2005 West Cape Howe Tempranillo

Jube-like raspberry fruit, aniseed and medium tannins. With a bit more air exposure a slightly darker berry character emerges and finishes with a nice grip. A lovely, easy drinking medium bodied wine that would go great with a wide range of food.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $25
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

2005 West Cape Howe Shiraz

A medium bodied, cool climate shiraz with quite vibrant, fleshy texture. Excellent berry and plum fruits, subtle spice and soft tannins to close.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $17
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

2004 Vasse Felix Shiraz

Plenty of rich, sweet berries on the palate and just a touch of jam. Cloves, aniseed and vanillin essence are also welcome partners in the mix. Pretty full bodied and with lots of savoury and spice nuances running through it like most good Margaret River shiraz.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz

Blueberry and blackberry fruit, white pepper, aniseed and spice. Pretty firm tannins at this point and finishes slightly tart with a dark strap of liquorice. Another year in the bottle should open this one up nicely and you can count on that.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Drink: 2008-2015

2004 Peter Lehmann The Futures Shiraz

An vibrant mix of blackberry, dark chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. A big, round and powerful wine with intense flavours and a polished texture. It finishes with creamy vanilla oak, fine tannins and excellent length.

Rate: 95pts
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2012+

2005 Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz

Blackcurrants, plum, spicy black pepper and a bit of VA coming through on the nose.
Similar on the palate with black fruits, plums, pepper, creamy vanilla oak and quite a steely savoury finish. A good example of Barossa shiraz at a reasonable price.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $30
Alcohol: 15%
Drink: 2009-2019+

2005 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Ridge Quartet

A classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot and malbec (So actually it is a quintet). Quite a spicy nose, and there is unmistakably cabernet presence – cassis, blackcurrants, mint and a bit of dark chocolate. On the palate similar with bold black fruits, sweet plums, chocolate and finishing on a rather cedary note.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $22
Alcohol: 15.0%
Drink: 2007-2012

2004 D’arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz

Big concentration of brambly blackberries, boysenberries and blackcurrants. It has a really nice deep slick of liquorice and spice notes running through the midpalate, and also a pleasant grainy texture complementing the subtle vanilla oak finish.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $20
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2010

2001 Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon

A complex nose of blackberries, cigar box, leather, wet earth and five star anise.
This follows right through to the palate – offering plenty of cassis, liquorice, mocha, and tobacco. Some grainy cocoa-like tannins close the wine nicely with a lovely, luxurious, velvety texture.
Drinking (very) well now, but with many years ahead.

Rate: 95pts
Price: $100
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2013+

2005 Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec

2005 Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec

Aromas of cassis, menthol, cedar and slightly sappy oak. Similar on the palate, with some blackberry fruit, tobacco leaf and rather coarse chewy tannins to close.The wine is a bit raw at this stage and should improve with a couple years. Still however, a disappointing release under this label.

Rate: 87pts
Price: $23
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2009-2012+

2005 Leasingham Bin61 Shiraz

Plums, chocolate, cracked pepper and some vanilla oak. Medium bodied and quite well structured. The wine itself is not bad, but it is slightly boring and lacks character and concentration. I’ve had other vintages of this wine – 1995, 2002 and 2003 and to my memory all those were wines of more character. A bit of a corporate coca-cola wine with this release I think.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $23
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink: 2008-2014

2004 Arimia Zinfandel

Yay... more Margaret River producers are having a shot at this grape. Cape Mentelle do it well.. but it is also very well priced (in their favour..).

Aromas of brandied raisins, dried fig, sweet oak and white pepper.

Huge on the palate, thick, jammy, rich and spicy dried fruit characters providing good flavour saturation before finishing warm (15.6% alcohol!) with liquorice and oak. A complex wine with a multitude of flavours enmeshed together powerfully. I love it!

Rate: 92pts

Cost: $25

Alcohol: 15.6%

Drink: 2007-2010+

Gramps Shiraz 2004

Needs some time in the decanter/glass before it struts it stuff.
Aromas of blackberries, coffee and vanilla oak.
On the palate it is big and meaty, with dark berry flavours followed by a smoky, leathery mid palate texture and finishing with a good dose of oak and some grainy tannins. A wine with plenty of stuffing.

