December 2007 Archives
A lovely gift from a lovely friend, we thought this wine would be ideal for a lazy New Year's Day afternoon. René Geoffroy is a small grower/producer that makes an interesting range of sparkling and table wines.
Energetic mousse that dissipates quickly, leaving a relatively fine, sparse bead. Pale, almost watery gold in colour, excellent clarity. Initially, the nose showed overpowering yeast notes alongside subtle aromas of cut apple and tobacco smokiness. With time, the nose has gained balance between its elements, though it's still on the yeasty side. Generous and fresh. The wine's entry is striking, immediately introducing a spritzy mouthfeel and the beginnings of generous cut apple fruit flavour, which continues without interruption to the middle palate. This is a forward, relatively full bodied Champagne that zings around the mouth with savoury astringence and good intensity of flavour. Although it doesn't hold back as a style, it's not a clumsy wine and retains a sense of poise at all times. But it's exuberant and fun and doesn't demand your full concentration, despite its evident quality. Intense, pristine flavour continues in a focused line through the after palate on to a lingering, satisfying finish.
If only all gifts were this rewarding.
Price: Gift
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
So I'm back in Brisbane but I keep buying New Zealand wines. Go figure. It's New Year's Eve here and we're having baked salmon, so I thought some Central Otago Pinot Noir might be the go.
Instantly recognisable as Central Otago Pinot, with that distinctive sweet/sour plum fruit character quite evident on the nose. This wine has a depth and subtlety, though, lacking in many other Pinots from the region. It's no simple fruit bomb. The fruit itself, although clearly varietal and of its region, is quite complex, with subtle citrus peel and floral notes contributing to the flavour profile. There are also smoky, reductive edges that add interest and a sense of sophistication.
The entry is sharp and linear, leading to a structured middle palate that showcases savoury fruit and astringent sourness in equal measure. There's little easy fruit sweetness here. Instead, a complex array of beguiling fruit flavours sit atop a toasty oak frame, extending well into an intense, slightly sweet after palate. Palate weight is medium bodied, but the wine's structure is quite prominent at this stage, creating an impression of greater size. Really quite acidic, not unpleasantly so for my taste, but pretty bold for sure. Tannins are equally assertive, and carry the wine through a finish that is long and satisfying, though youthful and raw also.
Those who enjoy Central Otago pinot would do well to seek out this wine. It's clearly an excellent wine, though those with patience are well advised to leave it alone for a few months or years before tasting.
Price: $A57
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007 (just)
More quaffers for me, including this one, which is a ridiculously cheap Pinot Noir. Already two things in its favour as far as I'm concerned. Grapes are from various regions in Victoria, including the Yarra and King Valleys.
Perfumed, lively nose showing strawberry-like red fruits and perhaps a little stalk. I'm not going to kid you and say there's any significant complexity, but the fruit is varietal, clean and tasty. The light to medium bodied palate is surprisingly generous, with only a slight hint of the flavour dilution that marks this wine as a budget offering. Fruit flavour itself is attractive, with a delicious sourness adding itself to the simple red fruits observed on the nose. Again there's slight stalkiness and well balanced acid to keep things moving. Mouthfeel is a highlight; it's delicately textural without ever becoming coarse. The wine's finish is light on tannin and of adequate length. If there's any oak here, I couldn't taste it.
I'm chuffed that $12 buys a Pinot of clearly varietal character, cleverly made in a style that rewards immediate consumption with food. We had this with salmon, and the combination was rewarding, the fish bringing the wine's brighter flavours to the fore.
De Bortoli
Price: $A12
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
The things that make a successful quaffing wine can be quite different from those that make a wine rewarding to sip contemplatively. This wine is a case in point. We cracked it open last night to share amongst a group of people who just wanted some wine to go with food.
On the nose, there are aromas of tropical-ish fruit (perhaps some banana too) and a more astringent, herbal edge. It has impact (in that the flavours register easily upon sniffing) but is not a wine that dominates the moment. The palate is quite generous, surprisingly full in body, and shows a similar spectrum of fruit flavours as the nose, along with exceptionally well judged phenolics that contribute texture, freshness and the impression of astringent fresh herbs. It's not a refined wine, but the very coarseness of each element is what makes this wine so easy to drink. It's not a wine you have to work hard at, it gives what it has easily, and it's balanced to encourage another sip, then another...
To return to my starting point, a good quaffer will often fly slightly "under the radar" insofar as it doesn't stand out in any particular way, but that's what makes one so good to drink. This wine is generous and tasty, whilst completely avoiding all the pitfalls of cheap wine -- cloyingly simple flavours, lack of intensity, strange flavours, unbalanced structure (lack of or too much), etc. Great BBQ wine.
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I suppose I was tempting fate by opening a cheapy after all the super Kiwi wines I've been having of late. However, one (or at least I) can't drink at the $50 price point every day, so cheapies I must. We're lucky in Australia to have a large range of reasonably priced wines that are far superior to industrial swill, so it has been reasonable to expect in the last few years that $15 or so will yield a wine of character and interest. So what does that amount of money buy one from Chile?
On the basis of this wine, a whole lot of DMS and not much else. On the nose, rather characterless with that signature DMS note of ultra blackcurrant flip-flopping with tinned corn (thankfully no two day old raw mussels). The entry is slippery and introduces a palate with more blackcurrant juice in the context of a mouthfeel that is all about smoothness. But it's not tannin or acid smoothless, it's actually a lack of these things that creates an almost watery effect. Certainly easy to drink, and for those challenged by a perceived "harshness" in most red wines might enjoy the ease of this wine. There are some sweet oak characters too, subtle and well judged in terms of what this wine is. Tannins start to creep in a little on the finish, but it's nothing too harsh and doesn't begin to challenge any other aspect of this wine.
So, what to think? Certainly, I found this wine boring to the extent of wondering what is its point. Reading the back label, the wine is described as an "elegant and refined wine with a marked fruitiness almost irresistible to Merlot lovers." And yes, it has a "marked fruitiness" (if we accept the super blackcurrant juice flavour as fruit driven) that is inoffensive and very easy to drink. To be honest, though, there are a lot of local wines that are of considerably greater interest to this at a similar price point.
Price: $A10
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
A single vineyard wine made from Martinborough grapes, made by a Hawkes Bay based winery. At cellar door, this wine smelled a bit one dimensional and fruit bright, but the other half latched on to it and suggested we get another bottle for more leisurely consumption. I'm glad I listened!
A lightfooted nose of significant complexity, moving through an attractive spectrum of flavours. Bright red fruits (strawberry/cherry-like), stalk, earth, freshly baked things, a bit of vanilla, etc. There's a lot in there, and it coheres well. The palate is similarly dextrous, and of good intensity despite being of light to medium body. Entry is slippery and fresh, leading to a middle palate full of bright flavour and interest. A good dose of acidity keeps things lively and adds impact to the wine's flavour profile. I've sat with the wine all evening and it has reached a point of excellent balance between flavour components. Lots of bright fruit, but equally prominent minerality and herbal astringency, with subtle oak adding another dimension. Flavour extends well into the after palate, and the finish sings with very fine tannins and acidity.
What a lovely wine. It's both delicate and powerful, with a most attractive flavour profile.
Craggy Range
Price: $NZ50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
A lightfooted nose of significant complexity, moving through an attractive spectrum of flavours. Bright red fruits (strawberry/cherry-like), stalk, earth, freshly baked things, a bit of vanilla, etc. There's a lot in there, and it coheres well. The palate is similarly dextrous, and of good intensity despite being of light to medium body. Entry is slippery and fresh, leading to a middle palate full of bright flavour and interest. A good dose of acidity keeps things lively and adds impact to the wine's flavour profile. I've sat with the wine all evening and it has reached a point of excellent balance between flavour components. Lots of bright fruit, but equally prominent minerality and herbal astringency, with subtle oak adding another dimension. Flavour extends well into the after palate, and the finish sings with very fine tannins and acidity.
What a lovely wine. It's both delicate and powerful, with a most attractive flavour profile.
Craggy Range
Price: $NZ50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Black Barn has an interesting range of wines, including some that are unusual in the context of Hawkes Bay producers. This wine, a straight Malbec, is one of them (they also do a Sangiovese and straight Cabernet Franc in addition to a wide range of other red and white wines). I tried this at cellar door and it seemed promising at the time, so I picked up a bottle for more thorough tasting later on.
