"TORB Tortoises Through SA" – (The 2005 South Australian Tour Diary)

Day Eight - Friday – Canberra to Rutherglen

Click here for Chapter Four

I needed an early morning walk, having been slack and missing it the day before, so I was up and out the door before sparrows. It was still dark, but there was a full moon. People in Canberra obviously have dogs because I hadn't walked for more than two minutes before one barked at me. As it turned out, it was the only dog to bark at me.

Walking in the city has a completely different feeling than walking in the country. People must get up late in Canberra; there were virtually no lights on in any of the houses I passed; if this was the country, there would be lights on all over the place. When I went for my early morning walks in McLaren Vale, there was an abundance of birdlife both before and after sun up. In Canberra, there was almost none.

It was a beautiful morning, the sun came up over the hills as a ball of dirty red and reflected off the wispy clouds that were framed in bright blue. In front of me was Black Mountain, on the top of it the huge Telstra tower, and as I don't have eyes in the back of my head, I can't tell you what was behind me.   For those of you that never see this time of the day, you are missing out on the peace, tranquillity and beauty of the early morning.

Canberra has one of the best walking track networks of any city in the world, yet in the first half an hour of my walk, I passed not one person. In the second half an hour I passed three people, all with working dogs.

When I got back to Brian and Andrea's, Brian was outside watering the plants and Andrea was inside feeling the effects of the night before. After a cup of coffee, Andrea was magically better.

We decided we wanted to live a little longer and it would not have been kind to put Andrea in the back of the dog-mobile; the back of the GTS was a lot more comfortable, so I parked my dog-mobile in Brian’s garage as we took Brian’s hoon-mobile. By the time the clock struck nine, we had cleared the Canberra city limits and were well on our way. After a couple of hours, we decided to have a comfort stop in ‘Hicksville.” Brian drove into the service station and drove all around it looking for the perfect parking spot. Now you have to understand, there was no shortage of parking spaces, there must have been a hundreds of them, but Brian had to try and find the perfect one (i.e. in the shade). When Brian was going to go around for the second time, Andrea threatened him with grievous bodily harm   if he didn't park the car immediately, so we wound up in the most remote parking spot in the entire service station.

It was an easy, uneventful drive to Rutherglen and we arrived right on one o'clock. As I got out the rear car door, a small silver car almost took the door off and hooted at me. Small world, it turned out to be Andrew Sutherland-Smith from Warrabilla, the person who was responsible for our trip.

There were a number of possibilities for lunch, but when we saw a bakery called “RB” (as in red bigot?) it looked like a sign (bad pun intended) that should not be ignored, so we headed on over to the Rutherglen Bakery. What, I could not believe it! I have only just got out of clutches of the Meat Pie King of South Australia, and what is Brian ordering for lunch: a steak and pepper meat pie! To make matters worse, Andrea ordered a drover's pie; has the whole world gone pie mad. I ordered a focaccia; it took about a minute to be delivered and whilst it was toasted on the outside, it was ice cold the inside. My short black coffee was completely undrinkable, it was half cold, wishy washy and had absolutely no crema on it. Brian was not particularly enamoured with his pie either, so whilst the place looks great, give it a miss.

Ugly as …. But they make great fortified wines …………

After lunch we decided the first stop would be Morris winery. Last time I was there, I purchased some Cellar Door Reserve Tokay, (a sensational wine and great value) but my stocks had been consumed and I wanted to purchase more. Brian also wanted to try a number of their wines. As I had tried almost everything on their list, I just kicked back and relaxed. Unfortunately, the Tokay that I'd wanted to buy was out of stock, however I ordered them and they were subsequently delivered.

During my trip to Rutherglen last February, I made a couple of attempts to visit the Jones Winery, but on both occasions it was closed, so I was determined to get there this time. We walked in and the place was deserted, literally. After a few minutes wait, we were greeted by Mandy Jones, the wine maker. Mandy was a delight and very charming. Mandy worked full time in Bordeaux for ten years and now travels between her two winemaking positions.

……….. A Rustic Jones Cellar Door

This family owned winery is one of the oldest and smallest in Rutherglen. Mandy, her sister, and her brother, purchased the property in 1998 from their uncle. The new cellar door was opened in 2000. There is approximately 12 acres of century old vines that yield about a quarter of a ton to the acre; that would make them some of the lowest yielding vines in the country. Rather than pulling out these old vines, the vineyard is undergoing restoration work to improve yield. Like the vines, the winemaking is a blend of old equipment and modern techniques.

Jones 2003 Shiraz sells for $21 at cellar door. The grapes were sourced from vineyards in Glenrowan and the wine spent time in two-year-old French and American oak. Ultra-fine, smooth tannins and deep fruit are the basis of this easy drinking, medium-weight wine that has a supple consistency, and shows some elegance. Well-balanced and constructed, with a pleasant mouth feel, the wine finishes with reasonable persistence. Plum on the uptake, with a green flavoured mid palate that is intensely minty and shows eucalyptus; the wine is rated as Acceptable with *** for value.

Jones 2002 Merlot sells for $21 at cellar door; less than 200 cases have been made, and the wine spent 12 months in French oak, 50% of which was new. Normally I am not a fan of straight Merlot but Mandy promised me this was not "a girlie wine" so I decided to brave it. It certainly wasn't a girlie wine; it had real structure that was backed by abundant, ultra-fine smooth tannins, and the fresh acid gave the fruit a positive lift. Plum on the uptake with aniseed to finish, and a slight tinge of green sappy tannins; the tannins have a good length but do not linger for very long. Hopefully this will improve the time. Medium-weight, there is no sign of heat despite the 15.5 percent alcohol; the wine has some panache and it is a Merlot worth buying. Rated as Recommended with **** for value, the rating may improve as the wine matures over the next five years.

Mandy doesn’t normally look this way. .…

The subject was snakes in a vineyard ….

she was about to go and inspect …..

Jones 2002 L.J. Shiraz sells for $40 at cellar door. Cropped at less than 1 tonne per acre, the fruit is sourced from a combination of 30 year-old, and 100 year-old, vines and the wine was matured for 18 months in new oak. A classy bouquet, it has been well judged with judicious use of oak; it shows blackberry, coffee and dark chocolate. With the balance of the tightrope walker, silky tannins back a firm but supple consistency whilst the pure, deep, fruit exhibits blackberry, liquorice, black pepper and more liquorice. A solid drop, with class and style, the mouth feel shows harmony; and the touch of alcoholic warmth on the palate does not detract. Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value the wine is approachable now but there is no hurry to drink it.

All the good things I had heard about Jones turned out to be true. Mandy prides herself on being a structuralist and undoubtedly has complete command of the situation, and whilst the wines are not as big as many of the Rutherglen blockbusters, the refined style works in a positive fashion.

On my last trip to Rutherglen, I had an unimpressive visit at Stanton and Killeen and basically bagged the place. Most wineries don't normally have an excellent reputation without just cause, so it made sense to revisit; only this time it was not only by way of an appointment, it was by way of a personal introduction from another winemaker.

The winery is rich in history, it has its roots in this area going back to 1864 when the first Stanton purchased land in Rutherglen and established a vineyard. Chris Killeen’s father, Jack married into the Stanton family in 1948 and by 1953 was heavily involved in the wine business. Chris took over winemaking in 1981. He is the sixth generation winemaker, and when we met him, the first thing he told us about was his passion for fortified wines.

