Boston Wine Expo 2000

Callahan Chardonnay Dante Callahan South Eastern Australia '98 -- Seems unusually tight and closed, with only oak aromas evident. Some peach, pear, spice and vanilla flavors give the palate some interest, but a slightly tart lemon finish makes the wine seem disjointed.
B

Callahan Shiraz Dante Callahan South Eastern Australia '98 -- Unusually high-toned nose, with floral notes and a hint of peach complementing the more normal plum and leather. More plum and leather show up in the mouth, but a short, tart finish doesn't help.
B

Callahan Hill Chardonnay South Eastern Australia '98 -- Buttered toast and some pear fruit aromas lead to a modest level of tropical fruit and citrus flavor, along with lots of butter and vanilla. Makes me wonder what this would be like with less wood.
B

Callahan Hill Shiraz South Eastern Australia '98 -- Good plum fruit, with leather and a touch of ethyl acetate in the nose. Plenty of leather, meat, plum and cherry flavors make this very enjoyable, despite a slightly tart cherry finish.
B+

Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir Yarra Valley '98 -- Oak on the nose. Pencil shavings and vanilla dominate the flavors, but there is a little cherry, too. Clunky, oaky finish.
C+

Greg Norman Estates Chardonnay Yarra Yering '98 -- Yes, the name refers to the famous golfer. And yes, this wine has been the subject of many glowing reviews, so it was nice to get a chance to taste it for myself. Typical Chardonnay aromas of apples, pears and buttery oak. In the mouth, the wine seems kind of simple, with pear and butter flavors. A decent, though not particularly distinguished Chardonnay.
B

Greg Norman Estates Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Coonawarra '98 -- Tobacco and green pepper aromas lead to plum, black cherry and bell pepper flavors. Long cherry-dominated finish. Smooth and supple, without much tannin in evidence. A lively, interesting wine for early drinking.
B+

Penfolds Shiraz-Cabernet Koonunga Hill South Australia '98 -- A shy nose, with almost nothing coming out of the glass. Good plum, blackberry and blueberry flavors, with a surprisingly restrained use of oak. A good quaffing wine.
B

Penfolds Cabernet-Shiraz Bin 389 South Australia '96 -- Leather, plum and menthol aromas with lots of plum, leather and earth flavors on the palate. The oak shows up on the finish, along with a good dose of plummy fruit. Smooth and round.
B+

Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 South Australia '96 -- Intense aromas of tobacco and plum set the stage for the big plum, cherry and leather flavors. Round and harmonious, with a good tannic structure keeping everything in place.
A-

Seppelt Salinger Sparkling Wine South Eastern Australia '93 -- Nicely fizzy, with apple and spice aromas. Slightly unusual flavors of apple, almond and some caramel. Has a little more residual sugar than most Brut wines.
B+

Seppelt Shiraz Terrain Series South Eastern Australia '97 -- Lots of oak in this wine, with wood aromas dominating the fruit, though a little plum manages to sneak out. Nice plum fruit in the mouth, though, along with fresh meat. Moderate tannins show through on the cherry finish.
B

Seppelt Trafford DP 30 Barossa Valley NV -- A non-vintage tawny fortified wine, the Trafford shows definite rancio aromas, with walnuts and vanilla dominating. Vanilla, nut and licorice flavors are adequate, but this bottle strikes me as somewhat simple compared to previous examples.
B

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Copyright 2000 Marcel Lachenmann. All rights reserved.