GREAT - RP97 - The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from the typical three quintas (Panascal in the Tavora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de St Antonio in the Pinhão Valley). When last seen, this was in fine form. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. Right now, surprisingly, this seems more tightly wound than the Taylor's, which usually seems to me the burlier as between the two. It has beautiful fruit as well, if not quite the wave of big fruit that Taylor's shows off. In 2017, I would say Taylor's wins. In this vintage, it may be Fonseca. However, there are great performances all around.

GREAT - RP98 - The 2017 Vintage Port, not quite bottled when originally seen, has now been in bottle for a couple of years. It is a field blend (with typical grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca) aged for approximately 20 months in used French oak. It comes in with 98 grams of residual sugar. This is a great Fonseca, distinctive, with a touch of eucalyptus and plums, but also loaded with delicious fruit. Like its Taylor's siblings, there is also a fine backbone. I'd say it is a step behind the Taylor's duo this year, but not by much. It will age well, to say the least.

EXCELENT - RP97 -  Now with a couple years in bottle, I am erring to the Taylor’s over the Fonseca (although these can always change!) The Taylor’s show more delineation and refinement with pure black currant, cassis, pencil box, hints of marzipan and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and sumptuous with super-fine tannins, very pure blackberry and boysenberry notes interlaced with cedar, dried fig and a touch of black pepper on the beautifully refined finish. Excellent

CONFUSING - Dalmore's Luminary series, Collector range. A confusing release: for each Luminary (1, 2 or 3), there was a Collector version and a Rare version. The Rares were indeed very rare and came with an impressive age statement in a decanter-style bottle and presented in a specially designed display case. The Collectors have a more modest age statement but sport some uncommon cask combinations both from maturation as well as finishing. Each whisky was created under the supervision of Master Distiller Richard Paterson and Gregg Glass, Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker. As for the Luminary part of the equation, Dalmore teamed up with some top architectural houses to create the various presentation cases.  The first iteration of the Collectibles is 15 years old and was matured in American white oak, then finished in a mix of Italian Amarone casks and bespoke casks made from Scottish Tay oak, Japanese Mizunara oak, and American white oak. The design input was tied to Kengo Kuma and Maurizio Mucciola, echoing the first Rare’s sculptural design. Expect a thick, nutty sweetness with a strongly spiced and dried fruit and citrus-led expression. Reportedly around 15,000 bottles released globally. 46.8% Alc./Vol.

SECOND - Dalmore's Luminary series, Collector range. A confusing release: for each Luminary (1, 2 or 3), there was a Collector version and a Rare version. The Rares were indeed very rare and came with an impressive age statement in a decanter-style bottle and presented in a specially designed display case. The Collectors have a more modest age statement but sport some uncommon cask combinations both from maturation as well as finishing. Each whisky was created under the supervision of Master Distiller Richard Paterson and Gregg Glass, Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker. As for the Luminary part of the equation, Dalmore teamed up with some top architectural houses to create the various presentation cases.   The second Collectible comes in at 16 years old and has spent time in bourbon casks, to be then finished in Graham’s Tawny Port pipes, Apostoles sherry casks, and multiple refill bourbon casks, with a small amount of exceptionally rare peated Dalmore added to the mix. The tasting profile shows abundant dark caramel notes with yellow fruit intermingling. Some lightly spiced forest fruits finish the dram with a breath of woodsmoke. Approximately 20,000 bottles were produced, and the design was paired with the Melodie Leung / Zaha Hadid Architects collaboration. 48.6% Alc./Vol

WS 96/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - 97 Tasting.com - 95 Whisky Advocate - 96 Falstaff - 98 Wine Enthusiast 

GHOST & RARE BRORA - 1st Edition - Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Brora is the first in a series of special releases created by Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge using irreplaceable whiskies from "ghost" Scotch whisky distilleries that have long since closed together with other rare malt and grain whiskies. A limited release of Johnnie Walker's most premium brand, built around malt from the legendary Brora.     Nose:    Wonderfully smooth with the sweetness of pineapple.     Taste:    Hazelnut and dark chocolate.     Finish:   A subtle smoky finish.

200 YEARS - LARK Single Malt Tasmanian whisky finished in rare and precious Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask. Batch 003 showcases the exquisite complexity and depth of flavours imparted by Mizunara oak. The Rare Cask Series Oak Cask Bath 003 delicately heroes the Japanese Mizunara Oak tree that must age 200 years before having harvested for barrel making. The sheer beauty and age of trees is honoured in a finely bespoke decorate bottle and minimal label, showcasing fine details of the Mizunara Oak tree foliage and tree.

PREMIUM - Martell XO Supreme NV is a discontinued, premium cognac produced by the historic cognac house Martell. Originally launched as Martell XO Cordon Supreme in 1987 before being renamed Martell XO Supreme for its 1990–2005 production run, it serves as the predecessor to modern arched Martell XO bottles

BETTER & BETTER - RP98+ The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae comes from 1.4 hectares within the Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, planted in 1992 at 1,390 meters above sea level. It's from a cooler year in Mendoza with some frost that delivered low yields and wines of good concentration and ripeness. It has 13.9% alcohol and notable acidity (7.3 grams of tartaric acid per liter of wine). Seventy-five percent of the volume started fermenting in concrete with 50% full clusters and the rest without stems or skins, only juice, in oak foudres and aged in oak barrels for 15 to 18 months. This is very straight, elegant and balanced, following the path toward elegance that started in 2019. The wine closed down in the glass and slowly unfurled layers of complexity. It's textured, with very fine-grained tannins and great balance, a very subtle note of spices and a very elegant mouthfeel. This wine has been getting better and better in the last few years, getting closer to the more austere profile of the River bottling from Adrianna vineyard (which is still a little more austere than this in the great 2021 vintage). 5,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022.

SUPURB - RP97+ -  The 2019 was a hard act to follow, but the 2020 Adrianna Vineyard River kept its poise, though it showed a little riper and with grainier tannins that gave it some faint rusticity and earthiness. This is one of three Malbecs from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, from a stony part of the vineyard, hence its name. The wine matured in large oak foudres, and the oak is still perceptible and might need a little more time to get integrated. This tends to be the most austere of the three bottlings, even in the warmer years like 2020, and it shows a little more fruit. It's juicy but beautifully textured with a spicy twist of curry that reminded me of some bottlings from El Enemigo in El Cepillo. It seems to open up slowly in the glass—the violet and berry aromas get complicated by some spice (curry?)—and the palate feels more layered. This is a superb expression of the austere wildness of Gualtallary. 5,700 bottles were filled in December 2021.

MORE THAN 100 - RP100 - A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc aged in 40% new oak, the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is deep purple-black in color and quite reticent at this youthful stage to begin, offering up subtle notions of potpourri, Indian spices, cigar box and iron ore over a core of crushed blackberries and black cherries with intermittent wafts of black and red currants, new leather and smoked meats. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a densely packed mid-palate and oodles of freshness framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and laced with compelling earthy accents. It offers incredible vibrancy with tons of black and red fruit sparkle in the mid-palate leading to a provocative mineral element on the very long finish. If I could give more than 100 for this one, I would. To be released in May 2019.

MIND BLOWING - RP99+ - Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Dominus slowly emerges from the glass with profound notes of blackcurrant cordial, ripe black plums, boysenberries and Black Forest cake with hints of violets, star anise, cracked black pepper, raspberry leaves and pencil lead, plus a touch of garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impactful black fruit layers, creating a beguiling sense of richness that is beautifully countered by invigorating freshness and great poise, framed by super ripe, plush tannins and beautiful tension, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note and, finally, lots of mineral sparks. For all that it is at the moment, one cannot help but feel that this 2018 is holding something back. Give it a good five years in bottle, at least, and then get set for what I suspect will be a mind-blowing transformation over the next 30 years+.

