I think one region that has been a bit of a disappointment for me is Tasmania...Given the weather, I would expect some really great stuff to come out of there and frankly, a lot of it hasn't performed like I think it could...
But I think that is going to change..
I'll start off with the Pinots....Not too long ago these were still very overripe....very shiraz like in texture and how they were being made. They had great acid, but they were just too big, too ripe, too bold, too much oak....so it was a great surprise to see quite a few Pinot Noirs from Tassie that have actually started to have that lighter mouthfeel, great acidity and still ripe but not overripe fruit. Stefano Lubiana and Glaetzer Dixon are good examples..but you're seeing quite a few from several different places.
Don't get me wrong, still a lot of very shiraz like Pinots out of Tassie...but I do like that we're seeing some of them come out of their comfort zone and really make a Pinot that can compete with others from other countries rather than appeal to the fruit bomb crowd..
Whites
A few years ago, I started seeing a few winemakers experiment with some skin contact to give their wines some added texture...today, nearly every winemaker is doing that or having solids in the ferment to give their wines this added texture/grip.
Now, I think it is great as it adds a lot of interest..but I can't help to think, don't these winemakers want to make wine THEY want to drink or that they think is how it should be made? Forget about everyone else, just make something you think its great...instead, like what I think is typical of Australian winemakers (especially the over 30 crowd), they just follow a trend.
It isn't like this stuff is new...maybe more people are doing it now but this isn't new...so my question is, if you enjoyed it, why didn't you do it earlier? And if you don't really want your wine to be like that, why do you make it like that?
I've probably mentioned Domaine A on here a few times...I'm not a fan of their Pinot Noir at all..in fact, except for the fact that it is made from a Pinot Noir Grape, it is nothing like a Pinot Noir...but one thing I can respect is the winemaker saying, I don't care what anyone says, this is how I want to make this...and he does...People that enjoy his style will buy his stuff and I think that is great...
I mean, I know winemakers evolve...I know there are trends...I know money is important....but to me this goes a bit beyond that.....I feel weird complaining about it because honestly, I like the fact that they make a Pinot Grigio that actually has some interest....I like what they're doing but I'd much rather see a winemaker really passionate about what they do and couldn't give a damn what anyone else thinks..I want to taste their effort, their philosophy, I want to taste the wine they want to make in their head...
Friday, September 11, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Mac Forbes Riesling
Mac Forbes Strathbogie Riesling 2011
I'm generally impressed by most of Mac Forbes stuff...Some of it is just ok but I find the rieslings to be very interesting and in general, the wines to just be of very high quality.
The 2011 Strathbogie Riesling has 19 g/L of RS which is a fair amount, especially for Australia, but the great acidity really helps cut through that and provides a wonderful balance. Slight petrol on the nose but not overpowering, toasty lemon notes, some bruised apple. The palate has some slight grip to it which suggests extended skin contact although I don't know if that was really the case. I know their EB version does have this, would be interesting to see if this has any at all.
Overall, quite an enjoyable Aussie Riesling....I actually find the RS/Acidity/Fruit to be well integrated compared to most Aussie Rieslings. 90 points.
I'm generally impressed by most of Mac Forbes stuff...Some of it is just ok but I find the rieslings to be very interesting and in general, the wines to just be of very high quality.
The 2011 Strathbogie Riesling has 19 g/L of RS which is a fair amount, especially for Australia, but the great acidity really helps cut through that and provides a wonderful balance. Slight petrol on the nose but not overpowering, toasty lemon notes, some bruised apple. The palate has some slight grip to it which suggests extended skin contact although I don't know if that was really the case. I know their EB version does have this, would be interesting to see if this has any at all.
Overall, quite an enjoyable Aussie Riesling....I actually find the RS/Acidity/Fruit to be well integrated compared to most Aussie Rieslings. 90 points.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Lethbridge Mietta
I've mentioned Lethbridge several times as it continues to be one of my favorite wineries in Australia.
Great Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and some cool blends...
Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir 2008
I had this a few years back and was impressed but this came across so much more Beaune like in texture but it has definitely changed a lot since then...
Smoky meats on the nose, some herbs, red fruits...there is a charred green stem smell to it...the way I see it in my head is taking a green plant or stem and then putting it on a yakitori grill and then stripping off some of the black stuff and taking a bite of it....The mouthfeel has changed a bit since I had it before..lighter on the palate with the fruit having fallen off a bit..the tannins are far more in the background as well...which has moved this from more Beaune like to more Nuits like in texture. Acidity is still really good.....
Still very much in the vein of the area (Bannockburn Geelong) with the vegetal thing going on..but I'd rank it behind Bannockburn and By Farr in the vegetal department...
For an Aussie Pinot, I think it is great....it has the right texture, not too ripe, has a bit of grip, a bit of interest....
Great Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and some cool blends...
Lethbridge Mietta Pinot Noir 2008
I had this a few years back and was impressed but this came across so much more Beaune like in texture but it has definitely changed a lot since then...
