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Wine Code Breaker #443

2023 Aunt Alice Night Sky Pinot Noir, Tasmania

I never knew I had always longed for an Aunt Alice. It appeared very recently, in the night sky, much like Mary Poppins. In fact, it is quite a lot like Mary Poppins. Creative and playful, enchanting and magical. As for me? I would be closer to “a little bit more,” or, on a good day, “as high as an elephant’s eye.”

The 2023 Aunt Alice Night Sky is a Pinot Noir from Tasmania. It is an enchantingly dark crimson colour wine that elegantly floats in the glass. The nose is playful, offering red fruits, cherries, and rhubarb spice, with touches of savoury notes, orange rind and cream bring a smile. On the palate, it effortlessly balances the whimsical and magical; red fruits, those cherries, spices, forest floor notes, and its silky texture deliver a long, fanning finish – practically perfect in every way!

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $55

Tasted: November 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #442

2023 Lowboi Riesling, Porongurup, Great Southern, Western Australia

The early onset of frost can be a vintage killer. Those little buds that advance ahead of perhaps when they should, can be exposed to dry, freezing conditions. Some mechanical movement of air will help. Small heater pods can too. A site with an exposure to sea breezes and a landscape that promotes a thermal blankets are better. Planting Riesling, where suited of course, may be better again with its later budding. Put all three together and you can guarantee a crop. It is then over to the winemaker to do their thing.

The 2023 Lowboi Riesling is from the Porongurup, a sub-region of the Great Southern region in Western Australia. An almost clear wine in the glass with a light green to yellow tinge brightens the mood. On the nose, white blossoms, lemon zest, grapefruit pith, and a pinch of ginger spice add excitement. The palate has the lemons, the grapefruit, and the zest. Green olives and minerals too, mingle effortlessly with the lightly oily, slightly gripping, and waxy texture that is keenly balanced by its bracing acidity. A highly persistent wine with glorious flavours brings on an ever-broadening smile, indicating the winemaker has certainly done their thing with this one!

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: February 2025

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Wine Code Breaker #441

2023 Billy Button “The Groovy” Grüner Veltliner, Alpine Valleys, Victoria

Apparently, there is a desk at Vienna Airport for passengers arriving there thinking they have flown all the way to Australia. Paradoxically, the town of Bright in the Alpine Valleys of Victoria has had to install a desk for those wine drinkers who, after sipping on some Grüner Veltliner, break out in refrains from the Sound of Music. They seem to have believe they have been transported to Austria. Sometimes a good Grunter will do that to you.

The 2023 Billy Button “The Groovy” Grüner Veltliner is from the Alpine Valleys in Victoria. It is a delightfully pale lemon in colour, almost clear with a green tinge. The nose is all citrus, grapefruit fresh and curd. Pear and white pepper add such a delightful complexity. On the palate, the grapefruit and white pepper are the standouts. A gripping, slightly oily texture is beautifully offset by the crisp acidity to deliver a lingering refreshing finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 11.5%

Drink: Now; 3 yrs

Price: $29

Tasted: November 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #440

2023 Delinquente Wine Co Tuff Nutt Pet Nat Bianco d’Alessano, Riverland, South Australia

Petillant Naturel, or Pet Nat, is a wine style with a light fizz that may seem to be new, but is in fact ancient in its method. Pet Nat starts much the same way as all winemaking – pick, crush, ferment. Almost always white grapes with skin contact in the ferment. Primary fermentation is cut short and straight to bottle. What you see is a wine that may come across as unfinished, but this is exactly how the winemakers want it to be seen. Don’t be afraid of the little chunky bits!

The 2023 Delinquente Wine Co Tuff Nutt Pet Nat Bianco d’Alessano is from the Riverland region of South Australia. In the clear glass bottle, it is a cloudy yellow with a tinge of orange. Flip the crown seal and you detect the light fizz. On the nose, it is a potpourri of marmalades and curd with the oranges and lemons fighting for attention with green apples. The light fizz on the palate brings these flavours together with a touch of funkiness and grip from the tannins. The acidity is crisp and served chilled, this is not a bad way to taste an afternoon away.

Enjoy!

Rating: 90 pts

Closure: Crown

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now

Price: $24

Tasted: October 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #439

2023 Kalleske Zeitgeist Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Perhaps the least memorable member of the X-Force was Zeitgeist. His mutant power was spewing acidic vomit with deadly accuracy. This was reportedly discovered during a drunken night out with a girl on a beach. His uniform was a pale blue tunic with yellow highlights. A more memorable Zeitgeist clocked in purple hales from a vineyard and has a superpower that is infinitely more appealing. 

The 2023 Kalleske Zeitgeist Shiraz is from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. It is a freakishly purple and seriously bright in colour. The nose has a laser focus on fruits; plums, blueberries and fresh figs combine neatly with aromatic spices and liquorice. On the palate, the spices roar along with the plums, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, olives and liquorice. With lightly gripping tannins as a backdrop, this wine cannot fail to put a smile on your face and this is its superpower. 

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 2-5 yrs

Price: $30

Tasted: August 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #438

2023 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria

The term “bastard” in the Australian vernacular is a term of endearment. Think of “you little bastard!” Or, “what a bastard!” Both of these can be heard on the sporting field or even in the workplace. So, imagine coming across a vineyard with a slope of 32 degrees that produces some of the best grapes in the country. There is no other logical name other than Bastard Hill. So, what of the wine from Bastard Hill?

The 2023 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Pinot Noir is from a single site vineyard in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. It is a light crimson coloured wine with a brightness that was a thing of beauty. The aromas released from the swirling liquid within the glass magnificently pounded the cool springtime evening; perfume of rose petals, strawberries, cherries and blood oranges along with a savoury, earthy edge that added so much complexity. On the palate there was a lightness of power where the flavours and textures left one wondering if it was a yearning for order, or a surrender to chaos. Either way one looked at it, the oh so fine and silky tannins, the building of flavours, its elegance and persistence left one with no doubt that this was a bastard of a wine.

Enjoy!

Rating: 97 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13%

Drink: Now; 5+ yrs

Price: $100

Tasted: September 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #437

2022 Aphelion Confluence Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia

Louis Pasteur, the creator of pasteurisation, is said to have described a bottle of wine as containing more philosophy than all the books in the world. Perhaps as a case of one-upmanship, Ralph Waldo Emerson philosophises that a man will be eloquent if you give him a bottle of wine. In both cases, these learned gentlemen would agree that wine is the greatest drink of all and would no doubt salute a glass of wine to Galileo Galilei who described wine as sunlight held together by water. The Greek philosophers would go on step further to simplify this as amphelion – from the sun. Nothing further required.

