Central Otago 2013

A store called NZwinesonline hosts a Central Otago show each year....expecting 15+ wineries and 80+ wines....so it is a bit disappointing when they have 13 wineries and 56 wines (I think it was actually less)...not to mention it was one of the more expensive events to attend....Even compared to previous ones, this one was a bit of a stinker and pretty much a waste of time...

On the plus side I did find a new winery called Valli....

They had three pretty good Pinots available...they actually have more based on their website.

Valli

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

Really good acidity (best of the three), clean red fruit, some herbs, slight minerality...very good texture and depth....Lighter in mouthfeel than the other two and my favorite of the three.

Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

Slightly fuller mouthfeel than the Gibbston...good acidity, not quite as good as the Gibbston...bit bigger fruit and a bit more tannin structure...although they're relatively soft...Good overall Pinot...

Valli Bendigo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

Similar mouthfeel to the Bannockburn Vineyard....good acidity although less than the Bannockburn...Bigger fruit than the other two...Bigger tannins than the other two...It actually had some Aussie PN flavors to it...My least favorite of the three but still pretty decent overall.  

Pretty good set of Pinots and according to their website they have a Waitaki which sounds like it something I would like to try.   The downside? At 60 it is in territory where there are some other pretty good alternatives....although not many...

Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir 2009

I tried this probably six months back and it was a bit of a monster. Really big harsh tannins...you could sense a pretty good wine underneath but the tannins were ripping my face off.  To my surprise, this has really softened quite a bit since then and it was looking really really good.  Biggish red fruit but with a lot of different things going on...really good acidity...with the softer tannins the wine had really good texture...fantastic complexity...Cranberries, sour cherry, some herbs...hints of dark chocolate...It is good to see this wine come around....Overall probably the best wine of the show...but at 100+AUD...it is probably a bit overpriced...

Probably the biggest disappointment at the show (for me) was Mt. Difficulty...I haven't really liked any of their stuff in awhile...but they have an overall good reputation....but the best way to describe where they're going is looking at their reserves...Pipeclay and Long Gully....Both were really quite sweet....good complexity...but really, a fruit bomb of a Pinot Noir...it was really quite meh with lowish acidity....Apparently there is no residual sugar...I find that almost impossible to believe..

Coonawarra

Coonawarra has a roadshow each year....and since I was in Melbourne at the time, it seemed like a pretty good opportunity to see what is happening in Coonawarra...

First off...They know their whites aren't great...I know their whites aren't great...there aren't a lot of them.  The riesling was quite disappointing overall...I actually felt like it went through Malo...a bit flat...flabby..I dunno, it was really odd...

Overall, I was actually slightly disappointed....Maybe it was the environment....or maybe I'm just getting annoyingly picky...Either way, a lot of good wines there...not a lot of great wines there.

Just a few highlights...

Reschke Bos 2004
Good overall balance.  Mulberry, blueberry, spices on the nose...Reasonably good acidity, some earthy notes, leather.  Felt a bit different than the typical Coonawarra Cab..I'm a bit surprised they haven't sold out of this and releasing their 2005....it is a pretty fair price..pretty decent wine...

Brand Laira Tall Vines shiraz 2010
Dark and red fruits, good acid, good texture...reasonably complex..pretty good Coonawarra Shiraz overall.

Brand Laira 171 Cabernet 2009
This is one of their flagship wines so I'm expecting something pretty big but at the same time, I've been pretty happy with how they do their wines with reasonably good acidity.  This one is no different...might've been my favorite wine of the night having struck a good balance between a dark brooding Coonawarra Cab and something a bit lighter on it's feet showing good acidity, reasonably good mid palate, good length, complexity and depth.

Brand Laira 171 Cabernet 2010
Not yet released and still a bit on the young side compared to the 2009 but still, very good...I think this might end up being better than the 2009 but hard to say...good acidity, dark and red fruits, earth, some herbs..bigger tannins but not ridiculously big..nice fine approachable tannins contrast with good acidity..

