Below are the notes on 33 Mixed wines from across the globe, all sourced from a selection of the smaller wholesale wine distributors tasted at a trade tasting this evening (so stand up style, at speed, non blind).

These notes, unfortunately, are even shorter and more vague than ever, as I lost my tasting (backup) notebook. If anyone who finds a white notebook in the Wynyard (Sydney) area full of barely legible, wine stained scrawl, you’ll know who it belongs too. As a result, these are more tasting impressions than full tasting notes (which is why I’ve also given a score range in some cases).

Interestingly, many of my favourites where all Australian. Make of that what you may…

Delamotte Brut NVCrisp, clean green apple style, with well judged structure vs generosity. Pinot dominant I believe and quite reasonable value at the $60 mark it is available for. (17.0)

Paul Bara Brut NV
Quite a disappointment, especially after the (similarly priced) Delamotte. Toasty, quite fat and blunt, with a rich & almost caramelised palate. (16.0-16.5)

Nigl ‘Senftenberger Piri’ Gruner Veltliner 2007Slightly severe, bone dry style with spicy pear nose & lean, varietally correct palate. Really in need of time. (16.5-16.8++)

Hirsch ‘Heiligenstein’ Gruner Veltliner 2007
Rich, if bland style of Gruner that felt a little mixed up in the ripeness stakes. (16.3)

Markus Molitor Guts Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2007
Simple Kabinett Trocken style with a dab of sherbety RS and clean, strong acidity. Not bad & a dry style that will appreciate bottle age. (16.5++)

Markus Molitor Guts Riesling Kabinett Feinherb 2006
Rich, fuller and more complete than the Trocken above, this was a good Feinherb half dry style. Good. (16.9)

Paul Kubler Kintet 2007
A blend of Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir & Riesling. This was actually a really delicious drink, with all sorts of intriguing flavours in there. Really enjoyable, fresh style. (17.5)

Paul Kubler K Pinot Gris 2007
A really unusual Pinot Gris. Creamy, almost barrel fermented in its fattiness, this was rich and rather more Chardonnay like in palate weight, without the super ripeness of some Alsatian Pinot Gris. Pear & butterscotch. Interesting & quite delicious. (17.2-17.7)

Sottimano ‘Basarin’ Nebbiolo Langhe 2005
Like its broad regional status, this is a modern and very approachable take on Piedmont Nebbiolo. It’s sweeter & richer than many peers, built richer & woven with softening oak, yet still with some convincing Nebbiolo tannins. Very drinkable, & quite fair value at $45. (16.3-16.9)

Sottimano ‘Curra’ Barbaresco 2005
Again a more modern style, this I felt took the modern route just a little too far – its not quite typical enough for my palate, too sweet and perhaps too ‘new world’ than it needs to be. However, the structure is assured, the sweetness may well integrate. Good, but not quite great, especially not at $100 (17)

Mauro Molino ‘Gancia ‘ Barolo 2004
For all the previous wines modernity, this identically priced Barolo ($100) was a welcome return to typicity (which I really look forward to in Barolo). Truffles, pepper & musk – all sorts of complex nuances & really classic deep dark fruit. Delicious. Classic. (18.3)

Domaine Clos de Cazeaux ‘Cuvee de la Tour de Sarrazine’ Gigondas 2005
A rather peppery, meaty & slightly smoky style of Gigondas that to my palate is quite a little brackish and ill defined. Its typical of the region, but I’m no fan. (16-16.5)

Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
As is often the case with young Balnaves, I didn’t enjoy this much at all. Moreso, this seemed overly eucalyptus dominated & awkward. Little fun at present regardless. Will get better. (16.5++)

Balnaves of Coonawarra ‘The Tally’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
If to reinforce how much the Balnaves wines need a year or two of bottle age, this was a beauty. its a absolute Goliath of a wine, it really is enormous. The question is more about when this will be at its peak – I’d be leaving it sleep for at least 6-8yrs and expect it to be going strong another decade after that… (18.3++)

Battely Syrah 2006
Sitting on the same table as the Jasper Hill wines, this seemed more Heathcote than Beechworth. Super ripe, almost pruney in its ultra ripe density, yet without feeling overtly heavy or alcoholic (much like Jasper Hills reds actually). Very polished, with just a tip of integrated Viognier in there. Excellent. (18)

Burklin Wolf Gaisbohl ‘G.C.’ Riesling 2007
Quite a big heavy bottle for a dry German Riesling, this was suitably a big, heavy and ripe, with a quite advanced golden colour. A bit big and unwieldy for me. (16.7-17.2)

Salomon Auslese Riesling 2006
Lovely stuff. Rich & full, this was ripe and marmaladey on the nose, but carried some remarkable acidity that helped firm everything up. Lovely mid palate zip. Winning stuff. (18)

Gottardi Blauburgunder ‘Mazzon’ 2006
Easily the most impressive Austrian red I’ve had, this was delightfully ripe and red fruited, with real classic Pinot characters, if a somewhat one dimensional palate. Very good. (17.4-17.8)
(Apparently this is actually from Northern Italy, not Austria. A cheeky typo on my tasting sheet. Good wine regardless).

