January 2008 Archives
OK, so I opened the bottle and did the marketing-recommended Mollydooker Shake, and then dumped some of this stuff in a glass. The nose is largely some kind of unidentified sweetness - it's not unlike circus peanuts (for you Australians, these are strange large marshmallow-like pinkish orange candies that you still sometimes see in the USA). There's also a bit of what smells like oak barrels gone slightly off, a sort of butterscotch note, and then something like menthol, eucalyptus, mint, and camphor. There's even sort of a fusty, earthy, moldy note here as well; it's not that it's unappealing, it's just that it seems at odds with the overall penny candy sweetness of the wine.
In the mouth, ther'es a real savory edge to the tannins, some supporting acidity (almost too little; it's almost flabby), a kind of dark, dour note that I can't place, a fair amount of sucrosité, and then a sort of nondescript finish that really doesn't go anywhere before fading out on a sort of Kendal mint cake sweetness that I'm frankly not a fan of.
With more time and air, it started to taste like pink popcorn balls or perhaps even Luden cough drops; all bright, neon pink fruit, signifying nothing.
All in all, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to make of this. Compared to the Chris Ringland variants on the style (huge, alcoholic Shiraz from South Australia), this seems less rich, less complex, just plain less. What this wine needs is some bacon fat, some toasty, charred barrel notes, some violets or perfume - anything to offset the huge, hulking, bland sweetness of it all.
Color me unimpressed.
Mollydooker
Price: US $20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
In the mouth, ther'es a real savory edge to the tannins, some supporting acidity (almost too little; it's almost flabby), a kind of dark, dour note that I can't place, a fair amount of sucrosité, and then a sort of nondescript finish that really doesn't go anywhere before fading out on a sort of Kendal mint cake sweetness that I'm frankly not a fan of.
With more time and air, it started to taste like pink popcorn balls or perhaps even Luden cough drops; all bright, neon pink fruit, signifying nothing.
All in all, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to make of this. Compared to the Chris Ringland variants on the style (huge, alcoholic Shiraz from South Australia), this seems less rich, less complex, just plain less. What this wine needs is some bacon fat, some toasty, charred barrel notes, some violets or perfume - anything to offset the huge, hulking, bland sweetness of it all.
Color me unimpressed.
Mollydooker
Price: US $20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
The flagship wine from Unison Vineyards in New Zealand. As with the regular Unison, this wine is a blend of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, proportions unspecified.
A spicy, peppery, dried floral, clean-fruited nose that keeps shifting from under my feet (nostrils?). It's a forthright. slightly lifted nose that promises intensity and dexterity in the mouth. Fruit is deep and complex, moving between shots of cassis, sweet raspberry liqueur and other goodness. Creamy, custard oak adds plushness. As it sits in the glass, high toned spice is giving way, partly at least, to fruit and oak. I love wines like this, constantly changing and revealing layers of complexity.
The palate is initially a bit disorienting, in that it is perhaps less momentous than indicated by the nose. Once you adjust to the scale of it, though, it vibrates with fascinating flavours. Entry is tingly and acidic, signalling the other principal pleasure of this wine: texture. Intense fruit flavour registers soon thereafter, flowing to a medium to full bodied mid-palate of clean, complex fruit and spice. Coffee-ground oak is a fairly prominent flavour influence, and is somehow appropriate given the acidic, extracted nature of the mouthfeel. The after palate leaves behind any plushness of fruit and progresses to a more oak-driven savouriness that suggests some time in bottle may be beneficial. Finish is long, slightly sweet and a little aggressive.
I wish I had more bottles of this. It's a different wine from the Unison, although clearly emerging out of the same idea of "wine." It's a bigger wine in most ways, built to drink slowly and examine closely. I love it. Start drinking in about 5 years.
Update: I've been following this wine for two days (unrefrigerated) and it has really opened up to become almost voluptuous. Great balance, the after palate and finish filling out nicely. No signs of the wine tiring yet.
Unison Vineyards
Price: $NZ48
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: January 2008
A spicy, peppery, dried floral, clean-fruited nose that keeps shifting from under my feet (nostrils?). It's a forthright. slightly lifted nose that promises intensity and dexterity in the mouth. Fruit is deep and complex, moving between shots of cassis, sweet raspberry liqueur and other goodness. Creamy, custard oak adds plushness. As it sits in the glass, high toned spice is giving way, partly at least, to fruit and oak. I love wines like this, constantly changing and revealing layers of complexity.
The palate is initially a bit disorienting, in that it is perhaps less momentous than indicated by the nose. Once you adjust to the scale of it, though, it vibrates with fascinating flavours. Entry is tingly and acidic, signalling the other principal pleasure of this wine: texture. Intense fruit flavour registers soon thereafter, flowing to a medium to full bodied mid-palate of clean, complex fruit and spice. Coffee-ground oak is a fairly prominent flavour influence, and is somehow appropriate given the acidic, extracted nature of the mouthfeel. The after palate leaves behind any plushness of fruit and progresses to a more oak-driven savouriness that suggests some time in bottle may be beneficial. Finish is long, slightly sweet and a little aggressive.
I wish I had more bottles of this. It's a different wine from the Unison, although clearly emerging out of the same idea of "wine." It's a bigger wine in most ways, built to drink slowly and examine closely. I love it. Start drinking in about 5 years.
Update: I've been following this wine for two days (unrefrigerated) and it has really opened up to become almost voluptuous. Great balance, the after palate and finish filling out nicely. No signs of the wine tiring yet.
Unison Vineyards
Price: $NZ48
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: January 2008
I like a good Côtes du Rhône and, of all French wines, they are often the best QPR option if you are looking for something Old World to add variety to your choice of local quaffers. This one is an excellent example of the genre.
Transparent ruby with purple edges, moderate density. The nose here is really interesting. It's pretty but also rustic and savoury in character. Licorice allsorts, clean raspberry, dried herbs, pepper and earth wrapped in a subtle but enticing package. There's a lot going on in here and it's quite seamless and lightfooted. There's good depth of flavour, which is increasing the longer the wine sits in glass, but it's not a forbidding wine by any means. The other half suggested a bit of mould/wet hessian character that I wasn't picking up.
The entry has good impact, with flavour kicking in towards the front of the tongue and spreading sideways to coat generously. The mid-palate reveals a medium bodied wine of gentle acid and real generosity of flavour. Here's a trick: the wine is full of flavour, yet balanced and easygoing too, with genuine complexity. Notes on the palate are very similar to the nose, with the red fruit asserting itself more prominently, and the pepper gaining impact via very fine yet drying tannins that kick in quite early on. There's also a bit of coffee/vanilla oak that subtly supports the fruit flavour. The wine's structure is nicely sorted, with the acid dovetailing into the tannins very elegantly and creating an excellent frame for the fruit. The after palate becomes progressively more spicy, and ends in a drying finish of good length.
What a lovely wine. It's exotic and reminds me of warm turned earth and flowers. We had this wine with barbecued meats and it was an excellent match. A very good value for what it is. It's drinking well now but I'm going to leave the remaining bottles for a few years to see how the wine shows with softer, more integrated tannins.
Château de Montfaucon
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
Transparent ruby with purple edges, moderate density. The nose here is really interesting. It's pretty but also rustic and savoury in character. Licorice allsorts, clean raspberry, dried herbs, pepper and earth wrapped in a subtle but enticing package. There's a lot going on in here and it's quite seamless and lightfooted. There's good depth of flavour, which is increasing the longer the wine sits in glass, but it's not a forbidding wine by any means. The other half suggested a bit of mould/wet hessian character that I wasn't picking up.
