"The De Bortoli Dixon's Creek base is a focal point of the northern Yarra Valley with a restaurant, good tasting facilities and excellent wines. Worth a visit if you're ever in that neck of the woods."
Huon Hooke & Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide, '01 - '02

Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

95 points
"Elegance and harmony are the markers of all De Bortoli wines. It was a toss up between this, the pinot noir and the syrah, all equally good and all estate grown. Bright crimson-purple, its seductively fragrant aromas lead into a bell-clear varietal palate with supple, silky mouthfeel and a long, harmonious finish."
James Halliday Top 100, The Weekend Australian, 8 - 9 November 2008

Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

91 points
"Finely crafted and balanced, this long, polished and tightly focused wine has a pretty, floral bouquet whose vibrant cassis and blackberry aromas are backed by suggestions of dried herbs and cedary oaks. Smooth and linear, with a sour-edged aspect to its blackberry, raspberry and cherry and plum liqueur-like fruit, it's underpinned by drying, powdery tannins, finishing with harmony and balance."
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2009

"Another in a conga line of freakishly good wines made by made by master winemaker Steve Webber displaying intense berry flavours and seamless oak treatment while maintaining balanced alcohol levels and silky smooth tannins."
Dr Peter Hay, Australian Doctor, 19 September 2008

94 points
“Bright crimson-purple; an elegant, medium-bodied wine, with carefully crafted cabernet fruit supported by high-quality oak and ripe tannins; very good line and flow.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009


"Big black berry bouquet with dusty, earthy notes. Same for the palate, with it's elegant structure and fine tannins. Still a baby but it's been built to last."
Winestate, New Releases, July/August 2008

18.5/20
"The growing conditions for this vintage allowed the fruit to reach full maturity before being hand-picked. It has bold, varietal aromas, with berry and spice fruit flavours that are held together with fine tannins and a lingering finish."
National Liquor News, June 2008

"Lifted blackcurrant characters, describing it as a focused wine with a refined core of ripe, sweet fruit supporting good weight and succulence. A very powerful, concentrated wine."
Peter Forrestal, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 January 2008

"A modern style, floral, with plenty of bright, ripe, elemental fruit that carries good depth and lovely, layered textured oak. Well-applied tannins in the classic cabernet shape"
Nick Stock, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 January 2008

93 points
"A modern Cabernet with classic style. Plenty of oak and bright ripe cassis fruits, the winemaking skills are on parade here. Ripe berries and some elegant florals, the palate has impressive layered texture, tannins thicken in Cabernet shape towards the back, as dark crunchy fruit meets toasty oak."
Nick Stock, WBM100, October 2007


Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

"Distinct 'crushed ant' aromas. Clean, simple palate with grippy tannins and evolved forest fruit/ oak flavours."
Winestate, Tasting Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends, July/August 2007

"Winemaker Steve Webber must have delighted the family - he's married to head honcho Darren De Bortoli's sister Leanne with this splendidly structured red."
John Fordham, Sunday Telegraph, 24 June 2007

To top

Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007

"For such a big wine company, this chardonnay tastes very handmade and has great balance, length and attention to detail."
Greg Duncan Powell, Vogue Entertaining and Travel Magazine, 1 January 2009

89 points
"Pale gold. Gently spicy nose projects a suave bouquet of underripe melon and pear; anise and yellow rose notes arrive with aeration, but reluctantly. Crisp, tangy, focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors are framed by jangling back-end acidity. This is pretty wound up right now, and needs a few months or so to flesh out and harmonize."
Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar,September/October 2008 – Issue 140

94 points
"Highly textural wine. Elegant and long. This is why the wine world has fallen in love with De Borts over the past five years. Crisp grapefruit and lemons but with lots of savoury, charry, creamy mouthfeel. Just gorgeous."
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front Hot 50, September 2008

94 points
"... It has a complex bouquet, with some savoury elements, followed by a tightly wound and focused palate, neither intensity nor length in any way diminished by its low alcohol."
James Halliday Weekend Australian, 20 September 2008


Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2006

89 points
"Waxy, vanilla, citrus, lees, melon, ripe peach aromas. Round, elegant, fresh and dry palate with good crispness and viscosity. Melon, citrus, mineral, green apple, vanilla, butter, peach skin flavours. Finish has a bit of bitter grapefruit rind and toasty lees. Good food wine in a cooler style from Oz."
Anthony Gismondi (Canada), www.gismondionwine.com, September 2008

"A complex, smoky and reductive bouquet of melon, citrus and apricot blossom reveals creamy, nutty undertones. Moderately long, smooth and creamy, its restrained flavours of peach and lemon finish dry and savoury, with suggestions of minerals."
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2009

95 points
“Complex aromas; the palate has tight focus and extreme length; distinct affinities with chablis.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

95 points
"The precision and detail of this wine are something to behold. The flavours build and build on the finish, in a sea of delightfully textured, minerally acidity. Pure grapefruit, white peach and lemon flavours jostle with spicy wild yeast complexity and roast nut flavours. Brilliant."
Tyson Stelzer, WBM, May 2008

Highly Recommended
"Comparatively closed on the nose, yet shows a whiff of Burgundian funk to back up the fruit. The varietal character comes into its own on the palate which is persistent and beautifully structured. Give it 2-3 years."
WINEWISE, April 2008

92 points
"Classically varietal – typically classy elegant Yarra Valley in style, modern Yarra Valley Chardonnay in composition. Typical peach melon aromas to start with, then the complexity ensues with citrus lemons and subtle limes, tight fresh nectarines, melded with cashew oak. Touch of leesy character along with some toastiness and biscuity texture in mouthfeel. Well structured, balanced with lively acidity and a seamless length and delicious mouthfeel, long, lingering and rememberable. Try this with Spaghetti Carbonara."
Paul Ippolito, www.webwombat.com.au, 10 March 2008

"Youthful, restrained but complex; minerally, faintly buttery/nutty, but lemon/citrus flavours, too. Long and superbly harmonious."
Huon Hooke, The Age, 2 February 2008

92 points
"...Anyways, on to the wine. I do vaguely remember from the press release that there have been efforts by the De Bortoli winemaking team to get less sunshine in the Chardonnay. I think this is an admirable aim, because I would reckon it would make a wine with more structure and less of the blousey overblown tropical fruit characters. In this regard, there has been success, because the wine showed mainly nectarine and citrus fruits, with a bit of cream, vanilla and gunsmoke, and only a hint of peaches and melon. The palate also showed the nectarine characters, but with a lemon/orange sherbet liveliness, displaying a beautiful fruit purity, savoury without any mealy or minerally characteristics, and admirable length. A lovely wine; drink over the next few years."
Lincoln, (www.winorama.com.au), 31 December 2007

