Tasting Notes - Past Releases

Note: Tasting notes for the 2001 Cabernets and older red vintages, and the 2002 Chardonnay and older whites, were written when these wines were reviewed during a major vertical tasting held in 2003.

Scores and recommended drinking times updated March 2014.

CABERNETS

2011 Cabernets  |  Score:  96+  |  Drink:  Now to 2025+

Season  Excellent growing conditions.

Colour – Deep red with a purple hue.

Nose – Incredibly lifted nose, black cherries and chocolate, and hints of plums.

Palate – The palate is rich, soft and silky with perfect soft tannins, even at this stage. Fruit dominant palate of delicious black cherries, plums and hints of cigar box and slight earthiness. Oak is supportive but not apparent. An outstanding vintage that will rank amongst the greatest Cabernets made here.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2010 Cabernets  |  Score:  92  |  Drink:  2021 to 2025

Season  Excellent growing conditions; some late rain.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Aromas of dark fruits, black cherry and blackberry, with hints of charred oak and coffee.

Palate – The palate is deceptive in that it is elegant but has definite underlying power. Recent tastings have proven this wine improves after being opened for a day or event longer, which confirms my thoughts that it will open up into something special in a few years' time, and have great longevity as usual.

Alcohol – 12.7%


2009 Cabernets | Score: 95 | Drink: 2019 to 2029

Season  Excellent growing season and vintage conditions.

Colour – Dark red with a purple hue.

Nose – Vibrant lifted cherry and dark chocolate aromas with hints of toasted oak.

Palate – The palate has lovely clean, sweet fruit flavours of cherry, blackcurrant and white pepper. Soft tannins and a wonderful acid balance complement what must be one of the best Cabernets made here in the past decade. A structured, stylish wine that drinks well now, but will mature beautifully.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2008 'Folly Red' | Score: 90 | Drink: 2018 to 2020

100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Declassified)

Season  The 2008 vintage was a challenge; persistent summer rains, low temperatures and high humidity levels tested us all. While the whites came off relatively unscathed, red varieties in the Hunter struggled with one exception: Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2008 vintage saw only the best of our Cabernet grapes hold up and, as a result, the 2008 vintage is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon only 1000 dozen was made.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Aromas of cherries and plums with hints of rose petal and cedar.

Palate – Soft, stylish and elegant with cherry and plum fruits flowing through. Good supporting oak and nice acid structure ensure this typical Lake's Folly red will go the distance and surprise many in years to come.

Alcohol – 12.0%


2007 Cabernets | Score: 94 | Drink: 2016 to 2022

Season  The 2007 vintage was a good one. The seventh straight year of drought, saw lower yields but produced wines with great intensity of flavour with no compromise to their balance and finesse.

Colour – Dense brick red colour with a light purple hue.

Nose – Sweet berry aromas of blackberry, cherry and a hint of dark chocolate.

Palate – Velvety soft, with dominant berry characters; will complex over time and develop into a great wine.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2006 Cabernets | Score: 93 | Drink: 2014 to 2020

Season  The 2006 vintage was a good one. Still in the grip of drought, the summer didn’t have quite the prolonged intensity of heat we saw from the previous vintages. A dry harvest period also assisted in getting the grapes to their optimum maturity.

Colour – Deep red.

Nose – Aromas of black cherry, mulberry and chocolate – a bit like blackforest cake.

Palate – Soft and rich; medium-bodied in weight and, whilst the tannins are typically soft, it has a greath length of flavour. A stylish complete wine that will age in the usual way.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2005 Cabernets | Score: 94 | Drink: 2015 to 2025

Season – Mild and dry, well timed rains pre-budburst and at veraison. Perfect ripening and picking conditions.

Colour  Vibrant brick red.

Nose  Wonderful fruits of fresh black cherries, raspberries and blackberries with a hint of dark chocolate. The oak is so well integrated and assists in the tightness and complexity of the wine.

Palate  Excellent, fresh clean berry fruits burst onto the palate; it is smooth and seamless with just a touch of clean acidity that will ensure this wine lives for a good two decades. Soft tannins with a great length of flavour and persistence – an excellent vintage.

Alcohol – 13%


2004 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: 2014 to 2020

Season – Very good growing and vintage conditions. Dry harvest.

Colour  Vibrant brick red.

Nose  Displays cherry, violets and some mocha coffee aromas.

Palate  Fantastic. Perfect balance and great fruit sweetness. A very classy, elegantly structured style that drinks so well even right now, but will age gracefully for up to 20 years.

Alcohol – 12%


2003 Cabernet | Score: 94 | Drink: 2020

Season – Drought, excellent.

Colour – Deep crimson with purple hues.

Nose – Quite strong black fruits of blackberry and black cherry. Displays layers of complexity as do all great wines. Some leathery tones, cedar and lovely oak support.

Palate – Ripe blackberry and black cherry fruits. Rich style that still displays elegance and finesse though with good power and balance. Tannins will settle more with time.

Alcohol – 12.5%


2002 Cabernet | Score: 91 | Drink: 2018

Season – Great growing season, some early vintage rain.

Colour – Deep brick red.

Nose – Cedary, blackberry and plums, some leather.

Palate – Soft, elegant and balanced. A fine style displaying finesse and structure with wonderful fruit sweetness in the mid-palate.

Alcohol – 12.6%


2001 Cabernet Blend | Score: 92 | Drink: Now to 2018

Season  Good growing season, rain at vintage.

Colour – Crimson with purple hue.

Nose – Lovely berry characters (cherry and blackberry) integrate with floral aromas of violets, sweet oak and a touch of cedary leather.

Palate – Some initial berry sweetness, but mid-palate is quite savoury with tannins slightly drying. Not a huge wine, but a structured, tight style that will integrate and improve with time. Definitely a long living wine.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


2000 Cabernet Blend | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep crimson with purple hues.

Nose – Rich berry fruits dominate, predominantly blackberry and blackcurrant. Cedar, some chocolate – complex and rich.

