A lot of new producers out there doing something different...they're going against the grain and doing what they want...
I'm actually finding that a lot of them, for whatever reason, are in Adelaide Hills but really, they're coming up from all over and it is a really an exciting time for Australian wine.
I'll try to cover some of these wines in the near future if I ever get around to it but for now here's a list of some of the ones I think are really riding that edge...Let me know if I'm missing some :).
Ochota Barrels
BK Wines
Brash Higgins
CRFT
Marius
Ruggabellus
Alex Byrne
Lethbridge
Marq
Yelland and Papps
Between Five Bells
Born and Raised
Adelina
These Young Punks
Woods Crampton
A.Retief
I'm sure there are a bunch of others but these are the ones standing out in my mind (right now). Higher acid, extended skin contact, oak when the wine might not normally be used in oak...extra time on leeds...just a lot of different yet not so different things to try to change people's perception about Australian wine or even just to make something they want to drink..either way, interesting stuff that will really make you take notice..
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sonoma, Napa and others
I've had the chance to try quite a few California wines so I'll do some quick impressions....
Porter Creek - Sonoma
Well made wines...a pretty good estate Chardonnay...a good range of CA Pinot with some being just a bit too ripe and others fitting quite nicely between a big pinot and a more medium bodied, high acid Pinot. They also had a pretty good Carignane and a very peppery Syrah. Overall - Worth a visit...Their wines are pretty reasonably priced and they're very well made.
Unti Wines - Sonoma
Specializing in Italian varieties...The guy at Porter creek actually suggested I come here because their wines tend to be high acid..
Very good Barbera...one of the better non Piedmont ones I've tried...and the rest of their line was all good and exhibited very good value as well. One thing that really threw me off though was their stated acidity and what I picked up on the palate were NOT consistent. At some point I thought maybe they were doing the EU type of acidity calculation but if so, these would have been impossibly high for the grapes that were there..so that couldn't be it....This place is definitely worth a visit if you like Italian varieties or you want higher acid wines...very good overall value.
Macphail wines.
Pretty good but very typical CA Pinot...Not sure what to say here but they did have a number of different pinots and they were all interesting to try...but a bit of a stretch price wise and it doesn't help that their tasting fee is 20 dollars and you need to buy 3 bottles to offset it....Is it worth trying? I'd probably say NO...they were very nice, very helpful and the overall experience was pretty good...but their pricing structure is terrible and how they approach their tasting fee is not good at all.
Pride Mountain
Wonderful estate on top of the mountain that straddles both Napa and Sonoma county. We were able to take their wine tour and check out their wine cave as well as get to try barrel samples and do our own little blending of sorts....I've had their wines before and they've all been very good. Their reds are a great balance between very fruit forward but still maintaining really good structure...especially when it comes to acidity. Their Chardonnay was also quite nicely done...CA Chardonnay bright fruit, some new oak, partial malo and really nice acidity. I'd highly recommend coming here.
Heitz
Old school Napa Cabs...one of the few places where the tasting fee is still free as well...Compared to most of the modern Napa Cabs, these are quite light...some might even call them thin. To me they were very nice, nice texture and mouthfeel..proper acidity..but yes, by modern standards they do not have the body of oomph of a lot of CA Cabs....I actually really enjoyed the wines though...
Porter Creek - Sonoma
Well made wines...a pretty good estate Chardonnay...a good range of CA Pinot with some being just a bit too ripe and others fitting quite nicely between a big pinot and a more medium bodied, high acid Pinot. They also had a pretty good Carignane and a very peppery Syrah. Overall - Worth a visit...Their wines are pretty reasonably priced and they're very well made.
Unti Wines - Sonoma
Specializing in Italian varieties...The guy at Porter creek actually suggested I come here because their wines tend to be high acid..
Very good Barbera...one of the better non Piedmont ones I've tried...and the rest of their line was all good and exhibited very good value as well. One thing that really threw me off though was their stated acidity and what I picked up on the palate were NOT consistent. At some point I thought maybe they were doing the EU type of acidity calculation but if so, these would have been impossibly high for the grapes that were there..so that couldn't be it....This place is definitely worth a visit if you like Italian varieties or you want higher acid wines...very good overall value.
Macphail wines.
Pretty good but very typical CA Pinot...Not sure what to say here but they did have a number of different pinots and they were all interesting to try...but a bit of a stretch price wise and it doesn't help that their tasting fee is 20 dollars and you need to buy 3 bottles to offset it....Is it worth trying? I'd probably say NO...they were very nice, very helpful and the overall experience was pretty good...but their pricing structure is terrible and how they approach their tasting fee is not good at all.
Pride Mountain
Wonderful estate on top of the mountain that straddles both Napa and Sonoma county. We were able to take their wine tour and check out their wine cave as well as get to try barrel samples and do our own little blending of sorts....I've had their wines before and they've all been very good. Their reds are a great balance between very fruit forward but still maintaining really good structure...especially when it comes to acidity. Their Chardonnay was also quite nicely done...CA Chardonnay bright fruit, some new oak, partial malo and really nice acidity. I'd highly recommend coming here.
Heitz
Old school Napa Cabs...one of the few places where the tasting fee is still free as well...Compared to most of the modern Napa Cabs, these are quite light...some might even call them thin. To me they were very nice, nice texture and mouthfeel..proper acidity..but yes, by modern standards they do not have the body of oomph of a lot of CA Cabs....I actually really enjoyed the wines though...
Saturday, November 1, 2014
CRFT
CRFT Wines
CRFT wines is the brainchild of two winemakers, Candice Helbig and Frewin Ries. They currently only produce single vineyard wines from several different sources around South Australia.
I've read a few things about them but they only started in 2012 so a very new up and comer and their wine is very difficult to source. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to try their wines and I'm really glad I did..
CRFT Gruner Vetliner K1 2014
CRFT Gewurztraminer K1 2013
Both of these wines are fantastic atypical representations of each of these grape varieties and I was especially impressed with the Gewurztraminer which had very nice acidity which I think showed a bit better because the RS was so low (under 2g). Both of these are great food wines and I wouldn't hesitate to drink either one of these...
CRFT Pinot Noir Arranmore 2013
CRFT Pinot Noir Budenberg 2013
CRFT Pinot Noir Chapel Valley 2013
Fruit was sourced from single vineyards across Adelaide Hills. All of the them used French oak varying between 35-40% new.
Each of their Pinots were different from each other but one thing was fairly consistent...Great acidity, great texture, a very medium bodied Pinot that I think a lot of locals will scoff at..but honestly, a really great example of what CAN be done in Australia and I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes. If you like a lighter Pinot that is more like a village level or 1er level burg in color/viscosity, you will probably like all three of these...
CRFT Little Hill Shiraz 2013
CRFT Cemetery Shiraz 2013
CRFT Fechner Shiraz 2013
All Barossa sourced single vineyard Shiraz. All had great acidity. Out of the three, the Cemetery was probably the biggest of the three and the most full body but all of them were great. The Little Hill was a very good everyday wine with food..and the Fechner, which was from the Eden Valley, had fantastic acidity to go with very nice fruit..I was actually really impressed by these wines....
One thing I noticed with all of their reds was that even though they did use a good amount of new oak, none of the wines felt overly oaky....which I thought was great considering how young the wines were....They all had great texture and mouthfeel....Actually that applies across every single one of their wines...Not a dud in the bunch...
I see them having great success and I see them(along with others) filling a great gap in the Australian wine scene... there are a good number of new winemakers now that are moving away from the old Australian wine scene...they're doing what they want, how they want and what they think rather than trying to follow some trend....
CRFT wines is the brainchild of two winemakers, Candice Helbig and Frewin Ries. They currently only produce single vineyard wines from several different sources around South Australia.
I've read a few things about them but they only started in 2012 so a very new up and comer and their wine is very difficult to source. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to try their wines and I'm really glad I did..
CRFT Gruner Vetliner K1 2014
CRFT Gewurztraminer K1 2013
Both of these wines are fantastic atypical representations of each of these grape varieties and I was especially impressed with the Gewurztraminer which had very nice acidity which I think showed a bit better because the RS was so low (under 2g). Both of these are great food wines and I wouldn't hesitate to drink either one of these...
CRFT Pinot Noir Arranmore 2013
CRFT Pinot Noir Budenberg 2013
CRFT Pinot Noir Chapel Valley 2013
Fruit was sourced from single vineyards across Adelaide Hills. All of the them used French oak varying between 35-40% new.
Each of their Pinots were different from each other but one thing was fairly consistent...Great acidity, great texture, a very medium bodied Pinot that I think a lot of locals will scoff at..but honestly, a really great example of what CAN be done in Australia and I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes. If you like a lighter Pinot that is more like a village level or 1er level burg in color/viscosity, you will probably like all three of these...
CRFT Little Hill Shiraz 2013
CRFT Cemetery Shiraz 2013
CRFT Fechner Shiraz 2013
All Barossa sourced single vineyard Shiraz. All had great acidity. Out of the three, the Cemetery was probably the biggest of the three and the most full body but all of them were great. The Little Hill was a very good everyday wine with food..and the Fechner, which was from the Eden Valley, had fantastic acidity to go with very nice fruit..I was actually really impressed by these wines....
One thing I noticed with all of their reds was that even though they did use a good amount of new oak, none of the wines felt overly oaky....which I thought was great considering how young the wines were....They all had great texture and mouthfeel....Actually that applies across every single one of their wines...Not a dud in the bunch...
I see them having great success and I see them(along with others) filling a great gap in the Australian wine scene... there are a good number of new winemakers now that are moving away from the old Australian wine scene...they're doing what they want, how they want and what they think rather than trying to follow some trend....
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Byrne and Ruggabellus
Byrne Chardonnay 2013
Alex Byrne is the assistant winemaker at Lethbridge and also has his own label out of Ballarat. From what I've seen, he has some very interesting wines at a great price. I had a chance to re-try his 2013 Chardonnay...
A bit of oak on the nose, a tad bit of salinity seems like..peach..a bit of lemon....Palate has nice fruit, but the oak is quite obvious....I believe these go through malo as well but the acidity is really quite nice and it keeps this nice line within the wine and balances out the oak and malo quite nice....I will say, this is very Burg like in structure and mouthfeel. I think the only thing I wish was the oak was a little less up front although it looks like this only uses 15% new oak and the rest 1-3 years old...Still very enjoyable and great value...I'd like to see this with a bit more time to integrate the oak better but the wine is still very enjoyable, very well made and utterly fantastic value. 92 points.
Ruggabellus Archaeus 2012
Sort of the new wave of Barossa wine...there is a significant movement to change how people think of Barossa wine and Ruggabellus is one of those making that charge.
The Archaeus is their Shiraz dominated Southern Rhone blend...Mostly Shiraz with some Mataro and Grenache as well...
The first thing I notice is, the wine has very good acidity for a Barossa....I am really liking the earlier picking and I think what was considered underripe in the past is looking like the right time to pick. You still have the beautiful clean fruit but you're retaining better acidity and any slightly green notes are coming across as savory rather than fruit that wasn't suitable. The weight of the wine is relatively full bodied but definitely lighter than what you would have seen out of the Barossa 10 years ago..and for a blend with some Grenache, I think that is a real accomplishment. Texture on the wine is very nice..tannins are quite soft for such a young wine...brighter red fruits, great acid....Something is not quite blowing my hair back and I'm not sure what it is but it is still a very good wine and was even better after some time in the glass. 90 points
Alex Byrne is the assistant winemaker at Lethbridge and also has his own label out of Ballarat. From what I've seen, he has some very interesting wines at a great price. I had a chance to re-try his 2013 Chardonnay...
A bit of oak on the nose, a tad bit of salinity seems like..peach..a bit of lemon....Palate has nice fruit, but the oak is quite obvious....I believe these go through malo as well but the acidity is really quite nice and it keeps this nice line within the wine and balances out the oak and malo quite nice....I will say, this is very Burg like in structure and mouthfeel. I think the only thing I wish was the oak was a little less up front although it looks like this only uses 15% new oak and the rest 1-3 years old...Still very enjoyable and great value...I'd like to see this with a bit more time to integrate the oak better but the wine is still very enjoyable, very well made and utterly fantastic value. 92 points.
Ruggabellus Archaeus 2012
Sort of the new wave of Barossa wine...there is a significant movement to change how people think of Barossa wine and Ruggabellus is one of those making that charge.
The Archaeus is their Shiraz dominated Southern Rhone blend...Mostly Shiraz with some Mataro and Grenache as well...
The first thing I notice is, the wine has very good acidity for a Barossa....I am really liking the earlier picking and I think what was considered underripe in the past is looking like the right time to pick. You still have the beautiful clean fruit but you're retaining better acidity and any slightly green notes are coming across as savory rather than fruit that wasn't suitable. The weight of the wine is relatively full bodied but definitely lighter than what you would have seen out of the Barossa 10 years ago..and for a blend with some Grenache, I think that is a real accomplishment. Texture on the wine is very nice..tannins are quite soft for such a young wine...brighter red fruits, great acid....Something is not quite blowing my hair back and I'm not sure what it is but it is still a very good wine and was even better after some time in the glass. 90 points
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Fesq
I had the opportunity to try a good chunk of Fesq and Co's ANZ Portfolio...
It is always nice to have a surprise here or there..something you remember..but it is even nicer when you have multiple surprises across a pretty good range of wine...
Longhop
I only got to try their normal range but the quality overall was very good..
The Pinot Gris and Rose were both very good for their category. Texture, complexity, clean fruit, good acidity...two very solid wines. RRP is around 18 dollars which is probably about right for these two wines given the category.
Longhop Old Vine Grenache 2012
Unlike most SA Grenache, this feels a bit more medium bodied, good acidity, decent tannin structure as well..a lot more red fruits vs. dark fruits...This doesn't taste like raisins + alcohol, it tastes like a well thought out Grenache. Very impressive but atypical of what people might want out of Grenache...To me, that is a good thing. RRP is 18 dollars which I think is great value. 90 points.
Longhop Shiraz 2012
Great acidity, red fruits, firm tannins...This wine needs a bit more time but the package is great. RRP is also 18 dollars which makes this a total steal. Probably one of the best values out there right now...really well made, really good structure..It might not have the brooding depth people think of when they look at cellaring but I think this will do very well..and again, under 20 dollars...WTFBBQ. 91 Points.