The 2022 Aphelion Confluence is a Grenache from the Blewitt Springs, a subregion of the McLaren Vale wine region in South Australia. It is a convergence of reds as poured settling into a bright cerise in the glass. The nose is highly aromatic with perfumed red fruits and raspberries. Liquorice and earthen notes add complexity and serious interest. On the palate is where it all comes together – raspberries, forest floor berries, liquorice as black jubes and olive tapenade that all cling easily to the sandy emery board like tannins. The finish is long and lingering yielding much philosophising that is best left unsaid.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.8%

Drink: Now; 5-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: July 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #436

2017 Pimpernel Shiraz, Yarra Valley, Victoria

The scarlet pimpernel has become much more than a flower. It is, of course, the symbol of the original superhero, Sir Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel. An expert swordsman, master of disguise, and deft escape artist, all wrapped up in a daring double life. Pimpernel Winery, started by a cardiologist, could also be seen as leading a daring double life. Here, you need an expert vigneron to deliver the crop. An oenologist, who expertly addresses the ailments afflicting the human heart while mastering the ability to disguise his purple hands so as not to scare off his ailing patients. And, a deft escape artist to taste its wares for sale to you and me. No easy task at the outset, I am sure.

The 2017 Pimpernel Shiraz from the Yarra Valley in Victoria is a deep magenta-colored wine, somewhat akin to a scarlet pimpernel. The nose is full of cool climate spices; peppers and perfume. Cherries and plums sit comfortably among dried herbs and savoury notes. The palate has an intensity that grows, not quickly, but subtly builds and builds in intensity. Layers of cherries and dark chocolate, plums, and savoury herbal notes, aided by the oh-so-fine tannins, deliver such lingering that leaves you wondering where the wine has escaped to, with just a scarlet pimpernel staining the glass to remind you.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 5+ yrs

Price: $55

Tasted: June 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #435

2023 Luke Lambert Crudo Shiraz, Yarra Valley, Victoria

One of the most terrifying scenes in The Godfather was Jack Woltz waking up to a horse’s head in his bed. As raw as it comes, the head was real having been secured from a local pet food manufacturer. You could even say as crudo as it comes given the Italian background of the characters of the movie. Naming a wine Crudo may seem straightforward as a simple synonym of raw. Get your market wrong and well, let’s just leave it at that.

The 2023 Luke Lambert Crudo Shiraz is from Yarra Valley in Victoria. It is a vibrant crimson coloured wine with aromas of perfume, cherries and plums. The rawness also comes from its charcuterie, black pepper and spices. The palate is plush with fruit driven notes that retains a tautness and restraint in equal measure. Peppers mingle with soft tannins delivering lovely persistence without any hint of a horses head.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $39

Tasted: July 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #434

2021 Kalleske TKX2 Sparkling Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Sparkling red wines, in some circles, are considered an abomination, particularly for the uninitiated. You may be one of those, and I get it. Made using the Methode Traditionelle, you will be confronted by a blood-red wine with a frothing pink mousse, which can be quite confronting, to say the least. Once past this shock, you then get to marvel at the flavours and textures that marry oh so well together. In fact, you may even desire to make your own when you run out. However, getting a delicious red and putting it through a soda stream is called Methode Stupide and is not advisable. I know from personal experience (and having to repaint my kitchen a couple of times!).

The 2021 Kalleske TKX2 Sparkling Shiraz is from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. It is a deeply crimson-coloured wine with a super fine, vibrant pink mousse. Served chilled, the coolness of the wine coils the aromas, releasing them in waves; plums, cherries, lifted perfume, chocolate, liquorice, and savoury elements spring from the glass. The palate is where the magic happens. There is a convergence of creaminess, dustiness, and savouriness that oozes bold dark fruits, liquorice, and spices. Each wrapped in tiny effervescent bubbles that pop a million times over and oh so pleasingly across the palate with a dreamy persistence. This is so much more than what a soda stream can achieve. Magnificent!

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Crown

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 10+ yrs

Price: $60

Tasted: August 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #433

2019 Boireann Shiraz Viognier, Granite Belt, Queensland

There are a series of vineyards nestled in amongst the vulgar granitic boulders out the back of Stanthorpe in Queensland. This is in the heart of the Granite Belt wine region. Perched at about 900 metres above sea level, this region is one of the highest in Australia. Even though it is so far north, it is classified as a cool climate district. The location is challenging; frosts, birds and feral pigs abound which in some seasons leaves a handful of grapes for wine making. Drought, bushfires and rain at harvest all contribute to the angst. When it is right, it is right and this is when we get to try some seriously good wine.

The 2019 Boireann Shiraz Viognier is from the Granite Belt region in Queensland. It is a fabulously bright red purple, retaining a flashing clear rim. The nose is highlighted by its aromatics of blooming apricots and violets. Cool climate expressions stand out including plum and cherries intermingled with black and white peppers. Baking spices, herbs and liquorice add a delightful sprinkle of complexity. The palate is medium weight with peppery spice and plum fruit. There is chocolate, more dark than milk, and layering of herbs and savoury oak. The tannins are wonderfully expressive with a super fine grained appearance delivering a stunning mouthfeel and a persistence that is as lasting as the granite beside the vineyards.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 15%

Drink: Now; 10+ yrs

Price: $100

Tasted: April 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #432

2022 Ironcloud The Alliance Chardonnay, Ferguson Valley, Geographe, Western Australia

The use of the word “iron” in front of another gives it a suggestion of strength. The use of this in more recent times leads you to thoughts of security, which may further prompt thoughts of “the Cloud.” “The Cloud,” of course, is a metaphorical reference (and brand name) to storing your data over the internet in a secure server than is in fact fixed and supported by quite significant infrastructure. A winery with the name Ironcloud therefore evokes thoughts of strength, security and perhaps, with the merging of cloud, a heavenly experience is about to unfold from the bottle.

The 2022 Ironcloud The Alliance Chardonnay is from the Ferguson Valley in the Geographe region of Western Australia. It is a light golden-colour in the glass that is immediately physical in form. A precise nose with floral notes and peaches is balanced perfectly against grapefruit pith and citrus zest. This is further strengthened by oatmeal, curd and savoury oak. The palate is far from virtual, tending towards heavenly with flavours immediately unfolding; oatmeal, cashews and savoury oak, all in unison with the purity of the lemon and stone fruits. A beautiful texture with creamy lees and crisp acidity extends the finish that is clearly its strength.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $50

Tasted: June 2024

Source: Punch Lane Wine Bar

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Wine Code Breaker #431

2021 Yangarra Blewitt Springs Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre, McLaren Vale, South Australia

The Blewitt Springs is a highly regarded sub-region of McLaren Vale where the rainfall is a fraction higher and the temperatures a fraction cooler. This is of course in comparison to the wider McLaren Vale wine region. Combine this with soils that are sandy overlying a clay base and this little patch of a tick over 7300 ha under vines is reported as producing some of the most sought after grapes. For winemakers getting their hands on old bush vines of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre, there is fragrance and elegance for us to enjoy in larger fractions that us mere mortals can detect.  

The 2021 Yangarra blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre from the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale in South Australia is a bright cerise coloured wine. A highly perfumed nose with enticing red fruits and soft soft spices. A fraction of earth, a fraction of citrus rind and a fraction of liquorice add to the enchantment. On the palate is where you feel the fractions come together with its red fruits, cherries and spices on a bed of soft grainy, almost sandy, tannins. As a whole sum, this is a wine that is lean, elegant and vibrant with a long and expressive persistence that goes beyond the sum of the parts. That is good for us mere mortals. 

