Tasting notes

‘BLOCK FIVE’ PINOT NOIR

2009:  (from both old and new barrels).  Lovely density, with impressive structure yet an incredible lightness and vibrancy.  Spicy red cherry and dark berry fruits, this wine is already very complex and lengthy, with trademark hints of musk on the finish.  Delicious, can’t wait for this to be bottled.  Destined to be a great ‘Block Five’.  92-94 points, drink 2014-2020.  May 2010.

2008:  Tasted four times, with consistent notes.  Powerful, vibrant aromas of spicy black cherry, fragrant musk and red currants.  The wine is very youthful and quite primary on the palate, with brilliant minerality and crystaline purity, layers of ripe, powerful dark berry fruit and impressive intensity.  Already with very good complexity, this will undoubtedly build in the coming years.  93 points, drink 2014-2018.  October 2009, November 2009 and March 2010.

2007:  Quite high-toned aromas of red cherry and dark fruits.  On the palate the wine has plenty of attractive, sappy characters, and firm, yet fine, tannins.  Good acidity and complexity, perhaps lacks the density of some vintages.  Great length.  90 points, drink now to October 2008.

2006:  Somewhat restrained aromas of red fruits, mineral and spicy plum.  On the palate the wine is fine and uncharacteristically delicate, with more finesse and elegance than usual, but still with delicious, spicy fruit flavour and great minerality.  Very fine, almost polished tannins and great length, should flesh out with a few years cellaring.  91 points, drink 2010-2014.  November 2007.

2005:  A barrel sample in July 2005 showed primary, ripe and intense aromas of red cherry, plenty of spice and complexity, layers of fruit and crunchy acidity. 

Good length and depth, with an exciting future.  90-92 points.  From bottle the wine had lifted, powerful aromas of minerals, spicy cheerry and red currants.  Quite ripe and rich, the wine is approachable already with fresh acidity and very fine, gentle tannins.  Wonderful complexity and finesse - perfectly balanced.  A great example of Australian Pinot Noir.  92 points, drink now-2016.  November 2008.

2004:  Immediately prior to bottling the wine has Very fresh and very fine, savoury aromas, musk, cherries and a lovely powdery minerality.  On the palate the wine is very fine and elegant, with layers of complexity and flavour, and a long, elegant and intense finish.  92-93 points, drink 2008-2018  (July 2005).  A few years on and the wine has absolutely blossomed, with wonderful, bright and fresh aromas of red cherry, musk and rose petals.  Very complex on the palate, with great depth and beautiful finesse, there is really delicious freshness to the ripe fruit.  Satisfying minerality on the (lengthy) finish.  Tremendous and age-worthy.  94 points, drink 2010-2018.  December 2008.

2003:  Tasted twice.  Initially a wonderful, smooth and well-integrated young wine, showing pure red fruits and moderately complex flavours.  Impressive length and balance for a youthful wine.  93 points, drink 2005-2011 (October 2004).  The following year the wine showed incredible perfume, with loads of fine but intense fresh fruit and a wonderful savoury edge.  The savoury character commands the palate, with a lovely juicy structure.  Great length, depth and complexity, this is a textbook Pinot Noir of finesse, and would be at home in Chambolle-Musigny.  93 points, drink 2006-2018 (July 2005).

2002:  Slightly riper and sweeter aromas, with hints of blackcurrant and cassis with the typical cherry, musk and minerals.  Wonderfully complex and round, with fresh fruit balancing the elegant structure.  Will live for years.  92 points, drink now-2018 (July 2005).

2001:  Fine and focused, with black cherries and wonderfully precise, savoury fruits.  Very fresh acid, soft tannins and great depth of intensity.  Perfectly combines elegance with intensity.  92 points, drink now-2016 (July 2005).