Chris Killeen knew we were coming that afternoon but not the exact time, so we had some time to kill before he got back. Brian and I decided to try a few bottles whilst Andrea decided to amuse herself playing with the resident cat.

Stanton and Killeen 2001 Gracerray Sparkling Shiraz sells for $22 at cellar door. Lightly coloured, with a spicy nose there was nothing overtly sweet about it. Very fizzy on the palate, spice, pepper ripe black fruit and lots of sweet plums below; it is medium-weight with a supple consistency and an agreeable complexity. Unlike most in this price bracket, it is not confected, so it is worth buying. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen 2002 Moodmemere Shiraz sells for $18 at cellar door. VA, the nose was black and showed liquorice with pepper. The intensely savoury palate showed pepper, sour plums and finishes a touch bitter, probably from stalks or pips. Medium-weight with a supple consistency and agreeable complexity, the fruit is deeply seated and finishes with good persistence. Refreshing acidity completes an easy drinking package that is rated as Acceptable with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $20 at cellar door. Sometimes the simple things are best; fine-grained smooth tannins, well-judged refreshing acidity and pure fruit provide both a decent balance and mouth feel. The uptake is off-sweet with blackcurrant, blackberry and chocolate flavours that are underpinned by a layer of sweetness. Ample-weight, the consistency is supple and the complexity very agreeable. A good wine and a safe buy it is rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen 2002 Shiraz Durif is a 50-50 blend and sells for $17 at cellar door. An unusual bouquet showing rich, ripe, sweet fruit intermingled with spice. Deeply-seated fruit delivers a savoury uptake which is complemented by refreshing acidity; there is a hint of green on the mid palate but most of it is ripe and the wine finishes long and dry. Ample-weight with a firm consistency, solid structure and an agreeable complexity, the wine is rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen 2002 Durif sells for $30 at cellar door and will be released around the time you read this note. An attractive bouquet bordering on the black spectrum, it is big, brooding and shows plum, chocolate and vanillin characteristics (from its 30% new oak.) With an exemplary mouth feel, it is supple, smooth and has loads of grip and length. Ultra-fine tannins and pure fruit, back a firm but supple consistency, a solid structure, and a harmonious well-developed complexity. Chocolate, plum, blackberry, and liquorice flavours are chewy and moreish. A must-buy wine, it is drinking well now but will improve and is rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value; the rating may increase as the wine matures.

By this stage, Chris was back and was getting right into his pet subject, fortified wines, which was fine by both Brian and I. In terms of passion, at the top of Chris's list is Vintage Port and much discussion took place on the subject.

Here is what Chris has to say: “In Australia, traditionally VP has been Shiraz based and relatively sweet. I drink a lot of Portuguese Port and like that dry style; so if we are to go down this road in Australia, we have to get the right grape varieties. We planted a number of Portuguese grape varieties including Touriga but we still use some Shiraz and Durif. Using all these varieties, we have been able to get some interesting flavours and nuances. 1997 was the first year I went down the track of using all these varieties and the wine won medals, from here to there and back again; it was just fantastic and it still maintained a 60% Shiraz base.”

We then started tasting samples of the finished Ports from the 1999 to 2004 vintages whilst listening to Chris continued the Port lesson.

“Our wines are becoming more elegant in style with no less flavour. What I am trying to do is to get style and elegance, as well as drinkability, in a wine that was traditionally heavy and sweet. The wines are drier than their predecessors.”

Chris uses low strength spirit for fortification; it's not brandy but it would be close to it, if it spent two years in barrels; however they get it when it is only twelve months old and is 80% proof alcohol. The distillation process used leaves it a lot cleaner.

Chris went on to say: "I am trying to take an old-fashioned product to generation X and generation Y, and by changing it; give them a reason to drink it. The new vintage wines only have about 10% Shiraz in them.”

The 1999 sample we tried exhibited wonderful fruit richness, Swiss dark chocolate, pepper and spice; the complexity was impressive and beautifully offset with fresh acid. It was elegant and dry. At that point, a heated debate broke out between Chris, Brian and myself about the composition of the chocolate in the wine; whilst we all agreed it was Lindt dark chocolate, we were arguing over whether it was the 70% or 85% variety.

The 2000 sample exhibited loads of cherry and almond kernel characteristics which is characteristic of the Portuguese wines. Whilst this wine seemed sweetener then the last, the acid also seemed fresher; and it was more elegant. According to Chris, the sweetness was actually coming from the Portuguese varieties; this wine only contained 14% Shiraz.

In each vintage, each variety is kept separate in small batches; the wines are selected and Chris does the blending on the bench. Every vintage is different; only the best barrels are used, and it is also dependent on which varieties come up the best.

In 2001, most of the Portuguese varieties didn't fare particularly well, so the wine is 70% Shiraz, and it shows on the palate. It is more your traditional sweeter, old-fashioned Australian style. It is not as elegant, it is not as refined and it has less complexity than the 1999 and 2000 wines.

The 2002 wine was stunning with an exuberant bouquet expressing coffee, perfumed violets and cherry. The palate showed equally stunning complexity with wonderful flavours, some sweetness but the wine was certainly much drier than the average Australian expression.

According to Chris: "The old-fashioned Australian VPs required at least 15 years before they were remotely approachable; these new wines should be drinking superbly at 10 and continue to last.”

The information in Chris’s head on these wines is mind blowing. Most of them contain about seven grape varieties, and he was able to sprout the exact percentage of each variety contained in every single vintage of the wines. That information is not as simple as remembering say, the percentages in a GSM blend, where there are three varieties, and the percentages don't very much from year to year. The percentages of each of the seven varieties vary wildly from year to year; in one year likes a 2001 Shiraz was at the top in 2002 it may be the second from bottom. That's a mind for details!

From my perspective, as each vintage progress, the wines are looking better and better. Chris is certainly achieving his objective of producing more elegant and refined VP’s. To sum up, I will quote one more thing he said: "In 10 or 15 years time, drinking these wines will be like drinking fortified Burgundies. They will be fragrant, elegant, fresh and complex.” I am not sure I necessarily agree with that, but I do agree with the sentiment.

Stanton and Killeen is more than just about VP, it also has an excellent reputation for Muscat and Tokay, and Chris was kind enough to open up the complete range of Muscat to sample.

Stanton and Killeen Rutherglen Muscat sells for $16.50 at cellar door and comes in a 500 mL bottle. Brandy spirit dominates the bouquet which also shows sweet honey, raisins, and rose petal characters. The wine is fairly syrupy and has just enough acid; the consistency is a little soft and the wine finishes with medium intensity and persistence. A simple complexity is delivered by the honey, caramel and orange flavours. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen Classic Muscat sells for $25 at cellar door and comes in a 500 mL bottle. Like the Rutherglen Muscat, the Brandy spirit dominates the nose. Syrupy in sweetness, the consistency is silky; the fruit delivers reasonably powerful intensity which finishes fresh. Honey, butterscotch; with some rancio character starting to emerge, and cumquat flavours provide an agreeable complexity. Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen Grand Muscat sells for $75 at cellar door and comes in a 500 mL bottle. With and average age of 25 year old material, this wine is a quantum leap over the Classic Muscat. The bouquet shows excellent rancio characters, orange and floral notes. A deep intense, wine with refreshing acid that cuts through the deep, persistent fruit; the consistency is rich, and it finishes clean and fresh. A sophisticated complexity is found in the luscious, rich honey, orange, cumquat, rancio characters, butterscotch toffee and rose petal flavours; it finishes with impressive length. Rated as Excellent with *** for value.