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: May 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #430

2023 Ravensworth Gamay Noir, Tumbarumba, New South Wales

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the two grapes that are putting Tumbarumba on the wine map. Perhaps this is not surprising as the region experiences a large daily range in temperatures that is not dissimilar to Burgundy where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay hail from and have continued to thrive and marvel across 1,000 years. Gamay was kicked out of Burgundy by the King of Burgundy in the 14th century for being a “very bad and disloyal variety,” so perhaps we should not be surprised that Tumbarumba has become a home away from home.

2023 Ravensworth Gamay Noir from Tumbarumba in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales presents as a light crimson, cherry-coloured wine. The nose is all cherry fruits with savoury notes and a little meatiness, where a slight stalky character adds complexity and interest. The cherry fruits come through and really shine with food. Savoury flavours mingle with gamey meat characters and bright pomegranate fruits. Soft, sinewy tannins support an extended textural finish, ample time to pay homage to one of Gamay’s new homes. 

Enjoy!

Rating: 92 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13%

Drink: Now; 2-3 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: May 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #429

2022 Longhop Old Vine Grenache, Adelaide Plains, South Australia

Eliza Doolittle’s elocution lessons centred around enunciation through repetition. Most will recall the scene where Eliza transforms her speech under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins; “the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” One line that suffered the editor’s curse was: “the stash of cash is for Grenache with panache.” I have read the scene was highly amusing with several re-takes being required. For the life of me, I cannot understand why it was cut. Grenache certainly has panache, particularly those from the Adelaide Plains.

The 2022 Longhop Old Vine Grenache is from the Adelaide Plains in South Australia. It is a bright, luminous, crimson-coloured wine with a nose of rose petals, red berries and kirsch.  The palate is marked by berries and cloves with its soft, lightly sinewy tannins. Give it a slight chill and you will be repeating the phrase: “the stash of cash is for Grenache with panache.” Do you agree?

Enjoy!

Rating: 91 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-5 yrs

Price: $25

Tasted: May 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #426

2022 John Duval Cellars Annexus Grenache, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Maz Kanata has lived more than 1,000 years. Better known, of course, as the Pirate Queen, Maz is the owner of a castle on the forest planet of Takodana. Until more recent times, she was also the keeper of the lightsaber of Luke Skywalker. The Pirate Queen is no Jedi, but knows of the Force. What is not so well known, is that her Cantina showcases a wine of the week. A recent tasting from Maz was captured for Rey Skywalker following the delivery of some pallets smuggled in from a galaxy far far away.

“Dear child, the 2022 John Duval Cellars Annexus is a Grenache from the famed ancient Stonegarden vineyard in the Barossa Valley of South Australia, planet Earth. The colour is as bright a crimson as the synthetic crystals of the Dark Jedi lightsaber. Through the ages, I have seen evil take many forms and this has no evil, with aromas of perfumed rose petals, cherries, raspberries, violets, musk and crushed gravel. I can see into a wine’s heart by using the Force. This one is strong. Its flavours move through you, the structure surrounds you. Bright red fruits, bits of earth and liquorice on a cushion of fine emery board tannins linger. Close your eyes. Feel it. The flavours have always been there; they will guide you.”

May the Force be with you this Star Wars Day. May the Fourth it is.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $78

Tasted: April 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #425

2021 S.C. Pannell Grenache Shiraz Touriga, McLaren, South Australia

Another Federal budget looms over the heads of the tax paying public. The PAYG again will be hit hardest. We will bemoan what will be, but will ultimately move on to create more wealth to be taxed like a masochist. One element that won’t be touch is the beloved Goods and Services Tax or GST and for this we may or may not be thankful. This little 10 percenter is well and truly a fixture of our lives. Another GST that should be a fixative is from S.C. Pannell wines. 

The 2021 S.C. Pannell GST is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Touriga from grapes grown in the McLaren Vale district of South Australia. It is a dark crimson colour with an very attractive brightness. The nose has bright cherry, blueberry and plum fruits; quite herbal and spicy with nutmeg, musk and liquorice. The palate displays an array of fruits that includes cherries and blueberries alike with some raspberries that are almost sarsaparilla like. A medium bodied palate with gravelly, grainy tannins enhancing the textural experience and with the acid, drives the persistence. A highly gluggable 10 percenter representing a GST that we should all rejoice.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-5 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: April 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #423

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia

An update from the archives…Homer Simpson introduced viewers to the world of topology in an episode called “the Wizard of Evergreen Terrace”. This line of mathematics considers a square and a circle to be identical or homeomorphic because a square can be transformed into a circle. Homer followed this rule by demonstrating he could transform a doughnut into sphere, albeit the doughnut had a bite out of it because Homer considered the nibbling or biting of a doughnut as a necessity. Imagine a doughnut without a bite; doh! Thus, these two shapes were proved to be homeomorphic or Homermorphic. Cabernet Sauvignon in its youth can present as a doughnut where the palate has a strong or dominating front and back plates pushing the middle into the background. At first you may seem underwhelmed yet with time, nibbling or biting of the aging process, the palate fills out more completely presenting as a sphere that is wholly satisfying.

The 2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coonawarra district in South Australia is beyond a text book example of this classic grape; more a masterclass. Dark garnet with hues of blacks and purples flashing throughout. Being youthful, this wine needs air to show at its best. The nose with swirling presents bunches of blackberries, blueberries and cassis. Minerals, herbs, tobacco and minty notes add depth. The palate is firmly structured, yet elegant with an apparent hole as a doughnut emphasised by the bright dark blackberries at the front and the herbs and tobacco and savoury spicey oak at the rear. The tannins are powdery, akin to talc, and supportive of a long persistent finish. With its pedigree, and the year, it is a wine that will age beautifully over many years.

Truly, a Homermorphic wine.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.4%

Drink: Now; 10+ yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: March 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #422

2020 Tonic Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria

To white ant someone is to subvert or undermine from within. It is an Australian slang expression often used in reference to political groups. Of course, it comes from the action of termites that surreptitiously eat away at wooden structures from the inside, only for you to discover too late that all support and strength has crumbled away. To white ant is also an Australian way of making a nod to International Stab Someone in the Back Day. Not heard of this day? Surprising. It is better known as the “Ides of March” that is celebrated on March 15. I have found a glass of wine is the preferred way to drown the urge to white ant or stab someone in the back.

The 2020 Tonic Chardonnay is from the Yarra Valley in Victoria. It is a light yellow golden-coloured wine begins to soften the urge. The nose is all lemons and stone fruits with a ginger spice. The palate brings in peaches, oatmeal, buttered toast and lemon curd. Its creamy tannins lead the way to bliss and its persistence is the perfect tonic against any thoughts of white anting or stabbing.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.4%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: February 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #421

2021 Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz, McLaren Vale, SouthAustralia

Australian slang has a way of confounding and confusing in an amusing way. As Australian society has continued to grow and become more globally astute we have started to lose some of that Strine that makes us famous the world over. Take Mollydooker for instance. This is an Australian expression for a left handed person. It is not often heard anymore whereas once, it was not uncommon to hear references made about, say a Mollydooker batsmen. Where has it come from? Well, I conducted some detailed research and discovered that the “molly” implies an effeminate male and “dookers” refers to one’s hands. There is a long and tortuous explanation that establishes the origins of “dooks” or “dukes” as being derived from pick pocketing, forks and rhyming slang variant of this ending up as the Duke of York.

