Bob McDonald

9.1

Mid crimson in colour. Aromas of red cherry and forest floor. On the palate light to medium weight uncomplicated red fruits- also sweet nuances. No great length to the palate but good QPR for $36 AUD. Short term drinking. — 3 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Some smoky, cherry liqueur with forest floor and whole bunch notes. Has been one of my favourite Yarra Valley Pinots for ages with good QPR. The palate is medium bodied and texturally quite mouth filling bordering on luscious. Medium minus acid. Very Giant Steps, very Applejack Vineyard. Consistent quality. — 9 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

See previous notes from October 2017 and August 2018. Red fruited with Cherry, Raspberry and Strawberry notes - very mineral. On the palate just medium weight, with a note of tomato sauce, very savoury with some tannic grip. A touch of Brettanomyces (not unusual in a Sicilian red) but not a deal breaker. The French Oak barrel influence is totally integrated. Was a good match with Pasta. Would buy Faro again although I think I preferred this wine in its youth. Was a standout on our Sicilian trip several years ago. — 12 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

As per previous tasting note 107 weeks ago. Love these succulent lush savoury fruited Amarones. Priuney notes with dried raisin, milk chocolate, leather, red licorice, tobacco and a touch of cinnamon. On the full bodied palate quite sweet fruited with raisin and milk chocolate flavours finishing with soft largely resolved supple tannins. Good QPR for an Amarone. Nothing like the price of a Quintarelli. — 18 days ago

Bob McDonald

8.9

Funky solids notes on nose. The palate was just medium weight with grapefruit, under ripe stone fruits and plenty of acid reflecting its youth. Would cellar for up to 5 years - not sure how much mid palate fruit would be left by then. Good modest price drinking and great QPR at $21 AUD. — 3 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Light pale lemon in colour. Bath talc and lime aromas, white flowers. Not a hint of Kero. Clean as a whistle on the palate with lime and lively citric acidity. A textural chalky mineral note. Still with a long future. Many good judges feel that this is Australia’s premium Riesling. If it’s not the best, it’s certainly in the conversation. From the Clare Valley SA. — 9 days ago

Bob McDonald

8.9

Delectable - this is the Craighall Vineyard Pinot Noir - not offered in your choices. This wine had a lovely vibrant colour of dark crimson. Aromas of cherry but somewhat latent and still promising much. My experience with Dry River Pinots is that they need at least 10 years and I cannot understand the Drinking Window from the winery as 2019-2022. I have made a note to drink my 2nd one in 2025. This is a big full bodied concentrated Pinot with plenty of Tannin. Only 649 bottles of the Craighall made. The next day still solid, dense and ungiving - without nuance. Needs cellaring time. — 16 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

My first Joshua Cooper wine - had to check out the Young Winemaker of the year for 2020 awarded by Gourmet Wine Traveller magazine. Joshua has recently turned 32. This wine was quite rich and dense and a little closed aromatically - obviously quite young. Ripe plum, rose petals, with a little vegetal matter. - a big future ahead. Joshua has had wide experience with Australian wineries and in Burgundy with Domaine de la Vougeraie and Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron. This wine from the cool climate Macedon Ranges with high profile neighbours like Bindi and Curly Flat. — 25 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Aromas of cedar, tobacco leaf, black currant and a little vanillin oak. Medium weight palate but medium plus intensity. Classical Cabernet descriptors on nose and palate. An excellent Yarra Valley Cabernet in a district that many say is best suited to Cabernet even though there is good Pinot and Chardonnay as well. This was the last vintage made by the legendary founder of YY, Dr Bailey Carrodus, before he passed. The good Dr was somewhat of an eccentric giving his wines names like Dry Red No 1, No 2 and No 3 as well as an excellent Pinot Noir. This No 1 ( always a Bordeaux blend) is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Bailey never entered his wines in regional shows. If he had there would have been a string of medals and Trophies but he would sell out anyway. The brand carries on brilliantly these days with winemaker Sarah Crowe. — 5 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid to deep crimson in colour. Aromas of red berries, a little oak, a bunchie stalky note, spices including nutmeg and a dash of chocolate. Medium plus bodied quite northern Rhone in style more than SA. Not dissimilar to another excellent North Island Syrah as in Trinity Hill, Hawkes Bay. Very good, very tasty. From the unlikely destination of Waiheke Island which is in the middle of Auckland Harbour, which is massive in area compared to Sydney Harbour. One would think the rainfall might be a little high for quality viticulture but not so. Also when you think that one of the best new world Chardonnays in Kumeu River is made just to the north of Auckland. — 9 days ago