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Grape Observer

Grape Observer

A fine wine review focussing on wines from Australia and France (c)

  • Yarra Yering new releases from the 2020 and 2019 vintages

    All the wines were tasted in December 2021.

    Sean Mitchell

    January 19, 2022
    Subscriber Only Articles, Wine Reviews
    Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Semillon, Shiraz, Touriga Nacional, Viognier, Yarra Valley
  • 2021 new releases from Lyons Will Estate (2019 and 2021 vintages)

    Introduction Lyons Will Estate are a small producer with 5 hectarines under vine in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, Australia. The Macedon Ranges are one of the Australia’s coolest wine regions (climatically). The vineyard is located at altitude (554 metres) and the climate is continental. Sustainability and minimal intervention are the goals. Reviews of their […]

    Sean Mitchell

    November 23, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Australia, Chardonnay, Macedon, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Victoria
  • Mount Mary and Yeringberg new releases from the 2019 vintage

    All wines were tasted in October 2021.

    Sean Mitchell

    November 13, 2021
    Subscriber Only Articles, Wine Articles, Wine Reviews
    Australia, Cabernet Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Marsanne, Merlot, Muscadelle, Pinot Noir, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Shiraz, Victoria, White Bordeaux Blends, White Rhône Blends, Yarra Valley
  • Dominique Laurent Clos Saint-Jacques Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin 2003 Wine Review

    Clos Saint-Jacques is a premier cru appellation in Gevrey Chambertin that is a grand cru in all but name.  There are only five producers who own land here and Dominique Laurent sources the grapes as négociant.  Some such as Wine Searcher report Dominique Laurent as being heavy handed with new oak and ripe fruit, while […]

    Sean Mitchell

    October 27, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Burgundy, Clos Saint-Jacques, France, Gevrey-Chambertin, Pinot Noir
  • Freycinet Tasmania Pinot Noir 2018 Wine Review

    Freycinet Vineyard is located on the east coast of Tasmania, is a highly regarded producer of pinot noir and the region’s oldest winery. This wine review is of Freycinet’s 2018 release pinot noir, which at the time of writing is their current release. 2018 vintage conditions in east coast Tasmania appeared somewhat mixed, battling rain […]

    Sean Mitchell

    October 16, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Australia, Pinot Noir, Tasmania
  • Domaine Nicolas Rossignol Pommard Les Vignots 2011 Wine Review

    This wine proved to be a very enjoyable, archetypal Pommard. It is labelled as “Les Vignots” which is a lieu-dit, rather than premier cru, so this remains a Pommard villages wine. It presented however more like a premier cru. Les Vignots is not particularly far from Pommard premier crus Les Arvelets and La Platière, although […]

    Sean Mitchell

    October 13, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Bourgogne, Burgundy, France, Les Vignots, Pinot Noir, Pommard
  • Paringa Estate Peninsula Pinot Noir 2012 Wine Review

    2021 seemed about right to open this 2012 vintage of Paringa Estate’s Mornington Peninsula pinot noir. 2012 seems to have been an equable season in the region on the basis of this report from Winetitles media. Cellared since purchase, the wine has moved to a red brick colour and has swirling and misty aromatics of […]

    Sean Mitchell

    October 12, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Australia, Mornington Peninsula, Pinot Noir, Victoria
  • Oberkircher Winzer Spätburgunder 2014 Wine Review

    I found this wine filed away under cabernet blends in a wine list. I was pretty sure it wasn’t a Baden cabernet, with spätburgunder being pinot noir and German cabernet being uncommon. A nascent thought was that the confusion might be based in fact, some until now unforeseen German wine label complexity. German wine labels […]

    Sean Mitchell

    September 10, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Baden, Germany, Pinot Noir, Spätburgunder
  • L’Artisan Le Pinot Noir 2019 Wine Review

    This wine review is of the L’Artisan “Le Pinot Noir” from the Pays d’Oc in the south of France and the 2019 vintage. In the glass, the wine has aromas of confected red fruits, jam and dried herbs. The palate is dry with medium tannins and a red fruit character that is more broad brush […]

    Sean Mitchell

    August 1, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    France, Languedoc, Pays d’Oc IGP, Pinot Noir
  • Domaine de Bellene Bourgogne Maison Dieu 2018 Wine Review

    This wine review is of a very good Bourgogne rouge from Domaine de Bellene and the ripe 2018 vintage. It provides a typical expression of Burgundian pinot noir that is higher quality than might be expected due to the vintage and also can be found at a fair price. There are attractive, savoury, aromatic and […]

    Sean Mitchell

    January 23, 2021
    Wine Reviews
    Bourgogne, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, France, Pinot Noir
  • Huntington Estate Rosé 2018 Wine Review

    This wine review is of a pinot noir rosé from Huntington Estate in warm climate Mudgee. This is not a natural home for pinot noir, but as a rosé from grapes that I expect were early picked, the wine is refreshing and European in style. In the glass, it is a red-orange colour. The aroma […]

    Sean Mitchell

    November 18, 2020
    Wine Reviews
    Australia, Mudgee, Pinot Noir, Rosé
  • SC Guillard Bourgogne Rouge 2018

    This is more or less what I am searching for, but irregularly find, in a Bourgogne rouge.  It opens to brooding aromas of blackcurrant, with a cedar backdrop.  The palate is medium bodied with game notes, medium tannins and lingering length on the finish.  This rather delicious Burgundy overachieves for its quality classification and is […]

    Sean Mitchell

    September 22, 2020
    Wine Reviews
    Bourgogne, France, Pinot Noir
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