Vines planted mostly in 1971. Not due for release until July but it came across my desk now.Fine-grained tannin. Sweet, ripe fruit. Creamy mouthfeel. And while it all feels controlled, it feels luxurious throughout, perfumed, plush, those kind of vibes. There are sweet herb/tobacco-like characters here too and sophisticated, smoky edges. It’s still coming together but the fine spread of tannin, gorgeous flavour and reach through the finish all spell (high) quality.

Vintage Retrospective: The 2001 Napa Valley CabernetsBright medium red-ruby; not hugely saturated. A bit darker and more minerally on the nose than La Muse but still with a slightly sauvage quality to its aromas of black raspberry, spice cake, underbrush and coffee. Thick and rich on entry, then fairly large-scaled, sweet and deep in the middle palate. A step up in texture, depth and size from La Muse, showing a darker, more medicinal character to its blackberry, black cherry and dark chocolate flavors and perhaps greater potential longevity. Ultimately quite structured and uncompromisingly dry, finishing with slowly mounting, echoing length and serious but nicely buffered dusty tannins that should continue to soften with cellaring. I find this sweeter for a Médoc blend than La Muse is for a Pomerol. A superb showing, and full of life.

From a high elevation site with sandy, ironstone soils—and from a terrific vintage—this Shiraz is unlike many of its South Aussie counterparts. There are sanguine and graphite notes amid the broody black cherry, plum and vanilla aromas, plus a raw power that’s exhilarating. Alongside the muscle there’s also exceptional poise, balance and complexity. Chalky, precise tannins weave together the silky fruit. Drink 2022–2040.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Lastly, the 2018 Chardonnay Gold Run saw the longest élevage in the lineup and spent 16 months in 78% new French oak. The wine handled the élevage beautifully and just has subtle creamy oak tones as well as lots of brioche, spice box, white flowers, and orchard-like fruit aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, opulent, and concentrated on the palate, it has notable acidity, plenty of focus and cut, and a great finish. It's another classically styled, brilliantly done Chardonnay from winemaker Lisa Valtenbergs that I'd be thrilled to have in the cellar.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018The 2018 Chardonnay Broken Road Vineyard is also terrific, with lots of minerality as well as stone fruits, brioche, honeysuckle, and toasty oak. As with most of these 2018, it has a forward, supple texture, beautiful balance, and a great finish that shows a touch of salinity and more minerality. This is a straight-up classy, elegant yet textured Chardonnay to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years or so.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018The 2017 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard comes from a vineyard located on a hillside in Green Valley, south of the town of Forestville (which gets a lot of fog, hence the name), and was brought up in 47% new French oak. It shows its cooler region nicely yet still has plenty of richness and depth, offering spiced cherry and berry fruits as well as autumn leaves, spice, and dried herb aromas and flavors. Silky, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, It's a complete, thoroughly satisfying Pinot Noir that has the capacity to evolve positively for a solid 7-8 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Another release from the cooler, Green Valley region of the Russian River Valley, the 2017 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1995 (clones: old Wente, Rued, Dijon 95 and Clone 15) and was fermented and aged in one-third new French oak. Baked apples, toasted bread, spice, honeycomb, and caramelized pineapple notes all dominate the bouquet, and this beauty has a touch of Meursault-like style in its rich, powerful, waxy, honeyed profile. Balanced and textured, with good acidity and a great finish, it's another seriously good Chardonnay from this estate to drink over the following 7-8 years.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Starting with the 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, which comes from multiple sites and was brought up in 27% new French oak, it has a vivid ruby hue to go with classic Russian River notes of mulled cherry and raspberry fruits, cola, spice box, and dried herbs. Medium-bodied, round, and beautifully textured, it's a totally charming, balanced, elegant Pinot Noir that punches way above its weight.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018More brioche, honeysuckle, pineapple, and caramelized citrus notes all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards, which is beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and textured on the palate. It shows the more supple, easygoing style of the vintage for Chardonnay yet still has beautiful freshness, good concentration, and a great finish.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018Checking in as 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot all from the Alden Park Vineyard in the Alexander Valley, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Innovant saw an extended maceration and aging in 40% new French oak. It has a terrific nose of blue and black fruits as well as classic Cabernet tobacco, bay leaf, violets, graphite, and crushed rock-like minerality. Rich and concentrated on the palate, yet light on its feet and elegant, this thrillingly pure Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will evolve for 15-20 years or more.