Stanton and Killeen Rare Muscat sells for $100 at cellar door and comes in a 375 mL bottle. With an average age of 30 year old material, the substantive rancio characters, along with the coffee and orange aromas are impressive. A ripe, luscious, decadently rich wine; the concentrated fruit delivers profound complexity in its coffee, rancio, nutty, aniseed and coffee flavours. A muscular wine with a silky consistency, it finishes clean and with great length. Rated as Outstanding with *** for value.

Having now had the opportunity to taste a much broader range of their wines, I can understand why this winery has a, deservedly, sterling reputation.

The last port of call for the day was at Cofield. Last time I was there, the wines were impressive enough for me to buy. Their recent newsletter advised or new releases, some that I wanted to try; top of the list was their Sparkling Shiraz. It's never hard to talk Brian into sampling one of those; he is a Sparkling Shiraz slut.

Cofield T13 Sparkling Shiraz retails for $28 at cellar door. The winery has decided that it will no longer release a single vintage Sparkling Shiraz; it will now be done on a triage basis to increase flexibility and quality. Generous mousse; rich and ripe; savoury fruit on the uptake, with flavours of blackberry, plum and liquorice that are compliment by a supporting layer of underlying fruit sweetness and touching prune on the back end. Ample-weight the complexity is well developed and the wine is backed by fine, powdery, drying tannins. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value (at the 10% off price for club members,) Brian and I split a dozen. Now there is a surprise. (Sealed with a crown seal rather than cork)

Cofield 2004 Quartz Vein Vintage Port will be released in June and sell for $23 for a 500 mL bottle. A Shiraz based wine with clean neutral spirit showing plum and chocolate on the bouquet. Nothing subtle about this baby -- and it is a baby; it needs time to settle down and build complexity but it has miles of potential. A harmonious mouth feel surrounds plum, dominant cherry, chocolate, blackberry and liquorice; it is rich, ripe and luscious. Muscular-weight with a supple consistency, it is rated as Recommended with *** for value, the rating should improve as the wine becomes approachable about 2010 and beyond.

Cofield 2002 Quartz Vein Malbec sells for $28 at cellar door. A beautiful bouquet expressing floral violets, blackberry, plum and spice; unfortunately the flavour profile isn't quite as good. Violet fruit, plum and milk chocolate flavours finish a little short and there is a touch of green on the mid-palate. Medium-weight with a supple consistency and elegant structure, the previous vintage of this wine was superior. Rated as Recommended with ** for value, it would be best consumed over the next five years.

It looks like 2002 was a difficult vintage for this winery; the fruit was not good enough to produce a Quartz Vein Durif and whilst that is a shame, it's better to not release a wine than to prostitute your reputation. It is a pity that more wineries do not take this approach.

When I booked accommodation for this weekend, many weeks in advance, there were no motel rooms available in Rutherglen, because some people were inconsiderate enough to get married on the same weekend we were coming to town. I tried booking four-star accommodation in nearby Corowa, but the plague of weddings had spread to this town too. As a result, we stayed in the Motel Menere’s for the princely sum of $62 per night. It was built in 1971 and certainly looks it. Whoever picked the decor certainly had no sense of taste. The room was an unbelievable shade of green with laminated brown furniture and vinyl chairs; however the piece-de-résistance was the bathroom. In its favour, it was clean, inexpensive and everything worked

Last time I was in Rutherglen, I had a sumptuous and superb meal at Tuileries Restaurant and that is where we had booked for dinner. When we arrived, there were candelabras everywhere. We were informed the electricity had gone out again, (apparently it happens with regular monotony,) but everything was okay because the kitchen used gas. It certainly looked like it was going to be a fun night and everyone was taking the lack of electricity in a positive, jocular fashion.

Although the restaurant has an extensive wine list, BYO is permissible and that is one of the attractions of eating here; needless to say we had bought a few good bottles with us. We commenced proceedings with a bottle of the Cofield Sparkling Shiraz that had been purchased earlier that day. It must have been good, the wine disappeared quickly.

For a starter, I ordered grilled Moreton Bay bugs on Asian coleslaw and sticky soy garnish with crisp shallots and toasted seaweed at $17.50 the dish was good without being great.

Where we were sitting, we could see into the kitchen and the scene was fascinating to watch. The kitchen was as black as the bottom of a mine shaft, and a couple of strategically placed candles did not do much to throw light on the situation; but these guys are prepared, the chef's and their helpers were walking around the kitchen with miners lights strapped to their heads.

Luckily, even before our starters had been completed, power was restored and the lights were back on.

The next wine we consumed was a Noon 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon which was brought by Brian. The wine showed pronounced choco-mint, a touch of capsicum and beautifully ripe blackcurrant fruit that was supported by very firm tannins. Brian thought the wine would last a long time, I thought it would go hard in the next few years. A huge wine; it is incredibly viscous with lots of glycerol that integrates into a decadent mouth feel. With its choc-mint character, it could almost be from Clare, and as it opened up, it became a mint shake. Rated as Excellent.

The glasses in the restaurant are a good standard and they even have a variety of different styles for different wines. The Mount Edelstone was opened by our server and she commented on the fact it was a Shiraz. When the server delivered the glasses to go with the wine, which by the way she called “buckets”, they were Pinot glasses. This is reputed to be one of the best two restaurants in the district, and a winegrowing district at that, so you think they would know the difference between a Pinot glass and a Shiraz glass.

Whilst on the subject of wine, when we arrived at lunchtime to make our reservation, the restaurant was closed and the air-conditioning was off. It was in excess of 30° in there which would be doing wonderful things to the red wine on the shelves inside. More importantly, it would mean anyone who ordered red wine that night would receive the bottle at a much higher temperature than optimal.

For my main course, I ordered twice-cooked confit duck with pickled cumquat glazed on a warmed pumpkin, green bean, apple and pecan salad, cost $27.50 The duck was cooked perfectly; unfortunately the bitter taste of the cumquat glaze, although the chef had tried to mask the flavour with a heap of sugar, could not be disguised; it was not a good combination and clashed with the flavour of the duck.

Brian ordered a rare steak, and although when it arrived it looked like a work of art, it had not been cooked as ordered.

The third bottle of wine, the Henschke 1994 Mount Edelstone did not show well. This is the second time this has happened to me, and on both occasions the wine has been taken on trips. It looks like this wine does not like travelling and needs time to get over it.

When I saw the triple chocolate dish listed for dessert, I couldn't resist and also ordered a glass of Stanton and Killeen Grand Muscat to go with it. The wine was slightly oxidised and was served at a temperature than was far higher than comfortable. The desert was a chocolate roulade; chocolate piled on chocolate. Unfortunately, there was too much sugar in the roulade and it came across as being confected, which is a shame, as it could have been terrific.

The meal, by-in-large, was acceptable but nowhere near as good as my previous visits. Brian rated it as B-. Our waitress was extremely polite and tried to provide good service; however at no stage, did she ask us what we thought of anything; in some ways this is telling, as perhaps she knew the answer without asking the question.