Smoky meats on the nose, some herbs, red fruits...there is a charred green stem smell to it...the way I see it in my head is taking a green plant or stem and then putting it on a yakitori grill and then stripping off some of the black stuff and taking a bite of it....The mouthfeel has changed a bit since I had it before..lighter on the palate with the fruit having fallen off a bit..the tannins are far more in the background as well...which has moved this from more Beaune like to more Nuits like in texture. Acidity is still really good.....
Still very much in the vein of the area (Bannockburn Geelong) with the vegetal thing going on..but I'd rank it behind Bannockburn and By Farr in the vegetal department...
For an Aussie Pinot, I think it is great....it has the right texture, not too ripe, has a bit of grip, a bit of interest....
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Tyrrells Futures Semillon
Tyrrells Futures Semillon....
I've had a number of these..99s and 98s mainly....Most have been pretty good, some are oxidized...but I was able to pick them up so cheaply it didn't matter...
Tyrrell's Futures Semillon 1998. Great acidity, toasty notes, honey, slight lanolin but not a lot. Good depth of flavor. Not as good as VAT 1 but still very good. It is missing that extra depth that keeps it from being a fantastic semillon but still, the acidity and everything else is really singing and it is making for a wonderful drop. 90 points.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Domaine Simha
So it was brought up in one of the forums...Domaine Simha..
New producer out of Tasmania...
Most of the reviews (the few I could find) on their wine seem to suggest the wines are of good quality....but after taking a look into their prices, I have to wonder, is this just marketing? Firm belief in their product? High cost of operating in Tasmania?
To give you an idea of what we're looking at:
Riesling - $75 dollars. This puts them at the top of the tree price wise for an AU Riesling. More expensive than Grosset Polish Hill, which I don't like that much but is probably considered the #1 AU Riesling...More expensive than Crawford River, more expensive than Leo Buring, Pikes Merle, etc, etc...List all of the top Rieslings in AU and this is about twice as expensive as those are...Even from an international standpoint, this puts it more expensive than Donnhoff, more expensive than a lot of JJ Prum (depends on which one)..but it essentially puts it at the high end of German Rieslings...
Chardonnay - $95 dollars. I think outside of Giaconda, this is the most expensive AU Chardonnay...more so than Leeuwin Arts, more expensive than By Farr, than Xanadu Reserve...there is a huge list of really top AU Chardonnay in that 55-80 dollar bracket and this is more expensive than those..
Pinot Noir - $85/$150/$250. So on their low end, they're more expensive than nearly every other Pinot in Australia...on their high end they're in there with Bass Phillip Reserve....in the case of the $250, the first release will be in 2016....$250 gets you a pretty damn good Red Burgundy as well..
So all of this and ZERO track record. None...
I hate to say it but this all looks like a lot of marketing BS. Price it high, make people believe it is a quality product and they're paying for something special.....You know, I get the idea, I understand the thought process behind it...the problem is it really doesn't work well with wine. At the end of the day, it still needs to perform. Even the most overhyped wine, Ace of Spades, is still a good wine...and Champagne is already associated with luxury and most of the people buying it have no idea anyways....But in a market like still wine, is that going to work? So far all of the companies that have tried that have failed...Now with this one, it actually looks like the wine is good...which really helps...but is it good enough to justify those prices? I don't know..
I will say...The price hype and the good reviews has made me want to try the wine...I certainly would be interested in trying it...but would I buy it? Not at this point...There is absolutely nothing to suggest this is going to be better than so many other things out there...Tassie, in general, has not shown itself to be ideal for Pinot. You'd think it would be but they just don't perform at their price point...It is funny, I feel like it is complete marketing but I still want to try it....I want to try it because if it is good, I always love good wine..and if it isn't as good as it should be, I'll have no issues saying so..and I'll want to say so....I see the lightning storm but I'm still walking towards it...
New producer out of Tasmania...
Most of the reviews (the few I could find) on their wine seem to suggest the wines are of good quality....but after taking a look into their prices, I have to wonder, is this just marketing? Firm belief in their product? High cost of operating in Tasmania?
To give you an idea of what we're looking at:
Riesling - $75 dollars. This puts them at the top of the tree price wise for an AU Riesling. More expensive than Grosset Polish Hill, which I don't like that much but is probably considered the #1 AU Riesling...More expensive than Crawford River, more expensive than Leo Buring, Pikes Merle, etc, etc...List all of the top Rieslings in AU and this is about twice as expensive as those are...Even from an international standpoint, this puts it more expensive than Donnhoff, more expensive than a lot of JJ Prum (depends on which one)..but it essentially puts it at the high end of German Rieslings...
Chardonnay - $95 dollars. I think outside of Giaconda, this is the most expensive AU Chardonnay...more so than Leeuwin Arts, more expensive than By Farr, than Xanadu Reserve...there is a huge list of really top AU Chardonnay in that 55-80 dollar bracket and this is more expensive than those..
