$100 and over
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne
'The 2006 edition of this prestigious champagne is superb. Subtly complex and refined, with lovely brioche, patisserie and stone fruit characters, it's perfectly balanced with gorgeous flow in the mouth, growing across the palate to a lingering, dry finish.' - 97 Points. - Age, Melbourne, 30 Oct 2012, by Ralph Kyte-Powell.
Gaja Costa Russi (Barbaresco) Langhe
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne
Alión Ribera del Duero
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5º
Keller Abts Erde Riesling
Cardinale Red
Torbreck Runrig Shiraz Viognier
As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints of peach or apricot appear on the nose, alongside notes of hickory smoke, cherries and baking spices. It's full-bodied and concentrated but supple and silky enough to seem lighter in the mouth, showing tremendous length and elegance on the finish, where it adds nuances of cinnamon and cocoa. Rating: 98/100.
Glaetzer the Eye of Ra
2016 The Eye of Ra is a 100% Shiraz, using 100% French oak and all of the fruit comes from Ebenezer. This wine is made from the finest parcel of fruit that Ben has ever seen in his vineyard. Outstanding aromatics lead the way and the palate is nothing short of spellbinding. The finish has epic freshness and the tannins are like nothing I have encountered before from the great Glaetzer portfolio. The Eye of Ra is all about power countered with impeccable restraint and I can still recall all of its flavours several weeks later. It is one of a number of wines that I have seen lately which signal a new and fascinating epoch for Barossa Shiraz. I followed this wine over three hours that evening and it never stopped evolving in the glass. This celestial wine made a huge impression on me and it is hard for me to see how this wine can be bettered and so I am overjoyed to give it a perfect score. Rating: 20+/20
Kingsbarns Balcomie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The 'Balcomie' label represents Kingsbarns' sherried release. Made from locally-grown Fife barley, it comes matured exclusively in American oak butts that previously held Oloroso sherry, as opposed to the more typical European oak. Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Treacle, sultanas, fruit loaf with cinnamon icing, a touch of dark chocolate with summer berries. PALATE: Sweet tinned pineapple up front, orange peel, cake spice. FINISH: Lots of dried apricot and a hint of roasted hazelnut on the finish. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.