The entry has good impact, with flavour kicking in towards the front of the tongue and spreading sideways to coat generously. The mid-palate reveals a medium bodied wine of gentle acid and real generosity of flavour. Here's a trick: the wine is full of flavour, yet balanced and easygoing too, with genuine complexity. Notes on the palate are very similar to the nose, with the red fruit asserting itself more prominently, and the pepper gaining impact via very fine yet drying tannins that kick in quite early on. There's also a bit of coffee/vanilla oak that subtly supports the fruit flavour. The wine's structure is nicely sorted, with the acid dovetailing into the tannins very elegantly and creating an excellent frame for the fruit. The after palate becomes progressively more spicy, and ends in a drying finish of good length.
What a lovely wine. It's exotic and reminds me of warm turned earth and flowers. We had this wine with barbecued meats and it was an excellent match. A very good value for what it is. It's drinking well now but I'm going to leave the remaining bottles for a few years to see how the wine shows with softer, more integrated tannins.
Château de Montfaucon
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
As I was handed a plastic picnic cup full of Verdelho yesterday, I reflected that not all wines are intended to demand the full attention of the drinker. A lot of wines are crafted and marketed for their lifestyle value. The new Lindemans "Early Harvest" range is a good example. From what I can tell, it's the vinous equivalent of low carb beer, "30% less alcohol, 30% less calories" trumpeted proudly on the front label and through the back label text. Fair enough, I could stand to lose a kilo or ten, and I do enjoy lower alcohol wines for their practicality.
Very pale green colour, good clarity. The nose is of adequate intensity and presents simple aromas of passionfruit, tropical florals and a bit of capsicum. Nothing challenging, but at least it smells of something pretty. On entry, two things become apparent: there's not much acid, and the lower alcohol is presumably due, in part, to a moderate amount of residual sugar. These two factors create a rather flabby experience on the middle palate, the sugar propping up and adding body to the wine's dilute aromatic fruit and slightly grassy flavour profile. The after palate slips away to an interesting, not entirely pleasant, chalky finish.
I'm not sure the value in considering this wine in terms of absolute quality, as it will be chosen, I suspect, on the basis of its other attributes. Fair enough. Just don't think about it too hard as you're drinking. If this wine works well in the market, I wonder if it's naive for me to suggest the time for quality off-dry Riesling styles could be near? I wish.
Lindemans
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Very pale green colour, good clarity. The nose is of adequate intensity and presents simple aromas of passionfruit, tropical florals and a bit of capsicum. Nothing challenging, but at least it smells of something pretty. On entry, two things become apparent: there's not much acid, and the lower alcohol is presumably due, in part, to a moderate amount of residual sugar. These two factors create a rather flabby experience on the middle palate, the sugar propping up and adding body to the wine's dilute aromatic fruit and slightly grassy flavour profile. The after palate slips away to an interesting, not entirely pleasant, chalky finish.
I'm not sure the value in considering this wine in terms of absolute quality, as it will be chosen, I suspect, on the basis of its other attributes. Fair enough. Just don't think about it too hard as you're drinking. If this wine works well in the market, I wonder if it's naive for me to suggest the time for quality off-dry Riesling styles could be near? I wish.
Lindemans
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
I tasted this wine a few months ago and it was a bit raw and disjointed. A little time has been kind, and this wine is showing better now. For anyone not attuned to the the value priced end of the market, Mike Press Wines is an Adelaide Hills producer and makes a range of very inexpensive wines from Estate grapes.
Not only has a few months helped this wine to settle, but a few minutes (ok, a couple of hours) in the glass has also enhanced the attractiveness of its expression. At first, it was a little bright and aggressive in flavour. Towards the end of the bottle, its profile has deepened and gained richness. So do let it sit for a while, or decant if you wish. Once you have done so, you will observe aromas of deep, clean berry fruit along with Cabernet dustiness. There is perhaps the slightest hint of foliage in there too, though it's not nearly as prominent as in some Cabernets. The nose is slightly reticent and lacking in impact, but what's there is attractive.
Entry is gentle without any great rush of flavour or structure. Rather, the wine slips to the middle palate and it is here that some real intensity of flavour registers. Round, ripe Cabernet fruit of good depth is the primary feature, assisted by a little stalkiness and some sappy notes, perhaps oak derived. The fruit has a simple, sweet dimension that verges on the confected for my taste, but it's only an edge to the otherwise attractive fruit character. Acid is relatively prominent and provides freshness and a nicely textured layer to the otherwise slippery mouthfeel. Subtle chocolate and coffee notes become more prominent as the wine moves through the after palate towards a lightly drying finish.
This is a cracking wine, and at the price it's a no-brainer for weekday quaffing and more contemplative moments alike. It's a particularly good food wine thanks to that acid. I'm not sure whether it's the style of Cabernet I would choose to drink all the time, but if you like the style, I doubt you could find a better value wine.
Mike Press Wines
Price: $A10
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Not only has a few months helped this wine to settle, but a few minutes (ok, a couple of hours) in the glass has also enhanced the attractiveness of its expression. At first, it was a little bright and aggressive in flavour. Towards the end of the bottle, its profile has deepened and gained richness. So do let it sit for a while, or decant if you wish. Once you have done so, you will observe aromas of deep, clean berry fruit along with Cabernet dustiness. There is perhaps the slightest hint of foliage in there too, though it's not nearly as prominent as in some Cabernets. The nose is slightly reticent and lacking in impact, but what's there is attractive.
Entry is gentle without any great rush of flavour or structure. Rather, the wine slips to the middle palate and it is here that some real intensity of flavour registers. Round, ripe Cabernet fruit of good depth is the primary feature, assisted by a little stalkiness and some sappy notes, perhaps oak derived. The fruit has a simple, sweet dimension that verges on the confected for my taste, but it's only an edge to the otherwise attractive fruit character. Acid is relatively prominent and provides freshness and a nicely textured layer to the otherwise slippery mouthfeel. Subtle chocolate and coffee notes become more prominent as the wine moves through the after palate towards a lightly drying finish.
This is a cracking wine, and at the price it's a no-brainer for weekday quaffing and more contemplative moments alike. It's a particularly good food wine thanks to that acid. I'm not sure whether it's the style of Cabernet I would choose to drink all the time, but if you like the style, I doubt you could find a better value wine.
Mike Press Wines
Price: $A10
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
For the first time in several months, I experienced a brief shiver of pleasure just smelling this wine. That doesn't happen often, and the list of wines that have had that sort of visceral effect on me is still fairly short (even after a decade's worth of sporadically heavy drinking).
Ahem. Where was I? It smells like... baked goods? Tarte tatin? Some sort of flower, not rose, but heavier? And would you believe it, finally a wine that actually smells like delicious freshly cooked bacon? I swear I've had dozens of French syrahs and Aussie shirazes that claimed to smell like bacon, but none have... until now. Wow. It's like Farmer John pitched in at the winery. Whoa. On the next sniff, it's gone again, and this time it smells like Zwetschgenkuchen - freshly baked German plum tart. Oh man. This is amazing. It moves on again, this time to Czech morello cherries fresh from the jar (!), or maybe even baker's chocolate - the kind you only eat once as a child before discovering it tastes nothing like it smells. It just keeps going and going, changing every few minutes.
