Domaine A Domaine A Merlot, Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

Agree. Black currant with a huge green overtone. The price appeals to emotion, not quality.

{cork, 13.5%} No decant; smells alarmingly asparagus-like, almost off-puttingly so, but it’s way less green on the palate, with olive-tinged fruit, still a nod to menthol flavours, fine-grained low-medium oak tannins and a dry, mellow finish of medium length, which is helped by plenty of presence all along the tongue. Still, it really loses friends on the nose; and I don’t see this changing; drink up.

Such a unique wine. This is Merlot grown at the very edge of the climate envelope. It's ripe, but only just. As far as fruit goes, there is some fig and red currant. However if you're looking for fruit, look elsewhere. Domaine A wines are more about the 'bouquet'. Yes it's a pretentious word, but an important distinction from aroma. This Merlot smells of an old pencil box, sitting on a bramble hedge, in a gravel avenue. Light bodied, and …

Very powerful stuff. The deep color, the nose screams at you. You can almost see the truffle coming out of it! Taste also very good with a long finish. Good well structured tannins.

Tasmania Wineries Jan-12 (1) - Coal Valley (Coal Valley, Tasmania) : {cork, 13.5%, A$85} There’s considered to be enough top merlot not needed for the cabernet blend to make this separate bottling in ridiculously small quantities (and at a price to match). This is current release, and the 2005 is imminent, a mere 7 years after vintage! This does actually look 8 years old, with a distinct brick tinge to its rim. The nose shows developing aromas of currants with …

Coal Valley Winery Visits Apr 10 (Coal Valley, Tasmania) : {cork, 13.5%, A$85} The positively glacial development of this wine continues. My previous - disappointing - TN is partly redeemed by this tasting, but only to the point of offering some understanding. There's development apparent visually - it's a solid garnet red - but not so much on the palate. A touch of greenness remains to the dense blackberry fruits, but the palate is still relatively austere, and rather dominated …

Nose jumps up to meet you, fragrant and sweet almost floral. Good acidity, sweet fruit and long dry finish. Still young.

NobleRottersSydney - 'Bet you've never tasted this before' (Alio's, Surry Hills) : {cork, 13.5%, $A85} Things are getting weirder. There is some youthful plummy fruit here, but it’s swamped by a green-tinged cabbage/asparagus note which offended nearly everyone. The rest of the wine is fine; balance of acid and moderate chalky tannins, good palate coverage along to the back of the tongue. Problem is, the whole thing just tastes unripe and weedy. (A devastating contrast to my cellar door experience …

Winery visits Jan 2008 (Tasmania) : {cork, 13.5% A$85} A rare beast, being sold for the first time (previously given away to large purchasers). Easily the best Australian merlot I’ve ever tasted, the nose offer rich plum and cherry aromas, but the palate is where the action is. Rich and ripe, round, and even subtley smoky, with fine balanced tannins, the weight of the wine (medium-full) stretches right to the back of the palate. Sensational stuff, and considering the rubbish …