JM 1ST APPROACH

there's nothing but good news here. It's a gentle cherry/berry style with a fresh violet lift and some spicy complexity on the finish. Fine tannins give it more definition and structure than you'd expect. It's only going to get better with two or three years in the cellar, so make sure you go long on this one. Gavin Trott

Another great example of the quality of this vintage in Coonawarra. Silky smooth seamless structure with those tannins and oak cut precisely into the elegant fruit. 97 Points; Ray Jordan's Top 100 Australian Reds, The West Australian July 2012

.... a wonderful balance of warm toasty flavours on the finish. The structure of this wine shows both the power of a typical multi layered Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay with an underlying elegance. For mine, among the best young Art Series Chardonnay I have tried, and I have them all back to 1999, and a classic in the making with time in the cellar. Will develop brilliantly ... world class wine! - Gavin Trott

Tannin of muscular density and grip - authoritative but not over-bearing. They'll stand this beautifully blue and black fruited wine in good stead for many a year. There's soft and subtle vanilla oak, a little spice, and some of that regional and/or vineyard derived ironstone character that I find so appealing. Chocolate and licorice with air, though it's the depth of fruit married to impressive structure that's the thing here. A mighty wine. Needs some time yet, but what a future. Rated : 94+ Points. Drink : 2014 - 2030

Decent, quaffable pinot noir for under $20? It's almost impossible to find but this terrific value import from the south of France manages it ... “the best French Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy” .... It's on the riper side of the pinot spectrum, certainly no shrinking violet, but no brash bogan either. The (French) girl next door with smoothness, dark cherry fruit flavours, hints of earthiness and plenty of length. It can be found on special for as low as $15 but the RRP is $19.  Windsor Dobbin