Reviews

fantasy (fridge)

Zoe Ladyman (the sommelier)
words by Carli Ratcliff

Zoe's fantasy fridge
2008 Golden Ball Shiraz (Beechwoth), $55
A powerful, elegant shiraz that you can drink now after decanting for two hours but would be better to put down. Rich blackcurrant fruit, spice and anise with textural depth, firm tannins and juicy length. Have it with: roast venison loin, blackcurrant and star anise reduction.

fantasy (fridge)
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2011

The WINE FRONT
Campbell Mattinson

Golden Ball Shiraz 2008
There weren’t any pricing details provided with this sample so I’ve taken a guess with the price named below. I’ll correct it if/when any new information comes in. This wine is due for release in July. I haven’t tasted every Golden Ball wine ever made, but I’ve tasted most of them – and this shiraz is the best wine (forget scores, I’m telling you it is) I have had from the estate.  With it, Golden Ball moves up a notch in the Beechworth pecking order.

It smells delicious. Plummy, spicy, like kirsch and licorice and cedarwood. One sniff and you know that it’s on the money. When you sip it – there is no let down. This is fine and ripe and sophisticated, but it has some sex appeal too. Flavours are true to the nose – though there’s some gumleaf and menthol here too. Has long, fine, chalky, juicy tannin. I could drink a lot of this – if I could afford to. Lovely balance, flavour and style.
Drink: 20012-2017. 94+ points.

Independent Wine Journalism
http://www.winefront.com.au/
Monday, July 26, 2010

FRESH
TOP DROP
with David Sutherland

Golden Ball 'Gallice'
Vintage 2005
The Golden Ball Vineyard was planted in the Beechworth wine region in 1996 by James and Janine McLaurin on the Beechworth-Wangaratta Road.
The vineyard is five acres of decomposed granite soils and includes the varieties shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and grenache.
Everything in the vineyard and winery is very quality focussed, with low vineyard yields and hand processing contributing to the end product.
A blend of 55 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 40 per cent merlot and 5 per cent malbec, this is an elegant "bordeaux" blend with richness and complexity. There are ripe blackcurrant and fruitcake aromas and flavours with hints of chocolate and earthiness.
with food: roast lamb or beef
ageing: best in five to eight years
Rating: 4 star
in a word: deep

The Border Mail,
Friday April 18, 2008

The WINE FRONT
Campbell Mattinson

Golden Ball Beechworth Shiraz 2005
Very fine release - arguably the best shiraz yet from this vineyard. It's a beautifully ripened, spicy, interesting red, full of buoyant blackberried, boysenberried flavour, notes of licorice, cedarwood and eucalypt all adding positively to the wine's display. This is a soft, flavoursome, highly polished wine, its oak and fruit in perfect harmony.
Drink: 2008-2016. 94 points.

Independent Wine Journalism
http://www.winefront.com.au/
Monday, February 11, 2008

FRESH
TOP DROP
with David Sutherland

Golden Ball Shiraz
Vintage 2005
The Golden Ball Vineyard was planted in the Beechworth wine region in 1996 by James and Janine McLaurin on the Beechworth-Wangaratta Road.
The vineyard includes the varieties shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and grenache.
Yields are very low and the fruit flavours strong, with subtle oak treatments used in a "less is better" approach.
This is involving stuff. The colour is bright ruby red and the depth is medium deep. Ripe blackberries, dark berries and lots of spice characterise the nose, with the palate following through with similar fruit flavours and lots of intensity. The acids are tight and the tannins light and soft.
with food: a natural with lamb, be it char-grilled back-strap or roasted leg
ageing: will benefit from three to six years in the bottle
Rating: 4 star
in a word: succulent

The Border Mail,
Friday February 8, 2008

JAMES HALLIDAY
WINE COMPANION 2008

The Golden Ball vineyard is established on one of the original land grants in the Beechworth region. The 2.4-ha vineyard was planted by James and Janine McLaurin in 1996, mainly to cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot, with lesser plantings of grenache and malbec. The wines are vinified separately and aged in one-third new French oak, the remainder 2-3 years old. The low yields result in intensely flavoured wines which are to be found in a Who's Who of Melbourne's best restaurants and a handful of local and Melbourne retailers, including Randall's at Albert Park.

Beechworth Shiraz 2004 A range of highly spicy, savoury, earthy aromas an flavours; a medium-bodied palate with elegance, and a quite particular character and style.
RATING 92 To 2014 $40

Gallice Beechworth Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2004 Bright, light red-purple; in the Golden Ball style, light - to medium-bodied, complex and with spicy dark fruit flavours finished off with fine tannins.
RATING 92 To 2015 $40

The WINE FRONT
Campbell Mattinson

Golden Ball Beechworth Gallice Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec 2005
The best of its line for sure. Lovely wine. Structured, distinctive, pencilly, flooded with blackcurrant and sheered with eucalypt. Classy drop. It will age like a charm. Sophisticated tannin structure. The goods.
Drink: 2008-2016. 94 points.

Independent WIne Journalism
http://www.winefront.com.au/
Monday, August 13, 2007

UNCORKED
INDULGE YOURSELF

Golden Ball Gallice
Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec 2004
Beechworth, in Victoria's north-east, is highly regarded vineyard country, mainly due to Giaconda's superb chardonnay and shiraz. This cab-merlot-malbec is a good effort. It's leafy, yet still ripe, with minty blackcurrant fruit that's savoury and well-defined. It's medium weight, supple and fresh with soft tannins.
Ageing? Drink over three years.
Food ideas: Pink lamb racks.

