Tasmania

• 1 x Dr Edge Chardonnay Tasmania 2019
• 1 x Dr Edge Chardonnay East 2019
• 1 x Dr Edge Chardonnay North 2019
• 1 x Dr Edge Chardonnay South 2019

** Available for delivery from September 2022 ** 

98-99 Points - Stuart McCloskey “The bouquet smoulders with an intoxicating mix of autumnal fruits, spiced plum, sour cherries, rose petal, bergamot, blood orange and the full array of Asian spice. Light soy (soy, soused plum), liquorice stick and rehydrated porcini mushroom provide savoury intrigue along with an obvious saltiness - the marine lift is unmissable.  The palate feel is ample and enveloping – wonderfully seamless and surprisingly elegant. The tannins melt into a sumptuous core of fruit – black raspberry liquor too. The acidity is pitched perfectly – blood orange sorbet (almost effervescent – you’ll see). The finish is incredibly long and carries on for minute after minute.  In my experience, there are a handful of Pinot Noirs that offer such striking individuality – a nonconformist, but far from being wacky, and just for the sake of being ‘different.’  This wine is a striking demonstration of how far Pinot Noir can be pushed – it feels dark, brooding and mysterious. The complexity is entrancing. A very special experience and wine. Drink now to 2030+. Decant for 1-2 hours. Served using Zalto Burgundy glassware.”

Winemaker Notes: Expressive Riesling crafted in clay amphora (lightly cloudy).

Living wine relying on ancient knowledge and intuition. Energetic wine of expressive character and lo-fi technique. Domaine Simha Amphorae wines are crafted in white clay fermentation vessels. Derived from the cosmic golden ratio, the ovoid shape promotes a gentle passive convection current. Wine is energised by constant motion and naturally maintains a stable temperature. Micro porosity allows wine to breathe and evolve over time. Intricate geometric patterned Amphorae labels reference the exquisite architectural beauty of jali screens carved in stone.

Lotus blossoms floating in a cool pond.
Perfumed dewdrops on soft petals, lemon vervain, limestone, umami.
Memories on the wind.

 

95 Points - Jams Halliday "What a glorious wine enticing immediately starting with its heady aromas. Florals, humus, raspberries, cherries, bitter orange and no shortage of spices. It has a energy across the palate with a cooling menthol character and fine tannins. It seems at first delicate but it has plenty of definition."

Gary Walsh (The Wine Front) "Always interesting to taste Cooinda alongside Butcher’s Hill. Cherry, red fruits, spice, smoke, and herbal perfume. Medium bodied, strawberry with a tangy orange flavour, light but firm sandy tannin, sap and peel, lively acid profile, and bitter orange trailing on the long finish. Nervy kind of wine with quite a bit of energy."

Gary Walsh (The Wine Front) "Australia’s leading authority on Chardonnay north of 2065, Prof. John Humphrey, has been applying firm but fair pressure on me to get these wines reviewed. Let’s see if I get it right. Matchstick, ginger biscuits, lime and white peach, kiss of vanilla oak, and white flowers. It’s cool, refined, distinctly pure and minerally, not a huge amount of flavour, though what’s there is very appealing. Fine flinty texture, oatmeal and slightly toasty savoury things on a long lemon water-coloured finish. Beautiful thing. Diaphanous. High appeal on the glass to glass measure, but also delight in refinement and style."

Gary Walsh (The Wine Front) "Butcher’s Hill is the vineyard that has some limestone over sandstone, as opposed to Cooinda with the sandy loam over sandstone. Sandy Loam would be a nice name for someone, I think. Sweet dark raspberry and black cherry, exotic spices, subtle earthiness, dried roses. Medium-bodied, rich and silky tannin, a little sap and tang, but a core of plump red fruit with a distinct minerally thing going on, and a finish that’s bright and long, with some dried herb and peel seasoning. More perky, less deep this season, but shows the site to good effect."

The 2018 vintage was slightly warmer than the long-term average leading to rich and complex fruit coming from the Butcher’s Hill Vines. A layered nose of red plum, ripe cherry, black raspberry, charred wood, cedar spice and light smokey finish. A burst of freshness across the palate with wild raspberry and baking spice showing through, leading onto a light earthy note and fresh cracked pepper. An excellent tannin structure and balanced acid gives a long and rewarding finish.

95 Points - James Halliday "Poise and power in equal measure. Balanced flavours of white stone fruit sprinkled with lemon zest, ginger and oak spices. Finely tuned across the palate with texture from the lees influence, but still strikingly fine from its acidity."