Highbank - They had a few wines there...A red blend, their Cabernet reserve...all were quite interesting...different than the typical Coonawarra Cab..well made...I'm a bit on the fence about them though.  I hadn't heard of them and thought they were a small producer...had a boutique wine that I could pick up for somewhere in the 20s...then I looked it up....nope.....50, 60 for the blends..80+ for the reserve...well made wines, fairly interesting...but a bit too expensive...

Scores?

I've had some questions about scoring and why not include scores, etc...and it is a question I've thought about a lot....

I think one issue I have is, my scores would be significantly lower than most other critics..especially Australian wine critics....It isn't that I'm negative on the wines or I'm a harder scorer...but I'm pretty well convinced that the escalation of scores in the wine industry as a whole, is mostly due to wine writers wanting to establish their brand..they'll never admit it but I firmly believe most of them know that higher scores will get them quoted by stores, in ads, etc...If you're not quoted, your brand is losing out.  Not to mention that higher scores means you'll get sent more wine to try and the reverse being true, low scores means you won't get more wine to try....

I also feel I'll struggle with the idea that I should be trying to be as objective as possible about each wine...and some people feel you shouldn't because what I enjoy as a style should be reflected in the score....

So do I publish scores?   Probably needs a bit more thought...

Tasmania Unbottled 2013

I've been relatively disappointed in Tasmania the last few years but this was a good opportunity to see what they're doing in the region, try the new releases...and Australians are some of the best at changing styles (to their credit and detriment).

Overall impressions:  I was quite impressed with the different things a lot of the winemakers were trying to do...A lot more skin exposure, a lot more time on lees...mixing up different oak treatments, malo treatements..some residual sugar in some of the Rieslings...some lighter Pinots as well...I'm not sure Pinot Noir is the right grape for Tassie...Maybe it is the soil..not sure..but the Riesling and Chardonnay is definitely quite interesting...they even had a couple of different Pinot Grigios..it'll be interesting to see how this turns out for them.....I know that their pricing structure is a bit messed up...I believe in part because things are expensive there and shipping the wine out of Tassie is really expensive...I don't think that is an excuse though...I think they really need to start making wine that competes and whatever price levels are out there...


Josef Chromy
Always an interesting mix of wine out of Josef Chromy...a typical Aussie Pinot at different price points that most will be very happy with.  However, I was far more interesting in their Riesling..

Josef Chromy Zdar Riesling 2008
Only made in the best years and in very limited quantity, this had very good acidity, good development on the nose and texture wise, it was really nice.  Toasty notes, lemon pith, some minerality, lemon curd, sour apple notes, a bit of petrol...First time I've had this.  At 40RRP though, I'm not sure what space this fits in...It is basically Grosset type territory...Pikes Merle..more than Lethbridge, more than Leo Buring Leonay and Peter Lehmann Wigan....This IS good though....but the RRP is a bit of a stretch (coming back to being price competitive).

Josef Chromy SGR delikat Riesling
More of a Kabinett style of Riesling...so a bit of RS with really high acidity...I like that they even made something like this since some Aussies are so adamant they must have bone dry wine...but the fact is, the acidity in Tassie is really high...they really do need a slight bit of RS to soften it a bit...it really does not make it sweet....

Stefano Lubiana
An excellent range overall....and doing a lot of good things with their wine...Price pretty fairly for the quality.

Stefano Lubiana Riesling 2011
Really interesting nose...Oak?  Interesting...I'm also picking up a bit of tightness in my gums so I suspect even some skin contact?  Really interesting texture for this...good depth for a young Riesling...quite enjoyable with the very good acidity....How will this look in a few years?  Not sure...but I'm excited to find out....If you like Riesling, this is a great one to try for something different....If you don't like Riesling..this is a great one to try..you may just like it...

Stefano Lubiana Chardonay
I'm a bit biased after the very interesting Riesling....the Chardonnay is show really nice depth...good acidity in contrast to the oak and what seems like Malo (really hard to tell because the acidity is so high).  A very well made Chardonnay, at a fair price...

Honorable mentions..

Sparkling:

House of Arras was impressive.  Yeasty, very champagne like..a bit brighter fruit wise...I like both their Grand Vintage 2004 and Vintage Rose 2004.

