May 2008 Archives
Distinctive, sharp nose that is part oak, part chalky mineral note (almost lipsticky in character). There may be a bit of sulfur still floating around in there, but the wine's minerality seems more terroir-driven. There's also some fruit, austerely honeydew melon like, and a bit of creaminess too.
Entry is crisp and finely acidic, with fruit flavour that builds along the wine's line. It's almost like flavour starts to radiate out from a focused structural line, and it's only towards the mid-palate that you realise the fruit here is actually quite intense and assertive. Flavour profile is firmly in line with the nose, in that it's almost entirely savoury and tilted towards a funky minerality that will be, I'd wager, a matter of taste. Oak is present, for sure, but not a dominant feature. The sulfur is a bit distracting to me, so I hope some time in bottle (or even glass) will help that to disappear. Some rounded fruit emerges as the wine leaves the mid-palate, and it's this slightly softer note that carries through the after palate onto the lengthy, and somewhat chalky, finish.
I'm going to see how this goes through the evening and report back.
Well, a little time (an hour perhaps) in the glass, and this wine is presenting well. It's still a savoury, structured wine, but given this, it's well balanced and shows good intensity with impressive length. There are also some additional fruit notes, tropical in character, that have started to peak out from under the savouriness. A really characterful wine.
Clos Salomon
Price: $A37
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Entry is crisp and finely acidic, with fruit flavour that builds along the wine's line. It's almost like flavour starts to radiate out from a focused structural line, and it's only towards the mid-palate that you realise the fruit here is actually quite intense and assertive. Flavour profile is firmly in line with the nose, in that it's almost entirely savoury and tilted towards a funky minerality that will be, I'd wager, a matter of taste. Oak is present, for sure, but not a dominant feature. The sulfur is a bit distracting to me, so I hope some time in bottle (or even glass) will help that to disappear. Some rounded fruit emerges as the wine leaves the mid-palate, and it's this slightly softer note that carries through the after palate onto the lengthy, and somewhat chalky, finish.
Well, a little time (an hour perhaps) in the glass, and this wine is presenting well. It's still a savoury, structured wine, but given this, it's well balanced and shows good intensity with impressive length. There are also some additional fruit notes, tropical in character, that have started to peak out from under the savouriness. A really characterful wine.
Clos Salomon
Price: $A37
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Beautifully, richly purple, my first thought here was simply "wow, so this is what a really good, ripe, New World fake Bordeaux smells like after it's aged for a few years." There's a bit of good old fashioned lead pencil, some cedar box, rich, dark damson fruit, and just a hint of dust (strangely, it reminds me of the classroom I once taught in in Germany; it was a cold, concrete room with not much to smell save for the cigarettes students had smoked before class). It also smells just a bit burnt-sugar sweet; it's something like raspberry crème brûlée, but not overtly so.
Surprisingly medium-bodied, the taste begins all red fruits, and then suddenly shifts gears to a sort of shoe-leather, tobacco-leaf earthiness with a high, violet-leaf note as well; then, it fades out slowly, with subtle supporting acidity, ending on a somewhat sweet (not sugary, just sweet) note with gentle spiciness and good length. There aren't any aged characteristics that I can discern really; this still tastes just great seven years after harvest.
This wine's a keeper - probably the best I've had in a month. Great stuff! I imagine it'll still be in great shape a decade from now - shame I only bought the one bottle!
Meerlust
Price: US $25
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Surprisingly medium-bodied, the taste begins all red fruits, and then suddenly shifts gears to a sort of shoe-leather, tobacco-leaf earthiness with a high, violet-leaf note as well; then, it fades out slowly, with subtle supporting acidity, ending on a somewhat sweet (not sugary, just sweet) note with gentle spiciness and good length. There aren't any aged characteristics that I can discern really; this still tastes just great seven years after harvest.
This wine's a keeper - probably the best I've had in a month. Great stuff! I imagine it'll still be in great shape a decade from now - shame I only bought the one bottle!
Meerlust
Price: US $25
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
You will no doubt have noticed that we've updated the way we look here at Full Pour. We hope the site is more readable and, in general, easier on the eye. If only it were so easy to refresh one's liver, too. Feel free to send us feedback on our new design!
There's a hint of boysenberry fruit leather to this wine; it seems ever so slightly stewy, but is it intentional? Is this meant to run along the lines of a full-bore McLaren Vale cabernet? Or is this a traditional claret that failed, slightly? Color-wise, it seems a bit watery at the rim, with a dark purple, orangey-red hue, relatively unusual for Cabernet; it definitely looks more Old World than New.
With some time, it has kind of a chocolate tobacco box smell to it, but again with a stewed berry component. There's also a fair whack of something like damp earth - it's a very earthy, loamy smell that suggests just the tiniest hint of brettanomyces. It's not unpleasant, just subtly present.
