Wines
2004 “Gill’s Farm” Viognier
“GILLS FARM” VIOGNIER 2004
“Too often New World viognier is made absent the concept of balance. My favorite viogniers from the northern Rhone Valley of France, where the grape variety performs at extraordinary levels, do have ripeness and alcohol, but it’s all in balance with refreshing acidity. Pikes achieves that here, showing us seductive aromas of peach and honeysuckle, exceptional viscosity and refreshing, balancing acidity.. Outstanding”
92 Points. Whitely's Wine Talk. December 2005.
“The nose has richness and sweetness of fruit, peaches and apricots. There is depth on the palate, a fruit salad of flavours with a mid freshness that lifts and excites. The power and fragrance of fruit is there right to the end”.
93 Points. Derek Smedley MW – Australia Day Tasting, London, February 2006.
“Pale straw. Incisive scents of lime blossom, bergamot, white peach, apricot pit and honeysuckle. Clean and brisk in the mouth, with a spicy, tangy pear quality, along with crisp apple and quince notes. Finishes with energy and nerve. I'd have guessed this as Condrieu-or at least a Condrieu of a decade ago, when wines this fresh and vibrant were routinely made there.”
91 Points. Stephen Tanzer – International Wine Cellar.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the minerality and zestiness of the light green/straw-colored, French-inspired 2004 Viognier Gill’s Farm, which spent time in neutral oak. Fragrant aromas of honeysuckle, apricots, and steely minerals emerge from this impressive New World Viognier”. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.
88 Points. Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate, Issue 161.
“Just beautiful summer drinking with its translucent lemon yellow colour and its array of gorgeous aromas. Think honeysuckle, ripe lemon and smooth apricots which carry over with a lovely mouthfeel of flavoursome luscious fruit characters. All of this is supported by a lively, but not over the top fruit acidity. Top notch stuff and really good with Asian cuisine”.
Paul Ippolito. Paul Ippolito Talks Wine – Best of 2005.