Palate – Follows on from the nose. Rich berry fruits, soft, beautifully structured palate, sweet fruit perfectly balanced. A great wine with concentration of flavours harmoniously balanced. A classic Lake's Folly – one of the best.

Alcohol – 14.5 %


1999 Cabernet Blend | Score: 92 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Very good.

Colour – Excellent, a vibrant brick red with no dulling or browning.

Nose – Distinctly Hunter, with leather and earth floor tones, but still displaying good primary fruits of black cherry and raspberry, coupled with sweet cedar and cigar box aromas.

Palate – Savoury, stylish and youthful, the tannins have settled down considerably on this wine – now fine-grained and chewy. Primary fruits of blackberry are still evident, but beginning to give way to more complexed bottle development. Remarkably good drinking at present considering in its mid-life phase, this wine will of course improve further and drink magnificently in another 35 years+.

Alcohol – 13.2 % 


1998 Cabernet Blend | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Hot and dry, but very good.

Colour – Deep crimson with just a hint of dulling off on edges.

Nose – Complex. Strong blackcurrant lifted fruit nose. Some leathery cigar box characters. Liquorice Allsorts. Some cedar.

Palate – Wonderful. Perfect balance of fruit sweetness and savoury balance. Complex, interesting wine of considerable pedigree. Ripe tannins and careful oak usage creates an almost perfect wine. Outstanding!

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1997 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Crimson–ruby red.

Nose – Berry aromas dominate. Leathery, earthy with slightly herbaceous undertones and some vanillin oak.

Palate – Lighter, finer style, lacking a little mid palate weight, but lovely structure and length of flavour. A touch Burgundian. Some slightly shaded fruit characters (similar to some Coonawarra Cabs), but dominated by Hunter – leather, tobacco, earth. The 97s (both red and white) seem rapid developers, and I question its long-term cellaring potential (ie past 2010). Close to drinking well even now – drink before your 96s.

Alcohol – 13.0 %


1996 Cabernets | Score: 96 | Drink: Now

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep crimson.

Nose – Blackberry, black cherry and plums. Cedar, oak balanced, some earthy tones.

Palate – Rich. Fruit displays perfect balance between fruit sweetness and savoury elegance. Ripe tannins, complex and integrated. One of the greatest vintages by which the others may be judged- an absolute classic – but don’t drink till 2005 at earliest. Wow!

Alcohol – 13.9 %


1995 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Severe drought.

Colour – Deep garnet–crimson.

Nose – Light blackberry fruit. New wood apparent with some tea leaf / tobacco leaf aromas. Tomato bush.

Palate – Strong concentration of fruit – savoury with slightly drying tannins. Some jammy fruit flavors cause the wine to be slightly forward and finish a little short. Still a very enjoyable wine.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1994 Cabernets | Score: 93 | Drink: Now

Season – Dry

Colour – Deep crimson

Nose – Berry lift. Some leathery development and forest floor tones. Cashews and violets.

Palate – Lovely balance and development. Ripe tannins and good length of flavour. Still some cherry / berry characters, but giving way to additional aged complex characters. Beginning to drink well.

Alcohol – 12.4 %


1993 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, late vintage.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Burgundy. Tomato bush. Some herbal and leather tones.

Palate – Fine. A delicately structured wine – a little Burgundian with great length of flavour. Not a big wine but nice intensity. Drinking wonderfully at present.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1992 Cabernet | Score: 86 | Drink: Now

Season – Growing season very dry, but wet vintage.

Colour – Medium brick red–crimson.

Nose – Canned bean, slightly cooked confectionary, Christmas cake aromas.

Palate – A lighter style with red berry fruits. Displays some “flesh” but finishes a little short.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1991 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Hot, dry.

Colour – Brick red, slight brown hue.

Nose – Leathery, slightly iodide, gamey, earthy / tobacco. Some Christmas cake. Complex.

Palate – Good fruit sweetness with cedary tones. Lighter than expected for a 91. Drinking well at present, very savoury with a long finish. Tannins were out of balance for a considerable time, but settling down now. Hold onto magnums till 2006 at least.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1990 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Tomato bush, cedar, some slightly leafy aromas.

Palate – Great wine from a difficult year. Good fruit sweetness, but also displays a lovely savoury tone. Drinking beautifully at present. Some chocolate berry characters with leathery persistence.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1989 Cabernet | Score: 95 | Drink: Now

Season – Good, reduced crop.

Colour – Brick red, slight brown developed hue.

Nose – Gamey, leathery, earth, touch volatility, some menthol.

Palate – Big fruit with a slight hole in mid-palate. Quite gamey almost dirty, complex characters. Nice drinking, but requires good aeration at decanting.

NB: Magnum of this recently was outstanding – fruit sweet, complex, long palate. Have adjusted score accordingly

Alcohol – 12.9 %


1988 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet, good.

Nose – Sweet fruit aromas, some leathery tobacco aromas – complex.

Palate – Sweet fruit is balanced and rich. Elegant style with complexity and fine-grained tannins. Burgundy meets Bordeaux!

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1987 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Growing season  Excellent.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Earthy, dusty and huntery.

Palate – Concentrated with elegance. Sweet fruit, Christmas cake characters. Great balance and intensity. Not possible to get any better than now. Balanced, complex and structured.

Alcohol – 11.8 %


1986 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Very good.

Colour – Medium red, brown hue.

Nose – Sweet oak lift, though more dominated by cedary, earthy, leather tones, touch musty.

Palate – Some fruit sweetness, but mostly an elegant wine with nice balance and complexity. There appears to be an issue with some bottles of this wine with a musty, earthy, dank character. Whether a high incidence of poor corks from the batch is the issue, I am unsure. Good bottles drink very well – structured and holding up well.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1985 Cabernet | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Good growing season, some hail.

Colour – Medium brick red.

Nose – Slightly closed, but some olive / cherry and Christmas cake aromas.

