New Releases - December Pt.3

Champagne
Larmandier Bernier Brut Traditional Premier Cru NV $94 (Champagne)
Larmandier Bernier Brut Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru NV $100 (Champagne)

Grenache & Blends
La Curio Grenache Shiraz 2007 $23 (McLaren Vale)

Italian Reds
Mount Majura Graciano 2007 $22 (Canberra)

Merlot
Narkoojee "The Athelstan" 2006 $29 (Gippsland)

Pinot Grigio / Gris
Kurabana "Mt Moriac" Pinot Grigio 2008 $18 (Geelong)
Nazaaray Pinot Gris 2008 $25 (Mornington Peninsula)

Pinot Noir
Martinborough Vineyard "Tetera" 2006 $38 (Martinborough)
Mount Difficulty 2007 $53 (Central Otago)
Old Kent River 2006 $19 (Great Southern)

Sauvignon Blanc
Latitude 41 2008 $20 (Marlborough)

Shiraz
La Curio "Reserve" 2006 $35 (McLaren Vale)
Laanecoorie "McQuilten Reserve" 2006 $46 (Bendigo)
Lazy Bellarina 2007 $23 (McLaren Vale)
Mollydooker "Two Left Feet" Shiraz Cabernet Merlot 2007 $24 (McLaren Vale)
Murray Streey Vineyards "Gomersal" 2005 $48 (Barossa Valley)
Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz 2007 $24 (McLaren Vale)
Ngeringa "Syrah" 2006 $56 (Adelaide Hills)

Sparkling Whites & Reds
Louise Bouillot "Perle de Vigne" NV Sparkling White $25 (France - Burgundy)

White Blends
Longhop "Quattro" 2008 $16 (Adelaide Plains)

New Releases - December Pt.2

Albarino
Crittenden Estate "Los Hermanos" 2008 $27 (Mornington Peninsula)

Cabernet & Blends
Di Giorgio "Coonawarra" 2004 $26 (Coonawarra)
Eagle Vale Cabernet Merlot 2007 $20 (Margaret River)
Kalgan River Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $22 (King Valley)

Chardonnay
Bellbrae Estate "Longboard" 2007 $19 (Geelong)
Dalzotto 2004 $23 (King Valley)
Herve Avo "Chablis" 2007 $38 (France)
Verget Bourgogne "Terroirs de Bote DOr" Chardonnay 2006 $42 (France)

Italian Reds
D'Angelo Aglianico 2005 $36 (Italy)

Pinot Gris
Holly's Garden 2008 $25 (King Valley)
JL Wolf 2007 $24 (Germany)

Pinot Noir
Eastern Peak "Tache" 2006 $31 (Ballarat)
Eastern Peak "Intrinsic" 2005 $45 (Ballarat)
Elgee Park "Family Reserve" 2007 $34 (Mornington Peninsula)
Kurabana 2004 $19 (Geelong)

Port / Dessert / Fortifieds
Kaesler Touriga Nacional 2002

Riesling
Kalgan River 2007 $21 (Great Southern)

Rose
Kalgan River 2008 $21 (Great Southern)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Deviation Road 2008 $20 (Adelaide Hills)
Eagle Vale Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $20 (Margaret River)
Harewood Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $21 (Great Southern)

Shiraz
Flaxman Wines 2005 $46 (Barossa Valley)
Kalgan River 2007 $43 (Great Southern)
Sparkling Wines
Bress Sparkling Shiraz NV $19 (Bendigo)
Kurabana "Blanc de Noir" 2006 $28 (Geelong)
Gomeral 2006 $24 (Barossa Valley

Tasting Notes - Bodegas Senorio Godello Valdeorras Val de Sil 2003 (Recommended)

I suspect this variety is best drunk as an 2 to 4 year old but this was still a good drop. Deep yellow in colour and clearly mature. More than I would expected. Nose shows some oxidative and mildly volatile notes, like an old chenin, but quite acceptable. Tastes like it smells. Hard to describe, its simply an aged dry white, albeit it's only 5 years old. Instead this is all about balance and texture with nice and almost thick minerally chalky note. Again very chenin-like. A touch of bitterness and aniseed to finish.

