Appellation Australia

A recent dinner bringing some brilliant winemakers from Europe to Est. restaurant in Sydney. Lots of great wines, some excellent food and a chance to speak with, and hear some interesting and opinionated winemakers – a superb night.

2006 Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett ‘Jean Baptiste’
Light floral and citrus notes. Simple on the palate, easy to drink. Doesn’t really punch above its weight, but it is pleasant enough.
85/100

italian buffalo mozzarella, fresh figs, joselito jamon “iberico de bellota”, pomegranate, rocket and watercress

2009 Domane Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel
Strong pear element to the nose with peaches and quince supporting. Bold palate with good intensity of flavour and enough acid to keep things crisp.
88/100

2008 Domaine Ostertag Pinot Blanc ‘Barriques’
Honey, oats, and floral notes on the nose. There is a spice element to the otherwise slightly flat palate.
85/100

2008 Wittmann Pinot Gris
Light orange and mandarin peel aromas. Nicely balanced palate with medium depth.
87/100

2007 Gunderloch Pinot Gris
Interesting smoke and honey aromas on the nose. Very good and palate, has long carry and is balanced. Provides some character and interest. The best wine in this flight of four.
89/100

nage of moreton bay bug, cucumber, peas, coriander, ginger and lime

2007 Heymann-Löwenstein Riesling Rottgen
There is almost a plum aroma to the nose, as well as lemon, apricots and spice. A touch of richness to the palate, with very good length. Continues to draw interest with each sip.
91/100

2007 Brundlmayer Heiligenstein Riesling DAC Reserve ‘Lyra’
Floral with a little bit of petrol on the nose. The petrol carries onto the palate, which is pretty uninteresting otherwise. Weakest wine of this flight of four.
86/100

2007 Wittmann Riesling Aulerde Grosses Gewächs
Spices, white peach, melon and minerality on the nose. Tight and focused palate. There is fruit richness that is reined in by a beautiful line of acid. Great length, poise and balance. Delicious and even better when paired with food. Wonderful.
94/100

2006 Dönnhoff Riesling Grosses Gewächs Dellchen
Pear, struck match, stalks and lychee on the nose. Lovely richness to the palate that carries into a very long finish. There is excellent depth and layers of complexity already. Got better and better with time in the glass.
93/100

steamed murray cod fillet, abalone, snow peas, oyster mushrooms, ginger – green shallot vinaigrette

1996 Domane Wachau Grüner Vetliner Kellerberg Smaragd
Black pepper, bacon, and a little bit sweaty on the nose. Bold,deep and intense palate – a real change of gears compared to the younger wines tried next to it. Challenging.
88/100

2006 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg Grand Cru
Honey, quince, freshly baked biscuits on the nose. The palate is great, with excellent length and richness.
91/100

2007 Wittmann Westhofener ‘S’ Riesling
Very fresh floral nose, with minerality shining through. Delicious lifted palate with great length and verve. Refreshing and interesting.
90/100

2006 Brundlmayer Grüner Veltliner DAC Reserve ‘Alte Ruben’
Spice dominant on the nose and palate, with additional aromas of straw and hay. Very persistent on the palate. Great quality fruit here.
90/100

white peach sorbet, pistachio cake, grilled peach and vanilla

2006 Dönnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese
Fresh nose of crisp green apples, minerals, limes and peaches. Beautiful balance between the sweetness and acidity. Great purity on the palate.
90/100

2008 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese
Very pale colour. Grapes, pear and minerals on the nose. The palate is pure and long, with the sweetness barely apparent, such is the excellent balance.
89/100

2006 Ostertag Fronholz Vendages Tardives Gewurztraminer
Intense nose with wax, honey and spices. Alcohol pokes out a touch on the palate, throwing the balance. The richness is also perhaps a bit too much for the acid. Still a nice wine but struggled to impress.
88/100

brillat savarin, aged comte gruyere, holy goat ‘la luna’, quince paste and walnut bread

2005 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Selection de Grains Nobles Gewurztraminer
Waxy, honeyed, ginger, apricot and smoke elements to the nose. The palate is explosively sweet but the acid is up to the task. Very good.
92/100

2007 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brucke Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule
Pure, tight, restrained nose – lots of minerality. The palate is excellent, with super balance and depth. Persistent flavour and there is potential here to improve with medium term aging.
92/100

2008 Heymann-Lowenstein Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule ‘Roth Lay’
Green apple, passionfruit, slightly smoky aromas. Bursts with flavour and sweetness on the palate but it is balanced by excellent acidity. A wonderfully complex and intense wine.
93/100

2008 Brigitte & Gerhard Pittnauer St. Laurent
Cherry and redcurrant. Hard acid and very superficial. Interesting to try once but a small amount was enough.
83/100