Pure Fe Garnacha-Syrah 2018, Antiyal, Maipo Valley, Chile

Plums, rapsberries, some blueberry, toasty oak, liqourice.

Mark: B

Black Stallion Estate Winery Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2018, California, USA

Strawberries and cherries. Talcum powder tannins. Violets throughout. Brown sugar and spicy finish. Lacking some acidity.

Mark: B

Simonsig Tiara 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Leather, toasty oak, tobacco, cinamon, blackcurrants, plums, cherries. Very Bordeaux like. Drying tannins on finish. Could be better in three years.

Mark: B-

Frog's Leap Chardonnay 2017, Napa Valley, California, USA

Oak, butter, green apples, pineapple, peach.

Mark: C

J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah 2017, Past Robles, California, USA

Blackberry, plums, cherries, toasty oak, liqourice finish, black pepper, smooth.

Mark: B

Heinrich Leithaberg Chardonnay 2017, Burgenland, Austria

Lemon, lime, apricot, pineapple, oak, nutty.

Mark: A-

El Esteco Malbec 2019, Valles Calchaquies, Argentina

Oak, blackberry, plums, liqourice, simple but decent for the price.

Mark: C+

Montes Alpha Pinot Noir 2018, D.O. Aconcagua Costa, Chile

Great value. Strawberries and cherries. Oak and liqourice. Earthy finish. Violets on the nose.

Mark: B-

Seppeltsfield Barossa Shiraz 2018, Barossa Valley, Australia

Blackberries, plums, leather, underlying white pepper, liqourice finish. A bit boring after a bit.

Mark: C

Familie Schmelz Ried Pichl Point Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2019, Waxhaw, Austria

Bags of white pepper, banana which is a bit wierd but not in a bad way, lemon and minerals. Unpleasant earthiness though.

Mark: C-

Sandhi Central Coast Chardonnay 2019, California, USA

Oak, toast, lemon, pineapple, refreshing on  hot day.

Mark: B

Rotburger 2018, Rosi Schuster, Burgenland, Austria

Cherries, raspberries, plums, oak,  spicy. Smooth, everything in balance.

Mark: A-

Zenato Merlot 2016, Garda, Italy

Oak,  vanilla, plums, cherries, leather, liqourice, warm finish.

Mark: B

Loimer Gumpoldskirchner 2017, Thermenregion, Niederösterreich, Austria

Oily, banana, pear, lemon, minerals on the finish.

Mark: C+

Jeanneret Big Fine Girl Riesling 2019, Clare Valley, Australia

Lime, petrol, honey, and minerals. Typical aussie riesling.

Mark: B

Mongrana Rosso 2017, Agricola Querciabella, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

Cherries, plums, oak, leather, massive liqourice finish. Love it!

Mark: B

Weinert Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Mendoza, Argentina

Blackcurrant, cedar, alcoholic raisins and drying tannic finish. Great value.

Mark: B

Selecció Raig De Raïm Garnatxa Blanca 2019, Celler Piñol, Terra Alta, Spain

Oily mouthfeel. Warm finish. Stone fruits and minerals.

Mark: B

San Baggio Groppello Riviera Del Garda Classico 2017, Podere Selva Capuzza, Lake Garda, Italy

Raspberry, strawberry, cherries, baking mixed spice (teacake spice), black pepper Brilliant !!.

Selva Capuzza is a family run estate producing wines in three distinct DOC appellations: Lugana, San Martino della Battaglia, and Garda Classico. The three DOCs overlap in this area. This is the only winery in the area which produces the three of them.

The Formentini family works only with native grape varieties. The white varieties are Turbiana, which is the main grape in Lugana, and Tuchì for San Martino della Battaglia. The red and rosé wines are made with Groppello, Sangiovese, Barbera and Marzemino. This wine was made with Groppello.

The estate’s wines are all made in the cellar, situated between Cascina Capuzza and Borgo San Donino agriturismo. The cellar was built in 2001 to accommodate all the phases of winemaking, from the pressing of the grapes through vinification and finally aging then bottling.

All the wines are made by a team led by Luca Formentini, with the help of a cellarman, a winemaker and an agronomist.

Mark: A

Mandala Chardonnay 2019, Yarra Valley, Australia

Chardonnay grape juice marinated in oak. Oak, oak, and more oak. Pineapple, lemon, and oranges in the background. For the money there are many many many better chards around than this.

Mandala wines was established by the Smedley family, Mandala Wines is a five-star James Halliday-rated Yarra Valley winery. 

Mark: C