Assorted Tassie wines

These notes come from a tasting that was almost 6 months ago now (so some of the wines might have well changed a bit since) but I think the highlights would remain the same.

Stefano Lubiana Brut NV
Green apple and cream overlay. Fresh and youthful but with some proper depth behind it. Quite long and fresh palate with proper acidity. Impressive and excellent value. 17.6/92

Stefano Lubiana Riesling 2008
Muted, green nose, dry restrained and minerally, pristine palate. Primordial. Serious juice here. 17.3/91+

Stefano Lubiana Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Green and grassy nose. Sour and grassy palate has nice weight and lots of intensity but just a smidgen too grassy for me. No doubting the quality. 17.3/91

Stefano Lubiana Primavera Chardonnay 2008
Doing a fair ‘modern style’ Chablis impersonation. Slate and cream leads to clear and finely oaked palate that is clean and refreshing. Excellent Chardonnay and seriously good value. 18/93

Stefano Lubiana Estate Chardonnay 2005
Creamy bottle development with some icing sugar and marzipan that goes through the whole palate. Long and very well formed. Rich and delicious. 18.3/93

Stoney Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Soft and feline if vegetative nose. Dry and very well formed palate that is long if lacking in some punch. Lots of interest though. 17.2/91

Domaine A ‘Lady A’ 2006
Needs some time. Nose just shows a little tinned asparagus and pineapple, with a dry palate that’s just a little raw at present, the oak poking through. Good wine underneath everything. 17.5/92+

Josef Chromy Pinot Chardonnay 2005
Nice Brioche and Sao like bottle age flavours on the nose and start of the palate, but back end a little callow and finishes with blunt acidity. 16.7/88

Frogmore Creek Dry Riesling 2008
Quite advanced nose with the first beginnings of petrol. Palate is stuck in a developmental hole and showing very little. Not convinced but will improve with bottle age. 16.5/88+

Frogmore Creek FGR Riesling 2009
Mute, honey tinged nose. Palate starts well but residual sweetness poorly integrated. Not a massive fan. 16/87

Bay of Fires Sparkling Rose NV
Creamy strawberry nose, dry and slightly tart palate. Awkward acidity. 16.5/88

Bay of Fires Riesling 2008
Developing nose, toasty green apple palate starts soft but finishes with serious grip. Needs some more bottle age but like the structure and potential. 17/90

Bay of Fires Chardonnay 2008
Not as big a fan of this as I have been on other occasions, specifically due to some blunt oak. Palate is still quite long and well formed. 17.3/91

Tamar Ridge Sparkling 1996
10 years+ on lees
Heavily bottle aged and autolysis dominated palate nose, heading towards caramelised. Palate shows excellent weight but is just a bit tired. 17/90

Stefano Lubiana Primavera Pinot Noir 2008
Lovely strawberry fragrance. Really full and opulent. Acid pokes out a bit on the palate but still a nice Pinot that should look really good with some further bottle age. 17.5/91

Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir 2007
Strawberry and red fruit with a bit of undergrowth on the nose. Very Pinolicious nose. Palate is, like the Primavera, a touch angular with awkward acid, but no questioning the class. 17.8/92

Stoney Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007
Typically idiosyncratic. High tolerance of Eucalypt and spearmint required. Raspy minty palate is not without charm but still marginal. 16/87

Domaine A Pinot Noir 2005
Mushroomy nose backed by spearmint. Slow cooked beef in there for good measure. Firm and acidic structure is commendable but, like all Domaine A wines, it really needs some more bottle age to be a good drink. 17/90+

Stoney Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Pencils, sap, spearmint on the nose and plenty of mint on the palate. Savoury and not ungenerous palate though shortish finish. Drinkable though not for everyone. 17.2/90

Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Classic. Pencil shavings, cedar and black meaty fruit. Tight, finely balanced proper left bank style thats wonderfully unsweet and interesting. Needs another 5 years in the bottle, but so much to like here. 18.3/93+

Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2008
Sappy, slippery and quite firm Pinot with a big structure and plenty of impact. Needs some bottle age to come together but serious wine here. Good value too. 17.6/92+

Frogmore Creek Iced Riesling 2007
Volatile and just a bit raspy, this seems to lack some finesse, though I suspect it should improve with further bottle age. 16.8/89+