A quick a taxi ride back to the motel and when we arrived, there was only a few other cars in the car park. You have to wonder how a business can survive with an occupancy rate like that; but as it was time for bed, I didn't wonder for too long. 

Day Nine - Saturday – The Rutherglen Durif Tasting

Today was going to be a huge day, how huge was beyond my biggest expectations. The day started gently. Brian and Andrea had decided they wanted to go for an early morning walk with me and that we would combine the walk with breakfast. The street we were staying in, Federation Avenue was extremely wide and contained a very wide walking/bicycle track. We ambled into town and when we got to the main street walked from one end to the other looking for somewhere to have breakfast.

Motel colour scheme - yuk!

At one point, we saw a sign indicating a bakery and although we headed off in the direction of the sign, we were unable to find it. By accident, after heading in a different direction and walking through an arcade, we found a bakery which happened to be the one we were originally looking for; very strange.

I ordered a long black coffee and when it arrived it was indeed very long, and very watery; in fact it looked decidedly like dishwater. A short black was ordered instead and that was good. Andrea had bacon and eggs which cost the princely sum of five dollars, but it was very much a country style breakfast; the eggs had been cooked in a ring and were rubbery. Andrea's comment when she ate them was "The whites are all right." I had baked beans on wholemeal toast which was enjoyable but hard to stuff up. My second cup of short black coffee was really expensive, a whopping two whole dollars.

On the walk back to the motel, we headed down to the river and past the old bridge. Once you walk alongside the old bridge, and see what underneath it, it doesn't give you much confidence and makes you realise that going the long way round into Rutherglen may be a safer alternative. We walked along the side of the Murray River which was peaceful and tranquil at this time of the morning. The well used walking track along the side of the river contains a couple of fences with Keep Out signs that are obviously ignored by all and sundry. Eventually, we came up to a pathway between two houses which took us up to a side street which was around the corner from our motel.

.   . Andrea and the motel’s Giant Schnauzer

According to the tourist map, there are 20 wineries in Rutherglen, and some of them are either very small or decidedly ordinary; and when you consider that I did most of them in detail 12 months ago, there was not a lot we wanted to have a look at. This was going to make for an easy morning.

Brian had forgotten to pack clean socks so it was back into town for him to splurge on another pair. According to Andrea, he really didn't need them because, without them, “he looked classy without being pretentious.” Brian was not convinced and after spending half an hour in the menswear shop, looking at shirts as well as buying socks, we headed to the first winery.

Pfeiffer Wines has got a good reputation but on my last visit, I was decidedly unimpressed with the winery, so decided to give it another try. To say the cellar door building is rustic is an understatement. We were made to feel very welcome by Rod Symons, the cellar door manager.

Pfeiffer 2002 Sparkling Pinot sells for $29.90 and has a ceramic tile on the front of the bottle, a crown seal, and was served very cold. The wine has an unusual flavour profile but that may be from the addition of Touriga and vintage port. Sweet, but not overly so on the uptake; blackberry, aniseed and chocolate flavours finish slightly bitter but the wine is enjoyable. Ample-weight with a supple consistency, a seamless structure and a diverse, harmonious complexity; it is an attractive wine that finishes dry and for something a little different, is worth buying. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Pfeiffer’s famous bridge over the river ………..

Pfeiffer 2001 Shiraz sells for $17.90 at cellar door. The bouquet is earthy, showing subtle spice, blueberry, aniseed and eucalyptus. Delicate but distinct fruit delivers blackcurrant, gentle liquorice with a touch green on the mid-palate, it finishes dry and firm. Lean-weight with a soft consistency, an elegant structure and a simple complexity, there is nothing wrong with it; it is a smooth, soft, easy-drinking bistro wine; but from my perspective it lacks character. Rated as Acceptable with *** for value.

Pfeiffer 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $17.90 at cellar door. A subtle bouquet showing sweet cassis, unobtrusive cigar box and gentle French oak characters. Medium-weight fruit delivers slightly-sweet cassis on the uptake, with off-sweet blackberry and subtle aniseed; it finishes dry with reasonable persistence. A good food wine, it is certainly drinkable provided you like the style. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Pfeiffer 2001 Merlot sells for $31 at cellar door. It's unusual seeing the flagship red being a Merlot. The bouquet certainly didn't show much. Good structure and balance is provided by smooth, drying unobtrusive tannins that are there in spades; with refreshing acid and the deeply-seated, delicate fruit. Flavours of blackcurrant, subtle liquorice and spice finished dry, long and with excellent persistence. Medium-weight with a supple consistency, solid structure and simple complexity, it is not a wimpy wine, but it is subtle and has been built for food. Rated as Recommended with ** for value.

Pfeiffer Classic Tokay sells for $22.50 at cellar door for a 500 mL bottle. The neutral spirit is hardly noticeable amongst the buttery, mineral, rancio characters and caramel. Sweet and sugary without a lot of complexity, it shows caramel and burnt caramel characters. I was surprised to find this wine in the "Classic" category. Rated as Recommended with ** for value.

Pfeiffer Classic Muscat sells for $22.50 at cellar door for a 500 mL bottle. The nose did not show much at all -- strange! Whilst the wine was still sweet and simple, it has a better mouth feel (than the classic Tokay,) with improved glycerol and better complexity; flavours were of raisins and burnt caramel to finish. Ripe and supple, it is medium in weight, with a silky consistency and a dry finish. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Pfeiffer 2003 Vintage Port sells for $22.50 at cellar door and is made from 100% Touriga. An attractive bouquet is provided by clean spirit, rose petals, orange blossoms and touch of spice. Sweet raisin on the uptake; with off-sweet aniseed on the mid-palate, the finish is crisp and dry. With a sensational mouth feel, it is well backed by smooth, drying tannins, fresh acid and pure deep fruit. Ample-weight, with a supple consistency, and a harmonious, sophisticated complexity there is nothing about, to quote Brian, “this is baby in nappies that is way aggressive.” Worth buying, it is rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value with room for improvement as it matures over the next two decades.

The red wines are made with a consistent house style; all finished dry, are lighter in weight than many grown in the area and are made to accompany food. This second visit gave me an improved understanding of the winery and whilst the winery certainly has many dedicated fans, it doesn't appeal to my taste.

… ……………Brian aka Red Bigot and Andrea

… ………Don’t you just love the colour of the shirt

How can you make a trip to Rutherglen without a visit to All Saints; it would be like going to South Africa and not visiting a game park. As we walked into the historic old winery, it certainly was romantic; once again, there was no power. Apparently it was related to the problem the restaurant suffered last night. Tasting in these conditions was not easy and making notes almost impossible but we stuck with it through a couple of wines. It was our original intention to have a light (bad pun intended) lunch here but unfortunately there was a fixed-price menu and the food options were too heavy.

All Saints 2003 Estate Shiraz sells for $22 at cellar door. Whilst the bouquet is youthful, fruity and seems soft, the palate indicates it will be better with time. Smooth, dusty tannins, noticeably refreshing acid, and persistent fruit combined to form a wine that is well balanced and should go the distance. Cherry/raspberry fruit, chocolate, aniseed and floral characters finish with good persistence. Medium-weight with a firm consistency, solid structure and simple complexity, the wine is rated as Recommended with *** for value.