“Elegant, progressive and delivered with musician-like playful style, this is one of Australia’s pacesetting chardonnays. Smells creamy and complex, with figs and quince, gunflint and savoury oak complexity. The palate has poise and elegance, some brighter nectarine tang. Piercing, intense flavour, delicately arranged.”
Sally Gudgeon, 40 Summer Whites, Qantas The Australian Way, December 2007

"Winemaker Steve Webber's team has been working hard building complexity into Yarra chardonnay. This pale example is a subtle melange of nectarine fruit, leesy, earthy and nutty threads, creamy texture and great persistence. If you like the squeaky-clean Australian style, look elsewhere - this is inspired by Europe."
Ralph Kyte Powell, The Age Epicure Wine Style, 28 November 2007


"The extent to which Australian winemakers have moved away from the Dolly Parton-style chardonnays of the past shines through in this elegant Steve Webber creations. It is light gold with olive green tints and has white peach and vanilla bean scents. Finely structured nectarine flavour shows on the front of the palate and citrus and yeasty fruit characters integrate with almond-edged oak on the middle palate. Smooth flinty acid features at the finish. It would be ideal with wiener schnitzel, Atlantic salmon and prawn paella."
Newcastle Herald, 24 October 2007

89 points
"Waxy, vanilla, citrus, lees, melon, ripe peach aromas. Round, elegant, fresh and dry palate with good crispness and viscosity. Melon, citrus, mineral, green apple, vanilla, butter, peach skin flavours. Finish has a bit of bitter grapefruit rind and toasty lees. Good food wine in a cooler style from Oz."
Anthony Gismondi, www.gismondionwine.com, 13 September 2007

91 points 
"Light yellow. Explosively perfumed spiced pear and lime aromas are given depth by cured meat, toasted grain and dried herbs. Almost shockingly lithe and precise following the nose, with its bright citrus fruit and zest flavors accompanied by nervy minerality and gentle oak spices. The tangy finish boasts excellent persistence. Allow this some cellar time."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007

To top

Yarra Valley Limited Release Chardonnay 2003


"Lovely intense oak lift to the complex, figgy nose - slightly oily. Dense, sweet, green lime palate, rich oak and great acid structure. Needs time to integrate."
Winestate, Varietal Tasting - Chardonnay & Blends. April 2005.

To top

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2008

+91 points
"Light salmon skin color. Ripe strawberry and nectarine aromas are complicated by dusty minerals and flowers. Juicy, lightly sweet citrus and red berry flavors stain the palate, and are given a firm edge by bitter quinine. Gains weight and richness on the finish, which leaves smoky red berries and tangerine behind. This will be very flexible at the table."
Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar,September/October 2008 – Issue 140

89 points
“The 2008 Pinot Noir Rose is salmon pink-colored with a fragrant bouquet of rose petals, strawberry, and rhubarb. On the palate it is bone dry while exhibiting an elegant personality. Vibrant and well-balanced, it should be versatile with a wide range of foods.
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (USA), 11 September 2008


Yarra Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2007

"This is a rosé designed for sniffing, savouring and thinking about. It has a sumptuous texture, delicate perfume and suits serious summer foods."
Greg Duncan Powell, Grazia Magazine, 5 January 2009

"This wine is sweet and simple with a soft, refreshing dryness. Abundant aromas of rose petal, berries and musk fill the glass."
National Liquor News, September 2008

94 points
“Pale salmon-pink; a serious rose with far more texture and structure than usual; definitely a food style for a wide variety of dishes.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009


"A very pale, French-style pink wine that shows how De Bortoli is exploring new themes in its Yarra Valley range. Restrained aromas of wild strawberries and spices lead to a smooth, very dry, complex palate with real backbone. Much more serious and refined than most Australian rose's."
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age, 30 July 2008

"The much larger De Bortoli has also jumped - convincingly - on the bandwagon: the marvellous Estate Grown Pinot Noir Rosé is given the full complement of 'natural' winemaking techniques such as wild yeast ferment in big old barrels and no acid addiction to produce a wine that's delicate and bone dry but also round, soft and creamy."
Max Allen, Gourmet Traveller WINE, 1 March 2008

“The 2007 De Bortoli Pinot Noir Rosé is a wine that focuses on detail rather than broad brushstrokes. The colour of pale salmon, it’s restrained and refined, showing subtle hints of dry red berries and woody spice. A high pH imparts terrific texture, although enough natural acid remains to create a juicy, fresh finish. Arguably Australia’s best.”
Nick Ryan & Nick Stock, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 March 2008

92 points
"A total change of pace from every other rosé in this list. De Borts pale salmon coloured rosé is more about texture than flavour. Fermentation with wild yeast and lees ageing in old oak casks add a savoury, earthy edge as well as texture and depth more reminiscent of Europe than Australia."
Tyson Stelzer, WBM 100, January 2008

92 points
"A rosé with clear Pinot overtones. Lightly coloured, cherry scented fruit and gentle spice. The palate is fine and taut, some textural richness, pitches ripe Pinot flavour against a savoury backdrop. Terrific balance."
Nick Stock, WBM 100, January 2008

Highly Recommended
"Very light pink. Certainly not a sweet fruit bomb. The delicate fruit carries some intriguing secondary components. A delicious dry rosé, with just enough varietal fruitiness balanced by fresh acidity."
Winewise, 25 December 2007

92 points
"A sweet and sour type nose – savoury and ripe in the same breath. Think raspberries, strawberries and ripe watermelons for the primary fruit characters. Rose petals and frangipani as well emanate. On the drier side of the equation generally yet with its fair share of succulent, uplifting and fragrant fruit along with soft lively acidity. Watermelons and strawberries abound on the finish. Try this with grilled prawns."
Paul Ippolito, (www.paulippolito.com.au), 14 December 2007

"With apologies to Paul Keating, this is a rosé for true believers. I'm sure the ex-PM would agree, given its very European style and the fact it's as dry as his wit and as acidic as his tongue. A fabulous summer drink, but shines best with food."
Dr Peter Hay, Australian Doctor, 7 December 2007

"Time to ponder your rosé - dry, sweet, el cheapo, or premium-priced? This 2007 release from De Bortoli's Yarra Valley operation falls into the latter zone, but what a swish dish it is. There are some lovely red berry, raspberry, and rosewater nuances here, but the proof of its quality lies in its freshness and its subtle but gently textured palate and refreshingly clean aftertaste. There's no doubting the pinot inputs, nor the value of lees-stirring that went into its making. Yum."
Mark Smith, Sunday Examiner, 18 November 2007

