Duval Eligo Shiraz 2018 – “Eligo” means to select the best and that is the principle behind this wine, the Duvals’ flagship Shiraz. Select the very best fruit they can find. Of course, it needs to fit within their aim of a wine that retains both structure and elegance. As has become traditional, they use around 70 percent Eden Valley fruit and 30 percent Barossa, which is sourced from the subregions of Ebenezer and Moppa. The various parcels of grapes received discrete fermentation in small stainless steel fermenters, submerged caps, and twice daily pump overs. A portion of the fruit was left on skins for two weeks for color and structure. The wine then spent 18 months in fine grained French oak hogsheads (55 percent new, the remainder older).

Inky black in color, the nose is intense but rather gorgeous. Spices, blueberries, chocolate, leather, some oak but it is integrating superbly, fresh herbs and cocoa powder. Serious concentration here with a supple, seamless palate. Vibrantly fresh, balanced, lovely length with a soft, gentle finish. The silkiest of tannins. The palate also sees notes of beef stock and soy. Immaculate balance here, glorious flavors. There is absolutely no reason this won’t improve for 15 to 20 years, but it is already drinking magnificently.

I’ll confess to thinking long and hard about the score, because that little voice in my head (and a couple of grumpy winemakers – not John or Tim, I hasten to add) says that as good as this is, the Integro is more expensive, so surely that must mean something? As much as I love the Integro, at the moment this is the wine I found myself coming back to. This was the one I wanted to drink.

In 20 years that may be reversed, but for now this is a wonderfully elegant, classic Barossa Shiraz. I know that giving an Aussie wine a score like this will mean that some people will raise eyebrows (let them!), but if this wine came from a great Rhône winery, or perhaps a Napa one, no one would blink at the score, such is the quality. I think that this is the best wine I have seen under the Duval label. Exported to the U.S., UK, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Canada, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and Japan. 99.

The 2022 vintage: A cool, winter-like spring saw vine growth delayed in development. Rainfall in October was significant. A dry and warm summer, with sustained warmth day and night through December, January and February, possibly influenced by another La Niña season, saw a rapid ripening period for all white varieties, with all vineyards harvested in little over a month. Fruit quality was excellent with surprising delicacy and elegance. A low yielding vintage, primarily due to spring conditions over the past two years. Warm and rapid veraison for whites in January was ideal and saw the Chardonnay’s desirable ripe flavours pronounce themselves quickly. Vine health remains fantastic, with fruit quality high and flavours concentrated.

Niepoort Vintage Port 2019 / Brilliant appearance with a dark purple rim and concentrated depth of colour. The aroma is fine and subdued with only a hint of primary dark fruits and some spice. The true potential and style of this wine really comes together on the palate with wonderful integration of dark fruits with a grainy tannic structure, pairing volume with amazing balance and elegance and an impressive finish. In conclusion, the primary fruit on the palate is appealing at this stage, but it’s the balanced tannic structure which indicates great ageing potential for the future.

Before Prowein, some new wines arrived from Sicily and two "pirates" from elsewhere. 

Hentley Farm The Beauty 2017/ ‘2017 was a nice year in that we got lots of winter rainfall in spring.  Solid crop levels.  Had to drop a fair bit of fruit.  Trying to find the balance.  Fruit weight was there.  It was, in the end, just about hanging in there.  3-4 weeks later on average than average harvest.  Longer hang time means the 2017’s were quite big wines.  Even VS odd years in the Barossa – odds are bigger more intense more tannic.  Evens are softer finer more elegant, cooler.

Hentley Farm was founded by Keith Hentschke who was working for Orlando back in the 90’s.  He asked around about setting up his new vineyard, and subsequently bought the property in ’97 and planted ’99 as he wanted.  Greenock creek runs through the middle of the property.  The Beauty vineyard sits down on the banks of the creek.  There’s cooler air and it’s on the eastern side of the creek, there’s gums down there which provide shade; it’s cooler in the mornings.  Slower flavour development.  Mid-low 14’s baume at harvest.’ -AQ

Shiraz aromatics.  White florals, pretty red berries – this is a beast in terms of intensity and concentration, there’s so much going on here.  The 2017 vintage conditions play a big role in the muscular expression of this wine. The length of flavour is prodigious.  Delicious.  Plenty of charm and life here.  Blood/satsuma plum, raspberry, pomegranate molasses. Blue fruits and slately graphity earthy characteristic.  Soft tannin.  35% new French oak (the coopers are selected based on their ability to provide tannin support without oak. aromas and flavours.)

1978 Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos: Towards golden colour. Nuts, smoky minerals, almonds, some apples, orange marmalade touch. Fresh acidity, leaner style, elegant, lively, refreshing, elegant minerality, apple core and a slight bitter touch, lemons and lime and lemon zest. Very nuanced and layered. It may be in a bit of a decline, but still gorgeours. Long. 95

The Opus One 2019 has intense aromas of black plum, blueberry, black currant, and dried rose petals, accentuated by mineral undertones. The creamy, satiny texture is framed by fine-grained tannins. The freshness and soft glow of acidity create a subtle tension with dark fruit flavors, savory herbs, espresso, and cocoa. A delicate dark chocolate bitterness lingers on the finish.

Jean-Paul Daumen is presenting biodynamic wines full of character. Since the late 1990s the estate belongs to the top producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and shows powerful and expressive wines. Displaying the terroir is the major rule of Jean-Paul and his son Antoine. It looks almost like magic as they know extremely well to match opulence with elegance, wines which are absolutely convincing. 

Historical tasting day - none of the champagnes we tasted received less than 90 points. Champagne Magazine have had so far 86 "The 100 Best Champagne of the Year-tasting" - days since 2009, and today was the most rewarding day ever - none of the tasters gave less than 90 points to any of the 45 champagnes we tasted:)

2001 Gran Reserva from Maques de Caceres, this is a nicely mature cuvee of Tempranillo with 15% Garnacha and 5% Graciano from one of the great post-war vintages. Perfumed, lightly balsamic and well structured, with toast and black fruit flavours and savoury tannins. 2022-28.

Château Cheval Blanc 2018 / Deep, intense red colour. The nose is redolent of tremendously fruity and floral notes, with touches of raspberry and violet. Swirling in the glass reveals a more intense bouquet with black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas. The ever-present floral notes go on to develop rose and lilac overtones. Spicy and balsamic nuances round off the already complex bouquet with cocoa beans and black pepper aromas. The nose is impressively fresh, complex, and well-defined. The wine starts out sumptuously rich and full-bodied on the palate. The powerful, rich tannins contribute to the deep, long, firm, well-balanced, and refined structure. Very elegant, it coats the palate and continues into a long, crunchy, fresh aftertaste. The finish marks a return to floral and fruity aromas with spicy overtones. The precision and balance of this wine are on par with the estate’s greatest vintages.

A charming flight of wines with the tasty 6 course dinner. The most impressing wines of the night were Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc 2016 and Gaja Barbaresco 2019. Once again I was very charmed by the Bass Phillip Bin 17K Pinot Noir......