All Saints 2002 Estate Durif sells for $24 at cellar door. The bouquet on this wine is certainly better than the preceding wine, with blackberry, earthy notes and liquorice. When I tasted this wine, I was not sure that it was 100% but due to the lighting conditions couldn't be bothered asking for it to be checked. Blackberry, mint, a touch stemmy on the mid-palate with chocolate and liquorice, it seemed a little disjointed. Medium-weight with a firm consistency there are better examples around and the wine was rated as Acceptable with ** for value.

As All Saints had been discarded as a lunch choice, we headed back to Cofield and the Pickled Sisters Restaurant. The food was absolutely superb; both Andrea and I had a “grazing platter”, which included a wonderful pork and pistachio terrine served with homemade peach chutney, and the sweet flavour of the chutney was a classic complement to the terrine. There was also eggplant, a Balmain bug, pickled onion combined with pickled capsicum; and a pâté, that to quote Andrea, "was smooth enough to surf on.” If that was not enough there was also ripe brie and smoked trout. In short, it was a wonderful lunch.

It was a good day for breakages, and to make matters worse, both were done when I was completely sober. Earlier in the day, I somehow managed to break the hinge on my almost new glasses. Whilst Brian was getting petrol, I purchased plastic insulation tape which would hold the arm on until I could get home. It's amazing how a small amount of insulation tape can make you look like a nurd!

After lunch, as we got into the car, I somehow managed to ram the case of my PDA/phone into the seat belt holder which broke the belt clip. Not impressed!

Prior to our major appointment of the day, we had just enough time to squeeze in a couple of more wines along the way. Campbell's Winery seemed like a good bet. We managed to speed taste two wines.

Campbell's 2002 Limited Release Cabernets sells for $20.80 at cellar door and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Ruby Cabernet. The bouquet was clean, sweet and inviting, with spicy blackcurrant, cedar and mint. Off-sweet, it was spicy on the uptake, with blackcurrant on the mid-palate together with green capsicum, finishing to coffee; length was good, as was the power to weight ratio. Ample-weight with a supple consistency, solid structure and an agreeable complexity; the refreshing acidity was noticeable. A perfectly drinkable wine, it is rated as Acceptable with *** for value.

Campbell's 2002 The Barkly Durif sells for $39 at cellar door. A brooding bouquet; it still managed to show a black forest of ripe fruits, with vanilla and milk chocolate. With good persistence and power, the deeply-seated fruit builds slowly across the palate with blackberry, mulberry, dark chocolate and mint. Just ample in weight, the consistency is firm but supple, and the tight structure needs time to show its best. A very respectable drop, it is rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value, with room for improvement as it reaches its peak drinking window around 2010 and beyond.

The primary reason for this trip was an invitation by Andrew Sutherland-Smith of Warrabilla who wanted a genuinely independent assessment of how his Durif (which our American brethren know as Petite Syrah) stacks up against the competition. The plan was simple; he invited Brian, Campbell Mattinson and I to try a blind line up, of a large cross-section, of locally available Durif. When I agreed to take part in this exercise, I didn't think it would be such a large, onerous and difficult task.

However, before I go any further with the Durif tasting story, as we left the winery after the days tasting, Andrew was kind enough to give me a six-pack of assorted wines to take home and assess at my leisure. After tasting 37 wines in one afternoon, the last thing I wanted to do was to taste his new releases, and by taking them home and spending time with them, I was able to do them justice. Here are the tasting notes on those six wines and at the completion of them; we will get back to the Durif story.

The Warrabilla cat trying to hide from …….

“Red” – the Warrabilla dog ……….

Warrabilla 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon sells for a modest $22. The bouquet is brooding and intense; even after four hours in the glass it is tight but did show earthy mushroom, milk chocolate and deep black fruits.  Nothing wimpy about this wine, it's full-bodied and chock-a-block full of deeply-seated, fresh fruit that is wrapped in a cacoon of supporting oak. The soft and silky tannins are present, but unobtrusive, and support a pleasant mouth feel. Rich and ripe, blackcurrant, spicy oak, mocha and chocolate intermingle with traditional mint (eucalyptus surfaced later) and whilst the complexity is not great, there is more than enough flavour to satisfy anybody. It's not a great wine in the classical sense, but it is certainly a greatly enjoyable wine in every sense, and given a few years, it should be even better. There is some warmth to the wine and a noticeable amount of weight going down but in many respects, that is to be forgive in a wine of this magnitude. Rated as Recommended with **** for value.

Warrabilla 2004 Parola’s Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $28. A sledgehammer nose with lifted alcohol, the fruit has certainly been pile driven into this wine; plum, blackcurrant, chocolate, mocha, coffee and spearmint aromas have incredible intensity. Needless to say, this is a full-bodied wine, in fact it's a big bastard, but despite its size, everything is in proportion. Strong, deeply seated fruit delivers an off-sweet attack, with flavours that match the bouquet; they are perfectly interwoven with long, smooth, dusty tannins that finished dry and the flavours are supported by a complimentary, slight alcoholic sweetness. Big and ballsy, if you like a wallop of flavour with a big whack of tannin, you will love this; but if you're after “elegance,” go suck on a Yarra Pinot. Rated as Bloody Enjoyable with **** for value, it's approachable now but should improve in the short term and then hold for a few years. After many hours in the decanter, the beast tamed down; clove and meaty aromas surfaced and these also flowed through to the palate.

Warrabilla 2004 Reserve Shiraz sells for a $22 and has a gorgeously expressive nose. Orange blossom is not something you often find in a Shiraz of this size but it is noticeable on the bouquet along with loads of deep, dark scents. The palate profile is a baby, and as unusual as the bouquet. There is nothing sweet about this wine; intense orange, violets, plum, chocolate and all sorts of other goodies are well supported by smooth, chewy tannins and a swathe of lively acid that cuts through it. For a Warrabilla, this wine seems almost thin and tame but that is probably because it is tight and unyielding! Whilst it is approachable now, a few years in the cellar can only do it good. Rated as Recommended with *** for value. After many hours, it still didn’t grab me, probably because the acid stuck out and was a little contrived, but 24 later, the acid whilst still noticeable had softened and integrated to a reasonable extent, so it may/should be all right in the medium term. 

Warribilla 2004 Parola’s Shiraz sells for $30 ($27 to club members). The wine was decanted for five hours before I even took the first sniff. The lifted bouquet showed intense plum, a touch of subtle pepper, cold meat, chocolate, burnt caramel, vanilla and earth. Every time you sniff it, there are new nuances to be found, just delightful! Whilst there is a mouthful of everything, it is more subtle than expected, dare I say it; almost refined – well by Warribilla standards anyway. The off-sweet uptake of plum, liquorish, chocolate and meat flavours, have good intensity, and a reasonable length finish. Surprisingly enough, although this is a big wine, it is well balanced and not at all over the top; even in its extreme youth, it’s juggable. Whilst there is a kiss of warmth on the palate, there is no sign of heat despite the 16% alcohol. Happy to drink this anytime, it is rated Highly Recommended with **** for value.