4.5/5
"A fascinating wine, way outside the various mainstreams of Australian rosé with the potential to both please and polarise. It's made from selected estate fruit and displays plenty of strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit. Though full of flavour, it's almost bone-dry and noticeably lower than average in acidity. Another standout feature is the unusual silky texture that contributes to a dangerous level of drinkability."
Paddy Kendler, Herald Sun, 23 October 2007

"When De Bortoli's Yarra Valley outfit released this European-style rose for the first time last year it turned a few heads. Well they've done it again - this is a real charmer with lovely fruit definition, perfumed rose petal aromas, sweet red berry fruit flavours, balanced acidity. Drink it with antipasto."
Kerry Skinner, Illawarra Mercury, 17 October 2007

"For the last couple of vintages this has proved itself to be arguably the best pale-coloured, savoury, pinot-noir style of rosé produced in this country. Creamy yet dry, fruity yet savoury, terribly moreish and perfect with tapas or antipasto."
Max Allen, The Weekend Australian Magazine , 1-2 September 2007

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2006

88 points
"Black cherry, spicy, Worcester, pepper, vanilla, carrot top, gamey aromas. Round, dry, elegant palate but a bit tight with fresh acidity. Smoky, resin, black cherry, orange peel, celery, spicy, rootsy flavours with a vanilla, mineral finish. Good balance, bit cooler style with some light tannins and green edges to soften over the next 1-3 years."
Anthony Gismondi (Canada), www.gismondionwine.com, September 2008

92 points
"Scented with rose petals, sweet cherries and cherry kernels, this firm and bony Volnay-like pinot begins wild, meaty and rustic, but becomes more fragrant and vibrant with aeration. Constructed over a firm chassis of slightly edgy tannin, its palate of lingering red cherry and dark plum fruit finishes warm and savoury, with a suggestion of roast chestnuts."
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2009

94 points
“A pure and intense evocation of pinot; plum and black cherry fruit; complex texture thanks to fine tannins and controlled oak; long finish.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

"Its almost become clichéd to talk about the extraordinary quality of De Bortoli wines,especially Pinot. This Yarra Valley gem is the more premium offering in the range and it tips its hat firmly in the direction of the old world thanks to Steve Webber's understanding of what good Burgundy should taste like. Vital and enticing nose of subtle cherry, and meaty aromas leading to an all encompassing palate of Chinese plums, cherry and taut acids. Tight, defined and as sculpted as a supermodel."
Patrick Haddock, Food In Focus, July 2008

"Compare your day with that of those behind, who rise at dawn to hand-pick grapes. Get over yourself, desk jockey, your day was a piece of cake."
Stuart Macgill, Sunday Herald Sun, 8 June 2008


"... Steve's Pinot style isn't ballsy, it's subtle and elegant but with beautiful balance and texture. There is spice and plums and dark cherries, with a hint of toasty oak and savoury characters on the nose. The palate has a lovely texture and mouthfeel to it, with fine dusty tannins on the finish."
David Sutherland, Top Drop, Border Mail, 16 May 2008

93+ points
"Well I reviewed this nearly a year ago and gave it an 89+, tasted a second bottle a few months ago and thought it much better, and this third bottle I thought better again. Good old plus sign eh. Get out of gaol free. I tasted this alongside the 2006 Reserve Pinot, and while the Reserve has greater intensity and focus, there’s certainly not a huge gulf between their relative stations. I’d also add that I poured off a glass out of each bottle and left them in the fridge until the next day. They looked all the better for it too.

A mix of rich cherry, spice, Autumn leaves and toasty caramel oak lead on to a medium to full bodied palate with plenty of flavour that’s full of ripe cherry and plum, earth and spice - sweet and savoury at once. It has bright clean acidity and fine grained textured tannins providing firm structure. Excellent length of flavour finishing spicy and dry. Still needs more time."
Gary Walsh, (www.winorama.com.au),  14 May 2008

Recommended
"Very fresh, with some background whole berry complexity. The tannins are a little firm at the moment but the fruit has plenty of life."
WINEWISE, April 2008

95 points
"There's no question that this is the best release yet of what is fast becoming one of Australia's most important Pinots. An utterly complex assemblage of dark berries, savoury spice and undergrowth rides on a tannin chassis that is at once assertive and integrated. The finish is epic, as is every nuance of this wine."
Tyson Stelzer, WBM, February 2008


"A shy pinot that needs time to come out of its shell. Then it is a lovely, silken-textured wine with sweetly spicydark-cherry fruit overlain by meaty/gamy and toasty barrel-matured characters. Elegant and refined, it's at the subtle but stylish end of the spectrum."
Houn Hooke, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 March 2008

"Every De Bortoli Pinot is brilliant, and this one falls exactly half way up the hierarchy of five labels. It's the perfect red to get stuck into during the warmer months."
Tyson Stelzer, Style Magazine, February 2008

"...It is cherry red in the glass and has scents of violets and bramble jelly followed up by lovely, smooth ripe strawberry flavour that flows into spice and bay leaf fruit characters and gently applied supple coconutty oak."
John Lewis, Newcastle Herald, 16 January 2008

"Steve Webber's restrained style shows a seamless integration of dark cherry and mulberry flavours with classy cedary oak, wonderful finesse and a satin-smooth texture before a dry, savoury finish."
Peter Forrestal, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 January 2008

93 points
"Complex, impressive and aromatic. Exotic, pure and polished. Deliciously fragrant red fruits with fresh lively acidity. A refined long length of finish follows laden with strawberries, cranberries, raspberries and dusty red sour cherries. A touch of earth and truffles add to the complexity. Drink with roast lamb."
Paul Ippolito, (www.paulippolito.com.au),  14 December 2007


"Lovely aromatic nose with a bouquet like an espresso mingled with black fruits. Lovely palate balance with intense, vibrant fruit and supportive toasty wood framed by silky tannins"
Winestate, Pinot Noir Tasting, 1 December 2007

“These are exciting times at De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley and having tasted all the current releases and quite a few wines out-of-barrel recently, it’s not hard to see why Steve Webber is this year’s Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year. From chardonnay to pinot noir, shiraz and shiraz viognier blends, there isn’t a dud in the range. I opted for the pinot for the top 20 as not too many local or NZ pinots pushed my buttons this year. Perfumed and spicy, this firmly structured and medium-bodied wine has terrific mouth-feel and concentration and it will clearly reward at least another five years in the cellar.”
Philip Rich, The AFR Magazine Top 20, December 2007

94 points
"Seems a bit oaky and charred on first pour, but opens up into a silken textured, succulent, sweet-fruited wine with smooth palate and elegance. Subtlety allied with profundity. Now to eight years."
Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 November 2007