Fairly acidic and bright, the wine doesn't taste anything like it smells, and pretty much nothing like what American wines taste like. There seems to be a tomato-leaf note here, which isn't too bad, along with a hint of licorice; overall, it's a bit flat, but there's a spiciness and nerve that's moderately appealing. The tannins are very well judged, providing firm support right through the finish; they're nicely ripe and provide a useful counterpoint to the acidity.
Thinking about this wine a bit more, some more traditional fruit flavors do arrive, but even then, they verge on the porty and, well, confected (with apologies to Julian for saying that). Ultimately, this seems like a wine that does as well as it can given the circumstance; this is from the oldest winery in the Americas (they're now in their 5th century of production), and it's in what probably seems like an insane location to most winemakers: the Mexican state of Coahuila, which is improbably located well inland from the Gulf of Mexico a few hundred miles southwest of San Antonio, Texas. Given the presumably difficult climate, and given the quality of Azteca de Oro brandy, it seems like table wines might not be the best call for this area, but you know what? This wine is still a lot more interesting than many wines we produce here in California, so I think it's worth a look. Heck, I'd love to try their high end wines - of course, God only knows where you could find them (and I'm not traveling to México City any time soon, alas).
Casa Madero
Price: $159 (about US $15)
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
With some time, it has kind of a chocolate tobacco box smell to it, but again with a stewed berry component. There's also a fair whack of something like damp earth - it's a very earthy, loamy smell that suggests just the tiniest hint of brettanomyces. It's not unpleasant, just subtly present.
Fairly acidic and bright, the wine doesn't taste anything like it smells, and pretty much nothing like what American wines taste like. There seems to be a tomato-leaf note here, which isn't too bad, along with a hint of licorice; overall, it's a bit flat, but there's a spiciness and nerve that's moderately appealing. The tannins are very well judged, providing firm support right through the finish; they're nicely ripe and provide a useful counterpoint to the acidity.
Thinking about this wine a bit more, some more traditional fruit flavors do arrive, but even then, they verge on the porty and, well, confected (with apologies to Julian for saying that). Ultimately, this seems like a wine that does as well as it can given the circumstance; this is from the oldest winery in the Americas (they're now in their 5th century of production), and it's in what probably seems like an insane location to most winemakers: the Mexican state of Coahuila, which is improbably located well inland from the Gulf of Mexico a few hundred miles southwest of San Antonio, Texas. Given the presumably difficult climate, and given the quality of Azteca de Oro brandy, it seems like table wines might not be the best call for this area, but you know what? This wine is still a lot more interesting than many wines we produce here in California, so I think it's worth a look. Heck, I'd love to try their high end wines - of course, God only knows where you could find them (and I'm not traveling to México City any time soon, alas).
Casa Madero
Price: $159 (about US $15)
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
And now we begin on the 1er Cru white Burgundies, albeit those from lesser appellations. We've already tasted this maker's Pernand-Vergelesses village-level wine, which was a tasty, albeit not especially refined, drop. This wine, at $A59, is $A12 more expensive. What does this extra money buy the punter?
A fair degree more refinement, as it turns out, although the character of the wine is broadly in line with the village wine. The nose shows toasty almond, caramel and soft melon fruit, which sounds sloppy but is in fact crisp and well defined. Entry is sufficiently acidic to prop up more flavours of almond paste and caramel butter, with some citrus and stone fruit, and an overall impression of baked things. I like the way the wine is fresh and well structured without being forbidding, a hint of mineral contributing to this sense of vitality. Intensity is notable, and the wine seems intent on finding every corner of the mouth and staying put. The slightly lifted after palate shows good extension through the back of the mouth, and the finish is well shaped and of good length.
All in all, I like this wine's flavour profile and sense of style. It's a lot more refined than the village wine, although I still wouldn't call it the ultimate in sophistication. I should note that the other half took an instant, firm dislike to this wine's flavours, finding them unpleasantly sharp and perhaps even volatile. I can understand that point of view, as there's a pungent, perhaps herbal edge to the wine's flavour profile that may not be to everyone's taste.
Update: I left half a bottle in the fridge for two days and am consuming the remainder now. It has come together well, with flavours further integrating and becoming less angular, though it's still an assertive, distinctive wine. Nice wine if you like the style.
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils
Price: $A59
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
A fair degree more refinement, as it turns out, although the character of the wine is broadly in line with the village wine. The nose shows toasty almond, caramel and soft melon fruit, which sounds sloppy but is in fact crisp and well defined. Entry is sufficiently acidic to prop up more flavours of almond paste and caramel butter, with some citrus and stone fruit, and an overall impression of baked things. I like the way the wine is fresh and well structured without being forbidding, a hint of mineral contributing to this sense of vitality. Intensity is notable, and the wine seems intent on finding every corner of the mouth and staying put. The slightly lifted after palate shows good extension through the back of the mouth, and the finish is well shaped and of good length.