Jansz - Normally I'm not a fan...their vintage Cuvee and Rose were quite good though...as was the late disgorged 2004.

Glaetzer-Dixon.  Two really interesting Rielsings Uberblanc Goldpunkt and Uberblanc (Red Dot).

Geelong - Bannockburn - Part 2

Bannockburn

I wasn't originally going to go to Bannockburn because it was a bit of a last minute attempt at an appointment (I didn't even know they allowed for visitors until the day before)...but I'm very glad I did.  I've had a few of their wines before and was always impressed...To me it was always a divisive style either you love it or hate it......I think it is one that appeals to most Pinot Noir geeks.....It is nothing like a typical Australian Pinot (which I think is great).

Michael Glover is the winemaker at Bannockburn and to me, he has brought the winery to new heights.   He is not ashamed to tell you his philosophy and he is very passionate about what he is trying to do at Bannockburn.   He has very strong opinions about irrigation (there shouldn't be any), what yields he'd like to see, what yields you want to get in order to show true terroir...He also wants his wine to be uniquely Bannockburn.  To me, all of the reds show this vegetal characteristic that I associate with Bannockburn...to me that is their signature.  Their Pinots, which are medium bodied and high in acidity might remind many of Burgundy...and you wouldn't be wrong to say that...but at the same time the fruit is most definitely new world.  They have that Bannockburn signature...they have that Bannockburn texture....Michael will change up what he does each year, not because he's haphazardly experimenting because based on conditions he's trying to achieve certain things in the wine.  Each vintage he tries to improve the wine and make them uniquely Bannockburn.

I also had the opportunity to see their new plantings (planted in 2007) which was 10,000 vines per ha.  No irrigation and yield target of 500g per vine.  Michael's feeling that the low yield and the vines needing to compete for resources it what helps them show their terroir.  This is similar in theory to what is done at some of the best parts of Burgundy.    The new vineyard is called De La Terre and it looks like a winner..

It was very interesting to see the contrast with Bannockburn and Lethbridge.  Michael wants to make the best wine possible but wants to make sure they're uniquely Bannockburn...that they have their own particular style (and I think they succeed). Ray at Lethbridge wants to make the best wine possible, what he likes to drink, but I wouldn't necessarily say there is a unique style to Lethbridge..it is just he's doing a lot of good things making fantastic wine.  Different ways of approaching winemaking...both are winners in my opinion.

Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2012
The first thing that hits you on the nose is this is NOT a typical Sauvignon Blanc...There is a difference in depth, just on the nose.  I find out that it has a bit of Riesling, a bit of Chardonnay...has spent time in oak, on lees and with a bit of skin contact....Great acidity, great depth, really nice texture.  It has a bit of grass, hints of passion fruit, lemons, a bit of herbs and earthiness..a bit of spice.  RRP is 27 which I think represents really great value.  I haven't heard much about their SB but this is one of the most unique SB's I've had and at a fantastic price.

Bannockburn Chardonnay 2011
A very well made Chardonnay....good use of oak..and has undergone full malo so you still get that full Chardonnay mouthfeel.  Really good acidity....Peaches, grapefruit, a hint of spice...I thought it was interesting that Michael didn't think this one would be good long term while Ray at Lethbridge, who had a very similar 2011 Chardonnay, thought the higher acidity would allow it to go long....Both are actually quite similar but different.  I feel like this is a bit much at 57 RRP but still a very good Chard.

Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay 2009
A step up from the estate Chardonnay....Greater depth, deeper fruit (which is also because of the year).  A very full bodied Chardonnay with a lot of class.  This easily fits in with any of the top Chardonnays in Australia.  Good acidity, good structure...great texture...

Bannockburn 1314 AD Pinot 2011
A good intro into Bannockburn..with a bit of that Bannockburn funk/vegetal that comes through..although a bit toned down.  Lighter fruit than their normal line which makes for a much lighter Pinot than you'll normally see in Australia but I think that is a good thing.  Red fruits, a bit of spice...something in there hints to me this is a cheaper Pinot but it really is a good buy at 27....and Michael suggests the 2013 will be fantastic..