"Steve Webber has just been named Wine magazine's Winemaker of the year and his wines, such as this Yarra Valley pinot, are impressive. Perfumed with notes of plums, dark cherries and autumnal forests, it is earthy and savoury, with cherry notes and vibrant acid."
Sally Gudgeon & Ralph Kyte-Powell, Sun Herald, 18 November 2007


"Lovely aromatic nose with a bouquet like an espresso mingled with black
fruits. Lovely palate balance with intense, vibrant fruit and supportive toasty wood framed by silky tannins."
Winestate, New Releases, November/December 2007


"Here's a pinot noir that marries flavour and finesse and would be perfect with sugar-cured salmon with avocado, tomato and asparagus ratatouille, duck a I'orange or lamb biryani. It is cherry red in the glass and has scents of violets and bramble jelly. Lovely, smooth ripe strawberry flavour features on the front of the palate and flows through onto the middle palate, there gathering in spice and bay leaf fruit characters. Silky earthy tannins show at the finish."
Newcastle Herald, 24 October 2007

"Every year, many of our readers tell us that they give our early pages a thorough workout but rarely venture into premium wine territory. De Bortoli Pinot Noir offers you the perfect tour guide to new unchartered land. You can line up the range from Windy and Gulf, Estate and Reserve Release... and remain absolutely confident that at every step you are on a trajectory upwards because you are in the hands of one of the most talented Pinot Noir teams on the planet. We assembled this Jacob’s ladder of a Pinot Noir tasting and it left us somewhere in the heavens. If your drinking hasn’t ever got above ground level, it’s time for you to elevate yourself with these wines."
Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food & Wine 2008

93 points
"I need some sort of temperature controlled ice bucket that keeps a wine at 16 degrees. In lieu of that, I had to occasionally put this in the fridge to keep its temperature down; it is too hot in Brisbane…

An elegant nose with restrained red cherry and sour cherry fruits, a bit of plum, minerals, dry spices, cinnamon, bark and some old knobs of nutmeg. The palate is refined and relatively tight, beautifully textured, with cherries and spices, some plummy richness adding some breadth, minerals and some cleansing acid on a dry finish. It has structure to burn, and the fruit is weighted such that the wine gives the impression of fruit sweetness balanced with a lovely savouriness. I certainly like the style, and it looked better on the second night; should take 5 to 7 years in the cellar."
Lincoln Scott, Winorama (winorama.com.au), 13 October 2007

92 points
"Medium red. Complex, intensely floral bouquet of strawberry, raspberry, rose, magnolia and Asian spices. Very fresh, mineral-accented red berry flavors are supported by a vibrant underpinning of tangy minerals. Juicy, focused and pure, with outstanding thrust and persistence. This remarkably poised wine will be fun to follow over the coming decade."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007

"Ripe fleshy and firm. Simple, pretty, floral aromas with some earthy beetroot notes. Generous layers of coffee/mocha flavours."
Winestate, Yarra Valley tasting, September/October 2007

88 points
"Black cherry, spicy, Worcester, pepper, vanilla, carrot top, gamey aromas. Round, dry, elegant palate but a bit tight with fresh acidity. Smoky, resin, black cherry, orange peel, celery, spicy, rootsy flavours with a vanilla, mineral finish. Good balance, bit cooler style with some light tannins and green edges to soften over the next 1-3 years."
Anthony Gismondi, www.gismondionwine.com, 13 September 2007


Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2005

95 points
"Full of interest with cherry and wood and earth and forest all playing in the beginning with some coffee notes and even a sense of meat and vegetable stock adding complexity to sharper fruits and fresh flavours with a lovely minerality and texture to complete a surprising wine."
Adelaide Advertiser, 21 November 2007

93 points
"A subtle yet complex wine, the structure there from start to finish, though never aggressive; gently spicy overtones to red fruits running through to a long finish."
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2008

88 points
"Fragrant with red fruit and cedar. Stylish and fine."
Nick Bulleid, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 25 August 2007

91 points
"Quite a light colour and light-bodied style but excellent savoury acid and persisting flavour make this a great food accompaniment and a style close to burgundy."
Courier Mail, 12 June 2007

"2005 offers up raspberry, spice and whiffs of the forest floor. Medium-bodied, complex and very refined. A beautiful wine that will cellar well."
Gary Walsh, Inside Out, 1 June 2007

"Winemaker Steve Webber has applied all his Burgundy and the Yarra Valley wine experience to blend the two styles into one wine that makes all sides of the Pinot fence applaud.

There is the barnyard, straw and game meat characters that define so many Burgundy wines melded with the Australian generous cherry fruit and mocha aromas, with a touch of humus coming through. The palate has good length and the warming, dry tannins make this a wine perfect to accompany a hearty beef stew on a cool night. It ticks all the boxes for a Pinot Noir, which makes it the Pinot Noir for Pinot Noir lovers!"
Wine House - Old & Rare Wines Newsletter, 24 May 2007

"Earthy autumnal nose, light weight in the mouth that belies the depth of flavour. Smooth passage releasing enjoyable flavours, well supported by acid and tannin. However it's the return journey that is special - it gathers pace boosted by an explosion of Pinot Perfume and many secondary flavours, it's quite an experience."
Tony Keys, The Key Review, 16 March 2007

"This is another barrel-matured wine that grows in the interest with each glass.
It's the product of the much-changed De Bortoli approach to viticultural and winemaking. Hand-picked, hand-sorted whole berries underwent indigenous yeast fermentation in open tanks, with cap plunging only towards the end of the ferment. After 21 days in contact with the skins, the wine was settled, then gravity filled to oak casks for maturation, then bottled without filtration. This low-intervention regime produced a complex, fine, intensely flavoured, deeply textured pinot to savour any time over the next 10 years."
Chris Shanahan, Western Advocate, 24 February  2007

Highly Recommended
"An uncompromising style of pinot, with plenty of structure provided by skin tannins and oak. The fruit seems up to the job, however, and the toasty overtones are attractive."
Winewise, 25 February 2007

96 points
"Some echoes of Burgundy in this complex pinot: good colour, some meaty and savoury aromas together with black cherry. It has depth and structure with intense flavour, some fruit sweetness and a long-lasting finish. Outstanding quality..."
Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, 9 January 2007

91 points
"... this one is right on the money. Aromas of raspberry, plum, forest floor, meat and spicy cinnamon caramel oak. On the palate light to medium bodied with flavours of raspberry, red cherry, sap and meaty overtones. Fine grained lightly sappy tannins and fresh lively acidity. Tangy red fruited finish. A lovely delicate and very varietal wine."
Gary Walsh, Winorama (www.winorama.com.au), 7 January 2007

