This has been sitting in the cellar for a few years. And since I have high humidity it was covered with all sorts of growths. God knows what they are. A bit of stink, which ebbed with time. Earthy cherries on the nose, with some old leathery undertones. The palate is savoury, dark cherries, strong tannins and acid, with a drying finish. Not any spice or anything much else going on, but satisfying for the fruits and the structure. Good with some wood smoked knackwurst and a green salad. Sealed under cork. 13.5% abv. Was $49 from Festival Cellars. Drink now. 90 points.

A blend of Clare Valley and McLaren Vale fruit. Plum jam, mocha and vanilla. Quite domineering really. On the palate, plums and coconut oak, mint, and tangy raspberry acid. To be honest, almost painfully rich on the palate. Finishes with some rawness and burnt characters. Would be nice with a big oily pizza, like a Domino’s Pepperoni, though $30 seems a bit too much. 14.5% abv. Sealed under screwcap. RRP $29.95. A distributor sample. Needs some time to settle down. Drink 2014+, 87 points.

On the second night, the rawness on the finish has gone, but the palate seems a bit hollow. That said, I’ve seen it for $20 at Dans, which isn’t a bad price. 86 points.

From Mondo Imports. And I should add that this is not the right label; it is something I dragged off the net – it will have to do; Traversa doesn’t seem to have a high profile on the www. Anyway, on to the wine. A nose of red fruits, subtle woody spices, like cassia bark and cloves, and a touch of citrus peel. The palate is tangy and also savoury, drying with woody spices, balanced and smooth, with soft tannins extending through the palate. A nice dry finish and good length. As Thom Yorke once said, everything [is] in its right place, and this seems particularly appropriate for this wine; too easy to drink. Dries out a smidge with time, but still has a lovely poise. 13.5% abv. Cork. $70 RRP. Drink 2011-2017+.

A clear red. Initially a bit volatile on the nose and bland and tannic on the palate. But a hour or so later it had opened up nicely and was very easy drinking. Aromas of cherries and dried meats, nougat and a bit of musk. The palate showed a lovely balance, red cherries, red liquorice, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a hint of pistachios. Nicely savoury with dry spices and cleansing acid. Sealed under cork, and cost $40 or thereabouts. 13.5% abv and I wavered between 88 and 89 points over the course of the evening, finally settling on the latter.

Gnocchi for dinner, so it had to be something Italian. Initially dull and savoury red fruits with a bit of stink and varnish; just not that impressive. Four hours later richer fruits emerged, sour cherries and soft raspberries, liquorice, leather, brown earth, cedary and creamy oak and dry spices. The acid is initially quite prominent, but it appears to soften with time. Certainly profited from some air-time, so give it a good decant if you’re planning to open a bottle soon. Sealed under cork. 13.5% abv. Drink 2014+. 92 points.

An orphan in the cellar. Neglected. Now my Italian is pretty rusty, but from the back label this looks like a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. And was supposedly inspired by the classic blend from Bordeaux, but made to reflect the Tuscan terroir. Or something like that.

Red currants, graphite, eucalyptus, cream, liqourice, cloves and musky flowers. The palate is initially quite dry, lead pencils and red currants; simple and somewhat short. Over the afternoon (it was opened for Sunday lunch), the palate opened up, the fruit expanding but still maintaining a dusty savoury character, with dry cigar box on the finish. Pretty good really, even if part of me didn’t want to like a Cabernet blend. And then it dipped again, going tannic. 87+ points, but I think it needs lots more time. Drink 2016+. And then, oh holy shit, I checked my records and this cost a smidge over $100…. what was I thinking?!

I have had a few bottles of this wine so far, and it is lovely. Better than the 2009 I think (which is the current release), though it is always difficult to compare wines from different vintages at the same point in time. This is a little known corollary of the Heisenberg uncertainty principal.

Nice florals, red cherries, leather, river stones and a bagload of savouriness. The palate follows, but is punctuated by refreshing acid; some lightness and brightness, blackberries and raspberries, and dried herbs, savoury length, good body and excellent balance. Drink 2011-2015+. Was approximately $28 from retail. 90 points. 13.0% abv. Sealed under cork.

Very nice packaging, not that that should be the reason for buying a particular bottle of wine, but it is a consideration. Straight from the bottle it seemed a bit rustic, but got better and better with time. Minerals, dried herbs, red cherries, and an old wood character, followed by a savoury palate, minerals, sour cherries, light balsamic notes and a dry finish. Initially too dry, but it gained body over the afternoon while maintaining lovely savoury flavours. Quite charming. $45 from The Wine Emporium a few years ago. 13.0% abv. 90 points.

A lazy Sunday lunch with ciabatta, cured meats, cheeses, olives, artichokes, tomato, avocado and Primo Estate olive oil. First bottle from a purchase three years ago. 13% abv, but seemed a bit stronger. Sealed under cork. Some browning but only a touch. Cherries, plums, dusty oak, undergrowth, dried mushrooms, with a spearmint lift. Balance on the palate, sour red cherries earth and coffee. With time there is good fruit intensity and good length. The finish turns quite tannic though – this can be off-putting. Perhaps needs a few more years, or a decant if you want to open a bottle now. Was over $50 from memory, so quite expensive for what it is.

Picked a bottle of something I hadn’t ever tried before from the racks last night, and as I was extracting a long and high quality cork from the neck of it, I prayed I wasn’t committing vinocide. An intriguing nose: savoury, dried meats and spice, with cherries, stones, vanilla, nuts and black earth, and a touch of caramel. The palate was beautifully textured and structured, dark cherries and plums, tobacco, earth and meats. Great length with perhaps the acid showing a bit on the finish. Probably cost in the mid $80s. Drink 2010-2019. 92 points