Bob McDonald

9.4

Amazingly a rich ruby red for the age of the wine and the wet vintage. 14 years is young for a Wendouree Shiraz but 2011 was a difficult wet vintage in South Australia saved here by the deep rooted ancient vines. Aromatics of iodine, camphor, eucalypt, liquorice and medicinal notes - touches of menthol and tar. Very satisfying and easy for us to drink the whole bottle! Postscript: I had to mention a great descriptor from Gary Walsh “I love its mineral character and aniseed vapour trail.” — a month ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.6

Banger 🔥🔥🔥
Not sure there’s that many better Aussie reds. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Delectable - this is the Mourvèdre - not in your Database. Requested an expert review. Notes of plum and black to blue fruits - spicy, umami - finishing with a touch of tar. Easy to drink. I have always thought that McLaren Vale does Mourvèdre well. Also some old vineyards in the Clare Valley as with Wendouree (Mataro). Although one must acknowledge the Old Garden from Hewitson in the Barossa, planted in 1853 and reputedly the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Very deep crimson in colour. More cassis than tomato bush - throw in some mint and liquorice. Medium to full bodied yet with great intensity in this excellent Clare Valley Cabernet: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Thankfully (IMO) no overt Clare Valley menthol (like Wendouree can be). Palate has lovely black currant flavours with fine persistent tannins. Jeffrey Grosset is better known for his award winning Rieslings but has made a beauty with this Cabernet. Has the fortitude to go another 10 years if so desired. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

I donated my 3 bottles to a Rare and Collectible Shiraz Dinner at the Downs Club to go with a 2018 Wendouree Shiraz, 2022 Standish Lamella, 2020 Rockford Basket Press and a 2021 Langmeil Freedom. The Sami Odi Little Wine finished middle of the field in this stellar lineup. It was an unvintaged assemblage of 8 different vintages starting with 2022 (49%) through to 2015 (2%). Lush and medium bodied with fluid tannins and great length. Brambley. Fraser likes to drink Little Wine when young and fresh like this is now. Purchased 2 years ago in mid 2023. The consensus winner of the 5 wines was probably the Rockford or the Standish Lamella. Erin Larkin gave the latter 100 points. All 5 Shiraz were outstanding. — 3 hours ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Ruby/crimson in colour - a tawny rim developing. A little porty to begin with - the trademark Wendouree/Clare Valley menthol/eucalyptus. A note of Iodine. Very earthy on the palate. This wine speaks of the ancient terroir where vines have been planted since the 1880’s. Full bodied, intense and powerful even at 25 years of age. A true icon of Australian wine but even Wendouree Shiraz does have an end point and I think this 1999 has reached its peak. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Lunch with friends on Saturday. Excellent as always. See previous notes. Yalumba’s premium red from a good vintage. A classic Cabernet Shiraz from the Barossa. Preferred by most over the 2002 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec. Had another bottle 132 weeks later on 12th January 2024. This was my 2nd last bottle of an original dozen. Have the last one in mid 2025 or 2026 when 20 years old. This tasting predictably good. The mint of the Cabernet coming through (69%). All of the flavours balanced and interwoven. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

I took this bottle from my cellar to a friend who just received his complete allocation of 2022 Wendouree. We obviously compared this 2011 Shiraz Mataro with the latest 2022. If this exercise proved one thing that was that any cuvée of Wendouree should not be opened at under 10 years of age. The 2011 had a gorgeous nose of blackberry, liquorice and spice…..intoxicating! Whereas the 2022 was as tight as a drum…giving very little. The palate was fluid and smooth with those same aromatics coming through on the palate with that amazing old vine opulence and persistence. I had my first bottle back in August 2022. Notes are here on Delectable. — 4 months ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.2

Bit of a change of gear following the Wendouree shiraz. Probably still a bit too young, but pretty and with firm texture. Red fruits and florals. I’d give it a few years and a lot more time to breathe. — 2 years ago

with Sam

Simon Gilligan

9.5

Amazingly found this bottle at rustic pizza, Clare Valley at a $130. Thought this might be our only chance to drink a Wendouree so grabbed it. Beautifully fresh fruited, lovely balance, crisp acidity, medium bodied. Black/red fruited with violet highlights, spice, earth, eucalypt, silky dry tannin. The longer we sat with it the leather and tannin became quite firm, perhaps overwhelming some of the earlier fruit flavours. Drunk too young but still memorable. — 4 years ago