Heathcote II Heathcote Shiraz 2010

There are some wines which come out of the blue and go whack to the senses. There are  wines that come out of the blue that are projected into cult status because they excite the masses. This is such a wine. The Heathcote II Heathcote Shiraz 2010. Stunning.

I'm going to call it. Heathcote II will enter cult status. Be it this wine or the premium shiraz or the Right Bank Blend Myola, Heathcote II's star is on the rise. I have no doubt. I also have no doubt that the two guys involved, Peder and Lionel, will be spoken of in the same light as Tim Kirk, Michael Dhillon and Rick Kinzbrunner for the immaculate way they treat the fruit from go to woe.

Anywhoo, enough back slapping for the time being. Broodingly dark in the glass, the wine has a lovely perfumed nose up front of soft white pepper and brown spices. The palate is lifted with instant juicy tart blackberry and firm tannins. I will admit here that it wasn't till the second day of this being opened that I tasted the wine for the first time. You see on the day Peder and Lionel came through to show me the wine I was just coming off a bout of food poisoning and my tummy was still quite grumbly, so no wine and a third consecutive AFD if you don't mind!! So more of the second day palate; marzipan, black olives and seamless acid complement the blackberries and tannins that were up front. Stunning length. Stunning.

Drink with medium rare chateaubriand
Drink till 2025+
99
Quality cork 13.5%v/v $42 Seddon Wine Store

Paul Blanck Pinot D'Alsace 2010

When you work in the wine retail game, you need to be open to all and sundry who want to show you wine or discuss potential opportunity to grab a cracking deal; unlike the restaurant trade, there is no such thing as being in a 'meeting', you are always available. This wine is proof of just such an example - Paul Blanck Pinot D'Alsace 2010

Now I have been familiar with the Paul Blanck wines for some time, but it has been actually that - some time since I have had a look at them, so when Jonathon mentioned that this wine was looking peachy, well that was enough for me and within a week Jeremy and I were going through samples and this one got a massive tick. The nose is all minerality and quinine - think tonic water. The palate is a gentle wave of stone fruit -  subtle white peach, more plentiful minerality in the form of river stone and lingering leesy goodness. Delicious.

So there you go. The next phone call may just be that something special, and instead of fobbing it off, take the time and be surprised to find that wine is there to enjoy, not to avoid.

Drink till 2015

Drink with veal marsala

94

Screwcap 12.5%v/v $19 Seddon Wine Store

Muddy Water Waipara Pinot Noir 2010

A dirty dirty wine; you sexy beast Muddy Water Waipara Pinot Noir 2010. This is exactly the type of wine why I am falling on love again with Kiwi Pinot Noir's.

This one is just a blaze with spice, earth and rich dark fruit on the nose - its all about the power you would think straight up. Good thinking if you got that too. The palate is singing the same tune as the nose with burly dark fruit melded wonderfully together with brown spices and achingly balanced acid. Such a dirty little number this one.

Drink with cider glazed roast pork - thats right!

Drink till 2016

95

Screwcap 14%v/v $35 Seddon Wine Store

Rusden Barossa Valley Driftsand GSM 2010

Its getting harder and harder to find a crappy wine these days; this is not one of them. The Rusden Barossa Valley Driftsand GSM 2010 is floating my boat in a big way right now cos its so hard to put a finger on what it is. From the get go this wine to me is put in the 'Pinot Noir drinkers GSM' with a lovely earthy and floral nose stemming from 42% Grenache, 41% Shiraz and 17% Mataro. The palate continues on that line with an almost wet terracotta feel in the mouth - I know, sounds pretty wankie - and prickly 5 spice , dates and currents. All in all a great wine and a bit of a demystification for me on GSM. A ripper a ripper a ripper.

Sorry about the crappy image though.

Drink with beef short ribs
Drink till 2017
96
Quality cork 13.5%v/v $23 Seddon Wine Store

Wickhams Road Gippsland Pinot Noir 2012

The best wine of 2013 thus far!! Simple.

The Wickhams Road Gippsland Pinot Noir 2012 would certainly be the most written up and reviewed wine since its release, and you know what, every word written about it is spot on; The Best value bar none.

First tasted on January 24^th this year with Stef d’Anna, the wine, as the note says, “ticks all the boxes”. Lovely and earthy spice on the nose, the wine lifts after a while and throws up subtle leafy notes with tomato and rhubarb present. The palate follows suit of the nose with a great lick of prickly spice and prickly plum. This is another Icona Pop wine I Have to say. Just get it. Now.

sorry for the poor handwriting

I’m going early, but clear favourite for wine of the year so far

Drink with Buffalo chicken wings

Drink till 2015

98

Screwcap 13.2%v/v $17 Seddon Wine Store

The Met Macedon Ranges Shiraz 2008

It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s really hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hottest hot spell on record says the record books.

So to make everyone feel that little bit more hot, I introduce to you The Met Macedon Ranges Shiraz 2008. This wine is hot, and its cool climate hot to boot.. Not hot, ‘geez that’s big and juicy and hot’, but hot, ’geez, how cool is this hot wine?’ And yes, a Macedon Ranges Shiraz; who’d have thunk it!!!

Deep colour in the glass, the wine throws up a great whack of blackberries and black olive tapenade on the nose with more of the same on the primary palate with the mid palate washing everything up nicely with grainy minerality and tart acid. A seriously hot wine!!!

Drink with med-rare steak sanga with a chilli chutney

Drink till 2017

96

Wax seal and diam cork 13.6% v/v $29 Seddon Wine Store