Captivating, expressive nose of dried flowers (of similar character to Gimblett Gravels Syrah, though this wine is from a different sub-region in Hawkes Bay), sweet jammy Malbec fruit, some oak, some stalk/foliage. Complex without being forbidding. The entry is smooth and tactile; the point at which fruit flavour hits the tongue is quite palpable. Full bodied middle plalate is full of intensely sweet fruit, more savoury dried flowers, and toasty oak. The wine's line continues strongly through the palate and rises a little during the after palate, creating a nice lift of flavour. The finish is characterised by fine, chocolate-like tannins that extend the wine's flavour most satisfyingly.
What a fun wine. There's nothing super sophisticated about this number, but it's full of flavour, shows good complexity, has character and is ready to drink right now. What's not to like?
Black Barn
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
Captivating, expressive nose of dried flowers (of similar character to Gimblett Gravels Syrah, though this wine is from a different sub-region in Hawkes Bay), sweet jammy Malbec fruit, some oak, some stalk/foliage. Complex without being forbidding. The entry is smooth and tactile; the point at which fruit flavour hits the tongue is quite palpable. Full bodied middle plalate is full of intensely sweet fruit, more savoury dried flowers, and toasty oak. The wine's line continues strongly through the palate and rises a little during the after palate, creating a nice lift of flavour. The finish is characterised by fine, chocolate-like tannins that extend the wine's flavour most satisfyingly.
What a fun wine. There's nothing super sophisticated about this number, but it's full of flavour, shows good complexity, has character and is ready to drink right now. What's not to like?
Black Barn
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
The other half is quite fond of Pinot Gris and that keeps me in the tasting loop as far as this variety is concerned. It's quite fashionable to knock this varietal as unworthy but, occasionally, a wine does stand out. They are the exceptions that prove the rule, perhaps.
Quite a rich colour, hay-like verging on golden. A subtle nose of pear, apple skins, some vanilla oak and bitterness. The palate is big but strangely flavourless. Initially, the entry ushers in similar fruit flavours as seen on the nose. On the middle palate, however, phenolic bitterness becomes quite prominent and persists until an after palate and finish that display alcohol heat (14%).These combine to mask the attractive, varietal fruit flavour and transform the wine into a rather coarse experience.
Time in glass didn't assist with the wine's balance. I think this wine might be best accompanied by something summery and rustic in flavour -- Caesar salad, perhaps.
Black Barn
Price: $NZ20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Quite a rich colour, hay-like verging on golden. A subtle nose of pear, apple skins, some vanilla oak and bitterness. The palate is big but strangely flavourless. Initially, the entry ushers in similar fruit flavours as seen on the nose. On the middle palate, however, phenolic bitterness becomes quite prominent and persists until an after palate and finish that display alcohol heat (14%).These combine to mask the attractive, varietal fruit flavour and transform the wine into a rather coarse experience.
Time in glass didn't assist with the wine's balance. I think this wine might be best accompanied by something summery and rustic in flavour -- Caesar salad, perhaps.
Black Barn
Price: $NZ20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I tasted another Te Mata Chardonnay, the Woodthorpe Vineyard wine, a couple of weeks ago and was quite impressed. So I picked up Te Mata's premium Chardonnay eagerly at cellar door, and today had the chance to open it for a drink. Nice wine to finish off Christmas Day, I reckon.
Youthful, pale hay colour, good clarity. The nose is quite tight, with some yeasty characters along with zingy citrus and some nutty oak. Balanced and subtle, with flavours showing excellent integration. The wine's entry is very fresh due to prominent acidity, and marks the start of a very structured, driven line that shoots right down the middle of the tongue. The middle palate shows an array of flavours ranging from cooler climate Chardonnay fruit to yeasty/creamy characters and nutty/spicy oak. Fruit flavour is moderately intense and of good complexity. As with the Woodthorpe, the wine is really well balanced, each element contributing an appropriate amount of flavour and structure to the wine. Unlike the Woodthorpe, the Elston is much more structural, at least at this stage. This translates to an impression of astringency and suggests the wine might drink well in a couple of years' time.
An impressive wine that is all about harmony rather than impact and scale. Drink this with a creamy pasta dish and leave some in the bottle to ponder through the evening. Good value for what it is.
Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ37.20
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
Youthful, pale hay colour, good clarity. The nose is quite tight, with some yeasty characters along with zingy citrus and some nutty oak. Balanced and subtle, with flavours showing excellent integration. The wine's entry is very fresh due to prominent acidity, and marks the start of a very structured, driven line that shoots right down the middle of the tongue. The middle palate shows an array of flavours ranging from cooler climate Chardonnay fruit to yeasty/creamy characters and nutty/spicy oak. Fruit flavour is moderately intense and of good complexity. As with the Woodthorpe, the wine is really well balanced, each element contributing an appropriate amount of flavour and structure to the wine. Unlike the Woodthorpe, the Elston is much more structural, at least at this stage. This translates to an impression of astringency and suggests the wine might drink well in a couple of years' time.
An impressive wine that is all about harmony rather than impact and scale. Drink this with a creamy pasta dish and leave some in the bottle to ponder through the evening. Good value for what it is.
Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ37.20
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
Another wine from Unison that we tasted (and purchased) at cellar door. It seems everyone is producing a rosé nowadays, and it's curious to watch the influence of fashion on wine production, especially regarding a wine style that has gone from terminally daggy to hip in the space of a very few years. Unison is quick to point out that its rosé is made from grapes of the same quality as the used in rest of its range, not inferior grapes as may be the case with other producers. The proof is in the pudding, of course.
A bright, almost lurid rose petal colour, good clarity, fun to look at. The nose is surprisingly complex and contains elements of bright red fruit, some peppery spice, and fresh flowers. It's not a superficial flavour profile, and the wine hints at a depth of flavour that doesn't always present in rosé styles.
Entry is bright and ushers in a palate of quite generous body. The flavour profile is fun and friendly but also possesses a savoury aspect that adds sophistication to this wine. It's totally dry but full of fruit flavour, such that there's the impression of sweetness and weight without residual sugar. Good acidity, not overdone, keeps things fresh in the mouth. Tannins are pretty subliminal on the finish, and it's not the longest wine around.
This is a good wine to haul out if you want a rosé with some sophistication to serve with, say, paella.
Unison Vineyard
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Saw this on the supermarket shelf the other day and it piqued my interest, both because it's a dessert wine made of Riesling and it's (ostensibly) an ice wine too. The Seifried website says this wine is made "in the style" of an ice wine, and that the grapes are pressed frozen (whether on the vine or not - the site isn't specific).
Although this wine is under screwcap, I swear there's a slightly corky flavour on the nose that hasn't blown off with swirling. It's the same slightly musty note one sometimes observes in aged Rieslings and Semillons - quite attractive actually, but unexpected in this wine. It's otherwise a lovely, if subtle, nose of intense, musky florals and sweet candied fruit. The palate is strikingly sweet from the very first moments of the entry onwards, and shows a flavour profile approaching delicate marmalade. Good complexity and, in spite of the level of sweetness, quite a linear structure, owing to well balanced acidity. So, it's a sweet wine, to be sipped rather than gulped, but it's not broad or sloppy in the least. The after palate tapers off gently, towards a delicate finish of good length.
I enjoyed this wine very much, and would probably choose to serve it with a dessert of equal intensity, perhaps with both in small quantities. A big experience in miniature, as it were.
Seifried Estate
Price: $NZ25 (375ml)
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Sure, the packaging isn't gonna win any awards - the label looks like it was done in Microsoft Word 97 complete with early dot com era clip art, the capsule is cheap and flimsy, and the cork looks like someone scrounged it from a county fair, but the first whiff ain't half bad - at first, generic industrial red wine, but then, suddenly, fresh red raspberries appear. There's also a bit of dusty oak there - I'm assuming chips, shavings, something cheap - but it works just fine. There's also a hint of sourness as well as something that's either Mint or Murphy's oil soap. All in all, surprisingly complex.
