Showing all 9 results

• White Wine

  2011 The Hermit Crab Viognier/Marsanne, d’Arenberg

  £1995

  The 2011 Hermit  has an Incredibly fragrant nose full of sweet apricot and gingery spice. The palate is luscious and generous but has great acid which tightens the wine, adding freshness and a clean crisp finish. Slight pithy feel which builds on the spice notes. Lovely as a fresh stand-alone drink that still exhibits some mouthfeel, or equally well adapted to enjoy with a range of foods from freshly shucked oysters through to spicy Thai style dishes.

  Many of McLaren Vale’s vineyards are on free-draining soils underlain with limestone, formed by the calcareous remains of the local marine fauna. One such creature was the Hermit Crab, a reclusive little crustacean that inhabits the cast-off shells of others. The Osborn family thought the name appropriate for this, McLaren Vale’s first-ever blend of Viognier and Marsanne. “Hermit” is also an abbreviation for the French appellation of Hermitage, where the Marsanne grape variety dominates.

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• White Wine

  2011 Wigan Riesling, Peter Lehmann

  £2900

  The Master’s wines are the top tier of Peter Lehmann’s original classic Barossa varietals, made for the long haul and released with bottle age to capture their full potential. These wines are named after a person or event that has played an intrinsic role in the Peter Lehmann story.

  Chief Winemaker, Andrew Wigan, was mentored by Peter Lehmann and was at his side when the winery was founded in 1979. He has had a hand in every Peter Lehmann wine since.

  From the shallow rocky soils of the Eden Valley is one of the great Riesling sites of the world, the Wigan Riesling has become one of Australia’s most celebrated wines having been named ‘Best Riesling in the World’ by International Wine and Spirit Competition six times since 1991, and being awarded over 80 trophies and countless medals since its inaugural vintage as ‘Wigan’ in 2003 (previously Reserve Riesling). A mature wine with remarkable youth on the palate, Wigan proves Peter Lehmann’s belief that Riesling is indeed the noblest of white varieties.

  This 2011 Wigan Riesling is another stunning wine – vibrant lemon in colour with a green tinge. Wigan Riesling displays the classic Eden Valley lime juice characters, with layers of honeyed bottle age character already showing through. Drinking wonderfully and has developed into one of the great ‘Wigan’ Rieslings.

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• White Wine

  2011 Watervale Riesling, Mount Horrocks

  £2995

  In the glass, this wine is a beguiling light straw green colour with a delicately fragrant floral orange blossom note.  As it opens up green apples, spice, a little pear and ginger waft out and avail the senses.  On the palate, it is bright and lively with juicy fruits wrapped in taught mineral acidity. It feels all silky-slippery in the mouth, such is the appealing texture and weight of this racy, dry Riesling that it can be cellared with the utmost confidence for 10-15 years. This benchmark Clare Valley Riesling, having been lovingly aged in our cellar is now after 7 years approaching its peak.  Enjoy and thank us later!

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• White Wine

  2011 Peninsula Chardonnay, Paringa Estate

  £3500

  The Penisula range of wines from Paringa estate is the first tier of the estate’s wines and are designed (and do!) to over deliver in quality for the price you pay.   Classic Mornington Peninsula characters of grapefruit with vanilla and ripe peach are present and because of the nine years of age, the texture and richness of the wine has deepened whilst still retaining amazing freshness on the minerally finish.   A cracker and we have done the maturing for you!

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• White Wine

  2011 Verve Chardonnay, Ocean Eight

  £4200

  Ocean Eight is a family-owned and run by the Aylward family. Chris and Gail Aylward first made wine on the Mornington Peninsula in 1997 when they established the iconic Kooyong Estate.   Having sold Kooyong in 2004 they setup Ocean Eight on the southern and more cooler side of the Mornington Peninsula.   Ocean Eight is now run by their son Mike Aylward and his wife Hollie.   The 2011 Chardonnay lives up to their reputation – macadamia-nut aromas with some clove spices resulting from the barrel fermentation. The fruit is very much in the lime and grapefruit spectrum. The finish is the highlight with a racy acid and mineral mouth-feel up the centre of the palate.

  Awarded 97 points – James Halliday 

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• White Wine

  2011 Piccadilly Chardonnay, Grosset

  £4850

  Since the first release of Grosset Piccadilly in 1993, these wines have made a powerful statement about the potential of the Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills, a sub-region so cool that it is often considered marginal for table wine. ‘It’s a sub-region that takes time to understand’, says Grosset, ‘and the wines can be exquisite’.

  There’s a delicacy about the 2011 Grosset Piccadilly Chardonnay that is rare with Australian chardonnay: it is delightfully fragrant with white flowers and fresh herbs. The palate is fresh, vibrant and tangy with intense white peach and nectarine flavours that show depth and purity. There’s succulence, a taut structure, and bright zesty acidity to finish. Although restrained, the wine builds in the glass.

  Only 600 dozen produced

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• Red Wine

  2011 Meres Pinot Noir, Kooyong

  £5500

  The vineyard name originates from the surrounding water bodies – the dams which flank the block on all sides.

  Its greater exposure to the north, west and east limits the vigour of the vines, while the sandier soil reduces water stress compared to Ferrous and Haven. These factors combine to make the wine silken, perfumed and approachable when young, as well as having flavour concentration and ageing potential.   This 2011 is full of life with red cherry, redcurrant, alluring rose petal and savoury notes dominating the nose and palate.  The tannins have softened over the years but are fine and silky.

   

   

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• Red Wine

  2011 Haven Pinot Noir, Kooyong

  £5500

  Kooyong’s Haven Pinot Noir is a great Pinot Noir and exceptional with a few years of age – this 2011 is singing right now.

  Almost indistinguishable from a Premier Cru Vosne Romanée, this gradually uncurls with swirling to reveal focused spicy, smokey, gamey aromas, permeate in the mouth with hints of anise and heather over succulent black cherry fruit. Well-structured, with richness and a warm, enveloping texture.

  Planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, the Haven Vineyard is the most sheltered site, being bordered by trees on both the North and South, hence the vineyard name.  The soil is loam over clay, with less sand than Meres and fewer sandstone pebbles than Ferrous.

   

   

   

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• Red Wine

  2017 The Old Bloke and The Three Young Blonds, d’Arenberg

  £7500

  A mix of gnarly, old Shiraz partnered with youthful, exotic and fragrant white varieties. The Shiraz offers a nose brimming with dark, earthen fruits, woody spices and rich blackberry aromas. Viognier adds fragrance in the form of apricot, ginger and florals, Roussanne delivers an exotic, dried almond and papaya note, and the Marsanne contributes pistachio and yellow stonefruit.

  The palate is generous, with layers of fruit characters that ebb and flow through the entire length. The tannin structure is unique, thanks to the mingling of red and white phenolics. The rustic, chunky, mid-palate Shiraz tannins are tempered by the lusciousness of the white varieties, the finish enhanced by the addition of fragrant, flowery tannins, mainly on account of the Viognier and more nutty, walnut skin texture, from the Roussanne.

  A complex and alluring wine that evolves in the glass. So much individual character and much to take in, but somehow we are left with a sense of harmony between the old bloke and the three young blondes.

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