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.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
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...
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