June 2026 Purchases

[mjs]

At phillisc's request, re-starting this month, as my last purchase just scraped into June

6 x 2022 Katnook Odyssey

Also got my mid-year Wynns order coming today (and release dinner next week)

12 x 2024 Wynns Black label
6 x various ('24 V&A Cab Shiraz and Shiraz and BL Cab, '23 O'Deas single vineyard and interestingly '19 JR and Michael - still have truck loads, and I guess no '23 JR or Michael)

There is also a new BL Cabernet Shiraz (Wynns hopping on the bandwagon) and a '25 Cabernet Franc.

[VinoEd]

I kind of dislike the direction of so many new wines. I wish more wineries would keep it simple. Maybe I’m an outlier.

[Ian S]

I doubt you are in the minority VinoEd

Our interest in the hobby, means we remember wines we liked, and like to buy again with confidence.

However when new labels emerge, it can cloud the insight we've acquired
- Whilst we might trust the winery, here's a brand new label without a track record. We've experienced times when they intentionally put better grapes and resources into making a strong debut, knowing they'll let things slip later. Hence we have justified suspicion.
- By diverting grapes and resources into the new label, what effect is there on existing labels? Too often it's been a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

[Andrew Jordan]

2 weeks holidaying in Japan with a day of wine tasting (believe it or not) in the Yamanashi region made me bring 6 bottles of Japanese wine back to have as something a little different in the cellar.

2023 Fujiclair AX3 Yamanashi Red Bourdeaux Blend
2023 Grace Yamanashi de Grace Red Blend
2024 Haramo Koshu Vintage Sur Lie
2023 Katsunuma Jozo Koshu Aromatic Bomb
2023 Katsunuma Jozo Koshu Stone Pagoda
2024 Château Mercian Koshu Amicis

[sjw_11]

2 weeks holidaying in Japan with a day of wine tasting (believe it or not) in the Yamanashi region made me bring 6 bottles of Japanese wine back to have as something a little different in the cellar.

Fascinating ... that is one region/country I have never seen or tried before.

[phillisc]

A couple of mixed cases from the annual Wild Duck Creek mailer...mainly the Shiraz wines plus Yellow Hammer Hill
6 2022 Katnook Odyssey
6 2016 PL Stonewell...should be interesting
Cheers Craig

[JamieAdelaide]

Staying strong! No buys.

I will get a few auctions bargains to keep common folk away from my cellar. I love it when folks come over with a bottle and help drink four more . So always need those auction quaffers.

[Rossco]

3 x 2020 Veuve Fourny 'Les Monts Ferrés' BdB Extra Brut 1er Cru
3 x 2020 Veuve Fourny 'La Justice' BdB Extra Brut 1er Cru.
6 x 2018 Debortoli Melba Reserve Cabernet (in Jamie's own words to keep the common folk away from The cellar - Hahahahaha I love it)
6 x 2021 (375ml) Deed Debortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon
(Bought to poach some white peaches in)

[TravisW]

Cellar Defenders!

[SipAndANibble]

3x 21 st hallet old block , with a free 6 of 20 hardys trb Cabernet

[SipAndANibble]

Sounds like a lot of people went for the Karoo odyssey deal

[Sean]

Dan Murphy’s, Brighton 6/6/26
Stonier Chardonnay 24
Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 25
Xanadu Chardonnay 24
Principi di Butera Amira Nero d’Avola, Sicilia DOC 22
Dal Zotto Pinot Grigio 25
Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese 24

Winter Wine Weekend 7/6/26
We went to Phaedrus Estate to try the current release wines & back vintages.
Down to literally last bottles of some of them, eg the 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir which was lovely.
Long drive down Stumpy Gully Rd, which is mostly unsealed.
Then Quealy Wines where I wanted to try their Italian varietals in particular, mostly focusing on the Friuli region.
Also the Pinots. I can still taste the 2018 Musk Creek Pinot Noir they opened. A beautiful wine. Very tempted to buy it, even for $110.
Picked the C&C over the Seventeen Rows Pinot Noir this time.
Phaedrus Fiano 25
Phaedrus Pinot Gris 25
Phaedrus Chardonnay 15 (back vintage)
Phaedrus Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay
Phaedrus Reserve Pinot Noir 14
Phaedrus Reserve Shiraz 14
Phaedrus Reserve Pinot Noir 21
Quealy Pobblebonk Field Blend 25
Quealy Friulano 22
Quealy Lina Lool 19 (field blend)
Quealy Turbul Malvasia 23
Quealy Turbul Friulano 24
Quealy Campbell & Christine Pinot Noir 24

Dan Murphy’s, Brighton 8/6/26
Ran out of time to get to others yesterday.
Moorooduc Estate have back vintages on, Yabby Lake have 4 vintages of the Pinot Noir (bit pricey however).
Got some Stonier wines last year and had it on my list. Under the new owners, lower volumes and much better wines now.
Really tempted to do it again today. I dropped into Dan Murphy’s instead and picked up a few more, incl Stonier.
Quealy Tussie Mussie Pinot Gris 25
Quealy Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 25
Stonier Pinot Noir 24
Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir 23
Dromana Estate Pinot Noir 24
Red Claw Pinot Noir 25