WONDERFFUL - RP98+ -  The 2021 Dominus is a 3,700-case blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, with 40% of the wine matured in new French oak. Black cherries and cassis lead the way, accented by scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings. It's full-bodied, rich and concentrated, dark and intense, with ample tannins, but those tannins are ripe and well-rounded without being overly soft or creamy, gliding easily into a long, mocha-tinged finish. As a whole, the wine exhibits wonderful balance, even if it will benefit from 5 or 10 years in the cellar.

WS 98/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - ? /100 James Suckling 

HEAVENLY - RP97 - The 2023 Scharzhofberger Auslese (AP #8; the Auslese with AP #9 is the Gold Capsule that will be auctioned possibly next year) shows intense, spicy fruit that is noticeably darker than that of the Spätlese (AP #12) to be auctioned. Chewy on the palate, this is a mouth-filling Scharzhofberger. It is dense, complex and juicy yet extremely savory and expressive, marked by laser-like acidity and offering notes of bitter orange in the finish, representing the meticulous selection of botrytized grapes, although green berries were still accepted for this Auslese. The combination of concentrated, aromatic fruit and racy acidity links this Scharzhofberger Riesling to the warm phase of the vintage with the cool month of August. During the tasting in spring, the texture and acidity were still somewhat at odds with one another, which created a lot of tension but not much subtlety. This will undoubtedly change over the years in the bottle. Whether it takes 20 or 30 years for finesse and harmony to reveal themselves, only time will tell. In any case, this extract-rich Auslese with its mouthwatering mineral finish gives rise to high hopes. If you want to enjoy an early taste of a Scharzhofberg, you should not buy an Auslese but a Kabinett, because as a rule, even after only 10 years, it tastes heavenly in its mouth-filling harmony and delicacy

WS 99/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - ?/100 James Suckling -100/100 Wine Palate - 100/100 The Wine Independent - 97-100 Robert Parker - 96/100 Cellar Tracker MUSEUM RELEASE

WS 97/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - 92/100 Vinum Magazine - ?/100 James Suckling -100/100 Wine Palate - 95/100 Wine Spectator - 96-100 Robert Parker - 100/100 The Wine Independent - 96/100 Cellar Tracker MUSEUM RELEASE

WS 97/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - 97/100 Gismondi on Wine - ?/100 James Suckling - - 96/100 Wine Spectator - 98/100 Falstaff - 98/100 Cellar Tracker - MUSEUM RELEASE

WS 96/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - ?/100 Jancis Robinson - 97/100 Christer Byklum - ?/100 James Suckling - - 98/100 Wine Spirits Magazine - 98/100 Falstaff - ?/100 Decanter Magazine - MUSEUM RELEASE

EXCEPTIONAL - Lanson's golden years are only chosen to be declared in years that can truly be considered as exceptional. 1904, 1928, 1955, 1971, 1976, 1983 and 1990 were great vintages that have built the reputation of Champagne Lanson. Aged for at least five years in the cellars and with no malolactic fermentation gives the blends a fruitiness and freshness - - PRIVATE MUSEUM RELEASE 

MARATHON RUNNER - Restrained lemon gold colour and a lovely helix of tiny bubbles. Fresh citrus and red stone fruit scents. There is a beautiful acidity that has integrated into a medley of mature secondary smoky flavours alongside a benign note of noble austerity. This is a marathon runner - a great '96 with bags of life. Excellent value. - PRIVATE MUSEUM RELEASE 

WS 96/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - 99/100 Falstaff - ?/100 Jancis Robinson - 97/100 Owen Bargreen - 98/100 Wine Enthusiast - ?/100 James Suckling -  96 /100 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate - 96 /100 Wine Spectator - 90/100 The Wine Independent - 94/100 Cellar Tracker

EXTRA - RP97 - Roederer's 2014 Cristal Rosé has turned out beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, almonds, citrus fruit and red berries mingled with notions of white flowers and wet chalk. Full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a layered core of fruit and a pillowy mousse, it's deep, racy and electric, concluding with a long, mineral finish. Comparatively open out of the gates, it's no slight to the 2014's seriousness to say that it will drink well while its 2013 counterpart sleeps in the cellar. Deriving from just a handful of the over 39 blocks that inform the regular Cristal 2014, I suspect that its origins have even more to do with the extra dimension it possesses above and beyond its white counterpart than the subtle infusion of Pinot Noir phenolics that give it its delicate pink hue MUSEUM RELEASE

FINDING A BOTTLE - RP99 - This bottle of the 1996 Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut was drinking superbly and represents the apotheosis of Blanc de Blancs, unfurling over the course of three hours with a stunningly complex bouquet of citrus oil, confit lemon, dried white flowers and oyster shell, with hints of praline and pastry cream becoming more pronounced as the wine opens up in the glass. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, defined by the incisive spine so typical of the vintage that, here, is cloaked in layers of crisp fleshy and chalky extract. The finish is long, penetrating and saline. Unfortunately, since the 1996 Salon has been traded so zealously over the last decade, finding a bottle that hasn't travelled too far can be a challenge. But from a perfectly stored bottle, this is just the beginning. - PRIVATE MUSEUM RELEASE 

RAVISHING - JH99 - Bottle no. 39 of 2200 tells part of the story, but the front label also has in demure typeface 'original 1867 plantings'. This is a ravishing wine with a velvet and satin mouthfeel, and a rainbow of black, purple and blue fruits. Supple tannins are somewhere in the mix, likewise French oak, but don't bother dissecting what is an exquisite wine. As a point of principle, I'm not going to give 100 points for a table wine, but if I were, this would get the nod.

MOCKERY - JH98 - A total fusion of complex fruits, of licorice, spice and pepper sidelights, of fine, yet ripe, tannins that come from very old vines, and French oak, the texture running lengthways and sideways, but never breaking line. Old vine wines like this make a mockery of vintage charts.

PERFECTLY - JH97 - Full but clear purple-crimson; as ever, an imperious wine, its power so relaxed you might walk by without stopping to gawk; blackberry, licorice and leather are sheathed in quality oak, the tannins exceptionally fine, but perfectly balanced; '11 was a very good Hunter Valley vintage.

GREAT - JH97 - The leader of the Brokenwood pack, matured in French oak. Deep crimson-purple; you can see the size of the castle, but the drawbridge is up, and the moat very deep. There is only one thing to do: buy as much as you/your partner can afford, and don't return for at least 5, preferably 10, years. This has all the attributes of a great Graveyard, its balance (the key) and length unimpeachable.

GREAT - JH98 - It hardly needs be said this is a great Graveyard, shortlisted for Wine of the Year. It is full-bodied, with intense intersections and trails of black fruits, earth, leather, spice, oak and ripe tannins running in all directions. Its magic is that it remains coherent, with its line (or focus) never compromised.

ICON - JH99 - One of Australia's icons. The decision not to use any new French oak, and to limit the alcohol to 13.5%, has resulted in a wine with a unique sense of place. It is also superbly balanced, dark fruits married to superfine tannins - another feature of a classic Hunter shiraz.

EFFORTLESS - JH99 - Graceful precision and effortless flow reflect the resplendent glory of Hunter Valley shiraz without overt winemaking ornamentation. The fruit is fragrant, dark, coiled and ripe, with restrained power and suppleness exhibiting an engaging fluidity, thrilling in its perfection. There is plenty of strength within, with finely tensioned tannins providing the requisite structure for ageing. Not only is the wine a magnificent expression of this treasured vineyard, planted in '68 and a distinguished signature wine for Brokenwood, but it is also a benchmark of the region, making it a compelling addition to any serious wine collection.

MAJESTICALLY - JH99 - A careful selection of the best parcels of shiraz from the Graveyard vineyard (predominantly Pa’s, Middle, End and 7 Acre). This is a majestically fragrant wine, with heady rose petals, pomegranate and faint Bedouin spice, anchored by a red-raspberry/cherry core. A subtle tamarind arc brings a quiet tension to the fruit. The palate is refined and exquisite, yet bright and lithe, with remarkable presence and momentum. Its brilliance lies in its precision and the sheer depth of fruit held within the medium-weight frame. So concentrated yet so fine, with a near-imperceptible tannin structure and fine acid line that will allow it to age gracefully over decades.

