This is the last of an original dozen - proved to be an excellent buy for only $32 per bottle. See previous note 49 weeks ago. Stalky whole bunch notes together with nice black berry, cassis and mint. Typical Margaret River herbaceous notes but this also has an SA Cassis bent. Not full bodied but definitely full flavoured with M+ intensity you get from quality Marg River Cabernet. So enjoyable to drink this with a Barbecued grass fed Rib Fillet - medium rare. — 2 years ago
This is the first Dolcetto I have had in at least a dozen years. Loved it and want to get another as soon as possible. Very quaffable and food friendly. — 2 years ago
My 11th bottle of an original dozen bought on release. Still going strong after 26 years. Colour of mid crimson with a tawny rim. When decanted the wine threw a lot of sediment. Herbaceous with red fruits - hint of red currants. Palate is mid weight - sweet and savoury at once, finishing with smooth resolved tannins. I will leave the last one for another 1 or 2 years / say early 2027. — 2 months ago
Wow! I’m back to Valentini after a dozen duds. Goose brought this back from Italy and it was a stunner. Very unique wine. Concentrated but enjoyable and a long menthol finish. — 2 years ago
Had this a few days ago and again misplaced my notes. I recall intense raspberry on nose and palate. The Rayner vineyard in McLaren vale is a small 0.7 hectare vineyard of 48 year old Grenache vines renowned for the quality of the fruit. Picked early to show the freshness and aromatics of this special patch of Grenache. Some of the ferment spent 120 days on skins in a ceramic egg. Only 210 dozen bottles made. I managed to get 3 bottles. This is the first. I think the style doesn’t lend itself to extended cellaring. Had another bottle 22 weeks later on the 15th June 2023. Raspberry notes with a jujube character. As in first note made for early consumption I believe. — 2 years ago
The description: The colour is salmon, light pink rose. The aromas show fresh strawberries, cranberry and hints of white pepper. The palate is where the romance is. The texture is crisp almost crunchy, which brings out the fresh strawberry and red tree fruit characters. This wines truly refreshes the palate… and soul.
The opinion. Perfect for quaffing on the deck and great value. Definitely buying in a dozen for summer. — 8 months ago
Bought a dozen on release in approximately 2003. Have 2 left after this one. Very dark Ruby in colour - impenetrable. An initial note of barnyard reduction which blew off. Great density on the palate where the wine tastes young, fresh and full bodied. Strong cassis, black currant, brambles and blue fruits. Amazingly concentrated. Will live into the early 2030’s I believe. A Tour de Force. The previous bottle I had to this was January 2018. — 2 years ago
Jay Kline

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Equally enjoyable on both nights however, the nose was most powerful on Day 1. “Ampodium” (formerly Classique) is 100% Syrah sourced from a dozen or so vineyards and made in a largely traditional style; plenty of whole cluster and a very judicious use of new French oak. The 2010 “Ampodium”pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe, some desiccated and some tart, black and blue fruits: blackberries, blueberry pie, fields of lavender, black pepper, bacon fat, iodine, and granite earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and laden with rocky minerals. Totally in balance and at peak. Lovely. Drink now through 2035. — 6 days ago