Hugh Hamilton Wines- making wine since 1837.

The Hamilton family first planted vines in 1837 less than a year after Sth. Australia was established. Hugh, current 5th generation winemaker is most definitely the Black Sheep and Larrikin in the family history. With wine names like The Rascal, The Scallywag, The Ratbag and The Villain you don’t have a case to stand on to disagree. The wines reflect his attitude and are anything but boring displaying elegance and flavor with depth and complexity across the board.  

He believes your as only as good as your last vintage and to that end strives to make the best, most unique wines that are exceedingly drinkable and display that old Australian concept of ‘mor-ish’ meaning you will always come back for more! Hugh’s legacy is being carried on by his daughter Mary, 6th Generation winemaker and first woman to take over the reins in the family’s long history.   

The ‘Rascal’ Shiraz 2017

This is a product of that great pairing: Shiraz and McLaren Vale. Bold and full of flavor balanced with elegance and restraint that only McLaren Vale does best.

Nose displays delightful layers of blueberries and dark fruits with notes of violets and a promise of things to come. The palate is all blueberries, blackberries and plum with secondary flavors of black tea, spices and a subtle sweet vanilla on a long finish. Great Shiraz. Cellar to 2025.

The ‘Villain’ Cabernet 2017  

I wouldn’t normally recommend consorting with a villain but with this, I’m willing to make an exception. The pleasure is worth the risk.

Nose is welcoming with layers of ripe raspberries, delightful floral notes and subtle spices leading you on. The palate is all raspberries with secondary notes of cassis, cranberries and spices revealing deceptive depth and complexity. Elegant and silky on the mouthfeel and a pleasure to pour for friends. The medium body allows this Cabernet to pair well with Roast Pork, Pork Chops, Beef Steak or a favorite Tuscany Dish, Devil’s Chicken. Cellar to 2025.

‘Black Ops’ Shiraz / Saperavi Blend 2019

This is a blend of 60 % Shiraz and 40% Saperavi blend and if you’re not familiar with the last grape, don’t be concerned, most of us aren’t. Saperavi origins trace back to Georgia (Eastern Europe) and is grown in several adjacent countries including Russia and of course in Australia. Not having tasted it on its own I can’t tell you definitively what its like. It is able to handle cooler climates but it most definitely needs a warmer climate to bring out the best in the grape.

Grapes for this wine are sourced from their own estate in McLaren Vale, a region known for elegance and restraint. There’s a unique rustic earthy note on the nose complimenting the dark fruits from the Shiraz. Definitely makes you want to explore further.

Soft silky mouthfeel greets you before you discover rich layers of blackberries, dark raspberries, plums and spices. This is a big rich wine with loads of depth and complexity that will demand a rich beef or strip Sirloin dish to match its size. My guess is this will cellar out to 2030 without a problem.  

95pt- James Halliday

Piattelli Winery- Mendoza Magic.

Piattelli Torrontes 2020- ‘one of the nicest Torrontes I’ve tasted’

This is a beautiful high-altitude wine with impressive structure and elegance. Sourced from their vineyards in Cafayate ‘The Beautiful’ is renowned for its natural beauty is also one of the highest regions suitable for growing grapes in the world, situated at 5,600 feet. It is this high altitude is what defines the terrior and the quality of this wine. The nose on this wine is delightfully aromatic and gives you the distinct impression this is a beautifully balanced, mouthwatering wine that will fit in to any get together you plan this summer. One sip and all that was promised on the nose comes to life.

Clean and crisp as one would expect with wonderful balance and finesse and a palate loaded with pineapple, lime, peach, pear with just a hint of lychee on a long satisfying finish. With just a hint of perceived sweetness this will pair well with Indian curries, Thai Chicken dishes and of course salmon, tuna or chicken salads.

Piattelli Grand Reserve Cabernet 2018- A delight to drink.

Situated high in the Uco Valley just below 4,000 feet, their Tupungato vineyards produce some of the best Cabernet grapes in Argentina which are used in this Grand Reserve Cabernet and one sip will convince you this is a wonderful wine worthy of attention. The enticing nose features dark berries, cassis and floral notes tumbling from the glass is imparting an almost sense of urgency to take a sip. The ‘Grand Reserve’ tag is deserved but the price begs to differ which really means this wine over delivers. One sip and you’ll agree this is definitely worth drinking displaying smooth approachable mouthfeel with layers of black berries, blueberries, chocolate, vanilla with an almost

Shiraz like black pepper and cooking spice on the finish. Loads of depth and complexity and will pair with almost any red meat dish. This is a delight to drink and you’ll love it more once you see the price.

These are just two of the amazing wines these guys make, keep an eye out for them- all of them are worth drinking.

Pago Del Cielo ‘Celeste’ Tempranillo 2017- Wonderful Potential.

This has all the makings of a sensational wine, wonderful drinking now, with only 4 years under its belt. Its not only the aging potential (5 – 10 years) but it’s the long-term potential of this wine in the coming vintages to develop into something special. This is definitely one to keep a close eye on!