ICONIC - JH98 - This iconic wine delivers power, length and intensity, with a weighty, expansive palate and remarkable complexity that set it apart. The aroma is so seamless that it is difficult to dissect, but a closer look reveals alluring hints of charred citrus, lemon butter, meringue and flint. The palate is deeply satisfying and, though it has gained extra dimensions, softness and layers with age, it retains an inherent freshness and youthful beauty.

WS 97/100 - 1 scores - DECANTER World Wine Awards  

GRACEFUL - RP97 - An elegant shiraz, with grapes sourced from a single vineyard up Mt Pleasant way in the Adelaide Hills. I've always wanted to pinch that plastic pig from outside the butcher's there but have refrained (excellent mettwurst though if you're passing through). There's a raspberry top note to the wine, red plum and black cherry beneath with hints of spice, pan juices, bay leaf, cedar, dried orange rind, almond blossom and crushed stone. There's such a graceful slide of fruit across that palate, silky tannins and some lovely plum skin acidity. It's such a balanced and delicious wine now but I can see some upside that's for sure.

WS 96/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - ?/100 James Suckling - 97/100 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate - 96/100 The Wine Front - MUSEUM RELEASE

WS 96/100 - Wine-Searcher Critics Scores & Reviews - 96/100 The Wine Front - MUSEUM RELEASE

DELIGHTS - JH98 - This Diana Madeline delights as soon as it's poured. A deep, dark purple-red and so vibrant. Ah the aromas next – all cedar wood, oak spices and warm earth with fresh mulberries and blackberry essence. It has concentrated, fabulous fruit on the fuller-bodied palate yet there’s a fineness, too, with supple tannins enmeshed in lively acidity. It’s a gorgeous drink. Too young now as it’s still showing off its youthful exuberance. Give this a few more years in the cellar to build more complexity and detail; it's guaranteed to age beautifully for another two or so decades.

SPECIAL - JH98 - Don’t be confused. There are two Diana Madeline releases off the ’23 vintage, this the new addition and part of the Legacy Series. And the longer name is Full Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest because the 70% cabernet, with 30% malbec, is off the first pick when the constellations are in that order; co-fermented then aged 15 months in French barriques, 33% new. All that to say, this is both powerful and yet full of elegance. Beautiful fruit marries well with the oak, all superbly integrated. The palate is more mid-weighted, with plentiful yet fine tannins, and finishes persuasively and lingeringly. This is something else; a special wine.

LOVE - RP98 - I love this wine. The 2023 vintage in Margaret River was utterly sensational, and this is reflected in the wines. Here, the 2023 Kevin John Chardonnay is complex, layered, precise, powerful, texturally wide and very long. It is superb in both an Australian context and global as well. This is one not to be missed. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

MESMERISING - JH99 - An extraordinary wine from the oldest ('71) estate plantings, wild fermented and matured for 19 months in French oak (47% new). Deeply coloured and highly fragrant, the palate takes you on a mesmerising ride with a mid-palate peak of pure, unalloyed cassis fruit, then a swish of integrated savoury tannins before rising again on the dark fruit line of the finish thanks in part to 3% petit verdot. 388 dozen made.

STUNNER - JH98 - Fruit off 52-year-old dry-grown vines, destemmed and crushed to 300L amphoras and left for 27 days then pressed to biodynamic Flower Day barriques, 50% new, and aged six months. A majestic wine; composed, complex yet so elegant. Its youth is on show with heady aromas of violets, warm earth, boot polish and iodine, plus a core of mulberries and blackberries infused with cedary, spicy oak, wakame and chocolate nougatine. But it’s the shape and detail on the medium-bodied palate that makes this wine so special. It's detailed and precise, with plentiful expansive yet ultra-fine tannins, the acidity in sync, and a finish that goes on and on. A stunner. 576 bottles produced.

PERFECTION - JH99 - Be prepared to kneel before the perfection of a supreme riesling, the bouquet's blossom floating in the air of a spring day, the palate a celebration of the purity, elegance, drive and length of a white wine that you absolutely know will outlive your patience. First HALLIDAY 99pt white wine 

BEAUTIFUL - JH97 - The nose is absolutely beautiful, showcasing high-toned citrus and delicate peach blossoms. On the palate, generous ripe lemon and quince flavours subtly reflect the warmth of the vintage, while the structure remains remarkably tight, perfectly poised and destined for cellaring success. Long and lemony, it displays youthful, laser-like intensity and exceptional purity

FINEST -  RP97 - The 2022 Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon is silky, fine and ferrous, with bay leaf, tapenade, raspberry and pomegranate. This is one of Australia's finest Cabernets, year in year out, showing sophistication, finesse and delicacy alongside transparency of place. This is highly recommended. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

LUCIOUS - JH97 - Hand-picked fruit, whole-bunch crushed, basket pressed, fermented in French oak (30% new), mlf, matured 20 months in an underground cave. The secret – if there is one – to Giaconda chardonnay is the depth of complexity achieved. It is a thing of wonder to get lost in, as you wander through layer upon layer of stone fruits, citrus and grilled nuts, almond cream, spice and then gently embedded oak. Luscious. Intriguing. Stylish.

INIMITABLE - RP100 - Having tasted five bottles of this remarkable wine over the past year (most of them mine), I can confirm that it is evolving and changing with time in the bottle, but each time I taste it, I am amazed by its ability to highlight parts of the wine I may not have focused on the last time I tasted it. Twice this week, the 2021 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay has spoken first of its reduction and flint: it is bony and austere and taut, and I mean this in the best of ways. It speaks of its architecture currently, over its fruit. Yet it is propelled by the fruit. Giaconda manages focus and precision alongside its famous reduction, and this is what separates it from other producers in the country. It may be easy to can the reduction if it's not your preferred quality in Chardonnay, but the fruit and phenolic focus of the wine is untouchable. This is inimitable. I'm running out of bottles to taste, but I've loved every single one so far.

MASTERS - JH99 - An utterly beguiling wine of deep complexity and stunning freshness. Vintage '22 brought on one of the latest harvests ever for the maker, and the cool season and long hang time has worked a special kind of magic. The scent demands your attention, with jasmine, citrus blossom, grapefruit flesh, nectarine, peach custard, cashew and buttered toast. Seamless entry, the wine glides across a richly detailed palate, textural and luxurious in flavour, with a pinch of bright quince-led spice to close. Filigree fine acidity brings a crystal clarity and freshness. A chardonnay masterclass from the masters.

EXQUISITE - JH98 - In challenging Victorian vintages like '23 – cool and wet – the cream rises, quality producers standing up. At Giaconda, we see another stunner of a chardonnay released, a classic work of art that delivers a bouquet of citrus blossom scents with intense Meyer lemon, grapefruit pith, preserved lemon, white peach, nectarine and crushed stone. Has real presence and an immediate sense of concentration. The longer it remains open, the more it reveals, an ongoing treat of complexity in nectarine, peach, toasted almond and gentle spice with a stunning lemon butter-like richness and more, edged in finely laced acidity. Exquisite.

CELEBRATED - JH98 - From the Applejack vineyard, planted on grey clay soils at 300m in Gladysdale in '97 by Ray Guerin. 40% whole bunches and 40% less wine in '24. Darkly fruited and more intense than the '23 with aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, briar, and just a hint of sous bois. On the palate, this is as concentrated and mouth-filling as the bouquet suggests it will be, culminating with succulent, grippy tannins on the long, tapering finish. It's a touch more 'sauvage' and a little less floral than normal but, even in this warmer vintage, one of Australia's most celebrated pinot noirs is in impressive form.

SEDUCTIVE - JH97 - From Lou Primavera's '01-planted vineyard at 300m on red volcanic soils in Woori Yallock. 35% whole bunches. A bright crimson red. This always highly seductive and perfumed wine has aromas of raspberries, orange peel and cranberries as well as a little musk stick and rose bush. There's a gentle succulence on the palate that's nicely balanced by the wine's supple tannins and fine-boned acidity. Long, lovely, now and over the next six to eight years.