The 2021 Mollydooker The Boxer is a Shiraz from McLaren Vale in South Australia. It is black in colour and searingly so. Inhale deeply and there is dark plum fruit, blueberries, blackberries and smallgoods with a smokey complexity. Liquorice, spice, black fruits and black jubes on the palate supported by chalky tannins and balanced acid. It will not be for everyone with its higher alcohol, but I reckon this plonk is a bonza ripper, mate!

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 15.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: February 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #420

Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz, Victoria

An update from the archives…Onomatopoeia is one of those marvelous words in the English language. It involves the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. Think of sizzle. The very mention of this word evokes thoughts of eggs, bacon and sausages “sizzling” in a pan. What about rustle? This brings to the fore images of rolling around in those autumnal leaves that strangely fall around Autumn. What about wine and onomatopoeia? Let’s see how it could work.

The Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz is crafted from fruit plucked from vines throughout Victoria and is a blend of vintages. Crunch and crinkle goes the removal of the foil and wire with a squeaking as the cork is eased from the vassal. Pop it goes where uncontrolled in its release or hiss when eased slowly. Whooshing and a gushing of bright purple red liquid gurgles into your glass. “Mmmm” you go as you reflect on its colour. Sniff, sniff leads to an achoo with the peppery notes dominating. “Ahh” you go as the plummy fruit and liquorice spice precedes a raising of your eyebrows. The rushing of the bead across the palate fizzles pleasingly as you gargle and gurgle. Plummy fruit, cloves and spices present a lovely mouthfeel and an extended finish that leaves you hooting for more or whimpering and w(h)ining when there is no more. A perfect accompaniment to a good old Aussie BBQ or gobbling with turkey.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Cork

Alc: 13.5%

Drink: Now

Price: $25

Tasted: January 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #418

2022 Penfolds Bin 21 Grenache, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Australia is girt by sea. A fact that is irrefutable. You could argue that Barossa Grenache is girt by Shiraz. In fact, the girtage factor of Shiraz to Grenache is 10 to 1. And like Australia as an island of the Southern oceans, Barossa Grenache stands out brightly contrasting against the hue of magenta reds. It is more crimson in colour, more elegant today than of the fortifieds of yesteryear. Maybe you could call it a warmer climate version of Pinot Noir.

The 2022 Penfolds Bin 21 Grenache is from the Barossa Valley in South Australia represents the first Bin release. It is a bright, crimson-coloured wine with some darker hues marking its place. The nose is a beacon with its fragrant and perfumed notes and hints of charcuterie. Raspberries and liquorice meld to become sarsaparilla-like. The palate flows energetically with pronounced red raspberry fruits, pomegranates and cherry pith girting the citrus zest. Its emery board and talc-like tannins juxtapose the acidity to deliver a long lingering, savoury finish. This leaves you thinking, perhaps the girtitude of Grenache needs to be improved upon.

Acknowledgement to David Hunt of ‘Girt’ fame for the inspiration.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: September 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #417

2021 Fire Gully Farm & Vineyard Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia

Ancient gravelly loam soils in the Willyabrup region of Margaret River are the home to vines now dating back to the 1980s. A system of brooks, along with the coast some 4 kilometres away, offers a tempering effect, providing the cooling blanket that slows the ripening, ensuring increased flavour intensity and elegance. It is in this marvellous microclimate that Cabernet Sauvignon and friends appear to thrive as individuals and marvel as a blend.

The 2021 Fire Gully Farm and Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is from a small vineyard within the Willyarbrup sub-region of Margaret River in Western Australia. It is a dark red-coloured wine that on the nose has a melding of cassis, herbs, plums, green beans, and coffee with wafts of dark chocolate. On the palate, the cassis is to the fore, with chocolate being more mocha-like. The tannins are fine grained and lightly gripping. This presents as an elegant structure with a defining, lingering finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: N/A

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35 (or thereabouts)

Tasted: August 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #416

2022 SC Pannell Fi Fi Fiano, McLaren Vale, South Australia

Fiano, as a grape, is a producer of a sugary pulp that is highly attractive to bees. Its origins are thought to date back to ancient Roman times, evolving from the grape Apianum, which of course is a Latin derivation of bees. Being a relatively low yielding variety, this is a relief for those who tend the vineyards as with higher yields, the air would be awash with bees making picking a stinging experience. Migrating to the Southern hemisphere, Fiano has now made a hive on Australian shores. McLaren Vale is one of its most notable new homes.

The 2022 SC Pannell Fi Fi Fiano is from McLaren Vale in South Australia. A light, pale yellow-coloured wine with a slight green tinge. The nose is awash with citrus, gooseberries and a herbaceous mineral edge. On the palate there is fresh honeysuckle that smacks the cheeks, balanced by crisp acidity to deliver a delightful finish without a sting.

Enjoy!

Rating: 92 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 1-3 yrs

Price: $27

Tasted: August 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #415

2021 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia

‘Envy is the bond between the hopeful and the damned’ sings David Gilmour adding colour to the lyrics of Roger Waters and the music of Pink Floyd. From the song ‘Green is the colour’, it is laden with poetic references that link the metaphysical to the physical world that surrounds our everyday life. The lyric is simple, yet truly complex in meaning. A little envy can push us to experience new things. Too much, and you will be condemned as the damned, Hades bound. Barossa Shiraz, like envy, is the bond between living and existing, something worth coming back to as a benchmark for vinous experiences.

The 2021 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, a single vineyard from the Barossa Valley in South Australia is a simple yet complex wine. Deeply coloured, almost dimming the colours of the day. Heavy hangs the aromas, lifted on a breeze of a swirling glass, tendrils of smoke that cannot be grasped, yet sensed; red and black fruits, spices, coffee and mocha bridging the metaphysical. Bold is the palate, sweet red fruits rimmed with spices, coffee granules and chocolate soften the velvety tannins. The denseness of the flavours is the platform from simplicity to complexity. Lingering enough for both the hopeful and the damned.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 5-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: June 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #211

2014 Mayer Cabernet, Yarra Valley, Victoria

One from the archives…Samuel Pepys is reported to be the pioneer of the modern tasting note. In 1663 he described a recent tasting, for him at least, as follows “Drank a sort of French wine, called Ho Bryan, that hath a good and most particular taste that ever I met with”. The wine was in fact French and it was Chateau Haut-Brion, regarded as the first house to label their wine as their own. Tasting notes have evolved since these times and given the era, I started to think how the most famous of bards, Shakespeare, who had passed 50 years earlier, would have written a musing of a wine tasted during his drafting of an upcoming play. Given the English infatuation for Bordeaux, I thought a similarly styled wine would be best to test this theory.

When I did pour the Mayer Cabernet Sauvignon, how light it appeared.  The year fourteen passed two thousand; Yarra Valley whence the grapes were sourced.   A nose I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to for a smell of the berries and stalk.  Eternity was on my lips and nose, bliss was on my brow bent; dark berries, spice and herbs do blend.  Tobacco and cedar, elegantly they danced.  None of the parts so poor.  Tannins and acid, they were in the very wrath of love, and they will together; clubs could not part them.  A palate was but a long race to heaven.  This momentary joy breeds months of pain.  Another glass quells the cold disdain.  A tragedy it isn’t.