All in all, I like this wine's flavour profile and sense of style. It's a lot more refined than the village wine, although I still wouldn't call it the ultimate in sophistication. I should note that the other half took an instant, firm dislike to this wine's flavours, finding them unpleasantly sharp and perhaps even volatile. I can understand that point of view, as there's a pungent, perhaps herbal edge to the wine's flavour profile that may not be to everyone's taste.
Update: I left half a bottle in the fridge for two days and am consuming the remainder now. It has come together well, with flavours further integrating and becoming less angular, though it's still an assertive, distinctive wine. Nice wine if you like the style.
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils
Price: $A59
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Canberra's not known for its Cabernet-based wines, but I've enjoyed several vintages of this, Clonakilla's version of a Bordeaux blend. It underwent a name change a couple of years ago but otherwise remains the same. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, more or less in equal measures.
Savoury aromas that show dried blackcurrant, flowers, meatiness and cedary oak. This is certainly not a berry-driven, straightforward aroma profile. Instead, it's a bit funky and austere, and is about definition, not generosity. The palate shows more of the same, with the oak translating to a pencil shaving note that is prominent without becoming unbalanced. Flavour through the entry and mid palate sits in the higher registers, in that the dark berry fruit is edgy and taut, intense and complex, and doesn't relax enough to generate a sense of richness or plushness. Partly, this is due to very fine tannins that dry the mouth from a relatively early point in the wine's line, but I suspect it's also a matter of style. Certainly not a criticism, but rather indicative of where the wine is "at" right now. Fruit sings linearly through the after palate, and continues on to a good finish.
This is a pretty serious wine of high quality that really needs some time to relax, fatten out and become more drinkable. That said, give it a good decant or some vigorous swirling, and you'll be drinking an elegant wine that will give you something to think about if your mood tends to more analytical tasting. After an hour or so in the glass, it's already gaining some weight and depth, which seems to indicate a promising future.
Clonakilla
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
Savoury aromas that show dried blackcurrant, flowers, meatiness and cedary oak. This is certainly not a berry-driven, straightforward aroma profile. Instead, it's a bit funky and austere, and is about definition, not generosity. The palate shows more of the same, with the oak translating to a pencil shaving note that is prominent without becoming unbalanced. Flavour through the entry and mid palate sits in the higher registers, in that the dark berry fruit is edgy and taut, intense and complex, and doesn't relax enough to generate a sense of richness or plushness. Partly, this is due to very fine tannins that dry the mouth from a relatively early point in the wine's line, but I suspect it's also a matter of style. Certainly not a criticism, but rather indicative of where the wine is "at" right now. Fruit sings linearly through the after palate, and continues on to a good finish.
This is a pretty serious wine of high quality that really needs some time to relax, fatten out and become more drinkable. That said, give it a good decant or some vigorous swirling, and you'll be drinking an elegant wine that will give you something to think about if your mood tends to more analytical tasting. After an hour or so in the glass, it's already gaining some weight and depth, which seems to indicate a promising future.
Clonakilla
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
At $A55, this is the most expensive white Burgundy so far amongst the 2005s recently tasted by me on Full Pour, and approximately equivalent (with the dollar the way it is) in price to the Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard tasted by Chris the other day. Unlike that wine, this is classified as village-level. We're still playing at the lower end of the price scale as far as these wines are concerned, but at twice the cost of some wines tasted earlier in this series, one could rightly expect a corresponding increase in quality.
A fresh, relatively full nose of round citrus and melon fruit, and a hint of caramel. There are also powdery notes, part floral and part mineral, that add a whole layer of high toned complexity. It's altogether very attractive, though tight and coiled too. Entry is clean and crisp, with a lovely fresh mouthfeel and bright acidity counterbalanced by impressively intense fruit that builds towards the mid-palate. There are some subtle winemaker inputs here (a hint of butterscotch and spice) but it's primarily a fruit-driven wine. The tasty fruit is all about grapefruity citrus flavour and, as the after palate begins, the fruit explodes out of its focused centre to coat the insides of the mouth with surprising, quite pleasing aggressiveness. The effect, combined with the wine's acid structure, is mouthwatering. Nice focus through the finish.
It's a little austere at the moment, but this wine is clearly a good one, with a nice line through the palate and good fruit. I'd love to see this in a little while, when hopefully the acidity will have integrated somewhat and allowed the fruit to flow more liberally.
Domaine Alain Chavy
Price: $A55
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
A fresh, relatively full nose of round citrus and melon fruit, and a hint of caramel. There are also powdery notes, part floral and part mineral, that add a whole layer of high toned complexity. It's altogether very attractive, though tight and coiled too. Entry is clean and crisp, with a lovely fresh mouthfeel and bright acidity counterbalanced by impressively intense fruit that builds towards the mid-palate. There are some subtle winemaker inputs here (a hint of butterscotch and spice) but it's primarily a fruit-driven wine. The tasty fruit is all about grapefruity citrus flavour and, as the after palate begins, the fruit explodes out of its focused centre to coat the insides of the mouth with surprising, quite pleasing aggressiveness. The effect, combined with the wine's acid structure, is mouthwatering. Nice focus through the finish.
