Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 1er Cru Beauregard 2009

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

Drinking is better with company; not only can an exchange of ideas and impressions flow, but it’s a great excuse to break open some of the good stuff. Yesterday, in a Burgundy-inspired afternoon’s tasting with Jeremy Pringle, this wine stood out.

Don’t drink this too cold; as it has warmed in the glass, initial notes of sulfur and minerals have been joined by a dreamy squirt of lemon curd. There’s quite a bit of sulfur it seems; I’m alternately wheezing and smelling; just as well the aroma profile makes it worth my while. Good complexity and detail, bouncing between soft and sharp, like lemon juice dripping through clouds.

Firm attack, mostly comprising lemon juice with a hint of cut apple, perhaps left on the bench to brown for a few minutes. Excellent acid structure; bubbly, firm and excellently balanced, providing good flow and direction without overwhelming the delicacies of the flavour profile. There’s gentle nougat oak underlying layers of citrus, apple, unripe stonefruit and minerals. Intensity never overwhelms, but is strong enough to provide thrust and impact to the line of citrus fruit that is most prominent on entry and through the middle palate. While fruit drops off through the after palate, texture takes a front seat, a gentle astringency creeping in, reminiscent of lemon pith. A lingering impression of freshness and refreshment.

A really lovely wine.

Domaine Pattes Loup
Price: $A60
Closure: Cork
Source: Gift

Swinging Bridge Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

Rightly or wrongly, I approach Australian Sauvignon Blanc with a degree of nervousness. Few would argue we do this varietal consistently well and I’ve struggled to identify regions with the sort of notable character achieved in other areas famous for the grape. Orange may yet surprise us. As with Pinot Gris, I’ve been impressed with the region’s ability to produce some Sauvignon Blancs with zing and freshness, hinting at a distinctiveness that makes a region/varietal combination truly shine. This is a great example of what I mean.

The aroma is pungent and forthright, showing a range of notes from tropical fruit to nettles via a good old backyard lemon tree. It’s utterly varietal and, if it doesn’t quite reach the distinctive heights of a Marlborough example, neatly avoids the insultingly confected vibe one still encounters way too often amongst local wines. I’d like to see this taken a step or two towards the edge; I feel there’s an angularity here that is being held back by conservative winemaking but which might make this something truly special.

Perhaps the level of residual sugar is the culprit, a component that is clearer on the palate thank on the nose. Entry is bright and vivid thanks to a decent whack of acid, backed up by a gush of sweetish citrus flavour. Things threaten to become disappointingly conventional until the middle palate injects all sorts of mineral, savoury complexity. All of a sudden, this looks like it’s punching well above its weight, a continuation of sizzly mouthfeel propping up an increasingly adult flavour profile. The after palate and finish die somewhat, as is typical for this varietal, though there’s a half-strength dose of sweet fruit that persists stubbornly well beyond the point at which this wine ought to have departed.

I think there’s real potential here; I’d love to see the style making fewer concessions to perceived popular tastes.

Swinging Bridge
Price: $A18.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Château de Sours Bordeaux Rosé 2010

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

I’m trying to do my bit for the rosé cause, but a string of disappointing wines last week left me with little of interest to write up. Thank goodness for this, then.

Made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this wine’s aroma is all about freshness, which is a satisfying (if conventional) way to approach the style. The leafy side of these varieties dominates, along with a crisper, edgier dose of red capsicum (from the Franc, perhaps). I think I smell some black pepper too, speaking more to the sharpness of the aroma profile than any pungency or spice. There’s a lack of depth and layering, but it’s so bright and fresh, it’s easy to forgive such simplicity.

At first I thought there too much sugar on the palate; after a few tastes, I’m now finding it quite well balanced. Certainly I’ve tasted much sweeter rosés, and the residual sugar here is more than balanced by firm acid and a flavour profile that, like the aroma, emphasises fresh vegetation more than deep fruit. Sizzling capsicum, unfolding ferns, a hint of tomato bush; underneath it all, just enough light red berries to make me smile. The palate seems more complex than the nose, with an added layer or two, all well integrated and lively.

