Hardy’s ‘Eileen Hardy’ 2021 Releases

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Tony Peters

I went to school with a fellow who is a fine furniture maker.  He is often commissioned to make specific pieces for people and price is never discussed. He sources the finest of Tasmania’s native species timbers he can, brings them together, the joins so precise, the finish so smooth and faultless.  The finished product highlighting the best natural timber our state can grow, constructed by a true craftsman.  And he doesn’t make it about him.  It is always about the timber and the exquisite piece of furniture, and the joy it will bring the owner for many years to come.

These two wines are no different.  Amazing fruit has been sourced from around Tasmania, seamlessly brought together, treated with respect, showcasing the two varieties at their very best, and made by an exemplary wine-making team.  The result being wines that will bring joy to those who drink them now, and those who have the patience and desire to cellar them.  Simply beautiful wines to experience.

Hardy’s Wines Website

Region: Tasmania     Price: ?     Source: Exclusive intimate pre-release tasting

2021 Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir

A terrific nose.  Delightfully perfumed with youthful, ripe red fruits and a delicate spicey note.  The aromas just keep pulling you back in and seem unforgiving for doing so.  The palate is something special indeed.  There’s intensity and richness while maintaining Pinot Noir elegance.  Dark cherry and ripe strawberry fruit, a little steminess (thanks to a percentage of whole bunch), juicy plums, delicate spice characters and lovely fine tannins.  The finish?  Incredibly persistent and so perfectly ‘Pinot Noir’. Thinking about it, I could’ve summed it up in one word.  Excellent!

2021 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay

Aromatically rich and alluring.  Lush tropical fruits, struck match, with a slight citrusy hit that tickles the nose hairs and a nice minerality characteristic too. The palate is also rich yet has delicacy and refinement.  It’s abundantly flavoured thanks to those tropical fruits, there’s a lemon sorbet like influence too and the quality fruit easily carries the 40+% new oak.  The acidity is so beautifully fine and, while having an impact on the structure of the wine, takes nothing away from the delicate, positively pervasive texture, and has terrific length.  It’s balanced and seamless and simply delicious.  This is a delight!

Posted in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir | Leave a comment

2018 Huntington Estate Grand Reserve Shiraz Cabernet

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Tony Peters

I’m not a poet and I’ve never been that interested in poetry.  I also have to admit that, when I stopped and thought about it, only one poets name came to mind, and he’s very well known to Australians. 

The reason I mention this is, I did a search on quotes involving wine and one stood out.  It was by a poet who left this world 200 years ago.  I saved it in my phone and I’m glad I did because when I tried this wine, I immediately thought of it.  It is by English romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley.  I don’t know any of his poems but I’m guessing he enjoyed a glass of wine or two. 

The quote, “I have drunken deep of joy, And I will taste no other wine tonight.”

Beautiful looking in the glass, the colour so deep and lush.  Aromas burst from the glass.  Hello to dark fruits, spice and plums, and oak appears as part of the aromas not a dominant factor.  The palate is rich and plush and voluptuous and juicy and rounded, and the list goes on.  Terrific fruit presence courtesy of blackberries, dark plums and dark cherries, and an almost sweet fruit like character with a balancing savoury appeal.  The pleasure continues with a complementary touch of spice and oak while the tannins provide great support on the lovely, long finish.  This is a beauty!  Worth every dollar and then some!

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $100    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

Posted in Red Blends | Leave a comment

2019 Carillion Wines ‘Fenestella’ Hunter Valley Shiraz

Posted on August 17, 2022 by Tony Peters

Sometimes when you say something, and/or how you say it, can completely change a situation, circumstance or decision.  Recently, on a Monday, my wife made the decision to have, “…no more wine until Friday.”  Fair enough, her prerogative.  However, when I opened this wine and enthusiastically uttered the words, “I like this,” guess what happened?  It only took those three words for her to change her mind.  She asked for a taste and, I can’t remember what she said but, she immediately went and grabbed a glass and asked me if she could have some. Of course, I said, “Of course.”

If this is anything to go by, I seriously need to get some Hunter Valley Shiraz into my wine collection. Lovely, juicy black fruits provide richness while it presents as nicely medium bodied.  It’s so smooth on the palate where a nice hint of spice comes through, a deft touch of herbs, a charry character is in there too and the tannins silky. The finish is flavoursome and long where the fruit continues to shows its class.   This is quite a wine, hence the previously enthusiastically uttered words, “I like this.”  I’d like to add to that with, “A lot!”