OK, back to the 2017, rich enticing nose of cherries, blueberries, floral and pepper notes deliver an invitation to sip and enjoy, and enjoy you will. Made from 100% Tempranillo from vineyards situated in the Ribera del Duero region at 900 meters (almost 3,000 feet). The palate is full bodied, bright and approachable with layers of cherries, blueberries, mocha, vanilla with just a hint of gamey smokiness. Nice long finish leaving you with a desire to enjoy another sip. Pair with barbeque and hearty red meat dishes. Cellar out to 2027.

Bet you haven’t tasted these two wines before …

Liguria di Levante Ciliegiolo 2019

The vineyard is located on the boarders between Liguria and Tuscany in small 3-hectare plots and about 3 miles from the ocean. With the seafaring city of Genoa as its capital and frequented by the Etruscan’s, they have been credited with starting wine growing in the region 1,000 years ago. This thin strip of land boarded by the ocean and the alps is responsible for producing some wonderful medium bodied wines suitable for pairing with both seafood, chicken and of course pasta and pizza.

The nose is dominated by cherries and floral notes with a light bright seductive character. The palate has the same light easy-going character with a delicate balance. Interwoven layers of cherries, red fruits and blueberries, wrapped in elegance and finesse with just a hint of sweetness. This is a must try wine, absolutely delicious.

Ulibarri Winery: Bizaiko Txakolina 2017.

The grape is Hondarrabi Zuri and is native of the Basque Country, Spain and is the main grape variety used in Txakoli’s white wines. There are three different spellings and potentially three other names this has been known to reside under- all of which are equally obscure. Small bunches of golden grapes producing a golden color wine that is most definitely appealing to the eye.

The nose is intriguing with layers of ripe fruits, nuts and citrus. The palate is crisp and clean with an inviting mouthfeel with green apple, melon, citrus and nuts with great acidity and minerality to spare. This is a wine you will want to pour your friends this summer. I’d pair with white fish, salads, vegetable and artichoke dishes or baked chicken with a nut crust. Very linear and focused- almost like an Australian dry Riesling, only with a twist. Interesting wine and definitely worth drinking.

Hess Winery- ‘Allomi’ Cabernet 2018- a pleasure to drink.

The Hess family originated in Switzerland but it was Donald Hess who came to California in the early 197o’s and fell in love with Napa and more specifically Mt. Veeder. He defied ‘conventional wisdom’ and established a winery (and an art gallery) above the valley floor and is now run by Fifth Generation Tim and Sabrina with Dave Guffy heading the winemaking team to create a range of wines of both excellence and value.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from their Estate Vineyards in the gentle rolling hills of Pope Valley, just east of Mt. Veeder from 6 different clones to produce something special, but more importantly a wine that is a pleasure to drink. This pretty much ticks all the boxes: elegance and finesse, enticing nose of plum, dark fruits and spices, plush velvety mouthfeel displaying layers of blackberries, plums, dark cherries with just a hint of red current, vanilla and spices to round things out with great length on the finish. This vintage is blended with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Like most of us, if you’re looking for a must drink wine that is designed to impress and born to please with a price tag well below where its drinking, this is it.

Rating: 92pt JS 

Wakefield Wines- Clare Valley.

Is actually Taylors Winery originally established in 1969 by Bill Taylor who was a Pub owner and Wine Merchant in Sydney who sold what could have been the first ‘private label’ in Australia- Chateau Clare. Their association with the Clare Valley Co-operative to produce the Chateau Clare wine dates back to the 1950’s exhibiting great insight to the potential of the region before it was ‘known’ despite having a history dating back to the 1860’s. Today the winery and wine making responsibilities lay squarely with third generation Mitchell Taylor (along with his three brothers) who continues his father and grandfather’s vision and respect for the land, the soil and the grapes.

A Note About the Region.

Both the region and the winery have a reputation for making elegant restrained wines that will cellar out decades helped along with a perfect Mediterranean climate and ideal soil and rainfall. Riesling and later Shiraz and Cabernet were the early stars but plantings of Malbec, Pinot Grigio Chardonnay, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Grenache have been making their presence known over the past 20 years or so. The region sits between 1,300 and 1,600 feet in altitude with warm days and cool nights. Looking over the region with vineyards spread across the landscape, it’s hard to believe it was ocean bed in the distant past. When I first visited South Australia in 1986 my host asked me first morning there what would you like to do and I responded immediately ‘Clare Valley to taste some wine’.

Re vintages, Clare Valley has had 5 consecutive vintages of great to excellent quality starting with 2015 through 2019 covering all three wines today.

Clare Valley Riesling 2019

The nose on this wine is enticing with layers of citrus, white stone fruits, field flowers and just a hint of petrol, makes you want to jump right in and take a sip. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean with a mouthwatering freshness. Layers of lemon and lime with honeyed pear, orange rind and ginger all go together beautifully to impress, with great acidity and balance. It’s obvious they have pulled out all stops for the 50th Anniversary release with excellent results. Pair this with shellfish, seafood and Asian chicken dishes with no disappointment in sight. Great wine and given their impressive track record this will cellar this out till 2030.