Pinot Noir - $85/$150/$250. So on their low end, they're more expensive than nearly every other Pinot in Australia...on their high end they're in there with Bass Phillip Reserve....in the case of the $250, the first release will be in 2016....$250 gets you a pretty damn good Red Burgundy as well..
So all of this and ZERO track record. None...
I hate to say it but this all looks like a lot of marketing BS. Price it high, make people believe it is a quality product and they're paying for something special.....You know, I get the idea, I understand the thought process behind it...the problem is it really doesn't work well with wine. At the end of the day, it still needs to perform. Even the most overhyped wine, Ace of Spades, is still a good wine...and Champagne is already associated with luxury and most of the people buying it have no idea anyways....But in a market like still wine, is that going to work? So far all of the companies that have tried that have failed...Now with this one, it actually looks like the wine is good...which really helps...but is it good enough to justify those prices? I don't know..
I will say...The price hype and the good reviews has made me want to try the wine...I certainly would be interested in trying it...but would I buy it? Not at this point...There is absolutely nothing to suggest this is going to be better than so many other things out there...Tassie, in general, has not shown itself to be ideal for Pinot. You'd think it would be but they just don't perform at their price point...It is funny, I feel like it is complete marketing but I still want to try it....I want to try it because if it is good, I always love good wine..and if it isn't as good as it should be, I'll have no issues saying so..and I'll want to say so....I see the lightning storm but I'm still walking towards it...
BK Wines Skin and Bones Pinot 2013
BK Wines has been doing a lot of interesting things with their wines...generally, I'm pretty impressed by the quality and they tend to always be interesting.
BK Wines Skin and Bones Pinot 2013.
These spend a good amount of time on skins (100 days). 10% new oak. When I first got a whiff of this I thought, ok..Aussie pinot...Palate was a bit hot and ripe (only 12.5% alcohol though)...Tannins were more apparent but not off putting..but it just reminded me what I dislike about Aussie Pinot...cherry cola like...Might've even been a bit spritzy...
BUT
After some time, this really started to come into its own..the nose become a lot more interesting...with the heat going away and replaced with some earth, mushrooms, herbs.....Palate became far more mid weight, red cherries and it tastes like some stalk but I'm not sure if any whole bunch was used. Tannins are apparent but they're the nice ones (on my tongue vs. lips). The acidity was great..overall palate progression became quite good....Whereas before this wine had some aspects of Aussie Pinot and a very very ripe Gevrey...it really started moving away from typical Aussie pinot..still ripe which makes you think new world..but with a lot of interest and overall great texture...
You can find this for around 30 AUD if you can find it at all...and it is definitely a good buy at that......90 points..
BK Wines Skin and Bones Pinot 2013.
These spend a good amount of time on skins (100 days). 10% new oak. When I first got a whiff of this I thought, ok..Aussie pinot...Palate was a bit hot and ripe (only 12.5% alcohol though)...Tannins were more apparent but not off putting..but it just reminded me what I dislike about Aussie Pinot...cherry cola like...Might've even been a bit spritzy...
BUT
After some time, this really started to come into its own..the nose become a lot more interesting...with the heat going away and replaced with some earth, mushrooms, herbs.....Palate became far more mid weight, red cherries and it tastes like some stalk but I'm not sure if any whole bunch was used. Tannins are apparent but they're the nice ones (on my tongue vs. lips). The acidity was great..overall palate progression became quite good....Whereas before this wine had some aspects of Aussie Pinot and a very very ripe Gevrey...it really started moving away from typical Aussie pinot..still ripe which makes you think new world..but with a lot of interest and overall great texture...
You can find this for around 30 AUD if you can find it at all...and it is definitely a good buy at that......90 points..
Friday, July 3, 2015
MP Hunter
I'm generally a fan of Meerea Park in the Hunter. Great Sems...pretty good Chardonnays..and pretty good Shiraz as well. The Shiraz tend to be on the bigger end of the Hunter Spectrum..with more oak and riper fruit, but they're well made and they do have some really nice wines...
Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2003.
Nose is slightly muted when I first open this...stays like that for awhile. Hint of match stick/sulfur....On the Palate it tastes heavily reduced...Very reduced at this point and awkward on the palate..oak it sticking out...heavy match stick flavors....I wait a bit longer...
1+ hour in, still reduced but some red fruits coming across..oak is less obvious but honestly, I'm not overly enjoying this...
Day 2 - I felt this just needed a lot of air to get rid of some of the reduction...huge difference in the wine...brighter red fruits, good acid...Still a bit heavy on the oak but not too bad...Slight hints of leather, crushed rock and pepper....Good Shiraz...90 points...
I enjoy what I consider the oakier Hunter Shiraz makers (Thomas, Meerea Park, Brokenwood) because they use great overall technique and have great fruit...but I definitely wouldn't mind seeing it toned down slightly....
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