94 points
"All I can say is, stock up... worldbeating value, and cannot be expected to last. This has structure, purity, definition, tannin, interest - pulling out the fruit bowl and naming fruit descriptors for a wine like this is ridiculous. The quality is high. The structure is there. The price very low, for the wine that it is. What more do you need to know? Drink: 2007-2014."
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront (www.winefront.com.au), 3 January 2007

"This wine provides good drinking, and has the power and complexity expected of a pinot in this price bracket. There is a concentration of ripe berry and cherry flavours, with spice interwoven. The wine is soft but with enough weight to demand interest through the palate."
Mike Burnett. Launceston Examiner, 3 January 2007

"Pinot makes a wonderful lighter style of red. This is one of the best - soft and savoury, with plum flavours and a silky texture. Think forest aromas and enjoy it with mushrooms - especially in a risotto - truffles, salmon, tuna or spicy food."
Australian Women's Weekly, December 2006

"This is another wine that grows in interest with each glass. It's the product of the much-changed De Bortoli approach to viticultural and winemaking reported here some weeks back. Hand-picked, hand-sorted berries were indigenous yeast fermented whole in open tanks with cap plunging only towards the end of fermentation. After 21 days in contact with the skins, the wine was settled then gravity filled to oak casks for maturation then bottled without filtration. This low-intervention regime produced a complex, fine, intensely flavoured, deeply textured pinot to savour any time over the next 10 years."
Chris Shanahan. Sunday Canberra Times, 19 November 2006

To top

Yarra Valley Sauvignon 2008

92 points
"This is a refined and bright style of Savvy, gently worked into smoothly honed shape and trading on terrific fruit quality. Resolved, intense and slick, gentle tropical, some citrus and fine lines of acid sparkling through the finish."
Nick Stock, WBM100, November 2008


Yarra Valley Sauvignon 2007

91 points
"Complex bouquet of lime, green apple, mint and fresh-cut grass, along with a smoky mineral undertone. Supple citrus and melon flavors are snapped into shape by dusty minerals and given a bitter edge by quinine and lime pith. The bracing finish leaves behind a smoky trail of minerals and herbs."
Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar,September/October 2008 – Issue 140

"More Yarra producers are playing with barrel-fement sauvignon blanc, and De Bortoli's is one of the best. Tart tropical fruit and mineral notes lead into savoury fruit flavours."
Bob Campbell, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 November 2008

94 points
“Walks down a different path than all other sauvignon blancs except PHI and Geoff Weaver; structural and textural qualities are foremost, but there is clear herb and gooseberry fruit, the use of oak creating texture, not flavour.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

88 Points
"This medium-bodied wine is a stylistic departure from the stereotypical Aussie stainless-steel Sauvignon Blanc, being fermented and aged in old French oak barrels for eight months.  The result is a citrusy wine with greater depth and richer texture, even some leesy, slightly toasty notes that complement rather than overwhelm the fruit.  Drink no - 2010, but it could surprise and develop even more interest over time."
Wine Enthusiast, September 2008

95 points
"A restrained sauvignon blanc made in a subtle French-inspired manner from Yarra Valley grapes. Honey and mineral notes supplant overt sweet fruit. Smoothness, texture, palate length and balance become the main game. A quiet presence."
Ralph Kyte-Powell, Top Winter Wines, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 May 2008


"De Bortoli is a great example of the larger family-owned enterprises creating quality Australian wine. This complex, restrained sauvignon blanc is a subtle, French-inspired type relying on honeyed, minerally qualities, rather than overt fruit character. It's smooth and persistent with lovely balance and quiet charm."
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age, 22 April 2008

Recommended
"Richly flavoured and creamily textured, yet fresh, showing just enough gooseberry varietal character. A touch of barrel ferment complexity enhances the wine."
Winewise, 25 December 2007

94 points
"Sauvignon comes from the French for savage I do believe. Nothing savage here mind you. This is well sophisticated mate.

Aromas of gooseberry, grapefruit, a bit of earthiness, some flinty reduction and a faint grassiness but all subtle and refined. On the palate this is dry and textured with weight and grip. High interest mouthfeel although it does push the envelope with regards to extract. It has flavours of grapefruit and gooseberry with some herbal characters and in fact tastes a lot like a flat gin and tonic with a good squeeze of lemon. Finishes long and dry with firm phenolic grip and a bitter lemon twist. Something special I think."
Gary Walsh, Winorama (www.winorama.com.au), 15 November 2007

"Nutty aromas over green fruit on the nose. Mouth filling wine with soft green fruits underpinned by zestier notes. The oak feels very integrated and there is good length."
Helen Coburn, ShelfLife (Ireland), November 2007

94 points
"If you come to this wine expecting gooseberries, passionfruit, asparagus or tinned peas you will be disappointed, because it is the exact antithesis. Rather, it's utterly controlled, perfectly calm, with a mineral texture that transcends varietal simplicity."
Tyson Stelzer, WBM100, October 2007

"We get the feeling that Steve Webber makes this wine because so many other people have ballsed it up and he just wants to highlight to the world that well-situated vines, with masochistic yields and a ton of TLC can - with just a few years practice - be one of Australia’s finest ever Sauvignons. The key with this wine is that it’s so perfectly calm, so utterly controlled and regally majestic that there is not a nanometre of space for gooseberries, passionfruit, asparagus or any of the other flavours that so often poke out of this grape at strange angles. Note to winemakers everywhere - you, too, can do it - you just need to give a s..t!"
Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food & Wine 2008

Yarra Valley Viognier 2007

91 points
"Pale gold. Fresh melon and peach aromas, with subtle baking spice and dried flower nuances. At once juicy and round, displaying luscious pit fruit flavors and refreshing mineral snap. Becomes spicier on the finish, which is impressively vibrant and long. Boasts very good energy for a New World viognier."
Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar,September/October 2008 – Issue 140

90 points
“Clear varietal apricot flesh and nuances of clove and cinnamon; good texture and weight, and ready to go now.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

"What's really great about this, it has the body of viognier without any heaviness as it's lifted by wonderful citrus notes especially lemon and limes. Tight and focused, build's with some toffee and nuts mid-palate with plenty of length and depth. A terrific wine."
Jane Faulkner, The Age, 2 August 2008

91 points
"This is an interesting viognier, estate-grown at Dixons Creek. It's barrel fermented and modest in alcohol, giving balance, subtlety and drinkability. A lick of spice goes with the apricot. Restrained varietal character. A lovely drink."
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, June/July 2008

92 points
Top Aussie White
"Grown on De Bortoli's Yarra Valley vineyard at Dixons Creek, this is a lovely, subtle but complex viognier which has more interest than most and avoids alcohol hotness and heaviness at the same time. Spiced apricots with a hint of the barrel."
Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 June 2008

