James Halliday 2019 Wine Companion Reviews

2017 Stonegarden Riesling - 95 points

1940s vines. Textural, powerful, persistent. Lime juice and crystals, talc and spice, mineral. A hint of orange blossom. A trace of fruit sweetness. It's pretty and it's purposeful, and it feels soft as it extends along your tongue. A treat of a wine.

2016 The Moonlight Run - 95 points

Constructed from estate mataro (34%) fermented with partial stalk inclusion, 33% early harvested 150yo bushvine grenache and Tanunda shiraz. The secret ingredient that invests the wine with savoury spices and freshness is the alcohol, usually 14.5% and above in the Barossa Valley. The length and finish have zest and braille, important in establishing the texture of the wine.

2016 The Eleventh Hour - 94 points

100% destemmed, open-fermented, basket-pressed, matured in used oak. The inky crimson-purple colour holds court all the way to the rim, and tells of the sheer (black) fruit power of the palate, licorice and pepper adding complexity. The mouthfeel is super-velvety, which adds to the density of the fruit. It will be 10 years before it opens the doors for inspection.

2016 The Howling Dog - 93 points

Dark and brooding but bright and bouncy. Handy combination. Sweet cherries, blackberries, iodine and wood smoke. It's one of those wines where the flavours all feel familiar, though they're arranged in a slightly different way. It works here. In the end it's an easy wine to like, full of fruit and character.