Château Riotor Cotes de Provence Rouge 2007
Lovely & bright, fragrant & youthful, its fun, but Aussie GSM’s have it all over this. If it was a $20 wine it would win hearts and minds all over the place, but at $30 its not got quite enough complexity or depth. (16.0)

Domaine du Grose Nore Bandol 2005
I am an unashamedly big fan of the meaty, very dry & savoury reds of Bandol & this lovely ripe wine is right up there. Really appealing to my Australian (biased) palate, with the sort of perfect ripeness we take for granted in our South Australian reds. (17.4-17.7)

Château Mont Redon CdP Rouge 2006
Lovely stuff. Bacony, smoky, Cabanossi & ripe fruits. Savoury, yet ripe palate with complexity plus. Yummo already. (17.6-17.9+)

Domaine de Villeneuve Vielles Vignes CdP Rouge 2006
Another impressive CdP, this seemed tighter than the Mont Redon, but with same classical ‘pizza in a wine’ meaty generosity. I actually preferred the last wine slightly more, but it was close. (17.6-17.9+)

Gerard Charvin CdR 2007
Lovely stuff in a classic, pure Rhone mould. Really bright and savoury and delicious. Great value at $38ish too. (17.5+)

Thomas Braemore Semillon 2009(Tank Sample) I’ve got alot of time for Andrew Thomas. Like the Eather boys, he is a no bullshit, salt of the earth Hunter winemaker with talent and access to excellent fruit. His wines, along with those of Meerea Park, sit at the forefront of the Hunter revival (a quiet revolution that I’m happy to be witnessing). This is his top Semillon and its a cracker: In 09 its riper, softer and more generous, reflecting the season, with lots of citrussy super freshness. Already delicious, this is the sort of wine that should be fed to Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, with its approachability & acid structure perfect for the ‘glass with lunch’ set. (18.0-18.5+)

Thomas O.C Semillon 2009
(Tank Sample) After the Braemore, this is lighter, lemony and a little less focused, but still very drinkable and again a very approachable Semillon. (17.5)

Thomas Sweetwater Shiraz 2007
Super polished, very youthful Shiraz. It feels like it only just left the barrel, with a long silky flow of ripe fruit. At this stage its dominated by French oak, but the future is promising. Lovely modern Shiraz, if a little un-Hunterish at this stage. (17.5+)

Rolf Binder Hanisch Shiraz 2006
Incredibly sweet. In fact, it reminded me of caramel fudge sauce more than wine. Simply too sweet & rich, time may fix this however. A caricature at present. (16.5+)

Lenton BraeSuch consistency! Brilliant stuff, I was really impressed by these wines.

Lenton Brae Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Sweaty, Sauvignon nose with real crisp, gooseberry & passionfruit greenish nose. Its the sort of definition that I prefer in this style. Very well judged, pristinely fresh palate. Excellent. Great value too. (18.0-18.3)

Lenton Brae Wilyabrup Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Lenton Brae’s take on the Bordeaux style of oaked SSB and its a real winner. Just a lick of oak to match the absolute freshness, with the same grassy delicious aromatics & beautiful herbal palate. Brilliance. I love this style of wine. Winner (18.5)

Lenton Brae Chardonnay 2006
A little disappointed with this actually. It seemed overtaken by oak, with the absolute beauty of this wonderful year cloaked behind it. Should re-emerge, but at present, this is doesn’t quite convince. (16.5+)

Lenton Brae Cabernet Merlot 2007
Leafy, perfumed and delicious, this was a very fresh style, it just needs some time for that leafiness to integrate. Lovely pure Cabernet style and perfectly balanced. (17)

Lenton Brae Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Winner. Perfectly ripe and leafy in the Margaret River style, this is savoury and beautiful – its got a bright core of blackberry fruit, but its still so medium bodied. Great mix of cool climate restraint and ripe fruit. Lovely stuff. (18)

Lenton Brae Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Clear lineage with the above wine, its similarly leafy and balanced, in a way that cool climate Cabernet can really be. Its perhaps not going to get much better, but its a very drinkable food friendly style with again a real purity to it. I’m guessing this would be a spotless winery…(17.5)