A delicious, drinkable style of some character. Fully priced, though.

Château de Sours
Price: $A28
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mitchell Harris Rosé 2011

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

I’m not aware of any other Pinot Noir Sangiovese Rosés made of grapes sourced from the Pyrenees and Macedon Ranges – so this immediately scores points as a curio. It’s much more than a novelty though; this is a seriously tasty wine.

The nose immediately sets the tone with a nice hit of savoury, slightly funky musk and red berry fruit. One of the things I enjoy about dryer rosé styles is the wildness their aroma profiles can display. This isn’t a truly loose one, but there’s enough angularity to keep me happy, underpinned by plenty of clean, characterful fruit. This is a million miles from blandness.

The palate shows lively spritz and a nice level of flavour intensity. Entry is clean and cool, allowing flavours to crescendo towards the middle palate. It’s not a smack down sort of wine, but it’s very well balanced and is structured firmly enough to create some sizzle and impact. A little roundness from the after palate onwards suggests residual sugar, but it’s subtle and does not detract from the delicious savouriness that characterises the wine as a whole. A gentle, fruit-driven finish.

Really nice rosé with heaps of personality.

Mitchell Harris
Price: $A21.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Delight Vermentino 2011

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

It’s always disappointing to me when a particular style of wine becomes fashionable and, therefore, ubiquitous. To me, it misses one of the key joys of wine, which is its infinite variety. I’ll never tell anyone what they ought to like, but when people talk of drinking only a particular style of wine, it smacks of posturing or willful ignorance, or perhaps both. I truly believe to get the most out of wine, one needs to explore a wide range of styles and learn to appreciate what they have to offer, even if some end up being preferred over others.

Given that little rant, it may seem contradictory of me to suggest that I’m no huge fan of the fairly recent vogue for alternate varietals in Australia. Maybe it’s unhelpfully conservative of me, but I believe we have well-established regional styles that, collectively, show great variety and distinction. And, were I given the choice, I’d prefer for those styles to be mined and elevated even further, rather than see our efforts spread far and wide in the search for the next great varietal sensation.

I therefore approach this wine with both curiosity and dread, hoping to find an unusual style and, at the same time, wondering if I wouldn’t be better off tucking into a great dry Riesling. After tasting it, I’m still not sure on either front; it’s nice try to a Barossa Vermentino for completeness’ sake at least, as I don’t believe I’ve ever had one before. It’s a clean-smelling wine, the aroma profile somewhat neutral but showing hints of honeysuckle, bubble gum and something much more interesting, akin to overripe fruit that has begun to spoil in its opulent fleshiness.

The palate carries this rather challenging note through, but what stands out most here is structure. This wine is all about zingy acid and the sort of lively mouthfeel that will go down well during summer. Palate weight is fuller than many aromatic whites, feeling closer to Semillon than Riesling. Flavour is quite generous on the middle palate, with good intensity and impact. The after palate and finish taper away elegantly, never losing their acid backbone and sense of freshness. An unusual wine, then, with some flavour components that I enjoyed for their angularity.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A19.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Château de Sours Réserve de Sours Sparkling Rosé NV

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

I’m not sure how active the market is for French sparklers at this price point; certainly, I don’t remember ever setting out to purchase a sparking wine from Bordeaux made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. And yet here we are.

What’s really nice about this wine is that it’s defiantly different in aroma and flavour profile from Champagne and its many imitators. There’s no mistaking the Cabernet at its heart; the aroma shows characteristic leafy overtones and a cool, red fruited core. It’s savoury at heart, though lacking the sorts of complexities that are par for the course in even moderately good Champagne. This is quite a different beast, simpler and fresher-smelling. The defining characteristic of the palate is its relatively soft acidity, something that one can’t take for granted in local sparklers at this price point.