SALIVATING - JH97 - A blend of Gingin and Bernard clones planted in '97 between 100 and 200m in Gruyere. 20% new oak and 10% mlf. Another salivating and seductive Sexton Chardonnay with its bouquet of stone fruits, preserved lemons, freshly ground coffee beans and roasted hazelnut. The beautifully balanced and tightly coiled palate is underpinned by its concentration and intensity. Finishes saline and extremely long. It's all here and needs another five to seven years, at least, to reach its zenith.

BEGS - JH97 - The warmest site among Giant Steps' four single-vineyard chardonnays, though planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in French puncheons (25% new) with 10% mlf. An engaging and lovely wine. Opens with subtle scents of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and coriander seeds. Builds nicely on the gently textured, saline and structured palate before finishing zesty and long. The sort of wine that begs you to take another sip

LIFE - RP97 - Medium brick in color, the 1990 Hill of Grace has a very pretty core of cherry cordial, violets, dried roses, cinnamon stick, anise and a whiff of pepper. Medium-bodied, it has great generosity in the mouth balanced by a nice acid line and a medium level of velvety tannins through the long finish. This one still has loads of life and should easily drink through 2025+.

ORIGINAL RELEASE CONDITION - Near Perfect Presentation

LOVE - RP99 - The 2022 Hill of Grace Shiraz leads with dark fruit and an abundance of exotic spice to match. The tannins are profuse here, quite distinct from the Hill of Roses tasted alongside. Star anise, cloves, cinnamon (cassia), fennel seeds and Sichuan pepper weave in and out of the blackberry, blueberry, crushed quartz/ferrous undertones. There's a sweet rolling-tobacco character that is highly attractive and lingers through the finish. I love the 2022 vintage. It is fresh and detailed. It may forever live in the shadow of the great 2021 vintage, but not for me—I believe firmly this is a sleeper vintage and will reveal its longevity given time. The allure of it now is not in question, either.

FLUFFIER - RP98 - The 2022 Hill of Roses Shiraz is eminently red-fruited, and this really aligns with my previous perceptions of this wine. While the Hill of Roses comes from "young vines" (planted in 1989) from the Hill of Grace vineyard (the oldest plantings date back to the mid-1800s), each year the vines grow more, and the wine becomes darker, more powerful and more intense. However, it still retains its red-fruited heart throughout all the versions of climate and vintage. This is lighter, fresher and fluffier than the Hill of Grace Shiraz, and the tannins are "easier" somehow. The tannins of the Hill of Grace wine are dense—although fine—and feel more abundant. There will come a time when the vines reach a level of maturity that the expression of this wine begins to merge in character with the Hill of Grace. That will be an interesting day.

ICONIC - JH97 - The 70th-anniversary release of this much-loved and iconic Australian wine. A hail event reduced yields somewhat, with perfect instances of summer rainfall and a mild, drawn-out finish to the growing season. The end result was an exceptionally strong vintage. Bright magenta crimson with aromas of pure plum, blackberry and black cherry and a flash of blue fruits over sage, peppercorn, rosehip, mace, bay leaf, crushed stone, herb garden, gentle cedar tones, milk chocolate, pan juices and, further back, tobacco and crushed rocks. Beautifully balanced on the palate, showing a graceful arc of travel, the fine tannins melting away into the fruit. The finish stretches out persistently, all detail and elegance.

SUPERBLY - JH97 - Take the best parcels of cabernet sauvignon from Trueman, same for Brookes Road shiraz, a 56/44% blend respectively, and another selection at the final assemblage to ensure it's the best of the best. Yep that works. It's morphed into a harmonious entity. Complex, detailed on every level with powdery tannins, cassis, dark plums, cured meats and spice, very refreshing, full-bodied, deep and superbly balanced - MUSEUM RELEASE

ICONIC - JH97 - Sourced from the contoured quilt of estate vines, a confluence of silts, loams and ferrous outcrops. A traditional blend of the finest performing blocks and best barrels (50% new). A nose tingling with a visceral energy, such is the mineral-clad spine to this wine. Rich and powerful, to be sure, as the sweetness of shiraz and its blue-fruit aspersions meander across cabernet's bones of finely tuned tannins, dried herb and cedar-oak cladding. Yet the overall effect is one of umami warmth, savoury depth and immense potential. This is an iconic wine and deservedly so.

FAULTLESS - JH97 - Very stable, deep colour; a fine vintage of a very distinguished wine with a great pedigree; faultless blackcurrant cabernet fruit, fine-grained tannins and high-quality oak; very good length.

BEAUTIFUL - JH98 - From the single Justin Vineyard in the Frankland River; this speaks of its place of origin even more eloquently than the Gladstones Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. The cabernet is effortlessly focused and powerful, the balance, texture, structure, line and length of this beautiful wine certain to carry it long after I have had my ashes scattered.

NO COMPROMISE - JH97 - The most powerful and concentrated of all the deluxe/icon wines in the Houghton range, a distillation of blackcurrant, black olive, bay leaf and cedary oak, the tannins lined up in a haughty (sorry for the pun) support. No compromise here - the wine would have pleased Jack Mann enormously.

GREAT - RP97+ - The 2022 Spring Farm Block 74 Cabernet leads with a bouquet that can only be described as spicy, sophisticated and supple. The wine is from the Spring Farm vineyard, and this block 74 is at 485 meters in elevation, planted to a westerly aspect that catches the afternoon sun. For all the intensity of the aromas, the palate is finer and more detailed than expected—it moves toward "delicate" with unnerving grace, and like a fleet-footed assassin, it sails across the palate with almost weightless impact. This is leafy and fine in the vein of great Clare Valley Cabernet, and it has the added benefit of seamless oak framing. It's a great wine. 13.9% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

BEST - JH97 - From the stellar '21 vintage, the Eligo represents the best of the year and is a split of a range of amazing vineyard sites from the Barossa (62%) and Eden (38%) valleys. It's concentrated and essence-like with deep, resonant blackberry, black cherry and Doris plum fruits with hints of clove, cinnamon, purple flowers, licorice, dark chocolate, cedar, olive tapenade, pan juices and earth. Thick shouldered but balanced and harmonious with melt-in-the-mouth, chocolatey tannins and exceptional length of flavour.

ENDURING - RP97 - I am well documented for loving the warm 2014 Cabernet vintage in Margaret River. So much so, that last year I put out a call in the region to taste all of the Cabernet wines from that season. What I learned that day has continued to reverberate in my mind ever since, and I now see that the region has been pulsing—ebbing and flowing, or expanding and contracting—in its stylistic bounds of Cabernet, and 2014 was a pivotal moment in time that showed us the drinkers, and perhaps even the producers themselves, what the limits of Cabernet could possibly be in this region. The 2014 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is red-fruited and effortless-feeling, with an abundance of berries and raspberries, nori and kelp, iodine and crushed shells. It has saline acidity woven throughout, and the fruit possesses a velvety sheen—like the skin of a ripe peach—which plays out across the length of the palate. I like the wine so much, and feel it is one of the best Cabernets produced in the 2014 vintage in Margaret River. The freshness of it is its enduring asset. MUSEUM RELEASE 

CERTAINTY - JH97 - After berry sorting, cold soak and maceration, pumping over three times daily, the wine pumped to French barriques for mlf and 9 months maturation. The Art Series range has a clear family approach to each wine, a focus and sophistication that brings certainty to its long-term maturity.

WHAT A WINE - JH97 - This was a freak vintage in the hands of many winemakers in WA, capable of power, balance, ripeness and glory. This has pomegranate, red licorice and peppered raspberry. The fruit flavours, while slinky and seductive, are not the major player here. And that is saying something. The key to the brilliance of this wine, like the '14, the '10 and to some extent the '05 before it, is the texture. The tannins. They are tightly woven, very fine and serve to support the fruit and the acid. This wine is built on a stable scaffold of tannin that both cushions the experience and defines it. What a wine.