Palate – Sweet fruit, aged, balanced, lovely old Folly – at its peak! Touch acidity evident, but tight-grained ripe tannins finish well.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1984 Cabernet | Score: 72 | Drink: Past best

Season – Wet


Colour – Poor, browning off.

Nose – Some aged leathery hunter tones.

Palate – Thin and lacking. Most Folly’s display elegance and finesse, this wine just fails to deliver. Some redeeming qualities but overall a disappointment – past its best.

Alcohol


1983 Cabernet | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Medium crimson, browning off.

Nose – Strong regional Hunter characters with red berry fruits. Unfortunately, some mercaptans, but also some lovely earthy, forest floor aromas.

Palate – Excellent aged Folly. Tightly structured with a still sweet fruit palate – great complex aged wine.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1982 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Score – 85

Drink – Now/some past their best.

Season – Good

Colour – Brick red, browning off.

Nose – Menthol, almost methoxypyrazine characters. Confectionary fruit. American oak.

Palate – Slightly lacks intensity on front palate but finishes long and savoury. A lovely, slightly finer wine.

Alcohol – 11.0 %


1981 Cabernet | Score: 91 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought.

Colour – Deep crimson.

Nose – Cedar / leather. Strong Hunter characters.

Palate  Velvety structure, sweet fruit, length, balance, finesse! Solid tannins will ensure good bottles will last a while yet. Lovely old wine.

Alcohol – 11.3 %


1980 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, very good.

Colour – Crimson, slight browning.

Nose – Lovely aged Huntery characters, but so much more. Fruits, tomato bush, cedar etc.

Palate – Elegance, softness of structure, complex, lovely – great!

Alcohol – 11.3 %


1975 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Good

Colour – Brick red, slight browning.

Nose – Nice Burgundian, tomato bush aromas. Touch leathery and Huntery. Slight VA.

Palate – Rich mid-palate, but a touch simple. Still good fruit sweetness in the pinot spectrum and holding together well. Well integrated but lacks some intensity. Tannins still firm. An elegant wine.


1972 Cabernet | Score: 95 | Drink: Immediately/some past best

Season – Good

Colour – Aged browning – no oxidation.

Nose – Forest floor, funky aromas. Strong Hunter dominance “sweaty saddle”, leather, mushroom.

Palate – For those not yet over the hill, this wine is remarkable! Displays all the layers of complexity expected from a great old Lake's Folly.


CHARDONNAY

2012 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Good growing season; wet vintage.

Colour – Straw with a green tinge.

Nose – Fantastic nose; clean, fruit-driven with white peach and a hint of citrus.

Palate – The palate weight is fine and elegant but retains a creamy texture. Oak is subtle and extremely well integrated and a great acid balance assists in its hallmark length of flavour.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2011 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2020+

Season – Good growing season; dry vintage.

Colour – Golden yellow with a green hue.

Nose – Aromas of white peach with a hint of lime.

Palate – Typical creamy mid-palate texture from yeast lees contact and barrel fermentation, and its usual hallmark great length of flavour.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2010 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2018

Season – Good growing season; some late vintage rain.

Colour – Light gold.

Nose – Lifted, clean aromas of citrus and stonefruit.

Palate – Fine and beautifully integrated. Stonefruit characters mesh with a creamy textural mouth feel from its time spent on yeast lees in barrel. Wonderful balance and length of flavour, as are the hallmarks of this Chardonnay.

Alcohol – 13.5%


2009 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2016

Season – Excellent growing season; ideal vintage conditions provided an outstanding year.

Colour – Golden in colour.

Nose – Aromas of white peach and hints of tropical fruits and charred oak.

Palate – The palate displays a creamy texture that is silky smooth and very stylish. As always, great balance, structure and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2008 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Good spring rain gave promise for a good vintage, but the rains were persistent and that, combined with lower temperatures and high humidity, resulted in a challenging and difficult vintage. That said, the cooler conditions allowed for excellent acid retention and resulted in a Chardonnay more Chablis in style than Burgundian, with the usual hallmark great length of flavour.

Colour – Yellow –gold in colour with a green hue.

Nose – Ripe white peach and lychees, complemented by elegant perfumed French oak.

Palate – Rich and creamy from the barrel fermentation and extended lees contact. Extremely well balanced, the white peach characters follow through with lingering persistence.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2007 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2015

Season – The 2007 vintage was a good one. The seventh straight year of drought, saw lower yields but produced wines with great intensity of flavour with no compromise to their balance and finesse.

Colour – Yellow –gold in colour with a green hue.

Nose – Ripe white peach and lychees, complemented by elegant perfumed French oak.

Palate – Rich and creamy from the barrel fermentation and extended lees contact. Extremely well balanced, the white peach characters follow through with lingering persistence.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2006 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now to 2016

Season – The 2006 vintage was a good one. Still in the grip of drought, the summer didn’t have quite the prolonged intensity of heat we saw from the previous vintages. A dry harvest period also assisted in getting the grapes to their optimum maturity.

Colour – Straw with green hue.

Nose – Aromas of lychees and stone-fruit, with a touch of oak.

Palate – Seamless with great structure and balance. Primary fruits meshing with complex barrel ferment characters and balanced oak make for a very enjoyable chardonnay – almost Burgundian in style.

Alcohol – 13.5%


2005 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Mild and dry, well timed rains pre-budburst and at veraison. Perfect ripening and picking conditions.

Colour – Golden with a green hue.

Nose – Complex, minerally with stone fruits (peaches mostly) and some sweet lifted oak aromas.

Palate  Rich and mouth filling, dominated by ripe peach flavours. A creamy, rich style, reminiscent of the 2000 vintage – it has plenty to offer in terms of flavour and complexity.

Alcohol – 14%


2004 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Very good growing and vintage conditions. Dry harvest.

Colour – Straw with a vibrant green hue.

Nose – Aroma of pristine white peach fruit.

Palate  Seamless – a tightly structured wine of great pedigree with a long rich finish

Alcohol – 13.5%


2003 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought, excellent.

Colour – Golden, slight green hue.

