1 | Wine | Page 270

"Aromas of honeysuckle, peach and lychee nut are enhanced with mineral notes. Integrated fruit flavors of white peach, kiwi and green melon lead to a rich mouthfeel and lengthy finish balanced with bright acidity".

"This has good flesh, with a lilac note giving way to dark mulled plum and linzer torte flavors, studded with black tea and roasted spice hints. Shows nice drive on the finish."

"The Big Easy is rich and emphatic in 2011 and yet, as the name suggests, still holds an amazingly easy silkiness on the palate. The dominant Shiraz offers complex notes of rosemary and cured meat whilst the Cabernet Sauvignon adds a beguiling structure and sweet cherry fruit core. A playful tempo is created by dashes of Grenache, Viognier, Mourvèdre and Cinsault giving a fynbos and spicy edge along with a fragrant, almost honeycomb-like finish."

"Opulent, rich purple. Very spicy; notes of black and white pepper mingle with leather, clove and ripe black fruit supported by oak. Full-bodied, harmonious and expressive. Mellow tannins and a structured mid-palate. Intense fruit leading to a long finish"

"This wine opens with effusive floral and spice aromas characteristic of the 2011 vintage. Present are the lifted perfumes of hyacinth, linden blossom and carnation along with spicy Satsuma mandarin, tea tree, fennel and crushed boysenberry. The palate is expansive, expressive and also connective; showing a completeness and comfort within its own skin. On the palate there are notes of passion fruit, violet pastille and tayberry, along with hints of cinnamon stick and a flinty minerality bundled in a succulent, mouthwatering middle. The tannins are matte with a velveteen quality and the finish is all freshness, lingering and clean."

"The 2011 Malbec has a simple nose of soy-tinged black fruit that has absorbed the American and French oak well. The palate is medium-bodied with touches of burnt toast and rosemary on the entry, coca-tinged tannins and a pleasing, smooth, harmonious finish."

"Light and crisp, this red offers berry, herbal, smoke and cedar flavors over tart acidity, imparting focus and liveliness."

"The 2007 Barolo Margheria was raised in cask and reveals a slightly more classic side of Nebbiolo. Sweet floral herbs, tobacco, geranium and wild flowers emerge from the bouquet. The firm yet well-integrated tannins frame a core of fruit loaded with Serralunga character, leading to a wiry, muscular finish. Hints of leather, licorice and iron linger in the glass. The Margheria is less immediate than the Bricco Fiasco at this stage, and it will require more patience, but it is every bit as compelling."

"On the nose, one gets fresh cherries, rose, light citrus, earth, and anise, opening to dense spice of cocoa, essence of clove, coriander seed, and forest aromas. To the taste - an infusion of cherry, black cherry, plums, dense black fruit, complex spice, with balanced acidity and tannins, and an unparalleled texture in the mouth."