And I haven't even tasted this stuff yet.
It's not as heavy as I would have suspected - in the mouth it's almost more like velvety, silky soft raspberry cordial, hugely surprising. There are no rough edges... but the finish hangs in there for quite a while before resolving itself in an almost woody note of cloves and burnt sugar. There's almost a coconut shaving note there as well... definitely American oak in play here, no doubt about it. (I cheated before writing that down: yes, there is.)
Coming back to it again, the next time it's almost like cinnamon-specked candy I remember from faux pioneer mercantiles in the Gold Rush country of California: sugar with what would taste like imperfections in modern candy, but subtly delicious in a historic context. Blackstrap molasses, nutmeg, cherries, sweetness, and gentle acidity weaving around it all. There are tannins here as well, but you wouldn't notice them unless you paid careful attention; they're beautifully integrated and lend a fascinating sense of traditionality to what, I suppose, is hardly a traditional wine... unless you're a Californian like myself, in which case you wish you could hand deliver a bottle of this to any European who pooh-poohs the very idea of California wine - or to anyone who thinks that a great Zinfandel can't hold its own with the traditional great wines of the world.
Amazing stuff. I can't imagine what it'll be like in five years, but I'm going to try and hold on to my other bottle in hopes of finding out for myself.
Ahem. Where was I? It smells like... baked goods? Tarte tatin? Some sort of flower, not rose, but heavier? And would you believe it, finally a wine that actually smells like delicious freshly cooked bacon? I swear I've had dozens of French syrahs and Aussie shirazes that claimed to smell like bacon, but none have... until now. Wow. It's like Farmer John pitched in at the winery. Whoa. On the next sniff, it's gone again, and this time it smells like Zwetschgenkuchen - freshly baked German plum tart. Oh man. This is amazing. It moves on again, this time to Czech morello cherries fresh from the jar (!), or maybe even baker's chocolate - the kind you only eat once as a child before discovering it tastes nothing like it smells. It just keeps going and going, changing every few minutes.
And I haven't even tasted this stuff yet.
It's not as heavy as I would have suspected - in the mouth it's almost more like velvety, silky soft raspberry cordial, hugely surprising. There are no rough edges... but the finish hangs in there for quite a while before resolving itself in an almost woody note of cloves and burnt sugar. There's almost a coconut shaving note there as well... definitely American oak in play here, no doubt about it. (I cheated before writing that down: yes, there is.)
Coming back to it again, the next time it's almost like cinnamon-specked candy I remember from faux pioneer mercantiles in the Gold Rush country of California: sugar with what would taste like imperfections in modern candy, but subtly delicious in a historic context. Blackstrap molasses, nutmeg, cherries, sweetness, and gentle acidity weaving around it all. There are tannins here as well, but you wouldn't notice them unless you paid careful attention; they're beautifully integrated and lend a fascinating sense of traditionality to what, I suppose, is hardly a traditional wine... unless you're a Californian like myself, in which case you wish you could hand deliver a bottle of this to any European who pooh-poohs the very idea of California wine - or to anyone who thinks that a great Zinfandel can't hold its own with the traditional great wines of the world.
Amazing stuff. I can't imagine what it'll be like in five years, but I'm going to try and hold on to my other bottle in hopes of finding out for myself.
Price: US $30
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
Shiraz shiraz shiraz -- it always amuses me to read accounts of Australian Shiraz as if it were a single, monolithic entity. If nothing else, the Hunter version will always be sitting out there on its own, stylistically. My point is that it can be misleading to talk about Australian Shiraz as a single wine style. Take this Picardy wine from the Pemberton region in Western Australia.
A transparent ruby colour, moderately deep. Striking nose that shows bright red cranberry-like fruit alongside pretty dried flowers (lavender) and peppery spice. The fruit is remarkable in that it mixes edges of intense sweetness with the sort of savoury character one encounters in dried fruit. It's not very complex, but it is characterful and attractive. There's a subtle undercurrent of vanilla oak.
The medium bodied palate shows a good continuity of flavour profile from the nose, but kicks it up to a slightly higher register. It's bright, pretty and delicious. Entry is gentle but does deliver flavour quickly to the tongue. The mid-palate is full of more bright red fruit, and the floral/spice elements are more prominently balanced here than on the nose. As bright and high toned as it is, the wine's palate shows an elegant smoothness that encourages drinking. There's no harshness here, and it's achieved through balance and harmony of flavour components. Acidity is present and supportive, yet very soft in character. Fine tannins are equally soft, and gently dry the acceptably long finish.
A delicious drink now wine of sophistication and character. It's not the last word in complexity, but at this price, this wine clearly overdelivers.
Price: $A20
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
Pouring this into the glass, it sure does look like a young wine: bright, purplish red in the glass, there's almost a cloudiness to it as well. At first smell, it smells kind of stalky or stemmy - it doesn't smell like straightforward pinot noir by any stretch of the imagination. There's also a distinct sweet sappiness there, almost like an imaginary pancake syrup you think you remember from your childhood visit to IHOP: and then there's some sulfur dioxide there as well. Hrm.
In the mouth, it's medium bodied, distinctly fuller than most French pinot, and there's a sort of sourness there, just a bit, that balances it oddly. And still, sulfur dioxide or something else unpleasant - some kind of reductive note, perhaps? Did I open this one too soon? Or not? There's also a meatiness here, something like landjäger almost... perhaps that's what I'm mistaking for sulfur dioxide? It could also be a nearly nitrate sort of feel... Odd.
Going back to it again, there's now a distinct tannic underpinning to the entire adventure, and again a sort of sweet, smoky, meaty goodness there as well. Over the course of an hour, the wine funked out just a bit, and started to get an almost menthol edge to the nose, as well as something approximating Japanese plums. The finish is fairly long, weaving back and forth between somewhat unruly tannins and a (dare I say it) minerally edge to it.
I know the winemaker's been trying to making something that exhibits terroir for years... and I think he may have done it. This isn't "good" wine if what you're used to is straight-ahead, jammy sweet California pinot noir, but it's exceptionally good wine if you believe that grapes can transmit something about the site where they were grown. I'd be very, very curious about where this wine will go over the next decade, but I couldn't find it in me to wait that long - I've already shared my entire stash with friends.
In the mouth, it's medium bodied, distinctly fuller than most French pinot, and there's a sort of sourness there, just a bit, that balances it oddly. And still, sulfur dioxide or something else unpleasant - some kind of reductive note, perhaps? Did I open this one too soon? Or not? There's also a meatiness here, something like landjäger almost... perhaps that's what I'm mistaking for sulfur dioxide? It could also be a nearly nitrate sort of feel... Odd.
Going back to it again, there's now a distinct tannic underpinning to the entire adventure, and again a sort of sweet, smoky, meaty goodness there as well. Over the course of an hour, the wine funked out just a bit, and started to get an almost menthol edge to the nose, as well as something approximating Japanese plums. The finish is fairly long, weaving back and forth between somewhat unruly tannins and a (dare I say it) minerally edge to it.
I know the winemaker's been trying to making something that exhibits terroir for years... and I think he may have done it. This isn't "good" wine if what you're used to is straight-ahead, jammy sweet California pinot noir, but it's exceptionally good wine if you believe that grapes can transmit something about the site where they were grown. I'd be very, very curious about where this wine will go over the next decade, but I couldn't find it in me to wait that long - I've already shared my entire stash with friends.