Color-wise, it's medium ruby red in the glass, bright and sparkling, pretty enough to look at it. The big surprise is when you take a taste of it: it's full, round, not half bad. It seems kinda bit flabby - a bit too much residual sugar without supporting acidity, and it's kind of dumb on the finish; it sticks around longer than you'd probably want it to, which I suppose makes it perfect for holiday gatherings (Kidding! Hi Dad!). It may be nothing special, but it's better than most wines at this price point.
Bears' Lair (but really Bronco Wine Company)
Price: US $3.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Color-wise, it's medium ruby red in the glass, bright and sparkling, pretty enough to look at it. The big surprise is when you take a taste of it: it's full, round, not half bad. It seems kinda bit flabby - a bit too much residual sugar without supporting acidity, and it's kind of dumb on the finish; it sticks around longer than you'd probably want it to, which I suppose makes it perfect for holiday gatherings (Kidding! Hi Dad!). It may be nothing special, but it's better than most wines at this price point.
Bears' Lair (but really Bronco Wine Company)
Price: US $3.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
If you're in the Hawkes Bay area, I strongly recommend a visit to Unison Vineyard. We dropped in and were greeted by the effusive and extremely passionate viticulturalist, who gave us a sensational tasting and lots of information about each wine, the vineyard, and the region generally. Oh, also they make a lovely olive oil (from Estate fruit) and a delicious Balsamic vinegar. This wine is their straight Merlot, priced reasonably and intended to be consumed sooner rather than later.
Garnet colour, looking a bit older, perhaps, than one might expect from a 2006 vintage wine. Attractive, though. The nose is fabulous -- a lifted, multifaceted flavour profile that passes through herbal, medicinal notes, dark fruits and some oak quite seamlessly. Overall, quite savoury and tight. The entry is subtle, and the wine builds intensity as the palate progresses. The middle palate is again quite savoury, with lots of dark fruit and more herbal flavours, and a sweet edge to keep things relatively easygoing. Medium weight palate with a nicely textured, somewhat rustic mouthfeel (somewhat Italianate, perhaps). Oak is reasonably prominent, and perhaps a little coarse in its sappiness, but never overwhelms the wine. The after palate starts to drop slightly in intensity before drying, slightly rustic tannins kick in to carry the wine off with good length.
This is a very drinkable wine that will, I imagine, go very well with Italian food. A nice expression of Merlot that will please lovers of the more savoury side of this varietal. Good value too.
Unison Vineyard
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Garnet colour, looking a bit older, perhaps, than one might expect from a 2006 vintage wine. Attractive, though. The nose is fabulous -- a lifted, multifaceted flavour profile that passes through herbal, medicinal notes, dark fruits and some oak quite seamlessly. Overall, quite savoury and tight. The entry is subtle, and the wine builds intensity as the palate progresses. The middle palate is again quite savoury, with lots of dark fruit and more herbal flavours, and a sweet edge to keep things relatively easygoing. Medium weight palate with a nicely textured, somewhat rustic mouthfeel (somewhat Italianate, perhaps). Oak is reasonably prominent, and perhaps a little coarse in its sappiness, but never overwhelms the wine. The after palate starts to drop slightly in intensity before drying, slightly rustic tannins kick in to carry the wine off with good length.
This is a very drinkable wine that will, I imagine, go very well with Italian food. A nice expression of Merlot that will please lovers of the more savoury side of this varietal. Good value too.
Unison Vineyard
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I had a few Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blancs while in the area and, perhaps inevitably, found some wineries comparing their wines to (perhaps even justifying against) Marlborough wines. This wine from Black Barn is pretty representative of the Hawkes Bay style.
Pale, hay-like colour, brilliant clarity. Heavy, thick tropical fruit aromas that lack the higher register of flavours that make the Marlborough style so distinctive. Some may consider this a very good thing. Certainly flavourful, if not explosive. Lively entry that zings with firm, though not searing, acidity. The middle palate is full of tropical fruit flavours and passionfruit, not lightfooted so much as thick and heady. No great complexity here, but it's a nice flavour profile for sure. The after palate rises in the back of the mouth to a climax and then tapers off pretty quickly. The finish is of adequate length for this varietal.
I'm in two minds about this wine. On the one hand, it's a nice change from Marlborough wines, it tastes good and it's well priced. On the other hand, it's a not especially distinctive wine (and style). Nice for a change of pace, perhaps.
Black Barn
Price: $NZ18
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Pale, hay-like colour, brilliant clarity. Heavy, thick tropical fruit aromas that lack the higher register of flavours that make the Marlborough style so distinctive. Some may consider this a very good thing. Certainly flavourful, if not explosive. Lively entry that zings with firm, though not searing, acidity. The middle palate is full of tropical fruit flavours and passionfruit, not lightfooted so much as thick and heady. No great complexity here, but it's a nice flavour profile for sure. The after palate rises in the back of the mouth to a climax and then tapers off pretty quickly. The finish is of adequate length for this varietal.
I'm in two minds about this wine. On the one hand, it's a nice change from Marlborough wines, it tastes good and it's well priced. On the other hand, it's a not especially distinctive wine (and style). Nice for a change of pace, perhaps.
Black Barn
Price: $NZ18
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
To my shame, I've been drinking even more than I've been writing up while in New Zealand. Here are a few bits and pieces of marginal interest.
Mission Estate Winery Hawkes Bay Merlot 2006
I used most of this wine for cooking but swilled a glass once the casserole was underway. And whaddya know, it's actually pretty good. Nice fruit, easygoing structure, no boiled lollies in sight. Definitely on the riper end of the spectrum for Merlot, and none the worse for that. Great quaffer. Wish all Aussies at this price point were as good. Fruit comes from various vineyards in the Hawkes Bay region, including the Gimblett Gravels.
Mission Estate Winery
Price: $NZ14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Jacob's Creek Shiraz 2005
I don't know what this wine is doing in here, but let's just say that it was offered, and as we all know, it's rude not to accept a gift.
It's actually not too bad, certainly a fault-free wine at the very least. The fruit flavour has that confected red fruit quality that screams "industrial" to me, but hey, it's tasty and has lots of flavour. Not bad.
Jacob's Creek
Price: $NZ9
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Matua Valley Late Harvest Muscat 2006
I was having cravings the other night in Gisborne (just a few nights before the big earthquake, no less) and wandered up to the local supermarket to grab some dessert and, of course, wine to go with. I have no idea what grapes are in this wine, although the label does, at least, let the purchaser know that they are from the Gisborne wine region.
There's some nice, sweet fruit flavour here, a little "jasmine tea" in character, but harsh acidity quite overwhelms any sense of flavour. It's not the sort of acidity that is cleansing or sprightly -- it's just harsh and unbalanced. Oh well.
Matua Valley
Price: $NZ12 (375ml)
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Mission Estate Winery Hawkes Bay Merlot 2006
I used most of this wine for cooking but swilled a glass once the casserole was underway. And whaddya know, it's actually pretty good. Nice fruit, easygoing structure, no boiled lollies in sight. Definitely on the riper end of the spectrum for Merlot, and none the worse for that. Great quaffer. Wish all Aussies at this price point were as good. Fruit comes from various vineyards in the Hawkes Bay region, including the Gimblett Gravels.
Mission Estate Winery
Price: $NZ14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Jacob's Creek Shiraz 2005
I don't know what this wine is doing in here, but let's just say that it was offered, and as we all know, it's rude not to accept a gift.
It's actually not too bad, certainly a fault-free wine at the very least. The fruit flavour has that confected red fruit quality that screams "industrial" to me, but hey, it's tasty and has lots of flavour. Not bad.
Jacob's Creek
Price: $NZ9
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Matua Valley Late Harvest Muscat 2006
I was having cravings the other night in Gisborne (just a few nights before the big earthquake, no less) and wandered up to the local supermarket to grab some dessert and, of course, wine to go with. I have no idea what grapes are in this wine, although the label does, at least, let the purchaser know that they are from the Gisborne wine region.
There's some nice, sweet fruit flavour here, a little "jasmine tea" in character, but harsh acidity quite overwhelms any sense of flavour. It's not the sort of acidity that is cleansing or sprightly -- it's just harsh and unbalanced. Oh well.
Matua Valley
Price: $NZ12 (375ml)
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
This wine sits alongside the Unison blends (regular and Selection) that form the core of the Unison Vineyard range. All Gimblett Gravels Estate fruit.