Longhop Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Another surprising wine...Not a light Cabernet you might see from the Barossa or the surrounding area..but a true Cabernet Sauvignon...Chalky tannins, good acidity....red fruits...this has the structure to go a long time and is great value at 18 RRP...I think the main issue I have with this (and probably the Shiraz) is, at sub 20, people aren't really looking for heavy structure..they're not expecting to have to cellar the wines so to that point, I think they're missing what their target market is at this price point...but really really good value here.. 90 points
Mandala Wines
A few interesting wines here...The Chardonnay was very solid...good acidity, a tad bit of malo, good use of oak...The shiraz had a very floral note to it..almost viognier like but I was told this was 100% shiraz...good acidity....Overall a good wine. They had a pretty good Cabernet called Butterfly as well...Good structure, texture was very nice..
Mandala Prophet Pinot Noir 2010
Good acid, mouthfeel and texture are right..every medium bodied, some truffle, red fruits, tannins there but not aggressive...really quite a nice Yarra Pinot..and I don't say that very often..90 points
Lethbridge
I've said this several times already...great stuff from here...
Their recent Allegra Chardonnay and Mietta Pinot are even better than earlier versions..a bit more refined....Their Indra Shiraz is looking really good...Just a lot of great stuff from here..all very well thought out...great texture...One of my favorites in Australia...
Byrne Wines
Alex Byrne is the assistant at Lethbridge....easy to see why I liked the wines here. The Chardonnay and Pinots here were both great, cool labels, priced very well. I don't think they have the depth of Lethbridge but the texture is fantastic and still very very good wines...They also provide better value than Lethbridge which says a lot....
Between Five Bells
A joint venture by David Fesq, Josh Dunne, Ray Nadeson and help from Alex Byrne.
Basically, they're turning everything on their head with some really funky blends. Their Red and white seems to change as far as what they have in them..but have you had a Negroamaro, Nero D'Avola, Riesling, Shiraz Blend? How about a Sangiovese, Grenache, Shiraz and Graciano? Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc? Definitely all drink soon blends but great texture, acidity, mouthfeel..interesting flavor and complexity. Tiny production...It won't be loved by all but very interesting...
Bream Creek
I've had a few things from here in the past that I thought were pretty decent...In general I thought the wines were pretty good. Both their Dry and off-Dry rielsings were good. Good fruit, good acidity...Their Pinot was actually pretty good for a Tassie Pinot as well...good texture, mouthfeel was "right"...Looking forward to seeing more from them.
It is always nice to have a surprise here or there..something you remember..but it is even nicer when you have multiple surprises across a pretty good range of wine...
Longhop
I only got to try their normal range but the quality overall was very good..
The Pinot Gris and Rose were both very good for their category. Texture, complexity, clean fruit, good acidity...two very solid wines. RRP is around 18 dollars which is probably about right for these two wines given the category.
Longhop Old Vine Grenache 2012
Unlike most SA Grenache, this feels a bit more medium bodied, good acidity, decent tannin structure as well..a lot more red fruits vs. dark fruits...This doesn't taste like raisins + alcohol, it tastes like a well thought out Grenache. Very impressive but atypical of what people might want out of Grenache...To me, that is a good thing. RRP is 18 dollars which I think is great value. 90 points.
Longhop Shiraz 2012
Great acidity, red fruits, firm tannins...This wine needs a bit more time but the package is great. RRP is also 18 dollars which makes this a total steal. Probably one of the best values out there right now...really well made, really good structure..It might not have the brooding depth people think of when they look at cellaring but I think this will do very well..and again, under 20 dollars...WTFBBQ. 91 Points.
Longhop Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Another surprising wine...Not a light Cabernet you might see from the Barossa or the surrounding area..but a true Cabernet Sauvignon...Chalky tannins, good acidity....red fruits...this has the structure to go a long time and is great value at 18 RRP...I think the main issue I have with this (and probably the Shiraz) is, at sub 20, people aren't really looking for heavy structure..they're not expecting to have to cellar the wines so to that point, I think they're missing what their target market is at this price point...but really really good value here.. 90 points
Mandala Wines
A few interesting wines here...The Chardonnay was very solid...good acidity, a tad bit of malo, good use of oak...The shiraz had a very floral note to it..almost viognier like but I was told this was 100% shiraz...good acidity....Overall a good wine. They had a pretty good Cabernet called Butterfly as well...Good structure, texture was very nice..
Mandala Prophet Pinot Noir 2010
Good acid, mouthfeel and texture are right..every medium bodied, some truffle, red fruits, tannins there but not aggressive...really quite a nice Yarra Pinot..and I don't say that very often..90 points
Lethbridge
I've said this several times already...great stuff from here...
Their recent Allegra Chardonnay and Mietta Pinot are even better than earlier versions..a bit more refined....Their Indra Shiraz is looking really good...Just a lot of great stuff from here..all very well thought out...great texture...One of my favorites in Australia...
Byrne Wines
Alex Byrne is the assistant at Lethbridge....easy to see why I liked the wines here. The Chardonnay and Pinots here were both great, cool labels, priced very well. I don't think they have the depth of Lethbridge but the texture is fantastic and still very very good wines...They also provide better value than Lethbridge which says a lot....
Between Five Bells
A joint venture by David Fesq, Josh Dunne, Ray Nadeson and help from Alex Byrne.
Basically, they're turning everything on their head with some really funky blends. Their Red and white seems to change as far as what they have in them..but have you had a Negroamaro, Nero D'Avola, Riesling, Shiraz Blend? How about a Sangiovese, Grenache, Shiraz and Graciano? Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc? Definitely all drink soon blends but great texture, acidity, mouthfeel..interesting flavor and complexity. Tiny production...It won't be loved by all but very interesting...
Bream Creek
I've had a few things from here in the past that I thought were pretty decent...In general I thought the wines were pretty good. Both their Dry and off-Dry rielsings were good. Good fruit, good acidity...Their Pinot was actually pretty good for a Tassie Pinot as well...good texture, mouthfeel was "right"...Looking forward to seeing more from them.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Chateau Tanunda
Chateau Tanunda "The Chateau" Shiraz 2007.
This is an odd combination of slightly hot and slightly green and not sure where that is coming from. Could be some funny oak flavors I'm picking up. Not very ripe, a bit more medium bodied, dark and red fruits but the quality doesn't seem there. This really weird heat on the back of the palate and I'm not sure where that is coming from. Acid is just ok...I'm not sure what is going on with this wine...It isn't terrible, it just isn't that good.. 85 points.
This is an odd combination of slightly hot and slightly green and not sure where that is coming from. Could be some funny oak flavors I'm picking up. Not very ripe, a bit more medium bodied, dark and red fruits but the quality doesn't seem there. This really weird heat on the back of the palate and I'm not sure where that is coming from. Acid is just ok...I'm not sure what is going on with this wine...It isn't terrible, it just isn't that good.. 85 points.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
10+ years and you still don't like it?
The topic of Wendouree is always a really divisive one....A lot of people really dislike the style and a lot of people like it...
What I think is odd though is that is one of the few producers where people have been on the mailing list for 10-15+ years only to find they don't really like the wine and never have.....Are you kidding me?
If you, at some point, liked the wine..that's just bad luck..Palates change, it happens.
If you never liked the wine, never had one that you thought was good (even if it was from vintages you didn't have), why would you buy for that long? I have no idea.
I think one reason people are ok with it is the wines retain their value which means the risk to just hold them are minimal. They also age for a long time, which means you don't have to drink or get rid of them soon...
But at the same time, what possesses people to buy like that?
I do know that there are plenty of people buying Wendouree right now that will also be in those same shoes...You just know by the style of wine they like to drink that yeah, these probably aren't for you unless your palate is going to change..
I admit, I do buy some wine that isn't in my preferred style at this point in time...but part of that is because I want variety, part of that is because I know some friends that will enjoy that particular style of wine..but either way I know I will still like the wine. I might not love the style or want to drink that all the time but I won't buy a wine that sucks or I think sucks...ever.
What I think is odd though is that is one of the few producers where people have been on the mailing list for 10-15+ years only to find they don't really like the wine and never have.....Are you kidding me?
If you, at some point, liked the wine..that's just bad luck..Palates change, it happens.
If you never liked the wine, never had one that you thought was good (even if it was from vintages you didn't have), why would you buy for that long? I have no idea.
I think one reason people are ok with it is the wines retain their value which means the risk to just hold them are minimal. They also age for a long time, which means you don't have to drink or get rid of them soon...
But at the same time, what possesses people to buy like that?
I do know that there are plenty of people buying Wendouree right now that will also be in those same shoes...You just know by the style of wine they like to drink that yeah, these probably aren't for you unless your palate is going to change..
I admit, I do buy some wine that isn't in my preferred style at this point in time...but part of that is because I want variety, part of that is because I know some friends that will enjoy that particular style of wine..but either way I know I will still like the wine. I might not love the style or want to drink that all the time but I won't buy a wine that sucks or I think sucks...ever.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Wendouree 2014
I'm a big fan of Wendouree...I know they're divisive, I know they can sometimes be as hard as nails..but to me they're unique in Australia. Big acid, big tannins, lowish oak and just ripe fruit makes for a wine that ages, a wine with complexity, but a wine that a lot of people are just not going to enjoy or that some people think they should enjoy but few that truly appreciate.
But either way..On with the wine.
Someone said that the problem with a Wendouree tasting is that the wines don't really get to show how different they are, and I agree. I tend to think they show best in contrast rather than getting a similar texture over and over. I also think there are some blends that don't show well in this type of format.
But either way..On with the wine.
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1993
Great mouthfeel and complexity. Acidity is in just the right spot. The tannins have softened significantly but still lending itself to the structure of the wine. Red Cherrys, a bit of nail polish, leather and earth...This is really quite a nice wine. It hasn't made that complete evolution but it is drinking great now. The Cabernet Malbecs are my favorite and this one shows why...92 points
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1996
Different than the previous ones I've had..had that familiar sugar smell but it also had a lot of soy...it also had a hole in the texture that was apparent in the last one I had. The difference though is, this one was dying..Not sure why but the others I've had were young and needed 5-10 more years...this wine was going going gone...I don't know...Oxidized? Low level TCA? I don't know...not scored
Wendouree Shiraz 1991
A great year for Wendouree and it showed. Wonderful complexity, red fruits, spices, earth, mocha, mint, nail polish, leather, great acid, great tannin structure that was still very obvious but soft enough to drink very well....A wine that will last 10+ years EASILY and drink fantastically well the whole time. I wouldn't be surprised to see this go further and completely evolve, brick up and be an even better wine...93 points
We also had several Shiraz Mataros and Shiraz Malbecs but I won't go into detail. One thing is obvious though...The Shiraz Mataros are generally better than the Shiraz Malbecs..I know some others don't agree but I see that at all turns. The Shiraz Malbecs tend to be less Wendouree like and just overall less impressive and less structured. Maybe I just haven't seen some really good ones. That isn't to say they're not good wines, they are...I just put them near the bottom of the tree Wendouree wise.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Bibendum 2014
I was able to attend the Bibendum annual tasting where they show off a good portion of their portfolio....I'll cover mainly the AU stuff that I thought was worth commenting on...
Bannockburn..
Always a divisive wine..although I think Michael Glover knows this. There is definitely something very unique about Bannockburn and it is very interesting, I just think they need to make sure they don't go too far over that edge...
Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay 2010.
A bit of vegetalness..some smoke, oak, malo, acid, great texture..I really like this Chardonnay quite a bit..it has great personality and the uniqueness to it isn't overboard...Still, I can see people disliking it too...91 points
Bannockburn De La Terre Pinot Noir 2011
This had a VERY strong vegetal character to it..almost too vegetal really...high acid and the fruit was in the background...last year.... THIS year the vegetal character has sort of toned down a bit, the wine actually has gained some fruit weight, acidity is still great..overall the wine is actually coming together quite nicely....It was definitely on the far end of Bannockburnness last year...I'm excited to see the 2012 release and beyond. 88 points.
Bannockburn Serre 2011
Great wine....I know Michael won't like to hear this but it is very By Farr like...Has that vegetal character but in such great balance with the fruit and acid...great texture....What I think is weird is both By Farr and Bannockburn have that vegetal character...but Lethbridge down the street does not? Or at least not in the same way...But they all have in common great winemaking, great texture, great acidity....Win, win, win..91 points
Toolangi -
Nothing about their specific wines...but generally their stuff is pretty good. Pinot is solid but not overly excited about it...their Chardonnays are VERY Yarra...so high acid, no malo, oak...Not too lean, not too fat...a really nice place and it seems to suit Yarra Chardonnay well. Their Shiraz is pretty good..well made, solid cooler climate shiraz. What is weird is I like their stuff..but I'm not blown away by it...if you can find it for a good price, safe bet...but at full RRP sometimes I wonder..
Mac Forbes.
Solid wines across the board but the only one I really liked was the Hugh. Solid Bordeaux blend. Great texture, good fruit, well balanced...
Spinifex -
A few years ago I remember these wines being relatively big..enjoyable overall..but relatively big...I had a few more a year or so ago and thought the acid was coming along, it is actually far better balance wise...and this year I try his Grenache and I'm thinking, wow, you're really trying something new. Picked a LOT earlier than before..it actually has a little bit of greenness to it..but IMO, that isn't a bad thing...Good acid, the green character adds some savoriness to the wine. Texture is great, fruit is there but not overpowering...alcohol was something like 14% on a lot of the wines. Across the board they seemed to be picking earlier, getting better natural acid, still getting great fruit but not overripe fruit...I want to see more of this out the Barossa...I've heard people say you can't..it'll be too green..I don't think so...I just think their tastes think it is too green but it isn't.
Adelina/Some Young Punks
Adelina and SYP share the same winemaker. It is actually the winemakers wife's parents that own Adelina....Overall the Adelina stuff was very good...Safe riesling with some RS, good acidity, solid effort...The Grenache was really quite interesting with a slight hint of green and smoke..it was really a cool thing to try..I was rather impressed. Both the Shiraz and Shiraz Mataro carried that same thing and they were both very well made solid wines..good stuff. SYP is more of an experimental label...hipster labels, interesting titles...most of the wine there (red wise) is just ok...it is a lot of the extras...but the Riesling...Monsters Attack...IS GREAT. HIGH acid...30g/RS...I really like the style..I know it isn't for everyone but I really like this....They also has Neb/Cabernet blend called Love Trouble which was also very interesting..actually a very cool blend that I enjoyed....For 20 dollars RRP on all the wines, they're worth a punt...