Price: US $30
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
This wine's full subtitle is "Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz - Merlot;" 47%, 35% and 18% respectively.
Red-purple in colour, moderately dense. Nose bursts forth with sweet, ripe fruit of the blue and black variety. It's very ripe, perhaps overripe for some tastes (there's something almost spirity about it), but there's no doubting how generous and up front is its flavour. There are also elements of spice and chocolate that squeeze in alongside all that fruit and add some savoury interest. The palate is dominated by more ripe fruit, quite sweet, and again perhaps too big for some tastes. Wines in this style succeed or fail almost entirely on the quality and interest of the fruit's flavour profile and, in this wine's favour, there's at least some complexity of fruit character. But it's unchallenging and, I suspect, designed for consumption without too much analysis. Acidity is soft and fine. Tannins prickle the finish but aren't especially prominent or drying. Rather, still more fruit gushes through the after palate and sticks around for a little time on the finish.
You have to admire a wine style that is so sure of what it is, even if it's not entirely to your taste. We had this with dinner and it's not a very food friendly style, lacking the structure to truly complement a meal. Instead, I would drink this on its own, perhaps even after dinner, to warm your insides and satisfy that craving for a McLaren Vale fruit bomb we all feel from time to time...
Price: $A21
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Is there anything more terminally daggy than the Semillon Chardonnay blend? Perhaps the mullet, but even that seems to enjoy periods of resurgent popularity. Which is a shame, because the mullet really does deserve a good, long rest. This wine, however, is bloody nice. According to the back label, the Chardonnay and Semillon were separately vinified, then blended prior to bottling.
A bright, clear green-tinged straw colour. The nose is expressive, showing a mixture of cut grass and more rounded notes reminiscent of yellow nectarines and perhaps mangoes. It's quite heady and full, but retains freshness due to the green notes. There's also some underlying creaminess and vanilla oak that softens the aroma.
Entry is focused and flavoursome, with fruit flavour starting on the tip of the tongue and showing linear progressing through to the middle palate. This isn't fat or unstructured at all, despite a slightly soft flavour profile and medium body. Fruit flavour is initially Chardonnay dominant and of the yellow peach variety, until you realise there's a wonderful austerity blended in amongst the more luxurious notes, presumably a result of Semillon. There's also some creaminess and quality oak that, as with the nose, add complexity without dominating the wine. The wine's acidity is a feature, and tingles the side of the tongue as the fruit dances centre stage. It's not the most integrated acid I've ever experienced, but it's well balanced against the intensity and body of the wine. Some more grassy notes creep in as the wine moves to the after palate, and this serves to tighten the wine's line in preparation for a lengthy, acid-driven finish.
I really like the balance this wine strikes between opulence of flavour and firmness of structure. It's full flavoured and almost soft on the palate, yet always crisp and fresh. I've had previous vintages with some bottle age, and for my taste, this wine is even better when it shows some honeyed Semillon character. This wine would be delicious with bruchetta and, for pure drinkability, I would choose it over the other Tyrrell's 2007 Private Bin whites I've tasted so far (note that I haven't yet tried the mighty Vat 1).
Price: $A18.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Time for me to make a confession here: I enjoy trying strange wines. I saw this one at K&L in Hollywood, and thought: what the heck? Biodynamically farmed, no idea what grape it is, vin de pays d'Oc usually doesn't bode well, and this is fifteen bucks? Well... how bad can it be? Let's try it!
First of all, I've never seen a plastic cork printed with mis en bouteille au chateau before. In the glass, this is a strangely colored wine - it looks kind of like watered down chocolate syrup or maybe thin soy sauce. Very strange. On the nose, there's an odd, grapey note, but mostly it just smells like old school inexpensive French wine... to a point. It seems fairly simple: fraises de bois, maybe a little bit of tar or pepper, but not much more than that. With a little time and air, it began to remind me of a nebbiolo more than anything, somehow.
In the mouth, it seemed fairly light in body - almost Beaujolais, but not quite. It's got definite varietal characteristics, but of what exactly? It's very appetizing, with kind of a woodsy, dark feeling to it that isn't exactly wood, but more like what it feels like to be drinking in a mountain cabin with good friends in the dead of winter. In fact, the more I think about this wine, the more it reminds me of German digestifs somehow - it feels almost medicinal, tending towards Becherovka rather than Bordeaux. I do like it, though, and it does get full marks for being entirely sui generis. Would I buy it again? Probably not - it is kind of expensive - but I'm glad I did.
Domaine Beau Thorey
First of all, I've never seen a plastic cork printed with mis en bouteille au chateau before. In the glass, this is a strangely colored wine - it looks kind of like watered down chocolate syrup or maybe thin soy sauce. Very strange. On the nose, there's an odd, grapey note, but mostly it just smells like old school inexpensive French wine... to a point. It seems fairly simple: fraises de bois, maybe a little bit of tar or pepper, but not much more than that. With a little time and air, it began to remind me of a nebbiolo more than anything, somehow.
In the mouth, it seemed fairly light in body - almost Beaujolais, but not quite. It's got definite varietal characteristics, but of what exactly? It's very appetizing, with kind of a woodsy, dark feeling to it that isn't exactly wood, but more like what it feels like to be drinking in a mountain cabin with good friends in the dead of winter. In fact, the more I think about this wine, the more it reminds me of German digestifs somehow - it feels almost medicinal, tending towards Becherovka rather than Bordeaux. I do like it, though, and it does get full marks for being entirely sui generis. Would I buy it again? Probably not - it is kind of expensive - but I'm glad I did.
Domaine Beau Thorey
Price: US $14.99
Closure: Plastic cork
Date tasted: January 2008
What do you drink with tom kha soup? I wasn't feeling particular inspired in terms of food and wine matching, so just opened a bottle I felt like drinking. The 2005 version of this wine gave me great pleasure on numerous occasions.
Dense, youthful purple. A forthright, slightly obvious nose that nonetheless expresses an interesting dark fruit character that is part sweet and part sour. It's half jam and half sour jellies. It's almost a bit liqueur-ish and, as with the liqueurs one craves in moments of indulgent vulgarity, is pretty delicious. There's also a sweetly floral dimension to the fruit that is perhaps due to the Viognier and, to me, is rather unsubtle, but that should be crowd pleasing.
As direct as the nose is, the palate is a step up in most respects. The entry is immediately flavoursome and introduces deliciously sour dark fruit that builds and widens towards the middle palate. It's medium bodied and quite nimble. Mouthfeel is slippery and helps to keep the wine lightfooted, but because the intensity of flavour is good, the wine also has quite a lot of impact and feels as though it fills the mouth well. Fruit flavour drives through to the after palate and seems to separate into strands as it fades, leading to a soft finish. Tannins are fine and subtle, acidity adds astringent sourness without much texture.
I think this is perhaps not quite as good as the 2005, mostly due to a slightly hazy fruit character in this wine. It's very tasty but lacks a bit of definition, and is also perhaps slightly simple. I remember the 2005 being just that bit more focused. However, I love the overall character of this wine, which is not afraid to present sour fruit alongside its sweeter, friendlier elements. It has this in common with the 2005 wine. On to the soup...
Update: time in glass definitely helped this wine express itself more clearly. The strands of flavour gained precision after a couple of hours, and intensity continued to build. Fruit character is still a bit obvious, but this really is a tasty wine, and excellent value. Went rather well with the food!