It's a little austere at the moment, but this wine is clearly a good one, with a nice line through the palate and good fruit. I'd love to see this in a little while, when hopefully the acidity will have integrated somewhat and allowed the fruit to flow more liberally.
Domaine Alain Chavy
Price: $A55
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
One from the cellar. As an aside, the first bottle I had of this wine was tainted with a strikingly unpleasant mercaptan rubber cabbage stink, and was replaced courteously and promptly by the winery. All subsequent bottles have been clean as a whistle.
More than a dash of smoky, sweet oak; it's prominent but also complementary to the fruit's aroma profile, which is ripe, dense and savoury. There's almost liqueur-like black cherry and some Hunter earth, maybe even a hint of cured pork, dark and slightly brooding in character. Entry is flavoursome, with good immediacy and some interesting textural complexity. There's nice mix of silkiness and powdery phenolics. Full bodied, the wine's mid-palate is still quite focused and primary, sweetly oak heavy as per the nose, and strikes me as resembling adult bubble gum (if such a thing existed). Nice presence on the after palate, where the wine lightens a little and prepares for a finish of excellent length and deliciously ripe tannins.
It's not typically Hunter in style, but that's neither here nor there, as the wine is coherent in and of itself. Overall, the impression is flavoursome and rustic, but never obvious or clumsy. Try this wine with equally assertive food -- a tasty dish of pasta and rich ragu would be perfect.
Meerea Park
Cost: $A25
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
More than a dash of smoky, sweet oak; it's prominent but also complementary to the fruit's aroma profile, which is ripe, dense and savoury. There's almost liqueur-like black cherry and some Hunter earth, maybe even a hint of cured pork, dark and slightly brooding in character. Entry is flavoursome, with good immediacy and some interesting textural complexity. There's nice mix of silkiness and powdery phenolics. Full bodied, the wine's mid-palate is still quite focused and primary, sweetly oak heavy as per the nose, and strikes me as resembling adult bubble gum (if such a thing existed). Nice presence on the after palate, where the wine lightens a little and prepares for a finish of excellent length and deliciously ripe tannins.
It's not typically Hunter in style, but that's neither here nor there, as the wine is coherent in and of itself. Overall, the impression is flavoursome and rustic, but never obvious or clumsy. Try this wine with equally assertive food -- a tasty dish of pasta and rich ragu would be perfect.
Meerea Park
Cost: $A25
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
It's tempting to write about this wine in terms of how important it is to Australia's wine industry, or perhaps to express curiosity regarding what such a cheap wine actually tastes like, as if it were the vinous equivalent of a trip to the red light district (ie something that other people do). In reality, I'm a big fan of cheap wines for purely practical reasons. Firstly, I can't afford to drink top or even middle tier wines every day. Secondly, there are few things more exciting to a wine lover than finding an excellent cheap wine. Thrift and pleasure, a top combination in my books.
A hit of clean, sweet red and blue fruit on the nose. It's easy, simple and, to me, screams of industrial winemaking. The palate is surprisingly acidic (though balanced) and this helps to pull the sweet, somewhat cloying fruit flavours back into line. There's a lot of blueberry and a little spice on the palate. Quite flavoursome but not identifiably varietal. I can't really detect any tannins. Its character pushes the boundaries of what I understand to be wine, and suggests a simpler beverage altogether. Having said that, it's very well made, and I've no doubt it succeeds in being what it's supposed to be. I can imagine someone who otherwise disliked wine, especially red wine, may find this surprisingly delicious, as it avoids the more challenging aspects of most other styles (savouriness, tannin, etc). It responded neutrally to food, and its sweet flavour profile didn't seem to either enhance or detract from the roast beef meal with which it was served.
For me, though, this wine holds limited interest, even as an everyday quaffer. It doesn't communicate a sense of region or style, and instead seems intent on suppressing its individuality. Even in a very inexpensive wine, I like to taste where the grapes have come from, and hopefully to feel like the wine is communicating to me as an individual and not as a demographic. Perhaps my notion wine is overly romanticised or naive, but I do know there are cheap wines on the market that, to me, better encapsulate their origins.
[yellow tail]
Price: $A8
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
A hit of clean, sweet red and blue fruit on the nose. It's easy, simple and, to me, screams of industrial winemaking. The palate is surprisingly acidic (though balanced) and this helps to pull the sweet, somewhat cloying fruit flavours back into line. There's a lot of blueberry and a little spice on the palate. Quite flavoursome but not identifiably varietal. I can't really detect any tannins. Its character pushes the boundaries of what I understand to be wine, and suggests a simpler beverage altogether. Having said that, it's very well made, and I've no doubt it succeeds in being what it's supposed to be. I can imagine someone who otherwise disliked wine, especially red wine, may find this surprisingly delicious, as it avoids the more challenging aspects of most other styles (savouriness, tannin, etc). It responded neutrally to food, and its sweet flavour profile didn't seem to either enhance or detract from the roast beef meal with which it was served.