Gary Walsh (The Wine Front) "A very good Chardonnay out of Butcher’s this year. As fit as a butcher’s dog, you might say. Smooth, composed, light in flavour, cool and savoury, white fruit and citrus flecked with exotic spice and aniseed, quartz-y texture, a little lemon rind in the long fresh finish. Texture is a highlight. So very elegant and adult. So nice."

The 2018 vintage had a slightly warmer than average year, this led to the richness that Butcher’s Hill is known for, however there were no heat spikes through the ripening period that allowed slow and even fruit development. The resulting wine is reminiscent of Grand Cru Chablis with a great deal of energy, tension and vitality. Partial malolactic fermentation (around 50%) allows the wine to combine and create complexity throughout the palate and the use of larger oak barrels (one third new) allows the penetration of ripe stone fruit and floral notes through the grapefruit acidity lingering with a long flinty finish.

97 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Grey Sands challenged themselves to produce a Tassie, Bordeaux right-bank, which is both admirable and delicious. The nose reveals dried spice box, fresh pencil shavings, blue and blackberry compote, violets and rosehip. The floral element unfolds with time, which is beautiful. The palate is chock-full of sweet black and blue fruits – they are ripe and insatiable juicy. Grip from the tannins arrives, providing some chew and frames the fruit fabulously. I detect anise and a little, sweet Asian spice. This one is really built for the cellar, but can be approached earlier if you decant for 4-6 hours. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

97 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Unfurling is the perfect word to describe how the bouquet develops with each passing sniff. A little aeration and served at the correct temperature (fridge cold is too cold) is the key to unravelling the complex bouquet. More orchard fruits (perhaps a little oxidised apple). Pear both fresh and in ‘drop’ form exudes with a deep core of crushed minerals – slate and chalk dominate. The style and flavours are crystal clear, mouth-wateringly juicy and super fresh. More orchard fruits develop together with white flowers and a spine of chalk. On the whole, this is an elegant and beautifully aromatic wine which demands time in the cellar. The palate is pure and skilfully orchestrated. A great wine in development. My score reflects the need for more bottle age – another point is sure to come in 3-5 years. Drinking now to 2030+. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey "My first Tassie Malbec and what a fabulous debut. The bouquet is deeply serious with savoury and oceanic aromatics from sea kelp, oyster shell (an overwhelming sense of marine) leading to pen ink and violet.   There is lovely ripeness and brisk acidity, translating into a powerful but fresh wine. There is some fruit opulence with deep plum leading to an assortment of black fruits. There’s a little fresh pencil shaving, violet, blueberry and a wealth of minerals… It's compact in stature, concentrated and balanced perfectly. Tannins in abundance, but these are ripe and work wonders with the fruit. To summarise, one of the most enjoyable Malbecs I have sampled for a long time with hidden power and concentration. The flavours last forever and I love the salinity on the finish. A serious Malbec which will last 10-15 years in the cellar. Decant for 2-4 hours and best served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware”

97+ Stuart McCloskey “100% Pinot Noir. The bouquet is ripe, highly elegant and defined by orchard fruits underpinned with subtle baking spices and the slightest hint of marzipan. The palate oozes with the same sensual charm as the Pinot Gris – just with a touch more grip on the finish. There’s a generous core of orchard fruit, which reminds me of my neighbour. My home adjoins a large orchard, and this reminds me of my journey home after taking a long walk around the nature reserve – I would help myself to a dew-drenched apple that satisfies my thirst with a little puckering grip. The acidity is racy, it’s super bright with a little chalk / mineral finish. The finish is long and mouth-watering. Of course, very much an infant and will be divine over the decade to come. Simply, a beautiful creation. This may form a natural deposit. Stand upright for approx. 30 mins before pouring and pour the last glass carefully… Do not overchill. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Stuart McCloskey “What a glorious nose – truly so. It’s brimming with dried apricot, salt / saline, layers of mineral, oyster shell, lemon oil, orange peel and smoked almonds.  The palate soars and the glycerol-richness is admirable for such a young wine. Given the intensity, this reminds me of drinking Grosses Gewächs wines from Germany. This is extraordinarily complex – I am honestly left speechless as it’s so young. Like Nick’s Chardonnay, the texture is velvety and super-expansive. Riesling without acidity is dead and flat – this, however, provides a perfect acid structure which creates a discreet frame around the juicy, ripe fruit (it’s almost dripping with ripe peach). Stony minerality along with a gorgeous, salty pang is a triumph. I love the mandarin note – perhaps a little iodine too. Unquestionably, the best, young Aussie Riesling I have ever sampled and certainly a step-up from the previous vintage. Utterly gorgeous now but, and over the next 5-15 years, you will be taken to new heights. Breathtaking purity. Sampled using Zalto Universal glassware.”

