Domaine Côteau de la Biche Vouvray Sec 2005

I spied this while at lunch today and couldn’t resist buying a bottle.

On the nose, apple and pear plus a collection of somewhat prickly notes that remind me a little of pies baking in a slightly-too-hot oven. It’s very distinctive and quite forward, expressiveness growing as I sit with it through the evening. On entry, the most notable element is a thick, round mouthfeel that is quite unexpected after a relatively tight nose. Hence, the wine has good impact and presence. Labelled “sec,” there’s no overt sweetness, although fruit flavours are quite forward and soft in the context of the style. Apples and pears and, dare I suggest, grapes are the primarily flavours, overlaid with that distinctive marshmallow and toffee halo that one sees in some Loire Chenins. I wish it had a bit more incisiveness and bite, as well as a notch more intensity. A little tame through the after palate, the wine is of average length, seeming to taper off too quickly relative to its punch on the middle palate.

An easygoing Vouvray that provides a good hit of Loire goodness for not too much money. For my dollars, though, there are probably others that represent better value.

Domaine Côteau de la Biche
Price: $A31
Closure: Cork

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Quite a savoury, complex expression of Cabernet, totally different from Leconfield’s 2004 effort. This wine shows a classically leafy aroma profile, lean and a little angular, with some graphite and smokey cedar in amongst lithe blackcurrant fruit. There’s an interesting (and slightly odd) earthy note, plus a light edge of confected red fruit too. A lot going on here for a young wine.

In the mouth, equally lean but with a sour thrust that I find delicious. The entry is deceptively smooth, as it’s not until the middle palate that both sourness and fruit weight begin to register. It never reaches any particular heights in terms of presence, and at times it tastes a little dilute, but I enjoy the fact that this is a light wine, nimble and sprightly in the mouth. Tannins are firm and start to take over on the after palate. They’re a little raw at the moment and feel unevenly distributed, but add a welcome rusticity to the mouthfeel. Reasonable length.

If you must drink this now, make sure you accompany it with food, as this will smooth out the structure and fill the wine in to an extent. I think it will drink better as a more mature wine, and suspect it will transform into one of those ephemeral 1970s Coonawarra Clarets that, as aged wines, sparkle with decaying delicacy.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Price: $25
Closure: Cork

Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay 2005

A couple of years ago, this wine wasn’t especially rewarding; tight, unyielding, totally bound up. Yet the intensity of its fruit shone through a clasped structure, so I purchased a few bottles for later tasting.

It’s quite different now. For a start, there are distinct flavour influences from time in bottle, mostly toast and crackly caramel in character. These ride atop juicier white peach and honeydew melon notes, themselves straddling vanilla cream. A precisely layered aroma profile. In the mouth, powerfully intense fruit flavours rush over the tongue with military precision — despite relaxing enough to allow a fuller expression of its fruit, this wine remains a focused experience. Acidity is quite prominent but noticeably less assertive than on initial release. The after palate and finish are especially lovely, with a blanket of sweet fruit gently settling in the mouth, lingering on and on, then smoothly tapering away. Quite complex, shapely and elegant.

Without wanting to imply restraint, this wine is quite an intellectual experience that contains its sensuality within a precisely etched framework. I’m reminded that, sometimes, clothing is infinitely more sexy than full frontal nakedness.

Seppelt
Price: $A30
Closure: Stelvin

Offcuts: Flight 3

I recall we consumed these wines over two or three nights. Certainly, it all happened in Queenstown, around Christmas.

Before heading off to the most unlikely (and wonderful) Christmas dinner one could imagine, we downed a bottle of Domaine Emilian Gillet Viré-Clessé Quintaine 2002. I think this wine’s a bit of alright and had been keen to share it with Chris since my first tasting. Gratifying, then, to observe Chris’s enjoyment of what is an unusual and delicious white Burgundy. According to Ross Duke, Jean Thévenet (who makes this wine) picks his fruit in tranches at quite different levels of ripeness, including late picked, Botrytis affected fruit. This is evident in the quite startling array of flavour influences, and a lusciously round mouthfeel. Fabulous wine, great value.

