Here’s another one of those wines that have sat at the back of my cellar and not been reviewed before. I bought this exactly three years ago and it’s now sitting nicely in the middle of its drinking window.

Luke Lambert advised that yields for 2014 chardonnay were down 70% from previous years so there was never much of this about. It sold out at cellar door on release.

Mike Bennie (The Wine Front) commented “geez, I like the way he handles chardonnay. Like that ‘touch of Jura’ to them.”

I’ve got 17 bottles in Melbourne which can be here week before Easter if ordered (note: next airfreight closes 8 April), no minimum purchase. The fall in the A$ has clipped a bit off the previous listed price of S$54, so it’s now being sold at S$50.

Cheers!

David Boxall

This is a brand new release from Jackson Family Wines’ range of Zena Crown pinots, in fact in doesn’t even appear on their website as yet. A first for the US and a first for Singapore.

Listed in the US at US$75, it’s S$113 here, so pretty close to a straight US$/S$ equivalent.

I’ve got plenty in Singapore so you might want to stock your wine fridge whilst I sort out the challenges with the new Australian air regulations.

You might also like to try the other Zena Crown pinots, all in stock in Singapore:

2013 Conifer – 9 btls – S$113 – Wine Spectator 91
2014 Confer – 8 btls – S$103 – James Suckling 93
2015 Conifer – 15 btls – S$113 – Wine Spectator 94

2013 Slope – 9 btls – S$113 – Wine Spectator 93
2014 Slope – 13 btls – S$137 – Robert Parker 93+
2015 Slope – 14 btls – S$113 – Robert Parker 93+

2014 The Sum – 13 btls – S$103 – Robert Parker 92

Cheers!

David Boxall

My goodness, I really do need to be more diligent in checking what’s in my temperature-controlled coolroom in Australia.

Here’s a chardonnay that I bought back in October 2014 (!), took 3 bottles from the case for myself, and then forgot to tell anyone else about it.

I’m rectifying that here now, but expect to see some more nicely aged wines coming on offer over the next few months.

Originally listed at S$57, the A$ is being kind to us in Singapore presently so it’s now S$54. There’s 6 bottles in Melbourne that can come up in early April if ordered, no minimum as usual. Please have a look at the attachment for Halliday’s comments.

I’ve also got a few bottles left of the 2012 vintage at S$49, also Halliday 95, and drink by 2020.

Cheers,

David Boxall

This 2015 Zena Crown ‘Slope’ Pinot Noir arrived direct from Jackson Family Wines of the US on Friday. Perfect timing.

It’s rated 93+ by Robert Parker (reviewed by Erin Brooks).

At S$113 all up, including free delivery, it’s just a smidgeon above the S$ equivalent of the US$ home price.

I also got 9 bottles of a back vintage, the 2013. Here’s what I now have of Zena Crown ‘Slope’ Pinot Noir.

2013 – 9 bottles – S$ 113 – RRP US$75 – Wine Spectator 93 – drink to 2023
2014 – 13 bottles – S$137 – RRP US$100 – Robert Parker 93+ – drink to 2025
2015 – 15 bottles – S$113 – RRP US$75 – Robert Parker 93+ – drink to 2025

Cheers!

David Boxall

Henty is not exactly top-of-the-mind when it comes to naming wine regions in Victoria. It’s 300+ kms west of Melbourne in the far SW corner of Victoria. Hardly on a major wine tourist route then. Importantly though, the Henty Wine Region includes the town and surrounds of Portland on the coast, and it’s near Portland that the Henty brothers planted Victoria’s first vineyard.

Yes, I thought that might come as a surprise.

Another surprise might be that the vines came from Tasmania…Launceston to be precise.

These days, you might be familiar with Crawford River, Henty Estate, and Hentyfarm from the region.

Halliday gives the 2015 Regional Selection pinot 97 points with Ballarat and Geelong at 96. I have them all if you’d like to compare. The others are:

2015 Regional Series Ballarat – $62 – Halliday 96 – 2030
2015 Regional Series Geelong – $62 – Halliday 96 – 2035

All in Melbourne.

Cheers!

David Boxall

Here’s another wine that’s been quietly gathering some age in my Australian coolroom. I originally purchased 4 cases from Michael Hall in February 2016 and promoted it by email shortly afterwards, selling about half. There’s still just short of 2 cases left so here it is again, and now nicely in its drinking window of 2017-2027 if you follow Campbell Mattinson, or nudging up to 2020 if you follow James Suckling.

A quick look on winesearcher.com shows an auction price of A$58 now rather than the release price of A$48.

There’s 2 bottles in Singapore that can be delivered now and another 17 bottles in Melbourne that can come up 3rd week of March if ordered. As usual, no minimum purhase and free delivery.

Other Michael Hall reds you might want to try:

2012 “Stone Well” Barossa Valley Shiraz – S$63 – Halliday 95, Australian Financial Review Top 20 Wines of 2015
2013 “Sang de Pigeon” Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir – S$51 – Halliday 95
2014 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir – S$67 – Halliday 95