Nose – Minerally peach nose accompanied by sweet perfumed oak.

Palate – Rich, peachy fruit fills the front palate. Perfectly balanced, silky smooth with great length and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 13.7 %


2002 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Good growing season, some vintage rain.


Colour – Light golden, green hue.

Nose – Buttery, with peach and pear. Oak is sweet and integrated. Quite fruit dominant.

Palate – Rich fruit has nice balance and persistence of flavour. More pear and peach fruits, some nutty oak. Well-balanced typical Folly style. A tight, focused style.

Alcohol – 12.9 %


2001 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now

Season – Good growing season. Rain at vintage.

Colour – Straw gold, green hue.

Nose – Amazingly complex. Burgundian. Leesy, barrel fermentation characters mingle with nutty and pear fruits, some tropical characters. Nice!

Palate – Minerally, some passionfruit still evident but subduing with time, also pear and melon. Palate is fine and tight with great balance and structure. I underestimated this wine at release time, perhaps because it lacked the sheer power of the 2000, but while a much finer style, it is one of the best! Will live for a very long time and be at its best from 2008 on.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


2000 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep golden.

Nose – Rich powerful peach and lychees, with sweet nutty oak. Some butterscotch.

Palate – Wow! Rich, rich, rich. But not just a show pony. Powerful, well-balanced fruit (mostly peaches and fig), well managed oak, complexity of flavours. Rich, viscous and great persistence of flavour. A great wine by any standards. Even though over 15% alcohol, no sign of imbalance or alcohol hotness or phenolics.

Alcohol – 15.1 %


1999 Chardonnay | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Wonderful aged golden.

Nose  Complex aged, buttery chardonnay fruit characters of peach, roasted nuts and honeysuckle.

Palate – Glorious with soft rich fruit – almost honeyed, it is seamless and Moorish. While it may complex even more with time it drinks magnificently right at present. A perfectly balanced, delightful wine.

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1998 Chardonnay | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Hot and dry, but very good.


Colour – Golden.

Nose – Limey, citrus rind, nutty oak, commencement of honeysuckle.

Palate – Quite traditional, old-fashioned Folly style. Fruit is nicely balanced – almost elegant. Restrained slightly simple style that is drinking at its best now. Some aged honeysuckle / toasty characters. Slight phenolics on finish are in balance and the wine has nice length and persistence. At its peak now.

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1997 Chardonnay | Score: 88 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Developed golden.

Nose – Advanced, slightly aldehydic. Some lovely developed aromas of honeysuckle, toast and nuts.

Palate – Slightly finer style but nice richness of fruit still. Very toasty, honeyed. Has developed faster than its age would indicate and I would suggest drinking, as will not improve from here.

Alcohol – 13.0 %


1996 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep golden yellow.

Nose – Peachy, honeysuckle, sweet buttery oak, some minerally characters and toasty aromas – complex and promising of great things.

Palate – Follows on from nose, rich buttery glycerol palate with such intensity and complexity. Good bottles of this wine can sit proud amongst the best the world has to offer. An outstanding wine!

Alcohol – 13.9 %


1995 Chardonnay | Score: 87 | Drink: Immediately/some past best

Season – Severe drought.

Colour – Deep golden yellow.

Nose – Slight confectionary–lollyish, touch too developed, some toast.

Palate – Rich and generous, great acidity and persistence of ripe peachy fruit.

Alcohol – 12.6 %


1994 Chardonnay | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry

Colour – Golden

Nose – Citrus, melon. Some toasty honeyed aromas, nuts and apricot.

Palate – A relatively uncomplicated wine. Nice line of flavour, fine tight style. Some melon, peach and apricot. Simple, but balanced and focused. May outlive my recommended drink times, but drinks well now.

Alcohol – 12 %


1993 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, very late vintage.

Colour – Golden with still a slight green tinge.

Nose – Citrus, lemon rind. Clean vibrant nose, some lanolin and light honeysuckle. Tight and elegant.

Palate – Elegant, fine, structured. Almost some aged Semillon characters of lime and lanolin – great finesse. May live for many years to come.

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1991 Chardonnay | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought.

Colour – Deep golden – slight browning.

Nose – Slightly matterised characters. Some honeyed peach aromas.

Palate – Full rich style – slightly past best but still good bottles drinking ok. Great length and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1989 Chardonnay Score | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Good

Colour – Lovely golden – youthful.

Nose – Light honeysuckle. Some melon.

Palate – Fine, tight palate. Long and balanced. Shows some honeysuckle richness, but mostly a very fine, structured tight style.

Alcohol – 12.9 %


1986 Chardonnay | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Very good.

Colour – Honeyed golden.

Nose – Still displays fruit. Fine chardonnay characters, some nice aged complexity.

Palate – Nice aged wine, a touch elementary, but has aged gracefully. Still displaying sound fruit with good balance and good bottles may live some time yet; though it is unlikely they will improve any further.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


1983 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent.

Colour – Golden yellow.

Nose – Stunning! Peachy, buttery and toasty. Complex and interesting.

Palate – Buttery and fruit rich. Elegant, fine style. Remarkable for a 20 year old chardonnay – looks 8 yrs old!

Alcohol – 12.7 %


1974 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet

Colour – Golden – No sign of oxidation on this bottle – opened March 2003.

Nose – Honey, honeysuckle, slightly confectionary with nice oak still evident. Aged complexity at its best!

Palate – Very rich mid-palate, still shows acid. Honeyed, buttery, rich, complex, wonderful. A truly remarkable wine. Proves that with old wines, it is not so much a matter of great old vintages as great old bottles. This wine was amazing.

Alcohol

Note: Tasting notes for the 2001 Cabernets and older red vintages, and the 2002 Chardonnay and older whites, were written when these wines were reviewed during a major vertical tasting held in 2003.

Scores and recommended drinking times updated March 2014.

CABERNETS

2011 Cabernets  |  Score:  96+  |  Drink:  Now to 2025+

Season  Excellent growing conditions.