2000:  In October 2004: Beautiful, ripe and powerful, smooth and well-balanced, with great length and good complexity.  Not a blockbuster, with pure black cherry and minerality on a lovely smooth, lengthy finish.  91 points, drink now-2010.  The following year there were beautiful soft, fine and savoury style, quite juicy acidity, some minerals, moderate intensity and complexity.  Primary fruit flavour is falling away and secondary complexity has not yet kicked in.  Difficult to predict where this wine is heading.  88 points, drink now-2012 (July 2005).

1998:  Quite delicate, fine perfume, wonderful structure and complexity, moderate length and intensity.  Delicious.  89 points, drink now-2010 (July 2005).

1997:  From magnum: showing some funky, farmyard charcters, with powerful, complex flavours.  Tight, structured palate, with minerals and ripe black fruits.  Still very youthful, retaining plenty of acid for ageing.  91 points, drink 2007-2012 (October 2004).  The following year ripe, sweet fruit, good intensity and complexity, taking on some secondary flavours, fine, savoury finish.  90 points, drink now-2012 (July 2005).

‘ORIGINAL VINEYARD’ PINOT NOIR

2009:  From barrel, a blend of new oak and old oak.  Lovely savoury, red fruit aromas.  Fine, delicate and fragrant, with pure cherry and soft red fruits on the palate.  Lengthy and very complex already - right in the groove for this wine.  91-93 points, drink 2013-2019.  May 2010.

2008:  Tasted three times with consistent notes.  As a barrel sample, the wine showed soft, pretty aromatics, elegant in nature, with lovely red fruits and fresh, soft acidity.  Already very forward in style, the wine retains a sense of density and depth, certainly in terms of

complexity and length.  Should evolve beautifully.  92-93 points, drink 2010-2016 (May 2009).  From bottle, there are fine and pure aromas of red berry fruits, perhaps a touch riper than usual but still quite ethereal.  There is quite a degree of ripeness on the palate, with rich, ripe yet very fine red fruit, plum and hints of spice and minerals.  Really wonderful expression of Pinot Noir.  93 points, drink 2011-2020.  October 2009 and May 2010.

2007:  Slightly funky (relative to other vintages) and fresh aromas of ripe red and dark berry fruits.  Quite primary still, with plenty of weight and ripe fruit, some ginger spice, good fruit weight with nicely balancing acidity.  Should offer plenty of pleasure over the journey - a more hedonistic than delicate style.  91 points, drink 2010-2015.  May 2009.

2006:  Quite deep and complex aromas, showing some darker fruits and a lovely silky texture.  Great depth and complexity, subtle and beguiling.  An extra layer of density and complexity to this wine, perhaps a touch more powerful than most other vintages, yet retaining a great sense of elegance and purity.  94 points, drink 2012-2018 (May 2009).

2005:  As a barrel sample, the wine has a beautiful, delicate perfume, hints of spice, flowers, very fresh with lovely crisp acidity and sweet fruit.  Beautiful powdery minerals on the finish.  91-92 points, drink 2008-2013 (July 2005).  From bottle the wine has certainly fleshed out somewhat, with very pretty, fine yet substantial aromatics showing red berry fruit, musk and crunchy red currants.  Fresh, almost spicy fruit on the palate, with impressive length and intensity, and building complexity in the glass.  Very much in the groove, vibrant and lively at the moment.  Delicious with plenty of evolution ahead.  93 points, drink 2010-2016 (May 2009).

2004:  A personal favourite wine of mine, consumed at least six times with ever-improving ntoes!  From barrel the wine showed complex aromas of cherry and red plums, sweet perfume, fresh, crunchy acidity and beautiful depth of flavour.  Almost Chambolle-like in its weight, style and perfume, with added musk.  90-92 points, drink 2006-2012 (July 2005).  Most recently from bottle there were really beautiful, soft and approachable aromas, very pretty musk and soft red fruits.  The wine has a sense of subtleness to it, yet it is a really wonderful, pretty drink of impressive complexity and length.  93 points, drink now-2014.  May 2009.