International stuff...a few interesting wines from Canary Islands...a few decent Italians from Sandrone and Cavalloto....A decent Montlouis...a good Vouvray from Domaine Huet...but really, most of the international stuff wasn't good at all...The Weinbach stuff was fine..but I really felt like they weren't showing off the best stuff..just the very low end stuff...
Bannockburn..
Always a divisive wine..although I think Michael Glover knows this. There is definitely something very unique about Bannockburn and it is very interesting, I just think they need to make sure they don't go too far over that edge...
Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay 2010.
A bit of vegetalness..some smoke, oak, malo, acid, great texture..I really like this Chardonnay quite a bit..it has great personality and the uniqueness to it isn't overboard...Still, I can see people disliking it too...91 points
Bannockburn De La Terre Pinot Noir 2011
This had a VERY strong vegetal character to it..almost too vegetal really...high acid and the fruit was in the background...last year.... THIS year the vegetal character has sort of toned down a bit, the wine actually has gained some fruit weight, acidity is still great..overall the wine is actually coming together quite nicely....It was definitely on the far end of Bannockburnness last year...I'm excited to see the 2012 release and beyond. 88 points.
Bannockburn Serre 2011
Great wine....I know Michael won't like to hear this but it is very By Farr like...Has that vegetal character but in such great balance with the fruit and acid...great texture....What I think is weird is both By Farr and Bannockburn have that vegetal character...but Lethbridge down the street does not? Or at least not in the same way...But they all have in common great winemaking, great texture, great acidity....Win, win, win..91 points
Toolangi -
Nothing about their specific wines...but generally their stuff is pretty good. Pinot is solid but not overly excited about it...their Chardonnays are VERY Yarra...so high acid, no malo, oak...Not too lean, not too fat...a really nice place and it seems to suit Yarra Chardonnay well. Their Shiraz is pretty good..well made, solid cooler climate shiraz. What is weird is I like their stuff..but I'm not blown away by it...if you can find it for a good price, safe bet...but at full RRP sometimes I wonder..
Mac Forbes.
Solid wines across the board but the only one I really liked was the Hugh. Solid Bordeaux blend. Great texture, good fruit, well balanced...
Spinifex -
A few years ago I remember these wines being relatively big..enjoyable overall..but relatively big...I had a few more a year or so ago and thought the acid was coming along, it is actually far better balance wise...and this year I try his Grenache and I'm thinking, wow, you're really trying something new. Picked a LOT earlier than before..it actually has a little bit of greenness to it..but IMO, that isn't a bad thing...Good acid, the green character adds some savoriness to the wine. Texture is great, fruit is there but not overpowering...alcohol was something like 14% on a lot of the wines. Across the board they seemed to be picking earlier, getting better natural acid, still getting great fruit but not overripe fruit...I want to see more of this out the Barossa...I've heard people say you can't..it'll be too green..I don't think so...I just think their tastes think it is too green but it isn't.
Adelina/Some Young Punks
Adelina and SYP share the same winemaker. It is actually the winemakers wife's parents that own Adelina....Overall the Adelina stuff was very good...Safe riesling with some RS, good acidity, solid effort...The Grenache was really quite interesting with a slight hint of green and smoke..it was really a cool thing to try..I was rather impressed. Both the Shiraz and Shiraz Mataro carried that same thing and they were both very well made solid wines..good stuff. SYP is more of an experimental label...hipster labels, interesting titles...most of the wine there (red wise) is just ok...it is a lot of the extras...but the Riesling...Monsters Attack...IS GREAT. HIGH acid...30g/RS...I really like the style..I know it isn't for everyone but I really like this....They also has Neb/Cabernet blend called Love Trouble which was also very interesting..actually a very cool blend that I enjoyed....For 20 dollars RRP on all the wines, they're worth a punt...
International stuff...a few interesting wines from Canary Islands...a few decent Italians from Sandrone and Cavalloto....A decent Montlouis...a good Vouvray from Domaine Huet...but really, most of the international stuff wasn't good at all...The Weinbach stuff was fine..but I really felt like they weren't showing off the best stuff..just the very low end stuff...
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Pizza Pizza
Had a nice casual dinner with friends...
Framingham F Series Old Vine Riesling 2012....A NZ Riesling but tasted more like an Australian one...I was told 6g/L RS...that seems about right..slight hint of sweetness but not a lot...good acid...slatey minerally iron on the palate...Good depth, great acid, the sugar is coming across differently than most NZ Rieslings I've had...Really quite good this one. I'd like to see it in 5+ years though.. 91 points
Clonakilla Viognier 2008
Far better acidity on this than I was expecting and the structure is there for this to easily got another 5+ years....Mouthfeel was very Chardonnay like...good acid, you could sense the oak but it gave it depth....The apricotiness is all gone and instead you get nice florals, minerality, a little peach....Someone said Viognier doesn't age...well, at least this is one that does...91 points
Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2003
This opens up and I get sweet French oak on the nose..sweet vanilla...reminds me of a McLaren Vale....After pouring you definitely pick up some Hunter notes...earth, some poop, leather..but the oak is throwing me off...the color is also very dark....Palate is like a cross between McLaren Vale and the Hunter. Dark fruit, very ripe (2003 was a rather ripe year in the Hunter). Earth, Leather, vanilla, some chocolate as well on the palate. Good acidity and tannin structure is there as well...This could easily last another 10 years....I know Thomas reds are bigger but it has been awhile since I've had one...Put this in the Graveyard/Alexander Munro type category...whereas I'm preferring more Vat 9 type stuff...Still, very good...92 points
Ar Fion Smokestack Lightning Pinot Noir 2013.
Strawberries and Strawberries on the nose...smells a lot like a Rose made from Pinot...Color is very light but that doesn't bother me at all. Palate was VERY rose like..but not. This was sort of like drinking the darkest deepest Rose I've ever had...it had much better mouthfeel though...good acid..a very interesting wine...Something was missing though....Is this a Pinot Noir Rose? Seems like it to me...weird...87 points..
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2004
16%+ alcohol...but I really didn't get a lot of heat from it...Big big red...really ripe fruit...for people like that fruit bombs, here you go...Really quite well made, good depth and complexity... 90 points
Wendouree Shiraz 2012
Much like the Shiraz Malbec (but not the Shiraz Mataro), this is actually borderline sweet...almost has that fake candy taste I hate too. In my mind, this is NOT Wendouree....There is structure there..acidity and some fine tannins...and the fruit is VERY young..VERY VERY young...so knowing their reputation, I'd like to give this at least 5+ years before making an assessment....I love Wendouree....but so far I'm not loving this..This and the Shiraz Malbec are probably the least "Wendouree like" wines I've ever had...87+ points but I'm expecting more later..
Framingham F Series Old Vine Riesling 2012....A NZ Riesling but tasted more like an Australian one...I was told 6g/L RS...that seems about right..slight hint of sweetness but not a lot...good acid...slatey minerally iron on the palate...Good depth, great acid, the sugar is coming across differently than most NZ Rieslings I've had...Really quite good this one. I'd like to see it in 5+ years though.. 91 points
Clonakilla Viognier 2008
Far better acidity on this than I was expecting and the structure is there for this to easily got another 5+ years....Mouthfeel was very Chardonnay like...good acid, you could sense the oak but it gave it depth....The apricotiness is all gone and instead you get nice florals, minerality, a little peach....Someone said Viognier doesn't age...well, at least this is one that does...91 points
Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2003
This opens up and I get sweet French oak on the nose..sweet vanilla...reminds me of a McLaren Vale....After pouring you definitely pick up some Hunter notes...earth, some poop, leather..but the oak is throwing me off...the color is also very dark....Palate is like a cross between McLaren Vale and the Hunter. Dark fruit, very ripe (2003 was a rather ripe year in the Hunter). Earth, Leather, vanilla, some chocolate as well on the palate. Good acidity and tannin structure is there as well...This could easily last another 10 years....I know Thomas reds are bigger but it has been awhile since I've had one...Put this in the Graveyard/Alexander Munro type category...whereas I'm preferring more Vat 9 type stuff...Still, very good...92 points
Ar Fion Smokestack Lightning Pinot Noir 2013.
Strawberries and Strawberries on the nose...smells a lot like a Rose made from Pinot...Color is very light but that doesn't bother me at all. Palate was VERY rose like..but not. This was sort of like drinking the darkest deepest Rose I've ever had...it had much better mouthfeel though...good acid..a very interesting wine...Something was missing though....Is this a Pinot Noir Rose? Seems like it to me...weird...87 points..
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2004
16%+ alcohol...but I really didn't get a lot of heat from it...Big big red...really ripe fruit...for people like that fruit bombs, here you go...Really quite well made, good depth and complexity... 90 points
Wendouree Shiraz 2012
Much like the Shiraz Malbec (but not the Shiraz Mataro), this is actually borderline sweet...almost has that fake candy taste I hate too. In my mind, this is NOT Wendouree....There is structure there..acidity and some fine tannins...and the fruit is VERY young..VERY VERY young...so knowing their reputation, I'd like to give this at least 5+ years before making an assessment....I love Wendouree....but so far I'm not loving this..This and the Shiraz Malbec are probably the least "Wendouree like" wines I've ever had...87+ points but I'm expecting more later..
Friday, July 18, 2014
A little bit of this a little bit of that
Wynns Centenary Cabernet Shiraz 1991.
This is a freak of a wine. Made up of Wynns Michael Shiraz and John Riddoch Cabernet..and in a good year...and you have a winner.
The nose struck me as Bin 389...mouthfeel 389...chalky tannins..dark fruit..but after a bit more time it started opening up a bit more..the acid was coming through, it reminded me a lot of a 1991 John Riddoch Cabernet..Really quite a nice wine, very enjoyable but it is missing something for me...maybe it is a bit too primary with some secondary and I'm looking for more? Not sure...I think this will go longer though so hopefully I'll have a chance to try it in 5 years...91 points
Wendouree Shiraz 2003
Really young..really tight...I'm not even sure it is worth talking about at this point because it needs more time. Great acidity and mouthfilling but not gum ripping tannins..very typical younger wendouree texture. If you like Barolo, you will like these. A bit of nail polish on the nose which I think is very typical...fruit is coming through as red fruits but relatively simple at this point. I like this wine for the texture but it is just too tight right now. I do think it'll open up quite a bit later on. 90 points now...probably higher later..
Seppelt Great Western Shiraz 1992
This wine is what eventually becomes St. Peters...the 96 I had awhile back was great and still looking young..this one had a typical St. Peters type nose...red and dark fruits..some mocha...A cooler climate shiraz that somehow balances power and elegance. Started off a bit slow but really starts to open up after awhile...but that said, a couple of hours later and this thing was dead. 90 points.
d'Arenberg Dead Arm 2002.
I don't remember this being this BIG but it was..huge wine..bit fruit...a lot of heat though. Says 14.5 but I don't believe it...very much a big fruit bomb type of wine...Tannins have softened but I'm not enjoying this one that much and I generally don't mind Dead Arms that often...I think within the style people will like it...not quite for me but not a bad wine...88 points
Sami Odi Dallwitz .534 Shiraz 2010
Florals and a bit of stalk on the nose..dark fruits...Palate slams into my face, big but clean fruit...feels like a Barossa but finishing so much nicer and with a lot more finesse. I'm not really sure what to think of this wine at this point but I think it is interesting..I like the concept, the wines are well made....I think with time this will be very nice..91 points.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Low Alcohol with Friends
Had a number of low alcohol wines with friends...Some of them were good, some were interesting...some were just ok..
Wynns John Riddoch 1988.
Smells like a Coonawarra with green bell peppers on the nose...some spices..dark and red fruits...Palate is really nice...Lighter than what I normally associate w/ a Coonawarra Cabernet but still has great fine tannin structure..acidity is showing nicely as well. Fruit is still there...I think some felt this was on its last legs..probably..but would be interesting to see if this changes a bit more in a few years. I think this was showing better than the 91 JR awhile back...Either way, drinking very nicely right now... 92 points
Chambers Rosewood Gouais 2004.
Gouais is apparently the parent grape of Chardonnay. Nose reminded me a bit of an aged Semillon..but had some Chardonnay characters coming across too...Lemon pith, some honey, some peach....Palate was very Chardonnay like but with some of honey coming across as well...acidity and development of the fruit w/ the acid was very Semillon like..but this reminds me a lot of Chardonnay...Sensing a bit of oak as well...Overall these are quite nice..something different...and apparently these are also only around 15/bottle which makes it a great value. 90 points
Lakes Folly Cabernet Reserve 1994.
I didn't even know they made a reserve but apparently they did in 94 and 95. The Hunter really comes across on the nose and palate..a bit of funk, leather, earth, sweaty saddle..but not a huge amount...Red fruits, spice, leather and earth on the palate..really very nice. Great acidity, great texture...I can drink this type of wine all day....92 points
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2006
I'm a fan of Donnhoff..I'm a fan of their Niederhauser Hermannshohle line. 2006 as a vintage is a bit fatter than what I would normally like from Riesling...and last time I had this it was a bit on the simpler side..but for me this was drinking quite nicely. This really has come into its own with greater complexity, the acidity is showing a bit better as well...Fruit Salad on the nose...lemons, melons, rock dust...Palate has great acidity...star fruit, melon, lemon..nice minerality...Definitely a good amount of residual sugar but it balances so nicely in this wine...92 points
Main Divide Pinot Noir 2001
Some truffle and graphite on the nose...red fruits...Palate has nice acidity...Earth, minerality, red fruits...This is showing quite nicely really..and I think this is a lower tier from Pegasus Bay's normal line...Cellaring has helped this wine a lot...Actually reminds me a bit of Ata Rangi... 90 points
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2006
I'm a fan of Donnhoff..I'm a fan of their Niederhauser Hermannshohle line. 2006 as a vintage is a bit fatter than what I would normally like from Riesling...and last time I had this it was a bit on the simpler side..but for me this was drinking quite nicely. This really has come into its own with greater complexity, the acidity is showing a bit better as well...Fruit Salad on the nose...lemons, melons, rock dust...Palate has great acidity...star fruit, melon, lemon..nice minerality...Definitely a good amount of residual sugar but it balances so nicely in this wine...92 points
Main Divide Pinot Noir 2001
Some truffle and graphite on the nose...red fruits...Palate has nice acidity...Earth, minerality, red fruits...This is showing quite nicely really..and I think this is a lower tier from Pegasus Bay's normal line...Cellaring has helped this wine a lot...Actually reminds me a bit of Ata Rangi... 90 points
Sunday, June 29, 2014
More wine with Friends
Plenty of wine to cover but I'll try to stick w/ the Aussies plus a few others...and for the first time I'll include scores!!