Price: $A17
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Straight outta the fridge, opening a bottle of this is going to get you an dark, coppery pink wine, bright and clean in the glass, that smells largely of uncomplicated strawberries. Give it time to warm up a bit, and the smells spread out, becoming a little bit peppery, with something like freshly churned butter as well. Eventually, it all tends more towards fresh Rainier cherries.
In the mouth, there's a very slight spritziness that's a bit distracting from the actual wine, which is fairly simple, but with an interesting dark downturn on the finish. There seems to be just a bit of residual sugar, which is more than adequately balanced by the wine's acidity. It finishes broadly, satisfyingly, with notes of rhubarb and mace. It's all less complicated than the best pink wines from Australia (or California), and far from a Provençal rosé, but it's a lot of fun and a welcome change from sickly sweet white zinfandel.
Yalumba
In the mouth, there's a very slight spritziness that's a bit distracting from the actual wine, which is fairly simple, but with an interesting dark downturn on the finish. There seems to be just a bit of residual sugar, which is more than adequately balanced by the wine's acidity. It finishes broadly, satisfyingly, with notes of rhubarb and mace. It's all less complicated than the best pink wines from Australia (or California), and far from a Provençal rosé, but it's a lot of fun and a welcome change from sickly sweet white zinfandel.
Yalumba
Price: US $9.99
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
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Julian and I visited Yalumba last February, and had a fascinating discussion about wine trends with the tasting room staff. Apparently this wine is selling like crazy down there; up here in California, pink wines are still desperately naff and no amount of marketing is going to change that, at least not for the foreseeable future. White zinfandel was the #4 best selling wine in the USA for a long, long time - and that started to change in 2006, when imported pinot grigio began to outsell it (something to do with the ongoing middlebrow fascination with Tuscany, I suppose?). My guess is that it's going to take time for pink wine to become popular or trendy - we have to shake off that white zin hangover first.
FWIW, some excellent California pink wines to try would include Pax (wonderful, but expensive; the winery seems to quickly becoming a Parkerized mail-list-only outfit to boot), Bonny Doon (their Vin Gris de Cigare has gone from strength to strength in the oughts), and JK Carriere Glass (a rosé of Pinot noir; I've never actually tasted it but I love their other wines so darn much that I can't imagine it's anything other than wonderful).
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Julian and I visited Yalumba last February, and had a fascinating discussion about wine trends with the tasting room staff. Apparently this wine is selling like crazy down there; up here in California, pink wines are still desperately naff and no amount of marketing is going to change that, at least not for the foreseeable future. White zinfandel was the #4 best selling wine in the USA for a long, long time - and that started to change in 2006, when imported pinot grigio began to outsell it (something to do with the ongoing middlebrow fascination with Tuscany, I suppose?). My guess is that it's going to take time for pink wine to become popular or trendy - we have to shake off that white zin hangover first.
FWIW, some excellent California pink wines to try would include Pax (wonderful, but expensive; the winery seems to quickly becoming a Parkerized mail-list-only outfit to boot), Bonny Doon (their Vin Gris de Cigare has gone from strength to strength in the oughts), and JK Carriere Glass (a rosé of Pinot noir; I've never actually tasted it but I love their other wines so darn much that I can't imagine it's anything other than wonderful).
One of the lovely things about Hunter Semillon is that it's tremendously revealing of vintage conditions and site, something it has in common with Riesling. It's interesting to compare this single vineyard wine with the Stevens tasted the other day. Both quite different in character.
A powdery, floral, perfumed nose, perhaps slightly flinty, definitely subtle and suggestive of a tight wine to follow. Entry is lively with acidity and fruit flavour, both of which intertwine and flow in a focused line to the middle palate. Here we have a Semillon that feels somewhat austere, with feminine, tight fruit flavours that are light yet intense. Acidity isn't forbidding, but it is both finer and more persistent than the Stevens, lending an attractive sourness to the wine and a sophisticated mouthfeel. The after palate shows more tight, flinty flavour and leads to a very clean finish that leaves the mouth refreshed yet coated with delicate citrus fruit notes.
This is a subtle, refined wine that is nonetheless approachable due to the relative softness of the acidity. In a sense, it's a wine that falls between seats. On the one hand, most people would get more satisfaction from a more forward wine with greater fruit weight. On the other, I wonder if this wine has the structure to age over the long term? Still, a nice wine.
Price: $A18.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
This is a Merlot-dominant (60%) blend that also includes some Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Cabernet Franc (20%). 2002 isn't considered an especially stellar vintage for Merlot in Bordeaux, although some consider the vintage generally underrated, producing less fruit forward but classically styled wines. This wine is from the Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion appellation, a satellite appellation of Saint-Émilion.
A pretty red colour that shows no obvious signs of bottle age. The nose is immediate and forthright, though not at all vulgar. At first, spicy oak tended to dominate the aroma profile. With about an hour in the glass, a much more balanced profile emerged, with violets, brambles, dark berry fruit and spicy vanilla oak all contributing their share. Quite elegant. The entry is clear, with acidity the first element to register on the tip of the tongue. Flavour then drives through and widens on the middle palate, delivering a clear, clean shot of complex dark berry fruit. Impressive intensity within light to medium bodied palate weight. Acidity is fine and supportive throughout. The after palate becomes even more interesting, with a range of other flavours emerging, especially some green, tomato vine-like characters. I don't read this as unripe so much as simply on the leaner side of correct. As the after palate moves to the finish, a blanket of fine, delicious tannins descends on the tongue, puckering and drying the mouth, while clear fruit rises to the back of the mouth, singing with intensity. Very good length.
I really enjoyed this wine. It's definitely on the lean side, so perhaps not for all tastes. The wine's structure, though, shows excellent definition, and the fruit is lightfooted but toothsomely intense. It's an intellectual wine. Also refreshingly low in alcohol (12.5%). Recommended.
Price: $A55
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
At my local LCBO, two shelves below the Wayne Gretzky Unoaked Chardonnay, I found Dan Aykroyd's wines dangerously close to the salt and snow stained floor.
One thing to be understood about Canadians is that essentially we are Marsha from The Brady Bunch. Just as in our cinema, when it comes to wines Canadians have to be coaxed into believing they're good enough, smart enough and pretty enough. This means selling Canadian wines to Canadians is probably harder than it needs to be. In comes the recent rash of celebrity wines to lend a solution to that problem.
So I put on my Bill Murray Clothing Shirt and cracked a bottle of Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series Cabernet Merlot 2006. At $16.95 (+$0.05 bottle deposit) this prices it just about in the dead centre for an Ontario produced and cellared wine. Other than an iridescent microphone the label isn't silly or kitsch. This wine wants you to take it seriously, so I did.
The nose has something in it. I think it's strawberry? It's faint. It could be blackberry or other berries. But it's hardly present. Huge oak flavours and way too much sulphur. It's retarded how sulphuric this stuff is. Afterwards some mouth feel and residual sulphur remains. And that's about it. It's like licking an oak tree while somebody farts in your face. The sulphur is very chemical, industrial even. Reminds me of the treated well water at my uncle's farm.
I waited an hour for the sulphur to off gas. Eureka. Suddenly this is a different animal. The strawberries are gone and a little more typically berry flavoured. The bottle still smells like strawberries and sulphur. The tannic oaky flavour is still a bit strong for my taste but suddenly this is more like a bottle of cab-merlot that should cost $17, probably less. Not horribly remarkable but not bad at all. What was with the initial sulphur? Weird. It finished like a cheap date with that acidic feel on the teeth and not much of a taste other than, well, acid.