Carillion Wines Website

Region: Hunter Valley, NSW     Price: $60     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Define Wine and Carillion Wines

Posted in Shiraz | Leave a comment

Huntington Estate ‘Estate’ Range Red Releases

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Tony Peters

I can remember many years ago when I bought some road maps for a planned trip to ‘the mainland’ (Google Maps was a mere figment of somebody’s imagination back then). You know, those ones that folded out to the size of a small dining table and never folded back the same way.  I can remember knowing where I wanted to go and marking on the map how I wanted to get there, and the places I wanted to see on the way.  It was part of the fun of the trip.  Mind you, it was always handy if you had a navigator in the passenger seat.

These four wines seemed to take me vicariously, one after the other, firstly to Mudgee then ultimately to the Huntington Estate Cellar Door.  The aromas providing the start of the pleasurable journey and the flavours taking me to the final destination with Tim Stevens pouring the wines with the enthusiasm of a proud father telling me all about his ‘children’.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $32 each     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

Very much enjoyed this wine.  What you got from the aromas, you taste on the palate, and youthfulness appears in both of these zones.  Dark fruits and berries coat the palate, tannins are ever-present but don’t detract from the terrific fruit maintaining its presence on the long finish.  Smooth with a ‘cool Cabernet’ feel about it.  Delicious!

2018 Shiraz

Such a lovely colour.  So lush looking.  Plenty being offered on the nose when swirled in the glass with rich black fruits and a slightly earthy note too.  Palate presence aplenty!  Generous and juicy dark fruits, there’s a sweet/savouriness appeal to it, oak and tannins show their hand but are not a distraction and finishes nice and long.  A good’un for sure.

2017 Bin 13 Shiraz

A lovely, fresh start to this wine.  Again, youthful in appearance and on the nose where it reminded me of a homemade dark berry compote.  As with the previous wine, plenty of flavoursome, primary fruit on the palate.  Rich dark cherry, a plum-like ‘fullness’ yet medium bodied in weight, there’s a delicate spiciness that runs nicely parallel with the lovely fruit characters and it has good length too. Mm, mmmmm!

2019 Cabernet Shiraz

Displaying a brighter colour than the previous three wines, it overtly shows its youthfulness.  Same on the nose where it seems more ripe red fruit dominate but with a richness to it.  Juicy, ripe berries of all sorts dominate on the medium bodied palate. A lovely delicate spicy note appears too while the oak and tannins aren’t shy as they make themselves comfortable without being a nuisance to the fruit.  ‘Unsettled’ was a word that came to mind when I first tasted this wine, but it certainly appreciated a good swish ‘n’ swirl in the glass, which proved to be very beneficial. Good gear. 

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blends, Shiraz | Leave a comment

2019 Moorilla Muse Chardonnay

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Tony Peters

When it comes to dancing, I have been gifted.  Gifted with three left feet instead of two.  However, I have to admit to enjoying watching professional dancers.  I know they’ve had plenty of practise and probably been doing it since they could walk (I bet they still join in the Nutbush at weddings too).  Anyway, the waltz, for instance, seems to be a fairly basic sort of dance but, professionals show just how elegant and flowing it is, and, they seem to project so much feeling and emotion while performing it.  They also have to ensure that their feet are always in the right spot, each step they take, during the dance.  If not, it could be disastrous.

With this Chardonnay, it is like the winemaker and the fruit are partners in a waltz that started the day the fruit was picked.  They knew what each other would bring to the dance, knew they’d bring out the best in each other, and that they’d achieve a high score when presenting to the judges.

Fresh, fruitful and full of finesse.  Perfectly ripe, juicy stonefruit to the fore coating the palate with smooth melon like feels, a lovely touch of cashew nut/almond texture and a nice crisp, pinch of acidity on the finish.  It doesn’t sit overly long on the palate but long enough to enjoy it until you go back again for more…which we didn’t have a problem doing.

Moorilla Website

Region: Tasmania     Price: $44     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Moorilla Estate

Posted in Chardonnay | Leave a comment

2017 Levantine Hill Mélange Traditional Blanc

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Tony Peters

I’d say most people who pick up an acoustic guitar wouldn’t give it a thought as to the timbers that go into making one.  I didn’t realise how particular exotic timbers contribute to the sound a guitar produces. For example, the sound board (where the hole is) is almost always made of Spruce because of its acoustic and structural qualities. Rosewood is the main timber used for the rest of the guitar (Ebony is quite popular too for the Fret board). It’s quite remarkable how the timbers, along with the strings of course, contribute to the mellifluous sound a guitar can make.

Just like the timbers used to construct a guitar, the varieties of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier have been beautifully tuned and balanced to produce this excellent white blend.  The aromas and flavours resonating melodiously from the glass.  So rich and complex, it’s all about tropical fruits, lovely citrus like acidity, a beguiling touch of spice, and texturally divine with terrific flavour persistence on the finish.  A wine that’s very pleasing to your sense of smell, your sense of taste and your sense of enjoyment.