The 2022, as pictured, elicited similar thoughts and as I did not have a picture of the 2014, I am publishing to the site as a combined note.

Enjoy both!

Rating: 2014 – 95 pts / 2022 – 96 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 13%

Drink: 2014 – 5-15 yrs at tasting / 2022 – Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: 2022 – $60

Tasted: 2014 – late 2016 / 2022 – April 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #414

2022 Mayer Chardonnay Yarra Valley, Victoria

The first recorded tasting note for a wine is credited to Samuel Pepys in 1663. His description of the wine was, “hath a good and most particular taste that ever I met with.” This description leaves a lot to the imagination. “Good” can mean many things. I do though like “most particular taste,” as this alludes to something specific and exotic to his senses. A wine I recently tasted, I believe, fits the bill.

The 2022 Mayer Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley in Victoria was a wine that hath a good and most particular taste that ever I met with in recent times. It was a light, golden-coloured wine with aromas of white peach, florals, ginger spice, a little oatmeal, and grapefruit rind. The palate was elegant, graceful, and beautifully balanced. Oatmeal, lemon, savoury oak, honey wax, and peach wove through the tight, yet oily tannins. “Good” was its intensity and “most particular” was its flavours and complexity.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 12.5%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $60

Tasted: March 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #413

2021 Longhop Old Vine Shiraz, Adelaide Plains, South Australia

A winter Ashes series approaches the Antipodes; some five weeks away to be precise. This provides ample time to select a wine to match the cooler nights watching some devious swing from the medium pacers, deceptive flight from the spinners and toilers, vicious short pitched deliveries from the speedsters and an occasional long hop from the plodders. The long hop of course is a short pitched delivery that goes horribly wrong. It provides the batter with ample time to select their shot and dispatch it to or over the fence.

The 2021 Longhop Old Vine Shiraz is made from vineyards that survived the vine pull of the 1980s in the Adelaide Plains of South Australia. It is a deep dark red with vibrant red rim, closer to a Kookaburra than a Duke. The nose is generous with violets, chocolate, plums and the darker red fruits. Some fine pencil shavings of deftly handled oaks and a small dollop of cream add to its complexity. The palate loops delightfully between the red fruits and plums. Chocolate and savoury tones sew it together along a pitch of velvety tannins. A beautiful delivery with ample time to contemplate the merits of each delivery across the evenings play.

Enjoy!

Rating: 92 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $25

Tasted: March 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #412

2021 Bekkers Tome (Vol 1) Shiraz, McLaren, South Australia

Rey spent her early life eking out an existence by scavenging on the planet Jakku. Her simple life disappeared as she was drawn into helping the Repulic and with this discovered the Force within her. She sought out Master Jedi Luke Skywalker for instruction in mastering the Force. Rey, during this time, discovered Master Luke was much more than a reluctant teacher of the Force; he was, in fact, a master of McLaren Vale Shiraz. We are fortunate to have the story of one of his first lessons with Rey from her time on a small island of Ahch-to.

“Rey, take this 2021 Bekkers Tome Vol 1 Shiraz from McLaren Vale in South Australia. What do you know about McLaren Vale Shiraz?” 

“It’s a power that Jedi have that lets them control people…and make things float,” was Rey’s response.

“Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong.” Luke continued handing her a glass. “Look at the colour, its dark side is the light. Prisms of reds and blacks. Now place the glass to your nose. What do you smell?”

Rey made to throw the glass away in frustrated anger. Luke caught her hand, “a Jedi’s weapon deserves more respect. Try again.”

She breathed slowly, did as instructed and gently sniffed the glass, chanting inwardly, “I can do this. I can do this.” She hesitantly speaks, “I need someone to be able to show me my place in all of this.” 

“Go on,” encourages Luke, “confronting your fear is the destiny of a Jedi. Your destiny.” 

“I am sensing plums and dark fruits. Spices. Liquorice. Violets. There is much more that I can describe. Coffee and chocolate too, more dark than light. The complexity frightens me.”

“Very good. Very good. What of the palate?” 

“Light. Darkness. Balance.”

“The power in her is frightening,” muses Luke.

“The flavours build. The tannins I sense are velvety; grippy yet delicate. The dark fruits float. The power is there, the lingering is long. I am all of the Jedi.”

May the fourth be with you on this upcoming International Star Wars Day.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 5-10 yrs

Price: $50

Tasted: March 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #411

2022 Mayer Gamay, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Carbonic maceration is a fermentation technique that has been made famous by the wines of Beaujolais. Under a blanket of carbon dioxide, at the top the fermentation process involves the conversion of sugars into alcohol occurring inside the individual grapes. At the bottom, conventional fermentation occurs, as the grapes are crushed by gravity. Unique chemical reactions are said to take place within the grapes resulting in distinct effects on the resultant wine. Mostly associated with Gamay, the grape that was once banned from Burgundy, it is growing in popularity in vineyards afar.

The 2022 Mayer Gamay from the Yarra Valley in Victoria is a delightfully coloured wine that is best described as cherry red. The nose wafts at once of perfumed notes of red fruits, rose petals, rose water and lavender and has influences of both whole bunch and carbonic maceration. The palate is very expressive with the plushness and softness of the red fruits that float between raspberries and cherries. Savoury and herbal flavours round this out on a bed of soft sinewy tannins delivering a long and lingering finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 13.2%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $60

Tasted: March 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #410

2021 Eden Road The Long Road Chardonnay, Tumbarumba, New South Wales

There is a Latin saying, in vino veritas. In wine, there is truth. Of course in too much wine, there is ruin. Too little, and there is a riot. This is precisely what “International Stab Someone in the Back Day” advocates. Not heard of this day? Surprising. It is better known as the “Ides of March”. This day calls for wine that can balance on a knife edge, posing the questions without the slaying. Tumbarumba is a region that can do just that. Its cool climate, high sunshine hours, bright sunlight and cold Summer nights, combined with slow ripening, deliver wines that keenly balance flavours and piercing acidity.

The 2021 Eden Road The Long Road Chardonnay is from the Tumbarumba region in New South Wales. It is a light golden-coloured wine that reflects sunlight back to your eyes. The nose has aromas of white peach and cashews offset by taut grapefruit. The palate mixes the peach with oatmeal, cashews, ginger spice and subtle oak influences. Rounded creamy tannins walk on a sharp blade of saliva-inducing acidity to deliver a lingering and flavoursome finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $30

Tasted: March 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #409

2022 Pewsey Vale Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia

Australia’s early economy was said to have ridden on the sheep’s back. John Macarthur is credited as the first to introduce the merino breed that led to the boom on the back of wool. What is less known is that in 1847, Riesling cuttings from his Camden Park farm on the outskirts of what is now Sydney were collected and planted in the Eden Valley in South Australia. Moving forward 100 plus years and one could say we are riding on the back of a bottle of Eden Valley Riesling as it is world class.