Warrabilla 2004 Reserve Durif sells for a $22. This wine had the benefit of a few hours in the decanter before I approached it and even then, it was inky-black, brooding and deep; showing youthful, primary, blackberry fruit, mint, truffle and heavily charred oak characters. This is Steven Seagal sized wine with loads of muscle and power. Blackberry, tar, aniseed, black plum, black coffee, caramel and menthol flavours pack a huge punch and finish with authority. Whilst the charry oak is evident on the palate, there is more than enough fruit flavour to soak it up. Tannins are tight and fine-grained, the acid is refreshing and despite the wines size, it is well balanced. My only regret is that I did not organise a Brontosaurus steak to go with it. Rated as Recommended with **** for value, the rating should improve as the wine matures over the next few years.

Warrabilla 2004 Parola’s Durif sells for a $30 ($27 to club members). This wine was decanted for five hours before I went near it. If anything, it was even more broody than the Reserve Durif. Whilst it was technically "a black nose" there was a significant amount of vanillin oak in the mix. This is a serious monster with bucket loads of tannin and youthful acid that needs time to calm down and blend with the deeply seated, strong fruit. Whilst it is tight and unyielding at the moment, and to some extent a little ungainly, it does have all the components in the right proportion. A multitude of black fruits, aniseed, liquorice, dark spice, and vanilla provides a multiplicity of deep, dark flavours. Despite its size, and noticeable weight, there is no alcoholic heat. This is the worst case of vininfanticide possible; the wine is rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value and should be significantly more enjoyable in about five years time. Enough typing, it's time for a serious drink, pass the decanter.

For those of you that don't know, Warrabilla was established in 1991 by Andrew Sutherland-Smith, who is a fifth-generation Rutherglen winemaker; his family owned, or had a share in All Saints winery from 1864 to 1988. Warrabilla is well-known for two things; wines of heroic proportions and excellent value. Andrew has a very no-nonsense, down-to-earth approach to life and winemaking. He knows what he wants to do with his wines and is achieving his objectives. His approach to business is pragmatic and no one could ever accuse him of being greedy. Having seen All Saints removed from the family after all those generations must have been hard on Andrew; but he has risen above it and is probably a stronger person and a better winemaker, as a result of it.

Holy cow!  What have I let myself in for?

When I walked into the winery and saw the huge array of wines that had to be tasted, over the next two hours, I knew I had my work cut out for me. As someone who hates speed tasting, and who likes to spend a reasonable amount of time with each wine to try and gain a true appreciation of it, this looked like more than hard work. However, I was ready for the challenge, or so I thought until I sat down, and as we started; Andrew dropped the bombshell. He said "….. and by the way, I want you to score each wine out of a hundred."

I mumbled more than a few for the words under my breath, as in the past I point-blank have refused to use the hundred point system, but what could I do, I was sitting there and ready to go. I don't even know how to think in terms of the hundred point system; I churned the problem over in my mind for a minute or so, and thought I had come up with a wonderful solution. I would use the TORB rating system and just add a few subtle degrees of variation in the score by adding plus and minus signs to each level.

As the afternoon wore on, whilst I was slower at reviewing the wines than the others; I sat there happily tasting away, using my modified scoring system, knowing I would be able to convert my ratings to the hundred point system once the tasting was completed. Never have I been so wrong in my entire life. When I tried to do the conversion it simply did not work. No matter what I tried, including pulling my hair out;   my ratings just did not sensibly convert to the hundred point system. Whilst that caused me a major amount of heartache at the time, I did come up with a workable solution; more of that in a minute.

On reflection, in some ways I was delighted. It proved the TORB System had achieved its original aim. It had been designed in such a way that conversion to the hundred point scale was impossible. More importantly, it proved the TORB scale was totally subjective; without any pretext of applying an objective measurement to a personal assessment of wine based on subjective tastes and opinions.

OK, mini rant over and back to the solution that got me out of hot water. Brian was happy using the 20 point Australian show rating system and had assessed the wines on that basis. After the tasting he scurried to Jeremy Oliver’s website to find out how Oliver converts from one scale to the other. It’s not a linear progression and you don’t just multiply by five. My solution was simple; I ignored everyone’s scores and just looked at the order in which they ranked the 37 wines. That way, it doesn’t matter what the score or the method used to achieve it, the ranking order is the only factor of importance. In reality, you can cut the scores on the wines in many different ways, but the ranked order is as good as any.

As already stated, we did not find out the identity of any of the wines till after the tasting, but for the sake of simplicity, I have included them at the start of every note. My ranking, as well as the group ranking is also included. At the completion of the notes is a chart which lists everyone’s individual ranking. As time as was limited, the notes are more impressions than full blown tasting notes. Most tasters were reasonably closely aligned in the top and bottom choices; some of the ones in the middle are there because most people thought that’s where they belonged. However, some wound up in the middle because some tasters liked them and some didn’t and the law of averages prevailed. As always, in these tastings, it is a matter of subjective choice.

De Bortoli 2002 Vat One Durif (wine 1) showed ripe, spicy fruit of plum, blackberry and blackcurrant on the bouquet. Ample-weight with a firm consistency, a solid structure, and an agreeable level of complexity, the wine exhibited abundant drying tannins and lively acid. Spice, dark chocolate, blackcurrant, pepper, plum, chocolate and coffee flavours appeared to be from a combination of ripe and slightly under ripe fruit; the wine had a sappy mid-palate. My ranking 23, group ranking 23.

Stanton and Killeen 2002 Durif (wine 2) had an inky, brooding nose that also showed menthol. A well-balanced wine with smooth, dusty, drying tannins and deeply seated fruit that delivered ripe blackberry, lots of plum, coffee and aniseed. Muscular-weight with a firm consistency, solid structure and well-developed complexity, the wine is drinking well now but will improve. My ranking 20, group ranking 26.

Watchbox 2003 Durif (wine three) had plenty of primary fruit and exhibited a youthful, slightly sulphurous nose, which indicated that the wine had probably been recently bottled. The pure, deeply-seated mulberry spectrum fruit with loads of mint very attractive; whilst the palate was slightly masked by sulphur, the structure seemed to have all the components to ensure that it should age well. The crisp acid and smooth dusty tannins provide a solid backing for this muscular-weight, solid wine that has a well-developed complexity. My ranking 13, group ranking 11.

…………..….. Campbell Mattinson (foreground) hard at work

Rutherglen Estates 2003 Durif (wine four) was sedate and subtle by comparison to the previous wine. The bouquet was pure and clean. Smooth, dusty tannins and unobtrusive acid combine with pure, deeply-seated fruit to form an ample-weight, solid, firm wine with a harmonious complexity that has excellent balance and construction. The wine is well controlled, showing some class; the clean fruit finishes with good persistence. Whilst it's pleasant now, it's still about three years from its best. My ranking 11, group ranking 7.

Brown Brothers 2003 Heathcote Cellar Door Durif (wine five) exhibited a brooding nose with some floral characters. A highly structured wine with a bucket loads of puckering, fine, smooth, dusty tannins that currently bury the deeply-seated fruit. Blackberry, plum, coffee, dark chocolate and mint flavours finish long and dry. A full-bodied wine with a firm consistency, solid structure and well-developed complexity; it was very attractive and cried out for a huge steak. Will the fruit last? I think so! My ranking 9, group ranking 5.

Warrabilla 2003 Reserve Durif (wine six) showed a lift of alcohol with dark, brooding fruit. I loved this wine! It showed terrific structure, balance and was well built. Despite its size, it also had a certain class. Cherry, mint, lots of Lindt dark chocolate and flavours going into black plum; the wine finished long and dry. A firm, solidly-built wine with a sophisticated complexity, it's still a baby. My ranking 3, group ranking 2.

