable). Traces of development on the nose (broadening citrus flavours, a touch of honey), not totally unexpected, but somewhat tighter to taste. Dry lemon, plenty of acid zingy, yet quite soft and easy to drink. Again the the faintest broadening on the finish speakes to the 2 years of age. This will look great as a 4 - 6 year old.As an aside the vineyard has impeccable pedigree; 75 year old located on the same patch of land as 3 Rivers and Hobbs.

Brindabella Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2006 - Reco

What a great wine. The best Oz SB I've had in 18 months (regardless of price) and a great alternative to the ultra clean, formulayic, and possibly boring, NZ sav blanc. Nose promises plenty; dirty fruits (Euro style), and evidence of a few wine making tricks (solids in the ferment perhaps?). Of course I could be reading far too much into this. Complex palate relative to the style with minerally fruits (a hint of tropical character)more dirty stone fruit notes and very good length. Excellent complexity at the price. Not unlike Gembrook Hill's very good SB. A steal at $15.

Tasting Note - The Wanderer Gewurztraminer 2006 (Recommended)

Australian gewurzt, to my mind, is a real weak spot in the national wine armourey. Most examples we've had, not many mind you, tend to be bland dry white styles. Of course these constrast sharply with the rich, complexity laden Alsatians and the ripe, musky, thick examples from New Zealand.

Thankfully Andrew Marks from The Wanderer winery in the Yarra Valley is keeping the dream alive with consistently good GW over the past 3 years. The 2006 is branded as a single varietal although chardonnay makes up 15% of the composition - an input consistent with prior years.Despite the wine's seemingly light weight at 12.8% there's a truck load of flavour and varietal punch. Ripe musk and tropical fruit flavours never get sluggish or heavy. Touches of spice keep the palate interesting and quite good flavour intensity. In our opinion this could be the best Australian GW getting around at the minute.

Tasting Notes - Provenance Pinot Gris 2006

This wine built a reputation back in 2002 and 2003 as a leading Victorian Pinot Gris and certainly the best from Geelong (and perhaps outside of Mornington). However, in our humble view, the wine hasn't quite hit its straps in the last few years. The 2006 is no disappointment but ~$29 at retail (at least) certainly has it asking questions of its opposition. On this value / price ratio the wine fails.Sweetish nose with faint musk traits. Simple palate structure driven by a one dimensional flavour profile that is maybe best described as a ripe 'dry white' style. Certaintly has some weight, with a little heat, and whilst fair to the style, doesn't really aspire to build any complexity.

Kings Creek Estate Chardonnay 2005

On paper this wine should be a cracker. Old vines, relative to the region at 25yrs, and the utilisation of perhaps the region's best winemaker (Sandro from Kooyong). However, there's plenty of $25 chardonnay around and I don't think this did enough to differentiate. Pale lemon in colour, very youthful. Nose is quite rich with ripe peachy fruits and the faintest hint of oak. Palate is unexpectedly tight and citrusy. Whilst this in itself may bode well for logevity its hard to pick up attractive fruit traits right now. Almost comes across as dilutive (and maybe it is a touch) but I sense that's the unyielding palate structure. I'm not reading this one well at all and would think it will look better in 12 months. The problem of course is will I bother?