By California standards Matanzas Creek is one of the state’s historic estates. Located in Sonoma County’s lovely Bennett Valley, Matanzas Creek has been turning out dependably excellent wines since its inception in 1977 -- and this one may be the best ever. A blend of red grapes dominated by Merlot plus about 30% Cabernet Sauvignon it is rich and fleshy yet as perfectly balanced as a ballerina twirling gracefully across the stage. With fresh black and red fruit flavors it is robust without being heavy, and the finish is long and utterly satisfying.

Deep, bright red/purple colour. Fresh and clean on the nose, with berries, cherries and spices to sniff. Really lovely aromas and flavours, understated and still evolving. The palate is fine and long with supple tannins and great harmony. A superb glass of shiraz.

You know what I like best about Yangarra’s wines? The neck tags that the samples land with. There’s no bullshit tasting notes (who cares), no marketing guff. Just facts. And numbers.More, please.Of course, when the back story is uncompromised, you don’t need anything but facts, and with this Yangarra Ovitelli Grenache 2018, there are fewer shortcuts from the start.The grapes, for one, come from a block of biodynamically farmed bush vines at Kangarilla planted back in ‘46. Tick. That fruit is handpicked, mechanically sorted, and wild fermented in concrete egg, spending a huge 158 days on skins. Tick. There’s no oak maturation either, the wine pressed off said skins and matured for another 6 months in an egg. Tick. Oh and final numbers for the fellow anoraks – pH 3.27 TA 6.4g/L.When you don’t compromise, it’s much harder to fuck things up, and Pete Fraser hasn’t dropped the ball. Like the best concrete-raised releases, this is a beautiful wine. A bright wine. A lively, red-fruited, blink-and-you’ll-miss-the-magic style, the fruit easy-going given the serious intent, yet with tannins that are bigger, grander, more compelling, more bitter and mouthwatering than such juiciness is associated with. It’s a wine that you can, and will, drain a bottle of without feeling like anyone is trying too hard.I missed the ’17 Ovitelli but loved the compact ’16. This feels even brighter and limpido – yet another Yangarra Grenache that feels right and true.Best drinking: now to at least a decade. But I’d go earlier.

Herbal, with characteristics of peppercorn, cedar and pencil shavings, this beautiful wine is also dusty and mineral-driven, with demure flavors of red and black currant. Full bodied and well structured, it shows an underlying softness that should continue to soften in the cellar. Enjoy best from 2026–2031.

From a single block biodynamically grown on a cool site in a cool vintage, this Shiraz, which sees 25% whole bunch, is aged in large French foudre. The result is an extraordinarily precise and complex wine, it’s only downfall being an unfortunately heavy bottle. Notes of raspberry, plum, iodine, damp earth, and chocolate and spice (neither from oak) are cinched with sinewy tannins and lifted by crystalline acidity. Manages an exacting and difficult tightrope walk of power and generosity with restraint and elegance. Drink now, or cellar until 2030—at least.

This complex, intensely flavored roussanne has such seamlessly layered style with a sense of purity and lightness. The stone-fruit, mineral and fresh-cream aromas are tinged with lemon rind and fresh butter. The palate has fine-grained texture with a sleek, fresh delivery of peaches and lemons. Smooth-honed with a long finish. Super. From organically grown grapes. Drink over the next six years. Screw cap.

