R & B Wines - Wine Price
List
AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND Wines
AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND
- Listed by COUNTRY/Domaine
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Btls
Avail.
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Btl
Size
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Year
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Price per
Bottle
including
VAT |
Tasting
Score/Notes
Best Drinking
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AUSTRALIA |
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WHITE Wine |
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R. L. BULLER
This estate makes wonderful old
'sticky' Muscat and Tokay 'after dinner' wines - they taste great as well
as being collectors items, as they get
rave reviews from Robert Parker! |
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12
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75cl
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Rutherglen
Fine Old Malmsey |
NV |
£19.00 |
Now-2018
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12
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75cl
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Fine Old Tawny Port
Wine Spectator -
Smooth, open and only
lightly sweet, layering its smoky, spicy white pepper and cherry
flavours in appropriate balance.
Flavours finish with subtlety |
NV |
£22.00 |
WS88
Now - 2025 |
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RED Wine |
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D'ARENBERG
RP
-
Chester Osborn, the
remarkable person behind this enormous array of both impeccably high
quality and value-priced wines, deserves considerable accolades for what
he is able to achieve at all price ranges. If you love Australian wines,
d’Arenberg is a winery to seek out as these offerings all possess
abundant soul as well as character. |
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19
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75cl
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Dead Arm
Shiraz
RP -
Readers should be on the
look out for the 2001 The Dead Arm Shiraz, one of the greatest examples
of this cuvee. Its dense black/purple colour is accompanied by celestial
aromas of melted liquorice, graphite, blackberries, cassis, incense,
anise, and toasty oak. Fabulously concentrated, with great purity, an
unctuous, viscous texture, and an amazingly long, 60-second plus finish. |
2001 |
£55.00 |
RP98
2008-33A TOP wine, excellent with
red meats. |
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BURGE FAMILY
RP
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Readers should not confuse
Burge Family Winemakers (one of Australia’s finest wineries) with the
much larger firm of Grant Burge.
Burge Family Winemakers’ old vine estate-bottled offerings, made
by the modest, but enormously talented Rick Burge, are classic
Barossa wines with extraordinary elegance as well as complex aromatics
that combine European subtlety with Australian power |
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3
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75cl
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Premium Shiraz Draycott
RP -
Burge’s flagship wine is
the limited production (480 cases) 2001 Premium Shiraz Draycott (a
blend of 90% Shiraz, 6% Mourvedre, and 4% Grenache from vines averaging
40 years in age). Half was aged in French oak and half in American.
The 2001 continues the beautiful succession of Draycott cuvees made
since 1986. Its saturated purple colour is accompanied by aromas of
crème de cassis, melted liquorice, camphor, and a hint of vanilla.
Full-bodied and dense, with stunning purity, a multilayered texture, and
a voluptuous finish, this is classic Barossa Shiraz, powerful yet
well-balanced. |
2001 |
£56.00 |
RP95
2003-18 |
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3
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75cl
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Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
'Olive Hill'
RP -
A blend of 50% Shiraz, 35%
Grenache, and 15% Mourvedre from vines averaging 10 years of age, the
2002 Olive Hill was aged in 30% new and 70% used French wood.
Earthy balsam wood, pepper, dried herb, black cherry, raspberry, and
plum aromas jump from the glass of this full-bodied, rich,
firmly-structured red. While less exuberant and up-front than its
siblings, it is beautifully proportioned, pure, and impeccably well-made |
2002 |
£48.00 |
RP93
2005-14 |
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HENSCHKE
One of the TOP Australian estates,
consistently making high-quality wines - always a great drinking
experience! |
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24
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75cl
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Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz
RP -
The 2005 Mount Edelstone is
a 100% Shiraz cuvee sourced from a vineyard planted in 1912. Yields are a
meagre 0.3 to 0.5 tons of fruit per acre. In combination with a near ideal
growing season, this has resulted in a great edition of Mount
Edelstone, one of South Australia’s iconic wines. Purple-coloured, the
nose gives up notes of mocha, chocolate, smoked meat, pepper, leather,
blueberry, and blackberry. Elegant, already complex, layered, and
thoroughly satisfying, this superb Shiraz has enough baby fat to be
enjoyed now but will amply reward 5-7 years of cellaring. |
2005 |
£66.00 |
RP97
2009-25 |
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KAY BROTHERS
This is a top estate making TOP
QUALITY Shiraz wines of great character, which will further improve with age. |
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41
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75cl
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Kay Brothers Block 6
Shiraz
RP -
There are 1,400 cases of the
flagship cuvee, the Block 6 Shiraz, which is aged 28 months in 60% new
American oak and 40% new Hungarian oak. Typically, it possesses between
15-16% alcohol and is always a candidate for twenty or more years of
cellaring. The 2004 Shiraz Block 6 is the finest example of this
cuvee since the 1998. It is an awesomely concentrated Shiraz with an
inky/plum/garnet/purple colour and a sweet nose of roasted meats, dried
herbs, ground pepper, blackberries, and cassis. This intense,
full-bodied effort boasts a profound depth and richness as well as layer
upon layer of awesome concentration and length. |
2004 |
£68.00 |
RP98
2011-26A TOP wine, excellent with
red meats. |
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39
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75cl
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Kay Brothers Block 6
Shiraz
RP -
One of Australia’s most
traditional winemakers, Colin Kay fashions old style, high quality,
distinctive Australian reds. The flagship wine, the 2003 Shiraz Block 6
(from 113-year-old vines) is a full-throttle, traditionally made
Australian Shiraz boasting a dense plum/garnet/purple colour in addition
to a bouquet of creosote, sweet black cherries, cassis, forest floor,
underbrush, and pepper. With great depth, full-bodied, powerful,
concentrated flavours, high tannin, and a blockbuster finish, this
distinctive Shiraz should drink well for 10-15 years. |
2003 |
£57.00 |
RP95
2007-20A TOP wine, excellent with
red meats. |
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60
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75cl
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Amery Vineyard Hillside
Shiraz
RP -
From 6- to 34-year-old
vines, the 2004 Shiraz Hillside spent 28 months in American oak, 50% new
and 50% used. A blockbuster effort, it reveals deep, chocolaty, meaty
notes intermixed with blackberries, cherries, and cassis.