POWER - JH97 - Bright and youthful colour; a complex array of nectarine, grapefruit and spice, particularly cinnamon, is offered on the bouquet; the palate exhibits understated power, with grilled nuts supporting the very generous, yet refined, level of stone fruit and oak; the finish is staggeringly long, fine and complex. The adoption (since 2004) of screwcaps has brought a collective sigh of relief from all of its many admirers.

GRAND CRU - JH98 - 55% machine-picked at night, 45% hand-picked, 64% cultured yeast, 36% wild yeast, fermented in and matured for 11 months in new French oak. It is supremely elegant and finely balanced, and has absorbed the new oak in a manner worthy of a Grand Cru White Burgundy, leaving the fragrant bouquet and finely structured palate of startling length to occupy centre stage

IMPOSSIBLE - JH99 - This achieves another step up the quality ladder for Leeuwin Estate, seemingly impossible. There's been no change in the vinification, nor in the vineyard. The change is an increase in the intensity of the flavours, and hence their length and aftertaste. It's an extraordinary wine, among the greatest of Burgundy (and elsewhere in the world). Whatever you expect from its future development will be delivered.

AMPLIFIED - JH98 - Cool destemmed fruit with some skin contact. The juice was settled for 3 days, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was fermented in new French oak barriques with the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels the various components were blended, fined (bentonite, PVPP, milk) and cold stabilized. Bottled 19–21 August 2019. Benchmark pedigree Margaret River chardonnay from the perfect 2018 vintage. Kaffir leaf, ocean spray, nectarine, yellow peach, custard apple and white peach are the start. Saffron curls, vanilla pod and freshly grated nutmeg frame saline acidity, crouched and coiled. Length of flavour extends across the palate in an endless procession of texture and complexity. All of the power, grace and excellence of previous years is here, amplified.

REVERED RELIC - CABERNET SAUVIGNON #5 - following the FIRST in 1973  

8/10 VINTAGE RATING - The nose has a great depth of fruit aroma combined with complex oak characters. The palate has rich Cabernet flavour, with fresh acidity and a firm tannin finish. In summary, the 1983 is the best Cabernet Sauvignon we have so far produced, with tremendous power of fruit and fine structure. It has, therefore, early drinking appeal, but is also an excellent cellaring prospect. The 1983 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon won best Western Australian wine in the The State Government Insurance Awards in 1984. An order of 10 dozen bottle for inclusion on the wine list at London’s prestigious Mirabelle Restaurant giving Moss Wood some important international recognition.  MOSS WOOD website 

9/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The 1985 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon has a powerful bouquet with rich, berry fruit in harmony with the excellent French oak. The palate has power, elegance and style, with the lovely fruit characters being in balance with soft tannins. The wine has excellent structure, great depth of flavour and tremendous length. We rank the 1985 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, with the 1980 and 1983 Moss Wood Cabernets, as one of our favourites. It has finer fruit characters, is more restrained and is in a more classical style than the 1983. The wine has rich fruit fragrances like the 1980, but is tighter. In terms of its weight and tannin it is similar to the 1981 but has better fruit and consequently better length of flavour. It is more typical of the Moss Wood style, having a richer structure, than the fine, elegant 1984, yet has the early drinkability of the previous vintage. One group of experienced wine enthusiasts who tasted this wine blind thought it showed many of the qualities of the 1983 Bordeaux, and in particular the style of chateauxs like Pichon Lalande, Leoville las Cases and Ducru Beaucaillou. They were most impressed by what they considered to be an extremely well-made, refined wine showing lovely fruit qualities and excellent use of oak. As well as this, they were impressed by the depth and length of flavour.  Perhaps the greatest compliment so far paid to this wine comes from Bill Pannell. In the rating system used in Robin Bradley's Australian Wine Vintages, the highest rating he had given for a previous Moss Wood Cabernet was 5 (for the 1975, 1980 and the 1983 vintages). When asked by Robin Bradley how he rated the 1985, he replied, without any hesitation, that he would have to give it 7 (out of 7).  MOSS WOOD website 

6/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The 1986 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon colour is bright red and quite dense. The nose is rich with mulberry or blackcurrant fruit character and has a pronounced herbaceous nose with nuances of spicy oak. On the palate, the wine has good acidity, round, rich, ripe fruit and strong tannins which at present are quite dominant. It is well-structured and has a finish of considerable length. The tannins as reminiscent of the 1981 vintage while the rich fruit characters remind us of the 1977 Cabernet. Although it has more tannin than the 1985, they see the wine as a typical, well-balanced Moss Wood Cabernet.  MOSS WOOD website 

8/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The nose has aromas of violets, ripe raspberries and mulberries in balance with toasty French oak. The palate is supple and generous with rich, ripe fruit and fine tannins. It is a well-rounded wine with excellent structure and good length. With cellaring, it will develop even greater complexity and depth of flavour.  Due to the more abundant harvest in 1987, there was greater quantity of wine available than for the previous vintage.  MOSS WOOD website 

6/10 VINTAGE RATING - Intense, ripe, mulberry aromas on the nose with nuances of violets and dusty French oak. It is a fresh, supple wine with good acid, rich, concentrated berry fruit in balance with strong tannins and a pleasant finish which lingers.  MOSS WOOD website 

9/10 VINTAGE RATING - Very impressive with lively spice, cherry, mulberry and cedary oak flavours with chocolatey overtones; soft, extremely dense, intense, opulent tending towards lush, velvety texture. The palate is supple and round with fresh, rich, characters which are well integrated with charry oak. A big, powerful red with generous flavours, a tight structure and the weight to improve further with bottle development.  The differences between the 1980 and the 1991 cabernets shows an evolution or a refinement of a style, with the latter having greater elegance and finesse. MOSS WOOD website

7/10 VINTAGE RATING - Fresh, young, colour, elegant, spicy and earthy nose. Great potential with an elegant balanced palate. Clever use of oak with a lovely cab finish. and Deep purple in colour with big aroma on the nose. Tannic in the mouth but packed with fruit. This is a very easy-drinking style of wine.  MOSS WOOD website

7/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The 1993 Moss Wood Cabernet has a bright red colour, redcurrant, black cherry, and scented oak aromas with hints of chocolate while the palate is lively with vibrant, redcurrant flavours and an underlying earthiness. The wine is supple, has medium depth, fresh acidity and fine grain tannins. Although quite closed, it is surprisingly attractive young and has the structure, acidity and tannins to be long lived. We believe that although the wine lacks the glorious opulence of the rich, fruity 1976 or 1985 cabernets, it will develop richness with cellaring. We see the 1993 as similar in style to vintages such as 1987, 1979, 1984 and 1981: although clearly less tannic than the 1981 and richer and more complex than the 1987. However, we believe that it will prove to be regarded as better than those fine vintages. MOSS WOOD website

8/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The very dense 1994 is similar in style to the 1995, and may have been produced from riper fruit given its lower acidity and more roasted, inky, jammy character. It is a large-scaled, full-bodied, beautifully-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon that is impressive to both smell and taste. It will benefit from 2-3 more years of bottle age, and last for 15+ years. This is a very impressive Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the original Margaret River wineries, this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a vineyard planted in 1969. It is made from small yields of approximately 2 tons of fruit per acre. It is an explosive, rich, opulently-textured wine that represents the essence of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.  MOSS WOOD website

10/10 VINTAGE RATING - The dense purple-colored 1995 exhibits a classic black current, cedar, and spicy-scented nose, full body, outstanding richness and power, and brilliant definition and length. Although still grapy and unevolved, it should age effortlessly for the next 12-15 years. It will benefit from 2-3 more years of bottle age. This is a very impressive Cabernet Sauvignon.  One of the original Margaret River wineries, this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a vineyard planted in 1969. It is made from small yields of approximately 2 tons of fruit per acre. It is an explosive, rich, opulently-textured wine that represents the essence of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.  MOSS WOOD website

