Adriana Fabbro

9.9

This was over a month ago, but with my dad back in hospitals / rehab / generally drugged and delirious (2024 has been one helluva ride), I can’t stop thinking about the last bottle we shared when things were better and, for a flash, almost normal.

And what a bottle it was. Fennel, strawberry, balsamic… still so young…constantly evolving in the glass.. brick dust… sage and oregano on the finish.

My dad and I have always had a challenging relationship, but he’s always shown me what’s good in life and for that I am grateful. He postponed his last round of chemo a day to share a special birthday bottle with me and there’s no one else in the world I’d rather have shared it with.

I’ve just had a lot less to say about wine lately (and a lot less to say generally) despite tasting so many things most weeks. It’s just a fucking beverage. But, then again, it’s also so much more.

My sister shared a note she found on the floor of my dad’s office. We think it’s from the day he received the diagnosis… or got the divorce papers from my mother. He made a printed list titled, “Things that don’t suck” Nebbiolo was number 5. No actual humans made the list, so my sister was a little bummed. But I understand. We disappoint; Nebbiolo rarely does.

Salud. — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Aromas of poached pears, verging on tropical fruits. The palate is luscious and delicious of medium plus intensity. A blend of Pinot Blanc (35%) and Auxerrois (65%). The latter originates from the Pinot Blanc (just like Chardonnay) but they are quite different. Auxerrois has less acidity, ripens to a higher alcohol level and is more aromatic than Pinot Blanc They complement each other well. This wine is a real crowd pleaser and excellent value. Finishes dry. Tasted again 55 weeks later on 12th November 2022 with similar notes. Poached pear notes on nose and palate. Wonderful QPR. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

See several previous tasting notes for this wine. This was made back in the day when Hunter Valley reds had strayed from their medium bodied, savoury, sweaty saddle origins to being riper and more full bodied like a South Australian Red. This was declared in a speech by Chief Winemaker at the time, Jim Chatto, at a dinner I attended at the winery. Also plenty of oak still evident at 15 years of age. I prefer the original Hunter Valley style which Mount Pleasant has wisely reverted to utilising the wonderful old vine fruit at its disposal. Tasted again 35 weeks later on 26th March 2022. Nothing to add to the note here. A Hunter Valley wine trying to look like a South Australian wine back in 2006 with ripe fruit and oak. Thankfully HV reds have returned to the medium weight savoury long living style that Maurice O’Shea made in the 1950’s. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Added to my previous note 41 weeks ago in October 2023. A bit too expensive at $465 for what it is. Garrigue. — 4 months ago

Shay A

9.6

A bottle I contributed during a trip to Napa’s Premiere Napa Valley week. This was opened at Torc, alongside a ‘97 Leflaive Les Pucelles, ‘11 Leroy Blagny, ‘89 La Chappelle and two young Napa cabs from Simon Estate. La Mouline is always my favorite due to the amount of co-ferment with Viognier.

Deserving of a 1-2hr decant, this got about an hour open in bottle by the time we got to it. I opened the ‘04 La Turque just a few weeks prior, so I had a reference point to work with. Heady aromatics, as expected…dark potpurri, spice, mesquite and mocha. On the palate, the youthful bacon-fat of Cote Rotie was gone and had channeled the classical tangy barbecue profile alongside black olive, peppered red and black berry fruit, and smoked meat at the finish. Whereas the LaTurque was almost Burgundian in profile (elegant, light), this was somewhere in-between the “bigger” LaLandonne and LaTurque…big, but balanced, likely due to vintage. Aromatics and finish here were standouts. Open now with a quick decant or hold another few years. — 10 months ago

Severn Goodwin

9.2

So...I had a birthday a couple weeks back.and due to scheduling, my regular bottle finishing team wasn't available until now, so we're finally doing it up in my grand, unique style.

Notes possibly tomorrow, scores honestly tonight.

Decanted 6H.

24-Hour Update:
Nose has crushed bricks, blood orange, ripe cherries, cranberry sauce and wet vines.
Palate has dried cranberry (unsweetened), chalk, orange zest, black currant and dried blackberry.
Seems a little shutdown, revisit 2023+. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See several previous notes. All the Margaret River Cabernet descriptors - bay leaf, blackberry herbal notes. On the palate cassis, capsicum and herbal characters. Suffice to say a good vintage from a great district for Cabernet. Had the last one 70 weeks later on 7th December 2022 - didn’t live up to expectations. — 3 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

Perfumed, candied citrus essence hooked up to a 9V battery.

This was opened and then left in the fridge and slowly consumed- and fully at its best after 2 weeks.

Really delicious, justifiably pricey Bourgogne Blanc. — 8 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

My first of 6. Smells like a full bodied Pinot Noir. The palate is rich with a lovely fruit sweetness, cherry and plum, and again, a full bodied Pinot Noir with intensity. Ticks all the boxes. Texture and the tannins are silky. Enough acid and tannin to go another 8 to 10 years. 98 points from HH. Had a 2nd bottle 25 weeks later on 14th September with similar notes. Aromatic red cherries still with that lovely fruit sweetness. Seductive mouth feel. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

See previous note from 96 weeks ago where I said that I would drink the last one when my son Hugh was home from NY (born 1987) which came to pass last night. Overall not as impressive as the previous tasting but retains its silky tannin structure. Very dark in colour - opaque. Notes of cassis and pipe tobacco - overall dusty without the depth of fruit of the previous tasting. Just medium bodied. Tasting Book recommend a drinking window till 2035 which I would not agree with. Leads me to think I will be drinking my bottles of 86 Mouton sooner rather than later. — 3 years ago