The Age Epicure
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

FRESH
FOOD & WINE

Golden Ball 'Gallice'
Cabernet Merlot Malbec - Vintage 2004
The Golden Ball Vineyard near Beechworth includes the varieties shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and grenache. Yields are very low and the fruit flavours strong, with subtle oak treatments used in a very French attitude of less is better. This is an elegant Beechworth Bordeaux blend with wonderful rich fruit without heaviness or excess alcohol. The nose exhibits ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit aromas with some complex chocolate and dusty characters. The tannins are soft. I'd love to see this in six years' time.
with food: spoil yourself with the turkey and the ham
ageing: best in 6-10 years
in a word: stylish

The Border Mail,
Friday February 2, 2007

“MUST HAVES WINE by TIM WHITE ”
Australian Financial Review

Golden Ball Shiraz 2004
(Beechworth, Vic)
Quite minty but with plenty of pure berries too, and fine complementary oak - attractive and deep with some turkish delight florals. Plenty of richness up front in the mouth, and then it builds. The tannins are long and fine and the fruit has lovely mouth-watering properties. 94(95)/100, $45

Australian Financial Review
November 24-26 2006

WINEFRONT MONTHLY

Golden Ball Beechworth Shiraz 2004 cork: It's a classy wine. It's medium-weight, but dense enough. It's cherried and meaty and smoky, black cherry and plums with shots of soy and cedar. A pretty spiffy flavour profile - though there is also a touch of eucalypt, a flavour I am not so keen on. It's also quite tight, and needs another 12 months in the bottle to relax properly into itself, after which it should mature for five years plus. I like the tannins, they're dry and ripe and grainy, hugging your tongue but not squeezing it. I like the wine. It should rate higher in time.
Drink: 2008-2014.
91 points.

Golden Ball Beechworth Gallice Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2004 cork: This is a delicious cabernet blend. It should age like a deadset charm. It's got character: earth, pencils, old wood mulberry, bay leaves, mouthwatering acidity, fresh leather - and it's got balance. This is like a throw-back to the best Australian wines of yor. It's like a Beechworth rendition of a top-year Lake's Folly cab. This is really good, interesting, medium-weight wine.
Drink: 2010-2016.
93 points.

Campbell Mattinson
As seen on page 18 on www.winefront.com.au
October-November 2006

JAMES HALLIDAY
WINE COMPANION 2006

The Golden Ball Vineyard is established on one of the original land grants in the Beechworth region. The 2.4-ha vineyard was planted by James and Janine McLaurin in 1996 the major parts being cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot, with lesser plantings of grenache and malbec. All the wines are vinified separately and aged in one-third new French oak, the remainder 2-3 years old. The low yields result in intensely flavoured wines which are to be found in a Who's Who of Melbourne's best restaurants and a handful of local and Melbourne retailers, including Randall's at Albert Park.

Gallice Beechworth Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2002 Medium to full-bodied; round, velvety, sweet black fruits; gentle oak, ripe tannins; delicious overall flavour. Cork.
RATING 91 DRINK 2012 $32

Beechworth Shiraz 2002 Light to medium-bodied; elegant, spicy, savoury, peppery notes to the black fruits; subtle oak; fine, powdery tannins. Quality cork.
RATING 89 DRINK 2010 $32

“TASTE THE WORLD ”
MELBOURNE WINE ROOM

Prehaps one of the Australian wines of the moment, however, is Golden Ball Beechworth Shiraz...
(2002) A great cool climate Shiraz from Victoria with a lively touch... READ MORE >>>

Sommelier Marcus Ellis, Melbourne Wine Room
As seen on page 153 of followgentlemen
Volume 1, 2005

“ONE TO PUT AWAY”
GOURMET TRAVELLER WINE MAGAZINE

The quality of both the fruit and the winemaking, coupled with its tiny production, could make it quite collectable. Put down for five to 10 years... READ MORE >>>

Sommelier Marcus Ellis, Melbourne Wine Room
As seen on page 67 of Gourmet Traveller WINE’s
August / September 2005 issue

“ON TARGET”
GOURMET TRAVELLER WINE MAGAZINE

It's an excellent example of that rare wine beast: the fully ripe and the coolly elegant, swirled into one... Its wine future is looking gilt-edged... READ MORE >>>

Campbell Mattinson
As seen on page 37 of Gourmet Traveller WINE’s
Autumn 2005 issue

WINEFRONT MONTHLY

Golden Ball are on the road that leads from Beechworth to Wangaratta - the same road as Giaconda and Savaterre, Castagna and Battely. The two wines below were produced off (then) six year old vines of terrific potential. Just what else Golden Ball grows, and how and who makes the wines, I do not know - but I want to.

Golden Ball Beechworth Shiraz 2002: A very good, ripe, smooth-textured, easy-drinking wine with a rub too much mint and custardy/malty oak that for now sits separate from the fruit. The class of that fruit though is not in question, and nor is the winemaking: it's clean, pure, expressive and impressive - here we go again, this is another Beechworth name to watch. Drink: Now-2010
89 points.

Golden Ball Beechworth 'Gallice' Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2002: I like this wine a lot. It's probably riper and rounder than cabernet blends are traditionally thought to be but it has an essential elegance that marks it clearly as cabernet-based, and clearly as a wine of some quality. This is an impressive wine. Long, fuity, dusty length. Ripe fruit sweetness through the mouth. Hints of choc-malt in recessive mode. And class stamped all over it. Excellent. Drink: Now-2014.
93 points.

Campbell Mattinson
As seen on page 29 on www.winefront.com.au
September-October 2004