Edward Rasiulis

Yalumba Viognier 2010, Eden Valley, South Australia

Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Lots going on here with apricots, nectarines, lemon, green olives, jasmine, clove, walnut & a touch of honey. Medium to full body with good medium+ acidity & long length.

Negatives: A little bitterness on the finish.

Interesting Point: Yalumba is consistently one of the best producers of Viognier outside Condrieu, Northern Rhone in France.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with Cornish hen.

Tasted: 29 June 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

The Black Chook Vmr 2008, Mclaren Vale, South Australia

Light yellow with medium+ intensity. The nose has a nice bouquet of wild flowers, peach, orange rind & smoked toasted Pine nuts. The taste is dry, good acidity, medium+ length, medium body & balanced. Definitely Viognier on the taste with peach, orange rind, smoked apple, nectarine, some vanilla & toasted Pine nuts. This wine has an addictive quality that you just want to go back & keep drinking. Lucky the alcohol is not above 14%. Drink now on it's own or pair it with roasted sweet orange pepper & grilled French cut pork chops. Delicious.

Best Buy.

Tasted 27 July 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Buitenverwachting Chardonnay 2010, Wo Constantia

Light gold with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: What a nice Chard that has just enough toasted oak as not to over shadow the fruit in this wine. Notes of lemon, crisp apple, caramel, light butter, lemon candy, limestone & tangerine. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Some overly tart notes on the finish.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with rotisserie hen.

Tasted: 14 Mar 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Château De Cruzeau Blanc 2007, Ac Pessac Léognan

1st off just want to let you know that this is so far my favourite Sauvignon Blanc. Gold in colour with medium+ intensity. The nose has beautiful aromas that has a prominent note of guava followed by gooseberry, hay, lantanas, chalk, green apple & passion fruit. The taste is dry, medium+ acid, medium body with long length & balanced. This wine has been on it lies for 10 months prior to bottling that is evident by the creaminess of this wine. Guava dominates the taste. Other notes are as the nose with addition to edamame, pear, pink grapefruit, dry apricot & golden apples. This an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc for its price considering the complexity. The wine isn't bone dry like a lot if Sauvignons. Drink now on it's own or pair it with Sea Bass with white wine sauce on a bed of couscous.

Tasted: 30 July 11

Best buy & top pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9/10, total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Del Cerro Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2006, Docg

Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium intensity. A pleasant nose that shows distinctive Sangiovese in cedar, oregano, sage, sour cherry, anise, lead pencil, milk chocolate & black peppercorn. The taste is dry, with medium+ tannins & acidity, & medium+ length. The notes on the taste are similar to the nose with addition of spinach leaf. The wine is very smooth & balanced. Nicely aged it's drinkable now or for the next 2 years. Food friendly wine that will pair with any Italian dish with red sauce.

Tasted: 3 Aug 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

Medium to light garnet in colour and medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A typical California Pinot, in a good way, featuring pine, cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, cinnamon, pomegranate and an underlying note of smoke reminiscent of autumn leaves on an open fire. Medium to medium minus body, light tannins, medium+ acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Remember to slightly chill a Pinot.

Drink now or over the next 4 years on its own or pair it with peppercorn glazed pork pâte.

Tasted: 13 April 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Bordon Gran Reserva 2005

A top notch, youthful Gran Reserva at a good price

Description: Medium garnet to ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This complex wine features sandalwood, cherry, red currants, dried bramble fruit, old leather, shitake mushrooms, vanilla, chalk, and cherry tobacco on the nose. Medium body with dusty tannin, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 10 of years, on its own or pair it with Braised Beef Roast with Cherry Balsamic Sauce.

Tasted: 20 July 2016 (Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife, without her contribution to my site it would not have the positive impact that it has)

Best Buy & Top Pick

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 18.5/20

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

Bachelder Bourgogne Chardonnay 2009, Ac

Nice smooth and well balanced Chard

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features light toasted oak, lemon, peach, green apple, dill, oak spice, clementine and limestone. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Drinking at it’s peak now

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with grilled free range chicken breast with roasted fennel and lemon marmalade relish.

Tasted: 28 May 2015

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

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

Roederer Estate Brut Rosé Sparkling, Traditional Method, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California

Light turmeric in colour with a medium intense nose.

I like it, but not at the price point. Their regular sparkling is far superior.

Positives: This sparkling wine made in the traditional method shows yeast, crab apples, grapefruit, roasted garlic, cantaloupe, green papaya and flint. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Minimum two years on the yeast

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with prosciutto arugula flat bread pizza.

Tasted: 3 Nov 2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Norman Hardie County Chardonnay Unfiltered 2008, VQA Prince Edward County

Rich, smooth & complex wine whose taste come in waves. Medium toasty oak with buttery popcorn, lemon zest, tangarine, pineapple, limestone, nectarine, apricot, ginger, dill & butterscotch. Medium+ body, good acidity, extremely long length & unusual low alcohol for a chard of such richness.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Use the smaller chard glasses to capture the complexity of this wine & be careful not to over chill it.

Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or with white tail tuna sashimi.

Tasted: 20 Feb 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 8.5+ (sale price 10/10 & a Best Buy), Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5