2011 Giaconda Chardonnay - I was a real fan of this when I first tried it..today it seemed a bit out of place...really quite awkward at first...really opening up with some air. Acidity seemed really flat but it definitely started to show a bit more as it opened up. Of the four or so times I've had this though, this was my least favorite time....Just seems to have shut down a tad and not showing as nicely....A lot of people actually don't prefer this vintage over other Giacondas but I definitely do... 89 points.
1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay - Didn't strike me as a nearly 30 year old Chardonnay...Good acidity, oak seems to have fully integrated..a bit of peach, lemon pith....An interesting find if you can get it... 90 points
1981 Henschke Hill of Grace - I had really high expectations of this..not sure they were met...Mint and earth on the nose...dark and red fruits...felt like it had more acid than younger HoGs but that is to be expected IMO...Tannins were fully integrated...Not quite the complexity I'm expecting though..something is missing for me...Good wine though.. 90 points
1991 Wynns John Riddoch - Coonawarra on the nose...Green Bell Peppers for days. Dark fruits, pretty good acidity too which is probably the most surprising and most impressive thing here. Tannins were there but integrated nicely into the wine. This is actually drinking quite nicely...I actually had higher expectations for this wine complexity wise..but was pleased with the overall mouthfeel and texture.. 91 points
1996 Seppelts Great Western Shiraz - This is the wine that is now called St. Peters...Showing a lot younger than I would have thought for a 1996 St. Peters...Bright red fruit, herbs, some earthiness....Good acidity...Oak present but not overpowering..tannins there but well integrated. My understanding is bottle variation on these is quite high but this one was a stunner and could easily go another 10 years... 92 points
1996 Peter Lehmann Stonewell - This was a bit on the ripe side..even seems to have some residual sugar as well..drinking nicely overall with well integrated tannins and oak...acidity is a bit on the low side....87 points
1992 Jim Barry Armagh - These seem to be in very high demand..but really not the style I like. Big brash shiraz..Big dark fruits, felt rather viscous to me...I'm feeling a bit of heat but that said, overall the wine integrated quite nicely together...hard to believe this is a 92 and this will easily go another 10-15+ years...87 points
1996 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec - I had high expectations of this but had a feeling it would be too young..and it was. Great texture and mouthfeel..the structure is there..the fruit will integrate nicely later on and the wine should be great..in another 10 years... I actually enjoyed this because of the texture but definitely felt this was missing something..more so than other younger Wendourees I felt this needed a lot more time..but I think it'll be quite good...91 points
Others:
2003 Armand Rousseau CSJ - I really like Rousseau...I think the wines are fantastically balanced and always have that great power + finesse...This one was..well, not something I expected. On the very overripe side for a red Burgundy...I would have guessed New World...a lot of graphite...felt really quite overworked. Some people really love this but I don't. It could be this will end up being fantastic in 10+ years....Acidity is there but there is something just not right with this....If someone told me it was an Aussie or CA Pinot, I would have believed them..89 points
2010 Foillard Cote du Py 3.14. This might have been my favorite wine of the night..great mouthfeel and texture...like red fruits. At first sip I thought this was Beaujolais (it was served blind) then I felt the tannins and thought, maybe Jura? Once I found out it was Beaujolais I knew it was Morgon but the tannin structure really threw me off...A bit stalky (which I like), good acidity, lighter spicy red fruits...I really like this a lot...Might've been my favorite of the night...92 points
1999 Shafer Hillside Select - Creamy Dark Fruit...Definitely on the fruit bomb side of things...low acidity..big fruit..vanilla oak...It is very much a steak house wine...Was it enjoyable? Yeah...but could I drink this often? No...it wasn't a big brash red...but yeah...for me these feel flat but I can see why a lot of people like them..88 points
2011 Giaconda Chardonnay - I was a real fan of this when I first tried it..today it seemed a bit out of place...really quite awkward at first...really opening up with some air. Acidity seemed really flat but it definitely started to show a bit more as it opened up. Of the four or so times I've had this though, this was my least favorite time....Just seems to have shut down a tad and not showing as nicely....A lot of people actually don't prefer this vintage over other Giacondas but I definitely do... 89 points.
1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay - Didn't strike me as a nearly 30 year old Chardonnay...Good acidity, oak seems to have fully integrated..a bit of peach, lemon pith....An interesting find if you can get it... 90 points
1981 Henschke Hill of Grace - I had really high expectations of this..not sure they were met...Mint and earth on the nose...dark and red fruits...felt like it had more acid than younger HoGs but that is to be expected IMO...Tannins were fully integrated...Not quite the complexity I'm expecting though..something is missing for me...Good wine though.. 90 points
1991 Wynns John Riddoch - Coonawarra on the nose...Green Bell Peppers for days. Dark fruits, pretty good acidity too which is probably the most surprising and most impressive thing here. Tannins were there but integrated nicely into the wine. This is actually drinking quite nicely...I actually had higher expectations for this wine complexity wise..but was pleased with the overall mouthfeel and texture.. 91 points
1996 Seppelts Great Western Shiraz - This is the wine that is now called St. Peters...Showing a lot younger than I would have thought for a 1996 St. Peters...Bright red fruit, herbs, some earthiness....Good acidity...Oak present but not overpowering..tannins there but well integrated. My understanding is bottle variation on these is quite high but this one was a stunner and could easily go another 10 years... 92 points
1996 Peter Lehmann Stonewell - This was a bit on the ripe side..even seems to have some residual sugar as well..drinking nicely overall with well integrated tannins and oak...acidity is a bit on the low side....87 points
1992 Jim Barry Armagh - These seem to be in very high demand..but really not the style I like. Big brash shiraz..Big dark fruits, felt rather viscous to me...I'm feeling a bit of heat but that said, overall the wine integrated quite nicely together...hard to believe this is a 92 and this will easily go another 10-15+ years...87 points
1996 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec - I had high expectations of this but had a feeling it would be too young..and it was. Great texture and mouthfeel..the structure is there..the fruit will integrate nicely later on and the wine should be great..in another 10 years... I actually enjoyed this because of the texture but definitely felt this was missing something..more so than other younger Wendourees I felt this needed a lot more time..but I think it'll be quite good...91 points
Others:
2003 Armand Rousseau CSJ - I really like Rousseau...I think the wines are fantastically balanced and always have that great power + finesse...This one was..well, not something I expected. On the very overripe side for a red Burgundy...I would have guessed New World...a lot of graphite...felt really quite overworked. Some people really love this but I don't. It could be this will end up being fantastic in 10+ years....Acidity is there but there is something just not right with this....If someone told me it was an Aussie or CA Pinot, I would have believed them..89 points
2010 Foillard Cote du Py 3.14. This might have been my favorite wine of the night..great mouthfeel and texture...like red fruits. At first sip I thought this was Beaujolais (it was served blind) then I felt the tannins and thought, maybe Jura? Once I found out it was Beaujolais I knew it was Morgon but the tannin structure really threw me off...A bit stalky (which I like), good acidity, lighter spicy red fruits...I really like this a lot...Might've been my favorite of the night...92 points
1999 Shafer Hillside Select - Creamy Dark Fruit...Definitely on the fruit bomb side of things...low acidity..big fruit..vanilla oak...It is very much a steak house wine...Was it enjoyable? Yeah...but could I drink this often? No...it wasn't a big brash red...but yeah...for me these feel flat but I can see why a lot of people like them..88 points
Friday, June 27, 2014
Cellar Favorites with Friends
I met up with some friends for a wonderful evening of food and wine....
2003 Keith Tulloch Semillon - Just starting to develop some toasty notes. Good acid, good depth...This looks like it'll go quite awhile longer and I'd love to see this in five more years.
2006 De Iuliis Semillon - The acid is fading away on this...not a lot of development going on either...Maybe this will turn a bit but it isn't what I'm looking for in Semillon..
2012 Lethbridge Dr. Nadeson Riesling - I'm a big fan of these and still a big fan. 10g/L of RS and 13g/L of TA....Served a little cool which made the sugar stand out a bit more but once it got going the acidity and depth really showed..the sugar offset some of the searing acidity..I really enjoy this style...I wish more places made Riesling like this.
1996 Lakes Folly Chardonnay - I wasn't expecting much here because of the age but this had a wonderful nose and equally wonderful palate. Reminded me a lot of an aged Champagne with some yeasty notes, lemon pith, nutty notes as well. Acid still going strong. Quite a revelation for everyone at the table as I think everyone expected this to be past it.
1991 Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz (Magnum) - Deep dark fruited Shiraz, big fruit, mocha notes, some secondary minty and herby characters as well...In quite a nice spot really. Not quite the style I like but drinking fantastically well. Really no complaints here, I'd be perfectly happy drinking this.
1998 Penfolds St. Henri - Some felt this was in a good spot, to me it was way too young. Great structure, tannins were firm but not too aggressive but definitely there in force...Good acidity, fruit was still very young...some development but this will probably not be its best for 10+ years..at least...
1990 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Black) - A bit of funk on the nose but that blew off...Acidity was quite good, redder fruits but definitely a Coonawarra feel to it. Tannins were fully resolved....Was probably a bit past it but still a very nice drop. Considering this was probably 5 dollars on release and was probably near the bottom of their releases, this is looking very good.
2009 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 3 - A mix of different Tourigas...I've never been a fan of this...still not much of a fan of this. Really young bright fruit....feels a bit awkward to me...
1996 Sallys Paddock - Nice mouthfeel to this...great little bordeaux blend. Darker fruits with some herby characters to it...Good overall structure and mouthfeel. I haven't had a Sallys Paddock and been blown away by it..but they're always consistently pretty good...
2013 Yellow Tail Merlot (this was a bit of a joke wine) - Most people have the same response...Yellow Tail? And a MERLOT at that? Haha. To me, a lot of cheap wine or a lot of wine that the winemaker is new to making have this manufactured fake red candy smell to it...as well as on the palate. I tend to see it in wines that are 5-15 dollars. Not everyone seems to pick this up though as I've seen plenty of wines that have this and people don't sense that. For me, even blind I'm picking this up. I'm not sure what it is and obviously there are tons of cheap wines I DON'T pick this up in..but a lot of them I do. I suspect some sort of winemaking flaw but I don't know what it is. Either way, this has it in spades. Palate is relatively sweet too so I suspect a good amount of residual sugar...If you don't mind the fake candy, I can see why people would drink this..easy to drink, a bit sweet (even though they don't know it is)...
2006 Glen Eldon Twisted Trunk Reserve Shiraz - A big bruising Shiraz...Huge oak on the nose and palate...This probably needs more time for the oak to integrate..not sure if that'll happen but it needs more time...I'm sure this is a crowd pleaser though...
1999 Yalumba Signature - Still a young pup...Big dark fruit, very viscous on the palate. A lot of oak but it has integrated relatively well. Tannins are there but not overpowering....This is in a pretty good spot right now if you like them a bit young but I can see this going another 5-10 years. Again, not the style I prefer but this was still quite nice.
2005 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon - This fell a bit flat for me..probably needed to be served earlier in the evening. Light for a Cabernet...this seemed to be in a bit of an awkward spot...
2004 Buller Calliope Durif - VERY viscous...Almost port like in thickness...very dark dark fruit, big big fruit on the palate...To me this seems almost sweet...I'm not sure how much residual sugar is here but I've seen stuff that suggests it is relatively high for a red...and this is also labeled 16% alcohol but it is probably closer to 17%. That said, I wouldn't guess 17% as it isn't finishing very hot..but definitely finishes a bit hot to my palate. This would definitely be a crowd pleaser..I can see a lot of people loving this. For me, just too big..
2004 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz - I've not always been happy with their Hilltops..I think they tend to be a bit awkward...but this has integrated nicely...it has a dash of Viognier and the Shiraz has really started to develop some secondary characteristics. Very Hilltops region on the nose and exhibits some of that on the palate. Overall a pretty good wine.
2003 Keith Tulloch Semillon - Just starting to develop some toasty notes. Good acid, good depth...This looks like it'll go quite awhile longer and I'd love to see this in five more years.
2006 De Iuliis Semillon - The acid is fading away on this...not a lot of development going on either...Maybe this will turn a bit but it isn't what I'm looking for in Semillon..
2012 Lethbridge Dr. Nadeson Riesling - I'm a big fan of these and still a big fan. 10g/L of RS and 13g/L of TA....Served a little cool which made the sugar stand out a bit more but once it got going the acidity and depth really showed..the sugar offset some of the searing acidity..I really enjoy this style...I wish more places made Riesling like this.
1996 Lakes Folly Chardonnay - I wasn't expecting much here because of the age but this had a wonderful nose and equally wonderful palate. Reminded me a lot of an aged Champagne with some yeasty notes, lemon pith, nutty notes as well. Acid still going strong. Quite a revelation for everyone at the table as I think everyone expected this to be past it.
1991 Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz (Magnum) - Deep dark fruited Shiraz, big fruit, mocha notes, some secondary minty and herby characters as well...In quite a nice spot really. Not quite the style I like but drinking fantastically well. Really no complaints here, I'd be perfectly happy drinking this.
1998 Penfolds St. Henri - Some felt this was in a good spot, to me it was way too young. Great structure, tannins were firm but not too aggressive but definitely there in force...Good acidity, fruit was still very young...some development but this will probably not be its best for 10+ years..at least...
1990 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Black) - A bit of funk on the nose but that blew off...Acidity was quite good, redder fruits but definitely a Coonawarra feel to it. Tannins were fully resolved....Was probably a bit past it but still a very nice drop. Considering this was probably 5 dollars on release and was probably near the bottom of their releases, this is looking very good.
