Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
Central Otago, South Island
55657
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: Deep boysenberry red, almost opaque. Tight and closed on first opening with subtle cherry in the grainy textured palate. It needs some coaxing and swirling to bring out its spicy oak and complex, sweet-fruited flavours that are so much obvious the next day. Ripe black cherry, plum, hints of violets, a touch of mocha, bitter chocolate and creamy oak with firm, velvety textured tannins and dried herbs on the earthy, savoury finish. Long and expansive. Just needs to integrate a little more. (Sue Courtney,
www.wineoftheweek.com,
Aug. 19, 2007)
CLOUDY BAY TE KOKO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2004
Marlborough, South Island
598854
(XD) 750 mL $43
TASTING NOTE: Funky wild yeast aromas, rich and powerful. Pineapple, melon, lovely mellow French oak, a touch of caramel, strawberry, lovely fruit sweetness - long and lasting - a yummy wine to drink. Next day: Gorgeous nose of very ripe pineapple and smoky mellow oak. Creamy texture, sweet peach, melon and tropical finish, savoury, almost salty finish. Fantastic wine. Even the teenagers loved it - pity they can't afford it. (Sue Courtney,
www.wineoftheweek.com,
June 1, 2007)
Connor Park The Honour Shiraz 2004
Bendigo, Victoria
60582
(XD) 750 mL $42
TASTING NOTE: Dense colour; the alcohol is immediately apparent in a massively lush and opulent wine ranging through prune, cassis and blackberry. Aged in French oak. From 1960s planting; a pity it wasn't picked earlier; 200 cases. Drink [until] 2014. Score - 90.
(James Halliday,
winecompanion.com.au,
Nov. 2006)
CORIOLE LLOYD RESERVE SHIRAZ 2005
McLaren Vale, South Australia
904052
(XD) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 “Lloyd Reserve” Shiraz comes from a single vineyard that was planted in 1919. It was aged for 22 months in French oak. Opaque purple, it offers a splendid perfume of coffee, cocoa, damp earth, plum, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, sweet, and ripe, the wine has layers of fruit, terrific density and an opulent personality. Give it 6-8 years to evolve and drink it through 2030. Score - 93.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2007)
Fox Gordon Eight Uncles Shiraz 2005
Barossa Valley, South Australia
683276
(XD) 750 mL $29
TASTING NOTE: Inky purple. Highly expressive blackberry and candied plum aromas display good clarity and are deepened by notes of cured tobacco and mocha. Lush and round but the dark fruit flavors have an appealing restraint and focus, too. Soft tannins build on the long, velvety finish. This has the balance to age. Score - 90.
(Josh Raynolds,
International Wine Cellar,
July/Aug. 2007)
Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz 2005
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Unfiltered
58032
(D) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: The profound 2005 Shiraz Amon Ra is fashioned from a dry grown, 100- to 110 year-old vineyard, and spends 14 months in a combination of 100% new French and American barrels as well as 300-liter hogsheads. A saturated purple color is followed by scents of creme de cassis, incense, licorice, black raspberries, graphite, and sweet wood. It unfolds beautifully on the palate to reveal terrific richness, full-bodied power, great definition, and lovely elegance. This exquisite Shiraz is still young, but it possesses a degree of accessibility. It should age for two decades. It is a superb example of cutting edge winemaking being utilized on ancient Shiraz vines in the Barossa. Drink 2006-2026. Score - 98.
(Robert Parker Jr.,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2006)
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2005
McLaren Vale, South Australia
55608
(D) 750 mL $42
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 Shiraz “The Mad Hatter” is opaque purple in color with glass-coating glycerin. It offers aromas of cedar, smoke, scorched earth, tar, espresso, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a full-bodied wine with gobs of fruit, a plush texture, layers of flavor, ripe tannins, and a lengthy finish. Give it 5-7 years in the bottle and drink it through 2030.
Score - 92.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2007)
Kilikanoon Attunga 1865 Shiraz 2005
Clare Valley, South Australia
54742
(XD) 750 mL $219
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 Shiraz “Attunga 1865” is sourced from ungrafted vines planted in the Clare Valley in 1865. It spent 25 months in 100% new French oak hogsheads and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Opaque purple/black, it reveals an ethereal bouquet of crushed rocks, acacia flowers, espresso, mocha, black cherry, and blackberry. This leads to a powerful, intense, yet elegant wine with a very long, seamless finish. This beautifully balanced effort will excite tasters over the next 25 years. Score - 97.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2007)
KILIKANOON PRODIGAL GRENACHE 2005 Clare Valley, South Australia
927582 (D) 750 mL $ 34
Tasting Note: The 2005 Grenache "Prodigal" was sourced from vineyards with 48- and 68-year-old Grenache bush vines and aged for 24 months in older oak. Medium ruby-colored, it offers an exotic perfume of mineral, damp earth, kirsch, wild raspberry, and licorice. Velvety-textured, deep, and long, it will drink well over the next 8-10 years. Kilikanoon's winemaker is the talented Kevin Mitchell. The house specialty is Shiraz but Mitchell does equally well with Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache. Score - 91. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007)
Kilikanoon The Duke Grenache 2005
Clare Valley, South Australia
55319
(XD) 750 mL $65
Winemaker Kevin Mitchell named his flagship Grenache after his maternal grandfather, Maurice Duke, who was an early grape-grower and winemaker in Clare Valley. Made traditionally in small quantities, the Duke is hand-picked from old vines and aged for two years in French and American oak, and bottled without filtration. Very tasty now or can be aged for 10+ years.