For me, though, this wine holds limited interest, even as an everyday quaffer. It doesn't communicate a sense of region or style, and instead seems intent on suppressing its individuality. Even in a very inexpensive wine, I like to taste where the grapes have come from, and hopefully to feel like the wine is communicating to me as an individual and not as a demographic. Perhaps my notion wine is overly romanticised or naive, but I do know there are cheap wines on the market that, to me, better encapsulate their origins.
[yellow tail]
Price: $A8
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
A coworker suggested I buy a bottle of this, so I stopped by the local grog shop (Vintage Wines Ltd.) on my way home from work. Good thing I did; I so seldom drink Chardonnay that I'd forgotten what a good Chardonnay experience can be like.
At first I was certain I was smelling the distant smoke of a sagebrush wildfire drifting over Coronado Bay, but then it moved more transparently towards a salt toffee, butterscotch note. On second thought, it could be hazelnut biscotti; it's lovely, toasty, and smells like it more properly belongs in a bakery.
In the mouth, the flavor lazily bounces between an acidic, almost kiwifruit aspect, a sort of rich sage honey, and a sort of almost gritty, stony minerality. Most interestingly, none of it feels forced or overworked; although I'm sure that some of the texture and smell here is likely due to winemaker intervention, it all feels entirely appropriate. The finish lasts for a good half a minute, and eventually suggests hazelnuts, fresh buttermilk biscuits, and something almost like pickled watermelon rind. In fact, this sort of milky earthiness almost reminds me of a cloudy rice wine; it's a fascinating effect, coming to the foreground only after the initial acidic shock of the bright, crisp fruit fades away.
I'd drink this sort of wine more often if it didn't totally blow out my wallet, alas.
Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard
Price: US $55
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
At first I was certain I was smelling the distant smoke of a sagebrush wildfire drifting over Coronado Bay, but then it moved more transparently towards a salt toffee, butterscotch note. On second thought, it could be hazelnut biscotti; it's lovely, toasty, and smells like it more properly belongs in a bakery.
In the mouth, the flavor lazily bounces between an acidic, almost kiwifruit aspect, a sort of rich sage honey, and a sort of almost gritty, stony minerality. Most interestingly, none of it feels forced or overworked; although I'm sure that some of the texture and smell here is likely due to winemaker intervention, it all feels entirely appropriate. The finish lasts for a good half a minute, and eventually suggests hazelnuts, fresh buttermilk biscuits, and something almost like pickled watermelon rind. In fact, this sort of milky earthiness almost reminds me of a cloudy rice wine; it's a fascinating effect, coming to the foreground only after the initial acidic shock of the bright, crisp fruit fades away.
I'd drink this sort of wine more often if it didn't totally blow out my wallet, alas.
Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard
Price: US $55
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Temperature makes such a big difference to wine. Often, of a weekday evening, I don't take the time to carefully bring my chosen bottle to the ideal serving temperature. If it's a white, I'll grab the bottle straight from the fridge, quietly congratulating myself on having been so organised as to have put one there in the first place. I'll open it right away, pour a glass, and sniff. Usually, as with tonight, the wine smells of nothing. But, if I'm lucky, a conversation will start as the wine warms a little. Little wisps of aroma emerge, then more, until it reaches full operating temperature.
This white Burgundy, for example, smells increasingly of vulgar white flowers, melon and (the slightest bit rancid) butter. It's not an explosive nose, but it shows an attractive (if slightly outré) character and good balance. It's getting better as it warms. Entry is an éclat of flavour and acid texture. More rockmelon, caramel and butter spreads over the tongue as the wine slides through the mid-palate. The malo influences are obvious but they don't rob the wine of freshness, thanks to assertive acid. Intensity is unexpected after the nose, and there's enough complexity to keep things interesting. Texture is also remarkable, being tingly and rough and chalky in turn. This is a rustic wine, with bright, ripe flavours that are all slightly larger than life. Intense fruit continues to sing through the after palate, and the wine's finish is decent and tasty, if perhaps attenuated due to acid.
At $A47, this isn't an especially cheap wine in absolute terms. I might reasonably expect more sophistication and refinement in a local wine at this price. But there's no arguing with this wine's drinkability and character. It's very tasty and went extremely well with chicken salad.