Inky/ruby/purple-coloured, with a large mouthfeel, full body, and
well-integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this is a superb McLaren
Vale Shiraz to enjoy over the next 12-15 years. |
2004 |
£28.00 |
RP93
2006-21 |
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35
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75cl
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Amery Vineyard Hillside
Shiraz
RP -
One of Australia’s most
traditional winemakers, Colin Kay fashions old style, high quality,
distinctive Australian reds. Tarry, chewy, and fleshy, the 2003 Shiraz
Hillside has a bit more punch (15% alcohol) as well as a sappy character
that is not present in the regular bottling. It is a broad, savoury,
expansively flavoured, full-bodied Shiraz to enjoy over the next decade.
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2003 |
£26.00 |
RP92
2005-15 |
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8
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75cl
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Amery Vineyard Hillside
Shiraz
RP -
Readers should be aware that
the Kay Brothers produced a Shiraz Hillside that is aged in 100% new
American oak and made from relatively young vines that are the same clone
as the Shiraz planted in Block 6. The Hillside Shiraz is very much made in
the same style as the Block 6. There are approximately 1,000 cases of it,
and it usually sells for a good $25 less per bottle, at least in the
United States. It is very much made in the style of the Block 6, it just
does not have the old vines and single block acclaim. |
2001 |
£38.00 |
RP95
2005-18 |
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22 |
75cl |
Amery Vineyard Hillside
Shiraz
RP -
Lighter than its 1999 or 2001
counterparts, the dense purple-coloured 2000 Shiraz Amery Vineyard Hillside
is spicy and peppery, with a floral (acacia flowers) note intermixed with
melted asphalt, black cherries, blackberries, and currants. While ripe,
full-bodied, and outstanding, it is a mere mortal compared to its younger
and older siblings. |
2000 |
£28.00 |
RP92
Now -2014 |
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34
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75cl
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Amery Vineyard
Shiraz
RP -
The 2001 Shiraz looks to be a
return to the style of the blockbuster 1998. Denser and richer than the
2000, this dense purple-coloured effort is full-bodied as well as loaded.
Its sweet tannin suggests early maturity. |
2001 |
£27.00 |
RP93
2005 -16 |
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MAGLIERI |
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28
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75cl
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McLaren Vale
Shiraz
Wine Spectator -
Ripe and exotic, with gorgeous
black cherry, pepper, liquorice and a cascade of spices weaving through
the flavour profile. Rich and chewy in texture, not at all harsh, just big
and remarkably focused |
1995 |
£27.00 |
WS92
Now - 2012This is a
really full bodied wine that is now fully mature - please try a bottle! |
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PARKER COONAWARRA ESTATE
This is a top estate making very
profound wines of great character, which will further improve with age. |
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12
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75cl
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Parker Coonawarra Estate
Terra Rossa First Growth
RP -
Readers should keep an eye
out for the 1998 Terra Rossa First Growth. Its dense purple colour is
followed by extraordinarily sweet fruit, intense glycerine, and a
full-bodied, concentrated mouth-feel. The purity, high extract, and
uncanny symmetry is breathtaking. Perhaps the finest Terra Rossa First
Growth yet produced, it should drink well for two decades or more.
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1998 |
£74.00 |
RP97
2000-20 |
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SPINIFEX (Barossa)
One of the most
talented winemakers in Australia, Peter Schell created Spinifex in 2001
with his wife, Magalie Gely. This winery was established to
represent the best 'terroirs' in the Barossa using only the finest fruit
selection.