10/10 VINTAGE RATING - The Wine Magazine puts Moss Wood Cabernet in Australia’s Top 5. The panel of Max Allen, Peter Bourne, Andrew Caillard, Peter Forrestal Huon Hooke, Lyndey Milan and Jeremy Oliver tasted the latest vintage of the country’s 32 best cabernets as part of the process of determining the Top 20. They then tasted one or more older vintages to help provide a historic context and a backdrop for the panelist’s own knowledge of the wines. They rated the Moss Wood with Cullen Cabernet Merlot, Penfolds Bin 707, Mount Mary Cabernets and Wynn’s Black Label as the best five Australian cabernets.  ‘Another single-estate Margaret River cabernet, produced by the fastidious Keith Mugford. Moss Wood was the first in the region to attract cult status with Cabernet. The vines are mature and low-yielding, the quality of soil allowing them to thrive unwatered in the dry summer climate. Like Cullen, Mugford has decided to cease bottling a Reserve wine and instead elevate the standard wine to reserve quality, with extra time in oak. The 1995 is darkly coloured and thick, with great concentration and richness, no hint of the regional herbaceousness but complex gamy, meaty and toasted oak bouquet. Has the hallmark Moss Wood fleshiness,’ wrote Huon Hooke.  ‘Inky, concentrated; has the fruit to balance its toasty oak character,’ said Bourne.  ‘Silky, velvety texture; a lovely drink in the long term,’ said Oliver.   MOSS WOOD website

10/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The 1999, under stelvin, was a beautiful seamless wine with great freshness, cherry aromas on the nose, bilberries, redcurrants and cedar wood, balanced with that freshness, with a touch of silky chocolate on the finish.   MOSS WOOD website

10/10 VINTAGE RATING - Substantial nose: deep fruit, dark chocolate elements – rich yet restrained. Good intensity, firm fruit, sumptuous. Ripe, textured tannins support. MOSS WOOD website

8/10 VINTAGE RATING - Brambles, black and red currants, leaf and coffee are the defining characters of a tight and refined bouquet. The palate opens out into similar fruits with herbaceous, leafy undertones, fine, firm tannins and tight acidity. The French Oak plays a supporting role behind the fruit. This is a tightly-wound, black-currant-fruited cabernet of refinement and class. It may not be the greatest Moss Wood ever, but don’t let that stop you! Excellent wine! Best drinking around 2010-2015. Like it.  MOSS WOOD website

9/10 - VINTAGE RATING - Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 , Margaret River. Somehow, Moss Wood captures more fleshy smoothness and suppleness than other Margaret River makers. It’s chocolatey and lush in dark-fruit cabernet flavours, while the structure is deep, dense and sumptuous. Cellaring: 15 + years  MOSS WOOD website

10/10 - VINTAGE RATING - JANCIS ROBINSON - I had the great pleasure of participating in a tasting at Vasse Felix in Margaret River last month designed to celebrate the region’s half-century. Vasse Felix’s winemaker Virginia Willcock, Australian wine writer James Halliday, honorary Australian and fine-wine specialist Andrew Caillard MW and I led the tasting attended by leading local winemakers and commentators from all over the world. (Dec 4th, 2017)  Moss Wood 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Bright crimson with a pale rim. A very delicate touch – some ‘mineral’ notes and lots of lift. Is this due to the Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc? I actually wondered about Merlot but perhaps only because the label reminds me of Pichon Lalande! Very smooth, well-worked tannins. Hint of saltiness on the end. Much more approachable than the Cullen Diana Madeline 2004. Drink 2010-2027  MOSS WOOD website

JH96 - From 51yo vines, 88/8/4% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/cabernet franc. Matured for 29 months in French oak (15% new). The 2017 vintage is responsible for cabernets of incredible poise and layering. This is not a thundering power piece, rather an intricately detailed and mesmerising wine, with fine folds of flavour: bay leaf, raspberry, star anise, sage, hints of fennel, pomegranate and pink peppercorn. This is pure, floral, pretty, and very long. Moss Wood has proven its capability for graceful ageing and this will be no exception.

JH96 - There’s as much a Moss Wood DNA thumbprint as a regional one here. This shows off violets, cedary/toasty oak (thankfully not too much), chocolate and a slight ironstone character. Fuller bodied yet the palate is smooth and contained with fine-grained, almost silky tannins, plus dabs of sweet mulberries and blackberries with refreshing acidity tying everything together. Rather lovely now but will garner more complexity in time.

BEST - JH97 - When you’re the flagship, there’s always pressure because you must be the best of the best. Well, take a bow. This harnesses all the power of fruit and winemaking, all seemingly effortlessly, and turns it into an elegant, stunning wine balancing savouriness with fruit. Just the right amount of cassis, mulberries, violets and spicy, cedary oak, nori and menthol and more besides. The palate builds yet stays just shy of fuller bodied with fine-grained tannins, refreshing acidity and superb length. Excellent now and with decades ahead of it. Oh and another accolade, this represents the 50th vintage of the wine. Take another bow

SUPERB - RP97+ - The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful and layered, with a long finish. The tannins are firm, abundant and tightly knit, and they wrap around a core of dark fruit. As the wine sits in the glass longer, the tannins begin to soften and gain suppleness, allowing the fruit and other elements to harmonize further. As this happens, the beauty of the vintage begins to shine through, revealing freshness, energy, balance and drive in equal measure. This is a superb wine, and given all the elements here, it will age wonderfully too. It isn't dense or brooding like some of the other vintages have been; this has detail, life and energy. It is really excellent. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

9/10 - VINTAGE RATING - The 1983 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve shows big, developed fruit characters on the nose with aromas of mulberries and chocolates (the latter from the bottle aging) as well as the spicy, smokey characters of old oak. On the palate, it is surprisingly soft, has very good acid, mouth filling flavour, a rich, round structure and big tannins. At present, the bouquet is outstanding and, although the wine is drinking quite well at the moment, it is a little closed on the palate. This is only the second reserve wine produced at Moss Wood in its sixteen year history. The other was the Montgomery Trophy winning 1980 Moss Wood Cabernet Special Reserve which some critics believe to be the best wine produced in Western Australia. In Keith Mugford's opinion, these are the two wines which Moss Wood have produced with the class to justify the extra oak treatment.  MOSS WOOD website

GREAT - JH97 -  Hand picked, 20% whole-bunch pressed, the balance crushed and destemmed. Matured in French puncheons and barriques (30% new) for 11 months. Interestingly, Mount Mary offers their mailing customers the choice of either Diam 30 or screwcap. A very bright green gold. Smells super with its aromas of perfectly ripened white nectarines, orange blossom and some complex matchstick and oyster shell notes. Powerful and structured on the palate, finishing saline and long. A great and long-lived Mount Mary chardonnay in the making.

PLEASURE - JH97 - 20% whole-bunch pressed, the balance crushed and destemmed. Matured in French puncheons and barriques (30% new) for 11 months. A concentrated Mount Mary Chardonnay where the volume has been turned up in '23! An intense bouquet of white peach, confit lemon, fresh vanilla bean and oyster shells. There's a lot going on and this follows perfectly onto the mouth-filling, powerful, structured and harmonious palate. This will give pleasure for at least 10 if not 15-plus years

PERFECTLY PITCHED - JH97 - Destemmed and fermented with as many whole berries as possible. Left to soak for four days, pre-fermentation with one pump over per day, then plunged three times per day; 15 months in French barriques (25% new). In a slightly darker fruit spectrum to the 2021. Cherries, stewed quince and spiced raspberries. A little less floral and a little earthier. Great intensity on the suave, concentrated yet perfectly pitched and balanced palate. The tannins superfine and persistent. I'd love to have a few bottles of this in the cellar to open up over the next 10 to 12 years.

PINOT OF THE YEAR - JH98 - 2026 Pinot Noir of the Year. PR writes: Destemmed and fermented with as many whole berries as possible. 15 months in French barriques (25% new). First year using Diam as opposed to natural cork. Bright purple. Youthful with complex aromas of wild strawberry, boysenberry, potpourri, star anise and a little Sichuan pepper, even. Even better on the palate where old vines and low yields have conspired (along with the winemaker, Sam Middleton) to produce a supremely textured, layered and flawlessly balanced wine. The tannins are silky and very persistent, and this will be worth both the money and time for those that still have some 10–20 years from now.