The 2022 Pewsey Vale Riesling is from the site where the original cuttings were planted way back in 1847 within the Eden Valley in South Australia. It is an almost clear colourless wine with a slight yellow green straw marking its presence in the glass. The nose is bright with citrus blossoms sitting deftly against the citrus zest, herbs and a talc-like minerality. The palate plays out the citrus flavours with lemon and lime in equal abundance. It is a lightly oily texture where the minerals evolve against the slinky acidity to deliver excellent persistence and mouthfeel, confirming we continue to ride on the back of our agricultural pursuits.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.5%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $22

Tasted: January 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #408

2021 Mac Forbes EB80 G-Train Grenache, Yarra Valley, Victoria

The evolution of the Grenache style away from a blockbuster, high octane jube driven palate continues to amaze. It may even be a revolution. These wines are highly perfumed, textural, tauter / leaner framed while retaining the raspberry and blackberry fruit that makes it such a delightful wine. They are reminiscent of a warmer climate Pinot Noir that suggests Grenache makers are perhaps frustrated Pinot Noir makers. A twist in this story is the growing of Grenache in cooler climate areas of Australia where Pinot Noir has been making its mark for some time. Perhaps I had it wrong all along and Pinot Noir makers are frustrated Grenache makers.

The 2021 Mac Forbes EB80 G-Train Grenache is part of his Experimental Batch of wines from the Yarra Valley in Victoria. This is a light crimson coloured wine, beautiful and glowing. The nose is highly aromatic with attractive spices, dark berries and the perfume you hope to see in a Grenache. Touches of thinly sliced fennel adds complexity and further attractiveness. The palate builds around the fennel, berries and spices with cherries and kirsch. The tannins are light and sandy, dancing and lingering oh so nicely. What an experiment, or is this a revolution in the making!

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Cork

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: December 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #407

2021 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria

What has the colour pink got to do with Pink Floyd? Nothing. Pink was in fact Pinkney Anderson, a blues guitarist who went by the name Pink. The Floyd part came from Floyd Council, another blues guitarist. A spur of the moment decision by Sid Barrett created The Pink Floyd Sound in 1964 to avoid confusion when two bands turned up at the same gig to perform under the same name, The Tea Set. The “Sound” part was quickly lost and so grew the legendary band that has been one of the most inspirational bands of the last century. Incidentally, it was estimated that at one point, 1 in 12 people owned a copy of Pink Floyd’s seminal album, The Dark Side of the Moon. This album turns 50 in 2023.

What has the colour pink got to do with the 2021 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley in Victoria? A lot, starting with the attractive simple pink label and capsule. Upon pouring, the colour presents as a delightful deeper variation of pink; perhaps you would call it light crimson. The nose is attractively perfumed with pink rose petals, rose water, lightly crushed raspberries, along with a little influence of cream and earth. The palate is light to medium bodied and is flavoursome and textural. Pink fruits, silky tannins, savoury and earthy notes leave a lingering sensation that makes me think Pink Forbes has a great ring to it.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 11.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: January 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #406

2021 Cherubino Uovo Grenache, Frankland River, Western Australia

The phrase “afternoon delight” has over time become a reference to a dangerous liaison between two lovers when everything’s a little clearer in the light of day. This is all thanks to the Starland Vocal Band’s hit song of 1976, Afternoon Delight. A more recent version of the famous song was by Ron Burgundy, the legendary anchorman. This was his attempt to describe what love is, in a way that only Ron Burgundy could do. A recent experience now sees this phrase taking on a whole new meaning.

The 2021 Cherubino Uovo Grenache from Frankland River in Western Australia is a wine that has been crafted from an egg-shaped clay cement fermenter. The end result is a gorgeous crimson-coloured wine with a highly perfumed nose. Fresh red fruits, liquorice and stewed red fruits evoking wild thoughts in the early afternoon. The palate moves the experience along to another level. Shaved slices of raspberries mixed with a little cream and rhubarb offer some rusticity and shine against the emery board and talc-like tannins lingering into the evening. You could say that this is a textural delight, skyrockets in flight, afternoon delight.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Drink: Now; 7-10 yrs

Alc: 15%

Price: $65

Tasted: October 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #405

2022 Tupelo Pinot Gris Riesling Pinot Blanc Gewurtztraminer Stargazer, Tasmania

“Would you like some fruit salad”? “No thanks, I already have some” as I sniff and swirl a glass of wine. Does a wine with four or more varieties count as fruit salad? Blending multiple varieties together is to build on the synergies, ensure the counter points don’t conflict and deliver a wine that is more interesting that its individual parts. The synergies will be flavours, texture and acid. Stuff these up and it will be somewhat akin to the juices left in the bowl after the fruit salad is finished.

The 2022 Tupelo from Stargazer in Tasmania is a blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewurtztraminer grown in the Coal River area. It flashes brightly in a glass with its light green yellow hues. A highly aromatic and appealing nose with citrus, Turkish delight, a little bit of lychee, a nip of peach, a dash of guava and a pinch of spice. These flavours flowing effortless into the palate. It is delightful with a structure that brings you back for more; oily tannins, dancing acidity and flavours lovingly linger. This is my kind of fruit salad.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.2%

Drink: Now; 3-5 yrs

Price: $28

Tasted: January 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #404

2022 Longview Macclesfield Grüner Veltliner, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

The recent elevation in grunting from the TV speakers marks the arrival of the tennis season to our shores. Why all this noise? Well, there is scientific evidence that proves the dynamic velocity and isometric force of both serves and forehand strokes increases with grunting. That extra bit of power on the ball may be the difference between a winning passing shot and an easily returned rally shot. Warning, do not be confused when someone with a glass of wine in their hand watching the tennis exclaims with glee “what a grunter!” No one really likes watching grunters, but many love tasting a Grüner Veltliner (aka grunter).

2022 Longview Macclesfield Grüner Veltliner is from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. A bright pale green and yellow coloured wine that on the nose has a lovely briney note of crushed oyster shells, finger limes, floral rose water and apples; apples more on the Granny Smith side. Green olives adds a savoury component. The palate sings with the lime and apple fruits offset against a grassy herbaceous and savoury notes. The lightly oily tannins counter balance the acidity that delivers a superb passing forehand down the line for a winner. “What a great grunter!”

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.5%

Drink: Now; 2-5 yrs

Price: $30

Tasted: January 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #403

2019 Windows Estate Basket Pressed Petit Lot Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia

“One Day Like This” by Elbow, an English band, is a song that builds and lingers gloriously. Starting with piano and strings, the lyrics begin with thoughts of a dawning day. Ultimately it is a song that muses about falling in love crescendoing with a chorus that is uplifting, inspiring and reflective. Just one day like this can see you through a year or perhaps even for life. Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon can evoke such thoughts.