"A stylish wine with good viscosity, spice and texture."
Toni Paterson, Life, June 2008

95 points
"This is an amazing interpretation of Viognier. It is packed with layers of complexity, spanning almond meal, peach kernel, grapefruit, ginger and marmalade but-and this is a very important but-it is utterly reserved, elegantly restrained and constructed upon layers of textured, minerally acidity which glide on and on. Sensational value."
Tyson Stelzer, WBM 100, April 2008


Yarra Valley Viognier 2006

94 points
“An imperious wine with great impact, thrust and length, yet only mildly reflecting its varietal make-up. It has exceptional length and a lingering aftertaste, wholly free from oily phenolics.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

92 points
"De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown is a complete contrast - more reserved and tight, with unusual delicacy. 'Beeswax and lemon thyme,' Ryan wrote 'Tight, textural and fresh. Less is more, and it works!' The perfect wine for those who find most viogniers too opulent. Its subtleties also make it an easier match with food."
Nick Bulleid, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 November 2007

90 points
"Pale gold. Smoky, ripe nose shows precise pear, peach and cured meat aromas but none of the exotic florality of viognier that turns off some tasters. The broad pit and orchard fruit flavors display a taut, focused character and pick up a gentle spiciness with air. Finishes on a nervy mineral note, with excellent length. In the elegant style of a Condrieu from Vernay."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007

Top in Category

"Very attractive lifted, floral aromas with a sherbet-like tingly feel. The palate is flavoursome and finely tuned, with a nice texture, richness and lovely supporting acidity. A very well made wine."
Winestate, Yarra Valley tasting, September/October 2007

Recommended
"The restrained apricot aromas are complemented by a hint of barrel ferment funkiness. In fact, the restraint and dryness of this wine make it ideal for those who find most viogniers a little overpowering."
Winewise, 25 June 2007

"This subtle, oak matured release is just the second from the viognier programme. Its stylish quality suggests the move was a smart one. The riesling -like packaging tells you it's crisp, dry and tight."
Mark Smith, Sunday Examiner, 8 April 2007

89 points
"Dry and lively, with peach and apricot flavors that are more suggestive of Riesling than Viognier, but this is lovely nonetheless. Drink now through 2010."
Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator (USA), 15 May 2007

"Very fashionable and often stuffed up in the making. Ripe Viognier nose leads into medium weight but wonderfully textured wine. Fruit flavours are not pronounced but waft across the palate. The wine gathers strength on its journey, finishing with great character."
Tony Keys, The Key Review, 16 March 2007

"Oak a bit obvious on both nose and palate. Excellent palate - savoury and acidic with steely citrus flavours."
Winestate, March/April 2007

"A Yarra Valley stand-out with intense, spicy and fresh flavours. Time in old French oak has added complexity. A 'drink now' white that particularly suits Asian cuisine."
John Fordham, Sunday Telegraph, 28 January 2007

"The winemakers at De Bort's just can't put a foot wrong at the moment. Here's yet another brilliant wine from their Yarra vineyards: much more subtle, well defined, and altogether grown-up than most other blowsy viogniers."
Max Allen, Weekend Australian, 27 January 2007

92 points
"It comes in a riesling bottle - or more like an Alsace bottle - and it’s not the only thing that’s different about it; it’s long and straight and while there is a burst of aroma, it curls with smoke and white flowers and stones as much as it does with fruit. It’s a beauty. From the Yarra Valley. Sometimes you get the feeling that this company can do no wrong. Righto, pour me another glass please. Drink: 2006-2009."
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront (www.winefront.com.au), 3 January 2007

"De Bortoli could sway some people to switch on to [this] variety with its 2006 Estate Grown Yarra Valley Viognier (Limited Release). Winemaker Steve Webber said that De Bortoli aimed to produce a style that was tight and aromatic when young that would evolve over a couple of years into a wine that was 'taut but generous, brooding, ethereal and thoroughly delicious'. This aromatic wine has stone fruit and citrus flavours with a spicy edge. A run of acid helps provide balance. The finish is crisp and refreshing."
Mike Burnett, Launceston Examiner, 3 January 2007

 Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier 2006

90 points
"The small amount of Viognier helps to fill out this wine's mouthfeel, adding weight to the spice-driven flavors of cracked pepper, licorice, coffee and black olive. Finishes long and well structured, with a velvety texture to the tannins."
Wine Enthusiast (USA), Buying Guide, December 2008

90 points
"The small amount of Viognier helps to fill out wine's mouthfeel, adding weight to the spice-driven flavours of cracked pepper, licorice, coffee and block olive, finishes long and well structured, with a velvety texture to the tannins."
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast, 31 October 2008

95 points
"Striking a fine balance between brambly, if slightly confectionery flavours of raspberries, cherries and dark plums and a smoky, meaty and funky complexity, this firm, bony and savoury blend steadily reveals more earthy, spicy and rustic undertones. It's dusted with a scent of dried herbs, musk and iris, and while its smooth and supple palate might be drying and grippy, it still delivers plenty of vibrant black and red berry fruit."
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2009

"This is a deliriously exciting, spicy Yarra Valley red with an ethereal, lifted fragrance."
Tyson Stelzer, Style, September 2008

94 points
“Typical bright hue; a highly fragrant bouquet leaps out of the glass; finely structured, with extreme length to the spicy fruits and subtle oak.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009

"Spicy but quite firm. The fruit weight struggles with the tannins."
Winewise, February 2008

"Rhône-inspired wine with complex, layered aromas, fine tannins across a detailed textural palate, with flavours of plum, berry and chocolate, fresh through to the finish."
Nick Stock, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, 1 January 2008

Recommended
"A vibrant red fruits/pepper/spice style with slightly toasty oak. The palate is well structured but could be longer."
Winewise, 25 December 2007

"Rich, ripe, spicy, berry fruit aromas. Soft, round, fruit palate with cleansing tannins and sweet oak."
Winestate, Shiraz Blends, 1 December 2007

92 points
"Dark berry, smoky bacon, herbal and spice notes. Starts lean but unfolds with array of flavours."
Ken Gargett, Courier Mail, 10 November 2007

"Again, classic scents of olive, plum and smokey bacon. The viognier addition moderates those strong tannins, adding a little succulence to the lingering damson and plum flavours. Top class food wine, the perfect Christmas treat."
Helen Coburn, ShelfLife (Ireland), November 2007

94 points
"De Bortoli's trademark sweet and lifted nose, red and dark berries, some dark spices, a quietly complex wine with plenty of lift and layered aromas. Fine tannins, depth and texture here, a detailed wine with ripe plum and berry flavour, chocolate-like tannins that lift through the finish."
Nick Stock, WBM100, October 2007