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils
Price: $A47
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: 2008
This white Burgundy, for example, smells increasingly of vulgar white flowers, melon and (the slightest bit rancid) butter. It's not an explosive nose, but it shows an attractive (if slightly outré) character and good balance. It's getting better as it warms. Entry is an éclat of flavour and acid texture. More rockmelon, caramel and butter spreads over the tongue as the wine slides through the mid-palate. The malo influences are obvious but they don't rob the wine of freshness, thanks to assertive acid. Intensity is unexpected after the nose, and there's enough complexity to keep things interesting. Texture is also remarkable, being tingly and rough and chalky in turn. This is a rustic wine, with bright, ripe flavours that are all slightly larger than life. Intense fruit continues to sing through the after palate, and the wine's finish is decent and tasty, if perhaps attenuated due to acid.
At $A47, this isn't an especially cheap wine in absolute terms. I might reasonably expect more sophistication and refinement in a local wine at this price. But there's no arguing with this wine's drinkability and character. It's very tasty and went extremely well with chicken salad.
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils
Price: $A47
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: 2008
Another $A28, village-level white Burgundy from a lesser region, this time the Mâconnais.
A pretty green-gold colour, slightly watery. On the nose, prickly, fresh and delicate fruit, almost grapey, with an edge of creamy nuttiness. No great impact but a sense of depth and subtlety that is alluring. The palate takes a definite step up in intensity. Entry shows acid that is both lively and fine, counterbalancd by a somewhat viscous mouthfeel. There's good fruit flavour on the mid-palate, quite generous and soft, with some creamy flavours and textures that do not detract from the wine's freshness. Fruit is mostly grapefruit/white stone fruit in spectrum, again quite delicate. Good presence through the after palate and finish, the wine ending up on a dry yet flavoursome note. It's almost aperitif-like in character, and is lean enough to fill this role admirably.
I like this wine. It's not especially remarkable in any one area, but has a sense of sophistication and poise, without resorting to excessive leanness, that appeals to my taste. Responded very well to bacon and onion tart.
Chardonnier
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
A pretty green-gold colour, slightly watery. On the nose, prickly, fresh and delicate fruit, almost grapey, with an edge of creamy nuttiness. No great impact but a sense of depth and subtlety that is alluring. The palate takes a definite step up in intensity. Entry shows acid that is both lively and fine, counterbalancd by a somewhat viscous mouthfeel. There's good fruit flavour on the mid-palate, quite generous and soft, with some creamy flavours and textures that do not detract from the wine's freshness. Fruit is mostly grapefruit/white stone fruit in spectrum, again quite delicate. Good presence through the after palate and finish, the wine ending up on a dry yet flavoursome note. It's almost aperitif-like in character, and is lean enough to fill this role admirably.
I like this wine. It's not especially remarkable in any one area, but has a sense of sophistication and poise, without resorting to excessive leanness, that appeals to my taste. Responded very well to bacon and onion tart.
Chardonnier
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
We're on a Chardonnay-fest here at Full Pour, with a mix of French, Californian and Hunter Valley wines to taste over the coming weeks. Alas, Chardonnay isn't a pauper's hobby, which is part of the reason I'm so fond of Riesling and Semillon. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are "value priced" Chardonnays that can be rewarding to drink, and the state of my wine budget demands I seek them out.
This village-level wine is from a region of Burgundy generally considered of "lesser" quality and interest: the Côte Chalonnaise. At $A28, it sits at a highly competitive price point in the Australian market right now.
Quite a rich hay colour, excellent clarity. I served this way too cold and it smelled of nothing for about half an hour. As it warmed, aromas of vanilla cream, lightly fragrant peaches and honey emerged delicately from the glass. I've been sitting with it all night and it's never going to be a slap in the face sort of wine. In fact, I'm still having to work pretty hard to get a sense of its aroma, but what's there is delicate and pretty. The palate is more generous. Entry is quite focused, with a tight, acid-driven flow over the tongue. Tight, savoury grapefruit-like fruit dominates the mid-palate, which sizzles with freshness but remains subtle overall. This isn't an especially worked style, although there's a roundness to the middle and after palate that suggests some winemaking tricks. Quite satisfying length.
This is a pretty, well made wine that shows good balance and clean varietal character. With the vogue for tighter, less "fat" Chardonnays in full swing, this wine fits right in. My key criticism is that it lacks significant intensity of flavour (and the satisfaction one derives from it). Still, with cheaper Chardonnays often a carnival of vulgarity, I'm not going to complain too much.
Domaine Ninot
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
This village-level wine is from a region of Burgundy generally considered of "lesser" quality and interest: the Côte Chalonnaise. At $A28, it sits at a highly competitive price point in the Australian market right now.
Quite a rich hay colour, excellent clarity. I served this way too cold and it smelled of nothing for about half an hour. As it warmed, aromas of vanilla cream, lightly fragrant peaches and honey emerged delicately from the glass. I've been sitting with it all night and it's never going to be a slap in the face sort of wine. In fact, I'm still having to work pretty hard to get a sense of its aroma, but what's there is delicate and pretty. The palate is more generous. Entry is quite focused, with a tight, acid-driven flow over the tongue. Tight, savoury grapefruit-like fruit dominates the mid-palate, which sizzles with freshness but remains subtle overall. This isn't an especially worked style, although there's a roundness to the middle and after palate that suggests some winemaking tricks. Quite satisfying length.