Rutherglen Estates 2002 Durif (wine seven) had a bouquet of plum and gentle spice. After six big wines, it certainly was a change to get something as easy drinking as this one. Fruit driven with gentle tannins, the wine showed perfumed fruit, dark berry flavours and dark chocolate. Medium-weight with a supple consistency and a harmonious complexity it was my 17th choice and the groups 13th.

Warrabilla 2004 Reserve Durif (wine eight) showed youthful fruit that had been recently brutalised by the addition of sulphites, so I suspected a young Warrabilla. Fine, tight, dusty tannins combine with deeply-seated, pure, strong fruit to form a full-bodied wine with a firm consistency, solid structure and an agreeable complexity. The wine was a touch thin on the mid-palate; I was confident this was a result of the sulpha and all the wine needed, was time. Never-the-less, I had to rate the wine down. My ranking 25, group ranking 4. Having tried this wine a few weeks later, it showed much better on the second occasion; by then it had recovered from bottle shock.

Campbell's 2002 The Barkly (wine nine) had an earthy bouquet with a touch of VA. Another wine that caught my immediate attention! Although the wine appears to be driven by clean, pure fruit, it's deceptive because tight, fine tannins back an excellent structure. Ample-weight, with a firm but supple consistency, the structure is layered and the complexity harmonious. Black berry spectrum fruit, black coffee and milk chocolate flavours show some elegance of a Durif, but the wine needs time for the tannins to integrate fully. Three of us ranked the wine in the top five and two in the bottom half. My ranking 3, group ranking 8.

All Saints 2002 Durif (wine 10) a highly perfumed bouquet showing violets and beautiful fruit jumping out of the glass. Medium-weight, with a firm consistency, solid structure and a harmonious, agreeable complexity, the wine has all the components; it did seem a little thin on the mid-palate, but it should improve into a seamless wine, with some refinement, in the fullness of time. Blueberry, plum, aniseed and mint flavours complete the package. My ranking is 11, group ranking 16.

Warrabilla 2004 Parola’s Durif (wine 11) this was another very youthful wine that had just been sulphured, so my guess was it was another Warrabilla. Deep, strong fruit and huge amounts of drying, dusty tannins back a full-bodied wine with a firm consistency and rock solid structure. Let's cut the crap; this is a huge, in-your-face bugger that’s lips smackingly good. Savoury on the uptake; with spice, pepper, blackberry, and liquorice flavours; it is beautifully ripe without being overripe. It also has a huge amount of alcohol, with no apparent heat. My ranking 6, group ranking 1.

Anderson 2003 Cellar Block Durif (wine 12) had a brooding bouquet. Full-bodied with a firm consistency, solid structure and an agreeable complexity this baby is very ripe; possibly a bit too ripe and stewed. My ranking 25, group ranking 19.

Warrabilla 2002 Reserve Durif (wine 13) showed lifted alcohol and dark fruit. A well-made wine, with good balance, showing dominant meaty characters, plum, spice, blackcurrant, and chocolate that finished with reasonable persistence. Full-bodied with a solid structure the wine was still tight and brooding. It showed well in this class and was very drinkable. My ranking 6, group ranking 6.

Cofield 2002 Durif (wine 14) an attractive, well made wine with good balance; it is backed by pure fruit and light, smooth tannins. Off-sweet on the uptake with sweet, underlying layered fruit; it is a good, fault-free wine. Ample-weight, it is lighter than many the others in the line-up; and whilst it is harmonious it lacks complexity. My ranking 13, group ranking 27 and on reflection, I may have been a bit generous with my assessment.

Warrabilla 2002 Parola’s Durif (wine 15) this is obviously a top quality wine. The bouquet showed rich coffee, ripe fruit and was very attractive. Maintaining terrific structure and balance the wine was very youthful. Driven by pure, deep, persistent fruit the complexity was intricate and the tannins provided a firm backbone and supple consistency. With a solid, layered structure this was certainly a complete wine. Whilst it was drinking well now, it will definitely improve over the next three or four years. My ranking 1, group ranking 3.

Anderson 2002 Basket Press Durif (wine 16) had primary fruit jumping out of the glass, this is a baby still in nappies. A lovely wine, it is easy drinking now and more approachable than many others in the line up. Tight, drying tannins and fresh acid are pushed to the background by the youthful, pure, deeply-seated fruit that is ripe and delivers a mouthful of black berries, mulberry, coffee, and dark chocolate. The consistency is both firm and supple, and whilst the body weight is muscular, it was so easy to drink I didn't want to go any further. My ranking 9, group ranking 25 so it looks like I was the only one whose buttons this wine pushed.

Buller 2002 Tastes of Rutherglen Durif (wine 17) I thought I was familiar with the Buller range but I had never heard of a wine under this label, so when I was typing these notes, I rang the winery to find out the story. It is in fact the Calliope that was re-badged for the annual “Tastes of Rutherglen Festival.” A dark, dense nose with loads of vanillin oak. This wine impressed me with its exemplary structure and profoundly youthful, fresh fruit. Off-sweet on the uptake, with both black and blue fruits, it finished with menthol. Solidly built with supple tannins that provided an excellent mouth feel, the wine is muscular in weight and should become seamless as it reaches maturity around 2009 and beyond. Complexity is well developed, and for a Durif, it shows some class. My ranking 3, group ranking 15; so it looks like it pushes my buttons more than most. (I rated this wine highly when I tasted it at the winery last year.)

Mount Prior 2002 Durif (wine 18) had a bouquet that was driven by primary fruit. The palate was a little surprising, in that the fruit was a bit thin for the drying tannins. Blackberry, chocolate, coffee and lots of mint flavours delivered a plain complexity. Whilst there was nothing terribly wrong with the wine, it was a little ordinary by comparison to many the others. My ranking 29, group ranking 30.

All Saints 1999 Carlyle (wine 19) turned out to be the most expensive in the line up and the lowest ranked. The bouquet exhibited coffee and earthy notes, but it was clear the wine had been over-oaked to blazes. The palate confirmed the wine had been under-fruited for the oak and there was acetone too. Almost universally ranked last.

Gapsted 1999 Ballerina Canopy Durif (wine 20) showed coffee, mint and attractive blue fruit on the bouquet. Ample-weight, it was lighter in style than many of the others. Pepper, and aniseed flavours finished a bit short on the palate and although there was some elegance to the structure, the wine lacked complexity. My ranking 33, group ranking 33.

Stanton and Killeen 2000 Durif (wine 21) had a bouquet that expressed youthful, fresh fruit and the wine seemed a little tight. By comparison to the earlier wines, it had minimal tannins and was in the easy drinking category. It seemed to be fruit driven without a huge amount of oak. The fruit was rich, ripe, and although it was fleshy, it seemed a little thin. Consistency was supple and the complexity agreeable. My ranking 20, group ranking 31.

Morris 2000 Durif (wine 22) from the bouquet, it seemed so youthful. Dusty, drying tannins, fresh acid and pure fruit combined to produce a firm wine with a solid structure that was well made; and whilst there was nothing wrong with it, it did not shine in this line-up. It was reasonably balanced, however the fruit was not as generous as some of the others and the complexity was simple. An ample-weight, it was lighter than many of the others. My ranking 29, group ranking 28. With hindsight, it's easy to see that this wine was probably a product of its vintage.