I'm glad Dan Aykroyd is investing in the wineries here on the Niagara Peninsula. But I think the whole idea behind the "Discovery Series" is to introduce people to wines they've never tried before. That makes sense. But I'm wondering if people who drink wine and buy $17 bottles at the LCBO have never had a really bold cab-merlot before? I guess that's where lending a celebrity name comes into the picture.
If it had the Ghostbusters logo on it I'd review it better.
Dan Aykroyd [but really Lakeview]
Price: C$16.95
Closure: Synthetic
Date tasted: January 2008
On the nose, this smells more like fresh, rich cream than anything else, somehow - it's not what I would have expected from a red wine. There's also a sharp, dark strawberry note along with black pepper - nearly a balsamic vinegar note, or perhaps shoyu. There seems to be blackberry there as well, and definitely some super smooth French oak. It smells fantastic.
In the mouth, what you get is smooth fruit with gently supporting acidity, and then, suddenly, a surprisingly elegant, fairly high toned blackcurrant and damson plum note, something like Guatemalan coffee towards the finish, and then it slinks off to the corner to regroup for the next mouthful. It's not easy finding a Californian wine this elegant; I imagine it would work incredibly well with pork loin roast or a mushroom ragout.
Cameron Hughes
In the mouth, what you get is smooth fruit with gently supporting acidity, and then, suddenly, a surprisingly elegant, fairly high toned blackcurrant and damson plum note, something like Guatemalan coffee towards the finish, and then it slinks off to the corner to regroup for the next mouthful. It's not easy finding a Californian wine this elegant; I imagine it would work incredibly well with pork loin roast or a mushroom ragout.
Cameron Hughes
Price: US $15
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: January 2008
Hunter Valley Verdelho. Perhaps not the most awe-inspiringly fashionable phrase. However, sometimes, one wants to relax with a straightforward, giving sort of wine. I'd argue that Verdelho can be such a wine, ideal for mid-week quaffing or those mythical "afternoons lying by the pool." Pass the 30+...
Served straight from the fridge, this wine shows exotic, attractive tropical fruit aromas with a hint of herbal astringence. Entry has good impact and delivers flavour very quickly to the tongue. The middle palate is a gush of more tropical fruit, along with the first wave of more astringent bitterness that becomes the primary feature of the after palate. It's cleansing and fresh, perhaps lacking the textural interest of the Tulloch example tasted recently, but still tasty. Acidity is relatively soft but present enough to provide direction to the palate, and some freshness in mouthfeel. Medium bodied and generous. The finish is quite persistent, reverting to sweet tropical fruit as it fades slowly away.
Tyrrell's suggests one serve this wine only slightly chilled, but I beg to differ. As the wine warmed, it lost a bit of focus, the fruit flavour becoming a tad broad for my taste. The more bitter flavour notes also jar in the context of a softer wine. I have one other bottle of this wine, and will certainly drink it nice and cool.
Price: $A15
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
I keep most of my wine in storage in Sydney. As I am in Brisbane, this means (embarrassingly) regular shipments to the Sunshine State to replenish local stocks. The upside of this is that I get to put together mixed dozens from cellar stock, a task that generates some excitement whenever I'm called upon to perform it. It's a bit like online shopping without the bill (of course, this a ridiculous way of looking at it, as I've already been slugged for the wine months, perhaps years, prior). Anyway, the point of this rambling is that I haven't been drinking much Hunter Semillon of late, which is totally uncharacteristic. To remedy this, I made sure to include a couple of recent releases in my latest "aid drop" (as I like to think of my wine shipments), the first of which I am sitting down to this evening.
A forward, expressive nose (for young Hunter Semillon) that shows striking powdery citrus and soapy notes, along with perhaps a hint of tropical sweetness. Well balanced and attractive. Entry is immediate and of good impact due to the wine's acidity, which sizzles from the very tip of the tongue. From here, the wine softens a little and flows to a generous middle palate of lemon juice and some more of that tropical fruit. There are also some musky notes and a bit of herbal astringency too. Although the fruit is full and relatively gentle, the wine's acidity is still quite prominent, creating a sherbet-like effect. I can't decide whether the acid is a bit disjointed or just slightly unbalanced considering the softness of the fruit. Either way, it's not a huge deal. The after palate tightens and becomes more sourly astringent (I liked it), leading to a clean, dry finish of decent length.
A very slight question mark over the acid, then, but I have to say, I really enjoyed this wine. It's clean and full, with good complexity for a young Semillon thanks to those tropical notes. A real step up from the Lost Block tasted the other day, and at the price it's sensational value. I guess you could try and age this one if you wanted, but personally I'd drink it young. Pair with canapes or a club sandwich.
Price: $18.50
Closure: Stevin
Date tasted: January 2007
This wine is from the Montagne Saint-Emilion appellation in Bordeaux, and consists of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. And it's cheap. Here goes.
The first thing that strikes one on the nose is what appears to be mild brett, but whether this is an issue depends very much on your tolerance for this particular wine fault. Personally, I don't mind a bit of brett in the right dose (and the right wine). Here, it comes across as a metallic note that actually blends ok with the earthy, gravelly notes of the wine itself. It's a subtle wine on the nose, dark in profile, but with some sweet black berry fruits peeping out around all the earth and gravel.
The entry is subtle and slips through to a middle palate where flavours start to register with more intensity. It's predominantly a savoury wine in flavour profile, with earthy notes dominating a subtle but attractive layer of ripe blackberry fruit. Oak is pretty subliminal (I couldn't detect much, if any, oak influence at all). Gentle acid is well integrated within the medium bodied palate and keeps the wine moving along nicely. The after palate is quite linear and progresses to a finish of fine, ripe tannins. No great length to speak of, but not short either. The overall impression of this wine is one of structure and elegance rather than ripe or juicy flavour.
If you're a bit tolerant of brett, like I am, you will find this wine to be a reasonably priced Bordeaux that will accompany your mid-week dinner of beef or pork quite nicely.
Update: I left half the bottle overnight and retasted the next day. Marked improvement. The fruit has gained weight and fragrance, especially on the after palate, marginalising the brett influence to almost zero. Nice drop indeed. Might be best in a couple of years' time.
Price: $A24
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
It's not every day one sits down to a glass of Chambourcin. I gather this is one of Australia's better known examples, though (everything's relative).
A ruby red colour, not especially dense. The nose is actually quite interesting and expressive. There are bright, clean fruits in there, quite sweet, along with some foliage and perhaps even a slight hint of barnyard. Some vanilla/coffee oak also sits alongside, subtle but present. Certainly it's distinctive and well balanced. Entry promises further interest, with acidity registering on the very tip of the tongue, along with fruit flavour not long thereafter. But things fall apart a bit on the middle palate. A big gush of intensely sweet, lollied, slightly prune-like red fruit rushes along the tongue and rather dominates the other flavour components. A shame, as there is some real interest here, and well handled oak too. If you can look past the sweet fruit, there are genuinely savoury elements to the flavour profile that deserve a bit more attention within this lightish wine. Some time in glass has tamed the sweetness of the fruit a little, but not by much (perhaps my palate is adjusting). The after palate, mercifully, shows a diminution of sweetness in favour of the savoury notes, and the acceptably long finish is very low on tannin, riding instead the wine's acidity through to a close.