Levantine Hill Website

Region: Yarra Valley, Vic     Price: $80     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Levantine Hill

Posted in Other Whites, White Blends | Leave a comment

2021 Bay of Fires Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Tony Peters

Martin Luther King Jnr is quoted as saying, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step.”  Now, I have to admit to not knowing in what context this was said but, I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with Sauvignon Blanc.  There are those, and admitting I was one, who have an aversion to Sav Blanc, SB or Savvy (all of which it is affectionately known).  I can’t remember the first time I tried it, or who convinced me to try it, but I did, and I’ve been lucky enough to try some very impressive ones since.  This one, from the mighty fine Bay of Fires winemaking crew, easily sits in the ‘very impressive ones’ category.

Very aromatic with passionfruit, slightly minerally and fruit salad like aromas.  It may be a little peachy, a little limey and a little herbal and, although I’ve used the word ‘little’ here, they all contribute plenty of flavour to this fine example of Sauvignon Blanc.  It borders on medium bodied with lovely palate weight, is nice and textural with a fine touch of acidity and pretty good length too.

For those who are reluctant to venture into Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is the perfect first step up the Savvy Stairs.

Bay of Fires Website

Region: Coal River Valley, Tamar Valley & Derwent Valley, Tasmania     Price: $47      Source: Generous gift

Posted in Other Whites | Leave a comment

2018 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Shiraz

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Tony Peters

I live in a very photogenic part of Tasmania.  When I’m walking or driving around the area, I can’t help but want to capture a sunrise or sunset, a reflection on an inland waterway, or a wombat as he waddles off into the bush.  The opportunities are endless.  It’s a shame the same can’t be done for capturing an image of the aromas and flavours of a wine. I can use descriptors in providing a ‘picture’ to whomever reads it, however, it would be so much better if it could be visual. If you know what I mean?

I say this as I take in the incredible aromas and flavours of this particular wine with a picture in my head.  I now need to, but also want to, put that in writing so you get the same picture as me, and that is not always easy when you get to try a lovely wine such as this, but here goes. 

My sense of smell and taste were hit with continual waves of rich and lush dark fruits (think blackberries, dark cherry and plum) and there’s a lovely creamy (almost) dark chocolate feel through the palate.  The oak and tannins show their hand as usual with these wines when they are so young but, they have excellent support from the perfectly ripe, and obvious quality fruit.  This wine is so vivid and flowing, I reckon those flavours and characteristics would seem to come to life even more so in a photograph.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $100     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

Posted in Shiraz | Leave a comment

2018 Huntington Estate Tim Stevens Signature Shiraz

Posted on July 17, 2022 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a podcast of a fellow who has, literally, mapped the human brain.  I won’t go into how he did it (it’s pretty gory) but, the result was such that he was able to see, apart from what the brain does as a matter of course, what certain sections of the brain actually do when stimulated.  We all know that particular chemicals are triggered in the brain and provide sensations, both nice and not so nice, depending on what we experience.  While tasting this wine, I have no doubt information would have been darting about alerting every section of my brain while it was being flooded with dopamine, the feel-good chemical (of course).

The colour and aromas of the wine as it sat in the glass was a definite message of things to come.  Denseness, richness and seriousness were evident.  Well, that’s not quite how things panned out on the palate.  Yes it was rich and dense but the ‘seriousness’ was perfectly replaced with two words, ‘elegance’ and ‘class’.  Terrific dark fruit intensity, smooth as silk as it coats the palate with the lush fruit and the oak is very nicely played indeed.  What a delight this wine was to smell, taste, drink and talk about.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $100     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

Posted in Shiraz | Leave a comment

2012 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Tony Peters

Two or three years ago now I went to a wine tasting in Hobart. All the wines were Tasmanian. Two gentlemen walked in the door, stopped, and while looking at the catalogue, one uttered the words (something like), “I won’t be trying any of the Cabernets,” the other one said, “I don’t know why they don’t just pull it all out.”  I can’t remember which Cabernets were available for tasting at the time but I was so tempted to tell them that this particular Tasmanian Cabernet Sauvignon has been in the Langton’s Classification (Outstanding Section) for a number of years!

Yes, it’s 10 years old but gee I like the youthful edginess it still possesses.  Lovely, rich, dark berry fruits, a little herbal touch and the oak is still present in a gloriously comfortable way.  There’s quite a savouriness to it but something of a sweet element as well which complements it nicely.  The palate sits perfectly in the medium bodied zone, and the tannins present a little drying on the long finish but have the support of the quality fruit I mentioned earlier. 

Elegant, refined and gentlemanly, this is a lovely example of cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon.  I reckon those two fellows would be eating their words if they tried this wine.

Domaine A Website

Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania     Price: $110     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Domaine A

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon | Leave a comment