This is a pretty, well made wine that shows good balance and clean varietal character. With the vogue for tighter, less "fat" Chardonnays in full swing, this wine fits right in. My key criticism is that it lacks significant intensity of flavour (and the satisfaction one derives from it). Still, with cheaper Chardonnays often a carnival of vulgarity, I'm not going to complain too much.
Domaine Ninot
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Light scents of pineapple and Bosc pear drift out of the glass; the color if the wine is a sun-dappled, honey, golden straw. This is exactly the kind of a wine a prop manager could use for an 80s soap opera: imagine the reflection on the shoulder pads of the protagonist's pantsuit, and you're almost there.
There's no yeastiness to speak of, but there is a certain creaminess to the smell of the wine that's very well judged. On the other hand, the wine seems to tends towards tropical fruits that don't seem quite right for (what's mostly) Carneros grown fruit; something smells like it's been manipulated just a bit too much here.
In the mouth, the first impression is of a wine that's a bit flabby, but there's jarring acidity somewhere in there as well; it's all just slightly off balance. It seems bigger than it ought to be, with sort of a dead fruit effect: on the other hand, there are distinctive hints of good quality winemaker taste in there, presumably due to bâtonnage, barrel fermentation, and other tricks.
On the whole, my best guess is that this is focus grouped to death. There are traces of a really lovely wine in here, to be sure, but on the whole it seems to have been teased out to more closely match the (bestselling) style guide that's used to make stuff like Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve chardonnay... and I find that really depressing, because the elements for a strong, traditional California chardonnay are here: good fruit, well judged oak, and ripeness. The problem is simply that they appear to have tacked on the stuff they think will sell well (a certain sucrosité, a certain broadness), and it really doesn't belong here.
If anyone knows what this wine was like before the Canandaigua takeover, I'd love to know about it.
Robert Mondavi Winery
Price: US $14
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
There's no yeastiness to speak of, but there is a certain creaminess to the smell of the wine that's very well judged. On the other hand, the wine seems to tends towards tropical fruits that don't seem quite right for (what's mostly) Carneros grown fruit; something smells like it's been manipulated just a bit too much here.
In the mouth, the first impression is of a wine that's a bit flabby, but there's jarring acidity somewhere in there as well; it's all just slightly off balance. It seems bigger than it ought to be, with sort of a dead fruit effect: on the other hand, there are distinctive hints of good quality winemaker taste in there, presumably due to bâtonnage, barrel fermentation, and other tricks.
On the whole, my best guess is that this is focus grouped to death. There are traces of a really lovely wine in here, to be sure, but on the whole it seems to have been teased out to more closely match the (bestselling) style guide that's used to make stuff like Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve chardonnay... and I find that really depressing, because the elements for a strong, traditional California chardonnay are here: good fruit, well judged oak, and ripeness. The problem is simply that they appear to have tacked on the stuff they think will sell well (a certain sucrosité, a certain broadness), and it really doesn't belong here.
If anyone knows what this wine was like before the Canandaigua takeover, I'd love to know about it.
Robert Mondavi Winery
Price: US $14
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
For all the explosiveness and fashion of New World Sauvignon Blanc, it's tempting to expect all wines made from this grape to be high octane styles. It's one small step to view impact as the key indicator of quality for these wines. If you're of this mindset, here's a wine that may change your perspective.
Fine, balanced aromas of crushed sea shells, honey and ripe, pale tropical fruit. Despite the light, high toned aroma profile, there's a sense of depth and complexity that draws one back. The entry continues this theme, with more crushed shell creating a dry, slightly austere impression. Fruit fills out a little on the mid-palate, but does not overtake the flinty dryness, so the wine remains a chiselled experience. Intensity isn't especially remarkable, but it's the excellent balance, as well as a dry, slightly chalky mouthfeel, that generate satisfaction here. A nice lift through the after palate, before the wine finishes with adequate length.
I can imagine this wine disappearing in a line up of more extroverted styles, but I like it for its poise and sophistication. I'm about to tuck into a Chicko roll and I'll bet it's a good combo.
Roger et Dider Raimbault
Price: $A35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Fine, balanced aromas of crushed sea shells, honey and ripe, pale tropical fruit. Despite the light, high toned aroma profile, there's a sense of depth and complexity that draws one back. The entry continues this theme, with more crushed shell creating a dry, slightly austere impression. Fruit fills out a little on the mid-palate, but does not overtake the flinty dryness, so the wine remains a chiselled experience. Intensity isn't especially remarkable, but it's the excellent balance, as well as a dry, slightly chalky mouthfeel, that generate satisfaction here. A nice lift through the after palate, before the wine finishes with adequate length.