Interesting wine, this one. I must say, my reaction is based on what I perceive to be a flavour imbalance, and is representative of my tastes. Some people will undoubtedly go nuts for the easy sweetness and low tannin of this wine. In its favour, it has a flavour profile that is quite different from cheap Shiraz or Cabernet. I'm tempted to say it's Pinot-like, but it is so only in that it delivers quite an intense fruit character in the context of a light to medium bodied wine.
Price: $A16
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Cameron Hughes Lot 51 [Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, 2004]: The only way to describe this wine was something like "all treble." Fairly lovely, higher altitude fruit without much in the lower octaves. Good value, but nothing mind-blowingly good.
Cameron Hughes Lot 25 [sparkling wine from Carneros, presumably 1999] Hate to say it, but a poor example of California sparkling wine. The fruit was too heavy, too rich, too ripe; the bead was anemic and it all felt like an overwrought California chardonnay that had been forced through a soda fountain. On the other hand, it didn't smell too bad... but seriously: if you're gonna buy California sparkling wine, there are better options. Beautiful bottle, however.
St. Benno sparkling scheurebe [around $22] - Found this in a department store in Berlin. I thought it was intriguing with notes of lemon and pepper, but my partner felt it smelled and tasted like rotting celery or a dirty greengrocer's. Definitely an acquired taste.
Rotkäppchen sparkling pinot blanc (Weißburgunder) [around $27] - Rottkäppchen was the premier producer of sparkling wine in the GDR, and they're one of the very few businesses to have prospered after German reunification (I think, but I'm not sure, that they now sell more sparkling wine than anyone else in Germany). This is their high end product - méthode traditionelle wine from Saxon grapes, no corners cut. It displayed definite varietal characteristics, but not much else: of course, proper stemware would have helped (I was using hotel room water glasses, what can I say?). Of course, for the money, there are probably better options available, but I was feeling adventurous.
Franz Keller [?] Baßgeige Spätburgunder [pinot noir] - You want proof that climate change is a bad thing? Well, here you go. From Baden - ordinarily home to reasonably good Riesling - comes a German pinot noir that has all of the jammy, overripe lameness of too-warm California pinot noir. Very disappointing, especially compared with a pinot noir-gamay noir wine from the Valais that was drunk on the same evening.
Cameron Hughes Lot 25 [sparkling wine from Carneros, presumably 1999] Hate to say it, but a poor example of California sparkling wine. The fruit was too heavy, too rich, too ripe; the bead was anemic and it all felt like an overwrought California chardonnay that had been forced through a soda fountain. On the other hand, it didn't smell too bad... but seriously: if you're gonna buy California sparkling wine, there are better options. Beautiful bottle, however.
St. Benno sparkling scheurebe [around $22] - Found this in a department store in Berlin. I thought it was intriguing with notes of lemon and pepper, but my partner felt it smelled and tasted like rotting celery or a dirty greengrocer's. Definitely an acquired taste.
Rotkäppchen sparkling pinot blanc (Weißburgunder) [around $27] - Rottkäppchen was the premier producer of sparkling wine in the GDR, and they're one of the very few businesses to have prospered after German reunification (I think, but I'm not sure, that they now sell more sparkling wine than anyone else in Germany). This is their high end product - méthode traditionelle wine from Saxon grapes, no corners cut. It displayed definite varietal characteristics, but not much else: of course, proper stemware would have helped (I was using hotel room water glasses, what can I say?). Of course, for the money, there are probably better options available, but I was feeling adventurous.
Franz Keller [?] Baßgeige Spätburgunder [pinot noir] - You want proof that climate change is a bad thing? Well, here you go. From Baden - ordinarily home to reasonably good Riesling - comes a German pinot noir that has all of the jammy, overripe lameness of too-warm California pinot noir. Very disappointing, especially compared with a pinot noir-gamay noir wine from the Valais that was drunk on the same evening.
My partner saw me dragging this bottle into the kitchen and said "whoa, what is that, forty bucks?" I don't know how much it cost - I'll have to look at that up at the end of the review - but yes, the bottle does look fairly impressive in a conservative Napa Cab kind of way, right down to its twenty-fifth anniversary capsule.
In the glass, my first thought was nah, maybe thirty bucks? It smells like good, clean, lovely Napa cabernet. More specifically, it smells heavy, dense, mostly fruity, with a fair bit of French oak coming through as well. The color is, however, not as dense as I've come to expect, which bodes well. On the palate, it's brighter than I would have expected, with good supporting acidity and a lovely, fresh taste of ripe fruit (not overripe!), cassis, blackcurrant, and butterscotch, with minimal tannins on the finish... no, wait, there they are; they just take a minute or so to assert themselves. It's all very California by way of Bordeaux and frankly pretty damned good.
Silverado Vineyards
In the glass, my first thought was nah, maybe thirty bucks? It smells like good, clean, lovely Napa cabernet. More specifically, it smells heavy, dense, mostly fruity, with a fair bit of French oak coming through as well. The color is, however, not as dense as I've come to expect, which bodes well. On the palate, it's brighter than I would have expected, with good supporting acidity and a lovely, fresh taste of ripe fruit (not overripe!), cassis, blackcurrant, and butterscotch, with minimal tannins on the finish... no, wait, there they are; they just take a minute or so to assert themselves. It's all very California by way of Bordeaux and frankly pretty damned good.
Silverado Vineyards
Price: US $35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
McWilliam's seems to have taken a stealthy approach to marketing of late, as some of their brands have decidedly slipped off my radar, Barwang included. I remember having some lovely reds in the late 90s from this Hilltops winery, and the prices were always excellent for the quality. But not so much visibility of late. So, in an effort to remain "with it," I thought I'd give this Chardonnay a go tonight.
The nose is pretty forward, and shows as much nutty oak character as it does fruit. The fruit is riper, perhaps in the yellow peach part of the spectrum but with some citrus-like notes too. The entry shows quite intense acidity that tingles the tongue from the tip round to the edges. The ripe fruit flavour profile seems perhaps slightly at odds with the prominent acidity of the wine, but perhaps this is preferable to a flabby, fat wine. This is anything but flabby. Despite the acidity, it's not a hugely focused wine, the middle palate spreading fruit flavour generously and somewhat formlessly on the tongue. In style, I guess you would describe this wine as acid-driven but relatively worked in flavour profile, with some malo notes coming through alongside the ripe fruit. The McWilliam's website indicates weekly battonage, but this isn't an especially creamy wine. The after palate tapers slowly, allowing flavour to linger a little as the reasonably lengthy finish takes over.
Interesting wine, but to my taste not entirely satisfying. It seems a bit disjointed, with that acid sitting alongside the wine's fruit and being, in intensity, a little at odds to the rest of the wine's balance. Nevertheless, it went well with a chicken dinner. It's also reasonably priced for the quality.
Price: $A16
Closure: Stevin
Date tasted: January 2008
I'm a big fan of the Tyrrell's Semillon portfolio, and enjoy the Stevens, Vat 18 and Vat 1 examples with satisfying regularity. I've also enjoyed the Lost Block Semillon in the past, not least for its more affordable price. Picked up a bottle of the 2007 at the local bottlo and cracked it tonight to have with dinner.
