Devil’s Baie Chardonnay 2023 ($40; devilscavevineyard.com.au)
A pretty lemon-gold colour greets you in the glass, then the real show begins with aromas of zesty lemon then green pear, rounded out with delicate floral notes of honeysuckle and blossom. With that first mouthfeel you’ll appreciate the tastes of more subtle citrus again, then some lovely crisp nectarine and a bit of melon for roundness. With only a touch of malo (buttery notes), this is more of the wet stone side of taste, yet it’s refined, poised and elegant with clever use of oak for texture. If you’re after a chard to drink now but love to cellar them like I do, this is definitely the one for you. Will go the distance easily over the next five-plus years.
Devil’s Baie Pinot Noir 2023 ($45; devilscavevineyard.com.au)
Wow! This has one perfumed aroma, which in my view is what defines Peninsula pinots. A lovely red ruby colour, then an array of violets and baking spice, rounded out with lifted red fruits. There is a plethora of red cherry and even black cherry fruits on the palate, rounded out with a bit of that sweet baking spice but with the freshness from 10 per cent whole bunch fermentation to give it further personality. This is one cracker of a Peninsula pinot. It just coats your mouth with silky goodness, and it’s well balanced with again clever use of 11 months in new and used oak. Great length and will cellar five-plus years – if you can wait that long!
Devil’s Cave Heathcote Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($34.99)
Lovely deep red garnet colour with florals galore of black fruits, brambles and even baked fruits. So delightful to smell, like roses in a garden. On the palate it is more savoury than I expected but has lovely tannin structure with herbaceous notes of blackcurrant leaf, then followed by redcurrant and lovely baked black fruits when it opens up. There is a bit of clove from time in oak too. This is a cab that just needs a bit of time when first opened, as it only gets better. It is beautifully soft to drink and weighing in at 14% abv this is deceptive, as it’s so balanced. Cellar this one for 10-plus years. Yummo!
Devil’s Cave Heathcote Shiraz 2021 ($34.99)
A lovely garnet red in colour with vibrant perfume, deep aromas of violet with brambles, black plum and redcurrant. You can smell a touch of black pepper and the elevation of freshness from whole bunch use in the wine. Pepper spice again greets you on the palate with a plethora of blackberry, bramble and kirsch. You get the whole bunch feel with those spicier notes and savouriness, and there is a little cedar-like toast from the use of some new oak. Like its cab sav cousin, this is a deceptively elegant wine, especially for a Heathcote shiraz and coming in at 14%abv. It is still young and will only get better. You can cellar for 10-plus years. Top marks here!