Oh what a beauty! I'm drawn to this release more than the 2017 and that release was gorgeous in its own right. Stunning McLaren Vale Shiraz. A wine to embrace and keep close.Made with 25% whole bunches, it was wild yeast fermented with no pressings used before spending 15 months in Foudre. Certified organic and biodynamic.A little char initially, it's deliciously medium bodied. There's some punch here but it's with padded gloves. I'm captivated by the herby and savoury feels. That wonderful texture brings a calmness to it. I'm loving the width and that persistent length too. They just call you back time and time again. Blue fruits, dark berries and baking like spices all mesh together with ease. Silty tannins slide through but there's no escaping the soft, silky mouthfeel. Fabulous drinking. No one loses here.

Pure bliss. There's not much more to say really. Only last week I reviewed a Grenache and I suggested the variety was currently a purple patch. And then this beauty waltzes through the door. Brilliant and then some.Planted in 1946, the certified biodynamic and organic vines sit adjacent to the famed High Sands block. De-stemmed, crushed and tipped into 675L ceramic eggs, after fermentation it remained on skins for 158 days. No oak seen here. No pressing either - just the purity of Grenache singing from the rooftops.Pristine red berry fruit, fine spices and cut herbs, but that colour! The almost translucent cerise hue is hypnotic. There's an acid crunch but then I shift focus to the soft berry fruit lingering some more. Another wave of spice strolls to the kerb asking for a ride. And it rides long. Then comes the earthiness and herbal touch once more. Stunning. Grenache to embrace.

Sunset sips drenched in rose gold beauty. A fabulous Rosé. Winemaker Peter Fraser has nailed it again.Made from eleven year old bush vine Grenache, hand picked, wild yeast fermented, it sees a little time in old French oak. Gorgeous florals lead to pomegranate, dried cranberries and a finely textured mouthfeel. A red apple crunch adds to a delicious acidty. That texture and length just purr. Wow. Fabulous buying for the asking price.

I hope this wine is an homage to the legendary Holden vehicle rather than parklands named for aristocracy. Biodynamic farmed vines, some whole bunch in the natural ferment, fine winemaking.Slippery, sleek and succulent shiraz of bouncy boysenberry fruit character, an undercurrent of sweet spice, some floral notes, very fine tannins and brisk acidity to cool it all down and finish it fresh. Very even, very medium weight, very flavoursome, indeed, quite remarkable intensity with all that freshness on hand. The fruit shines here – it’s the hero and it’s obvious. It makes you think about how grapes can achieve such multi-dimensional flavour, and that, there, is the art and delight of great wine for me.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesA rich, unctuous wine, the 2017 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is going to need a few years to shed some baby fat. Exotic floral, spice and citrus aromatics meld into a core of plush fruit in a deep, textured Pinot that will have so much to offer one it comes together a bit more fully in bottle. The 2017 has the density and richness to develop beautifully in bottle for many years to come.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Zinfandel is one of the standouts in this range from Hartford. A burst of floral notes and beams of tannin give the Fanucchi a real feeling of tension and drive. Dollops Petite Sirah in this field blend add character. There is something - many things, actually, about the Fanucchi-Wood Road Zinfandel that are so appealing.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s Reminding me of a Côte de Nuit with its darker berry fruits, earth, blood orange, and spice-driven aromas and flavors, the 2017 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is medium-bodied, has a beautiful, elegant texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Completely destemmed and brought up in 40% new French oak, this seamless, polished, beautifully balanced Pinot Noir will keep for over a decade.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s The 2017 Pinot Noir Rita's Crown Vineyard saw the same one-third stems as well as 16 months in 57% new French oak. It's a more ethereal, elegant effort and has gorgeous notes of ripe strawberries, white flowers, spice, and forest floor. Pure, medium-bodied, and layered on the palate, it shines for its seamless, elegant texture as well as its length. It's unquestionably one of my favorites in the lineup.

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s All clone 4 from a site just beside Bien Nacido, the 2018 Chardonnay Katherine’s has an Alsatian slant in its green citrus, tangerine, white flower, and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. With beautiful purity, plenty of minerality, medium to full body, and a crisp, layered style, this gorgeous Chardonnay does everything right. Enjoy it any time over the coming 7-8 years.