A deep, perfumed nose that shows as much rich dark berry fruit as it does floral pot pourri and black pepper. There are also violety, raw meat and vanilla edges to the wine that create an overall impression of depth and complexity of flavour. The palate's entry has good impact, and rich berry flavours begin from the very tip of the tongue onwards. This is a generous, full bodied wine that has a focus on ripe fruit without becoming vulgar or one-dimensional. There's also a bit of toasty oak in there but it's very much a support act. Acidity isn't especially attention-grabbing but provides firmness and structure, and a focussed line. Mouthfeel is sophisticated, mostly silky smooth, with slightly chunky tannins as the finish takes hold. Length is quite impressive in its quality (deep fruit just keeps on singing) and persistence.
An excellent Syrah that is rich yet balanced. If I had more bottles of this, I'd probably wait a year or two before retasting, as it's quite evidently a youthful wine that may benefit from time in bottle.
Unison Vineyard
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
A deep, perfumed nose that shows as much rich dark berry fruit as it does floral pot pourri and black pepper. There are also violety, raw meat and vanilla edges to the wine that create an overall impression of depth and complexity of flavour. The palate's entry has good impact, and rich berry flavours begin from the very tip of the tongue onwards. This is a generous, full bodied wine that has a focus on ripe fruit without becoming vulgar or one-dimensional. There's also a bit of toasty oak in there but it's very much a support act. Acidity isn't especially attention-grabbing but provides firmness and structure, and a focussed line. Mouthfeel is sophisticated, mostly silky smooth, with slightly chunky tannins as the finish takes hold. Length is quite impressive in its quality (deep fruit just keeps on singing) and persistence.
An excellent Syrah that is rich yet balanced. If I had more bottles of this, I'd probably wait a year or two before retasting, as it's quite evidently a youthful wine that may benefit from time in bottle.
Unison Vineyard
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
Had a lovely, professional experience at the Te Mata cellar door, and was able to taste a sampling of their range, if not perhaps some of the "heavy hitters" (ie Coleraine). Ended up purchasing a few, of which this was one.
Varietally dusty Cabernet nose, but not dominatingly so, as the primary note is of fleshy dark berry fruits, with some oak in support. The entry is one of those that widens immediately to a generous middle palate -- instant gratification, if you will. The wine is medium to full bodied, and quite fruit driven. The fruit is of high quality and satisfying depth, never even hinting at simple, confected flavours. Instead, it's masses of dark, juicy fruit, perhaps on the less structured end of the spectrum as Cabernets go, but certainly not flabby. The palate is quite linear until the end, where it spikes in a gorgeous lift of red fruits, before fading away on a blanket of fine tannins.
What an excellent wine this is. If you're looking for a "drink now" Cabernet that is full of flavour and not an ounce industrial, give it a go.
Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Second in a lineup of Gimblett Gravels Syrahs. I was a little underwhelmed by the previous example (from Craggy Range).
Youthful purple colour, good clarity, a lovely wine to look at.
On the nose, identifiably regional notes of black pepper and pot pourri, but also a prominent strand of clean, attractive bright berry fruit and some undergrowth. Good complexity and interest. Also some nice vanilla oak, in a supporting role.
On entry, the wine feels a little dilute and lacking in immediacy of impact. The middle palate is where things become quite expressive. Medium bodied, fresh flavours that echo those on the nose, with good balance between all the elements. The mouthfeel is very clean, not especially textural, but appropriate given the freshness of the flavour profile. The after palate shows good continuity from the middle, and attractively persistent flavour. Chalky tannins finish off the wine nicely.
This wine is a tasty, drinkable expression of Syrah and stood up extremely well to a rather spicy pasta dish.
Trinity Hill
Price: $NZ29
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
I bought a few Gimblett Gravels Syrahs to taste so that I can better understand the style being produced there as well as how individual producers are approaching things. This one is from Craggy Range, which gets my vote for most grand tasting facility in Hawkes Bay, at least that I'm aware of.
Nice sparkling purple-red colour, good density.
A really striking nose of black pepper and dried flowers, a bit like sharp pot pourri. Lots of impact, and quite characterful, but the more I sniffed it, the more I realised that it's a wine that exists almost entirely at this high toned, spicily aromatic end of the spectrum, with little fruit weight of the regular berry kind. With some time in glass, a bit of red berry fruit emerged, but it really does remain in the background.
The palate is a virtual rerun of the nose. The same pepper and dried flowers dominate the flavour profile. The wine is of light to medium weight, very linear, with firm and yet delicately structured acidity. Despite the acidity's presence, it adds very little to the texture of the wine, and the tannins are quite laid back. Again, there are some berry flavours but they are an undercurrent more than anything else. Fairly good length on the finish.
Whilst it's a wine with impact, it's also quite one-dimensional and didn't go with a dinner of lamb (NZ's finest!) especially well. The food seemed to clash with the wine's flavours and reduce rather than add to complexity. Possibly needs some time in bottle to settle down, as I expected much more from this wine, given its reputation. Would be interested in retasting in a few months.
Craggy Range
Price: $NZ38
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Opening the bottle is about the same as opening that giant can of Libby's fruit cocktail they'd serve when you were back in elementary school: it smells like pears and cheap corn syrup... not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. There's also a whiff of something like sulfur dioxide, and some sort of generic oak note (barrel fermentation?), but not a particularly strong one: it smells clean and nonoffensive, like it should be served in a Tokyo pâtisserie.
Medium-weight in the mouth, there's a not particularly appealing woodiness about it (low level TCA taint?), a slight sweetness, and very little interest. The finish is short and perfunctory.
Overall, this wine is probably best bought for the tasteful label - just not for the wine itself.
Beringer
Price: US $11.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Medium-weight in the mouth, there's a not particularly appealing woodiness about it (low level TCA taint?), a slight sweetness, and very little interest. The finish is short and perfunctory.
Overall, this wine is probably best bought for the tasteful label - just not for the wine itself.
Beringer
Price: US $11.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
There's a strange peppery note on the nose of this wine - almost like a low quality mixed peppercorn grinder you bought on clearance at Ross Dress for Less last January and promptly forgot about. There's sort of a soft quality about it too; it's very hard to describe, but it's almost like an overstuffed velour couch you passed out on in your parents' rumpus room back in the 70s. With air, there's also a decidedly feral funky there as well: fairly meaty, and possibly Brett (enough to provide interest, not enough to really turn you off).
It's fairly full in the mouth, with drying tannins on the finish; the flavor's very hard to describe, so all I'll say is that (surprise) it's no wonder that this grape seldom is vinified and bottled all by itself. It's not that it's unpleasant; it's just that it feels somehow incomplete on its won. There's kind of medicinal, almost horehound fruitiness, but other than that? I have to admit that I don't get it.
Kent Rasmussen Winery
Price: US $20
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
---
After I wrote this post, I spent a few hours with this wine... and grew to appreciate it much more. It may not be the most forgiving or enjoyable wine, but at least it seemed to be very much of itself. I suspect that the winemaker did a very good job indeed at allowing the grape to express itself; the naturalness and honesty of the wine was very impressive.
It's fairly full in the mouth, with drying tannins on the finish; the flavor's very hard to describe, so all I'll say is that (surprise) it's no wonder that this grape seldom is vinified and bottled all by itself. It's not that it's unpleasant; it's just that it feels somehow incomplete on its won. There's kind of medicinal, almost horehound fruitiness, but other than that? I have to admit that I don't get it.
Kent Rasmussen Winery
Price: US $20
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
---
After I wrote this post, I spent a few hours with this wine... and grew to appreciate it much more. It may not be the most forgiving or enjoyable wine, but at least it seemed to be very much of itself. I suspect that the winemaker did a very good job indeed at allowing the grape to express itself; the naturalness and honesty of the wine was very impressive.
Before I begin, let me first point out that this wine is all over the map: it presents a fairly wide array of different smells, textures, and tastes. Is that a good thing? Well, it's certainly better than a simple, one-dimensional wine, but is it perhaps the lack of a focused direction that makes this a good wine and not a great wine? Is there a way for humans to intervene in a wine's growth to direct it in a certain way, or is this just a happy accident of certain terroirs?
