St Hallet 2012 Riesling

Variety: Riesling
Region/G.I.: Barossa, Eden Valley
Vintage: 2012
Colour: Pale yellow
Alcohol: 11.5%
Bouquet: Lovely orange blossom and lemon
Flavour: Primarily lemon flavours with good crisp acidity. A punchy wine with a nice finish. 
Points: 84 (3+7+11+6+7+50)

Notes:  A $20~240 Kc wine purchased directly through the multinational producer at a heft discount. A lovely wine which was required when we enjoyed a risotto over the weekend.

Watershed Premium Wines 2009 Shiraz

I tasted this last August and my only change to the description related to the bouquet being predominately stewed prunes and plums, while the meat aroma I mentioned is better described as hints of raw meat. This is untypical Australian Shiraz for me.

Scoring as before: 86 (3+7+12+7+7+50)

Jackson Estate 2010 Vintage Widow Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Marlborough
Vintage: 2010
Colour: Medium ruby red
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Elegant rotting twigs/bark and sour cherry and a hint of wet cow
Flavour: A surprisingly fuller mouth than expected, with abundant sour cherry and cedary flavours without them being overpowering. There are also drying, savoury but very mild tannins which have a touch of turmeric in there as well.
Points: 88 (4+7+12+7+8+50)

Notes:  ~$32.00 ~460 Kc (although only $NZ 28 in its homeland). I bought six of these for $23 as compensation for another Pinot that K. found online that was unavailable from this supplier. Will be interesting to see how these develops.

Savannah Estate 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek
Vintage: 2008
Colour: Ruby red with slight orange meniscus
Alcohol: 14.9%
Bouquet: Slightly meaty with stewed plums and savoury aromas
Flavour: Complex flavours and very mellow. Dry herbs like oregano evenly throughout which end with drying tannins. The fruit which is more plummy than blackcurrant is present but not primary in the flavour profile. This is also something like a cooked meaty flavour as well. 
Points: 88 (3+8+12+8+7+50)

Notes:  ~$38.00 ~760 Kc. This was the clear winner of our Cab tasting and was given as a present to me a couple of years ago. It was surprising as the Coonawarra or Margaret River are meant to be the best regions for Cab in Australia.

Nugan Estate 2009 Alcira Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/G.I.: Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Vintage: 2009
Colour: Deep ruby red
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bouquet: Intense plum and blackcurrant after giving it a good whirl
Flavour: Very smooth and with distinctive sweet fruit, blackcurrant flavours in the mid-palate. The even, lingering tannins round out the mouth flavours dominated by the fruit.
Points: 85 (3+7+11+7+7+50)

Notes:  ~$21 (~620 Kc). I rated this 2nd of our tasting. 

Eagle Vale 2005 Whispering Lake Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/G.I.: South West Australia, Margaret River
Vintage: 2005
Colour: Medium ruby red
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Raspberry, chewey lollies (candies) and lush blackcurrant
Flavour: Juicy blackcurrant and some greenish, grilled capsicum as part of the savoury flavours. Good body and light tannin. The savoury flavours are interesting and well integrated.
Points: 86 (3+8+11+7+7+50)

Notes:  ~$30.00 ~600 Kc.  I thought this was the second best of the Cabs tasted. Lovely, well rounded wine

Angove 2010 Vineyard Select Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/G.I.: Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Vintage: 2010
Colour: Bright ruby red
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bouquet: Standard blackcurrant
Flavour: Rather straightforward blackcurrant with not much complexity. Essentially blackcurrant fruit with nice tannins. Simple but good.
Points: 83 (3+7+11+6+6+50)

Notes:  ~$18.00 ~330 Kc. Other than the corked wine which was not graded, this finished last. Still ok.