Tasting Notes - Willespie Shiraz 1998 (Recommended)

A complete success for me and I dare say the winery. Very much in the secondary phase with light berry fruits, licks of tar and faint minerals, mild grainy tannin and hints of acid. Very settled and enjoyable. The lack of stronger fruits cost it a few points but to be fair this a 10 year old Margaret River shiraz.

New Releases - December Pt.1

Cabernet & Blends
Wantirna Estate "Hannah" Cabernet Blend 2006 $119 (Yarra Valley)
Wild Duck Creek "Alans" Cabernet 1999 $60 (Heathcote)

Chardonnay
Grosset 2006 $50 (Adelaide Hills)
Helm "Unwooded" 2008 $20 (Canberra)
Nicholson River "Estate" 2007 $39 (Gippsland)

Marsanne
Wanted Man Marsanne Viognier 2006 $33 (Heathcote)

Merlot
Hand Picked 2006 $18 (Yarra Valley)

Moscato
Hand Picked "Dasti" 2006 $18 (Italy)

Nebbiolo
GD Vajra "Langhe" 2006 $47 (Italy)

Pinot Noir
Herzog 2006 $63 (Marlborough)
Wantirna Estate "Lily" 2007 $63 (Yarra Valley)
Wild Dog "Parnassus" 2006 $23 (Gippsland)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Astrolabe 2008 $22 (Marlborough)
Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $32 (Adelaide Hills)

Shiraz
Hedonist 2005 $18 (McLaren Vale)
Wanted Man 2006 $33 (Heathcote)

New Releases - November Pt.5

Cabernet & Blends
Crittenden Estate "Cane Cut" 2005 $27 (Mornington Peninsula)


Grenanche
Bodegas San Alejandro "Baltasar Gracian Viñas Viejas" 2004 $28 (Spain)

Dessert Wines
Bodegas Castano "Dulce" Monastrell 2004 $47 (Spain)
De Fargues Sauternes 2002 $77 (Bordeaux, France)
Mount Horrocks "Cane Cut" Semillon 2008 $34 (Clare Valley)

Pinot Gris
Jinks Creek 2007 $23 (Gippsland)

Pinot Noir
Chard Farm "Tiger" 2006 $53 (Central Otago)
Derwent Estate 2007 $33 (Tasmania)


Riesling
Crawford River 'Young Vines' 2008 $26 (Henty)
Crabtree 2007 $20 (Clare Valley)
Chard farm "Viper" 2006 $53 (Central Otago)
Jinks Creek 2006 $27 (Gippsland)


Sauvignon Blanc
Domaine A "Laby A" Fume Blanc 2005 $65 (Tasmania)
Durvillia 2008 $19 (Marlborough)

Sherry
La Goya Manzanilla NV $17 (Spain)

Shiraz
Battley "Syrah" 2005 $62 (Beechworth)
Bird in Hand "2 in the Bush" 2006 $19 (Adelaide Hills)
Curlewis 2003 $33 (Geelong)
Connor Park 2005 $24 (Bendigo)
Fireblock 2006 $20 (Clare Valley)
Jinks Creek "Yarra Valley" 2005 $32 (Yarra Valley)
Jinks Creel "Longford" 2005 $32 (Yarra Valley)

Sparkling Wines
Frogmore Creek "Evermore Cuvee" 2004 $34 (Tasmania)

White Rhone Blends
Lillian Marsanne Rousanne 2007 $29 (Pemberton)

Tasting Notes - Mixed Bag, Good Wines!

Chateau La Pointe 1994 (Pomerol, Bordeaux)
Mushy fruits, merlot dominant, some green fruits and plenty of acid running through the palate. Probably won't get a lot better.

Yarra Yarra Syrah 2005 (Yarra Valley) - Recommended
Bloody hell! Look out Northern Rhone. Incredibly perfumed nose of spice and fruit cake. Palate is surprisingly sweet with more light touch fruit cake, medium weight tannin. Some citrus (works well). Fantastic.

Mills Reef 'Elspeth' Syrah 2000 (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)
Slightly mushy and wet hessian fruits. Good depth of plum fruits. Fruits are mildly stinky and sweaty to taste; some astringency and acid. Still quite in tact but lacks a little friendliness. But, hard to complain here.

Trimbach Gewurztraminer 1983 (Alsace, France) - Recommended
Mega plush and smooth but certainly not sweet at all. Elegantly mature. Well balanced with musky fruits. Just plain impressive for its age.