Thinking back, we also managed to drink a bottle of 1996 Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, though exactly when I can’t recall. As per my previous note, this wine remains a beautiful baby, showing nascent signs of maturity but still prickling with youth.

At some point in the next twenty four hours, we opened a series of Shirazes. From the first sip, it was evident Chris’s bottle of Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Syrah 2006 from Washington State’s Walla Walla appellation would be the wine to beat. I’ve never tasted Syrah with such a flavour profile before. Explosively fragrant, this wine smells of bright red and black fruits, spice, tobacco, some pepper and a cascade of notes I feel ill equipped to describe. The palate matches the nose’s level of impact with powerful flavour that steamrolls across the tongue. It’s not at all heavy, though. This wine is almost expressionist in its character — vivid, emotional, even a bit uncontrolled. I loved it and was very sad to see the end of the bottle. My wine of the trip, without a doubt.

Many wines might suffer in comparison to the Cayuse, and on the day this was the fate of a bottle of Seppelt’s St Peters Shiraz from 2004. Dan and I felt it was a little bretty — certainly, it never tasted quite right, with a thinly acidic palate and not much stuffing. My last tasting of this wine revealed a balanced, elegant wine of some luxury, so I can only conclude we struck an inferior bottle.

Not so much suffering in comparison to a particular wine as an entire wine style was our next bottle, a Lake’s Folly Cabernet from 1999. Note to self: don’t mix older Hunters with young, fruity Shiraz. Lots of regional stink here and, though it showed true to type, this wine requires the sort of leisurely, isolated contemplation that none of us were in the mood to provide. The next day, I retasted this wine and enjoyed it a deal more. As always, a polarising style, for which I remain grateful.

A 2006 Wendouree Shiraz was just the ticket to revitalise our palates. This is seriously young, yet not as forbidding as I had anticipated. Sure, there’s structure to burn, but the primary fruit is so clean, pure and deep, it’s a pleasure to taste right now. Very dark berry fruits and eucalyptus are the main flavour components. By the next day, it was tasting markedly better, structurally more integrated and with greater elegance. If it’s not yet a wine of overt complexity, its correctness and poise provide ample compensation. A wine with its best days ahead, and one that I’d love to retaste again and again.

I guess we were Shirazed out by this point, because our next bottle, also courtesy of Wendouree, was a fortified Muscat of Alexandria (a blend of the 2004 and 2005 vintages). Not a wine to pick apart, this is designed for easy, hedonistic enjoyment. This is an unusual fortified wine in the Australian context, being relatively fresh and light as a style. Piercing, rich floral and marmalade notes dominate. Delicious.

Offcuts: Flight 2

There isn’t much else to do in Invercargill two days before Christmas except open a whole bunch of wine. Or so we told ourselves. Earlier in the day, we had visited the Southern-most point of the South Island of New Zealand, so Pinot Noir seemed an appropriately extreme varietal for our evening tasting.

Starting with the obvious, then, we opened a bottle of Jacques Cacheux & Fils Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas 2005. I’ve tasted this wine before, and my experience of it on the night was consistent with my earlier tasting. Very much on the funky side, this isn’t a world-beater but shows intense perfume, an attractively nimble character and enough finesse to keep things interesting.

Warmed up by now, we headed straight for the heavy hitter: J.K. Carriere Antoinette Pinot Noir 2005, from the Willamette Valley in Orgeon. It’s amazing when you consider this wine travelled first from Oregon to California, then from California to New Zealand, and finally to our hotel room in Invercargill. Even more amazing is knowing, the whole time, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole was swimming around in the liquid, destined to disappoint us. Chris was especially disheartened, having lugged the bottle a long way for us to taste together. I couldn’t resist having a quick taste. Although quite tainted, a velvety mouthfeel and considerable density of fruit flavour were evident. What a shame.