All Saints 2000 Carlyle (wine 23) - I thought this wine was mildly corked so did not rate it. As it was ranked by the group as 34th, it looks like they didn't think much of it either.

Casella Estates 2000 Durif (wine 24) showed a bouquet that was very ripe, possibly overripe. The palate showed stewed fruit characters with coffee, prune and although the fruit was both deeply-seated and strong, it was flaccid and baggy. My ranking 33, group ranking 22. This was one of a few wines were there was a huge divergence of opinion with the following rankings: 5, 14, 16, 24, 33, 34.

Warrabilla 2000 Reserve Durif (wine 25) was another youthful nose with loads of fruit and plum; my guess was it was a 2004. That was, until I tasted it; on the palate, the fruit was a bit thin with loads of green flavours that made me think the grapes had not ripened properly. Complexity was also plain. It looks like not too many people like this wine, my ranking 33, group ranking 36.

Morris 2001 Durif (wine 26) showed coffee oak with sweet fruit below. Loads of puckering tannins dominated the fruit, and although all the components were there, it seems a little disjointed at this time. Muscular-weight with a firm consistency and a solid structure, the wine needs time for the fruit to surface. Given a few years, it should be vastly improved. My ranking 33, group ranking 14. I was the only one that was not impressed with this wine, in reality that is more a reflection of its current drinking ability, rather than its true potential.

Campbell's 2001 The Barkly Durif (wine 27) exhibited a reasonably approachable nose of black pepper, aniseed, blackberry and vanilla. A little more refined than some of the other wines in the line-up; the smooth, fine, drying tannins combine with refreshing acidity and pure fruit to form an ample-weight wine with a firm consistency and solid structure that is already approachable. With loads of pepper, liquorice, plum and chocolate, the savoury fruit flavours offset the sweet alcohol. This wine was significantly more attractive than the last few and probably has a few years bottle age. My ranking 19, group ranking 21. This was another wine where there was a huge range of divergent opinions ranging from fifth to last.

Gehrig 2001 Durif (wine 28) from the bouquet, it seemed like it was a youthful wine that was fruit driven. Smooth, drying tannins, refreshing acid and distinct fruit combine to form a medium-weight wine, that is reasonably supple, and already easy drinking. The palate is dominated by spearmint characters with subtle spice, aniseed and dark fruit. There was nothing wrong with that, but it was very ordinary. My ranking 29, group ranking 29.

Warrabilla 2003 Reserve Durif/Shiraz (wine 29) was dominated by loads of smoky oak on the bouquet. On the palate, rich, ripe fruit flavours of blackberry, savoury plum, chocolate, coffee and mocha are smothered with smoky oak characters. A full-bodied, quality wine with a supple mouth feel; the structure is solid and layered whilst the complexity is well developed. From my perspective, it would have rated higher without the smoky characteristics and if the fruit was not quite as ripe. My ranking 16, group ranking 10.

Stanton and Killeen 2001 Durif (wine 30) had some refinement to the bouquet and showed loads of coffee characters. Showing some elegance and class, this ample-weight wine is backed by chewie, ultra-fine, tight, drying tannins that provide a terrific backbone and produced a supple consistency. Well balanced, with a good mouth feel; dark fruits, coffee, mint and eucalyptus finish with long tannins. A lovely wine, it seemed like it had a few years bottle age. My ranking three, group ranking 12. Another wine that split the group, with three votes in the top 10, one in the middle, and two much lower down.

Cofield 2001 Quartz Vein Durif (wine 31) showed a clean, interesting bouquet but unfortunately the wine was not as interesting on the palate. Tannins, whilst certainly fine, are aggressive and seemed like they are wood based; they currently bury the fruit. Sweet blackcurrant, savoury spice, plum and coffee flavours are pleasant; and if the fruit eventually surfaces from underneath the tannins, the wine will be good. Ample-weight with a firm consistency and solid structure the wine can only go one of two ways. My ranking 23, group ranking 20. (Campbell really liked this wine and rated it second. I checked my tasting note from last year and whilst I liked the wine at that time, many of the original comments are reasonably consistent with this tasting note. I hope the wine is in a hole, because I have a six-pack in the cellar.)

Warrabilla 2001 Reserve Durif (wine 32) was dominated by very ripe, juicy fruit. With loads of smooth, fine, drying tannins there was not a great deal of length and persistence to the fruit; but it was clean, well balanced and well made. Muscular-weight with a firm but supple consistency, the structure is solid and there is a little elegance to the wine; the complexity is agreeable but it's okay. My ranking 17, group ranking 9.

Mount Prior 2001 Durif (wine 33) judging by its size, I thought this might have been a Warrabilla as it was a huge bastard. Fine, tight tannins are well-balanced to the; plum, blackcurrant, abundant dark, rich chocolate, coffee and eucalyptus flavours. A firm, solid wine with a well developed complexity, it's a good wine that just needs time. My ranking 16, group ranking 17.

Wirruna 2001 Durif (wine 34) had a bouquet that was dominated by both loads of coffee and oak. On the palate, the wine was inky black with huge amounts of fruit and oak expressing, coffee, vanilla, dark, ripe fruit and spice. A full-bodied wine with a firm consistency, and solid structure it needs time. Based on its size, I thought it might be a Warrabilla. My ranking 11, group ranking 18.

Buller 2001 Calliope Durif (wine 35) the fruit in this wine did not seem to be as well balanced to the tannins as it could have been; it seemed a bit rough by comparison to some of the other wines and was hard work to assess. Ample-weight, I found the consistency to be almost hard and the complexity plain. My ranking 29, group ranking 24.

Nugan 2001 Manuka Grove Durif (wine 36) showed coffee and spearmint on the bouquet. A pleasant drop; the deep, rich fruit combined well with the refreshing acidity to finish cleanly and with reasonable persistence. Ample-weight with a firm consistency, solid structure and well developed complexity; my ranking was 23 (the highest in the group) and the group ranking was 35.

De Bortoli 2001 Vat One Durif (wine 37) boy, was I happy this was the last one; especially when it appeared to be thin and green with some unripe characters. Ample-weight with a firm consistency, solid structure and simple complexity; the wine didn't appear to have enough fruit and finished short. My ranking 33, group ranking 32.

The Durif Tasting Conclusions

As you can see from the chart below, Warrabilla did extremely well, taking out four of the top five spots; in reality, they would have taken out the fifth spot too, had I not marked the 2004 Reserve down substantially due to the recent addition of sulphite. It is also interesting to note, the price is no guide to quality. The most expensive wine in the line up came dead last.

From a personal perspective, whilst typing up these notes, it was interesting to go back and look at my original tasting notes for some of the wines that I had tried previously, when I had known what I had been tasting. There were a few surprises and the conflicting opinions, but in most cases the notes were reasonably consistent.

(There are multiples and gaps in the ranking numbers where wines were scored/ranked identically)

Winery	Vintage	Label	$	JL	GL	CM	AS	BH	RE	Group
Warrabilla	2004	Parolas	30.00	1	2	5	1	1	6	1
Warrabilla	2003	Reserve	22.00	2	7	2	5	5	3	2
Warrabilla	2002	Parolas	30.00