Lots of in, Lots of out Riesling 2021 – 97 points (drink 2027-2035)
“Very pale colour and a stunning wine from the get-go. Beautifully pristine, precise and pure aromas of pears, white flowers, mineral and spice showing superb subtlety and understated power. That purity follows through on the palate driven by a bolt of balanced acidity and just a touch of acidity to bright it all together before driving through to a long and fine finish. Just superb although you want to give this wine sometime in the cellar to see its best.” – AH
Aerope Grenache 2019 – 95 points (drink now-2030)
“Medium-deep crimson. A very attractive and complex grenache with intense dark cherry, dark chocolate, mocha toffee, espresso aromas. Well concentrated on the palate with dark cherry, dark chocolate, praline flavours, fine slinky textures, lovely mid-palate viscosity and well-integrated acidity. All the elements are in perfect balance.” – AH
Samantha’s Garden Shiraz 2020 – 94 points (drink 2022-2032)
“Deep crimson in colour and a beautifully expressive version of Clare Valley Shiraz with characteristic minerality while in a slightly more elegant and manicured frame. There is an enticing mix of fruit to start – blackberry, blue slate and liquorice with a bed of mocha/coffee grains oak. Great generosity and palate composure follows with plenty of choc/blackberry fruits with faint earthy tinges underpinned by solid, well integrated tannins. Balance is the key here which continues over a long and satisfying finish.” – AH
Lily’s Garden Shiraz 2020 – 93 points (drink 2024-2030)
“Deep crimson in colour and your classic crowd-pleasing McLaren Vale style thanks to its punchy, muscular fruits – blueberry, blackberry and chocolate jousting away well matched to sweet mocha oak. It then gets a bit more serious on the palate with a robust firm, structure well supported by rich blackberry and fruit pastille flavours through to a lengthy finish. Tannins are a little bit sinewy right now but with a couple of years this will be right in the slot” – AH
Bella’s Garden Shiraz 2020 – 93 points (drink 2024-2030)
“Deep crimson and quite an approachable and fleshy Barossan showing the effects of the baking hot 2020 vintage. Fruit is generous with layers of blackcurrants, red currants, mulberries and a nice dusting of peppery spice with coffee grounds oak in support. There is a real juiciness of acidity that provides an attractive freshness and brightness to the palate before settling into supple dark fruits with a base of al dente tannins which help to support a lingering finish. An earlier drinking vintage of Bella’s Garden.” – AH
Twelftree Chaffeys Road Grenache 2020 – 96 points (drink 2025-2032)
“Some Grenache can be real chameleons as young wines offering up just a hint of how they will evolve in the bottle, and you need to really look hard for the signs – this is such a wine. Bright light crimson in, it is gently fragrant and enticing as a young wine, and a little shy right now with its delicious layers of red licorice, dried mint, spice and charcuterie aromas plus a gentle oak frame. The palate is then dry, lightweight and supple but with a deadly serious core of earthy red fruits superbly balance with silky tannins before finishing spicy and long. Young and tight, this needs time to blossom.” – AH
Twelftree Schuller Grenache 2020 – 93 points (drink 2023-2037)
“A much prettier version of McLaren Vale Grenache here from Blewitt Springs which is bursting with moreish red fruits – raspberry, strawberry and red liquorice are on display with a pretty spicy floral character coming through and old oak sitting in the background. That brightness and freshness continues on what is a seamless palate, gently sandy tannins provide a supple backbone to vibrant red fruits with a little zip of acidity helping to drive a lengthy finish. So delicious now, it is hard to see this lasting long in any cellar.” – AH
Twelftree Vinegrove Grenache 2020 – 94 points (drink now-2030)
“Medium crimson. Lovely fresh pure and vibrant aromas of raspberry and strawberry fruits with mocha, savoury oak and aniseed complexity. Inky textured and plump, it shows delightful pure raspberry, strawberry and redcurrant fruit flavours with fine slinky textures and fresh long juicy acidity.” – AH.
Brave Faces GMS 2021 – 94 points (drink now-2028)
“Medium-deep crimson. A good mix of sweet and savoury fruits on display with attractive musky plum and redcurrant aromas with hints of earth and roasted walnuts. Generous and supple, there are plentiful musky plum and redcurrant fruit aromas, fine slinky textures, attractive mid-palate viscosity and linear fresh acidity before a chalky finish with vinosity and mineral length.” – AH
Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (drink 2022-2027)
“Sexy beast in name and name starting out with an opaque ruby colour before launching into decadent and luscious aromas of blackcurrant jam and dark chocolate but nicely tempered by a gentle leafiness and toasty oak. It continues in the bold, high-octane style on the palate with great upfront impact and then lashings of dense, dark berry fruits with serious power and length with juicy acidity and oak tannins providing a good backbone to drink well over the next five years.” – AH
Lucky Duck Blanc de Blancs 2015 (drink 2022-2027)
“Pale straw in colour with a very fine and silky bead. A bright and fresh aperitif style despite some bottle age thanks to subtle citrus and tonic water notes with a nice touch of buttered brioche which adds an attractive savoury edge. Quite a classic Blanc de Blancs palate follows thanks to a precise core of fruits underlined by juicy acidity with plenty of yeasty complexity, even a touch of Vegemite, on a long and strong finish. In the zone and ready to enjoy over the next five years.” – AH