In an effort to perk up our spirits, we moved on to Picardy’s Tête de Cuvée 2005 from Western Australia. What a provocative wine. People talk about bringing the drama of a particular site or terroir to the bottle and, for better or worse, this wine exemplifies that particular approach. It’s wonderfully elusive, with a range of high toned notes including orange peel, flowers, spice and smoke. In the mouth, it’s light yet with notably intense fruit character. Great drive through the palate. Chris was prompted to note a certain similarity to Bourbon, and I get this through its extravagantly fragrant profile. Despite these qualities, it tastes so marginal one wonders how the wine was ever made. It teeters on the edge of not existing at all. A beautiful one-off, then. I still can’t decide whether I like it.

We chose a local to finish off the evening, being the 2007 Mount Difficulty Pinot Noir. A total contrast to the Picardy, this wine belongs to the meatier, more subsantial Central Otago camp. Heady notes of Pinot fruit, nutmeg and ripe tomatoes, says Chris. I found the palate quite acidic and a little disjointed, though Chris had less trouble with this aspect of the wine. We ended up drinking it over three days and, by the final glass, it was singing a much smoother song, almost glowing with gentle fruit and a harmonous, velvet structure. Lovely wine.

Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

There was a bit of hype around 2004 Coonawarra Cabernet, so I bought a few examples but somehow never got around to tasting many. Consequently, I’m coming at this wine a fair while after its release. As an aside, I must be one of the few people on Earth who didn’t mind Leconfields “greener” wines from the 90s, and I recall the 1998 as an especially fine release.

This is a different beast altogether, though; there’s no hint of unripe fruit here. In fact, there’s barely any Coonawarra leafiness either. Instead, the nose is a mushroom cloud of smooth, elegant fruit notes and violets. There’s a hint of Christmas cake too, partly in the savoury nature of the fruit, and partly from sweet spice. Quite seductive. In the mouth, more savoury fruit that strikes me as somewhat Italianate. Medium bodied, there’s rich tobacco, smoke and licorice. It’s almost voluptuous in profile and mouthfeel. Perhaps I served it a tad too warm (easy to do in Brisbane’s Summer heat) but the wine seems to gain an extra plushness at this temperature. Tannins are soft and fine, and slightly sweet.

This is a luxury wine.

Leconfield
Price: $A27
Closure: Stelvin

Offcuts: Flight 1

Whenever we see each other in person, Chris and I (like all good winos) like to bring a selection of bottles to share. Our recent travels in New Zealand were no different, and we were able to taste our way through an interesting and, at times, remarkable series of wines. Certainly, I tasted a couple of stunning North American wines that Chris was generous enough to share with me, along with a bottle of 2000 Louis Roederer Cristal (“left over” from his recent wedding) that kicked off our first tasting session.

I must admit, I’m not as well versed in the world of Champagne as I’d like to be, but even a relative novice like me can tell this wine is bloody good. “Burnt toast,” blurted both Dan and I at the same time. “Pain grillé,” corrected Chris. After all, it’s Champagne! A complex and remarkable array of notes that kept changing as we worked our way through the bottle. Brioche, pear cider, something medicinal and herbal too. What struck me about this wine is how nimble it is, especially considering its grand reputation. It’s long and powerful in the mouth, yet without heaviness, and displays a remarkably smooth, chalk-like mouthfeel.

Dinner wasn’t quite ready, so we needed (and I use that term loosely) another aperitif wine. Opening the fridge revealed a chilled bottle of Grosset’s Springvale Riesling from 2008. This is such an explosively aromatic wine, it was fun to observe everyone’s reactions around the room. It’s almost Sauvignon Blanc-like in intensity. If anything, I enjoyed this more than last time, due no doubt to the sparkling company.

Next up was another wine I’d never tasted and probably would never have heard of if not for Chris’s conspicuous talent for seeking out unusual wines: Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2003. It’s a Bordeaux blend from the Okanaga Valley in British Columbia. A smokey, vegetal, funky nose that also shows some lightly stewed fruit. Those who dislike green notes in their Cabernet probably won’t enjoy this aroma profile, but I don’t mind some vegetal complexity when it’s balanced with the other elements, and this wine strikes me as one that treads the right path here. On the palate, strong notes of smoked sausage and fruit ride an acid-driven structure. Medium bodied, this wine shows fabulous complexity (including the beginnings of some tasty bottle age), and is remarkably cohesive both in structure and flavour. For me, it was wine of the night and certainly one of the wines of the trip.