---
Anyhow: on to the wine. On the nose, there's a bit of charry bacon, grilled bread, dusty violet, black berry leaves, smoke, earth, and an underlying sweetness to it all. It may be mataro, but it's not an animalistic, meaty mataro: it's more along the lines of sweet Christmas pudding and spice. With time and air, it lightened up a bit into a more perfume-y display, taking on notes of powdered cacao and blackberry jam.
There's a bit of lively acidity on the attach, quickly subsumed by full, round, rich fruit that tends towards blackstrap molasses and dark berries; on the finish, delicate tannins, again that refreshing acidity, and a long, careful finish that carefully divides its time between smoke, burnt sugar, damask rose, tar, and again that fine wash of tannin. It's a beautiful wine; my only complaint is that it's perhaps akin to watching a movie with a hundred beautiful scenes but no plot to tie it all together. What is this wine trying to tell us exactly?
Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil
Price: US $11.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
---
Anyhow: on to the wine. On the nose, there's a bit of charry bacon, grilled bread, dusty violet, black berry leaves, smoke, earth, and an underlying sweetness to it all. It may be mataro, but it's not an animalistic, meaty mataro: it's more along the lines of sweet Christmas pudding and spice. With time and air, it lightened up a bit into a more perfume-y display, taking on notes of powdered cacao and blackberry jam.
There's a bit of lively acidity on the attach, quickly subsumed by full, round, rich fruit that tends towards blackstrap molasses and dark berries; on the finish, delicate tannins, again that refreshing acidity, and a long, careful finish that carefully divides its time between smoke, burnt sugar, damask rose, tar, and again that fine wash of tannin. It's a beautiful wine; my only complaint is that it's perhaps akin to watching a movie with a hundred beautiful scenes but no plot to tie it all together. What is this wine trying to tell us exactly?
Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil
Price: US $11.99
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
The second wine to be served with lunch at Clearview. This time, a Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend.
Quite vegetal aromas: stalk, brambles, etc. With some time, super blackcurrent fruit leapt from the glass along with some vanilla oak. Still, a flavour profile suggesting perhaps marginal ripeness and/or a strong expression Merlot's more "green" varietal character.
The wine's entry establishes a much more fruit-driven flavour profile than suggested on the nose, with ripe dark fruit, pepper and spice, plus edges of leafiness. Still, it's a more elegant, savoury wine as opposed to a fruit-driven one. The middle palate fills the mouth well, showing good intensity of flavour. Very fine tannins help the flavour to adhere to the tongue and linger impressively.
The wine improved with food, with the fruit flavours moving further forward in the wine's balance. Definitely one to have with dinner as opposed to alone, where its angularity might become tiring after a few glasses.
Clearview Estate
Price: $NZ40
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Quite vegetal aromas: stalk, brambles, etc. With some time, super blackcurrent fruit leapt from the glass along with some vanilla oak. Still, a flavour profile suggesting perhaps marginal ripeness and/or a strong expression Merlot's more "green" varietal character.
The wine's entry establishes a much more fruit-driven flavour profile than suggested on the nose, with ripe dark fruit, pepper and spice, plus edges of leafiness. Still, it's a more elegant, savoury wine as opposed to a fruit-driven one. The middle palate fills the mouth well, showing good intensity of flavour. Very fine tannins help the flavour to adhere to the tongue and linger impressively.
The wine improved with food, with the fruit flavours moving further forward in the wine's balance. Definitely one to have with dinner as opposed to alone, where its angularity might become tiring after a few glasses.
Clearview Estate
Price: $NZ40
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Clearview's restaurant is a pretty popular place, judging by the crowd we saw at lunch today. I can confirm the food and setting are both excellent. But how are the wines? We tried two with lunch, of which this was the first.
Really nutty, yeasty aromas initially dominate the nose, with nectarine and melon-like fruit emerging with some vigorous swirling. There are also sweet butterscotch aromas and toastiness. All in all, this wine seems pretty heavily worked, but also complex and interesting.
In the mouth, this is a little lighter than one might expect from the nose. Initially, the oak is quite dominant, but that's ok because it's super tasty and the winemaking creates a wide spectrum of flavours. Acidity is lively through the palate, and well integrated. The malo-derived flavours are quite prominent. As the wine warmed up, some fruit weight became evident, and to my taste the balance of the wine improved markedly. So I wouldn't serve this straight from the fridge if you want to taste all that's in there. A lengthy finish rounds the wine off nicely.
Despite the style, it's a food friendly wine that accompanied our meal well.
Clearview Estate
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Really nutty, yeasty aromas initially dominate the nose, with nectarine and melon-like fruit emerging with some vigorous swirling. There are also sweet butterscotch aromas and toastiness. All in all, this wine seems pretty heavily worked, but also complex and interesting.
In the mouth, this is a little lighter than one might expect from the nose. Initially, the oak is quite dominant, but that's ok because it's super tasty and the winemaking creates a wide spectrum of flavours. Acidity is lively through the palate, and well integrated. The malo-derived flavours are quite prominent. As the wine warmed up, some fruit weight became evident, and to my taste the balance of the wine improved markedly. So I wouldn't serve this straight from the fridge if you want to taste all that's in there. A lengthy finish rounds the wine off nicely.
Despite the style, it's a food friendly wine that accompanied our meal well.
Clearview Estate
Price: $NZ35
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
One thing that bugs me about Central Otago Pinot is the lack of what I would call "everyday" or quaffing wines. There has, in recent years, been an emergence of affordable, quality Australian Pinot Noir, so the scarcety of Central Otago cheapies has become more evident. I nabbed this one at the local supermarket, as it was well priced and the label talks about ecologically friendly farming practices, etc. Good on paper for sure.
This wine shows good typicity of fruit flavour on the nose, so from the perspective of a "sense of place" in wine, it's doing the right thing. The nose lacks impact, though, as the fruit flavour is both rather simple and somewhat dilute in character. The palate continues this impression, with a promising entry leading to a middle palate that never quite delivers the goods. It's light to medium bodied, again a bit simple and dilute in flavour, and with acidity that is too aggressive for the wine's intensity. Tannins are very fine and even, length is acceptable.
It's nice to be able to buy an obviously "Central Otago" Pinot Noir for a smidge under $NZ25, so I shouldn't grumble too much, I suppose. It's just not an especially compelling wine.
Stockman's Station
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
This wine shows good typicity of fruit flavour on the nose, so from the perspective of a "sense of place" in wine, it's doing the right thing. The nose lacks impact, though, as the fruit flavour is both rather simple and somewhat dilute in character. The palate continues this impression, with a promising entry leading to a middle palate that never quite delivers the goods. It's light to medium bodied, again a bit simple and dilute in flavour, and with acidity that is too aggressive for the wine's intensity. Tannins are very fine and even, length is acceptable.
It's nice to be able to buy an obviously "Central Otago" Pinot Noir for a smidge under $NZ25, so I shouldn't grumble too much, I suppose. It's just not an especially compelling wine.
Stockman's Station
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
As the name indicates, a single vineyard wine from the Gimblett Gravels sub-region of Hawkes Bay. Mostly Merlot, with some Cabernet Franc too.
Intense, slightly jammy but interesting red fruit flavours on the nose, supported by powdery vanilla oak and a distinctive clean salt water note (odd but attractive). Not hugely complex, and quite oaky, but nice nonetheless. The wine's middle palate is disappointing in that it shows a good deal of fruit flavour, but also a prominence of oak that, for me, is detrimental to the wine's balance. The oak continues to dominate the wine's flavour profile as it progresses through the after palate and finish. Tannins are fine and puckeringly prominent.
At the moment, this wine is way too oak-driven for my taste, and I'm not sure there's the depth of fruit flavour to outlast the development of the oak-derived flavours in the bottle. It's a shame because the fruit itself appears to be of good (if not outstanding) quality and interest. I'd like to see wine from this area done in a more restrained, fruit-driven style.
Craggy Range
Price: $NZ29
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Intense, slightly jammy but interesting red fruit flavours on the nose, supported by powdery vanilla oak and a distinctive clean salt water note (odd but attractive). Not hugely complex, and quite oaky, but nice nonetheless. The wine's middle palate is disappointing in that it shows a good deal of fruit flavour, but also a prominence of oak that, for me, is detrimental to the wine's balance. The oak continues to dominate the wine's flavour profile as it progresses through the after palate and finish. Tannins are fine and puckeringly prominent.
