Geoffrey reviewed this wine:

Hugel Gentil is a blend of Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Muscat from a winery making wine since 1639. If you want to read more about Alsace the Hugels and all the interesting war time intrigues, I highly suggest picking up Wine and War by Don and Petie Kladstrup. The Gentil is a crisp straw colour with the scent of green apples, fresh citrus rind, faint petrol and a little wisp of fish free sea breeze. The fresh, ripe Alsatian acidity is definitely there (a very good thing indeed). The mouthfeel is creamy and viscous with a good slate and mineral note, this wine feels almost like licking wet quartz. The finish is short to medium with a nice crisp finish. Might I suggest Thai shrimp curry with pineapple?

Geoffrey reviewed this wine:

I like to buy Hugel wines so here is another of my reviews of their wines. The Riesling is an extremely pale straw colour. Petrol, honeysuckle and lemon rind are my thoughts on the first smell. Mineral driven with wet stone, honeydew and cantaloupe, it smells of a summer field after a light morning dew. This has a very good, very strong chunk of acidity. It is all lemon and minerals on the palate. This Riesling is fairly viscous and mouth coating and also very dry. It has a quick sharp finish. This wine drank better on the second night, which leads me to suggest: buy a case and age at least 3 years. This wine is not ye ready but after a little of the acidity precipitates out and the fruit is allowed to shine it will be quite the charmer. I suggest if you must drink it now, as I did, grilled prawns or coconut shrimp are in order.

Geoffrey reviewed this wine:

Vina Cabos is Californian Paul Hobbs winery in Argentina. The wine has beautiful Cabernet colour the second you pour it, dense purple red center and is reminiscent of the best of Napa. The fullness of the nose hits you first, the alcohol is present but unobtrusive… the wine speaks of sunshine. Bright and focused, red berries fully ripe with a whiff of star anise. The nose plays over on the palette, there’s no hole in the middle of this Cabernet. This is a full body, full throttle wine. Acidity is there but in balance with the sweetness of the berries and silky smooth tannins. There is slight but welcoming bitterness on the long finish with a replay of all the flavours that came before. This Cab leaves the mouth salivating and looking for more, a wine to be enjoyed with friends and family. Paired with BBQ pork ribs with homemade orange, ginger and soya BBQ sauce and bacon roasted brussel sprouts… a wine for summer.

Geoffrey reviewed this wine:

The colour of the ball buster starts us off, and oh is it lovely… deep dark purple red with a hint of brick. This is my 4th time having this wine, and the first time I could stop to write down my thoughts. It is a blend of mostly Shiraz with Merlot and Cabernet. This is a product of a vineyard that takes its wine making seriously but not necessarily itself. I feel like ‘burst’ is a bit of a cliché but none the less blackberries burst from the wine with mocha, chocolate, lavender, fennel fronds, warm rich earth and stewed raspberries all making appearances. Ripe berries with a hint of pepper dance on the palate with another appearance of the chocolate on the nose. The acidity is bang on with a blast of black berries on the finish. The tannins are smooth, smooth and smooth. The finish is medium long with a replay of that perfect acidity and a titch of bitter cherries. Paired on this occasion with a, from scratch, Caesar salad with lots of bacon, garlic, lemon, fresh parmesan and garlic butter sautéed shrimp. While I thought the salad itself would pair well, I wasn’t sure the shrimp would. I shouldn’t have worried, after one shrimp a sip of the wine came with an intense blast of mocha, chocolate and raspberry. We had one of those totally cool and unexpected food and wine experiences. This is full throttle Shiraz at its best.

Geoffrey reviewed this wine:

This wine brings together the worlds of Rhone winemaker Michel Chapoutier and wine expert Anthony Terlato from California in as odd a place as any for these two, Australia. The wine is a blend of Shiraz and Viognier in homage to the style of the northern Rhone. The wine is deep dark purple red, showing what I think is the upside of co-pigmentation. On first sniff the nose is greeted with blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, sweet black licorice, damp earth, black pepper and a not too sweet or cloying mixed berry jam. First impression on the tongue is a perception of sweetness. The tannins are smooth and round. Spice plays out with the fruit taking a back seat. Surprisingly the wine isn’t near as complex on the tongue as it was on the nose, a shame considering the nose. This is a wine that suffered too much hype on the nose before touching the palate. Spice replays on the finish with very little bitterness and a hint of the earth found on the nose. It is still a good wine despite the let down on the palate. We paired it with spicy soy, ginger, coriander and basil marinated flank steak with tomato, cucumber, iceberg and Thai basil salad which really allowed the wine’s fruit to come out.