2003:  Tasted twice, with consistent notes.  In October 2004 the wine showed light, fragrant aromas of sweet fruits, well-balanced but lighter red fruits on the palate, with quite high acid at this youthful stage.  All the attributes are here for a long-lived, complex and complete wine.  89 points, drink 2008-2014.  The following year the wine had bright aromatics of cherry and musk, with hints of sweet oak.  Light to medium-bodied, with beautiful crisp, clean fruit flavour.  Good length and complexity, with a delicate, clean finish.  90 points, drink now-2015 (July 2005).

2002:  Heavier, more intense aromas of ripe fruit and sweet oak, slightly funky characters.  On the palate the wine seems slightly hollow, albeit with complex berry and balancing acidity.  I wonder if this was harvested a touch early?  Some sour, sappy character here.  87 points, drink 2008-2012.  July 2005.

2001:  Stalky, but pure fruit aromas.  Well-balanced cherry and red currant fruits, very clean, with no funky or forresty characters.  Very pure and fresh, with good minerality and a complex finish.  Wonderful expression of Pinot Noir.  90 points, drink 2006-2011 (October 2004).  Another bottle was much more subdued on the nose, with moderately intense aromas of musk and red fruits.  Lacking a little intensity and depth on the palate - seems slightly dilute, although good, sappy, lengthy finish.  88 points, drink now-2011 (July 2005).

2000:  This wine has some bottle variation due to cork problems.  Starting to show some development, with lovely secondary characters and complexity on the nose.  Juicy fruits of cherry and currants, good complexity and length of finish, beautiful acidity and finesse on a lovely finish.  90 points, drink now-2013 (July 2005).  Four years on, the wine had slightly subdued aromatics, showing some rose petal and soft cherries.  Still very fresh on the palate, with surprising presence whilst retaining elegance.  Some creaminess on the palate, good complexity and very good length.  91 points, drink now-2014.  May 2009.

1999:  A frost year, with high acidity and low pH.  In July 2005 the wine had beautiful, complex aromas, musk, minerality and light red fruits, really attractive, Morey-style palate structure.  Some minerality and fresh acidity on the palate, with a good length of finish.  91 points, drink now-2012.  In May 2009 the wine showed beautiful, fine, lifted aromas of musk - quite enticing.  Fresh and very approachable, the wine is at a lovely drinking stage with equilibrium between primary fruit and secondary complexity.  Light and somewhat ethereal, with very good complexity and length of finish.  An essay in elegance, really lovely.  92 points, drink now-2013.

1998:  Beautiful, ripe, complex and moderately developed, with rich dark berries, hints of musk and minerals, delicious powdery tannins, great length, depth and complexity on the finish.  Travelling beautifully!  91 points, drink now-2015.  July 2005.

1997:  Fine, sweet musk and dark cherries, some minerality, showing some development and the palate, lovely length and complexity on the finish.  Still well-balanced, with the primary fruit now beginning to fade.  91 points, drink now-2010.  July 2005.  Four years later the wine showed complex and rich aromas, showing some complex, developed fruit and mushroom flavour.  On the palate the wine is fully mature, acidity is noticeable (although still balanced) with delicious fine tannins forming a backbone to the flavours.  90 points, drink now (May 2009).

1996:  Tasted twice with consistent notes.  Showing slight development, quite rich, ripe and complex fruit of dark cherry and dark fruits, minerality and good purity of fruit.  Good length, lovely spectrum of flavours, and well-balanced on the finish.  Finishes with a slight sour note.  90 points, drink now-2010 (October 2004).  The following year the wine had quite stunning perfume, soft complex minerals, musk, currants and dark cherries.  Fresh acid keeps everything in harmony, lovely depth and complexity.  Really lovely, mature Australian Pinot Noir.  Exciting spice aromatics and on the finish.  91 points, drink now-2012 (July 2005).

1995:  Showing its age, with a fairly translucent brick-red colour.  Aromatically fine, if somewhat delicate, a touch dilute or hollow.  Really pleasant wine, but hardly in the upper league for this label.  85 points, drink now (July 2005).