Entry is immediate and fresh, again with leafy Cabernet notes dominating the flavour profile at first. Light, crisp berry juice glides over the middle palate with ease, if not intensity. It’s fairly light on the spritz as these things go; what there is contributes to a lively mouthfeel that is only one or two steps removed from a bright Riesling. A nice, fresh, leafy finish.

One of the more different sparkling wines I’ve had of late; certainly, I prefer this to some of the aromatic white sparkling wines that are becoming more common. There’s something jarring about a recognisably Cabernet rosé sparkling – I like it.

Château de Sours
Price: $A28
Closure: Cork
Source: Sample

Kingston Estate Echelon Petit Verdot 2008

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

This makes an interesting comparison to the Echelon Shiraz I reviewed the other day, in that it’s quite a different beast in ways one might not expect. Petit Verdot is, of course, a relatively niche varietal compared to Shiraz, our most planted red wine grape by far. This wine hails from the Riverland, a region usually associated with large scale wine production – again quite a contrast from the Shiraz’s origins in more obviously prestigious parts of South Australia. It’s all in the drinking though, and it’s here that this wine delivers.

I wasn’t a fan of Kingston Estates low end Petit Verdot, but this is the goods — if you value drinkability above all else, that is. Everything about this wine encourages smelling and tasting. The aroma is soft and purple fruited, showing a plushness of character combined with the sort of easy, rich berry notes that can be so inviting. Riding atop is a sprinkle of brown spice — presumably oak-derived — and a cooler edge of plum skin. All in all, a gorgeously accessible aroma, without ever smelling cheap or simple.

Thankfully, the palate is well structured; arguably rather too acid-driven, in fact. Entry is clean and well-fruited, showing more of those purple and red berries. Things don’t get overly expansive through the middle palate, though the wine does open up a little and spread over the tongue. It’s no more than medium bodied, which is charming considering the wine’s buxom flavour profile. Fine, silty tannins descend on the after palate and the wine tightens up through the finish, a hint of bitterness marring what is otherwise an elegant descent.

So, an easyoing adult quaffer then, quite different from its more serious Shiraz sibling. Both are good; I prefer this.

Kingston Estate
Price: $A27.99
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Kingston Estate Echelon Shiraz 2008

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Julian Coldrey

I suspect the very idea of this wine will offend some people. It’s the antithesis of the sort of artisanal, terroir-driven wine that is idealogically safe to like. No, this is from Kingston Estate, producer of reliable and occasionally striking value-priced wines. It hails not from a single, characterful vineyard but from three regions in South Australia: Mount Benson, Clare Valley and Adelaide Plains. No undiluted terroir here. Despite all that, I must admit I was very excited to see this sample arrive in the mail, for all I saw were the positives: a relatively expensive wine made by a producer with all the technology and know-how one could wish for at its disposal and, I assumed, a large network of growers from whom to procure good quality fruit.

The reality sits somewhere in between these two extremes. There’s no doubting the seriousness of this wine; the aroma is quite closed at present, with dense, almost inscrutable aromas of dark berries, the glossiest of glossy oak, deep spice and deeper brambles. It’s nowhere near ready to drink, really, but even at this young age it shows good depth and detail. Its overall vibe is savoury and adult, no hint of the confectionery fruit one might expect to see in this producer’s lower tier wines.

This palate isn’t as forbidding as the nose suggests it could be, although it’s certainly not in the zone at this stage either. The entry shows good attack and an elegant swell of fruit into the middle palate. Here, it becomes apparent that this wine is far from the blockbuster one might expect. Indeed, it’s wonderfully elegant, with good shape and flow, medium weight at most. The flavours here span red and black fruits, spice and cedar oak, winding around each other with good delineation and balance. The after palate and finish display a slight rawness that speaks of youth more than anything else; a year or two in bottle and the line should fill out into the back palate.

Ultimately, this beautifully made wine is both satisfying and frustrating. For, as much as I want to enjoy its slick perfection, it lacks a particular dimension, one that values exaggeration and imperfection above the ideal form. How silly, perhaps, to criticise a wine for being too good; buy a bottle and enjoy what is arguably an expression of what we do best.