SUPER - RP97+ - The 2019 Quintet was served to us at dinner in Yarraglen this week, and it looked impossibly fresh and red fruited on that night. In the line-up here today, the warm season has given the wine a density and gravitas, but it does it with a surge of buoyancy and density at the same time. The wine is black-fruited as opposed to red here, but with ruby inflections. It has a super pleasurable feel in the mouth. 13% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

UNFORCED - RP98 - It's no secret that the Quintet is one of my favorite Cabernet blends in Australia. I collect a few bottles for my cellar each year because of three reasons: they speak of site and place eloquently and gracefully, they age in the same manner, and despite every and any season, the dry-grown vines prevail. I love the vintage variation through the lens of house style; these are natural feeling, unforced vineyard wines and a proud statement of what is possible in the world of global Cabernet, and Australian Cabernet more specifically.

GREAT - RP97 -  The 2022 Quintet comes from the estate vineyard planted in 1971 in Coldstream, Yarra Valley. The vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (15%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%), and this more or less reflects the final cépage each year—though it is also dependent on vintage conditions, fruit set, etc. Aromatically, the wine leads with milk chocolate, cassis, tobacco and blood, with layers of dried herbs, cinnamon cassia, raspberry seed and something minty in the echelon of star anise and fennel—even delicately pushing to aniseed. As per usual, the tannins feel effortless and naturally forged, inducing movement and chew while drinking. This is a silky, seamless wine and is routinely one of my favorite Australian wines each year. Each of the varieties were picked and fermented separately and kept on the skins for about two weeks. The wine matured for 22 months in a variety of French oak: 30% new barriques, 25% in large format (1,500 liters or larger), with the balance in two- to five-year-old barriques. The wine has a firmness through the tail end of the finish, which for me puts it slightly behind the previous vintage in terms of quality but does nothing to dent the space it occupies in my heart. This is a great wine and a great producer. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

JOY - RP97 - The 2023 Quintet is, like every other Quintet I've tasted in my life, pure joy. The wine is famous for its fine frame and floral aromatics, its ability to age what feels interminably and its unfettered expression of this corner of the Yarra Valley—Coldstream. While the cooler season of 2023 has shaped some of the elements of the wine, it remains true to its site and leaves a gentle cedar note trail through the memory. It has more pomegranate and cherry than cassis or blackberry, along with notes of violets, bay leaf and star anise even. It is a beautiful wine, one of my favorite Cabernets in this country. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under Diam cork.

OLDER-SCHOOL - JH97 - This is the first time this wine is a more or less current release, with prior examples having a museum schedule. This saw 15% new French oak, with the balance in seasoned barrels; about two years in total élevage. A wine like this, a reserve, old-vine bottling, can often lean towards opulence and lavish oak, but not so here. There’s an engaging transparency, a transmission of site, of struck rock and kicked earth across blackberry, compressed raspberry and soused black cherries, along with anise, crushed bay leaf and iron. There is an older-school feel. Not the days of plump and power, but rather back further, back to a simpler, truer expression, unfussed, savoury, yet still enveloping. It’s a wine of real poise, presence and sense of place

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now to 2035. Medium-deep crimson. Lovely blackberry, mocha and liquorice arom as. Warm/ generous fleshy wine with deep-set blackberry flavours, plentiful ripe-chalky tannins, superb mid-palate richness and integrated mineral acidity. Finishes chocolaty firm with an long, inky plume. Grippy, but not abrasive. Really good. “Grippy but not abrasive with impressive blackberry, spicy and slightly zesty aromas and meaty richness. Although a touch drying at the finish, it should pull through.” (NB) “Some violets, a hint of silage, dark berries and woody spice. Luscious fruit weight, fleshy satisfaction and liqueur-cherry sweetness.” (NR) Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now - Medium-deep crimson. Classical cassis, red cherry, roasted chestnut, melted dark chocolate aromas with beautiful herb garden/hint eucalyptus notes. Fresh blackcurrant pastille roasted chestnut, praline flavours, fine loose-knit slinky tannins, attractive mid-palate volume and well-integrated quartz acidity. In lovely condition, with superb complexity and flow. “Nearly four decades of cellaring haven’t diminished its Cabernet Sauvignon essence; its mature, sweet blackberry flavours appear even livelier against the refreshing eucalyptus.” (AM) 13.5% alc Padthaway (27%), Coonawarra, McLaren Vale 8 months’ maturation in 94% American oak (39% new) and seasoned American and French oak. WS 98/100 - Non Vintage Tasted: Jan 2008 The intriguing bouquet offers aromas that include leather, candle wax, flax and earthy scents of moss, grass, stone and damp soil. Entry is lusciously ripe and intensely grapy; the midpalate features the ripe grape element. Finishes satiny and stone-like. Delicious. Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now to 2038. Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate and blackcurrant aromas with dried leafy herb garden notes. Generous, ripe and expressive with cassis and praline flavours, fine grainy/grippy tannins and integrated acidity. Attractive mid-palate richness and a firm chalky dry walnut-like finish. Minerally in style with attractive density and weight. “An elegant yet intensely flavoured style with penetrating pure fruits and fine silky tannins. Plenty of density and supportive structure to last the distance.” (NB) “Showing more black fruit characters and a notable olive tapenade edge. Slightly hollow through the mid-palate.” (NR) Rewards of Patience 2026

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE - Penfolds Recorking Clinic Certified 

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR- Drink now–2050 - Deep crimson. Lovely fresh inky dark chocolate, cassis, mulberry, sage, espresso aromas with grilled nuts and liquorice. Richly concentrated and Penfoldsian in style with beautiful blackcurrant, mocha cedar flavours, fine chocolaty tannins and lovely mineral/graphite length. Finishes chalky firm with plentiful dark berry fruits, some new oak notes and traces of eucalypt. “Coiled and reserved, but full and forward. There’s absolute finesse here with a real sense of class.” (GH) Still youthful, with decades ahead of it. A great vintage. 14.5% alc “Cherry chocolate, mulberry, and cassis with a little violet and leaf. Relatively transparent with a framework of fine prismatic tannins, tensile acidity, and a deft draping of flesh giving a beautifully lithe shape.” (NR) Barossa Valley (49%), Coonawarra, and Adelaide Hills - Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now–2050  - Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate, blackberry, dark plum, espresso aromas with liquorice, roasted walnut, hint marzipan notes. Fresh sweet dark plum, mulberry dark chocolate, mocha flavours, “a Savile Row of finely stitched tannins” (TC), lovely mid-palate volume and well-integrated roasted walnut, hint tobacco leaf notes. Finishes firm with lovely fruit sweet notes. A great Grange vintage. 13.8% alc “Composure and completeness. A wine of dizzying dimensions. Fresh and assured, it’s found a really nice spot and clearly intends to stay there a while. Dark red fruits, peppery spices threaded through them. Sinew and sculpted muscle, rather than beefy bulk. Fine grained and long.” (NR) 95% Shiraz, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, and Coonawarra Voted Red Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator magazine in December 1995. Canonised in The Australian Ark as one of the most famous Australian wines of the 1990s. Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Rewards of Patience 2026 - Drink now – 2045  Medium-deep crimson. Inky dark chocolate, panforte, black cherry aromas with roasted coffee, roasted walnut notes. Concentrated black cherry pastille, cassis, praline, mocha flavours, plentiful slinky/chalky tannins, lovely mid-palate viscosity and underlying liquorice, star anise notes. Finishes chocolaty firm. "A lip-smacking salinity offsets some of the riper notes, making this a fascinating wine." (MJ) A classical Grange vintage with the opulence and balance further ageing. 13.5% alc "Peter Gago's first red-wine vintage" [as Penfolds oenologist]. "Blackish garnet. Crushed ants and blackberries. Such excitement compressed in here! Dry finish, but with ink and fruit, this should eventually be a great drink. Very long finish. So impressive!" 89% Shiraz, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Coonawarra 