The 2019 Windows Estate Basket Pressed Petit Lot Cabernet Sauvignon is from Margaret River in Western Australia. In the glass it is vibrant with hues of reds and blacks that you have you drinking in the morning sun. It’s looking like a beautiful day. The nose has an array of aromas; I can only think it must be love. How could it not be with chocolate eclair like nuances mingling with blackberries, blueberries, fresh crisp snap beans and touches of bay leaves. It’s looking like a beautiful day. The palate left me stumbling over what to say. Holy cow I loved the chocolate and caramel, the dark berries, mocha and herbs. Throw those curtains wide as the powdery tannins and layering of flavours deliver an elegant wine that lingers gloriously. This is a beautiful day.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 7-10 yrs

Price: $50

Tasted: October 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #402

2019 SC Pannell Aglianico, McLaren Vale South Australia

Nebbiolo and Sangiovese are probably the two most oft Italian wine varieties mentioned in the Australian context. Others though are catching up. Aglianico is one and it is surprising to learn that, in Italy, it is considered the third greatest wine after the aforementioned Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. Its origins are a little mysterious; sometimes reported to have been brought across by Greeks, others suggest it is endemic to the volcanic soils of the Basilicata and Campania regions of southern Italy. Either way, its introduction to Australia is proving to be rewarding.

2019 SC Pannell Aglianico is grown on the ancient soils of the McLaren Vale region in South Australia. It is a deep bright red coloured wine that is highly appealing when swirled in the glass. The nose is intoxicatingly rustic with its mix of earth, leather, spices and dark fruits. Ironstone, cherries, almonds, baking spices waft above the glass having you think that this could be a cross between a cherry danish and an almond slice. On the palate, these aromas build as flavours moving through a backbone of bitter chocolate and minerals. The defining feature is the balance between the taut tannins and building acidity that play out the rusticity masterfully. All this suggests the vines are loving their new home.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 5-10 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: October 2021 and October 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #401

2021 Coriole Sangiovese, McLaren Vale, South Australia

Sangiovese is a grape that has its origins in Tuscany, Italy, but it was not until the 18th century in this region that it would gain widespread attention. Coriole is one of the first Australian vineyards to give this grape a go and has vines dating back to a mere 1985. It could be argued that Coriole has had but a pittance of time to understand the nuances and vagaries of the Sangiovese vines established in McLaren Vale across some 30 odd vintages. This experience and ongoing releases says they are pretty happy with how this grape is performing and all the better for us.

The 2021 Coriole Sangiovese from McLaren Vale in South Australia is a deep red with magenta hues. Its nose displays cherries, earthy, savoury and herbal notes. There is also a touch of brambly red fruits that really compliments. On the palate, there is a Cherry Ripe-like flavour with an earthiness that plays delightfully against a backdrop of the gravelly tannins. The palate lingers longing suggesting there are many more vintages for us to to enjoy in the years to come.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.3%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $29

Tasted: November 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #398

2021 Ghost Rock Pinot Gris, Tasmania

The forbidden fruit can be many things. Your own forbidden fruit appears to depend upon your cultural leanings, educational curiosity and life experiences. Figs, apples, pears, pomegranates and grapes all get a mention. As an aside, it is highly amusing to discover that apple in Latin means apple, but when the same word is borrowed from the Greek, could also mean evil. A theological joke on us perhaps! And so we come to our Apple Isle where grapes are grown and fermented for our pleasure. The Forbidden Island has many temptations and Pinot Gris is just one that could be labelled as a forbidden fruit.

The 2021 Ghost Rock Pinot Gris is produced from a vineyard in northern Tasmania. It is a mostly clear wine that is lightly hued by a yellow pink and grey. The nose floods the senses with figs, pears and an intoxicating blend of honeydew and rockmelons. Crushed minerals and almonds add an enticement to the palate. The texture is lightly oily, yet grippy, which parts the seas allowing the flavours to be expressed elegantly and in abundance. This is forbidden fruit in a bottle.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.8%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $30

Tasted: May 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #397

2019 Bird in Hand Montepulciano, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

We first meet Zorii Bliss on the frozen planet Kijimi. Of course, her fame as a spice runner is well known. Her passion for Italian varietals, not as much. During her years running spices around the galaxies, she had been known to drop into the Adelaide Hills from time to time to stock up between gigs. It also helped soften her rage towards Poe Dameron for rejecting her all those years before. Zorii kept meticulous notes of her spice running missions and as it turns out, her wine musings.

The 2019 Bird in Hand Montepulciano was secured from a secret rendezvous to Adelaide Hills in South Australia, planet Earth.  This wine is a dark crimson colour that opens up with dark fruits, earth and spices.  There are some cherries, herbs and briary notes, mysterious and whimsical, a little like the early years with Poe (sigh).  The palate brings these together with leather and lemon zest across a bed of spices and tannins that are almost Tatooine-like in their sandiness.  A sharp acidity with flavours persisting, reminding me that I am not alone.  This one is okay!

May the fourth be with you on this upcoming Star Wars Day.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Vino-Lok (glass)

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 5 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: January 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #396

2018 Mount Monument Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges, Victoria

The most famous mamelon is a breast-shaped hillock in Sevastopol. It was made so during the Crimean War of 1853-1856 (a war that is reported to have been started over an argument about a key) due to its strategic location.  A less famous mamelon was formed eons ago from an eruption of thick syrupy lava flowing through a vent in the bedrock of the Macedon Ranges.  This site provides the strategic canvas for a vineyard with its 630 metres of elevation, volcanic soils and aspect. 

The 2018 Mount Monument Pinot Noir from the Macedon Ranges in Victoria requires no key to open. Once poured it is quite a deep, crimson-coloured wine. It has a floral perfume to the nose with cherries, black olives and citrus peel dipped deftly in balsamic vinegar. The palate has those bold cherries on a backbone of sinewy silky tannins. Blueberries, black olives and savoury oak add complexity and provide a broad, fanning finish that would be a perfect accompaniment to celebrating the summit.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: December 2021

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Wine Code Breaker #395

2021 Bird in Hand Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Cat’s pee can be detected at 50 paces and assails one’s nostrils with such force that no other odour is able to be perceived for days. Poorly made Sauvignon Blanc can do something similar. At its least offensive, it is flabby and insults the senses. At its worst, you get cat’s pee. At its best, however, Sauvignon Blanc can be exciting with its freshness and vibrant aromatics combined with crisp, crunchy acidity make it a truly attractive wine.

The 2021 Bird in Hand Sauvignon Blanc from Adelaide Hills in South Australia is a very pale straw colour that flashes brightly. The nose is highly fragrant with guava, white peach, gooseberry, passionfruit balanced by a touch of herbaceous cut grass and green bean nuance. The palate is all guava, gooseberries and citrus that combined are striking and intense. Against a tight texture, these flavours are balanced neatly by its crisp acidity, culminating in a finish that is far from flabby.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 1-3 yrs

Price: $25

Tasted: March 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #394

2018 Protero Capo Gumeracha Nebbiolo, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Adelaide Hills is a remarkable region as it seems to have pockets that mirror some of the world’s great wine growing regions. Altitude and valleys create a landscape of microclimates that play with the coolness across the dry ripening periods. Add a bit of fog during harvest and they are the sites that are perfect for Nebbiolo. Of course, this is the grape that is thought to have a name derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog. And so, perhaps Adelaide Hills is a home away from home for the grape of Barolo in Italy.

