Australia

• Adelaide HIlls
• Barossa Valley
• Coonawarra
• Geelong
• Margaret River
• McLaren Vale
• Mudgee
• South Australia
• Victoria
• Yarra Valley

This is one in a series of Tawny "Ports" made by Penfold's.  It has very attractive packaging although no longer in the wood box.  Made in a Solera style, the minimum blended age is 20 years old.  The Solera currently contains vintages from 1960 to 2004.  Mostly Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and Mourvedre but others as well.  Iced tea in color.  The nose is a bit oxidized (in a good way) with brown sugar, toffee and crème brulee.  On the palate, this is viscous.  Lots of caramel notes.  Some heat.  There is a nice depth to it.  Long finish.  This will work well on its own or with toffee/carame

What a treat.  The iconic wine of Australia.  This is Syrah or Shiraz as they call it down under.  This wine is 37 years old and drinks like it is just getting to maturity.  No hint of age.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black pepper, black raspberries, some chocolate and baking spice.  On the palate, this is starting to show some layering.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with underlying char and spice.  Great texture.  Long finish.  It probably won't improve from here but should be at this level for at least another decade.  This will work well with stews or roasts and is

A chance to try the iconic wine of Australia is pretty special but a chance to try one with age is amazing.  This bottle was decanted for a couple of hours and then poured back into the bottle and served after an additional two hours.  It was still a bit tight but opened up in the glass quite well.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, black pepper and slight roasted meats and roasted herbs.  On the palate, it is medium to full bodied.  Great balance.  Nice black raspberry and black cherry fruit over char.  This is drinking well and probably at or close to peak.  No hurry, there

Grange is arguably the best wine from its entire continent.  That's a pretty bold statement.  This is the iconic wine from Australia and has, and continues to, earn that reputation for over almost seventy years.  This is of course, young.  Grange is a wine that can easily do a few decades.  Yet, it drank well as pop and pour  Purple in color.  The nose is very pretty with black cherries, ginger, cedar, and spice.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, a bot of char/toast.  Great mouth feel.  Long finish.  This will get better with cellaring.  It needs

This was a new one for me.  Pop and pour, it is a very nice Pinot drinking well right now.  Ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose is very tight.  With air some black cherries and dust come out.  With a bit more air, cherries and a bit of woodiness (not oak) show up.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Cherry fruit with some depth.  Not as much as I might have expected at age 20 but not really showing age either.  Not sure where this goes from here, but there seems to be time.  It is very enjoyable.  Not as big as many Aussie wines from this time period can be.  It will go well wit

75% Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale & Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 20% Langhorne Creek Merlot - 5% Eden Valley Shiraz.  This is the flagship wine of this property.  The bottle was gifted to me a couple of years ago, and it got opened at the end of a 1980's Bordeaux tasting which seemed appropriate.  It did not disappoint and held its own in the tasting.  Purple with ruby swirls, ruby at the rim, not much bricking.  On the nose, this is dusty with black cherry fruit and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this has some depth with nice layering that is immediately apparent.  Good aci

This is a big, sweet wine.  It will likely be love it or hate it for most people.  For my tastes, it is good but a little goes a long way.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is blackberry pie with some cherries, cedar, and chocolate.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Sweet with blackberry pie, cherry pie, some dark chocolate and just a bit of spice.  This lists 16.5% ABV on the label and though it tastes it, and feels it texturaly (is that a word?), there isn't any heat.  Long, sweet finish.  So, basically, this should be consumed as though one was drinking port.  It will overpower most f

This is a Pinot Noir from Australia that retails for $17.  Very pale ruby in color, clear and bright.  Maybe a slight orange hue to it.  On the nose it has a cherry cotton candy quality.  Sweet and candied.  The palate is softly textured.  Sour cherry fruit that is also candied.  Not much acidity to it.  Simple.  This is made to drink alone and with out food.  It will be nice at a party or wedding as it has a good price point, drinks easy, and does not need food.  Probably should be consumed in the next year or two.  One of those wines that is what it is and does what it does for a fair pri

This is an inexpensive bottle from Australia that is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet and Grenache.  It is the kind of wine that made Australia famous in the 1990's and soon fell out of favor.  This is a very sweet wine that will be popular with people who like that style.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has confectionery sugar, raspberry fruit and red candies.  On the palate, this is candied raspberries.  A bit bitter on the palate.  It is not about depth but rather fruit and imbibing.  Drink now.  

Well, the label says they apply sustainable and holistic Grape growing and winemaking techniques to craft perfumed wines with sympathetic textures.  So, there's that.  In spite of that gibberish, I tried the wine and it's a good wine and a nice enough price point under $20.  Light golden in color.  The nose shows some sawdust and butter but also some nice grapefruit fruit.  Even a bit of a floral note.  On the palate, the oak is not so pronounced.  The grapefruit comes thru with a decent acidity.  Nice finish.  This will work nicely on its own or with some lighter foods.  Probably needs to