{screwcap, 14%} Maturing, malty kind of aromas. Black fruit, touch of vanilla (oak?) too. Quite intense and enticing. The palate disappoints, relatively; it's ripe enough, but diffuse, and the initial richness of fruit seems to dissipate rather quickly. It's only just medium-bodied, with crisp acid, and low, finely grainy tannins, with little sense of oak. Fruit seems rather black cherry, subtle enough. Knowing it's Hunter, there's an implied feel of sandy loam to the palate; it's probably a decent nod to the styles of yore. For that reason, there's no reason to say it won't be still perfectly drinkable in 20 years, but will it really develop complexity, or just age in a fading way? The finish doesn't seem all that long, nor extend past the mid-point of the tongue - that's the real concern in the long term.
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{screwcap, 14.2%} Bright & youthful. Raspberry, hint of cola. Minimal oak. Medium acid, soft tannins. Medium weight. Juicy texture, dry, short/medium length finish. Tidy wine; aging for a decade or so will be fine.
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{screwcap, 13%} Plenty of deep garnet still. Black cherry and cola nose - bit like a decent new-world pinot. Some voluptuous cherry fruit initially, with medium/high acid, little oak; the palate weight starts out hefty but fades quickly; the finish seems very short and sharp. A kind of firecracker wine. Hardly going to improve.
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10/29/2023 11:14:00 AM - Thanks for your input Graemeg! It's appreciated. Now looking forward to renew my acquaintance with Australian wine scene.
Cheers! Bandreas
10/27/2023 8:49:00 AM - Hello Graemeg,
Looking for some advice: Will be visiting Australia in December/January and will be in Rutherglen to revive the romance of the liqueur wines I tasted/bought when I lived in Melbourne in the 70ies. What two or three wineries should I visit for a tasting? Do I need to make tasting reservations?
What Coonawarra producers do you recommend? FYI in the 70ies I very much liked the 66 Wynn's Coonawarra Shirax and the 69 Redman Coonawarra Shiraz (the producer was Owen Redman). This gives you an idea of my stylistic preferences..
Thanks a lot for your help!
Cheers
Bandreas
5/30/2016 9:45:00 PM - hi wineotim; it was spectacularly hard to find in Oz as well! I think on the back of near-100 point reviews from some critics (dunno who) the vast bulk of it was shipped off to China to attempt to cash in...
5/14/2015 8:07:00 AM - Graeme: love your imagery. Penfolds St. Henri like a "V12 idling at 900 rpm." I wish I had thought of that. And I envy your access to Margaret River wines. Precious few from places like Evans & Tate make it to Pennsylvania, USA. Cheers!
12/19/2010 1:08:00 AM - thanks Graeme, got your reply. I'm terrible in keeping up with the grape stories thing. cheers for your response, let me know if you're short on numbers. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. David
2018 Mount Pleasant Wines Mount Henry Shiraz Pinot Noir
5/5/2024 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 14%} Maturing, malty kind of aromas. Black fruit, touch of vanilla (oak?) too. Quite intense and enticing. The palate disappoints, relatively; it's ripe enough, but diffuse, and the initial richness of fruit seems to dissipate rather quickly. It's only just medium-bodied, with crisp acid, and low, finely grainy tannins, with little sense of oak. Fruit seems rather black cherry, subtle enough. Knowing it's Hunter, there's an implied feel of sandy loam to the palate; it's probably a decent nod to the styles of yore. For that reason, there's no reason to say it won't be still perfectly drinkable in 20 years, but will it really develop complexity, or just age in a fading way? The finish doesn't seem all that long, nor extend past the mid-point of the tongue - that's the real concern in the long term.
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2022 Bakkheia Aequitas
5/5/2024 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 14.2%} Bright & youthful. Raspberry, hint of cola. Minimal oak. Medium acid, soft tannins. Medium weight. Juicy texture, dry, short/medium length finish. Tidy wine; aging for a decade or so will be fine.
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2018 Birgit Braunstein Zweigelt Mitterjoch
5/4/2024 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 13%} Plenty of deep garnet still. Black cherry and cola nose - bit like a decent new-world pinot. Some voluptuous cherry fruit initially, with medium/high acid, little oak; the palate weight starts out hefty but fades quickly; the finish seems very short and sharp. A kind of firecracker wine. Hardly going to improve.
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