Bannockburn 1314 AD Pinor 2013 (Barrel Sample)
I was lucky enough to get to try this....It has that Bannockburn vegetal characteristic..but the fruit seems very pure...clean lines, pretty good depth and texture considering this isn't even ready to be sold yet...  Red fruits, a bit of spice....If this sells for 27, it will be an absolute steal.  It will be a good gateway wine into the rest of the Bannockburn line...

Bannockburn Stuart Pinot Noir 2011
A bit more fruit forward than the rest of their line and less vegetal characteristics than the rest..but still shows that Bannockburn character.  Darker red fruits, some spice, herbs, earth...Good acidity, good texture.  This is a good intro to Bannockburn (even though it is slightly more expensive than the De La Terre..for now).

Bannockburn Estate Pinot Noir 2010
Very typical Bannockburn smell, texture and vegetal characteristics on the Palate.  Good acidity, very well made.  I think the only thing I dislike is that price wise, it is pretty close to say, the De La Terre...and basically 10 out of 10 times I'd probably prefer the De La Terre...(57 vs. 65RRP).

Bannockburn De La Terre Pinot Noir 2011
Made from their newly planted vineyard in the same fashion as Serre (although my understanding is it has slightly more dense plantings than the Serre), no irrigation, low yield (500g per vine).  My feelings on this was, this was Michael's own project...so while similar to Serre, this was done under his tenure, it has his stamp, his way of expressing the terroir, expressing Bannockburn....Really good acidity, which is consistent across all of their Pinots and partially because 2011 was on the wet side...but also really fantastic texture, depth and complexity.  Young vines but they're really doing a good job of showing you Bannockburn.  Red fruits, spice, herbs, earthiness...that Bannockburn vegetal character...really fine tannis.  Structure is there but it is still very approachable (as are all of their Pinots really).

Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir 2010
A bit more weight and fruit on the Serre compared to the De La Terre...you get the sense this is made to cellar a bit longer....Very good acid, nice red fruits...tremendous depth..fantastic texture....I actually preferred the De La Terre mainly because I felt it was a bit lighter in texture and had slightly better acidity..but I can see just as many people preferring this.  The Serre has been around awhile and it is Bannockburn's iconic wine....

Bannockburn Shiraz 2008
Medium bodied, good acidity...red fruits...and still that signature vegetal character...good overall structure and one more Shiraz from this region that makes me wonder why were not seeing more from here.  I'm not as enamored with the Shiraz (either one) as I am the Pinots..but still very good..

Bannockburn Douglas 2009
Michael's own blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Pinot Noir....I believe this used to be their Cabernet Merlot...Has that same Bannockburn Vegetal character...darker fruits...it actually has a bit more tannin but still good acidity...Good texture and depth to this wine...and for 27, it really is a steal..great value.  I've had some Cabernet Merlots from Bannockburn in the past and they weren't nearly as polished.  There are a couple of rough edges there but still, really good value..a unique blend....


Halliday seems to suggest that the only thing from here that is vegetal and gamey is the Cabernet Merlot..but really, all of the reds show that same vegetal/gamey character..to me that is their signature..Each of the wines is carefully thought out and tweaked here and there (100% whole bunch vs. 50% whole bunch, etc) to adjust it to vintage/fruit conditions...Yes their wines are a bit divisive...Even with wine geeks, some will really enjoy that uniqueness..and some will not.   But you can not deny the quality of the winemaking and the distinctiveness..

Geelong - Lethbridge, Eagle Rise part 1

I've always been a fan of Lethbridge which is in Geelong.  I've only had the chance to try some Bannockburn Pinot once before and was really impressed...so when it came time to go to Melbourne with a free day on the weekend...there was really only one region that I wanted to visit...Geelong...

Geelong actually has three different regions...Moorabool, Surf Coast and Bellarine.  Since both Bannockburn and Lethbridge were in Moorabool, that was my obvious choice although out of the three, it is the smallest and most spread out...

Lethbridge

Ray Nadeson is the owner and winemaker at Lethbridge.  From my talks with him and from others, Ray was in the medical field, developed a device that he patented and then sold off the rights...so what does a guy with enough money to retire on do?  He opens a winery and makes what he loves. 