2009 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 3 - A mix of different Tourigas...I've never been a fan of this...still not much of a fan of this. Really young bright fruit....feels a bit awkward to me...
1996 Sallys Paddock - Nice mouthfeel to this...great little bordeaux blend. Darker fruits with some herby characters to it...Good overall structure and mouthfeel. I haven't had a Sallys Paddock and been blown away by it..but they're always consistently pretty good...
2013 Yellow Tail Merlot (this was a bit of a joke wine) - Most people have the same response...Yellow Tail? And a MERLOT at that? Haha. To me, a lot of cheap wine or a lot of wine that the winemaker is new to making have this manufactured fake red candy smell to it...as well as on the palate. I tend to see it in wines that are 5-15 dollars. Not everyone seems to pick this up though as I've seen plenty of wines that have this and people don't sense that. For me, even blind I'm picking this up. I'm not sure what it is and obviously there are tons of cheap wines I DON'T pick this up in..but a lot of them I do. I suspect some sort of winemaking flaw but I don't know what it is. Either way, this has it in spades. Palate is relatively sweet too so I suspect a good amount of residual sugar...If you don't mind the fake candy, I can see why people would drink this..easy to drink, a bit sweet (even though they don't know it is)...
2006 Glen Eldon Twisted Trunk Reserve Shiraz - A big bruising Shiraz...Huge oak on the nose and palate...This probably needs more time for the oak to integrate..not sure if that'll happen but it needs more time...I'm sure this is a crowd pleaser though...
1999 Yalumba Signature - Still a young pup...Big dark fruit, very viscous on the palate. A lot of oak but it has integrated relatively well. Tannins are there but not overpowering....This is in a pretty good spot right now if you like them a bit young but I can see this going another 5-10 years. Again, not the style I prefer but this was still quite nice.
2005 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon - This fell a bit flat for me..probably needed to be served earlier in the evening. Light for a Cabernet...this seemed to be in a bit of an awkward spot...
2004 Buller Calliope Durif - VERY viscous...Almost port like in thickness...very dark dark fruit, big big fruit on the palate...To me this seems almost sweet...I'm not sure how much residual sugar is here but I've seen stuff that suggests it is relatively high for a red...and this is also labeled 16% alcohol but it is probably closer to 17%. That said, I wouldn't guess 17% as it isn't finishing very hot..but definitely finishes a bit hot to my palate. This would definitely be a crowd pleaser..I can see a lot of people loving this. For me, just too big..
2004 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz - I've not always been happy with their Hilltops..I think they tend to be a bit awkward...but this has integrated nicely...it has a dash of Viognier and the Shiraz has really started to develop some secondary characteristics. Very Hilltops region on the nose and exhibits some of that on the palate. Overall a pretty good wine.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Rockford in 2014
Had a gathering with some friends for a Rockford BP dinner...a lot of great fun but a lot of very good wine as well..
Now, to start off, I do enjoy Rockford Basket Press. I do NOT enjoy it as much as most though. They are consistently very good..very clean...always good fruit, solid structure...Overall a very good wine...I'm not sure I consider them very exciting though. Again, don't get me wrong, I enjoy drinking them..I think the wines are very good...I just think they're very safe.
We had:
1996 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Basket Press
2004 Rockford Basket Press
2006 Rockford Basket Press
2008 Rockford Basket Press
2009 Rockford Basket Press
2010 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon
Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz from 2001.
There were a few other wines that even but sticking with the Rockford theme...
1996 Rockford Basket Press - This has always been one of my favorite BPs and today was no different. Redder fruits, solid structure, good acidity, great complexity to the wine.
1997 Rockford Basket Press - I've had this several times and they're always just...well..*shrug*. I'm not even a fan of selling wine but I had several of these and I just ended up selling them because while they were good, they weren't worth what they were selling for. I picked up quite a bit of oak from this...fruit was decent, not great..overall structure was decent but I didn't really pick up much from this. This will sound bad but the wine was very non-offensive in the best possible way. Solid wine but forgettable.
2004 Rockford Basket Press - Picking up a bit of sweetness on this. I'm not sure what the residual sugar is on this but I'd imagine it is in the 3g+ range. Nice bright fruit, probably one of the freshest of the night...Overall structure is good...solid tannins but nothing overly grippy..decent acidity...a combination of red and dark fruits, a hint of mint and herbs...Some earthy tones but what is really standing out is the fruit and solid structure. A very enjoyable Basket Press and one of my favorites of the night...I think this one will age quite well...
2006 Rockford Basket Press. I think this really suffered next to the 2004 which had been decanted. Really quite tight..and very aggressive tannins. Fruit was there but hiding a bit in the background. Not sure what to think of this...I tried it several times over the evening and it was just too tight to really judge.
2008 Rockford Basket Press. A lot of people liked this one...for me it was very ok. Really soft, too soft really. Low acidity, soft tannins...up front fruit..a very enjoyable drink for now and maybe a few more years. Structure was not there to go the long haul. I'd drink these now or very soon in the future.
2009 Rockford Basket Press. Dark fruits, decent acid, but getting a lot of heat from this as well. Not sure why but the alcohol is really noticeable. Given this was the later part of the evening I didn't really nurse this one the way I should've but it was just showing ok.
2010 Rockford Basket Press. Still one of the best young BP's I've tried...Great fruit, great overall structure. Tannins are there but not aggressive...good acidity (although added I'm sure)...Good complexity..a bit tight but showing nicely for such a young BP. I think this will end up being one of the better BPs.....
1997 Rockford Cabernet - I actually enjoyed this a LOT more than the 97 BP. Reddish fruits, good acid....The Barossa produces rather atypical Cabernet and this is no different...lighter than its Shiraz brother...still very lively and looking quite good.
Rockford Black Shiraz NV (2001 Disgorgement). These are always fun wines..I'm not quite sure I get them like a lot of my Australian friends...The dosage tends to be from a fortified which lends this some extra residual sugar...For a fun sparkling this quite complex and has some nice savory aspects but still, there is something lacking. I look at it as it tastes nice, is a bit of fun but still has some geeky things about it too...
Now, to start off, I do enjoy Rockford Basket Press. I do NOT enjoy it as much as most though. They are consistently very good..very clean...always good fruit, solid structure...Overall a very good wine...I'm not sure I consider them very exciting though. Again, don't get me wrong, I enjoy drinking them..I think the wines are very good...I just think they're very safe.
We had:
1996 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Basket Press
2004 Rockford Basket Press
2006 Rockford Basket Press
2008 Rockford Basket Press
2009 Rockford Basket Press
2010 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon
Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz from 2001.
There were a few other wines that even but sticking with the Rockford theme...
1996 Rockford Basket Press - This has always been one of my favorite BPs and today was no different. Redder fruits, solid structure, good acidity, great complexity to the wine.
1997 Rockford Basket Press - I've had this several times and they're always just...well..*shrug*. I'm not even a fan of selling wine but I had several of these and I just ended up selling them because while they were good, they weren't worth what they were selling for. I picked up quite a bit of oak from this...fruit was decent, not great..overall structure was decent but I didn't really pick up much from this. This will sound bad but the wine was very non-offensive in the best possible way. Solid wine but forgettable.
2004 Rockford Basket Press - Picking up a bit of sweetness on this. I'm not sure what the residual sugar is on this but I'd imagine it is in the 3g+ range. Nice bright fruit, probably one of the freshest of the night...Overall structure is good...solid tannins but nothing overly grippy..decent acidity...a combination of red and dark fruits, a hint of mint and herbs...Some earthy tones but what is really standing out is the fruit and solid structure. A very enjoyable Basket Press and one of my favorites of the night...I think this one will age quite well...
2006 Rockford Basket Press. I think this really suffered next to the 2004 which had been decanted. Really quite tight..and very aggressive tannins. Fruit was there but hiding a bit in the background. Not sure what to think of this...I tried it several times over the evening and it was just too tight to really judge.
2008 Rockford Basket Press. A lot of people liked this one...for me it was very ok. Really soft, too soft really. Low acidity, soft tannins...up front fruit..a very enjoyable drink for now and maybe a few more years. Structure was not there to go the long haul. I'd drink these now or very soon in the future.
2009 Rockford Basket Press. Dark fruits, decent acid, but getting a lot of heat from this as well. Not sure why but the alcohol is really noticeable. Given this was the later part of the evening I didn't really nurse this one the way I should've but it was just showing ok.
2010 Rockford Basket Press. Still one of the best young BP's I've tried...Great fruit, great overall structure. Tannins are there but not aggressive...good acidity (although added I'm sure)...Good complexity..a bit tight but showing nicely for such a young BP. I think this will end up being one of the better BPs.....
1997 Rockford Cabernet - I actually enjoyed this a LOT more than the 97 BP. Reddish fruits, good acid....The Barossa produces rather atypical Cabernet and this is no different...lighter than its Shiraz brother...still very lively and looking quite good.
Rockford Black Shiraz NV (2001 Disgorgement). These are always fun wines..I'm not quite sure I get them like a lot of my Australian friends...The dosage tends to be from a fortified which lends this some extra residual sugar...For a fun sparkling this quite complex and has some nice savory aspects but still, there is something lacking. I look at it as it tastes nice, is a bit of fun but still has some geeky things about it too...
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Petaluma Shiraz 2008
In general I'm pretty unhappy with how most Australian Shiraz Viognier tastes when young..there are some exceptions but I often find them very awkward and the viognier sticks out as very bitter...
Petaluma Shiraz 2008. Their Shiraz has had a bit of Viognier for quite awhile...I'm not sure what possessed me to try this when I know it needed more time but I did...
Normal savory but awkward nose...not picking up any florals but getting some umami...Dark red fruits..a little bit of coffee..Palate is really awkward. I'm not liking this but not because it isn't well made or the style...I just don't think the Viognier is working well...By the end of day 1 this is waking up a bit..getting nicer umami that is harmonizing with the red fruits...less awkward bitterness.
Day 2. The nose is fresher, some floral notes but more importantly, it is smelling like a better shiraz viognier..one that is starting to come together.....Palate is MUCH MUCH better...the viognier is adding complexity and deep savory notes, still getting coffee, red fruits, good acid, fine tannins..the wine is really starting to come together. I'm not going to say it is great..but it has turned into a wine I'd drink whereas Day 1 I wasn't interested at all...
Still not convinced this is the right blend for Australia...there are a few good examples like Clonakilla...and I've seen some good examples when they've aged for 10+ years...but earlier than that and most of them just aren't great...I'm going to guess the quality of their Viognier is just not there and that is doing it...
Petaluma Shiraz 2008. Their Shiraz has had a bit of Viognier for quite awhile...I'm not sure what possessed me to try this when I know it needed more time but I did...
Normal savory but awkward nose...not picking up any florals but getting some umami...Dark red fruits..a little bit of coffee..Palate is really awkward. I'm not liking this but not because it isn't well made or the style...I just don't think the Viognier is working well...By the end of day 1 this is waking up a bit..getting nicer umami that is harmonizing with the red fruits...less awkward bitterness.
Day 2. The nose is fresher, some floral notes but more importantly, it is smelling like a better shiraz viognier..one that is starting to come together.....Palate is MUCH MUCH better...the viognier is adding complexity and deep savory notes, still getting coffee, red fruits, good acid, fine tannins..the wine is really starting to come together. I'm not going to say it is great..but it has turned into a wine I'd drink whereas Day 1 I wasn't interested at all...
Still not convinced this is the right blend for Australia...there are a few good examples like Clonakilla...and I've seen some good examples when they've aged for 10+ years...but earlier than that and most of them just aren't great...I'm going to guess the quality of their Viognier is just not there and that is doing it...
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Hillcrest
Hillcrest is a relatively small winery that does a vast majority of its business via mail order. If they haven't sold out (which they generally do each year) you can visit them by appointment.
Once a year they do an open day where they have 60 some odd wines available to taste, a few specials here and there, the off chance to by a few back vintages and they provide some nice little nibbles for people to snack on.
Hillcrest is generally known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but they also have a pretty decent Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot if you have a chance to try those.
Impressions:
Their open day, while not huge, is really very nice. Plenty of different things to try, spit buckets and food...Really all you can ask for.
They had Chardonnays back to about 2004, Village, Estate, Premium and even one Reserve.
They had Pinots back to 2001, Village, Estate, Premium and one Reserve.
They had about 8-10 Cabernet Sauvignons and about 8-10 Merlots.
One thing I really like about their Chardonnays is they're very acid driven..they still have oak..they avoid Malo but I think some happens naturally...Either way, it has great depth and complexity...and they age very nicely...
The highlight of the Chardonnays for me was the 2010 Reserve....Really great mouthfeel, texture, great acid, great fruit that soaked up whatever oak was used...really complex, complete wine. They rarely make a Reserve Chardonnay...apparently only in the best of years but this was looking really good.
2012 Chardonnay Cleanskin. I didn't ask why they had them..I assume they had such a good year they had more than they wanted to bottle under their village label..either way, really nice chardonnay that I end up getting for less than 10 dollars a bottle..
Pinot Noir Reserve 2006. I've been wanting to try this awhile, I'm glad I got the chance. Bigger fruit but but very elegant mouthfeel. Great use of oak, very good acidity, nice texture overall. There are things (a bit of rubber) that makes me think Australian Pinot..but it isn't that noticeable and adds complexity instead of takes away from the wine..this is very well done...
Overall impressions - Most of the Chardonnays are top notch...I think I thought one was a little on the light side w/ acidity but pretty much everything across the board Chardonnay wise was very good...consistently good with great acid, great mouthfeel..the difference between the Village, Estate, Premium and Reserve was really the depth of the wine and little quality differences.
Pinot was a bit less consistent...I think some early Pinots were not good at all..very Australian Pinot, Rubbery bleh...They didn't have the right mouthfeel and weren't done properly .When they got to around 2003/2004 it started changing a bit. Better overall quality, better mouthfeel, they looked like they'd age better as well. After 2004 they were all pretty nice..the quality was excellent....The Premium 2010 was very good..I think the only one I thought maybe shouldn't have been made was the 2011 Village Pinot...