At the moment, this wine is way too oak-driven for my taste, and I'm not sure there's the depth of fruit flavour to outlast the development of the oak-derived flavours in the bottle. It's a shame because the fruit itself appears to be of good (if not outstanding) quality and interest. I'd like to see wine from this area done in a more restrained, fruit-driven style.
Craggy Range
Price: $NZ29
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
This is a single vineyard wine from the Hawkes Bay region of New Zealand. According to the label, it's gone through the gamut of winemaking tricks, including lees contact and malolactic fermentation.
The nose immediately establishes the flavour profile of this wine's fruit. It's very much in the nectarine spectrum, quite ripe and with good complexity. There's some spicy oak influence too, but it sits on the edges. The wine's entry has good impact and spreads flavour quickly to the middle palate, where more of the same delicious fruit is evident. There's some nuttiness, though I can't detect the creaminess that might indicate lees stirring. There's also a subtle butterscotch richness from the malo, but it's very much a supporting note here, the fruit taking centre stage. Really good intensity of flavour, with a driving line that helps the fruit to sing. There's a fair amount of acidity and this keeps the wine both focussed and fresh, although it also means there's considerable astringency on the palate. The wine's after palate continues on for some time, and the finish is of decent length, with echoes of the fruit seeming to stick to the back of the tongue. There are subtle phenolics that add some texture to the finish also.
Really nice wine, this one. I think what impresses me most is the restraint of the winemaking combined with the intensity of the fruit flavour. Nice things to have, especially when it comes to Chardonnay. Good value too.
Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ23
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
The nose immediately establishes the flavour profile of this wine's fruit. It's very much in the nectarine spectrum, quite ripe and with good complexity. There's some spicy oak influence too, but it sits on the edges. The wine's entry has good impact and spreads flavour quickly to the middle palate, where more of the same delicious fruit is evident. There's some nuttiness, though I can't detect the creaminess that might indicate lees stirring. There's also a subtle butterscotch richness from the malo, but it's very much a supporting note here, the fruit taking centre stage. Really good intensity of flavour, with a driving line that helps the fruit to sing. There's a fair amount of acidity and this keeps the wine both focussed and fresh, although it also means there's considerable astringency on the palate. The wine's after palate continues on for some time, and the finish is of decent length, with echoes of the fruit seeming to stick to the back of the tongue. There are subtle phenolics that add some texture to the finish also.
Really nice wine, this one. I think what impresses me most is the restraint of the winemaking combined with the intensity of the fruit flavour. Nice things to have, especially when it comes to Chardonnay. Good value too.
Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ23
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I couldn't resist picking up a few bottles of wine at the Auckland duty free stores. In fact, the selection had quite a few little numbers that were of interest. I grabbed this one immediately. Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of visiting Central Otago and the Mount Difficulty cellar door. I quite enjoyed the wines there, and so jumped at the chance to taste this one (at local prices too!).
Lovely, expressive nose, showing distinctively Central Otago "sweet sour plum" fruit character, with edges of forest floor and the opulent sweetness of something like creme brulee. Absolutely seductive. The entry is quite striking in its immediacy and, although the wine is obviously young, it's not holding anything back, with the middle palate showing lots of fruit flavour. It is perhaps a bit unfocussed, but strongly regional and delicious. There's a good whack of caramel oak too. The wine's flavour continues strongly through the after palate and lengthy finish. There's a roughness to the mouthfeel that is part acid, part chunky tannin. The alcohol also protrudes a little, at times masking the fruit. I suppose one could accuse the wine of being a bit overdone, and if your taste runs to light to medium bodied pinots of finesse, you may not especially enjoy this one. I'm more inclined, though, to accept and enjoy it for what it is: a big, flavourful Central Otago Pinot that will probably respond to a couple of years in the bottle.
Other half, who generally enjoys full bodied red wines, loved it.
Mount Difficulty
Price: $NZ38
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Lovely, expressive nose, showing distinctively Central Otago "sweet sour plum" fruit character, with edges of forest floor and the opulent sweetness of something like creme brulee. Absolutely seductive. The entry is quite striking in its immediacy and, although the wine is obviously young, it's not holding anything back, with the middle palate showing lots of fruit flavour. It is perhaps a bit unfocussed, but strongly regional and delicious. There's a good whack of caramel oak too. The wine's flavour continues strongly through the after palate and lengthy finish. There's a roughness to the mouthfeel that is part acid, part chunky tannin. The alcohol also protrudes a little, at times masking the fruit. I suppose one could accuse the wine of being a bit overdone, and if your taste runs to light to medium bodied pinots of finesse, you may not especially enjoy this one. I'm more inclined, though, to accept and enjoy it for what it is: a big, flavourful Central Otago Pinot that will probably respond to a couple of years in the bottle.
Other half, who generally enjoys full bodied red wines, loved it.
Mount Difficulty
Price: $NZ38
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I laughed a bit as I poured this wine into the glass: I'd just opened two bottles of Ridge petite sirah and, well, this wine is pretty much at the exact opposite end of the color spectrum of red wines. If the Ridge was coagulating bull's blood, then this is more like an overbrewed cup of Red Zinger. No, scratch that, it looks like agua de jamaica - a Mexican drink made from hibiscus flowers. This would be the perfect thing to serve to secretly alcoholic Mormons in a Salt Lake City Mexican restaurant, but I digress.
I laughed again as I smelled the wine: whoa, this actually smells like Pinot! Score! Most of the time, your ten bucks gets you a grim joke of a clunky red wine as you remind yourself that yeah, this is probably the hardest grape to grow. There's a lot of rich, fresh red cherries complemented by a very faint hint of clove and spice. It may not be the most complex thing in the world, but at least it smells recognizably like Pinot and has a cheerful, friendly fruitiness about it.
In the mouth, it's ever so slightly thin (which, oddly enough, makes it even more convincing). It's got a kind of Red Vines-iness to it, but it's by no means truly sweet, and it ends on a pleasant enough down note, with decent acidity and a finish that does persist for a bit.
As my partner just said: hey, this shit ain't bad. What more could you want for ten bucks?
The Sonoma Trail™ [but really fresh&easy]
I laughed again as I smelled the wine: whoa, this actually smells like Pinot! Score! Most of the time, your ten bucks gets you a grim joke of a clunky red wine as you remind yourself that yeah, this is probably the hardest grape to grow. There's a lot of rich, fresh red cherries complemented by a very faint hint of clove and spice. It may not be the most complex thing in the world, but at least it smells recognizably like Pinot and has a cheerful, friendly fruitiness about it.
In the mouth, it's ever so slightly thin (which, oddly enough, makes it even more convincing). It's got a kind of Red Vines-iness to it, but it's by no means truly sweet, and it ends on a pleasant enough down note, with decent acidity and a finish that does persist for a bit.
As my partner just said: hey, this shit ain't bad. What more could you want for ten bucks?
The Sonoma Trail™ [but really fresh&easy]
Price: US $9.95
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
Straight out of the bottle, you know right away that this wine isn't like most other wines. More than anything else, it's the color that looks strange: surely wine isn't quite that dark? There's a brownish tint that looks more like Kyoto pickle than actual fermented grape juice; it's not age, but intensity that makes it look that way.
On the nose, it's all sweet dusty bramble. In fact, it's so odd that part of me is wondering if the bottle is OK: is that TCA? Brettanomyces? Or is that normal? It's hard to get past the killer sweetness and onto a real wine smell. Jeez, Paul, do you think it would kill you to stop using natural corks? There's almost a smoked bacon note there, but again and again that weird smell takes over. Is it supposed to smell like that?
In the mouth, it gets even stranger: there's a persistent, tooth-coating fuzziness that's fairly unpleasant combined with, well, nothing.
Dang it, this bottle's bad. Glad I bought a pair of them... let's go open the next one...
Well, it almost smelled like wine there for a second, and then poof, it smells like tinfoil and metal shavings. WTF? Same horrible taste: vague sweetness and harsh, grating tannins.
Next week in Full Pour: Will Ridge respond to my E-mail asking about this wine, and if they do, what will they say? User error? We meant for it to taste like you're drinking it out of a Capri-Sun pouch? Gosh, we're sorry, must be a fluke? Gosh, we're really sorry, but they're all bad? Or will they say sorry, nice try, but we don't believe you and won't refund your $60? Stay tuned...