Dan Murphy’s, Cheltenham 13/6/26
Picked up a few wines to drink, incl the Xanadu.
Trophy winner at the National Wine Show this year.
Best’s Bin No.1 Shiraz 21
Best’s Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 21
Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 23
Pepperjack Certified Shiraz Cabernet 16 (back vintage)
Pizzini Sangiovese Shiraz 24
Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 23

[Chuck]

6 x Paulett 2024 Antonina Polish Hill River Riesling

[phillisc]

6 x Paulett 2024 Polish Hill River Riesling

Carl was that the Antonia?
I picked up a sixer myself...fabulous Riesling
Cheers Craig

[Chuck]

6 x Paulett 2024 Polish Hill River Riesling

Carl was that the Antonia?
I picked up a sixer myself...fabulous Riesling
Cheers Craig

Yes it was. Silly price.

Carl

[SipAndANibble]

6x 2023 Xanadu Cabernet
3x 14 grant burge meshach
3x 19 grant burge meshach

[Matt@5453]

After an extended purchasing 'hiatus' for about a year, I placed an order for a mixed pack of 2024 Wild Duck Creek wines (gave the 2023's a miss).

I have had a look at some 2026 Rieslings - early days but looking spectacular. John Hughes (RieslingFreak) has called it as one of the best Riesling years. 2026 has been marred by rain, but a lot of winemakers got their best Riesling off before the first major rain event. Expect to see elegant wines with excellent natural acidity, with the wines I have seen coming in under 12% alc. A year for the Riesling purist.

Expect it to be an exceptional cabernet year as well, cabernet is resilient, and with good hang time (the weather fined up later in the season) - seeing some excellent fruit/wines with exceptional colour.

[phillisc]

Matt, you will be very pleased with the 2024 WDC releases...did a tasting with Dave Anderson this week.
Exceptional across the board, Cabernets were brilliant as was the Reserve Shiraz, less than a tonne per acre.
I'll try and cobble together some notes.
Thanks for the tip re 2026 Rieslings...not that I am needing any.

Cheers Craig

[VinoEd]

I was wondering if I could avoid the 2014 WDC (have bought quite a bit over the last 4-5 years) - sounds like I need to grab a few things!

Cheers Ed

[Chuck]

Another case of the Dowie Doole 2022 Cali Road McLaren Vale Shiraz from the good people at Skye Cellars (I like supporting SA businesses). Still a bit disjointed (50% new oak yet to be fully integrated) but a few years should see it blossom. The fruit can certainly support the oak. Great vintage. No far behind 2021 IMHO. Ridiculous value at $15 pb until they gave another $30 off at the checkout for no apparent reason. Go figure.

[Chuck]

And more from Skye Cellars.

12 x Schild Estate "BEN SCHILD" Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021. Nice mid week winter quaffer

[Beachy]

Finally made it to Rutherglen for a couple of days.

4 x Pfeiffer Christopher’s VP 2018
2 x Pfeiffer Seriously Pink Rose Apera
1 x Pfeiffer Classic Topaque
2 x Taminick Durif 2019
2 x Chambers Mt Carmel Port
2 x Chambers VP 2005
1 x Chambers Broken Windmill Muscat
4 x Morris VP 2013
2 x Campbells Empire LBVP
1 x Campbells Classic Topaque
4 x Warrabilla VP 2024
2 x Warrabilla Parola’s Durif 2024
2 x Bullers Calliope Durif 2021
1 x Bullers Fine Old Topaque
2 x Baileys of Glenrowan Durif 2022

[JamieAdelaide]

I bought a bunch of wines off cellarone to get the free six pack of a modest HRB.

I very careful who I share my cellar with and these wines keep the hordes at bay- neighbours, friends who “know what wine they like” etc.

The Petaluma Evans Vineyard 2021 isn’t much like the Petaluma Coonawarra of old. It’s a modern, easy drinking style and is a good $30 quaffer. Anyone else tried?

[mjs]

Jamie, I tend to agree with you on the '21 Petaluma. I was a little disappointed, not like previous vintages as you say, I was expecting more of that vintage.

I ordered some stuff from CellarONe and got the HRB as a freebie, and didn't even realise it was coming. Just a quaffer and now all gone

[JamieAdelaide]

Yes caught out again with label illusion! It’s easy buying and avoids the efforts to source the mixed results or quaffers from auction.

The draw of the label and the bargain deals is a repeat wine buying offence. And soon after twisting the top, the statement below always comes to mind!

“Past performance is no guarantee of future results”.

[phillisc]

Yes caught out again with label illusion! It’s easy buying and avoids the efforts to source the mixed results or quaffers from auction.

