"The nose has characters like sweet, perfumed pears with a touch of nuttiness. Zesty, fresh citrus palate with sweetness to add depth."
Winestate, Cask Wines, March/April 2008

"The quest for quality that has invigorated De Bortoli wines in recent years stretches all the way down the line and can even be seen in its casks. Fresh, citrussy and sprightly, this chardonnay pleases the palate as much as the pocket."
Nick Ryan, Australian Table, May 2007

"A surprise packet, a wine this good in a 4-litre soft pack - but that's De Bortoli these days. This is light, bright, fresh and fruity with some attractive juiciness and a fairly dry finish. Very good value. Rating: Bloody Good."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2007


"Green bean and passionfruit aromas with a subtle citrus influence. The palate is well balanced in a drier style, with plenty of flavour weight to the tropical fruits."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2006


"Upfront honeyed tropical fruit aromas. Nice, full, sweet tropical fruit palate showing lively freshness and pleasant nutty notes."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2004

"Lovely peach aromas with some sweaty citrus highlights. A medium, balanced palate with some residual sugar and some good acid length."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March 2003

"Lively tight clean palate with green bean characters, good fruit depth and palate weight."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March/April 2002

"It's easy to drink, restrained as unwooded chardonnay often is, clean, fresh and lively. Good uncomplicated summer drinking."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2009

Similarly [to the colombard chardonnay, above] with this unwooded chardonnay! There's a core of pure fruit that you won't often see in cask wine: fresh, quite intense, ripe tropical flavours, softness in the mid-palate and a clean, lively finish. Rating: Bloody Good."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2007

"There are lots of ripe, sweet blackberry and plum fruit characters on the nose and palate. This red is soft and easy to drink but there's a hint of spiciness too. Serve it with snags.
Sally Gudgeon, The Sun Herald, 23 July 2006

One of the Best Cask Reds Over $15
"Good deep colour, cherry and plum with spiced savoury touches, nicely balanced and good tannic grip on the finish."
Graeme Phillips, Hobart Mercury, 12 July 2006

"Stewed plum and vanilla aromas with a funky, meaty edge. The palate shows overripe black fruit characters with a hint of Christmas cake and firm, astringent tannins on the finish."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2006

"An attractive blackberry and cherry bouquet and lovely long, soft fruit flavours with an earthy/spicy touch."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, April 2005

"Love the sweet, ripe plump fruit in here. It shows a lingering intensity and flavour profile. Pretty darned good for a cask."
Crackers in a box by Ray Jordan, West Australian, 14 December 2004

"Cherry/berry bouquet with a touch of chocolate on the nose. Dark berry and cherry fruit flavours with a soft balanced palate."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March/April 2002

"Mid-magenta. Pencil shavings and smoky oak with deep forest fruit highlights. Rich blackcurrant and anise flavours with integrated oak. Simple, dry tannins on the finish."
Winestate, March/April 2007

"Light green-gold colour. Tropical peach, apricot, and grape aromas. Light, delicate, grassy flavours with good weight. Full, clean and fresh."
Winestate, March/April 2007

"A dryish style that is light, fresh and clean with some fruitiness to give it interest."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2007

"Full and ripe fruit with plenty of tropical notes plus a little grassiness. Pretty good."
Crackers in a box by Ray Jordan, West Australian, 14 December 2004

"A reliable and refreshing, dryish white. Nice and crisp with a touch of fruitiness."
Ian MacTavish, Super Food Ideas, September 2004

"Pleasant herbaceous / asparagus-like aromas - a touch honeyed. The lime/ citrus palate has structure and length and chalky characters."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2004

"Fresh and with zesty appeal, this has real green bean flavour. There is a touch of fruit sweetness, an essentially dry palate, good structure and generosity of flavour."
Sunday Times, 6 January 2002

"The palate is simple, clean and fresh with green apple and orange zest. 'Shows life and length' commented one judge. A nice dense palate."
Winestate, March/April 2002

Best Cask White Over $15
"Good nose, apricot and malt flavours, nice depth and complexity, smooth, clean and flavoursome."
Graeme Phillips, Hobart Mercury, 12 July 2006

"A soft round, fruity wine with some chippy oak notes and a dry, grippy finish. Pretty Good."
Quaff 2006 by Peter Forrestal.


