Bob McDonald

WSET Level 3 Pass with Distinction.

4775 wines • 325 followers • 222 following

Innocent Bystander

Known Pleasures Gateway Shiraz 2014

9.1

A beautiful rich, plush full bodied McLaren Vale Shiraz. Trial sentence. I can continue. Well performed on the Australian Show Circuit. Even though Innocent Bystander is based in the Yarra Valley the fruit for this Cuvée came from the Gateway biodynamic vineyard in McLaren Vale. Supple and delicious with that spicy overlay and soft tannins. — 2 hours ago

Jan liked this

That label is a graphical presentation of a sound recording. Wonder what it is...

A. P. Birks

Wendouree Shiraz 1998

9.0

Initial aged savoury notes featuring coffee grounds. See if I can continue this note. Wendouree Shiraz produced from ancient vines provides one of Australia’s iconic wines. This however was a little disappointing at 28 years from a big ripe vintage. I must say it still had a full bodied palate with amazing length and persistence with mid palate concentration. Ultra savoury. Despite this I have had better Wendourees. Similar to my sentiments on a previous Delectable note in November 2015. — 11 days ago

Scott@Mister, Ming and 15 others liked this

Ceccherini Cristiano

@Bob McDonald Hello mate, sorry to see a disappointing bottle from this producer but as we know this can happen sometimes even too often. I reckon i had the 98 a couplof times and at least once i felt underwhelmed by it. As you know Wendouree has a special spot in my cellar, but sometimes it is irritating and i started to move on from it a while ago.
However i hope you are good.
All the best mate

Bass Phillip

Premium Chardonnay 2017

9.5

One of the best Chardonnays I’ve had this year. My last bottle of 2017. Will have to try and remember my notes. On the nose a good combination of citrus and Stone fruit aromas with stone fruit having the slight ascendancy. A rich delicious palate showing increased complexity at nearly 10 years. See previous Delectable notes. Probably at its peak. — 17 days ago

Jose, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this

One of the best Chardonnays I’ve had this year.

First sentence is a tester.

Clonakilla

Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2010

9.5

A gorgeous nose from the inclusion of Viognier- Violets and spices ( cinnamon and cloves). Any waiting to submit? I can continue! On the medium bodied palate there is white pepper together with red fruits and the spices mentioned earlier on the nose. Probably Australia’s best Shiraz Viognier - up there with Serrat. See previous Delectable notes - my last bottle of the 2010. — 4 days ago

Tom, Doug and 15 others liked this

Killer wines tonight for you, @Bob McDonald!!

@Doug Powers A lot of my collection is now classified as “Old” by my Wine App - Personal Wine Curator.

Sami-Odi

Hoffmann Dallwitz Syrah 2016

9.6

Typical Sami Odi from those old Dallwitz vineyards. Luscious and almost thick on the full bodied palate (ripe plum and chocolate). Hard to go past Bill Benders description of “dense and delicious “. Slinky supple black fruits. Unlike many releases of Sami Odi this is not the usual multi vintage approach. This wine was solely from the 2016 vintage which was excellent in the Barossa. Also, of all of Fraser’s quirky labels this is one of the best. — 13 days ago

Scott@Mister, Jose and 17 others liked this

I just opened my last bottle of this 2016 about two weeks. It was spectacular!

Domaine des Lambrays

Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2015

9.6

First sentence is a tester. Now the full note. We don’t often have Grand Cru Burgundy but we had roast duck legs on Mother’s Day. An intensity to the nose - Sous Bois/Compost heap with savoury red fruits - smoky with a hint of pepper. Many of the experts are saying a high influence of stems in the ferment is apparent and I totally agree. Interestingly Richard Hemming MW gave the wine 19.5/20 and said “This is what all the Burgundy fuss is all about.” Continuing to evaluate - this wine has a beautiful nose (very Morey one taster said). In summary a magnificent wine with great persistence. One of the 1001 Wines. Clos des Lambrays can trace its history back to the 14th century. — 17 days ago

Jose, Ming and 13 others liked this

Penfolds

Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2002

9.3

My last bottle of 2002 Bin 28 Kalimna. More notes to come. First vintage of Bin 28 was 1959. Very much the Penfolds house style. Herbs, dark plums and Choc/mocha aromatics with red and black fruits. Certainly the Penfolds DNA. On the 2nd night initially a whiff of coconut oak. A reliable mid tier well priced Penfolds red which can be drunk young or cellared for many years. Has been a regular purchase for me over the years. — 20 days ago

Scott@Mister, Jose and 15 others liked this

@Bob McDonald, very, very jealous, I always love this wine, but haven’t never aged them this long (8-12 years is longest for me)!!

@Doug Powers 2002 was a cool excellent vintage. The Rewards of Patience have this wine cellaring to 2040. Luckily I have a few Bin 389s from 2002 still in the cellar. Just as long lived as the Bin 28.

Andrew Cullimore

Well done @Bob McDonald , not many cellar these wines , this is the proof that it is worth it !

Vasse Felix

Heytesbury Margaret River Chardonnay 2016

9.6

Pale yellow in colour. Aromatics of Smoky Citrus rind. The medium bodied palate shows ripe grapefruit with citric acid toning down at 10 years of age. This is one of the best Chardonnays in Margaret River - up there with Leeuwin Estate Art Series without the latter wine’s ripe pear and white peach. This is a brilliant Chardonnay by any measure. My first of 3 bottles. 98 points from HH. — 5 days ago

Doug, Tom and 15 others liked this

@Bob McDonald, unfortunately when we visited Vasse Felix in 2023, I hadn’t seen your comments on this cuvée, so we didn’t taste it. Obviously, my loss. . . .

@Doug Powers Yes it is a producer that has had many successes. The first vines In Margaret River planted in the 1960’s?by Dr Tom Cullity; a highly skilled long serving winemaker in Virginia Willcock and the vast financial resources of the owners, the wealthy Holmes-a-Court family.

S.C. Guillard

Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2018

8.9

Light to medium weight Notes of red fruits (strawberry and raspberry). The fruit for this wine is sourced from Gevrey Chambertin in a vintage ( 2018) which was warm giving ripe, generous wines. Very easy to drink and great value at $55AUD. Touch of oak influence the following night. — 13 days ago

Tom, Tom and 11 others liked this

Domaine Zind Humbrecht

Clos Saint Urbain Rangen de Thann Riesling 2017

9.5

First sentence is a tester. Now full note. Pale to mid gold in colour - such clarity. Aromatics of pear and white peach - Barb thought a sandalwood note. Musky. So clean - not a hint of TDN (petrol/kerosene). A great texture and mouthfeel verging on luscious. Light to medium weight palate. Low acid. Thoroughly delicious. — 17 days ago

Scott@Mister, Jose and 16 others liked this

Waiting to Submit on first attempt.

@Bob McDonald, this has long been a favorite from Zind-Humbrecht, sometime in the last 6-8 months I opened the 1988 and 1989 of this cuvée, one showed evolution and was excellent, the other tasted like a 5-10 year old Grand Cru Riesling!! This cuvée will age effortlessly!!

@Bob McDonald, this has long been a favorite from Zind-Humbrecht, sometime in the last 6-8 months I opened the 1988 and 1989 of this cuvée, one showed evolution and was excellent, the other tasted like a 5-10 year old Grand Cru Riesling!! This cuvée will age effortlessly!!