June 30, 2016. I am recalling this visit 4 years later. Sitting in lockdown teaching online in Kuala Lumpur. A world away from this place. The guys were great. No real cellar door but they opened up for us. The wines out of Dry River are world class. Elegant, concentrated, well balanced and an excellent…
2015 Dappled Appellation Pinot Noir
Edit April 28, 2020. I met Sean Crinion way back in 2015. He had been buying grapes from good vineyard locations and making wine. He had a deft touch in the winery, producing balanced wines without too much intervention. I am not sure who put me in contact with him, but we ended up grabbing…
2013 Hillcrest Premium Pinot Noir
Edit: April 28, 2020. I remember these two bottles. Not the wines specifically but how I came to have them. Hillcrest opens once a year. They open almost their entire catalogue of wine, everything they have ever made. What a day. Sadly Hillcrest has been purchased by a Chinese affair. I have no idea how…
2006 Gerard Raphet Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St Jaques Premier Cru
Edit: April 18, 2020. These Burgundy 1er Cru’s seemed to be regular event back in Melbourne. Incredible to think this was regular weekend drinking.
2005 Hudelot Baillet Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras Premier Cru
Edit: April 28, 2020. Looking back on this draft that was never posted, I have to ask myself why I was tasting Hunter Valley Cabernet next to Burgundy? The other shock is just how much I was spending on wine. I remember these bottles, not clearly enough to provide notes, but it was a Saturday…
2004 Lakes Folly Cabernets
Edit: April 28, 2020. We were members at Lakes Folly right up until we left for Malaysia back in 2016. Toward the end we fell out of love with this wine. As our tastes shifted to Old World wines, particularly Burgundy, we found these a little heavy. I wonder if this Lakes Folly tasted along…
2011 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Edit: April 28, 2020. I am outlier with Ata Rangi. The wines have never impressed me despite the fact the wider wine community seems to disagree. I cannot recall if the Ata Rangi measured up against the Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru.
2010 Francois Feuillet Morey-Saint-Denis Clos Sobre Premier Cru
Edit: April 28, 2020. More of these 1er Cru. How did I ever afford to drink like this?
Cabernet Dinner – Margaret River V
The return of Cabernet? 18 June 2016 Following the from the Coonawarra V dinner it was time for Australia’s ‘other’ Cabernet region to display its form. In fairness to Margaret River, the versus line up was much stronger than the Coonawarra. Some serious Bordeaux and a few high quality Coonawarra wines showed well. Tasting notes…