The draw of the label and the bargain deals is a repeat wine buying offence. And soon after twisting the top, the statement below always comes to mind!

“Past performance is no guarantee of future results”.

Perhaps all the premium fruit went into the ANOVA. I didn't think that the standard was too bad...but that may say more about me than the wine. I'll have to dig out a 98 or 02 to compare.
Cheers Craig

[Sean]

Rutherglen 26/6/26
Slow start to the day, it was only 2C overnight and took a while to warm up this morning.
Breakfast at Tuileries where we are staying 3 nights.
Then we drove to Chiltern and walked up & down the Main Street. A very historical town with original pioneer buildings back to the gold rush days.
Two cellar doors in the afternoon.
First Chambers, which is an older style Rutherglen winery.
Loved seeing all the old casks there filled with fortifieds.
Asked about the 26 vintage and told it was frost affected as well as lots of rain around vintage time.
Repeated by others, and some wines won’t be made this year.
Second Pfeiffer, where both of us ran through reds & whites. Liked too many of them, but Wendy has a wine club order coming up soon.
I got a Muscat at both wineries.
Spent far too much time at both & ran out of time to do another.
Picked up a couple of Warrabilla wines at the Rutherglen IGA, which is a treasure trove of local wines.
Chambers Gouais 24
Chambers Sparkling Shiraz & Durif 18
Chambers Cellar Shiraz 21
Chambers Durif & Shiraz 21
Chambers Durif 22
Chambers Old Vine Muscat (Classic)
Pfeiffer Riesling 25
Pfeiffer Fiano 24
Pfeiffer Merlot 23
Pfeiffer Cabernet Sauvignon 22
Pfeiffer Tempranillo 23
Pfeiffer Carlyle Shiraz 22
Pfeiffer Classic Rutherglen Muscat
Warrabilla Reserve Shiraz 21
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 24

Rutherglen 27/6/26
It was 1C overnight, so another slow start to the day.
A morning drive out to Howlong & back to Rutherglen via Corowa.
First winery was Stanton & Killeen, ran through the current release wines.
Also got taken into the old barrel rooms.
You really see and appreciate what these family-owned wineries have done over generations now.
They had a few back vintages for sale, which I took advantage of.
Second winery was Jones, which frankly was disappointing.
The wines are OK, only tried 5 wines & I bought 3. A bit annoyed by the way they do tasting fees there.
Third winery was Campbells, which was definitely a big highlight for me.
The whole range, incl back vintages and all the Muscats on tasting & no fee.
Got to compare side by side 2 vintages of Bobbie Burns, also all 4 of the Muscats from Rutherglen to Rare (Merchant Prince).
Unbelievable experience & generosity.
Stanton & Killeen Shiraz Durif 16
Stanton & Killeen Shiraz Durif 19
Stanton & Killeen Shiraz Durif 21
Stanton & Killeen Tempranillo 19
Stanton & Killeen Tempranillo 22
Stanton & Killeen Fortitude Reserve Durif 22
Stanton & Killeen Classic Muscat
Jones Winery Petit Sec 24
Jones Winery Marsanne Roussanne 23
Jones Winery Durif Shiraz 22
Campbells Riesling 25
Campbells Trebbiano 25
Campbells The Sixties Block White 24
Campbells Viognier Roussanne 24
Campbells Cabernets 21
Campbells Bobbie Burns Shiraz 19
Campbells Rutherglen Muscat
Campbells Classic Muscat

[JamieAdelaide]

Yes caught out again with label illusion! It’s easy buying and avoids the efforts to source the mixed results or quaffers from auction.

The draw of the label and the bargain deals is a repeat wine buying offence. And soon after twisting the top, the statement below always comes to mind!

“Past performance is no guarantee of future results”.

Perhaps all the premium fruit went into the ANOVA. I didn't think that the standard was too bad...but that may say more about me than the wine. I'll have to dig out a 98 or 02 to compare.
Cheers Craig

I’ve two left of a six pack of 2004 Petaluma Coonawarra which is an excellent wine at peak.

The 2021 doesn’t need cellaring for my palate . Different style to those of old.

[phillisc]

Yes maybe so, since the succession of corporate take overs, there is obviously an enormous level of stock sitting in warehouses, so at five years quite aged/cellared already. I am wondering if a 2022, 24 and 25 have been made, and when they may be released?

Its a wine that I have always viewed as good, but once the label was sold to Lion Nathan, its probably just a $30 quaffer (can't believe I said that).

Adelaide Hills B&V Shiraz vineyard has been ripped up and land sold.

I had a bottle of the 2025 Riesling the other day, lacked that laser like acidity, was actually already quite developed.
Cheers Craig

[asajoseph]

[Tin Hat]Nobody went in for the 2025 Bordeaux En Primeurs then? [/Tin Hat]

Also lots in Aus seem to have the 2022 GD Vajra offer this week - couldn't say no to that either.

Any EOFY bargains around?