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
Sunday, June 29, 2014
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.
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