Stuart McCloskey “The bouquet is far from reserved and provides a heady and powerful mix of beeswax, oak, soaked oatmeal, fresh vanilla pod, peach and a wonderful floral kick. Freshness arrives in the form of lemon (more verbena than zest). The palate is medium to full-bodied, expansive and not overworked – There’s a natural flow and rhythm from start to finish. The palate is perfectly balanced with a penetrating line of acidity running through the centre.  The texture is silken and flavours ripe, which translates to immediate enjoyment. Stone fruits wash across the palate (nectarine / peach) lifted by minerals and citrus - the way the flavours fan out on the finish is such a joy. The savoury style adds a further level of complexity… Outstanding. Drink now to 2025. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Stuart McCloskey “My first comment being that this is a very different style to the previous Avancé vintage. The fruit component both on the nose and palate provides pillowing cushions of voluptuousness. If served blind, the bouquet reminds me of a plush, high-quality Pinot Noir from Sonoma. The perfumes exudes blood orange (unmistakable), black raspberry, spiced infused red fruits with some darker depths coming from black plums, damsons infused with a saline solution. My glass is supercharged with lavender, more sweet spice and a kirsch-like character. Avancé is on steroids. Take a sip and wait for the galloping flavours to hit you – The intensity is off the scale for a wine of this value (and clearly why we have lost 60% of our allocation). This flows with exotic richness, but I must emphasis the lightness of touch, the freshness and the salinity which adds a layer of grown-up sophistication – this is far from clumsy. Succulent, moreish and drenched with unbelievable goodness. A little floral-pastille character provides more layers of complexity. This is a full-throttle Tassie Pinot Noir which is going to create, quite the stir. I did not expect this – I am shocked and brimming with a huge smile. Drink now to 2030. Served with Zalto Burgundy glassware (I failed to decant and look at the result)…”

96+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay. I like the nose very much as it wafts from my glass with a crescendo of red berries, pomegranate, crisp green apples and chalk. The palate is super fresh and comes across more succulent and fuller compared to the Cuvee Catherine. The mousse is rich and the mid palate weight adds further depth and a lovely mouthfeel. The fruit is fresh and sings with ripe raspberry, wild strawberry, pomegranate and a little bitter orange rind on the long finish… I detect a little chalkiness and salinity too, which brings a welcome distinction to the fruit. The balance is textbook and the structure provides some girth. I like it very much, but I feel the cold, outside temperature and driving rain is playing havoc with my senses (take note to my score!) - the colour and flavours talk to me of the summer and not the deep winter. Unquestionably, this drinks fabulously now, but I would like to see a further five years bottle age. Served using Zalto Universal glassware. Do not overchill.”

96+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “Such a pretty bouquet filled with ripe, sweet red berries, peony, rose hip and lots of spice. The palate is medium bodied and presents itself incredibly well (given it’s their most recent release). Youthfulness contrasts so well with the wine’s generous core of fruit. The mouthfeel is ample, fleshy with some textural grip (the tannins melt). The flavour profile is impressive and fans out fabulously. The acidity is racy and provides a lovely freshness minutes after the wine has escaped your palate… This also provides the opportunity to examine those lingering flavours of sweet raspberry, blood orange and wild berries. A very promising Tassie Pinot Noir which would certainly benefit from a few years in the cellar (consume within 5-8 years). Very impressive for such a young release. Served using Zalto Burgundy glassware.”

97++ Points - Stuart McCloskey “It takes time to unfurl, but when it does, it’s a dreamboat of aromatics. From the outset, the French oak (38% new) is obvious and adds a pencil shaving freshness. With aeration (decant for an hour or so) the aromatic fruit develops with orange zest, raspberry and a lovely brightness from red berries - there’s a pretty savoury complexity too. The palate is tensile, medium bodied – the tannins providing a cloaking hug to the fruit. It feels natural and unforced. I find the harmony and elegance particularly enjoyable. All-in-all, a wine which offers supreme elegance without being sparing on fruit. The finish is super long with a slight tingle coming from an almost sorbet like blood orange finish. Delicious now but will only get better with time in the cellar (10 years maximum). Served using Zalto Burgundy glassware”

97 Points - James Halliday "MV6, 777 and 115 clones, 60% from the Derwent Valley, 30% East Coast and 10% Tamar Valley. The bouquet is multifaceted, with no single message from the single vineyard group, the palate moving onto another tier, but carries with it the higher-toned red fruits of clone 115 (compared to MV6 last year). It also achieves a lightness of touch without any sacrifice of line or length. This is the serious business of enjoyment, not the science of dissecting small pieces of a large puzzle."