Cabernet and Merlot..both were quite interesting..very good expression of fruit...I think the Cabernets were consistently better for me..but there were a few very nice Merlots as well...I think the issue I'd have is they don't stack up price wise.....
For anyone that lives around the area I'd definitely suggest making time to go out there....Heck, one guy even took public transport and walked a few k to get there...
Once a year they do an open day where they have 60 some odd wines available to taste, a few specials here and there, the off chance to by a few back vintages and they provide some nice little nibbles for people to snack on.
Hillcrest is generally known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but they also have a pretty decent Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot if you have a chance to try those.
Impressions:
Their open day, while not huge, is really very nice. Plenty of different things to try, spit buckets and food...Really all you can ask for.
They had Chardonnays back to about 2004, Village, Estate, Premium and even one Reserve.
They had Pinots back to 2001, Village, Estate, Premium and one Reserve.
They had about 8-10 Cabernet Sauvignons and about 8-10 Merlots.
One thing I really like about their Chardonnays is they're very acid driven..they still have oak..they avoid Malo but I think some happens naturally...Either way, it has great depth and complexity...and they age very nicely...
The highlight of the Chardonnays for me was the 2010 Reserve....Really great mouthfeel, texture, great acid, great fruit that soaked up whatever oak was used...really complex, complete wine. They rarely make a Reserve Chardonnay...apparently only in the best of years but this was looking really good.
2012 Chardonnay Cleanskin. I didn't ask why they had them..I assume they had such a good year they had more than they wanted to bottle under their village label..either way, really nice chardonnay that I end up getting for less than 10 dollars a bottle..
Pinot Noir Reserve 2006. I've been wanting to try this awhile, I'm glad I got the chance. Bigger fruit but but very elegant mouthfeel. Great use of oak, very good acidity, nice texture overall. There are things (a bit of rubber) that makes me think Australian Pinot..but it isn't that noticeable and adds complexity instead of takes away from the wine..this is very well done...
Overall impressions - Most of the Chardonnays are top notch...I think I thought one was a little on the light side w/ acidity but pretty much everything across the board Chardonnay wise was very good...consistently good with great acid, great mouthfeel..the difference between the Village, Estate, Premium and Reserve was really the depth of the wine and little quality differences.
Pinot was a bit less consistent...I think some early Pinots were not good at all..very Australian Pinot, Rubbery bleh...They didn't have the right mouthfeel and weren't done properly .When they got to around 2003/2004 it started changing a bit. Better overall quality, better mouthfeel, they looked like they'd age better as well. After 2004 they were all pretty nice..the quality was excellent....The Premium 2010 was very good..I think the only one I thought maybe shouldn't have been made was the 2011 Village Pinot...
Cabernet and Merlot..both were quite interesting..very good expression of fruit...I think the Cabernets were consistently better for me..but there were a few very nice Merlots as well...I think the issue I'd have is they don't stack up price wise.....
For anyone that lives around the area I'd definitely suggest making time to go out there....Heck, one guy even took public transport and walked a few k to get there...
Scarce Earth 2012 - McLaren Vale
Scare Earth is a project created by the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association. It was created to explore the diversity of the region to better understand Shiraz, the interaction with the weather as well as the geology, toplogy, etc.
The general idea is:
100% Shiraz
Not too much oak influence
Reflection of the Terroir
Many different wineries submit their wines to be part of the Scarce Earth project, some are made especially for it. They're then selection each year by a panel for that years Scare Earth Single Block Shiraz. They're not selected for quality but for how they're reflecting that part of the region...but that said...
Pretty much every wine in this project is going to be good...As much as they say it isn't about quality, I feel quality would be impossible to pass up. These are all obvious labors of love...more so than their normal wine because in a lot of cases, they're not making money on these wines..these are their fun projects.
Here are the wines for the McLaren Vale Scare Earth 2012 Single Block Shiraz.
Battle of Bosworth 2012 Braden's Single Vineyard Shiraz.
Coriole 2012 Galaxidia Shiraz
Coriole 2012 Willunga 1920 Shiraz
Chapel Hill 2012 The Chosen House Block Shriaz
Chapel Hill 2012 The Chosen Road Block Shiraz
d'Arenberg 2012 Tyche's Mustard Single Vineyard Shiraz
d'Arenberg 2012 The Eith Iron Single Vineyard Shiraz
d"Arenberg 2012 The Amaranthine Single Vineyard Shiraz
Dowie Doole 2012 The Fruit of the Vine - The Architect Shiraz
cradle of hills Mclaren Vale 2012 ROW 23 Shiraz
Five Views Vineyard 2012 Creepers Cut Out Shiraz
Gemtree Vineyards 2012 Stage 7 Shiraz
Fork in the Road 2012 Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood I Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood II Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood III Shiraz
Haselgrove 2012 The Ambassador Single Vineyard Shiraz
Maxwell Wines 2012 Eocene Ancient Earth Shiraz
Mr. Riggs 2012 Scarce Earth Shiraz
Kangarilla Road 2012 Alluvial Clays Shiraz
Penny's Hill 2012 Penny's Hill "Footprint" Shiraz
Shingleback 2012 Unedited Shiraz
Vinerock 2012 Shiraz
Wirra Wirra 2012 Whaite Old Block Shiraz
Shottesbrooke 2012 Single Vineyard Shiraz Blewitt Springs
The wines that stood out to me were:
d'Arenberg 2012 Tyche's Mustard
d'Arenberg 2012 The Amarathine
Both of these exhibited really good acid...firm tannins...very complex fruit and mouthfeel. Relatively big wines but well structured.
Gemtree Vineyards 2012 Stage 7 Shiraz
Good acidity, dark fruits, good overall structure. The RRP on this is only 35 which makes this a very good buy.
Wirra Wirra 2012 Whaite Old Block Shiraz
I'm not really a Wirra fan...I'm still waiting for that RSW that I think is good..but this wine IS good..very good. Good acid, firm but fine tannins, layers of dark fruit, a lot of complexity, great mouthfeel...This wine is very good. RRP is 130 though.
One thing I noticed was a lot of the wines exhibited really good acidity...but I'm pretty sure a lot of them were adding acid...I got to the point where I ended up just asking..some sort of dodged the question, some said they did acid adjustments but wouldn't say if it was done on this wine..just that they will do acid adjustments...Some just said they don't do that at all...*shrug*. I'm a bit iffy on the whole subject...On one hand, it can allow them to make a better wine..on the other, I don't want to see wine turn into a can of coke...
Overall I love the concept of this project...I do wish they put a bit more restrictions around the wine but I'm sure this has to do with the fact that these places still need to make money so they need to make wine that they believe they can sell..fair enough. The other issue is you might have a similar block of land with similar geology and weather, etc....but the wines can be completely different...it becomes very difficult to get a history and understanding without keeping some variables somewhat constant...Or if not that, I'd love to see these guys/gals, who are obviously all fairly good friends with each other, split up some of these blocks and have another winemaker make wine from it...Probably not as easy as it sounds but it would definitely be something fun, something interesting..a great comparison....In any case, they're gathering a lot of data and getting a very good understanding of what they're working with, the material, the geology, etc, and how it may impact their wine or wine that will be made in the future...and I think they're enjoying themselves too which is great to see..
The general idea is:
100% Shiraz
Not too much oak influence
Reflection of the Terroir
Many different wineries submit their wines to be part of the Scarce Earth project, some are made especially for it. They're then selection each year by a panel for that years Scare Earth Single Block Shiraz. They're not selected for quality but for how they're reflecting that part of the region...but that said...
Pretty much every wine in this project is going to be good...As much as they say it isn't about quality, I feel quality would be impossible to pass up. These are all obvious labors of love...more so than their normal wine because in a lot of cases, they're not making money on these wines..these are their fun projects.
Here are the wines for the McLaren Vale Scare Earth 2012 Single Block Shiraz.
Battle of Bosworth 2012 Braden's Single Vineyard Shiraz.
Coriole 2012 Galaxidia Shiraz
Coriole 2012 Willunga 1920 Shiraz
Chapel Hill 2012 The Chosen House Block Shriaz
Chapel Hill 2012 The Chosen Road Block Shiraz
d'Arenberg 2012 Tyche's Mustard Single Vineyard Shiraz
d'Arenberg 2012 The Eith Iron Single Vineyard Shiraz
d"Arenberg 2012 The Amaranthine Single Vineyard Shiraz
Dowie Doole 2012 The Fruit of the Vine - The Architect Shiraz
cradle of hills Mclaren Vale 2012 ROW 23 Shiraz
Five Views Vineyard 2012 Creepers Cut Out Shiraz
Gemtree Vineyards 2012 Stage 7 Shiraz
Fork in the Road 2012 Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood I Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood II Shiraz
Hugh Hamilton 2012 Black Blood III Shiraz
Haselgrove 2012 The Ambassador Single Vineyard Shiraz
Maxwell Wines 2012 Eocene Ancient Earth Shiraz
Mr. Riggs 2012 Scarce Earth Shiraz
Kangarilla Road 2012 Alluvial Clays Shiraz
Penny's Hill 2012 Penny's Hill "Footprint" Shiraz
Shingleback 2012 Unedited Shiraz
Vinerock 2012 Shiraz
Wirra Wirra 2012 Whaite Old Block Shiraz
Shottesbrooke 2012 Single Vineyard Shiraz Blewitt Springs
The wines that stood out to me were:
d'Arenberg 2012 Tyche's Mustard
d'Arenberg 2012 The Amarathine
Both of these exhibited really good acid...firm tannins...very complex fruit and mouthfeel. Relatively big wines but well structured.
Gemtree Vineyards 2012 Stage 7 Shiraz
Good acidity, dark fruits, good overall structure. The RRP on this is only 35 which makes this a very good buy.
Wirra Wirra 2012 Whaite Old Block Shiraz
I'm not really a Wirra fan...I'm still waiting for that RSW that I think is good..but this wine IS good..very good. Good acid, firm but fine tannins, layers of dark fruit, a lot of complexity, great mouthfeel...This wine is very good. RRP is 130 though.
One thing I noticed was a lot of the wines exhibited really good acidity...but I'm pretty sure a lot of them were adding acid...I got to the point where I ended up just asking..some sort of dodged the question, some said they did acid adjustments but wouldn't say if it was done on this wine..just that they will do acid adjustments...Some just said they don't do that at all...*shrug*. I'm a bit iffy on the whole subject...On one hand, it can allow them to make a better wine..on the other, I don't want to see wine turn into a can of coke...
Overall I love the concept of this project...I do wish they put a bit more restrictions around the wine but I'm sure this has to do with the fact that these places still need to make money so they need to make wine that they believe they can sell..fair enough. The other issue is you might have a similar block of land with similar geology and weather, etc....but the wines can be completely different...it becomes very difficult to get a history and understanding without keeping some variables somewhat constant...Or if not that, I'd love to see these guys/gals, who are obviously all fairly good friends with each other, split up some of these blocks and have another winemaker make wine from it...Probably not as easy as it sounds but it would definitely be something fun, something interesting..a great comparison....In any case, they're gathering a lot of data and getting a very good understanding of what they're working with, the material, the geology, etc, and how it may impact their wine or wine that will be made in the future...and I think they're enjoying themselves too which is great to see..
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Langtons Sydney Classification VI 2014
Langtons has done three tastings of their Classifications and all three have been done very well..
I only attended the non Exceptional categories...
Highlights:
Maurice O'Shea Vertical. I love when wineries do this because it really gives you the opportunity to try several different versions of their wine at once. In this case they did 94, 98, 99, 2000, 2003, 2009. My favorite of the bunch was the 1998...Great acid, good structure, a bit of leather and dirt, red fruits, a bit of tannin structure still there...great wine. My least favorite was the 2000 which was overly tannic (a huge style change) and in a very awkward place.
Bests Thomson Family 2012 - Great wine. Great structure, wonderful fruit. Acid in the right spot, tannins in the right spot..fantastic complexity....A bit on the expensive side but a very good wine.
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2012. My pick of the Shiraz/Malbec (which was almost sweet and VERY approachable), the Shiraz Mataro (Still very approachable) and straight Cabernet Sauvignon which is generally my least favorite Wendouree. Great acidity and firm tannins, red fruit, mint, a bit of eucalyptus, herbs, spices..really great wine. I'm really convinced the Cabernet Malbec is the best of the whole bunch (which includes the straight Shiraz).
Langmeil Freedom 2010. Big fruit but at the same time, great acid, great overall structure. Bigger wine than I'd generally like but the acidity really helped carry this through. Dark fruits, spices, herbs, noticeable oak but the wine carries it well. The tannins are there telling you it'll be around awhile but they're not so aggressive as to make this undrinkable. The acid gives it great freshness. I'm not sure if they added acid here given they're at 15% alcohol and 6.9g/L of acidity...but either way, the wine is looking quite good and while not my top 3 for the night, it was my biggest surprise of the night. Apparently these vines used for this wine are well over 100 years old. I'm not sure I'd buy it at 100/bottle but still, I'd be happy to drink it.
Yeringberg 2011. A very elegant version of Yeringberg. Red fruits, good acidity, softer tannins..no sign of being unripe though. I was actually expecting something pretty bad but they did an excellent job of making this. Not typical of what I think of Yeringberg but still a very good wine given the vintage conditions.
Kilikanoon Oracle 2010.
Another big wine that surprised me. Coming through with mint, dark fruits but really good acidity to balance out this normally large large red. I'm certain a lot of these places are starting to add acid but few will actually admit to it. Either way, this is drinking quite nicely. Great complexity, really nice wine...
Penfolds St. Henri 2010.
This has had so much press lately, I tried to approach this with as little bias as possible. First thing - the structure. Big tannins but not overly aggressive tannins. Good acidity, surprising acidity. Fruit is VERY VERY young. Because they don't use new oak, just very large barrel old oak, I'm not picking up any oak at all and that is probably contributing to the mouthfeel and the freshness of the fruit. The fruit itself is very complex, dark and red fruits, some spice, a hint of mocha, but still, very young. To be quite honest, I don't feel like this is showing well right now...and given all other St. Henri's, that's probably right. It isn't supposed to be drinking well right now..and it really isn't. That said, I know this will age, Penfolds wine generally does age very well. St. Henri in particular, has a long history of aging very well. Some critics are calling this quite possibly the best St. Henri ever...is it? I don't know. I do know it has great structure, great fruit and given the pedigree, I'm sure this will end up being a fantastic wine..but it'll probably be 2030+ before you should drink it...