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now–2050 - Deep crimson. Lifted sea breezy dark chocolate, black cherry, quartz, liquorice aromas with hints of orange peel and spice. Classically structured and voluminous with ample dark chocolate, blackberry, spice flavours, superb chocolaty/velvety textures and underlying roasted walnut panforte notes. Finishes chocolaty and smooth. “Heady and rich. Sweet and flattering. A rich jewel. Tight but rewarding.” (JR) A standout Grange vintage. 14% alc “Mulberries and plums, some cherry liqueur and dark chocolate. Panforte and coffee cream. It’s the texture that impresses here, an almost obscene satiny plushness that’s never overblown or excessive, just so seductively luxurious. The tannins emerge slowly but surely through the wine, wrap it up tight, and pull it down through a long, assured finish.” (NR) 94% Shiraz, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Magill Estate (Adelaide) Maturation of Grange temporarily discontinued at Magill. Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now–2060 - Deep crimson. Classic pure blackberry dark chocolate, mocha aromas with hint of panforte/fresh tobacco/ liquorice. Beautifully concentrated blackberry, dark chocolate flavours, velvety/chalky firm textures and fresh long aniseed notes. Finishes crisp and chocolaty with sumptuous dark berry fruits. “The oak sits down in the glass, and the tannins are mesmeric, respectful, and well marshalled. It needs a decade, but it is already looking perfectly well balanced.” (MJ) 14.5% alc “Brambly fruit, some very dark chocolate, a panoply of dark, woody spices. Power and presence, comfortable in its skin. It’s built on a framework of ironstone and slate; it’s finely layered and drives through the palate with undeviating momentum.” (NR) 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), and Padthaway  Rewards of Patience 2026

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink now–2060 - Deep crimson. A touch more evolved than 1998. Lovely inky dark chocolate, dark berry, cigar box, liquorice aromas with rose petal notes. Classical Grange palate with ample dark chocolate, panforte, dark cherry, blackberry fruits, brambly/chocolaty/dusty tannins and well-balanced mocha roasted walnut oak notes. Finishes firm and minerally. “Complex nose with many fresh layers. Dry finish. Hint of camphor.” (JR) A famous Grange vintage, but more recent tastings see the 1998 vintage remaining slightly ahead in the long-distance race. 14% alc “Astonishingly luxurious and perfectly formed wine with floral spice top notes beginning to emerge from the intense dark fruits. Creamy almost syrupy but far from heavy with animating, energising acidity lightly wrapped. This is still nascent and many years away from its high plateau.” (NB) 100% Shiraz Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), McLaren Vale, and Padthaway  Rewards of Patience 2026

FAMOUS - RP98+ - It is always a treat to taste Australia’s most famous wine, Penfolds’ Grange cuvee (the word Hermitage has been dropped because of legal issues). The 2001 Grange is one of the few vintages of this cuvee to be composed of 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, 1999, and 2000). Aged 17 months in 100% American oak, and tipping the scales at 14.5% alcohol, the 2001 is undeniably one of the top examples of this wine. At this stage, it appears to eclipse the 1998 and 1996. Inky/blue/purple to the rim, with a stunning perfume of blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, graphite, and earth, it boasts good acidity, huge tannins, magnificent concentration, and a multilayered, textured mouthfeel. It is a big, but impeccably well-balanced Shiraz that should shed some of its structure and tannin over the next 4-5 years,and be at its best between 2010-2030+.

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink 2028 – 2060 -Deep crimson. Attractive blackberry, boysenberry and mulberry aromas with dark chocolate, mocha, grilled nut and slight camphor notes. Rich and ripe blackberry, boysenberry and liquorice flavours, fine dense chocolaty tannins and underlying espresso vanilla oak notes. Finishes chocolaty gravelly firm with superb flavour and length. Developing lovely apricot notes. A perfectly symmetrical Grange. Keep! 96 percent shiraz, 4 percent cabernet sauvignon (significant contribution from Block 42). Barossa Valley (including a substantial proportion of Kalimna Vineyard shiraz), McLaren Vale and Magill Estate (Adelaide). “Classical style with superb cassis, dark cherry, candied violet and liquorice aromas and flavours. The palate is sappy and taut with very long fine tannins.” (JR) “Massively concentrated, elemental and strongly structured with rich dark fruit, vanilla, cocoa and mint notes.” (FW)  Rewards of Patience 2026

ANIMAL - RP97 - Containing just a dollop of 4.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Grange is about 85%+ Barossa fruit with the remaining proportions coming from McLaren vale and Coonawarra. It was aged for 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. The nose begins a bit animal with some smoked game, mincemeat and bacon notes emerging over the freshly crushed, sun-warmed blackberries, black currant cordial, earth, black truffles, anise and allspice. Rich and full with very firm very fine tannins and very crisp acid, it gives a long finish layered with coffee, mincemeat and toast. Drink it 2013 to 2025+.

PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Drink 2025 to 2065. Deep crimson. Deep blackberry, mulberry, dark chocolate, liquorice and herb garden notes. Beautifully concentrated blackberry, mulberry and liquorice flavours with fine plentiful rich persistent chalky tannins, attractive inky complexity and buoyancy on the mid-palate. Fresh roasted walnut, mocha and vanilla oak notes. Finishes chalky firm with a long graphite tannin plume. A superb vintage. 100 percent shiraz. Barossa Valley (including significant contributions from Kalimna and Koonunga Hill vineyards) and Magill Estate (Adelaide). “Fabulously dark fruited and opulent with plush velvety tannins. A seamless tannic mass but nothing at all abrasive. Glorious future ahead.” (NB) “Powerful smoky cherry aromas with floral exotic spices. Rich and dense with bitter cherry, pipe tobacco flavours, roasted coffee oak complexity and fine supple tannins.” (JR)  6. Rewards of Patience 2026

VIVID - RP97 - The 2009 Grange Shiraz is a comprised of 84% Barossa, 8% McLaren, and a little Clare Valley and a little Magill fruit with a small 2% of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. At this youthful stage, this deep garnet-purple colored wine puts forward a vivid expression of blackberry preserve aromas amid underlying cassis, black cherry, spice box, char-grilled meat and chocolate box notes. Surprisingly medium to full-bodied (it smells much fuller!) with taut flavors that are very closed in the mouth, it has firm, chewy tannins to structure through the long and earthy finish. 406 cases imported to the US. Drink it 2018 to 2035+.

OH -YES - RP100 - Remember that old Heinz Ketchup “anticipation” ad from the 1970s? The palate of this 2013 Grange does just that. It makes you wait with so much delicious promise being drip fed into the mouth at first—and then it bursts forth and delivers! This vintage is a blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, coming from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Magill Estate. Very deep inky purple-black colored, the 2013 Grange has a profoundly scented nose of crème de cassis, preserved black plums, blueberry pie and licorice over nuances of baker’s chocolate, smoky bacon and fragrant earth, plus exotic spice wafts of cumin seed, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise. Unfurling and slowly building in the medium to full-bodied mouth with wonderful grace and depth, it reveals an incredible array of ripe black fruit, spice, meat and earth-inspired flavors, with a rock-solid frame to support this beauty (it should easily cellar for 40+ years!), while previously latent flavors emerge fully on the epically long finish, culminating in that ultimate Grange experience. Oh, yes.

CLINIC CERTIFICATION - Buy with confidence

 PENFOLDS FIVE STAR - Rewards of Patience - Drink now to 2040 - Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate, blackberry shellac, hazelnut and herb garden aromas with cola, dust and graphite notes. Inky textured but substantial with developed dark chocolate, blackberry, hazelnut and crème brûlée flavours and red liquorice notes. Plentiful fine lacy textures, attractive inky complexity and extra-fine acidity. Finishes chalky with apricot and graphite notes. 94 percent shiraz, 6 percent cabernet sauvignon. Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate and Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide). “Powerful and expressive with smoky dried cherry, blueberry, espresso aromas, superb richness, spicy sweet oak notes and fine persistent tannins.” (JR) “Lovely lifted spice nose and a graceful elegant palate with many layers of spice cake, mulberry, coffee and cocoa.” (FW)

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE - Penfolds Recorking Clinic Certified

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE - Penfolds Recorking Clinic Certified