Colour – Deep red with a purple hue.

Nose – Incredibly lifted nose, black cherries and chocolate, and hints of plums.

Palate – The palate is rich, soft and silky with perfect soft tannins, even at this stage. Fruit dominant palate of delicious black cherries, plums and hints of cigar box and slight earthiness. Oak is supportive but not apparent. An outstanding vintage that will rank amongst the greatest Cabernets made here.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2010 Cabernets  |  Score:  92  |  Drink:  2021 to 2025

Season  Excellent growing conditions; some late rain.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Aromas of dark fruits, black cherry and blackberry, with hints of charred oak and coffee.

Palate – The palate is deceptive in that it is elegant but has definite underlying power. Recent tastings have proven this wine improves after being opened for a day or event longer, which confirms my thoughts that it will open up into something special in a few years' time, and have great longevity as usual.

Alcohol – 12.7%


2009 Cabernets | Score: 95 | Drink: 2019 to 2029

Season  Excellent growing season and vintage conditions.

Colour – Dark red with a purple hue.

Nose – Vibrant lifted cherry and dark chocolate aromas with hints of toasted oak.

Palate – The palate has lovely clean, sweet fruit flavours of cherry, blackcurrant and white pepper. Soft tannins and a wonderful acid balance complement what must be one of the best Cabernets made here in the past decade. A structured, stylish wine that drinks well now, but will mature beautifully.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2008 'Folly Red' | Score: 90 | Drink: 2018 to 2020

100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Declassified)

Season  The 2008 vintage was a challenge; persistent summer rains, low temperatures and high humidity levels tested us all. While the whites came off relatively unscathed, red varieties in the Hunter struggled  with one exception: Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2008 vintage saw only the best of our Cabernet grapes hold up and, as a result, the 2008 vintage is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon  only 1000 dozen was made.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Aromas of cherries and plums with hints of rose petal and cedar.

Palate – Soft, stylish and elegant with cherry and plum fruits flowing through. Good supporting oak and nice acid structure ensure this typical Lake's Folly red will go the distance and surprise many in years to come.

Alcohol – 12.0%


2007 Cabernets | Score: 94 | Drink: 2016 to 2022

Season  The 2007 vintage was a good one. The seventh straight year of drought, saw lower yields but produced wines with great intensity of flavour with no compromise to their balance and finesse.

Colour – Dense brick red colour with a light purple hue.

Nose – Sweet berry aromas of blackberry, cherry and a hint of dark chocolate.

Palate – Velvety soft, with dominant berry characters; will complex over time and develop into a great wine.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2006 Cabernets | Score: 93 | Drink: 2014 to 2020

Season  The 2006 vintage was a good one. Still in the grip of drought, the summer didn’t have quite the prolonged intensity of heat we saw from the previous vintages. A dry harvest period also assisted in getting the grapes to their optimum maturity.

Colour – Deep red.

Nose – Aromas of black cherry, mulberry and chocolate – a bit like blackforest cake.

Palate – Soft and rich; medium-bodied in weight and, whilst the tannins are typically soft, it has a greath length of flavour. A stylish complete wine that will age in the usual way.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2005 Cabernets | Score: 94 | Drink: 2015 to 2025

Season – Mild and dry, well timed rains pre-budburst and at veraison. Perfect ripening and picking conditions.

Colour  Vibrant brick red.

Nose  Wonderful fruits of fresh black cherries, raspberries and blackberries with a hint of dark chocolate. The oak is so well integrated and assists in the tightness and complexity of the wine.

Palate  Excellent, fresh clean berry fruits burst onto the palate; it is smooth and seamless with just a touch of clean acidity that will ensure this wine lives for a good two decades. Soft tannins with a great length of flavour and persistence – an excellent vintage.

Alcohol – 13%


2004 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: 2014 to 2020

Season – Very good growing and vintage conditions. Dry harvest.

Colour  Vibrant brick red.

Nose  Displays cherry, violets and some mocha coffee aromas.

Palate  Fantastic. Perfect balance and great fruit sweetness. A very classy, elegantly structured style that drinks so well even right now, but will age gracefully for up to 20 years.

Alcohol – 12%


2003 Cabernet | Score: 94 | Drink: 2020

Season – Drought, excellent.

Colour – Deep crimson with purple hues.

Nose – Quite strong black fruits of blackberry and black cherry. Displays layers of complexity as do all great wines. Some leathery tones, cedar and lovely oak support.

Palate – Ripe blackberry and black cherry fruits. Rich style that still displays elegance and finesse though with good power and balance. Tannins will settle more with time.

Alcohol – 12.5%


2002 Cabernet | Score: 91 | Drink: 2018

Season – Great growing season, some early vintage rain.

Colour – Deep brick red.

Nose – Cedary, blackberry and plums, some leather.

Palate – Soft, elegant and balanced. A fine style displaying finesse and structure with wonderful fruit sweetness in the mid-palate.

Alcohol – 12.6%


2001 Cabernet Blend | Score: 92 | Drink: Now to 2018

Season  Good growing season, rain at vintage.

Colour – Crimson with purple hue.

Nose – Lovely berry characters (cherry and blackberry) integrate with floral aromas of violets, sweet oak and a touch of cedary leather.

Palate – Some initial berry sweetness, but mid-palate is quite savoury with tannins slightly drying. Not a huge wine, but a structured, tight style that will integrate and improve with time. Definitely a long living wine.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


2000 Cabernet Blend | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep crimson with purple hues.

Nose – Rich berry fruits dominate, predominantly blackberry and blackcurrant. Cedar, some chocolate – complex and rich.

Palate – Follows on from the nose. Rich berry fruits, soft, beautifully structured palate, sweet fruit perfectly balanced. A great wine with concentration of flavours harmoniously balanced. A classic Lake's Folly – one of the best.

Alcohol – 14.5 %


1999 Cabernet Blend | Score: 92 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Very good.

Colour – Excellent, a vibrant brick red with no dulling or browning.