"This is a deliriously exciting wine with so much goût de terroir it is frankly astounding. Layer coats of Shiraz and Viognier varnish until you have a craft so streamlined it is capable of winning the America’s Cup. It is remarkable that a wine can be so dark, so spicy and yet simultaneously so ethereally lifted and fragrant. De Bortoli has mastered this blend already - the fine tuning that is happening year on year is advancing delight and excitement faster than any other operations in the business."
Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food & Wine 2008

92 points
"Inky purple. Vibrant, spice-accented blackberry and cassis aromas offer impressive clarity and thrust. Deeply concentrated but energetic, with youthfully tangy dark berry skin flavors complemented by cracked pepper, licorice and espresso. Silky tannins carry through the long, juicy finish. This could easily be confused for a top-notch northern Rhone wine."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007

95 points
"I like the new labels. I like the new vintage and I love what De Bortoli are doing with shiraz. This seems to be a further refinement and improvement in style. The acidity is finer and less obvious than the previous vintage and it falls more towards a medium bodied style…or maybe that is just the nature of the vintage.

Aromas of cherry, red fruits, cracked pepper, spices, aniseed and vanilla cream. It is all going on here and I am happy to say the viognier presents only as a subtle perfumed lift. On the palate medium bodied with red berries, cherry, spice and meaty peppery flavours. It has crisp acidity and light dry chalky tannins and plenty of textural interest. Finishes dry and spicy with great length of flavour. Charismatic, engaging and it drinks like a champion."
Gary Walsh, Winorama (www.winorama.com.au), 19 September 2007


 Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier 2005

Highly Recommended
"The nose is intriguing - red fruits, oak and a touch of whole-bunch complexity. Palate-wise we see cool red berry and spice with delightfully fine tannins."
Winewise, 25 October 2007

90 points
"The 2005 Shiraz - Viognier Estate Grown spent 10 months in 35% new French oak. Purple in color, it has a fine bouquet of damp earth, smoke, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, on the palate the fruit is quite intense and spicy while remaining elegant. The finish is slightly tannic but should resolve with 2-3 years in the cellar. It will drink well through 2020. De Bortoli owns estate vineyards in Riverina, Hunter Valley, and Yarra Valley and produces several tiers of dry table wines in addition to their sweet and fortified dessert wines."
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #173, October 2007 - Reviewed by Dr Jay Miller

90 points
"Made with 4% viognier co-fermented with shiraz. Used 20% whole bunch, cold soak, part wild and part cultured yeast. Very smoky, spicy, black cherry, floral, barnyard, licorice root, boysenberry, minty, white pepper aromas. Round, ripe, elegant and supple with smooth tannins. Cherry, boysenberry, spicy, vanilla, peppery, minty, licorice, carrot top flavours. Nice elegance and length, only 20% new French oak. Ripe but tart fruit finish, a good food wine."
Anthony Gismondi, www.gismondionwine.com, 13 September 2007

93 points
"Saturated violet. Explosively perfumed nose features pure blackberry, cassis and cherry liqueur scents accompanied by suave oak spice and licorice. Deeply concentrated dark berry flavors possess striking intensity and verge on sweet, but are firmed by strong graphite and bitter licorice. Finishes fresh, juicy and very long, with lingering mineral and primal berry skin character. Very impressive stuff."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007


"Subdued aromas – quite savoury with apricots obvious. Smooth and soft in the mouth. Well-structured, harmonious palate with prominent tannins and plenty of length."
Winestate, Yarra Valley tasting, September/October 2007

95 points
"Startling depth of colour and hue; a mouth-coating array of flavours featuring spice, anise almost into dried fruits (as opposed to lolly sweet or to dead fruit characters). Excellent tannin texture and structure."
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2008

"Ripe, rich juicy fruit and higher end of the alcohol scale (14.5 per cent) had all the markings of a much warmer climate than its Yarra Valley home. The extra kick comes in part from the additional layer of viognier and a warm vintage, which all helps to add up to a heartier style shiraz. A wine to appeal to those who like full ripe berry flavours, soft tannins and the heavier warm mouth feel of a bigger wine..."
Terry Muller, Southern Highland News, 3 August 2007

94 points
"This gorgeous red is sublime. Meaty, toasty, reduced-stock, barrel-ferment bouquet, with mixed spices and berries coming through too. Elegant medium to full body with Rhône-like character and great drinkability."
Huon Hooke, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, July 2007

"This is a deliriously exciting wine with so much goût de terroir it is frankly astounding. Layer coats and coats of shiraz and viognier varnish until you have a craft capable of wining the America's Cup it is so streamlined and then you are in business. De Bortoli has mastered this blend already - the fine tuning that is happening year on year is advancing delight and excitement faster than any other winery around."
Matthew Jukes, 100 Best Australian Wines 2007, 31 May 2007

"Smells of black cherries, fleshy plums and there's peppery earthy complexity among the fruit. Plenty of succulent fruit on the palate, although not a big wine, but with long building tannins. There's nutmeggy spice and subtle pepper. Subtle, complex, aromatic."
Time White, The Age, 25 May 2007

"Viognier plays its role here very subtly. Adding to the lifted aroma, there's also a taste of anise and apricot poking out from the juicy, berried shiraz. It's medium-bodied and fresh. Tannins balance the berry notes. Effortlessly drinkable. De Bortoli Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier 2005 is another good wine, with more complexity and finesse."
Ben Canaider, ABC Delicious, June 2007

Quality:
"This is a beauty. The most pleasing feature of this substantial wine is the understated handling of viognier which never dominates as it can when clumsily applied. Ample earthy savoury fruit flavours balanced with some quality oak. Terrific wine with great potential."
Ray Jordan, West Australian, 19 May 2007

92 points
"Purple crimson exhibiting its veritable youth, the wine puts forth its cherry, blueberry, blackberry and plum fruit characters well. Hints of spice with light black pepper underlie the fruit characters, along with red earth and liquorice. The Viognier is seemingly indiscernible other than providing elegance to the wine’s overall structure. Yet it also retains its fresh vibrancy and also its good lively black fruit flavours  – seamlessly presented on the finish with firm yet fine tannins, touches of quite pronounced mocha oak and again that elegance in style. Try it with a lamb roast."
Paul Ippolito, Talks Wine: Volume 26, 8 May 2007