Schild Estate Ben Schild Reserve Shiraz 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
58727
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: This is a big, lush, lavishly oaked wine that nonetheless pulls it all together with balance and elegance. Inky black in color, it leads with a blast of toasty, mentholated oak on the nose, backed by waves of blueberries and mint. Then the flavors call to mind dark chocolate and coconut, accented by almonds and the recurring blueberries. It’s creamy-textured and finishes long, with supple tannins that deftly dry your palate; they’re almost unnoticeable yet still provide structure. Drink now–2012, maybe longer. Score - 94.
(Joe Czerwinski,
Wine Enthusiast,
Dec. 15, 2006)
St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
728477
(XD) 750 mL $49
Here is your chance to compare two consecutive vintages of St. Hallett's Old Block: this catalogue also contains the 2003 vintage (68411).
St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2003
Barossa Valley, South Australia
68411
(XD) 750 mL $52
TASTING NOTE: Medium red-purple; a complex, multifaceted wine, very good red fruits for the vintage; elegant, long and fine; good tannins. Drink [until] 2013. Score - 94.
(James Halliday,
winecompanion.com.au,
Sept. 2006)
The Willows Bonesetter Shiraz 2003
Barossa Valley, South Australia
55368
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: The 2003 Shiraz Bonesetter (I love the name) is a bigger, more structured effort than the regular bottling, with an intense black/purple color, a full-bodied bouquet of blackberries, cassis, smoked herbs, and roasted meats, and a reasonably powerful (14% alcohol), rich, multilayered personality. While this Shiraz will not mend any broken bones, it will relax the spirit, and please both the palate and the intellect. Score - 94.
(Robert Parker Jr.,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2006)
This Bordeaux-style blend (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc) is the jewel in Capaia's crown. Aged for 15 months in new French oak barriques, it displays aromas and flavours of bright berry fruit (cherry and blackcurrants) mixed with spice, roasted nuts and dark chocolate. All is in balance with its deliciously ripe and rich palate wrapped in superfine tannins. Enjoy with lamb or game such as pheasant.
Cloof Crucible Shiraz 2004
WO Darling
5058
(XD) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: Similar concentration, flavour & oaking to showstopper 03. Spicy red fruit even more focused by bright acidity & lower sugar (2.2 vs 5.6g/L) & alc (14.8 vs 15.5%). Still powerful & well crafted with sustained sappy finish; loads of potential.
Score - 1/2 (out of 5).
(Meryl Weaver,
John Platter South African Wines,
2007)
De Toren Fusion V 2004 WO Stellenbosch
59238
(XD) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: Features a good solid beam of raspberry and fig fruit, with fig, mocha and cocoa notes. Nice length, with a vibrant, minerally spine on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2009. Score - 91.
(James Molesworth,
www.winespectator.com,
March 31, 2007)
KANONKOP PINOTAGE 2004
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
987537
(XD) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: Lovely, pure-fruited aromas/flavours on 04, complicated but unspoilt by wood (16 mths mostly new Fr). Big 14.9% alc, but in balance with ripe, sweet fruit. Gd acid, well restrained tannic structure. Charm & power for long haul.
Score - 1/2 (out of 5). (Tim James,
John Platter South African Wines,
2007)
Rustenberg Peter Barlow 2004 WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
55574
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: (100% cabernet sauvignon from a single vineyard; aged in 75% new oak) Deep ruby-red. Pure, perfumed aromas of cassis, minerals, licorice and flowers. Extremely primary wine, entering the mouth with subtlety, then building inexorably in silky texture, concentration and power. Wonderfully spicy and penetrating, finishing with noble, sweet tannins and superb persistence. A great wine in the making, but still an infant. Score - 93(+?).
(Stephen Tanzer,
International Wine Cellar,
March/April 2007)
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 Almaviva is dark ruby-colored with a classy nose of smoke, violets, mineral, pencil lead, espresso, black currants, and blackberry. This is followed by a supple-textured wine with layers of sweet fruit, excellent depth and concentration, and well integrated oak, tannin, and acidity. There is enough structure to support 5-7 years of further evolution in the bottle and it should continue to drink well through 2037. Almaviva is a partnership of Bordeaux first-growth Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Concha y Toro. Made in the style of top of the line Pauillac, the blend is typically 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22-23% Carmenere (a very close relative of Merlot), and 4-5% Cabernet Franc. It spends 18 months in new French oak and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Drink 2007-2037. Score - 94.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
June 2007)