Every winemaker says this..but very few often do this....Ray makes wines he loves to drink..the way HE wants to make them.  While everyone else may be going to the left, he's going to the right.  He has true passion for what he is doing, he even goes to see the trees that are going to be used to make the barrels he will be using for his wine.....He has his hands in every aspects of his wine and you have to really respect a guy that has such passion for what he is doing.

Lethbridge Dr. Nadeson Riesling 2012.

I love what they're doing to their Riesling.. Some residual sugar (10g/L), low ph (3.00) and really high acid (13g/L)...While that style is not completely unique globally...I don't see a lot of it...and it is completely unusual in Australia (although I have seen one or two others recently do something similar).  That high high acid combined with a bit of residual sugar to soften it, is a fantastic combination.  Lime pith, minerality, tart apples....Great complexity, great mouthfeel.  I believe these are fermented in oak with a bit of lees stirring......It will really be interesting to see how these develop in 5 or so years..and if it gains some of that weight and secondary notes that Aussie riesling tends to...I think my only issue is I'm not sure how to keep my hands off the stuff long enough to wait that long and Ray doesn't make enough of it to really have a museum stock (I think he said he makes 100-150 cases).  In any case, one of my favorite Aussie Rieslings if not my absolute favorite.  RRP is 30 and it is a great buy at that.  

Lethbridge Kabinett Riesling 2010.

This is something you won't see anywhere but the Cellar door, I believe they only make about 30 cases of it.  Made in a Germanic style called Kabinett so I'm expecting to have a good amount of RS but not a huge amount.   Made basically in the same style as his Nadeson, this too is also just absolutely fantastic.  To compare it to German Kabinett, to me it feels like the RS and the fruit are not as seamless together as they are with a German Riesling..but I don't consider that a downside..it is just different....In many aspects it does remind you of a German Kabinett but I feel like the acid is showing better, I think there is greater depth at this age than you see from a German Kabinett....This is really very enjoyable and one I think my wife would actually drink as well.  A bit of crushed rock, lime, apples, lemon peel...Texture is great with really high acidity to balance out the 30g/L of RS....This isn't made to appeal to most Aussies because many are adamant Riesling needs to be bone bone dry (Blue Nun did serious damage to the psyches of Aussies)...but it will appeal to anyone that enjoys German Rieslings...

Lethbridge Botrytis Riesling 2011.

I pretty much never talk about dessert wines.  I enjoy them but in Australia, most of them are very straightforward - Sweet.  Some have  better acidity, some better complexity...but Australians iconic Botrytis Semillon, Noble One, I would hardly compare to a good Sauternes...There is a depth and complexity it just doesn't have (although Noble One is pretty good).  THIS wine however, is one that had me just amazed.  

Hand Picked Berry by Berry...as each individual berry was infected by Botrytis, they hand picked each individual one off the vine.  I think Ray said it took them 6 weeks to pick the fruit and they only made about 25 half cases of the wine...so you can imagine all the time and effort it took to make this.  Ray says they may never make another one again because of how much time and effort it took..but I have a feeling at some point, when conditions are right, they'll do it again.  

My first impression of the wine were..wow, what else is going on in here?  A real depth to the nose, not just sweet but something else...I then find out this has had time in oak which seems to really have given this weight, complexity and just that extra oomph that is really contributing to the nose.  Palate - Sweet but not sticky sweet...really high acidity is helping to balance this out.  Lime, lemon peel, some nuttiness coming out as well, a tad bit of rock, some vanilla....Really quite wonderful....My favorite dessert wine made in Australia (if you don't count 100 year old Para)....

Lethbridge Chardonnay 2010
A good % of new oak and full malo...This isn't your fat buttery oaky chardonnay but it is most definitely a more traditional, non Chablis like Chardonnay.  A bit of peach, some nice creaminess and complexity.   Good acidity but not as much as I'm looking for at this stage.  A very good Chardonnay but I feel like it needs more time.

Lethbridge Chardonnay 2011
A cooler year in 2011, new oak, full malo, but a lot of really great acidity.  Some peachiness, a bit of minerality, stone fruit...good depth and complexity.  It fits more into what I'd like to drink but still carries that fullness that a chardonnay can carry..really quite nice..