"The  2005  De Bortoli Estate Grown Shiraz  Viognier is a blinder of a wine and should also cellar tremendously. Again, you can’t help but admire the attention to detail: the grapes were hand-picked, hand-sorted, naturally fermented and, during that fermentation, allowed to warm to 35C - no refrigeration control being employed.
De Bortoli’s chief winemaker, Steve Webber knows how hard it can be for winemakers to keep their hands off wine and simply let it “make” itself - within an elaborately thought-out framework - but that’s exactly what his team has learned to do. Webber’s Shiraz Viognier is, as you’d hope, different to other interpretations of the style. It is also quite beautiful - meaty, cherried, stalky and very finely structured. But what really sets it apart is a flare of delicious and exotic fragrance and a steely, mineral, focused finish. Outstanding stuff."
Campbell  Mattinson, Gourmet Traveller Wine,  April/May 2007

"This nifty blend might be made from Aussie wine grapes by an Italian family, but the overall impression it conveys is that of a contemporary, New World-inspired Rhone Valley red. The reason? It's an aromatic wine that's been tightly-knitted together from two perfectly matched batches of cool climate fruit. The oak is restrained; the palate lean and savoury, rather than sweet and plump. Nice one."
Mark Smith, Sunday Examiner, 8 April 2007

92 points
"Steve Webber and his team keep evolving and developing their Yarra Valley wines. This Shiraz Viognier is an example of such redefining and recreating. Melding their Shiraz fruit to allow it to express the regional character of the wines yet in the same breath giving them a complexity in another dimension that develops the varietal as well. Purple crimson exhibiting its veritable youth, the wine puts forth its cherry, blueberry, blackberry and plum fruit characters well. Hints of spice with light black pepper underlie the fruit characters, along with red earth and liquorice. The Viognier is seemingly indiscernible other than providing an elegance to the wine’s overall structure. Yet it also retains its fresh vibrancy and also its good lively black fruit flavours   – seamlessly presented on the finish with firm yet fine tannins, touches of quite pronounced mocha oak and again that elegance in style. Try it with a lamb roast.
Drink Now to 2015."
Paul Ippolito, www.paulippolito.com.au, 7 April 2007

"The Viognier lifts the nose giving it high perfumed notes; it appears too much at first but fortunately settles down. In the mouth the Shiraz comes in a broad, powerful sweep with a gorgeous slight bitter cherry twang. The whole coils itself around the tongue like a python squeezing its pray with a burst of flavour at the end  that just lingers on...and on."
Tony Keys, The Key Review, 16 March 2007

"Viognier is a powerful additive to shiraz and it can make or break a wine. In the De Bortoli '05 it makes the wine. Its musky apricot scent lifts the spicy shiraz aromas to greater heights on the nose, while on the palate it adds suppleness and velvety smooth texture. A beautiful interpretation of the style and one sure to broaden the horizons of shiraz lovers."
Fergus McGhie, Canberra Times, 7 March 2007

Highly Recommended
"There's no doubt that we're talking cool fruit with this wine. Its profile differs markedly from that of the McLaren Vale storm troopers. Length, perfume, spiciness and fineness are the key words here. The tannins are fairly firm, and the oak shows through just a little at this early stage."
Winewise, 25 February 2007

93 points
"This is the third release of this label and it's become progressively drier and meatier with each release, the viognier component showing steadily less - in other words, it's become a much better wine. Ths wine is peppery and stalky and cherried too, and is marked by a steely, minerally character, particularly on the finish. This is another outstanding wine from De Bortoli Yarra Valley, and I suspect will be found at outstanding prices too. Drink: 2008-2016."
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront (www.winefront.com.au), 22 January 2007

To top

Yarra Valley Shiraz 2003

91 points
"Pure shiraz, last 100% bottling is 2003. Smoky, floral, barnyard, leather, peppery, blackberry, red licorice aromas with a touch of prune plum. Round, ripe, full, and slightly hot but supple. Blackberry, black cherry, rootsy, peppery, vanilla, spicy, orange flavours with a bit of leather and blueberry on the finish. Showing well, can age further 1-3 years."
Anthony Gismondi, www.gismondionwine.com, 13 September 2007

"Dark brooding aromas... Lingering, spicy red fruit and caramel flavours on a tight, long, clean palate."
Winestate, Yarra Valley tasting, September/October 2007


Yarra Valley Shiraz 2002

"Rich, complex aromas of white pepper shiraz fruit."
National Liquor News, August 2007

"Commanding red from a super vintage that reveals an exciting mix of spicy, full flavours and restrained oak. It is drinking at its top right now."
John Fordham, The Sunday Telegraph, 5 August 2007

"The colour is rich deep red, and the bouquet also rich with lots of that typical peppery Shiraz hitting the nose. The wine is a spicy fruit driven drop with many berries and a subtle touch of oak. One of the qualities of a good wine is that it enhances even the least interesting foods, and this one certainly does, while it goes well with lamb or spicy curry dishes. It's good for drinking now but the patient ones may store it for another four years or a bit longer for further enhancement."
Michael Southern, Pittwater Life, July 2007


"Intense bouquet of mocha, fruit pepper and eucalyptus. Fine even palate. This wine is from a good vintage and should age very well."
Winestate, Regional Tasting, September/October 2005

"A spicy, slightly fragrant shiraz with attractive red fruits characteristics and a fine structure."
Winewise, June 2005

"A highly expressive nose preceeds well integrated tannins on the palate with flavors of roasted black plum, black raspberry, eucalyptus, bacon fat, and tar; medium to long finish. Lamb loin, venison, cassoulet."
Sante Wine Magazine, May 2005. USA

"It’s an eye-catching beast, and quite unlike any De Bortoli shiraz I’ve tasted. Black pepper on briary blackberry with a minerally, taut, cherried finish. Style and substance. Obvious whole bunch influence, giving it a gorgeously complex, compelling, savoury crunchiness - like all wines in this style, it needs medium term ageing, by which time it should be fascinating. Drink: 2007 - 2013. 93 points."
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly, February 2005


"A big, rich, masculine style of shiraz with great integration of excellent varietal fruit, toasty oak and grainy, drying tannins. A rich and dense, spirity fresh grape nose. A very good food wine."
WINESTATE ANNUAL 2005. No. 197 BEST WINES OF 2004

"Medium to full bodied with zesty, spicy red fruit and hints of black pepper and game; finishes with high acidity."
Sante, Volume 9.1, Annual Buying Guide 2005, Jan/Feb 2005

"De Bortoli Yarra Shiraz has always been a solid performer and 2002 continues the line - one of the riper efforts with plenty of grip following spice, leather and blackcurrant notes."
Ken Gargett, The Courier Mail, 26 October 2004


"A big, rich, masculine style of shiraz with great integration of excellent varietal fruit, toasty oak and grainy, drying tannins. A rich and dense, spirity fresh grape nose. A very good food wine."
Winestate Magazine (edition July/August 2004) ‘Shiraz Mania!’ Varietal Tasting - Shiraz & Blends

To top