Maybe I’m biased towards the straight variety rather than the blend.
I found every Riesling I tried in the area fitted into a recognisable regional style and, while showing subtle variations, were consistently superb expressions of the style. Most of the Semillon Sauvignon Blancs were outstanding wines though I didn’t pick up the same consistency of style.
Or maybe it’s just a case of Hughesy loves Riesling.
Moving into the reds, 2008 Sweet Dorothy Cabernet Rose ($19) was, as the name suggests, a sweeter style than most I’d tried, but that wasn’t a problem. Perfect summer drinking (yet again).
The 2006 Grenache Shiraz ($20) was smooth and would be almost unrecognisable to anyone who’d cut his teeth on the big Grenaches of yesteryear. They were on the last stocks of the 2005 Shiraz ($25) which was excellent, but you’d need to be quick.
2006 Sangiovese ($25) was excellent with a lovely velvety mouthfeel and every inch the 94-point wine that Halliday rates it as while the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) was summed up very nicely in the cellar notes as not shy in any way. At the same time, it’s not aggressive. It makes its presence felt without trying to knock your block off.
By this stage it was 11:45 with a circuit around the Spring Gully Loop to the Spring Gully Lookout as the next item on the itinerary, then another winery (well, maybe two) before lunch.