Wine Reviews

2016 Grenache Mataro Graciano

“A harmonious 44/38/18% blend, unencumbered by new oak – 9 months in old French barrels. The freshness and purity of fruit shines through like a light beam. While it has pretty aromas and flavours of raspberries, sweet red cherries and licorice, they’re pared back by its savouriness and fine, sandy tannins. Unlikely one glass will suffice.” Score: 95/100 Tasted: 01 Jan 2018 Drink: by 2032

2016 Malbec

“The Malbec adds up to a mere 487 vines from a 5-acre site. There’s no denying the quality, and while it has the variety’s tell-tale dark plum and plummy character, it’s beautifully restrained and fresh. Hints of black shoe polish on new leather, exotic spices, and plush tannins fall into place.” Score: 95/100 Tasted: 01 January 2018 Drink: by 2028

2016 Shiraz

“No shortage of colour – a black-purple hue; there’s a certain amount of concentration but it’s not heavy with its flurry of dark and red fruits, hoisin, menthol and some cedary oak spice (aged 15 months in French barrels, 16% new). Fuller bodied and approachable now, but the fresh acidity and ripe, raw silk tannins will ensure it’ll age easily.” Score: 93/100 Tasted: 01 Jan 2018 Drink: by 2030

2016 Grenache

“When Grenache finds its groove, it rocks. Aside from its vibrancy and raspberry-like acidity racing across the medium-bodied palate, this takes in spiced cherry fruit, star anise and red licorice. Definitely not confection, it’s wonderfully savory, earthy and immensely pleasurable.” Score: 95/100 Tasted: 01 Jan 2018 Drink: by 2026

2016 Shiraz Malbec

“60/40% blend, and what a colour – deep, dark purple-garnet; these two gems, one a stalwart of the Vale, Malbec less well known, work in unison. Expect a fragrance of black shoe polish, dark plums, chocolate and a wave of ripe and pliable tannins crossing the length of the full-bodied palate. Add raspberry fresh acidity and there’s a wine of distinction.” Score: 95/100 Tasted: 01 Jan 2018 Drink: by 2030

‘Purist satsuma plum aroma from this shiraz ever, moorish & salivating, perhaps the signature aroma of this variety grown here. Salt bush and blackberry fruits with the lightest touch of Danish cocoa, an air of refinement here, composure. The moorish fruits deliver into the palate with fragrance, plum flesh, a lovely savoury touch and fine milk chocolate tannin. Stylish medium bodied Shiraz, reflecting the DNA of an exceptional McLaren Vale vintage.’

Shiraz 2015

‘Excellent name for a winery. I think we all feel a bit rudderless at whiles. Succulent style, and smooth with it. I’m smelling mixed berries, ginger biscuits, plenty of spice, and a little vanilla. Medium bodied, fruits of the forest, silky fine grained tannin, layers of spice, balanced acidity, and a fresh and juicy finish. Balance here is spot on. A little more finesse and sophistication than your usual McLaren Vale Shiraz, perhaps.’

Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Aug17 Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2018 – 2026 Posted 31 August 2017

Gary Walsh

Malbec 2015

‘Proprietor Doug Govan has a significant fancy for the wines of Wendouree, and indeed, some of his 487 Malbec vines are sourced from cuttings from Wendouree. What a good wine. It’s so Malbec-y and lovely. I’m thinking rich plum, rose oil, mint, spiced biscuits and vanilla, and maybe even lavender. Medium to full bodied, thick and fleshy tannin, mouth- perfume, and luxurious ripe plum, raspberry and cinnamon studded pear poached in, erm, Malbec?, settled acidity and a spicy plum duff aftertaste. Silky and long. It’s a life full of surprises, I reckon.’

Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Sep17 Alcohol : 14% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2017 – 2025+ Posted on 06 September 2017

Gary Walsh

Rudderless Vineyard Grenache Mataro Graciano 2015

Posted on 02 October 2017. All open fermented, all basket pressed, all into old French oak. Perfume. Great aromatic expression of berried fruits. Such a beautiful introduction. Forest berries, spice, pure blackberry, redder notes. It invites you straight in and then keeps you there. The palate, from there, not only doesn’t disappoint, but was essentially a foregone conclusion. McLaren Vale red wine, pure as a summer’s day. Creaminess to the texture the icing.

Rated : 93 Points Tasted : Oct17 Alcohol : 14% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2017 – 2024+

Campbell Mattinson

Rudderless Vineyard Grenache 2015

Posted on 02 October 2017. 15 months in old French oak for this beauty. A sweet fruit profile, a savouriness about the edges, a simple version of complexity. This wine expands through the palate like an open spinnaker, easygoing and taut at once, its curls of woodsmoke, blooms of cloves and pulls of violet-infused tannin the perfect foil for the bursts of raspberried, curranty, fresh-faced fruit. A gorgeous wine.

Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Oct17 Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2017 – 2024+

Campbell Mattinson

Rudderless Vineyard Malbec 2015

Posted on 06 September 2017. Proprietor Doug Govan has a significant fancy for the wines of Wendouree, and indeed, some of his 487 Malbec vines are sourced from cuttings from Wendouree. What a good wine. It’s so Malbec-y and lovely. I’m thinking rich plum, rose oil, mint, spiced biscuits and vanilla, and maybe even lavender. Medium to full bodied, thick and fleshy tannin, mouthperfume, and luxurious ripe plum, raspberry and cinnamon studded pear poached in, erm, Malbec?, settled acidity and a spicy plum duff aftertaste. Silky and long. It’s a life full of surprises, I reckon.

Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Sep17 Alcohol : 14% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2017 – 2025+

Gary Walsh

Rudderless Vineyard Shiraz 2015

Posted on 31 August 2017. Excellent name for a winery. I think we all feel a bit rudderless at whiles. Succulent style, and smooth with it. I’m smelling mixed berries, ginger biscuits, plenty of spice, and a little vanilla. Medium bodied, fruits of the forest, silky fine grained tannin, layers of spice, balanced acidity, and a fresh and juicy finish. Balance here is spot on. A little more finesse and sophistication than your usual McLaren Vale Shiraz, perhaps.

Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Aug17 Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $35 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2018 – 2026

Gary Walsh