Clare Valley Cabernet 2017

This has all the hall marks of a Barossa Cabernet with a wonderful Clare Valley twist with some altitude, elegance and finesse thrown in. This is great drinking at Tuesday night prices- definitely over delivers. The nose is all dark fruits with a hint of spices but the palate reveals far more. Thick rich layers of blackberries, blueberries and plums with secondary notes of spices, cedar, vanilla and sweet tobacco (reminiscent of northern Barossa, about 10 miles to the west) Very approachable and far too easy to drink. Pair this with any red meat from the grill and hamburgers all day long!! Cellar to 2026 with confidence.

92 pt- Natalie Maclean.

Clare Valley Shiraz 2018

All Barossa Shiraz on the nose and again, with that typical restraint and elegance that comes with some altitude and a cooler climate. From the outset, this is an impressive Shiraz that quite blatantly over delivers. Enticing nose and a palate that welcomes you like an old friend. Wonderful soft mouthfeel, with layers of dark fruits, ripe plums, with just a smattering of red fruits, white pepper, dark chocolate, mint and just a hint of sweetness. Cellar to 2026 with confidence.

91 pt- Natalie Maclean.

Napanook Proprietary Red Wine 2016. – A ‘second wine’ from Dominus.

The name may not ring any bells for the uninitiated but this wonderful Red Blend is the ‘second’ wine from none other than Dominus Vineyards. A winery long considered by many to be one of the finest in Napa, the vineyard was the basis for a partnership in 1981 and eventually purchased outright by Christian Moueix in 1995. If you are unfamiliar with his name, he grew up learning the wine business in the family wineries in Bordeaux including Chateau Petrus. This Bordeaux blend comprises 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc and is everything you would expect it to be and more.

The alluring nose of violets, lavender and dark fruits will draw you in to want to take a sip immediately but savor the moment. The mouthfeel is smooth and inviting with seamless layers of blackberry jam, dark raspberries, plums, chocolate, spices and oak with a long finish revealing just how much depth, complexity and elegance it takes to make such an impressive wine. If you don’t want to shell out $200 plus for their flagship wine but still curious about just how good it is, a bottle of Napanook at a fraction of the price will be an excellent alternative. This really is a wonderful wine and a must drink wine at least once in your life. Will cellar out to 2035.

Rating: 96pt: James Suckling.

Credaro 5 Tales Wines- More Joy from Margaret River

The family’s Italian roots are evident in the style of all the wines but they are most definitely new world and most definitely Margaret River. This is the oldest family-owned Winery in the Margaret River region with 5 different vineyard sites mostly situated in the South Western part of Margaret River.

5 Tales Chardonnay 2018

Enticing nose with layers of apples, orange and lemons tightly intertwined with white stone fruits rounding things out.

The palate is bright and lively with apples, pears and citrus dominating with notes of white stone fruits and vanilla on a creamy texture and a long finish. Different from some of the other Margaret River Chard’s I’ve tasted but still Margaret River and still delicious. Really easy drinking Chardonnay at a great price. Will cellar out to 2025 with ease.

5 Tales Cabernet 2017

The nose is all red fruits and gives you ample reason to take a sip. The palate is where it gets interesting. Impressive layers of raspberries, black current, chocolate and cherry dominate leaving little room for the vanilla, spices and oaky notes to shine through. Great drinking Cabernet at a great price. Will cellar out to 2024 without a problem but great drinking now with 30 – 60 minutes decanting. A must for your next cook-out or B-B-Q’s as we call it in Australia.

5 Tales Cabernet Merlot 2016

The nose is all red fruits with spices and an interesting vegetal note that (almost) conflicts with its bright fruity nature.

This medium bodied blend of 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot defies it’s under $20 price point- soft, approachable and very easy to drink and is perfect for drinking coming into the warmer months. Soft tannins, nice body and structure with loads of cherries, raspberries, red current with plums, spices and vanilla underpinning the whole experience. Nice balance with a long finish. Far too easy to drink and great value. Will cellar out to 2024 without a problem.

Napanook Proprietary Red Wine 2016.

The name may not ring any bells for the uninitiated but this wonderful Red Blend is the ‘second’ wine from none other than Dominus Vineyards. A winery long considered by many to be one of the finest in Napa, the vineyard was the basis for a partnership in 1981 and eventually purchased outright by Christian Moueix in 1995. If you are unfamiliar with his name, he grew up learning the wine business in the family wineries in Bordeaux including Chateau Petrus. This Bordeaux blend comprises 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc and is everything you would expect it to be and more.

The alluring nose of violets, lavender and dark fruits will draw you in to want to take a sip immediately but savor the moment. The mouthfeel is smooth and inviting with seamless layers of blackberry jam, dark raspberries, plums, chocolate, spices and oak with a long finish revealing just how much depth, complexity and elegance it takes to make such an impressive wine. If you don’t want to shell out $300 plus for their flagship wine but still curious about just how good it is, a bottle of Napanook at a quarter of the price will be an excellent alternative. This really is a wonderful wine and a must drink wine at least once in your life. Will cellar out to 2035 with ease.