1994:  Tasted twice, with significant variance.  A very small crop produced this year, from a very late season (harvest was 6th May).  The first bottle (July 2005) was quite powerful, funky aromas, quite developed in character but with a lovely complexity and intensity.  Hints of tea, slight vegetal flavours, good weight and complexity, the acid is keeping this wine together.  87 points, drink now-2008.  However four years later a much better bottle (also from Bindi’s cellars) had quite complex aromas, showing some rich development.    On the palate the wine is fully-developmed, with some attractive ripe fruit still, well-balanced acidity and considerable complexity.  The length of finish is impressive and the wine is harmonious and balanced.  91 points, drink now-2011 (May 2009).

1993:  Some fairly attractive rose petal and old wood aromas, slightly sweet and spicy, showing some musk and minerals too.  Well-balanced, with plenty of attractive character to match its complexity and finesse.  Good weight and balance.   90 points, drink now-2009 (July 2005).

1992:  The first vintage, harvested 20th April.  Tasted twice, with consistent notes.  Surprisingly pungent, with herbal/vegetal, almost barnyardy characters.  Still good acidity, with mature flavours on the palate.  Still some suppleness to the texture of this wine.  88 points, drink now-2007 (July 2005).  Four years later confirmed full development (slight declination?) with some tertiary, almost decayed undergrowth character.  Minimal fruit remaining, moderate complexity and good length, the wine is past it now.  87 points.  May 2009.

‘COMPOSITION’ PINOT NOIR

2009:  Quite fine and silky, with pure cherry, strawberry and plum aromas.  Delicate and pure on the palate, with lovely clean berry fruit, hints of spice, and good complexity.  92 points, drink 2011-2017.  May 2010.

2008:  Lifted dark and sour cherry aromas, with pretty, delicious soft red fruits, slightly ripe and confected.  Not especially complex at this stage - will doubtless develop with time.  Very good length.  90 points, drink 2010-2014.  May 2009.

2005:  A blend of 85% young vine fruit (from the 2001-planted Block K) and 15% from vines planted 1988.

Quite bright, with ripe cherry aromas, moderate weight and complexity, quite perfumed, with hints of musk and vanilla.  Very clean, crisp, with good length of finish.  88-90 points, drink 2006-2010.  July 2005.

2004:  Very fine, delicate aromas, beautiful perfume, soft, ripe cherry and muck, touches of talc and powdery minerals.  Fine structure, good length and depth of finish.  Lovely wine.  90 points, drink now-2014.  July 2005.

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‘QUARTZ’ CHARDONNAY

2008:  Bright and lifted aromas of grapefruit, peach and lemon.  Quite dense and powerful on the palate, showing lovely ripe fruit flavours of impressive intensity.  Fairly rich for this label.  Plenty of fresh acidity and fine minerality, a very delicious style.  Should age superbly.  92 points, drink now-2018.  October 2009.

2007:  Ripe and bright fruit flavours of pear, peach and lemon, with some white flowers too.  Full and quite powerful on the palate, with lovely underlying minerality and well-balanced acidity, this is a bigger and richer drop

than usual.  91 points, drink now-2012.  December 2008.

2005:  Fine, elegant aromas of lemon curd, white flowers and minerals.  Lovely breadth and complexity on the palate, yet still elegant, with plenty of lemon, mineral and pear flavours, fine acidity and a long, complex finish.  Very impressive.  92 points, drink now-2013.  July 2009.

2004:  Tasted throughout it’s life, with appropriately evolving notes.  In youth there were very fine, focused aromas, lemons, pear, great depth of flavour.  Very elegant and restrained, fine acidity, beautiful fine structure, great length of finish.  92 points, drink 2006-2014 (July 2005).  Blind in a world Chardonnay comparative tasting the wine was quite a rich, powerful style with loads of fruit and spice, great complexity and length.  91 points, drink now-2012 (October 2008).  Finally (the last bottle from a case bought on release) was showing some developed aromas, with a slight cheesy character to the peach, lemon and mineral aromas.  Good depth of flavour on the palate, fine mineral