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat.
I've never had this but I know it is supposed to be great..and let me tell you, it is great. Huge complexity, wonderful mouthfeel....In general I find there are a lot of very good rare muscats..this one is just a step above those. At the same time, this is probably 4-5 times more expensive. Worth trying if you get the opportunity, definitely worth trying.
Other honorable mentions: Tyrrells Vat 1 2008- Young, maybe too young, but a great Semillon. This will be great in another 10 years.
Lakes Folly Cabernet Blend 2011. Great acidity, great Lakes Folly...Might be their best one in awhile.
Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. A great comeback after a really poor 2011. Probably one of the best values out there at 25/bottle. Great acid but still very Coonawarra.
I only attended the non Exceptional categories...
Highlights:
Maurice O'Shea Vertical. I love when wineries do this because it really gives you the opportunity to try several different versions of their wine at once. In this case they did 94, 98, 99, 2000, 2003, 2009. My favorite of the bunch was the 1998...Great acid, good structure, a bit of leather and dirt, red fruits, a bit of tannin structure still there...great wine. My least favorite was the 2000 which was overly tannic (a huge style change) and in a very awkward place.
Bests Thomson Family 2012 - Great wine. Great structure, wonderful fruit. Acid in the right spot, tannins in the right spot..fantastic complexity....A bit on the expensive side but a very good wine.
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2012. My pick of the Shiraz/Malbec (which was almost sweet and VERY approachable), the Shiraz Mataro (Still very approachable) and straight Cabernet Sauvignon which is generally my least favorite Wendouree. Great acidity and firm tannins, red fruit, mint, a bit of eucalyptus, herbs, spices..really great wine. I'm really convinced the Cabernet Malbec is the best of the whole bunch (which includes the straight Shiraz).
Langmeil Freedom 2010. Big fruit but at the same time, great acid, great overall structure. Bigger wine than I'd generally like but the acidity really helped carry this through. Dark fruits, spices, herbs, noticeable oak but the wine carries it well. The tannins are there telling you it'll be around awhile but they're not so aggressive as to make this undrinkable. The acid gives it great freshness. I'm not sure if they added acid here given they're at 15% alcohol and 6.9g/L of acidity...but either way, the wine is looking quite good and while not my top 3 for the night, it was my biggest surprise of the night. Apparently these vines used for this wine are well over 100 years old. I'm not sure I'd buy it at 100/bottle but still, I'd be happy to drink it.
Yeringberg 2011. A very elegant version of Yeringberg. Red fruits, good acidity, softer tannins..no sign of being unripe though. I was actually expecting something pretty bad but they did an excellent job of making this. Not typical of what I think of Yeringberg but still a very good wine given the vintage conditions.
Kilikanoon Oracle 2010.
Another big wine that surprised me. Coming through with mint, dark fruits but really good acidity to balance out this normally large large red. I'm certain a lot of these places are starting to add acid but few will actually admit to it. Either way, this is drinking quite nicely. Great complexity, really nice wine...
Penfolds St. Henri 2010.
This has had so much press lately, I tried to approach this with as little bias as possible. First thing - the structure. Big tannins but not overly aggressive tannins. Good acidity, surprising acidity. Fruit is VERY VERY young. Because they don't use new oak, just very large barrel old oak, I'm not picking up any oak at all and that is probably contributing to the mouthfeel and the freshness of the fruit. The fruit itself is very complex, dark and red fruits, some spice, a hint of mocha, but still, very young. To be quite honest, I don't feel like this is showing well right now...and given all other St. Henri's, that's probably right. It isn't supposed to be drinking well right now..and it really isn't. That said, I know this will age, Penfolds wine generally does age very well. St. Henri in particular, has a long history of aging very well. Some critics are calling this quite possibly the best St. Henri ever...is it? I don't know. I do know it has great structure, great fruit and given the pedigree, I'm sure this will end up being a fantastic wine..but it'll probably be 2030+ before you should drink it...
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat.
I've never had this but I know it is supposed to be great..and let me tell you, it is great. Huge complexity, wonderful mouthfeel....In general I find there are a lot of very good rare muscats..this one is just a step above those. At the same time, this is probably 4-5 times more expensive. Worth trying if you get the opportunity, definitely worth trying.
Other honorable mentions: Tyrrells Vat 1 2008- Young, maybe too young, but a great Semillon. This will be great in another 10 years.
Lakes Folly Cabernet Blend 2011. Great acidity, great Lakes Folly...Might be their best one in awhile.
Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. A great comeback after a really poor 2011. Probably one of the best values out there at 25/bottle. Great acid but still very Coonawarra.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Hill of Grace 2009, Penfolds Grange 2009
The two main iconic wines in Australia. There have been a few others that have tried to gain the recognition of these two but nothing really comes close to the long line of proven success, ability to age and quality these have had.
Henschke Hill of Grace 2009
Intoxicating nose of herbs, spices, mocha, dark berries...Really quite an inviting nose...reminds me of their Mount Edelstone but more intense, more complex....On the palate you get hit with the power but elegance of the wine. To me it lacks the acidity I want and the wine is just to plushy but at the same time, the wine shows great power and intensity but at the same time it isn't smacking me around either. Dark fruits, dark chocolate, five spice and this minty herb thing hits my palate and sticks there for a long long finish. A really great wine. Not exactly the style I like but there is no doubting the quality and enjoyment one will get from this wine...
Penfolds Grange 2009
Following 2008 was always going to be hard....Powerful nose of dark fruit but not a lot of complexity..picking up quite a bit of oak on the nose....This is probably the most approachable Grange I've had yet....Dark fruits, reasonably good acidity, good tannin structure but not a huge structured beast that some Granges can be....Obviously a very well made wine but the HoG was just far better at this stage and it really overshadowed what I was getting from the wine. The Grange still had power but definitely very approachable...far more elegance at this stage than I would have expected and for Grange I'm not sure that is right...
Henschke Hill of Grace 2009
Intoxicating nose of herbs, spices, mocha, dark berries...Really quite an inviting nose...reminds me of their Mount Edelstone but more intense, more complex....On the palate you get hit with the power but elegance of the wine. To me it lacks the acidity I want and the wine is just to plushy but at the same time, the wine shows great power and intensity but at the same time it isn't smacking me around either. Dark fruits, dark chocolate, five spice and this minty herb thing hits my palate and sticks there for a long long finish. A really great wine. Not exactly the style I like but there is no doubting the quality and enjoyment one will get from this wine...
Penfolds Grange 2009
Following 2008 was always going to be hard....Powerful nose of dark fruit but not a lot of complexity..picking up quite a bit of oak on the nose....This is probably the most approachable Grange I've had yet....Dark fruits, reasonably good acidity, good tannin structure but not a huge structured beast that some Granges can be....Obviously a very well made wine but the HoG was just far better at this stage and it really overshadowed what I was getting from the wine. The Grange still had power but definitely very approachable...far more elegance at this stage than I would have expected and for Grange I'm not sure that is right...
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Colonial Estate Emigre
So one more Colonial Estate that I picked up dirt cheap...
Colonial Estate Emigre 2006.
A blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mouvedre and Muscadelle. What hits me immediately is oak. Like the Richard Lander, this wine is really oaky. Unlike the Richard Lander though, this wine carries it a lot better. It could be the age, it could be the quality of the fruit, either way, this wine carried it much better than I was expecting it to. A very plushy wine, deep dark berries, mocha, vanilla and a hint of spice. It actually has better acidity than I was expecting but not great acidity. I specifically bought this for guests to drink as something I think they would like. Even though it isn't the style I'm into it still was very enjoyable. Very well made, fruit wasn't raisin like at all....If I have a chance to pick more up at the same price I will..
Colonial Estate Emigre 2006.
A blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mouvedre and Muscadelle. What hits me immediately is oak. Like the Richard Lander, this wine is really oaky. Unlike the Richard Lander though, this wine carries it a lot better. It could be the age, it could be the quality of the fruit, either way, this wine carried it much better than I was expecting it to. A very plushy wine, deep dark berries, mocha, vanilla and a hint of spice. It actually has better acidity than I was expecting but not great acidity. I specifically bought this for guests to drink as something I think they would like. Even though it isn't the style I'm into it still was very enjoyable. Very well made, fruit wasn't raisin like at all....If I have a chance to pick more up at the same price I will..
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Fraser Gallop
Fraser Gallop Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I've always been a fan of Fraser Gallop. I think their stuff across the board is pretty good and priced quite nicely. I think this normally retails for around 45AUD but Costco has been selling it for around 25..and I saw it today for 20...a real steal at that price.
Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cab Franc...so a Bordeaux type blend...Very good overall structure, firm but not overpowering tannins, dark fruits on the nose, a decent amount of acidity. Picking up some herbs, chocolate and mulberry leaves....
For the price (at Costco) this is fantastic...
I've always been a fan of Fraser Gallop. I think their stuff across the board is pretty good and priced quite nicely. I think this normally retails for around 45AUD but Costco has been selling it for around 25..and I saw it today for 20...a real steal at that price.
Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cab Franc...so a Bordeaux type blend...Very good overall structure, firm but not overpowering tannins, dark fruits on the nose, a decent amount of acidity. Picking up some herbs, chocolate and mulberry leaves....
For the price (at Costco) this is fantastic...
Monday, April 7, 2014
Colonial Estate Richard Lander
Colonial Estate has had a lot of financial issues and the result was a lot of wine that was planned for export that never made it there. It also meant a ton of it got released into Australia and relatively good prices. Being a sucker for a good deal I picked up a few for dirt cheap just to try it out. I already knew going in the style wouldn't be my preference but I also figure it is a good wine for my friends that love big reds.
Colonial Estate Richard Lander Shiraz 2008.
This is a single vineyard wine by Colonial Estate...Apparently not their biggest type of red but still really big.
I have one word. OAK. Very ripe fruit, maybe borderline raisin like but not quite. Big alcohol, a lot of heat and a lot of new oak on the palate. Softer tannins and a bit of acidity but not a lot...Oddly it has more acidity than I would have expected (it isn't a lot) but it could be there is just so much new oak tingling my tongue that I'm seeing it as oak. Right now the alcohol is very apparent.
I can see people liking this wine though...definitely not my style..and the alcohol sticks out so much it could impact a fruit bomb lovers enjoyment of it too...but I'll give it a bit more time in the glass and into tomorrow and update what I see...
The 2nd day the wine overall was showing better...the oak seemed to be better integrated....acid is now obviously really low...alcohol seems a bit more tame...a definite fruit bomb..I had one glass and it has covered my teeth....
Is it worth 75 dollars or whatever they want for it? I don't think so...but I paid under 20 which makes it a great BBQ/Friend wine or something with a lot of meat...Maybe Korean BBQ.
Colonial Estate Richard Lander Shiraz 2008.
This is a single vineyard wine by Colonial Estate...Apparently not their biggest type of red but still really big.
I have one word. OAK. Very ripe fruit, maybe borderline raisin like but not quite. Big alcohol, a lot of heat and a lot of new oak on the palate. Softer tannins and a bit of acidity but not a lot...Oddly it has more acidity than I would have expected (it isn't a lot) but it could be there is just so much new oak tingling my tongue that I'm seeing it as oak. Right now the alcohol is very apparent.
I can see people liking this wine though...definitely not my style..and the alcohol sticks out so much it could impact a fruit bomb lovers enjoyment of it too...but I'll give it a bit more time in the glass and into tomorrow and update what I see...
The 2nd day the wine overall was showing better...the oak seemed to be better integrated....acid is now obviously really low...alcohol seems a bit more tame...a definite fruit bomb..I had one glass and it has covered my teeth....
Is it worth 75 dollars or whatever they want for it? I don't think so...but I paid under 20 which makes it a great BBQ/Friend wine or something with a lot of meat...Maybe Korean BBQ.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
What do I like to drink?
Someone asked me what do I like to drink?
Besides everything....but limiting this to Australian wines and trying to hit a bunch of different regions.
Semillon:
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
Lovedale Semillon
Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon
Thomas Braemore Semillon
Most of the other Tyrrells Semillons (Stevens, HVD, Belford, Johnnos)
I'd probably say a large chunk of Hunter Semillons with age will be pretty good as long as they have acid...with 5-10 years, as long as they're not totally flat, will probably be pretty good but the above are probably my favorites).
Shiraz:
Tyrells Four Acres Shiraz
Tyrells Old Patch Shiraz
Tyrrells Johnno's Shiraz
Tyrrells Vat 9
Meerea Park Hell Hole
Wendouree Shiraz (as well as their Shiraz Mataro and Shiraz Malbec)
Marius Symphony
Rockford Basket Press
Seppelt St. Peters
Lethbridge Indra Shiraz
Riesling:
Lethbridge Riesling
Pikes The Merle Riesling
Leo Buring Leonay
Peter Lehmman Wigan Riesling
There are actually a lot of really good Rieslings that I haven't listed..maybe something like Tertini as well...but the above I think are consistent and a really good representation of the style of AU Riesling I like to drink).
Chardonnay:
Giaconda Chardonnay (high acid years)
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay
Lethbridge Allegra Chardonnay
Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay
There are probably quite a few others..but this is a good representation of the style I like....Mistletoe has had a few good runs...Tyrrells makes a good Chardonnay as well)
Cabernet Sauvignon:
Fraser Gallop Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon
Lakes Folly Cabernet Sauvignon
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
A lot of pretty good Cabs from Margaret River and Clare Valley. Some pretty good ones from Coonawarra as well but most of them are probably not in my wheelhouse right now).
Pinot Noir - Not a big AU Pinot fan but.
Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir
Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir
Hillcrest Reserve Pinot
William Downie (a bunch of them from here)
Bass Phillip (a bunch from here)
Marchand and Burch (They have a lot of different ones)
Oddball blends or varietals:
Ruggabellus GSM, MSG, SGM blends
John Duval Plexus
Wendouree Malbec
Besides everything....but limiting this to Australian wines and trying to hit a bunch of different regions.