Ridge Vineyards
On the nose, it's all sweet dusty bramble. In fact, it's so odd that part of me is wondering if the bottle is OK: is that TCA? Brettanomyces? Or is that normal? It's hard to get past the killer sweetness and onto a real wine smell. Jeez, Paul, do you think it would kill you to stop using natural corks? There's almost a smoked bacon note there, but again and again that weird smell takes over. Is it supposed to smell like that?
In the mouth, it gets even stranger: there's a persistent, tooth-coating fuzziness that's fairly unpleasant combined with, well, nothing.
Dang it, this bottle's bad. Glad I bought a pair of them... let's go open the next one...
Well, it almost smelled like wine there for a second, and then poof, it smells like tinfoil and metal shavings. WTF? Same horrible taste: vague sweetness and harsh, grating tannins.
Next week in Full Pour: Will Ridge respond to my E-mail asking about this wine, and if they do, what will they say? User error? We meant for it to taste like you're drinking it out of a Capri-Sun pouch? Gosh, we're sorry, must be a fluke? Gosh, we're really sorry, but they're all bad? Or will they say sorry, nice try, but we don't believe you and won't refund your $60? Stay tuned...
Ridge Vineyards
Price: US $30
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
Ata Ranga is well-known for its Pinot Noir, so I was curious to give this blend of Martinborough and Hawkes Bay Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot a go. I have no idea why it's called Célèbre.
The nose is very expressive and shows a seductive blend of violets, raw meat, dark berry fruits, spice (clove-like) and a good whack of oak. There's good intensity here, and the balance is impressive (though perhaps with the oak showing too much after some time in glass). The palate again shows good balance and a focused line. The entry is immediately flavoursome and leads to a medium/full bodied middle palate showing intense, deliciously savoury dark fruits and mouthwatering astringency. The finish is especially lovely, and showcases very fine, chocolate-like tannins, framed by caramel/vanilla oak and quite prominent sappiness.
This is an elegant wine, full of flavour and tightly structured. It lacks the complexity of the very best wines, but is seductive and balanced. I asked myself whether there was an element of underripeness, but if there is, for my taste it is question of style rather than fault. It went well with our dinner of beef and roasted vegetables, the fruit having no issues matching the intense beefy flavour of the lovely New Zealand meat.
Ata Rangi
Price: $NZ32
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I'm in New Zealand at the moment for a bit of a camping holiday, but roughing it doesn't quite extend to doing without wine. In fact, I'm hoping to fit in some winery visits while I'm here, as well as taste lots of Kiwi wines of course. Tasting notes may be somewhat briefer than usual during my trip.
We got in yesterday and weren't up for anything especially challenging, so chose this Hawkes Bay regional blend to have with dinner. A curious, unfamiliar aroma of dusty vanilla custard was initially dominant on the nose, fading to a supporting element with some time in glass. Alongside this (presumably) oak-derived note sits lovely, somewhat savoury red fruit, very easygoing without falling into a confected, industrial flavour spectrum. The wine's entry is lively, ushering in a medium bodied palate that echoes the sweet/savoury fruit seen on the nose. On the palate, the fruit edges a little further towards facile sweetness, but there's still a delicious savouriness to the flavour profile. There's lively acidity all through the palate, which is well integrated and creates a feeling of sophistication in the mouth. The finish is practically tannin-free but of satisfactory length.
There's no notable complexity of flavour, but for a quaffing wine, this is a really tasty drop that doesn't confuse "easy drinking" with simple fruit sweetness.
Villa Maria
Price: $NZ15
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Wines don't have to be "super premium" to be worthwhile. If you're like me, you're always looking for wines to drink with dinner during the week, "everyday" wines in the best, most enjoyable sense of the word. I went hunting in the bottlo tonight for just such a wine to accompany gourmet pizza. I almost went for a Sangiovese, but this one pleaded with me to try it. I'm nothing if not attuned to the needs of others.
Fruit bomb, spice, a bit of oak. There you have it, that's about as accurate a tasting note as one could write about this wine. Aromas are lovely and generous, with loads of raspberry jam type fruit, along with sweet spices (think cloves) and a hint of vanilla oak. It's simple, but that's ok because it's a wine that knows what it is, and does it well. The palate is a seamless continuation of the flavour profile discerned on the nose. Medium bodied, easygoing, well judged acidity to keep things peppy, but no significant tannins to speak of. The wine is really well constructed, texturally, and sits well in the mouth in this regard. With some time, the flavour developed a slightly medicinal, cough syrup note, that I rather liked.
The pizza we had with this wine was strongly flavoured, plenty of pepperoni and so on. The wine stood up to this assault well due to the generosity of its fruit flavour, and counterbalanced the savoury pizza with sweet spicy fruit. Not a bad combination at all.
Price: $A17
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
You know, the label on this wine practically gives me carpal tunnel just typing it in... Anyhow, on to another of Tesco Finest, er Napa Family Vineyards' blah blah blah wines...
Curiously enough, this wine smells like the nursing home my Aunt Emma lived in towards the end of her life. There's a very old-ladies-in-wheelchairs floweriness here - kind of like a Laura Ashley boutique just opened shop at the bottom of my glass. It's surprising mostly because this isn't something I smell a lot of in my life, especially not in wines I buy. Anyhow: it's basically a mix of nasturtium, lavender, rosemary honey, and some French oak (?) in the background.
In the mouth, the wine is big, rich, round, and fat, ending in a very spicy note. It's unusual for a mass market California chardonnay in that the movie theater butter note doesn't spring itself on you until the very finish: it's overall far spicier than buttery, which is, I suppose, a refreshing change from the usual. Even so, it's not terribly complex, with nothing (that I can tell) coming from wild yeasts, lees stirring, or other techniques that might increase the interest.
To sum up, it's a decent enough wine. It thankfully doesn't show the banana-pineapple flavors you often find in wines at this price, and the flowery spiciness could be highly attractive to some folks. Most importantly, it delivers enough at its price point and the bottle looks quite nice (once you peel off the SPECIALLY SELECTED BY fresh&easy label).
Napa Family Vineyards [but really fresh&easy]
Curiously enough, this wine smells like the nursing home my Aunt Emma lived in towards the end of her life. There's a very old-ladies-in-wheelchairs floweriness here - kind of like a Laura Ashley boutique just opened shop at the bottom of my glass. It's surprising mostly because this isn't something I smell a lot of in my life, especially not in wines I buy. Anyhow: it's basically a mix of nasturtium, lavender, rosemary honey, and some French oak (?) in the background.
In the mouth, the wine is big, rich, round, and fat, ending in a very spicy note. It's unusual for a mass market California chardonnay in that the movie theater butter note doesn't spring itself on you until the very finish: it's overall far spicier than buttery, which is, I suppose, a refreshing change from the usual. Even so, it's not terribly complex, with nothing (that I can tell) coming from wild yeasts, lees stirring, or other techniques that might increase the interest.
To sum up, it's a decent enough wine. It thankfully doesn't show the banana-pineapple flavors you often find in wines at this price, and the flowery spiciness could be highly attractive to some folks. Most importantly, it delivers enough at its price point and the bottle looks quite nice (once you peel off the SPECIALLY SELECTED BY fresh&easy label).
Napa Family Vineyards [but really fresh&easy]
Price: US $9.99
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2007
On the nose, there's maple syrup and brown sugar, with an autumn woodsy spice. There's also a bit of barnyard or poo, or perhaps sulfur, but it's barely noticeable. The overall effect is of dusty roses and woodspice. It's a pert, medium red in the glass and slightly watery at the rim; it looks perfectly matched to steak and potatoes.
In the mouth, the wine is weightier than you might expect, with rich, smooth tannins contributing to a smoky, chocolate, mulberry palate. The finish is graceful and finishes the line beautifully. Delicious and incredibly good value to boot.
McGuigan Family [presumably exclusively at fresh&easy in the USA]
In the mouth, the wine is weightier than you might expect, with rich, smooth tannins contributing to a smoky, chocolate, mulberry palate. The finish is graceful and finishes the line beautifully. Delicious and incredibly good value to boot.