The 2018 Protero Capo is a Nebbiolo from a single vineyard named Gumeracha in Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Its colour is a bright crimson that swirls proudly in the glass. The nose needs time for air to reveal its aromas; cherry fruits, earth, leather, spice, and a perfumed pot purri of rose petals sprinkled with desiccated cola. Oh, this is something special and this early conclusion was confirmed by the palate. The cherry, earth and spice flavours roll around in waves with coffee and sarsaparilla adding more complexity. The tannins are fine and firm and the acid crunchy aiding a long lingering finish. An aptly named wine as ‘Capo’ is Italian for boss!

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 7-10 yrs

Price: $80

Tasted: January 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #393

2018 Frankland Estate Shiraz, Frankland River, Western Australia

Frankland River as a wine region is the one closest to a Mediterranean climate in the Antipodes.  An inland area that experiences warm dry days and cooling nights.  The soils are a blanket of gravel ironstone above the mattress of hills and river valleys.  The beds divided by the rivers Frankland, Gordon, Kent and Tone provide the calming influence to the vineyards that sleep and thrive through the seasons.

The 2018 Frankland Estate Shiraz is from the Frankland River subregion of Great Southern in Western Australia. The colour awakens you immediately as it is poured; deep crimson with a bright purple hue. The nose is a caffeine hit to the senses with its distinct cool climate aromas including cherries, blackberries, black olives, cloves, herbs and a hint of chocolate that arouses further interest. The palate takes the cherries and blackberries to another level with some iodine, mineral and charcuterie. The fine velvety tannins are what lifts this wine to the next level as they wrap up the flavours and roll them gentle along on akin to the rivers flowing peacefully through the landscape.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $24

Tasted: February 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #392

2019 Ravensworth Hilltops Nebbiolo, Canberra District

The 15th of March is an auspicious day on our Gregorian calendar as it celebrates International Stab Someone In the Back Day, figuratively speaking. Harking back to less tolerant times, it is of course the Ides of March when Julius Caesar resigned to the smell of betrayal as the blade slipped all too easily between the ribs of his back. On this day, if you feel the urge, do what the modern day Romans would do and pour yourself a glass of wine.

The 2019 Ravensworth Nebbiolo is from a vineyard in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, not too far from the nation’s capital. The colour is a light crimson and flashes brightly along the edge of a blade. The nose is glorious with floral notes, rose water, red berries and hints of tomato relish dripping with savoury tarry nuances. The palate is keen with a balancing of lightness and power. Red fruits, tar, earth and savoury tones build in volume, splaying beautifully against the sharp tactile bed of tannins. Its persistence is alluring, calming and disarming; perfect for the day.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: December 2021

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Wine Code Breaker #391

2020 Passing Clouds Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges, Victoria

Growing grapes in cooler to marginal areas is tricky business.  Let’s face it, agriculture is a tricky business where you can be confronted with frost during bud forming, managing light into the canopy to help with ripening and preventing disease in the canopy itself.  Add into the equation the fickle Pinot Noir and it is tricky business indeed.  The Geneva Double Curtain trellis system, or GDC, is a possible solution.  They are a little higher than traditional systems so you gain a little more protection from frost.  Secondly, it splits the canopy in two and trains it to fall downwards in the guise of two curtains.  This automatically thins it to help increase light and airflow through the precious bunches as they form and ripen as well as preventing disease. 

The 2020 Passing Clouds Pinot Noir is from a GDC trellised vineyard in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria. A bright, deep, crimson-coloured wine that immediately confirms this is not going to be tricky business to enjoy. The nose is spicy, charry and perfumed with a base of sour cherries. The palate is elegantly balanced that curtains cherries, cream and nuts on one side and silky, slightly chewy tannins on the other to draw a long fanning finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: December 2021

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Wine Code Breaker #390

2019 Musk Lane Vineyard Nebula #2 Nebbiolo, Macedon Ranges, Victoria

The Carina Nebula is the largest of the nebulae that adorn our night skies and is visible only to residents of the Southern Hemisphere. A complex system with many features, it is amazing we do not hear more of its wonders. The Eta Carinae, Homunculous Nebula, Keyhole Nebula, Mystic Mountain and WR 25, which happens to be the Milky Way’s brightest star… And then there is the Defiant Finger. Yes, this is the system that gives the “finger” to all systems surrounding it and if you look very carefully you will find it adorning the label of a defiant Nebbiolo from Victoria.

The 2019 Musk Lane Vineyard Nebula #2 is a Nebbiolo sourced from a vineyard on the fringes of Bendigo and Macedon Ranges in Victoria, about 8,500 light years below the Carina Nebula. Of course the positioning is relative but the colour is not. A light crimson that is easily seen from both hemispheres of the glass bowl. Its aromas are far from nebulous; floral red fruits, leather, tar, nuts, earth and a hint of cola fill the atmosphere. The palate is light yet intense, with an interesting and appealing sappiness threading through the red fruits. The tannins, akin to fine sand, are firm and stand out proudly, giving the crunchy acidity the finger as it marches defiantly along the palate, lingering and fading in unison.

Enjoy!

93 pts

Closure: Diam

Alc: 12.3%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: January 2022

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Wine Code Breaker #389

2008 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia

Cellaring a single bottle of wine has its risks and rewards. Tasting it in its optimum drinking window is the spiritual experience that you are aiming for. Keeping it too long and you will be disappointed. Conversely, drinking it too young and you are regretful. And so, here I was staring at an older vintage of wine and I called upon the angel number 389 to guide me. As my intention was to embark on a spiritual journey, I now had my angel’s full support with an impulse made known. I went for it with all my heart.

The 2008 Penfolds Bin 389 is a multi-regional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from South Australia. Upon opening and decanting, it showed a deep red cerise colour that retained brightness at its core. The nose was glorious and inviting; plums, Chinese five spice, dark berries and an enticing entwining of liquorice and cassis. The palate whispered and roared with rich, voluptuous blackberries, black currants and those spices, this time with a plummy complexity. The tannins are fine and lingering somewhere between emery board and velvet. The persistence is spiritual and I am thankful for my angel’s guidance and support. There is no regret.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 10 yrs still

Price: $100

Tasted: November 2021

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Wine Code Breaker #444

2023 Fighting Gully Road Sangiovese, Beechworth, Victoria

Where I reside has been a bit stormy of late. Trees down all around. ‘Riders on the Storm’ has been the soundtrack. This masterpiece, fusing poetry and music, of course, has nothing to do with tempests. It is a striking metaphor for life. And a fascination of killer hitchhikers. Some say though, that to truly understand this song, you have to be stoned on acid. Not having a desire to test this theory, I opted for a Sangiovese crafted from the bowels of an abandoned lunatic asylum. 

The 2023 Fighting Gully Road Sangiovese is from Beechworth in Victoria and the inspiration for an alternate set of lyrics. And, apologies to The Doors.

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this glass, its thrown
Garnet coloured, it has grown
Like a stone without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm

There’s a killer on the nose
My brain is squirmin’ like toad
Take the cherries for the day 
Let the herbs come out to play
If you give this glass some air
Sweet balsamic starts to flare
Killer on the nose, yeah

Girl, you gotta love the taste
Girl, you gotta love the taste
Take the raspberries by the hand
Tannins make it grand
The world on it depends
Its flavours never end
Gotta love the taste, yeah

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: March 2025

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