by Ray Johnson | Jun 19, 2010 | Australia, Fortified dessert, Grenache, Mourvedre, Port, South Australia, Syrah, Tawny Port
Penfolds, South Australia, Club Reserve, Aged Tawny nv In the nose you’ll find raisins and butterscotch with a sense of the spirit in the background. This all carries on in the mouth with nuttiness, sweetness and well-integrated alcohol. Like the value-oriented...
by Ray Johnson | May 12, 2010 | Australia, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Semillon
Brokenwood, Hunter Valley, Oakey Creek Vineyard, Semillon 2004 Give this just 10 minutes in the glass to blow off a bit of sulfur. Then the toasty character comes on, quite a complex wine with nuttiness and a bit of spicy flowers. In the mouth it has rounded out,...
by Ray Johnson | Apr 16, 2010 | Australia, Pinot Gris and Grigio, Victoria
Innocent Bystander, Victoria, Pinot Gris 2009 In the nose you’ll find a medley of fruits, from pears and peaches to pineapple and kiwi, all sprinkled with flowers of a sweet nature. The mouth delivers the fruit with a creamy texture, a little rich without being...
by Ray Johnson | Apr 8, 2010 | Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate, South Eastern Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 This is a light-bodied quaffer, a Cabernet that is smooth and fruity with a touch of sweetness. Here is a Cabernet to try if you’re hesitant about this grape. Often the profile is...
by Ray Johnson | Feb 8, 2010 | Australia, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Syrah
d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Footbolt, Shiraz 2005 The nose features liquer-like character, a concentration of candied black fruit, a hint of eucalyptus and some subtle volatility. In the mouth the fruit is in force, the feel is silky and a thread of acidity provides...
by Ray Johnson | Jan 23, 2010 | Adelaide Hills, Australia, Chardonnay, Piccadilly Valley, South Australia
Petaluma, Piccadilly Valley, Chardonnay 2004 The nose offers toastiness, freshly split oak and vanilla with a sense of ripe, tropical fruit. In the mouth the viscosity is matched by steely acidity, combining the best of Burgundian austerity and Australian flamboyance....