Semillon:
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
Lovedale Semillon
Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon
Thomas Braemore Semillon
Most of the other Tyrrells Semillons (Stevens, HVD, Belford, Johnnos)
I'd probably say a large chunk of Hunter Semillons with age will be pretty good as long as they have acid...with 5-10 years, as long as they're not totally flat, will probably be pretty good but the above are probably my favorites).
Shiraz:
Tyrells Four Acres Shiraz
Tyrells Old Patch Shiraz
Tyrrells Johnno's Shiraz
Tyrrells Vat 9
Meerea Park Hell Hole
Wendouree Shiraz (as well as their Shiraz Mataro and Shiraz Malbec)
Marius Symphony
Rockford Basket Press
Seppelt St. Peters
Lethbridge Indra Shiraz
Riesling:
Lethbridge Riesling
Pikes The Merle Riesling
Leo Buring Leonay
Peter Lehmman Wigan Riesling
There are actually a lot of really good Rieslings that I haven't listed..maybe something like Tertini as well...but the above I think are consistent and a really good representation of the style of AU Riesling I like to drink).
Chardonnay:
Giaconda Chardonnay (high acid years)
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay
Lethbridge Allegra Chardonnay
Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay
There are probably quite a few others..but this is a good representation of the style I like....Mistletoe has had a few good runs...Tyrrells makes a good Chardonnay as well)
Cabernet Sauvignon:
Fraser Gallop Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon
Lakes Folly Cabernet Sauvignon
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
A lot of pretty good Cabs from Margaret River and Clare Valley. Some pretty good ones from Coonawarra as well but most of them are probably not in my wheelhouse right now).
Pinot Noir - Not a big AU Pinot fan but.
Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir
Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir
Hillcrest Reserve Pinot
William Downie (a bunch of them from here)
Bass Phillip (a bunch from here)
Marchand and Burch (They have a lot of different ones)
Oddball blends or varietals:
Ruggabellus GSM, MSG, SGM blends
John Duval Plexus
Wendouree Malbec
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Australian and others
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1993
Great nose of red fruits, a bit of mint and menthol, some meaty characters...really very nice. Great acidity on the palate, tannins are there but definitely resolved a bit. This is a lot younger than the 90 I had last year and it has a LOT of life left. Still has that Wendouree grip but not enough to put off people that aren't used to it. Lovely mouthfeel. Not a heralded vintage but a very good wine.
Mayer Doktor Pinot Noir 2012
Very Australian Pinot with deep dark fruit but at the same time, it didn't feel out of place or forced like many Australian Pinots do...This is much more Bass Phillip so in that sense, a really good example of Australian Pinot. Reasonably good acidity, good fruit, good overall structure..maybe just a bit too big though. I'd still be happy drinking this.
Noble One 2002
I'm generally not an Australian dessert wine fan. The Botrytis Semillons they have lack some depth that I'm looking for. Reasonably good acidity but not what I'm really looking for here. Better depth and complexity than most Australian Botrytis Semillons but I'm just ok with this. You can buy great Sauternes so not sure I'd bother. If I compared this to the Botrytis Riesling from Lethbridge..the Lethbridge is a lot better..
Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2006
This is always really consistent for me..on this night it was a bit more tannic than I remember and seemed a bit more fuller in the mouth...Still very good though..medium bodied although this felt a bit bigger to me than I remember...Leather, red fruits, a reasonable amount of oak coming through...really quite a clean tasting Hunter Shiraz...good but less interesting than I remember...
Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 1977
A big surprise here. I really expected this to be dead but it definitely wasn't. The fruit was still there and singing..this could've been 1997 easily...Structure was still good, some tannins, good acidity, nice mouthfeel...Red fruits, herbs, some five spice...Tahbilk apparently made some really ageworth wines in the 70s and this one is no joke...
Rockford Riesling 2008
This is just eh...Not enough acidity but it has aged a bit so at least the wine is showing some depth...for me this is just ok. It isn't the style of Riesling I like so it feels really flat.
Baudry Le Clos Guillot 2009
A great example of why Chinon is so underrated. Great red fruits, good structure and fantastic acidity. A bit of green here coming through as bell peppers and herbs but the mouthfeel is fantastic. This is going to age well but is drinking fine right now. When younger this was a bit more tannic so it is good to see that it is coming around....Probably my favorite wine of this night...
Great nose of red fruits, a bit of mint and menthol, some meaty characters...really very nice. Great acidity on the palate, tannins are there but definitely resolved a bit. This is a lot younger than the 90 I had last year and it has a LOT of life left. Still has that Wendouree grip but not enough to put off people that aren't used to it. Lovely mouthfeel. Not a heralded vintage but a very good wine.
Mayer Doktor Pinot Noir 2012
Very Australian Pinot with deep dark fruit but at the same time, it didn't feel out of place or forced like many Australian Pinots do...This is much more Bass Phillip so in that sense, a really good example of Australian Pinot. Reasonably good acidity, good fruit, good overall structure..maybe just a bit too big though. I'd still be happy drinking this.
Noble One 2002
I'm generally not an Australian dessert wine fan. The Botrytis Semillons they have lack some depth that I'm looking for. Reasonably good acidity but not what I'm really looking for here. Better depth and complexity than most Australian Botrytis Semillons but I'm just ok with this. You can buy great Sauternes so not sure I'd bother. If I compared this to the Botrytis Riesling from Lethbridge..the Lethbridge is a lot better..
Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2006
This is always really consistent for me..on this night it was a bit more tannic than I remember and seemed a bit more fuller in the mouth...Still very good though..medium bodied although this felt a bit bigger to me than I remember...Leather, red fruits, a reasonable amount of oak coming through...really quite a clean tasting Hunter Shiraz...good but less interesting than I remember...
Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 1977
A big surprise here. I really expected this to be dead but it definitely wasn't. The fruit was still there and singing..this could've been 1997 easily...Structure was still good, some tannins, good acidity, nice mouthfeel...Red fruits, herbs, some five spice...Tahbilk apparently made some really ageworth wines in the 70s and this one is no joke...
Rockford Riesling 2008
This is just eh...Not enough acidity but it has aged a bit so at least the wine is showing some depth...for me this is just ok. It isn't the style of Riesling I like so it feels really flat.
Baudry Le Clos Guillot 2009
A great example of why Chinon is so underrated. Great red fruits, good structure and fantastic acidity. A bit of green here coming through as bell peppers and herbs but the mouthfeel is fantastic. This is going to age well but is drinking fine right now. When younger this was a bit more tannic so it is good to see that it is coming around....Probably my favorite wine of this night...
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Tyrrells Vat 9 1997
Tyrrells Vat 9 1997
Leather, red fruits a bit of earth. Some slight forest floor characters as well...Still some nice grip on the wine and really nice mouthfeel. I'm not sure I'd expect this to go longer although the structure seems to suggest it might..I'd probably say drink it now if you have it.
update: I had another bottle of this that was corked and Tyrrells kindly replaced it with a 2009 Vat 9....What can I say, great wine across the board...great service....A big shop with some really boutique releases...One of my favorites in Australia and I don't see that changing..
I was a bit skeptical about this because I've read a few things in the past that made me think this would be well past it...but Tyrrells has been making great wines for a long time (although a slight change in style 10 years or so ago) so I had some hope.
Really surprised with this one...quite a bit darker in the glass than I was expecting...Acidity is quite high which is what I expected for an aged Hunter. Tannins were still there as well..the fruit was still showing and the nose was quite nice. Showed a lot younger than what I was originally expecting and the wine ended up being really quite nice.
Leather, red fruits a bit of earth. Some slight forest floor characters as well...Still some nice grip on the wine and really nice mouthfeel. I'm not sure I'd expect this to go longer although the structure seems to suggest it might..I'd probably say drink it now if you have it.
update: I had another bottle of this that was corked and Tyrrells kindly replaced it with a 2009 Vat 9....What can I say, great wine across the board...great service....A big shop with some really boutique releases...One of my favorites in Australia and I don't see that changing..
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Tyrrells and others
Sorry for not posting for awhile..a lot of stuff going on personally but anyways...
Tyrells Vat 1 1999.
One of my favorite semillons ever...this and the 1998 are both really fantastic. Looked good through the bottle so from an oxidation standpoint it was looking good. Popped it, sniffed it, took a sip...perfect. Still really young with very vibrant acidity...Too young maybe? I don't know but it had fantastic depth, toasty notes..honey and just really fantastic acid. There was some left near the end of the night and it was still singing..these are so good it is a shame they're under cork though.
Eileen Hardy Chardonnay 2008
A lot of really nice Chardonnay out of Australia...Really good acidity, good depth, a bit too much oak at this stage, I really want to see this in 5 years or so..but this is drinking really nicely now. I really like when Chardonnays have some fatness to them (oak, malo, etc) but still have that acidity to balance that out. It makes for a very complex, very complete wine.
Kumeu River Mate's Chardonnay 2008
Very similar to the Eileen Hardy but maybe a bit less obvious oak. New Zealand has a lot of great stuff as well..Kumeu is consistently great and one of the best. It is also really easy to find in the US making it a quality drop at a pretty reasonable price. 40ish dollars for a complex Chardonnay with good acidity.
Penfolds St. Henri 1998
A few months back I had the 1993 which wasn't a great vintage but it was fantastic. 1998 was a really good year so I had really high expectations. What we got was both good and bad. On the good side, the structure was fantastic, I think this wine will last another 15+ years. It was pretty typical of a lot of St. Henris which take a lot of time to come around...on the bad, it was just too too tight considering this wine was 15-16 years from vintage...I want to see this in 10 years..not sure if I'll have the chance but I think it'll be great.
Felton Road Block 5 2008.
I generally like most of the stuff from Felton Road..their Pinots tend to be very nice...I think this one we caught at a funny stage.. a bit hot even? I didn't check the % but it seemed a little on the hot side...I've had some of these before but with more age and this just didn't do it for me. I can see the structure, the fruit, the acidity was good as well..nose was nice but not giving away too much. It needs quite a bit more time...
Tyrells Vat 1 1999.
One of my favorite semillons ever...this and the 1998 are both really fantastic. Looked good through the bottle so from an oxidation standpoint it was looking good. Popped it, sniffed it, took a sip...perfect. Still really young with very vibrant acidity...Too young maybe? I don't know but it had fantastic depth, toasty notes..honey and just really fantastic acid. There was some left near the end of the night and it was still singing..these are so good it is a shame they're under cork though.
Eileen Hardy Chardonnay 2008
A lot of really nice Chardonnay out of Australia...Really good acidity, good depth, a bit too much oak at this stage, I really want to see this in 5 years or so..but this is drinking really nicely now. I really like when Chardonnays have some fatness to them (oak, malo, etc) but still have that acidity to balance that out. It makes for a very complex, very complete wine.
Kumeu River Mate's Chardonnay 2008
Very similar to the Eileen Hardy but maybe a bit less obvious oak. New Zealand has a lot of great stuff as well..Kumeu is consistently great and one of the best. It is also really easy to find in the US making it a quality drop at a pretty reasonable price. 40ish dollars for a complex Chardonnay with good acidity.
Penfolds St. Henri 1998
A few months back I had the 1993 which wasn't a great vintage but it was fantastic. 1998 was a really good year so I had really high expectations. What we got was both good and bad. On the good side, the structure was fantastic, I think this wine will last another 15+ years. It was pretty typical of a lot of St. Henris which take a lot of time to come around...on the bad, it was just too too tight considering this wine was 15-16 years from vintage...I want to see this in 10 years..not sure if I'll have the chance but I think it'll be great.
Felton Road Block 5 2008.
I generally like most of the stuff from Felton Road..their Pinots tend to be very nice...I think this one we caught at a funny stage.. a bit hot even? I didn't check the % but it seemed a little on the hot side...I've had some of these before but with more age and this just didn't do it for me. I can see the structure, the fruit, the acidity was good as well..nose was nice but not giving away too much. It needs quite a bit more time...
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Penfolds
Been a pretty crazy couple of months so my apologies for not posting here recently...
I've been pretty anti Penfolds lately...with their huge price hikes in the last few years, they've gone from being pretty good value in their bin series to really poor value in their bin series. I can only assume they've been so popular in China that they have been able to get away with their ridiculous price hikes...more power to them if they can keep it up...
I've been rather unimpressed by most of the bin series lately at their price points...with maybe the exception being the 2010 Bin 389 which, while overpriced, was still a pretty good wine.
All that aside, I recently had two older Penfolds that were definitely shining...
Penfolds St. Henri 1993. St. Henri has always been a favorite of mine...No new oak...High quality fruit...It used to be right there with the Grange but less understood and a bit more quirky....To be honest, I'm a bit surprised they still make this and seeing how recent ones have been, it is almost a shame what they've done with it..but that said, THIS St Henri was absolutely fantastic. Because it was a lesser vintage, I think the expectations were pretty low but once I got a sniff I knew this would be good. Strawberries, mocha, pepper and spice...on the palate this still had some bright red fruit, but layers of mocha and herbs..some meaty characters coming through. One of the guys I was with commented this is what the Grange he opened for his birthday should have been. Fully resolved tannins, good acidity, great complexity, fantastic mouthfeel. I'm a bit of a fan of trying to get off vintages..I think they offer better value and the wines often really surprise people. Maybe the structure isn't quite as good as it would be in a great year but sometimes that ends up being a really good thing. This is a great example of that. Fantastic wine, punching way above its weight but I'd probably drink up now if I had any left.
Penfolds Bin 389 1998. A great year in South Australia so the wines all had great fruit..a lot were made with really good structure and were expected to hold up. Bin 389s were always really great values...VERY VERY cellarable and not too long ago you were buying them in the 20s. With fewer labels to split fruit with, the 389 still got some really high quality fruit, used barrels from the previous year's Grange and was made in a similar fashion. This is a fantastic example of that. Dark fruits, mocha, vanilla and herbs on the nose. Great complexity on the palate. Very similar to the St. Henri but most definitely younger. Penfolds has a very "clean" profile to me..they're generally well made, no flaws and this is showing that very well. To me the St. Henri was showing better (although only slightly) but the St. Henri was probably on its last few years...This 389 is going to outlast it and will easily go another 10+ years. If I knew the 2010 bin 389 would end up like this, 60ish dollars wouldn't seem too bad and coming from someone that has pretty much bashed Penfolds the last 4 years, that is saying a lot about how good this wine was.
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