Craggy Range - Pinot Noir - 2009

Winery - Craggy Range

Grape - Pinot Noir

Vintage - 2009

Region - Bannockburn

Country - New Zealand

Score - 5

Price - NZD$80

Tasting Notes:

Smooth round with a fruity finish which just balances this excellent wine. This is worth the extra dollars and is Pinot Noir at its pinnacle. Perfection in Pinot noir. 

Trinity Hill - The Gimblett - Cab Sav - Merlot - Petit Verdot - Cab Franc and Malbec - 2008

Winery - Trinity Hill - The Gimblett

Grape - Cab Sav - Merlot - Petit Verdot - Cab Franc and Malbec

Vintage - 2008

Region - Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay

Country - New Zealand

Score - 4

Price - NZD$40

Tasting Notes:

Dark and rich to look at. Nose is a little twangy. Smooth on the tongue with no sharp edges. Does it have the right blend? I don't think so. It might be a better blend with more cab sav.  

Reichsrat Von Buhl - Riesling - 2011

Winery - Reichsrat Von Buhl

Grape - Riesling

Vintage - 2011

Region - Pfalz

Country - Germany

Score - 3

Price - AUD$25

Tasting Notes:

Good drop with the good fruity mineral blend of this grape. A bit light in body but a pleasant enough drink

Anselmi San Vincenzo - Soave with Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay Blend - 2011

Winery - Anselmi San Vincenzo

Grape - Soave with Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay Blend

Vintage - 2011

Region - Veneto

Country - Italy

Score - 4

Price - AUD$15

Tasting Notes:

Light fruity but not big this is a very subtle form of this grape and is a beautiful drink. Perfect on a hot summers evening. Citrus but not sharp with almost the slightest touch of oak to add that lasting balance on the palette. I would like to drink this again please.

Xanadu - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2008

Winery - Xanadu

Grape - Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage - 2008

Region - Western Australia

Country - Australia

Score - 4.5

Price - AUD$25 - 30

Tasting Notes:

This rocks. This is the best Cab Sav I have had in Australia. The Western Australian flavour - rich fruity but not big and bashful. I love this wine and it just tastes better and better

Goundrey-G - Cab Tempranillo - 2007

Winery - Goundrey-G

Grape - Cabernet/Tempranillo

Vintage - 2007

Region - Western Australia

Country - Australia

Score - 4.5

Price - AUD$25 - 30

Tasting Notes:

I love this wine. Tempranillo should either be stand alone or be blended with Cab Sav. This wine wins on all fronts and I just need to drink more.

Moondah Brook - Shiraz - 2009

Winery - Moondah Brook

Grape - Shiraz

Vintage - 2009

Region - Western Australia

Country - Australia

Score - 4

Price - AUD$20 -25

Tasting Notes:

Strange flat nose. Deep rich colour. Not big and not bold but fruity and very smooth with a quick finish. Taste better the longer it has aired. In my mind a typical Shiraz from WA.

Katnook - Merlot - 2009

Winery -Katnook - Founders Block

Grape - Merlot

Vintage - 2009

Region - Coonawarra

Country - Australia

Score - 4

Price - AUD$25

Tasting Notes:

Jumpy out of the bottle at first. Once left to breath this is a lovely merlot with fruitiness but without that deep mushroom after taste. I tasted deep ripe raspberries. In fact the after taste is crisp and clean and finishes well. Excellent merlot and am keen to try more vintages.

Gibson - My Darlin' - Merlot - 2009

Winery - Gibson - My Darlin'

Grape - Merlot

Vintage - 2009

Region - Barossa vale

Country - Australia

Score - 4

Price - AUD$20 - $25

Tasting Notes:

Thank you Angus - this is a good well balanced merlot. However it is not deep nor rich. But I like that with this wine - it is very easy to drink and has a wonderful nose for a merlot. Finish is clean. I like this for this price range.


Gibson wines - Merlot

Next of Kin - Shiraz - 2008

                                                                                                                          Winery -Next of Kin

Grape - Shiraz

Vintage - 2008

Region - Margaret River

Country - Australia

Score - 4

Price - AUD$20 - $25

Tasting Notes:

This is a fruity balanced shiraz. No it does not smack you around the head with its boldness and leave you flat on the floor with the normal Barossa shiraz offerings. This is fruity with raspberry tones and smoothness that leaves you wanting more. Am interested in Margaret river shiraz if this is what they are about. Yum.

Great site here with good tasting notes

The Ned - Sauvignon Blanc - 2011

Winery - The Ned

Grape - Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage - 2011

Region - Marlborough

Country - New Zealand

Score - 4.5

Price - AUD$20 - $25

Tasting Notes:

Stunning crispness with passionfruit flavours on the tongue with a fresh clean after taste. This is a great drop with lovely balance. A perfect example of why NZ Sav Blancs rule the world. Drink now and drink more of this.


The Ned website

Man O' War - Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec - 2008

Winery - Man O' War

Grape - Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec

Vintage - 2008

Region - Waiheke Island

Country - New Zealand

Score - 3.5

Price - AUD$25 - $30

Tasting Notes:

Merlot 42%, Cab Franc 27%, Malbec 19% and Cab Sav 12%. Whoooaaah. This needs time to breathe as out of the bottle its all over the place. Decant before drinking. After a couple of hours this really settles down but it still does not have the smoothness of its big brother Ironclad. For me too much Merlot for it to be a big fruity blend. I just does not have that balance I was hoping for. At $28 not worth it.

Man O War tasting notes

Sam Miranda - Symphonia - Tempranillo - 2010

Winery - Sam Miranda - Symphonia

Grape - Tempranillo

Vintage - 2010

Region - King Valley

Country - Australia

Score - 4

Price - AUD$20 - $25

Tasting Notes:

Fruity smooth with excellent balance. Best to let breath for 10 to 20 mins just to let it settle down. Great nose and leather tones with a warm hug finish. I love this grape and this wine is a great example of it. More please!

Sam Miranda - Symphonia

Temple Bruer - Cabernet Merlot - 2010

Winery - Temple Bruer

Grape - Cabernet Merlot

Vintage - 2010

Region - South Australia

Country - Australia

Score - 3.5

Price - AUD$20

Tasting Notes:

Preservative free and organic. It has sweet floral notes on the nose with a sweet begining taste. Small tangy cab sav comes through but it is equally balanced by the mossy merlot. Probably needs time in a decanter but I am always too busy to give this drink time to breath. This is a perfect mid weeker with the added organic preservative free guilt freedom that a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday night drink should have. Have drunk a lot of this and will continue to do so.

Pikes - Riesling - 2011

Winery - Pikes

Grape - Riesling

Vintage - 2011

Region - Clare Valley

Country - Australia

Score - 3.5

Price - AUD$20

Tasting Notes:

Lovely crisp riesling with floral notes and mineral undertones. I prefer my riesling with a bit more colour and richness
I had this again Feb 2012 - bought it for a Kiwi visitors who loves the floral Sav Blancs from Marlborough - but she absolutely loved the fruity balance of this wine. Since November it feels more mature in the bottle. Will be buying more of this.