Nose – Distinctly Hunter, with leather and earth floor tones, but still displaying good primary fruits of black cherry and raspberry, coupled with sweet cedar and cigar box aromas.

Palate – Savoury, stylish and youthful, the tannins have settled down considerably on this wine – now fine-grained and chewy. Primary fruits of blackberry are still evident, but beginning to give way to more complexed bottle development. Remarkably good drinking at present considering in its mid-life phase, this wine will of course improve further and drink magnificently in another 35 years+.

Alcohol – 13.2 % 


1998 Cabernet Blend | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Hot and dry, but very good.

Colour – Deep crimson with just a hint of dulling off on edges.

Nose – Complex. Strong blackcurrant lifted fruit nose. Some leathery cigar box characters. Liquorice Allsorts. Some cedar.

Palate – Wonderful. Perfect balance of fruit sweetness and savoury balance. Complex, interesting wine of considerable pedigree. Ripe tannins and careful oak usage creates an almost perfect wine. Outstanding!

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1997 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Crimson–ruby red.

Nose – Berry aromas dominate. Leathery, earthy with slightly herbaceous undertones and some vanillin oak.

Palate – Lighter, finer style, lacking a little mid palate weight, but lovely structure and length of flavour. A touch Burgundian. Some slightly shaded fruit characters (similar to some Coonawarra Cabs), but dominated by Hunter – leather, tobacco, earth. The 97s (both red and white) seem rapid developers, and I question its long-term cellaring potential (ie past 2010). Close to drinking well even now – drink before your 96s.

Alcohol – 13.0 %


1996 Cabernets | Score: 96 | Drink: Now

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep crimson.

Nose – Blackberry, black cherry and plums. Cedar, oak balanced, some earthy tones.

Palate – Rich. Fruit displays perfect balance between fruit sweetness and savoury elegance. Ripe tannins, complex and integrated. One of the greatest vintages by which the others may be judged- an absolute classic – but don’t drink till 2005 at earliest. Wow!

Alcohol – 13.9 %


1995 Cabernets | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Severe drought.

Colour – Deep garnet–crimson.

Nose – Light blackberry fruit. New wood apparent with some tea leaf / tobacco leaf aromas. Tomato bush.

Palate – Strong concentration of fruit – savoury with slightly drying tannins. Some jammy fruit flavors cause the wine to be slightly forward and finish a little short. Still a very enjoyable wine.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1994 Cabernets | Score: 93 | Drink: Now

Season – Dry

Colour – Deep crimson

Nose – Berry lift. Some leathery development and forest floor tones. Cashews and violets.

Palate – Lovely balance and development. Ripe tannins and good length of flavour. Still some cherry / berry characters, but giving way to additional aged complex characters. Beginning to drink well.

Alcohol – 12.4 %


1993 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, late vintage.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Burgundy. Tomato bush. Some herbal and leather tones.

Palate – Fine. A delicately structured wine – a little Burgundian with great length of flavour. Not a big wine but nice intensity. Drinking wonderfully at present.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1992 Cabernet | Score: 86 | Drink: Now

Season – Growing season very dry, but wet vintage.

Colour – Medium brick red–crimson.

Nose – Canned bean, slightly cooked confectionary, Christmas cake aromas.

Palate – A lighter style with red berry fruits. Displays some “flesh” but finishes a little short.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1991 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now

Season – Hot, dry.

Colour – Brick red, slight brown hue.

Nose – Leathery, slightly iodide, gamey, earthy / tobacco. Some Christmas cake. Complex.

Palate – Good fruit sweetness with cedary tones. Lighter than expected for a 91. Drinking well at present, very savoury with a long finish. Tannins were out of balance for a considerable time, but settling down now. Hold onto magnums till 2006 at least.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1990 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Tomato bush, cedar, some slightly leafy aromas.

Palate – Great wine from a difficult year. Good fruit sweetness, but also displays a lovely savoury tone. Drinking beautifully at present. Some chocolate berry characters with leathery persistence.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1989 Cabernet | Score: 95 | Drink: Now

Season – Good, reduced crop.

Colour – Brick red, slight brown developed hue.

Nose – Gamey, leathery, earth, touch volatility, some menthol.

Palate – Big fruit with a slight hole in mid-palate. Quite gamey almost dirty, complex characters. Nice drinking, but requires good aeration at decanting.

NB: Magnum of this recently was outstanding – fruit sweet, complex, long palate. Have adjusted score accordingly

Alcohol – 12.9 %


1988 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet, good.

Nose – Sweet fruit aromas, some leathery tobacco aromas – complex.

Palate – Sweet fruit is balanced and rich. Elegant style with complexity and fine-grained tannins. Burgundy meets Bordeaux!

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1987 Cabernet | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Growing season  Excellent.

Colour – Brick red.

Nose – Earthy, dusty and huntery.

Palate – Concentrated with elegance. Sweet fruit, Christmas cake characters. Great balance and intensity. Not possible to get any better than now. Balanced, complex and structured.

Alcohol – 11.8 %


1986 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Very good.

Colour – Medium red, brown hue.

Nose – Sweet oak lift, though more dominated by cedary, earthy, leather tones, touch musty.

Palate – Some fruit sweetness, but mostly an elegant wine with nice balance and complexity. There appears to be an issue with some bottles of this wine with a musty, earthy, dank character. Whether a high incidence of poor corks from the batch is the issue, I am unsure. Good bottles drink very well – structured and holding up well.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1985 Cabernet | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Good growing season, some hail.

Colour – Medium brick red.

Nose – Slightly closed, but some olive / cherry and Christmas cake aromas.

Palate – Sweet fruit, aged, balanced, lovely old Folly – at its peak! Touch acidity evident, but tight-grained ripe tannins finish well.

Alcohol – 12.2 %


1984 Cabernet | Score: 72 | Drink: Past best

Season – Wet


Colour – Poor, browning off.

Nose – Some aged leathery hunter tones.

Palate – Thin and lacking. Most Folly’s display elegance and finesse, this wine just fails to deliver. Some redeeming qualities but overall a disappointment – past its best.

