There are no complaints with this Chardonnay. Apple, pineapple, butter and toasted oak load the flavor package. The perfect balance and velvety mouthfeel provide a solid background. The producer recommends kangaroo tail soup with this one—but why not? You get to go to Australia, and kangaroo is low in fat and cholesterol. Best Buy.
— M.M.
(6/1/2001)
The opaque eggplant hue of this stunning value promises much—and what’s in the glass delivers. Prominent oaky notes are layered over plum and high-toned floral aromas. Dense and voluptuous on the palate, with chewy tannins, this is a seriously ambitious wine that could benefit from a year or two in the bottle.
— W.E.
(2/1/2009)
Merlot isn’t what Australia is known for, but this is a tasty, toothsome wine at a realistic price. Delicate notes of cinnamon, clove and cocoa accent black cherries and cassis in this soft, creamy-textured effort. Drink it over the next year.
— J.C.
(11/1/2010)
Ripe and generous, this is another good value in Yellowtail’s reserve line. Boysenberry, blueberry and delicate licorice scents work the nose, followed by sweet raspberry flavors in the mouth. Oak-derived coconut aromas seem to sit on top of the wine but may integrate better after a year in bottle.
— W.E.
(2/1/2009)
Combines smoky, slightly acrid aromas with pretty strawberry scents and then piles juicy berries onto the palate. Finishes tart with hints of smoke and wood. For summer grilling at home, this is a pretty good choice. Best Buy.
— J.C.
(9/1/2002)
This wine offers grapy, dark fruit with a touch of dry earth and an aroma of buttered toast. The acidity and fruit are balanced, but lack the structure that more noticeable tannins would provide. Best Buy. —K.F.
— K.F.
(3/1/2003)
Bold and jammy in style, with intense dark berry fruit and some peppery, leafy notes. Tannins are supple, while crisp acids mark the finish.
— J.C.
(11/1/2011)