Had a nice casual dinner with friends...
Framingham F Series Old Vine Riesling 2012....A NZ Riesling but tasted more like an Australian one...I was told 6g/L RS...that seems about right..slight hint of sweetness but not a lot...good acid...slatey minerally iron on the palate...Good depth, great acid, the sugar is coming across differently than most NZ Rieslings I've had...Really quite good this one. I'd like to see it in 5+ years though.. 91 points
Clonakilla Viognier 2008
Far better acidity on this than I was expecting and the structure is there for this to easily got another 5+ years....Mouthfeel was very Chardonnay like...good acid, you could sense the oak but it gave it depth....The apricotiness is all gone and instead you get nice florals, minerality, a little peach....Someone said Viognier doesn't age...well, at least this is one that does...91 points
Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2003
This opens up and I get sweet French oak on the nose..sweet vanilla...reminds me of a McLaren Vale....After pouring you definitely pick up some Hunter notes...earth, some poop, leather..but the oak is throwing me off...the color is also very dark....Palate is like a cross between McLaren Vale and the Hunter. Dark fruit, very ripe (2003 was a rather ripe year in the Hunter). Earth, Leather, vanilla, some chocolate as well on the palate. Good acidity and tannin structure is there as well...This could easily last another 10 years....I know Thomas reds are bigger but it has been awhile since I've had one...Put this in the Graveyard/Alexander Munro type category...whereas I'm preferring more Vat 9 type stuff...Still, very good...92 points
Ar Fion Smokestack Lightning Pinot Noir 2013.
Strawberries and Strawberries on the nose...smells a lot like a Rose made from Pinot...Color is very light but that doesn't bother me at all. Palate was VERY rose like..but not. This was sort of like drinking the darkest deepest Rose I've ever had...it had much better mouthfeel though...good acid..a very interesting wine...Something was missing though....Is this a Pinot Noir Rose? Seems like it to me...weird...87 points..
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2004
16%+ alcohol...but I really didn't get a lot of heat from it...Big big red...really ripe fruit...for people like that fruit bombs, here you go...Really quite well made, good depth and complexity... 90 points
Wendouree Shiraz 2012
Much like the Shiraz Malbec (but not the Shiraz Mataro), this is actually borderline sweet...almost has that fake candy taste I hate too. In my mind, this is NOT Wendouree....There is structure there..acidity and some fine tannins...and the fruit is VERY young..VERY VERY young...so knowing their reputation, I'd like to give this at least 5+ years before making an assessment....I love Wendouree....but so far I'm not loving this..This and the Shiraz Malbec are probably the least "Wendouree like" wines I've ever had...87+ points but I'm expecting more later..