Alcohol


1983 Cabernet | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Medium crimson, browning off.

Nose – Strong regional Hunter characters with red berry fruits. Unfortunately, some mercaptans, but also some lovely earthy, forest floor aromas.

Palate – Excellent aged Folly. Tightly structured with a still sweet fruit palate – great complex aged wine.

Alcohol – 12.0 %


1982 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Score – 85

Drink – Now/some past their best.

Season – Good

Colour – Brick red, browning off.

Nose – Menthol, almost methoxypyrazine characters. Confectionary fruit. American oak.

Palate – Slightly lacks intensity on front palate but finishes long and savoury. A lovely, slightly finer wine.

Alcohol – 11.0 %


1981 Cabernet | Score: 91 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought.

Colour – Deep crimson.

Nose – Cedar / leather. Strong Hunter characters.

Palate  Velvety structure, sweet fruit, length, balance, finesse! Solid tannins will ensure good bottles will last a while yet. Lovely old wine.

Alcohol – 11.3 %


1980 Cabernet | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, very good.

Colour – Crimson, slight browning.

Nose – Lovely aged Huntery characters, but so much more. Fruits, tomato bush, cedar etc.

Palate – Elegance, softness of structure, complex, lovely – great!

Alcohol – 11.3 %


1975 Cabernet | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Good

Colour – Brick red, slight browning.

Nose – Nice Burgundian, tomato bush aromas. Touch leathery and Huntery. Slight VA.

Palate – Rich mid-palate, but a touch simple. Still good fruit sweetness in the pinot spectrum and holding together well. Well integrated but lacks some intensity. Tannins still firm. An elegant wine.


1972 Cabernet | Score: 95 | Drink: Immediately/some past best

Season – Good

Colour – Aged browning – no oxidation.

Nose – Forest floor, funky aromas. Strong Hunter dominance “sweaty saddle”, leather, mushroom.

Palate – For those not yet over the hill, this wine is remarkable! Displays all the layers of complexity expected from a great old Lake's Folly.


CHARDONNAY

2012 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Good growing season; wet vintage.

Colour – Straw with a green tinge.

Nose – Fantastic nose; clean, fruit-driven with white peach and a hint of citrus.

Palate – The palate weight is fine and elegant but retains a creamy texture. Oak is subtle and extremely well integrated and a great acid balance assists in its hallmark length of flavour.

Alcohol – 13.0%


2011 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2020+

Season – Good growing season; dry vintage.

Colour – Golden yellow with a green hue.

Nose – Aromas of white peach with a hint of lime.

Palate – Typical creamy mid-palate texture from yeast lees contact and barrel fermentation, and its usual hallmark great length of flavour.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2010 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2018

Season – Good growing season; some late vintage rain.

Colour – Light gold.

Nose – Lifted, clean aromas of citrus and stonefruit.

Palate – Fine and beautifully integrated. Stonefruit characters mesh with a creamy textural mouth feel from its time spent on yeast lees in barrel. Wonderful balance and length of flavour, as are the hallmarks of this Chardonnay.

Alcohol – 13.5%


2009 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now to 2016

Season – Excellent growing season; ideal vintage conditions provided an outstanding year.

Colour – Golden in colour.

Nose – Aromas of white peach and hints of tropical fruits and charred oak.

Palate – The palate displays a creamy texture that is silky smooth and very stylish. As always, great balance, structure and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2008 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2020

Season – Good spring rain gave promise for a good vintage, but the rains were persistent and that, combined with lower temperatures and high humidity, resulted in a challenging and difficult vintage. That said, the cooler conditions allowed for excellent acid retention and resulted in a Chardonnay more Chablis in style than Burgundian, with the usual hallmark great length of flavour.

Colour – Yellow –gold in colour with a green hue.

Nose – Ripe white peach and lychees, complemented by elegant perfumed French oak.

Palate – Rich and creamy from the barrel fermentation and extended lees contact. Extremely well balanced, the white peach characters follow through with lingering persistence.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2007 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now to 2015

Season – The 2007 vintage was a good one. The seventh straight year of drought, saw lower yields but produced wines with great intensity of flavour with no compromise to their balance and finesse.

Colour – Yellow –gold in colour with a green hue.

Nose – Ripe white peach and lychees, complemented by elegant perfumed French oak.

Palate – Rich and creamy from the barrel fermentation and extended lees contact. Extremely well balanced, the white peach characters follow through with lingering persistence.

Alcohol – 14.0%


2006 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now to 2016

Season – The 2006 vintage was a good one. Still in the grip of drought, the summer didn’t have quite the prolonged intensity of heat we saw from the previous vintages. A dry harvest period also assisted in getting the grapes to their optimum maturity.

Colour – Straw with green hue.

Nose – Aromas of lychees and stone-fruit, with a touch of oak.

Palate – Seamless with great structure and balance. Primary fruits meshing with complex barrel ferment characters and balanced oak make for a very enjoyable chardonnay – almost Burgundian in style.

Alcohol – 13.5%


2005 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Mild and dry, well timed rains pre-budburst and at veraison. Perfect ripening and picking conditions.

Colour – Golden with a green hue.

Nose – Complex, minerally with stone fruits (peaches mostly) and some sweet lifted oak aromas.

Palate  Rich and mouth filling, dominated by ripe peach flavours. A creamy, rich style, reminiscent of the 2000 vintage – it has plenty to offer in terms of flavour and complexity.

Alcohol – 14%


2004 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Very good growing and vintage conditions. Dry harvest.

Colour – Straw with a vibrant green hue.

Nose – Aroma of pristine white peach fruit.

Palate  Seamless – a tightly structured wine of great pedigree with a long rich finish

Alcohol – 13.5%


2003 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought, excellent.

Colour – Golden, slight green hue.

Nose – Minerally peach nose accompanied by sweet perfumed oak.

Palate – Rich, peachy fruit fills the front palate. Perfectly balanced, silky smooth with great length and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 13.7 %


2002 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Good growing season, some vintage rain.