95 Points - James Halliday "A blend of all three single vineyards comprising 60% Derwent Valley, 30% Tamar Valley and 10% East Coast. A good combo with the same intense precision and length but the flavours seem somewhat bolstered, a sum of its parts perhaps. Lemon drops and zest, lemon saline, aniseed and lovely creamy, ginger fluff flavours across the palate from the lees. The acidity is electric and lights this up."

Gary Walsh (The Wine Front) "A blend of Tamar Valley, East Coast & Derwent Valley fruit. Well, this wine is, including a full laser show. Lemon rind, bread dough, wheatgerm, aniseed, cinnamon and white peach. Intense, precise, so much crunch and energy, chalk dust, green olive and brine, searing long finish. Drink while wearing sunglasses, and little else. That’s how pure and cool it is."

97-98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “The bouquet is penetrating, precise, and certainly descends from a cool, maritime climate. Scents of lemon, mineral, sea spray and jasmine graciously unfurl from the glass. With time, the aromatics intensify and quite considerably (see my footnote regarding temperature and decanting). The palate is incredibly complex, regal and struts its stuff with such confidence, all the while highlighting its self-control. Tightly coiled but balanced perfectly with a satiny stream of citrus and minerals. The saline note on the long finish is lovely. There’s beautiful weight to the wine and it cradles your palate with an admirable suspense. A very, very fine Chardonnay which would benefit from five or so years in the bottle and will fan-out gloriously over a decade or more. Served with Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Do not serve from the fridge. 11-13 degrees being the best temperature. Decant for a wee while as this wine needs a little aeration”.

98 Points - Stuart McCloskey  "The most floral bouquet of the three, with buttered citrus and fresh vanilla seeds drifting from the glass. Still, and not to bore, lemons, minerals and salinity are also present.. The palate offers an intense experience and not necessarily through flavour as the vitality and tension offers a wonderful shrill of excitement. The balance is exquisite and, given its age, it is difficult to pin-down exact flavours save for a little crisp, green apple. So much energy and tightly coiled like a piston waiting to explode. Minerals and citrus contrast with a marine-influenced finish which I love. Truly outstanding and will be hitting its stride in five or so years. Potentially perfect in ten. Served with Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Do not serve from the fridge. 11-13 degrees being the best temperature. Decant for a wee while as this wine needs a little aeration”.

97++ - 98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Like the ‘South’ the bouquet speaks of its birthplace but with a little more concentration. Lemon oil, lemon thyme, licks of wet stone, sea salt and take a walk past Jasmine to really appreciate the floral aromatics. The palate is a touch waxier in style / weightier and offers more immediate enjoyment. That tell-tale salinity is such an attractive quality and works a treat with the fresh zip of citrus, flint and razor-sharp acidity. Extremely elegant and judged perfectly. This is just a beautiful, crystalline Tassie Chardonnay which will be amazing in five or so years. Served with Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Do not serve from the fridge. 11-13 degrees being the best temperature. Decant for a wee while as this wine needs a little aeration”.

97++ - 98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Like the ‘South’ the bouquet speaks of its birthplace but with a little more concentration. Lemon oil, lemon thyme, licks of wet stone, sea salt and take a walk past Jasmine to really appreciate the floral aromatics. The palate is a touch waxier in style / weightier and offers more immediate enjoyment. That tell-tale salinity is such an attractive quality and works a treat with the fresh zip of citrus, flint and razor-sharp acidity. Extremely elegant and judged perfectly. This is just a beautiful, crystalline Tassie Chardonnay which will be amazing in five or so years. Served with Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Do not serve from the fridge. 11-13 degrees being the best temperature. Decant for a wee while as this wine needs a little aeration”.

98++ Points - Stuart McCloskey “The bouquet is both intoxicating and beguiling ranging from petrichor (that wonderful earthy scent when rain falls on dry, hot ground) brambles, hedgerow fruits, orange rind and floral notes to pencil. Certainly, edging towards a more savoury side. The palate is broad, expansive and keeps giving – far from being a nervous Pinot Noir. The tannins are svelte and melt into a heady mix of wild berries. The lavish texture is impossible to ignore – Satin and structurally perfect. The deep core of fruit is impressive as is the bottomless finish. Simply magical and a highlight in our portfolio. I cannot wait to see how this wine ages over the coming 6-10 years. Served with Zalto Burgundy glassware (as important as the wine itself)”