The vines are extremely old and the vineyard sites are considered to be
some of the finest in Australia. The focus of their winemaking is to
produce harmonious, richly textured wines with complex ripe fruit
flavours for which the great wines of the Barossa are renowned. |
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54
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75cl
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Spinifex Esprit
Neal Martin
www.wine-journal.com:
"36%
Grenache, 30% Shiraz, 24% Cinsault and 10% Mataro.
A
fragrant, almost exotic nose, sweet black cherry, damson and plum. The
palate has superb balance, restrained with well knit, silky tannins.
Very subtle and sophisticated, there is a beguiling femininity and
elegance about this wine. The kind of wine I would like to serve to a
Bordeaux chateau-owner to show him that there is real competition out
there. Beautiful. Total production: 200 cases". |
2002 |
£32.00 |
Only 200 cases made of this wine, so very rare.
Excellent Value |
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21
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75cl
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Spinifex Esprit
RP -
The 2001 Esprit, a sensational
unfined/unfiltered blend of 66% Shiraz, 14% Cinsault, 10% Grenache, and
10% Mourvèdre, is a full-throttle, layered, heady red boasting kirsch
liqueur, blackberry, pepper, smoke, and dried Provencal herb
characteristics. Its full-bodied opulence is both hedonistically and
intellectually satisfying. |
2001 |
£34.00 |
RP94
2004-17 |
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28
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75cl
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Spinifex Indigene
RP
- With more structure, density, richness,
and delineation than the Esprit, the spectacular 2002 Indigene (56%
Shiraz and 44% Mourvèdre) represents an Australian version of Paso
Robles’ Tablas Creek cuvees. Its dense purple colour is accompanied by
aromas of scorched earth, tree bark, blackberries, currants, and
minerals. The wine’s peppery, full-throttle style possesses wonderful
definition as well as purity. While it cuts a huge swath across the
palate, it is neither heavy nor overdone. Drink this beauty now and over
the next dozen years. |
2002 |
£38.00 |
RP96
2004-16 |
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29
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75cl
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Spinifex Indigene
Jamie Goode
www.wineanorak.com:
"60% Mataro and 40% very old vine Shiraz. The ferment was plunged by hand
in old milk vats three times a day, pressed around 3 Baume and then
finished in French and American oak barrels. Deep coloured. Forward nose
of sweet raspberry and plum fruit with lovely spicy complexity, but it's
still nicely savoury and not at all over the top. The palate is rich and
concentrated, showing nice balance: good depth of fruit well supported
by spicy structure and smooth tannins. The Mourvèdre character is
evident. It's rare to find a wine this concentrated but which is still
in balance. This is a spectacular effort. Excellent.
Total production: 165 cases". |
2001 |
£37.00 |
JG 95
2006-22 |
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11
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75cl
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Spinifex Shiraz Viognier
Jamie Goode
www.wineanorak.com:
"A blend of 95% Shiraz & 5% Viognier.
Only 30 cases of this wine have come into the UK. Lots of fruit on the
nose, pure. Surprisingly fresh given there was only 5% Viognier used.
Subtle, clean, velvety tannins. An elegant wine, excellent. Total
production: 50 cases". |
2002 |
£39.00 |
Total Production is ONLY 50 cases - a
rarity! |
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VIKING WINES |
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20
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75cl
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Viking
Shiraz
RP -
Aged all in American oak, of
which 75% was new, and bottled without filtration, this full-bodied,
super-concentrated, powerful wine is obviously the product of extremely
low yields. It exhibits remarkable density, fine chewiness, and pure,
black fruit notes, intermixed with smoke, earth, and underbrush. Powerful,
long, and youthful, it should only improve over the next decade, and last
for almost 20 years. A bottle opened 24 hours displayed no trace of
oxidation. |
1999 |
£27.00 |
RP91
Now - 2021
A really full, lovely wine that is drinking very
well now. |
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WILD DUCK CREEK
RP
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David “Duck” Anderson
continues to lead the way in Heathcote, Victoria. All of his wines come
from estate vineyards with yields of under 1.5 tons of fruit per acre. |
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Top Boutique winery making
very concentrated wines; for those who would like to "Try Something
Different".
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6
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75cl
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Wild Duck Creek Muck Duck
RP -
A wine of extraordinary
intensity, richness, and extract (yields were .5 tons of fruit per
acre), the 2004 Shiraz Duck Muck is a totally dry red that tips the
scales at 17.5% alcohol. While it pushes the limits of civilized
drinking, it is neither pruny nor hot, and should be tasted with an open
mind and no hidden agenda (not as easy as one might expect, especially
for Eurocentric palates). Inky/purple to the rim with a glorious perfume
of crushed rocks, acacia flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creosote,
and vanilla, it was aged in 100% new, heavily toasted French and
American barrels for two years prior to bottling. It is nearly off
the charts in terms of richness and extract. |
2004 |
£255.00 |
RP97
2006-26 |
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Page Last Updated 10.02.2010
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