A confident nose of powdery citrus, flinty minerals and some underlying sulfur. It's a bit one-dimensional but it's also attractively firm and characterful. The entry is lively thanks to some good quality acidity that drives flavour right on to the middle palate. Medium bodied, this wine shows more lively citrus and floral notes on the palate. The acidity is worth pondering for a moment, as to my taste it is cleverly balanced to create an immediately drinkable wine. There's none of the austerity here that one might encounter in a young "cellaring style" of Semillon. No, this wine is all about enjoyment right now, and the acidity is soft enough to play along. The wine slips along to a slightly hollow after palate, then to a finish that lingers delicately, with some slight sweetness showing.
Clever winemaking here. It's a wine that knows what it's for -- consumption in its youth, with food, well chilled. Great summer quaffing wine.
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Even though I didn't drink much of it while in New Zealand recently, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, specifically that from the Marlborough, is surely prominent in the consciousness of wine drinkers in this country. As singular as it is, there are other equally interesting expressions of this varietal, one of which is, of course, Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire Valley. Here's a reasonably priced example from the notable 2005 vintage.
Synthetic cork provides an inauspicious start to the overall experience of this wine. At least there's no chance of TCA. A green-gold colour, light, clear. The nose is moderately intense, showing rich tropical fruits and a hint of honey. There's a soft delicacy to this wine's aromas, despite its rich flavour profile, that I find attractive. No great complexity to speak of. The entry is firm with acid, though not unbalanced or harsh. In fact, the acidity of this wine is worth noting, as it's steely and linear, yet subtle too, never creating more than a lively structure to carry fruit flavour. The middle palate is rounded and generous, with more tropical fruit, citrus and honeyed edges, a hint of fresh herbs, perhaps a bit of smoke. Again, no overwhelming complexity, but it's tasty for sure. The after palate drops off pretty quickly, and the wine's finish is more of an echo rather than a continuation of substantial flavour.
In pure QPR terms, this wine is probably slightly overpriced compared to Australasian examples, but the fact remains that our local styles are quite different in character. So, given we're not talking huge bucks here, I'd suggest this wine as a good option if you're after a generous, refreshing white wine and want something less aggressive than Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Serve well chilled. We had this wine with old fashioned Pommy fish cakes and it was extremely food friendly. I reckon it would also be killer with a fish pie.
Pierre Brévin
Price: $A20
Closure: Synthetic cork
Date tasted: January 2008
Last night the Pinot Grigio, tonight the Pinot Noir. I was surprised by the drinkability, if not sophistication, of the Grigio, so was interested to see what the Noir is made of. As with the companion wine, this one is priced keenly at $A14.
Pretty, relatively dense ruby red, good clarity. Upon opening, the wine's nose was almost entirely mute. Some time in glass has helped it to express itself a little, but it's not exactly screaming out of the glass, even now. The aromas are of sweet pinot fruit and a little spice, thankfully not confected but also quite simple. The palate is a lot more expressive than the nose. Entry is quite immediate and leads to a middle palate of light to medium weight, showing varietal fruit and some more spice. The fruit itself, though identifiably Pinot Noir in character, has an unattractively stressed, prune-like dimension. Fruit weight is pretty light on too, and I'd describe the wine's intensity as a little dilute. Some subtle oak contributes complexity, especially towards the after palate. Acidity is on the soft side, just present enough to add some shape and structure to the palate. Finish is unremarkable in length.
I think I prefer the Pinot Grigio in the Juliet range. This wine's fruit character and lack of intensity make for a slightly underwhelming experience. On the plus side, it's obviously a pinot and the winemaking seems well thought out. Still, I'd probably buy something from the De Bortoli Windy Peak (or Gulf Station if discounted) range in preference to this.
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
Cheap Pinot Grigio -- surely I'm tempting fate. Nevertheless, this wine is in a super pretty bottle with a label that exists without paper. How could I say no? I've not tried either wine from T'Gallant's budget "Juliet" range, and it's always nice to see well priced wine from the Mornington Peninsula, so let's see how we go with this one.
A generous, clean aroma of non-specific fruit that hovers around pear and apple but, dare I say it, is mostly "grapey" in character. Hence, it has the (considerable) appeal of fresh juice rather than anything more challengingly vinous. Quite simple, though. The entry is easygoing and widens to a light/medium bodied palate that shows mostly more of the grapey fruit character seen on the nose. In terms of structure, the wine is quite light on acid, such that mouthfeel is fresh but lacking a little in "zing," especially as the wine warms. Phenolics are a little more present as the wine progresses towards the after palate, but again these are subtle and contribute a slight savoury note (herbal, perhaps) and some roughening of mouthfeel. Quite a satisfying finish, with phenolics carrying some sweet fruit flavour through with good length.
A well judged wine that is terribly easy to drink. It's almost entirely lacking in sophistication, but for its intended purpose, who cares? Serve well chilled with food.
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
According to Trinity Hill, this wine is made only in vintages of a certain quality, the previous release being a 1998 wine. This 2002 is the current release and was purchased at cellar door a few weeks ago.
Characteristic dustiness is most noticeable on the nose, along with equally typical cassis fruit aromas and some supporting cedar oak. Some age is evident, not through any prominence of tertiary aromas but from good integration of flavour components, each seeming to melt into the other in a relaxed fashion. Good balance. Entry is smooth and fairly immediate, with fruit flavour registering quite quickly on the palate. The middle palate shows the same dustiness as the nose, but which here comes across as an attractive gravel note. Slightly simple red and black berry fruits sit underneath and are propped up by more savoury oak. As with the nose, flavours are well integrated. Weight is medium bodied at most, and the wine gives an overall impression of elegance rather than power. Fruit flavour continues linearly through the after palate, rising attractively towards a finish of fine, chalky tannins. Satisfying length.
I wondered at some points whether it lacks a little in intensity on the palate, but perhaps it's a stylistic thing rather than an absence of flavour. I suspect a lot of people will enjoy this interpretation of Cabernet, which is stylish without being a showpony of a wine. It could certainly sit longer in bottle if you were so inclined, though it's drinking well now. We had this wine with Wagyu rump and it matched the beef really well, all flavours intermingling deliciously.
Trinity Hill
Price: $NZ29
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2008
This wine is Unison Vineyard's signature wine, along with the "reserve" level Unison Selection. It's a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Estate grapes. The proportions of the blend are not specified, and deliberately so. When I queried Unison about this, I was told it views the Unison wine as a style whose blend may vary from year to year, so the exact percentage of each varietal is really beside the point. It's nice to encounter a producer with such a clear, confident vision.
Red-purple colour, not massively dense, pretty. The nose immediately presents bright, sweet red fruits within a billowy arena of pepper and dried flowers. It's striking and bold, full of character, if a little simple and gangly. There's good intensity on the nose and it showed consistency through the evening, with perhaps each element calming a little with time in glass. The entry and middle palate are equally forward, showing great line from nose to palate. The same flavour profile of slightly simple red fruit, pepper and dusty florals marches through the mouth, gushing to an after palate that emphasises the sweet fruit dimension more strongly. Oak is present but not an overwhelming element, the wine aged in large casks rather than smaller vessels. Body is medium to full, intensity is generous. What I like best about this wine, though, is its texture. Mouthfeel is strikingly textural, with acid, tannin and fruit combining to create a certain rusticity that is most attractive and an excellent counterbalance to the brightness of the fruit. There's an evenness to the texture, too, that ensures no spikes or angularity.
A delicious wine to be drunk with food, preferably something bold and hearty, amongst friends. Cracking value.
Price: $NZ28
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: January 2007
