Edward Rasiulis

Estate Hatzimichalis Chardonnay 2010

Medium gold with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A nice easy drinking Chard featuring light oak, lemon/lime, lemon curd, dill, green & yellow apples and limestone. Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A tad sour on the finish.

Drink now on its own or pair it with lemon pepper catfish.

Tasted: 19 Dec 12

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Château Montus Madiran 2006, Ac Madiran

Deep dark ruby with a hint of garnet on the colour & medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A complex & higher end wine from the South of France. Notes of cedar, blackberry, dark cherry, mulberry, raspberry, macintosh apple, leather, pencil shaving, turmeric, all spice, arugula & radicchio on the finish. Full body, medium+ tannins, good acidity, long length & alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: A little astringent & thus needs time to age.

If you're drinking this now, decanter for 2 hours & pair it with medium rare steak.

Tasted: 11 Mar 12

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Score: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Tar & Roses Tempranillo 2011, Heathcote/Alpine Valleys

Medium to light ruby with a touch of garnet in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A nice surprise having a Tempranillo from Australia that tastes like it was from Spain.

Positives: This wine features cedar, sandalwood, lots of sour cherry, blackberry, licorice, rose petals, cloves, rosemary and sage. Medium body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the 5 next years on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops.

Tasted: 6 Sept 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Treana Marsanne/viognier 2009, Central Coast

Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: This is the closest to a Condrieu without being one that I have tasted to date, and I love Condrieu, so it goes without saying why I made this my favourite wine of the tasting event. The wine is oily and smooth as silk, featuring light oak, Ylang Ylang, pineapple, macadamia nuts, lemon, East Indian mangos, peaches and white pepper.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This is so good that I could easily drink two bottles in a night. In Vintages now and I’m slowly buying up the stock.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared Chilean sea bass with roasted root vegetables.

Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5+

Pierre Amadieu Romane Machotte Gigondas 2010, Ac

Description: Deep ruby in colour with a muted nose.

Now this is an easy drinking wine!
Positives: Cedar, cassis, blackberry, plum, thyme, rosemary, white and black peppers and bay leaves. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity and a fairly long length. The 14.5% alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: Muted nose

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with rack of lamb.

Tasted: 4 March 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

Gabriel Meffre Laurus Gigondas 2009

Medium+ ruby in colour and a medium+ nose.

Selecting the correct wine glass is critical to getting the positives out of this wine. I sampled the wine in several different types of glasses and found it either lacking or hot due to the alcohol. The Sommelier Riedel Syrah glass was the perfect match.

Positives: The wine features cedar, lots of pepper and peppercorns, blackberry, bramble fruit, light tar, espresso, lavender, mushrooms and chalk. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a good length.

Negatives: A little hot from the 14.5% alcohol.

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with Veal Marsala.

Tasted: 23 June 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance: 9/10)

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

C.h. Berres Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 2011, Prädikatswein

How could you not love Rieslings when there are gems like this out there and this wine will only get better with age

Description: Although this is medium-dry wine (Spätlese) there a nice balance between sweet and dry. The wine shows bright yellow gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features Ylang Ylang, petrol, peach, apple pie, honey, orange, ginger, pink grapefruit and limestone. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: C.H Berres consistently makes great Rieslings

Drink now or in the next 20 years on its own or and pair it with jerk chicken.

Tasted: 24 July 2014

Top Pick

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

Artesa Chardonnay 2010, Carneros

Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is not a big blockbuster California Chard, but there's a lot to it, rich, creamy & one of the longest tasting in length for a Chardonnay I've tasted. Lightly toasted oak featuring lemon, green apples, mangos, pineapple, peach, marshmallow, custard, limestone, orange, crème brûlée & a slight peppery note. Medium to full body, good acidity & a very long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: One of the best Chards that I tasted that should appease those that like big Chards & those that like Chablis style.

Drink now or over the next 5 years. Can be drank on its own, but this was one of the best Chards I've tasted for pairing with crustaceans and drawn butter.

Tasted: 31 Aug 12

Best Buy & Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 5

Hogue Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Wahluke Slope

Medium garnet in colour and medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A lighter style of Cab showing medium oak, mushrooms, black currants, spinach, leather, pencil shavings, turmeric, sage and an undertone of plums and cherry. Medium body with tight tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little heat on the finish from the 14.3% alcohol.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Beef Stroganoff with Shitake mushrooms.

Tasted: 23 April 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut Sparkling, Traditional Method, Sonoma County, California

Blush in colour with fine mousse & medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Simply delicious & easy drinking. Raspberry, lemon tart, pear, light yeast, flan, molasses & ginger. Medium to medium+ body, good acidity & length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Thing: Made in the traditional method. Drink now on its or or pair it with quail eggs & caviar. This wine was ranked #78 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 list of 2009.

Best Buy

Tasted: 20 Feb 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5