Rate: 91pts
Alcohol: 14.5%(?)
Cost: $15
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 De Bortoli Yarra Valley Shiraz Viogner

Aromas of dark plum, sweet red berries and black pepper.
On the palate it shows up a bit darker, with blackberry, liquorice, roast meats and quite peppery but fine finish.
This wine is excellently structured, with oak, tannins and acidity in balance.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $35
Alc: 14.0%
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 Balnaves Coonawarra Shiraz

A gorgeous nose – showing blackberries, ripe plum, liquorice and vanillin oak.
On the palate, medium bodied with ripe currants, dark cherry and plum flavours followed by some grippy tannins and taut acidity. Quite a stylish and silky wine, with many years to promise.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2008-2013+

2000 Peel Estate Shiraz

Quite a complex nose, with aromas of dark red berries, leather, spicy clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Similar on the palate, medium to full fruit density complemented by lots of dusty cigar box, tobacco and cinnamon oak. There is a lot going on with this wine, but somehow this bottle wasn’t quite as good as other Peels I’ve had.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $38
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2003

Strong blackcurrant and cassis fruit up front, with tobacco, cedar and olive notes filling out the mid palate nicely before finely grained tannins kick in for a long and dry finish. All components superbly integrated and in fine balance, a wine that drinks beautifully now but will improve for another decade or more. (the kind of wine I like!)

Rate: 95pts
Price: $45
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2017+

2002 Peter Lehmann Mudflat Shiraz Muscadelle

Rich black fruit, dark plum and spicy raisin. A delicious wine with a rounded mouthfeel and rich texture, finishing slightly sweet with a hint of dried apricot. 15% ABV not noticeable at all, a testament to the fruit density present in this wine.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 15%
Drink: 2007-2012

2004 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz

Black fruits, spice and dark chocolate – classic Barossa.
Finishes a little warm for me, I think 1% less alcohol would do this wine well in terms of balance. However, it is good to see honest regional expression at the mid-low price bracket, and a year or two in the bottle will see improvement in this wine.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $15-20
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2008-2014

2004 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon

Blackberry, mulberry and raspberry effortlessly glides into your mouth along with nuances of chocolate, cedar and tobacco oak. Beneath it all lies a frame of fine grained tannins which consolidates on the finish. A deliciously smooth and mouth filling wine.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $35
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2012

2006 Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Shiraz

This wine got “best red wine bargain” of the year according to Campbell Matthew’s Big Red Album book, and its hard not to disagree. A delicious mix of dark plum, berries, milk chocolate, light cinnamon and a whisper of creamy vanillin oak which seamlessly makes it way onto the palate. Probably one of the most easily drinkable wines I’ve ever had, but its anything but boring!

Rate: 92pts
Price: $17
Alc: 14%
Drink: 2007-2009

2005 Bremerton Selkirk Shiraz

Generous black fruits, milk chocolate and vanillin oak with soft to medium mid palate tannins. Rich in flavour and well textured – it is simply delicious drinking.
Drinking now but will see some improvement over the next 12-18 months in the bottle.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $25
Alc: 14.5%

2005 Pillar Box Red

A fruit driven style, with loads of blackberry and plum flavours on the palate.
A simple no-nonsense wine that puts fruit above everything. Rather simple, but enjoyable to drink. Just drink, don’t think!
Slightly less alcohol would have probably added a point onto this wine, but it delivers in spades at this price point.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $11
Alc: 15%

2003 Bremeton Tamblyn Cabernet Shiraz Malbec Merlot

Simple, forward and soft. Blackberry/cassis fruit up front with light tobacco oak nuances lingering in the background. Lacks intensity – but a good red wine for people who don’t usually drink red wine.

Rate: 87-88pts
Price: $18
Alc: 14.5%

2004 Kangarilla Road Zinfandel

2004 Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale Zinfandel

Good varietal – plenty of spicy raisin/fruit cake, prunes and red berries with some soft tannins in the background.

A bit of heat on the finish but the fruit matches up reasonably well.
Lighter than other zinfandels I've tried but still offers plenty. A decent, honest varietal and a good starting point (price wise too) if you're looking to try the grape.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $16-20
Alc: 16%
Drink: 2007-2009
Source: Vintage Cellars

Welcome!

Welcome all...

the aims of this website is to hopefully be of help to those of you out there looking for a good drop of vino..

Michael