I can imagine this wine disappearing in a line up of more extroverted styles, but I like it for its poise and sophistication. I'm about to tuck into a Chicko roll and I'll bet it's a good combo.
Roger et Dider Raimbault
Price: $A35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
I loved the 2005 vintage of this wine, and remember it as a generous, wonderfully regional Pinot of utmost deliciousness. Hence, great expectations for this wine.
Somewhat hazy ruby colour. Intense, not-quite-funky aromas of sour red fruit and sweet spice (cinnamon/nutmeg, etc), perhaps some autumn leaf as well. There's quite a lot going on in there, but it's seductive, not intellectual. It's also a bit reserved at this stage.
An entry with impact, partly due to a flavour profile that registers as sweeter than the nose suggests. Acid moulds the wine's flow quite assertively, and this creates some textual interest while adding a bright, edgy quality to the fruit flavour. A deeper, plummy note emerged as the wine sat in glass for a couple of hours. There's a nice sense of widening as the palate progresses, and the finish shows excellent continuity, with ripe, slightly grainy tannins. Oak is notably well balanced.
Compared to the rather lush 2005, this shows as a tighter, more controlled wine, perhaps needing some time to relax and unwind. For my taste, it's just a tad brash for full satisfaction right now. One to revisit in a year or so, perhaps.
Dog Point
Price: $A35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Somewhat hazy ruby colour. Intense, not-quite-funky aromas of sour red fruit and sweet spice (cinnamon/nutmeg, etc), perhaps some autumn leaf as well. There's quite a lot going on in there, but it's seductive, not intellectual. It's also a bit reserved at this stage.
An entry with impact, partly due to a flavour profile that registers as sweeter than the nose suggests. Acid moulds the wine's flow quite assertively, and this creates some textual interest while adding a bright, edgy quality to the fruit flavour. A deeper, plummy note emerged as the wine sat in glass for a couple of hours. There's a nice sense of widening as the palate progresses, and the finish shows excellent continuity, with ripe, slightly grainy tannins. Oak is notably well balanced.
Compared to the rather lush 2005, this shows as a tighter, more controlled wine, perhaps needing some time to relax and unwind. For my taste, it's just a tad brash for full satisfaction right now. One to revisit in a year or so, perhaps.
Dog Point
Price: $A35
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: May 2008
Peregrine's second label Pinot, composed of Central Otago and Marlborough fruit. I've noticed this blend of regions in a few Central Otago producers' lesser wines. It's an interesting mix in theory, with both regions having quite distinctive Pinot flavour profiles in their own right. Second tasting of this wine, with more positive results this time around.
Initially stinky and somewhat unattractive, with stale spice notes dominating a nose of disjointed fruit flavours. After a few minutes, though, the wine is cleaner and more delicious. The Marlborough influence is evident, with a tamarillo-like note in amongst the more Central Otago cola and plum flavours. Good intensity and enough complexity to make it worth smelling repeatedly.
Good, flavoursome entry that shows more bright, moderately sweet fruit flavour alongside slightly smokey, spice notes. Certainly prominent acidity, but not overwhelmingly so. Entry continues to a fruit-driven, medium bodied mid-palate of tasty tamarillo and red fruits. Moderate intensity of flavour, and although flavours are bright, they are also dense enough to be mouthfilling. Mouthfeel is quite velvety and sophisticated. The fruit intensity drops off rather precipitously through the after palate, and the finish is consequently a bit hollow.
Perhaps not a wine for regional purists, as it's neither here nor there when it comes to communicating a sense of place. If you can get past that, however, you'll find a tasty wine of distinctive character and reasonable price. Try it with pork.
Peregrine
Price: $NZ25
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
Initially stinky and somewhat unattractive, with stale spice notes dominating a nose of disjointed fruit flavours. After a few minutes, though, the wine is cleaner and more delicious. The Marlborough influence is evident, with a tamarillo-like note in amongst the more Central Otago cola and plum flavours. Good intensity and enough complexity to make it worth smelling repeatedly.
Good, flavoursome entry that shows more bright, moderately sweet fruit flavour alongside slightly smokey, spice notes. Certainly prominent acidity, but not overwhelmingly so. Entry continues to a fruit-driven, medium bodied mid-palate of tasty tamarillo and red fruits. Moderate intensity of flavour, and although flavours are bright, they are also dense enough to be mouthfilling. Mouthfeel is quite velvety and sophisticated. The fruit intensity drops off rather precipitously through the after palate, and the finish is consequently a bit hollow.
Perhaps not a wine for regional purists, as it's neither here nor there when it comes to communicating a sense of place. If you can get past that, however, you'll find a tasty wine of distinctive character and reasonable price. Try it with pork.
Peregrine
Price: $NZ25
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008