Lethbridge Allegra Chardonnay 2008

Texture wise, this and the 2011 estate Chardonnay felt really similar..but this one had a LOT more depth, a LOT more complexity....Layer by layer it would unfold as I was tasting it.  Stone fruits, lemon pith, stone fruit....Acidity with a bit of fatness to it...This is probably my favorite chardonnay in Australia right now...

Lethbridge Pinot Noir 2011
Really nice acidity, earth, forest floor, red fruits, a bit of spice...really quite nice but I'm not sure I like this as much as the 2010.  Still, really great mouthfeel, really good texture, good depth, and nothing like a typical Australian Pinot...which is great.
Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir 2009
Greater depth than the regular estate...A bit more fruit but a bit more stuffing..good acidity, fine tannins, spicy red fruits, some vegetal flavors, some spice, herbs, some earthy tones, mushrooms...really quite nice.  Definitely one of the better Australian Pinots out there....I think the 2008 had a bit more structure to it..it would have been nice to see these side by side.

Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir 2013 (barrel Sample)
I don't really get a chance to try barrel samples so this was a great opportunity.  Good acidity, clean fruit, but still development going on...I have no way to properly evaluate this but the fruit seemed very pure....I'm looking forward to trying this when they release it.

Lethbridge Nebbiolo 2013 (barrel Sample)
Most of the Nebbiolo in Australia that I've had have been underwhelming...this was definitely NOT.  The difference to me is the correct structure and mouthfeel was there that I'm looking for in Nebbiolo.  Proper tannin structure, good acidity, definitely still a baby at this point and still developing but this looks like it'll be a really good Nebbiolo and probably the best in Australia...Ray says it is because most winemakers don't have enough patience as he shows me the barrels they've modded to allow the juice to have contact with the skins for over 100 days....Really old school, really smart guy...really good wine.

Lethbridge Shiraz 2010
Geelong Shiraz is really underrated....Good acidity, red fruits, herbs, some meaty characters, a bit of earth...Medium bodied...Not quite the acidity of a Hunter Shiraz but the fruit is a bit cleaner, less earthy characters...I think a lot of people would enjoy this style.

Lethbridge Heathcote Shiraz 2010
This is actually a Shiraz Mouvedre...and the Shiraz fruit from Heathcote.... a bit more fruit forward initially than the Geelong..good acidity...Some meat and chocolate...nice medium bodied feel...Nice texture and depth...finishes with a typical Mouvedre finish...really quite a nice wine...I've seen this blend before in Australia...this is one of the most successful versions of this that I've tried in AU.

Lethbridge Indra Shiraz 2008
This is like their estate Shiraz but with a lot more depth and lot more complexity.  The oak is well integrated, good acidity...Medium bodied with red fruits, herbs, earth and fine tannins.  A really great version of a Geelong Shiraz....I think the only downside is for the same price do I want an Allegra, Mietta or Indra?  To me the Mietta and Allegra sit as top tier Chard/Pinot in Australia...Indra is great but not quite top tier....

Lethbridge Hugo George 2009
Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc....A Tuscan style wine....fine tannins, great depth, good acidity with a great mid palate.  A very interesting blend that I think would be fantastic with food.  Red fruits, some green pepper, herbs, some vegetal notes.....Really quite an interesting wine.  I'm not sure this hits the heights of their other premiums...but a VERY interesting wine.


Eagles Rise
Small producer who makes about 500 cases of each wine.  What differentiates them from their competitors is they like to hold back their releases until they feel they're ready to drink.  Available for tasting was a Pinot Grigio, dessert Pinot Grigio, a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon.  They do have some reserves and other versions but they weren't available to try...

Eagles Rise Shiraz 2005.
My favorite of those available for tasting.  Redder fruits, good acidity, some herbs and some vegetal characteristics coming through...A bit of age so a few other secondary characteristics coming through....a bit of meatiness...mdushroms, earth....RRP is only 20 on this...I don't think it is easily available..

The vineyard is also for sale..for just under 1 million AUD...dreams dreams dreams....