"A slightly charry oak character on the nose that is echoed on a palate that is soft and flavoursome with a refreshingly citrusy finish."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, April 2005

"Big rich and slightly developed and has some interesting complexity. Forward oak and clean fresh finish."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March/April 2002

"Simple and fruity and showing some riesling citrus character. A fresh palate-friendly drink."
Ray Jordan, West Australian, 23 September 2004

"Bright, powerful tropical fruit aromas and mouthfilling, sweet tropical flavours. Good dose of acid to balance. True to variety and style."
Winestate, Cask Wines, March/April 2008

"This is a good example of the sweeter style of cask wine - bright, grapey fragrance with delicious sweet fruit that lingers. Avoids being cloying."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2007

"Very ripe, lifted, spicy, floral / musky / perfumed bouquet. Clean, full-bodied palate with a big flavour explosion - quite sweet."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2004

"There are heaps of ripe, sweet tropical fruit flavours here. It's clean and fresh and pretty sweet."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2009

"A shy bouquet offering peach and apricot notes of moderate intensity. The clean and crisp flavours are of modest depth and weight, with a firm acid finish."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2006

"Very floral bouquet with slightly developed notes. Great fruit style nicely balanced by acid and residual sugar."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, April 2005

"Beautiful tropical fruits. Quite pure with a nice crisp fine acid."
Ray Jordan, West Australian, 23 September 2004

"Many will find this hard to resist: sweet raisin, honey and toffee flavours, silky smooth almost lush texture, good richness and concentration before a clean, fresh finish."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2009


"Lovely honeyed aromas with just a dash of spice. Complex muscat flavours layered with freshly roasted toffee characters. Rich and sweet."
Winestate, Cask Wines, March/April 2008

"Like sherry, liqueur muscat is perfectly suited to casks. This is a delicious muscat, fragrant with heady aromas of fruitcake and spice, and intense and full flavoured on the palate. It's the ideal end to a meal, with cheese or a chocolate dessert."
Nick Ryan, Australian Table, May 2007


"Light brown tinged. True to style with lifted candied peel, raisins and roasted almonds on the nose. Very sweet with caramelised Christmas pudding flavours and clean rancio complexity. 'Liquid velvet,' enthused one judge."
Winestate, March/April 2007

"Delightfully aromatic, fresh, clean and lively with grapey, honeyed flavours and cleansing acidity, which balances its sweetness. This is terrific for a 4-litre cask, showing richness and intensity as well as good varietal character. Grapey flavours linger on its finish. Rating: Bloody Good."
Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2007

"Rancio characters noticeable on the delicious nose. Intense raisined, nutty and chocolaty flavours on the lively, zesty palate."
Winestate, Cask Wines, March/April 2008

"A heady alcohol lift to the nose with fig and prune aromas on offer. Very sweet on the palate; delivers raisin and coffee flavours with assertive tannins and moderate persistence."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March / April 2006


"Nutty, toasty bouquet with almost caramel sweetness in the mouth. Nutty raisined flavours and good wood age."
Winestate, Feature tasting - Cask Wines, April 2005

"A rich dark wine with floral tones."
Ray Jordan, West Australian, 23 September 2004

"There is plenty of flavour here - raisins, toffee, liquorice - in this soft, smooth and sweet fortified. Satisfying and well priced."
Quaff 2004, The Best Value Wines In Australia by Max Allen & Peter Forrestal

"Light tawny colour. Raisin 'pudding-like' nose. Raisin, clove and spice flavours apparent on the palate. Showing aged characteristics. Clean and well-made with slightly hot finish."
Winestate, Feature Tasting - Cask Wines, March/April 2001