After this elegant wine, the Wendouree Malbec 2006 was a relative disappointment. Chris identified the fruit here as rather confected, which it is in a jammy, Malbec way. There are also notes of rose water, cough syrup and eucalyptus. A very tasty flavour profile, for sure. What’s missing right now is a sense of poise and coherence. The wine is, frankly, all over the place, with disjointed acidity, awkward tannins and no sense of progression on the palate. However, I think it’s just young. I’ll leave the rest of my stash alone for a few years before retasting.

Chard Farm Swiftburn Sauvignon Blanc 2008

There seems to be two types of Sauvignon Blanc made by Central Otago producers: those using local grapes and those made from Marlborough fruit. This wine is the only regional blend I’ve tasted. I must admit, I wasn’t especially taken with this at cellar door, but the other half requested we purchase a bottle, and I’m nothing if not obliging when it comes to purchasing wine. Much to my wallet’s chagrin.

Interesting nose that shows some Marlborough influence in a whiff of capsicum, but this is predominantly a round, fruity aroma profile that is reminiscent of straight Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc. There are some smokey, mineral complexities too. Very pleasant. On the palate, acidity is present but relatively soft, avoiding the harshness that can sometimes mar this variety. Fruit flavours are as per the nose, with some green notes adding an edge to rounder tropical fruit (paw paw, passionfruit, etc). There’s an interesting transition on the after palate to phenolic textures and a herbal tang that remind me a little of some dry Rieslings. Pretty good finish. One might want a bit more intensity of fruit, but what’s there is balanced and tasty.

I’m glad I listened to my better half, as this is actually really quaffable. The regional blend works well and serves to add some verve to a fruit-driven Central Otago flavour profile. Nice wine, nice price.

Chard Farm
Price: $NZ21
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2009

Cloudy Bay Pelorus 2004

It’s sparkling night at Full Pour, and what better occasion? I believe Chris has a bottle of this same wine, possibly for consumption this evening (in New Zealand), so consider this note a sort of virtual drinking session.

Of course, it’s totally fabulous. Quite an aggressive mousse that settles into a moderately fine bead. On the nose, exuberantly bready like fresh baguettes, plus some mushroom. Full, fragrant and distinctive, though not especially complex or detailed. The palate is an explosion of flavour. There’s a deal of savoury complexity but what hits one here is a big dollop of round, delicious Marlborough fruit. Weight is relatively full. Thank goodness it’s all quite dry. Mouthfeel is lively, with a smooth-feeling effervescence and some creaminess caressing the tongue. Excellent presence in the mouth and impressive length. Very far from Champagne, and all the better for it.

Bloody delicious. Happy 2009!!

Cloudy Bay
Price: $A50
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: December 2008

Offcuts: tasting Central Otago (2 of 2)

<< Back to part 1

A hop over to Cairnmuir Road and we were soon tasting more wines, this time at Akarua. Most unexpectedly, we were seriously impressed with the 2005 Chardonnay. Quite worked, it nonetheless has a spine-tingling thrust of acidity on the palate that props up all the elements and allows the various fruit, lees, oak and malo notes to shine. A steal at $NZ25. Both Pinots were also very impressive. The 2006 Gullies is balanced for easy drinking but possesses some sophistication. The 2006 Cadence is just a lovely wine, powerful without being cumbersome, very much of its region, unforced and elegant. It had me wishing for extra money in the bank or, at least, more time to sit and enjoy it. Again, reasonable prices.

It was a relief to visit Bannock Brae Estate after a string of larger operations, for it is determinedly boutique. Four wines, all made in a relatively idiosyncratic style, and a friendly labrador to greet you at cellar door (which doubles as the residence of the owners). All very down to earth. The wines themselves, made by Olssens, are excellent. The 2007 Goldfields Riesling is made in a dry style, fermented in old oak barrels with some lees stirring. The result is a crisp, minerally, fascinatingly textured wine of considerable interest. The two Pinots are interesting. The 2006 Goldfields, another second label wine, is more serious than some of its “drink now” brethren, showing less voluptuousness of fruit and a relatively savoury flavour profile. The 2006 Barrel Selection is quite striking, and different from any other Pinot tasted on the day. Chris quite rightly identified a Nebbiolo-like flavour profile that shows elements of tar and rose petals. It’s almost entirely savoury and finely textured in its presentation. A real “detail” wine and one that was purchased on the day.

