Paul Ippolito Talks Wines

With Paul Ippolito

Top Shelf Drinking

Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Deep dense purple crimson. Mint, blackcurrants, plums and spicy fruits abound. Cedary oak, hints of cigar box, dark bitter chocolate and coffee mocha hints all unweave from the tight complex nose. Velvety long and smooth and dense in composition in mouth feel. Quite an elegant wine with restraint and power looming in the red and black fruit characters. Well rounded, balanced and drinkable now but will cellar very well into the future. Try it with Wagyu beef.

Drink to 2023. About $80. 94/100 – Excellent.

Impress The Boss For Christmas

Lindemans Coonawarra Pyrus Cabernet Malbec Merlot 2004

Classic Coonawarra chocolate mint aromas abound. Medium bodied - stylish and elegant in structure. Intense blackcurrants, raspberries, aniseed and dark bitter chocolate – fine dusty tannins with a delightful seamless long finish of black and red fruits, lingering long into the distance. A very impressive red blend, well crafted and put together with grace and character that reflects the high standard of this brand over the years. This will cellar well into the future and will suit a nice piece of steak such as a New York Cut with mushroom sauce.

Drink to 2024 Plus. About $55. 93/100 – Excellent.

Nice Red Blend

Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Shiraz Grenache 2005

Ripe fresh pure fruit – blackberry, spice, raspberries, plums and currants – all melded together. Tight elegant oak, well rounded fleshy black and red fruits along with fine yet assertive tannins. Try this with grilled lamb fillets.

Drink to 2015. About $20. 89/100 – Very Good.

Nice White Blend

D’Arenberg The Noble Viognier Semillon Marsanne Riesling 2005

A beautiful orangey peach schnapps coloured dessert wine. Intensely richly honeyed, glorious molasses, golden syrupy pudding, treacle like, smooth delightful and succulent in aroma presentation. Hints of tropical fruits add to the complexity and intensity of this wine with a seamless lingering endlessly mouthwatering finish. A must for the dessert wine buff in the household.

Drink to 2017. About $35 – 500ml. 93/100 – Excellent.

Summer Wine

Innocent Bystander Growers Rose 2007

Made from Pinot Noir grapes, this is fragrant fresh Rose` drinking – resplendent and full of succulent strawberries and deep dark red glorious raspberries. A touch of ripe sweetness in the fruit characters as well as soft mellow well rounded flavours on the finish. Neat drinking in time for Summer. Try it with salt and pepper prawns.

Drink Now. About $15. 87/100 – Good.

Christmas Day Red

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2006
 
Young fresh and vibrant. Aniseed, menthol, mint, liquorice and black pepper off the aromas. A good dose of ripe plums and blackberries with fine tannins, good firm liquorice oak and an elegance and silky fine texture to the finish ending soft and dry and long in black fruits. Easy drinking now but with more than a few years left on it yet. Try it with beef stew.

Drink to 2014. About $19. 90/100 – Very Good.

Boutique Red

Philip Shaw No 17 Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet 2005

This took a while to unwind. Pure spicy fragrant plums abound, violets, blueberries as well. A truly delightful nose that reminds me of Provence in France. Fresh, invigorating and well structured with well melded integrated oak. Raspberries and plums abound on the finish along with fine tannins. Enjoy this with seasoned roast chicken.

Drink to 2009. About $25. 89/100 – Very Good.

Wine Rating Scale - Out Of 100 Points

98-100 – Exceptional – A truly world class wine
95-97 – Superb – A memorable drinking experience
91-94 – Excellent – A wonderful mix of a top wine at a decent price
88-90 – Very Good – Really well made wine that should impress
85-87 – Good – Honest everyday drinking

Paul Ippolito is a Sydney wine writer who writes for publications across Australia, the internet and overseas. Read more of his work at www.paulippolito.com.au

About Paul Ippolito.