McGuigan Family [presumably exclusively at fresh&easy in the USA]
Price: US $6.99
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
I bought this wine because it is under screwcap. When it comes to bargain basement French wines, sometimes one needs to look for reasons to purchase. Perhaps I'm being a bit mean -- this wine is super cheap, from a good year in the Loire, and its main grape is one you don't get to taste in local wines: Grolleau (40%, with Gamay and Cabernet Franc both contributing a further 30%). I cracked this little number open to accompany Thai food.
The colour is quite watery, though not unattractive in its way. It's sort of a faded peach colour. Excellent clarity. Moving on to the nose, there are faint aromas of floral fruitiness, with some spicy edges. That's about the best way I can characterise it. No intensity here, but it's clean and at least it smells good. The palate is again clean, but the lack of any real intensity of flavour becomes quite apparent. The wine just slips into your mouth, registers a few simple fruit flavours, and then it's gone again. Sort of like a depressed singing telegram. Technically a demi-sec style, there's smidge of residual sugar to add body but, mercifully, no excess sweetness.
On the plus side, it's a clean wine, well made, pretty. But terribly dilute. Food overwhelmed it a little. Serve this chilled at a casual summer lunch in lieu of Chateau Cardboard.
Pascal Delaunay
Price: $A8
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007
Recently, a good friend of mine remarked that they'd never had a d'Arenberg wine that hadn't disappointed them. Thinking about it for a second, I almost agreed, but then thought back to a fortified Shiraz that wasn't at all bad, and of course their cheap white wine usually isn't bad either. Which brings me to the three bottles of The Dead Arm that have been languishing in my cellar for years. I wouldn't have ordinarily bought them, but a wine shop in southern California somehow managed to score a few cases at a closeout price of roughly half what they usually cost. Of course, the reviews at the time were universally middling, but I figured what the heck: surely this is just idiosyncratically good and therefore confusing, right?
On the nose, there's lots of sweet cherry fruit along with a dirty eucalyptus mint that's hinting at the bottle age this wine's racked up over the last few years. Rich, candied meat also shows itself eventually, as well as a distinct medicinal tang not unlike St. Joseph's children's aspirin (think oranges spiked with embalming fluid). There's also a subtle supporting note of quality wood, which sets it all off rather well, I think. At this point in the wine's evolution, it schizophrenically struts between thick, rich, young Aussie red and older, mature, claret. It's entertaining.
The entry on the palate is at first remarkably shut down, and then the acids hit you: huge, grabby, shocking acids. It's all surprisingly rustic and more suited to a cheap vin du pays d'Oc than an often-hyped, fairly expensive Aussie shiraz. Then, it all dies off with a whimper. What was that? Another mouthful reveals a midweight palate, along with generic, unidentifiable fruitiness, the same surprising acidity, a bit of bottle age, and then... bupkus. Eventually, some gum-assaulting, drying tannins show up as well as a bit of funkiness, but even that's curiously half-assed. With some time and air, it started to resolve itself a bit more in terms of its flavor profile, but honestly? This wine probably wasn't a good deal even at half price, and it seems to be drying out and dying at the moment.
d'Arenberg
On the nose, there's lots of sweet cherry fruit along with a dirty eucalyptus mint that's hinting at the bottle age this wine's racked up over the last few years. Rich, candied meat also shows itself eventually, as well as a distinct medicinal tang not unlike St. Joseph's children's aspirin (think oranges spiked with embalming fluid). There's also a subtle supporting note of quality wood, which sets it all off rather well, I think. At this point in the wine's evolution, it schizophrenically struts between thick, rich, young Aussie red and older, mature, claret. It's entertaining.
The entry on the palate is at first remarkably shut down, and then the acids hit you: huge, grabby, shocking acids. It's all surprisingly rustic and more suited to a cheap vin du pays d'Oc than an often-hyped, fairly expensive Aussie shiraz. Then, it all dies off with a whimper. What was that? Another mouthful reveals a midweight palate, along with generic, unidentifiable fruitiness, the same surprising acidity, a bit of bottle age, and then... bupkus. Eventually, some gum-assaulting, drying tannins show up as well as a bit of funkiness, but even that's curiously half-assed. With some time and air, it started to resolve itself a bit more in terms of its flavor profile, but honestly? This wine probably wasn't a good deal even at half price, and it seems to be drying out and dying at the moment.
d'Arenberg
Price: US $24.99 (distributor closeout; current release is US $54.99)
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
---
On second thought, about ninety minutes later, I realized that this wine actually is displaying a low level of cork taint, which is a bummer. A lot of the muted flatness is more likely the result of TCA; it's clear to me now that it's difficult to distinguish between "bottle age" and TCA, at least for me. I'm glad to see that d'Arenberg have moved to screwcaps for some of their production, but it's too late for me - no way to return this wine given its age, and it's on its way to the recycle bin, alas.
---
On second thought, about ninety minutes later, I realized that this wine actually is displaying a low level of cork taint, which is a bummer. A lot of the muted flatness is more likely the result of TCA; it's clear to me now that it's difficult to distinguish between "bottle age" and TCA, at least for me. I'm glad to see that d'Arenberg have moved to screwcaps for some of their production, but it's too late for me - no way to return this wine given its age, and it's on its way to the recycle bin, alas.
An Australian Durif (Petite Sirah) tasted as part of Wine Blogging Wednesday, this month hosted by the Wannabe Wino. Durif is grown mostly in the Rutherglen region, an area known for "big," traditionally rather rustic reds. They certainly have their fans.
A peculiar and not entirely pleasant greenness (a bit like the shell of a passionfruit) was completely dominant on first pouring the wine. The palate also seemed thin and lacking in flavour, with overly assertive tannins. Time to leave it in the glass for a while, I think.
A few minutes later and things have improved quite dramatically. The slightly vegetal aroma is still present but is now balanced by some volatility, somewhat raw oak and a strand of very attractive dark, sweet fruit. Some dusty leather suggests bottle age. That all probably sounds worse than it is. It's actually quite interesting, if unsophisticated, as flavour profiles go.
The palate, even after settling for a while, is rather rustic in mouthfeel. The entry is immediate and flavoursome, and leads to a mostly fruit driven middle palate of medium to full body. Fruit is deep and sweet, with an attractive raspberry liqueur note. Acidity is quite prominent and gives the wine a notable astringency that, to my taste, overwhelms the fruit a little, although this abated somewhat with a couple of hours in the glass. Those fine tannins make themselves felt relatively early in the wine's line and silence the fruit flavours prematurely. There seems to be an underlying greenness to this wine, both in flavour and tannin character, that suggests slightly unripe fruit.
Overall, I found this wine enjoyable enough, but lacking in any significant complexity or harmony of flavour. The slight lack of ripeness is another minus. With food, the wine's structure may be more forgiving.
Morris
Price: $A30 (purchased as aged release)
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2007
This wine shows a simple nose of something like Libby's fruit cocktail, which strikes me as fairly clumsy. There's also a smell there that doesn't seem right - is it sulfur? dirt? something more sinister? Finally, there's also a noticeable amount of CO2 in the glass - not enough to be really spritzy, but enough to form bubbles in the bowl.
With a bit more time, the bad smell blew off, and the fruit resolved itself into something more like low quality airline soap. Yeah, soapy - and almost like unripe avocado. It's not particularly appealing but at least it's original.
In the mouth, the CO2 is much more noticeable, and the overall effect is of a heavy, simply fruity wine that dies on the palate. There's no perceptible acidity to back up the heavy fruit, and for all of the dunderheaded fruit, the overall mouthfeel is thin and unappetizing. It's just not pretty. I'd suggest you lace it with fresh strawberries and serve it with a Sunday brunch buffet at the nearest Waffle House.
Kiona
With a bit more time, the bad smell blew off, and the fruit resolved itself into something more like low quality airline soap. Yeah, soapy - and almost like unripe avocado. It's not particularly appealing but at least it's original.
In the mouth, the CO2 is much more noticeable, and the overall effect is of a heavy, simply fruity wine that dies on the palate. There's no perceptible acidity to back up the heavy fruit, and for all of the dunderheaded fruit, the overall mouthfeel is thin and unappetizing. It's just not pretty. I'd suggest you lace it with fresh strawberries and serve it with a Sunday brunch buffet at the nearest Waffle House.
Kiona
Price: US $6.