Our last stop in the Bannockburn sub-region was Carrick. Although the cellar door was crowded, we quickly tasted the Pinot and found it perhaps a little lacking compared to some of the elegant and individual wines just sampled. Certainly well-made, though.

Driving as quickly as possible through Cromwell to its light commercial heart reveals (quite unexpectedly, given the landscape) more wineries, including Rockburn. I tasted the current release Rockburn Pinot recently on Full Pour and, whilst I found it a pleasant wine, in the context of the day’s tastings its overly sweet flavour profile was more evident and less attractive. In fact, the whole Rockburn range seemed to aim for sweetness of one or other sort, and left us underwhelmed. In particular, the second label Pinot was clumsily oaked (using oak chips) and quite inferior to several other second labels tasted on the day.

Happily, we drove the hundred metres or so to the Central Otago Wine Company, which has an array of wines that piqued our interest. The Central Otago Wine Company, or CowCo for short, is a contract winemaking facility that makes wine for a range of producers across most sub-regions of Central Otago. Consequently, it’s possible to taste your way across the region quite easily. First up for us was the 2007 Sleeping Dogs Chardonnay which, frankly, is superb. A powerful wine, quite worked with vanilla oak, caramel, assertive lemon-like fruit and tingly acid. We were all in agreement on this one. Other wines were tasted, including a range of Pinots the highlight of which for me was probably the 2006 De Vine Pinot Noir, a sappy, acid-driven wine that refreshed my palate after a long day’s tasting. Although there’s romance associated with small wineries that “do it all,” it’s also valuable to have a top contract winemaking service availiable to small growers, and from a consumer’s perspective, I love being able to taste different vineyards’ expressions through the lens of top quality, “hands off” winemaking.  A long chat with the helpful lady at cellar door ensued after tasting had ended, fuelled no doubt by the very generous pours. What a great experience.

Before leaving Cromwell behind, we swung by Wooing Tree for a swirl through the range. A fun producer, this one. The 2008 Blondie (a still Blanc de Noir) and 2008 rosé are fun, fruity wines that don’t repell more contemplative tasting, though it should be said the entire range aims for hedonistic enjoyment more than anything else. The 2007 Beetle Juice Pinot Noir and 2007 Estate Pinot Noir are both luscious wines, fruit-driven in the most attractive manner. We nicknamed this producer Shagging Tree upon leaving, and with wines like these, why not? Totally seductive, and well priced too.

Our palates were a little tired at this stage, so we retired to the comfort and warmth of Amisfield. Though Amisfield is located close to Queenstown, most of its grapes are sourced from vineyards located in Cromwell. Quite a large range here, part of which we tasted with the assistance of refreshingly rambunctious cellar door staff. Whilst some of the wines were excellent, the main attraction for us here was dinner. Utterly unpretentious food with a focus on simple ingredients and flavours, excellent service and comfortable surrounds. It was a fabulous way to end the day.

——

A couple of reflections to close:

  • I’ve complained in the past about the price of good Central Otago Pinot Noir. No longer. Although there are many premium wines in the $NZ50+ price bracket, there’s now a large range of excellent wines in the $NZ20-40 range. CowCo on its own has several. If only more were exported to Australia.
  • We often enjoyed second label Pinot Noirs more than their premium counterparts. Whilst this may be due to a balance that favours immediate consumption, it also has something to do with the tendency in many more expensive wines to mask the essential, highly attractive regional fruit character with excess oak, acidity and extract. Why hide what makes the region’s Pinots so distinctive and tasty? Indeed, in my opinion the best premiums placed their complex, savoury and delicious fruit on centre stage.
  • On a more personal note, it really is excellent to taste with others, especially someone with a high level of vinous acuity like Chris. A pleasure from start to finish.