Noble One (2007)

"Noble one, which has won more trophies than just about any other Australian wine, was born in 1982 during a bold attempt to create a sauternes-style sweet wine from botrytis-affected grapes. From the latest installment you can expect a nose bursting with stone fruit, marmalade and spice, while the palate is fresh. Serve with pavlova."

Matt Skinner, Sun Herald, January 2010

John Fordham, Sunday Telegraph, January 2010

'Deep golden straw in colour. The 2007 Noble One marked the wine's 25th anniversary since its first vintage in 1982. A possibly oak-derived cedar aroma on the nose with blossom. apricot and a volatile acidity lift gave the wine overall complexity. The panel agreed that this wine exhibited great varietal expression with notes of honey, toffee, pineapple, apricot and dried fruits. The rich, full-bodied, sweet and well balanced palate with great weight and some oak extract countered the high sugar level. Flavours of orange rind, apricot, pear, citrus and passionfruit. Great acid balance to close the wine's finish and give it freshness."

Lauren Jones, Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal, January 2010

95 points

"The 25th vintage is a cracking rendition of Australia's most famous Botrytis Semillon. Citrus zest, peach and apricot freshness offset its honeyed, crème brûlèe richness. The balance of tight acidity and sweetness is spot on."

Tyson Stelzer, WBM, January 2010

*****
"THIS granddaddy of Australian botrytised sweet white wines seems to get even better with each release. The shiny golden '07 is the 25th anniversary vintage. Lovely mandarin, honey and lemon characters with subtle oak blossom in the mouth into a superbly luscious, sweet, complex wine of great depth and persistence."

Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age, December 2009

"A fine meal deserves a fitting end and dessert wine is a supremely sophisticated salute to satisfaction. Our pick, along with most of the world's, is Noble One Botrytis Semillon. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary 2007 vintage, this nectar of the gods has enticing aromas of bush honey and peach, and a palate of dried stone fruits."

Australian Home Beautiful, November 2009

"Australia’s benchmark dessert wine is a bit lighter, fresher and more vibrant in 2007 than in most vintages. It is fine yet intense, with delicate apricot, honey and marmalade flavours and gentle power, before a finish in which crisp natural acidity cleanses the palate. Impeccably balanced."

Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2010, October 2009

10/10
"Reserved and complex, still deep fruited three fruits crystallised citrus and pure botrytis sea saltiness. Fine and pure in the mouth too, creamy down the middle with concentrated glace pear and peach flavours. A long, lush finish with just the right balancing acid and oak nuttiness to close. Smart sweet wine this, which will evolve well for a decade."

Tim White, The Age, September 2009

"Wet spells led to good botrytis and this is very citrus and fresh with grapefruit as well as rounder, honeyed peach and tropical pineappley/rum baba notes.  Long, long finish. 10%, residual not given.  Great potential. (100% screw cap)"

Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective (UK), September 2009

95 points
"The 25th vintage is a cracking rendition of Australia's most famous Botrytis Semillon. Citrus zest, peach and apricot freshness offset its honeyed, crème brûlée richness. The balance of tight acidity and sweetness is spot on."

Tyson Stelzer, WBM Magazine, August 2009

"This is the wine Prime Minister Kev gave the Pope on his recent visit to Rome. Well, almost - it was the 2006 vintage, in fact. Now in its 25th year, Noble One has established itself as Australia's premier sweet white. This is lush and decadent, with mouth-coating honey and marmalade flavours. Grab some blue cheese and you can't go wrong. That's what the Pope told me, anyway."

Rick Allen, Manly Daily, July 2009

95 points
"This is the 25th vintage of Australia's best known and most highly regarded sweet wine, which has won 104 trophies and 352 gold medals since the release of the 1982 vintage. Brilliant green-gold, it has all the luscious intensity expected of the wine, ranging through citrus, cumquat and vanilla bean, yet is not over the top. Its best features are its balance, line and extreme length, similar to that of 02."

James Halliday, Weekend Australian, July 2009

"I reckon the 2007 Noble One, as a young wine, is the best yet. There is a taste of dried fruit, but it is subtle. The mandarin characteristics, which tend to dominate with age, are restrained, as is the honey and the acidity already in balance. If you haven't tried it, please do so with your favourite end-of-dinner food. This is a world-class wine, and you won't be disappointed."

Jeff Gordon, Melbourne Weekly Bayside, July 2009

94 points
"The 25th vintage of this classy botrytised semillon shows dried apricot, peach, honey, spice and vanilla oak on the nose and palate with a cleansing acid finish. It's delicious already with desserts or blue cheese but will be even more luscious in another five years."

Mike Frost, Courier Mail, June 2009

93 points
"Wonderful example of this great wine. Aromas of nectarine, honey and stone fruits on the nose with a lift of light citrus. There is a little obvious vanillin oak infused into the rich honey and concentrated stone fruit on the palate. A wine of texture and sublime depth and lusciousness."

Ray Jordan, The West Australian, June 2009

"The 25th-anniversary release of the iconic botrytis semillon lives up to the hype. Silky smooth, luscious, opulent and complex; this is a truly great wine. Pair it with blue cheese or a game terrine."

Winsor Dobbin, winsorschoice.blogspot.com, June 2009