Colour – Light golden, green hue.

Nose – Buttery, with peach and pear. Oak is sweet and integrated. Quite fruit dominant.

Palate – Rich fruit has nice balance and persistence of flavour. More pear and peach fruits, some nutty oak. Well-balanced typical Folly style. A tight, focused style.

Alcohol – 12.9 %


2001 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now

Season – Good growing season. Rain at vintage.

Colour – Straw gold, green hue.

Nose – Amazingly complex. Burgundian. Leesy, barrel fermentation characters mingle with nutty and pear fruits, some tropical characters. Nice!

Palate – Minerally, some passionfruit still evident but subduing with time, also pear and melon. Palate is fine and tight with great balance and structure. I underestimated this wine at release time, perhaps because it lacked the sheer power of the 2000, but while a much finer style, it is one of the best! Will live for a very long time and be at its best from 2008 on.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


2000 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep golden.

Nose – Rich powerful peach and lychees, with sweet nutty oak. Some butterscotch.

Palate – Wow! Rich, rich, rich. But not just a show pony. Powerful, well-balanced fruit (mostly peaches and fig), well managed oak, complexity of flavours. Rich, viscous and great persistence of flavour. A great wine by any standards. Even though over 15% alcohol, no sign of imbalance or alcohol hotness or phenolics.

Alcohol – 15.1 %


1999 Chardonnay | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Wonderful aged golden.

Nose  Complex aged, buttery chardonnay fruit characters of peach, roasted nuts and honeysuckle.

Palate – Glorious with soft rich fruit – almost honeyed, it is seamless and Moorish. While it may complex even more with time it drinks magnificently right at present. A perfectly balanced, delightful wine.

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1998 Chardonnay | Score: 92 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Hot and dry, but very good.


Colour – Golden.

Nose – Limey, citrus rind, nutty oak, commencement of honeysuckle.

Palate – Quite traditional, old-fashioned Folly style. Fruit is nicely balanced – almost elegant. Restrained slightly simple style that is drinking at its best now. Some aged honeysuckle / toasty characters. Slight phenolics on finish are in balance and the wine has nice length and persistence. At its peak now.

Alcohol – 13.1 %


1997 Chardonnay | Score: 88 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet vintage.

Colour – Developed golden.

Nose – Advanced, slightly aldehydic. Some lovely developed aromas of honeysuckle, toast and nuts.

Palate – Slightly finer style but nice richness of fruit still. Very toasty, honeyed. Has developed faster than its age would indicate and I would suggest drinking, as will not improve from here.

Alcohol – 13.0 %


1996 Chardonnay | Score: 95 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent

Colour – Deep golden yellow.

Nose – Peachy, honeysuckle, sweet buttery oak, some minerally characters and toasty aromas – complex and promising of great things.

Palate – Follows on from nose, rich buttery glycerol palate with such intensity and complexity. Good bottles of this wine can sit proud amongst the best the world has to offer. An outstanding wine!

Alcohol – 13.9 %


1995 Chardonnay | Score: 87 | Drink: Immediately/some past best

Season – Severe drought.

Colour – Deep golden yellow.

Nose – Slight confectionary–lollyish, touch too developed, some toast.

Palate – Rich and generous, great acidity and persistence of ripe peachy fruit.

Alcohol – 12.6 %


1994 Chardonnay | Score: 89 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry

Colour – Golden

Nose – Citrus, melon. Some toasty honeyed aromas, nuts and apricot.

Palate – A relatively uncomplicated wine. Nice line of flavour, fine tight style. Some melon, peach and apricot. Simple, but balanced and focused. May outlive my recommended drink times, but drinks well now.

Alcohol – 12 %


1993 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Dry, very late vintage.

Colour – Golden with still a slight green tinge.

Nose – Citrus, lemon rind. Clean vibrant nose, some lanolin and light honeysuckle. Tight and elegant.

Palate – Elegant, fine, structured. Almost some aged Semillon characters of lime and lanolin – great finesse. May live for many years to come.

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1991 Chardonnay | Score: 90 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Drought.

Colour – Deep golden – slight browning.

Nose – Slightly matterised characters. Some honeyed peach aromas.

Palate – Full rich style – slightly past best but still good bottles drinking ok. Great length and persistence of flavour.

Alcohol – 12.5 %


1989 Chardonnay Score | Score: 94 | Drink: Now

Season – Good

Colour – Lovely golden – youthful.

Nose – Light honeysuckle. Some melon.

Palate – Fine, tight palate. Long and balanced. Shows some honeysuckle richness, but mostly a very fine, structured tight style.

Alcohol – 12.9 %


1986 Chardonnay | Score: 85 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Very good.

Colour – Honeyed golden.

Nose – Still displays fruit. Fine chardonnay characters, some nice aged complexity.

Palate – Nice aged wine, a touch elementary, but has aged gracefully. Still displaying sound fruit with good balance and good bottles may live some time yet; though it is unlikely they will improve any further.

Alcohol – 12.7 %


1983 Chardonnay | Score: 93 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Excellent.

Colour – Golden yellow.

Nose – Stunning! Peachy, buttery and toasty. Complex and interesting.

Palate – Buttery and fruit rich. Elegant, fine style. Remarkable for a 20 year old chardonnay – looks 8 yrs old!

Alcohol – 12.7 %


1974 Chardonnay | Score: 94 | Drink: Now/some past best

Season – Wet

Colour – Golden – No sign of oxidation on this bottle – opened March 2003.

Nose – Honey, honeysuckle, slightly confectionary with nice oak still evident. Aged complexity at its best!

Palate – Very rich mid-palate, still shows acid. Honeyed, buttery, rich, complex, wonderful. A truly remarkable wine. Proves that with old wines, it is not so much a matter of great old vintages as great old bottles. This wine was amazing.

Alcohol
  • Welcome
I'm 18+ years old

By entering our website you are agreeing that
you are legal age for alcoholic drinks