96 POINTS
James Halliday - Halliday Wine Companion
The olive edge to the cedar colour, and no hint of red, tells you there is going to be a large serving of dried fruits, spices, cakes and a brilliant streak of rancio-derived acidity coming up. And it's there in spades on the palate, with a harmonious, savoury spectrum, linked with a silver chain of acidity.
Gorgeously perfumed nose, full of caramelised sweet nuts, toffee, succulent dates, prunes and molasses. It is silky on the palate with a line of orange zest-like acidity balancing its viscous texture. Never-ending layered finish.
Judges: Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Stefan Neumann MS, Matt Walls
95 POINTS
Stuart Knox - The Real Review
A medium mahogany-brown colour with a hint of green into the rim. Sultanas, dark toffee and light soy aromas show in the glass. Luscious and intense on the palate, the concentration is in perfect harmony with the hint of brightening acidity. Complex toffee, grape and nutty notes all flow throughout to a long and clean finish. Ticks more than all the boxes for the style and is crazy value as well.
95 POINTS
Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion
Mid-cedar with an abundance of dried fruit - Flame seedless raisins and sultanas, chocolate coated toffee and coffee beans. Already a complex wine with the spirit integrated and the acidity keeping this from feeling too sweet. Spot on. 500ml.
95 POINTS
Huon Hooke - The Real Review
Medium-depth tawny-amber-orange colour with tinges of yellow and green at the edges. The bouquet is rich and muscaty, with notes of toffee and concentrated muscat grapiness, nicely mellowed by barrel maturation. The palate is lusciously sweet and balanced, supple and rounded, with a clean finish which is harmonious and delicious. A lovely after-dinner sipper, which would also be a great ice-cream topping. It's extraordinary value for money
95 POINTS
Huon Hooke - The Real Review
(500ml) Medium to deep red colour with tawny tinges and a lot of yellow in the rim. The bouquet is very perfumed with rose petal, floral scents as well as lovely muscat fruit but not so much raisining. The palate is very sweet and luscious, wonderfully deep and long with great flavour to match the high level of sweetness. Terrific freshness. A really smart muscat.
Mike Bennie - The Wine Front
Average age for the wine material here is nine to ten years old. Kept to a style over years. Looking for a bit more age character.
Woody, rancio notes, dried apricots, honey. Richness here but also a spicy lift. Has a woody constitution, a lightness and freshness and concentration is there but less sweet, more heat from neutral spirit but keeps the wine bright. Easy drinking, for wont of a better expression, with a very spicy, long trail of caramel sweetness through the finish. Lingering, mouth-coating golden syrup on raisin flavour. Clean and good.
2013 - Decanter World Wine Awards
Award: Silver - DWWA 2013