Category Archives: Red

Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 2008

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Even if it’s unintentional, I pride myself on my reliability. The last time I tasted this wine, I gave it fairly short shrift and suggested I might taste it again in a year or two. Here I am, two years after that first tasting, sampling this little number again after quite randomly having selected it from my stash tonight.

The years have been kind. Where on release this was closed and quite gruff, it’s now able to express itself with more relaxation, even as it remains a highly textural, almost rustic experience. The nose thankfully avoids the sort of glossy fruit character that dodges criticism for lack of varietal definition but which is otherwise completely without value – in its place, there’s plush Pinot fruit, bundles of damp twigs and a rough whiff of vanilla. Also bacon fat, rotting white flowers and bubblegum. Not your typical $20 wine, then, and I can’t quite believe I’m getting so much out of a wine at this price point.

The palate is bold, intense and a bit rough. There’s no doubt, in an absolute sense, that a bit of extra refinement would be welcome, but I really can’t fault this wine on many levels: its impact, its concentration of flavour, its complex and savoury flavour profile. It registers with a nice slam of fruit flavour and progresses briskly through a middle palate full of expansive savoury berries and edgy, slightly hard vegetal notes. There’s still a way to go here before the wine sheds its aggressiveness; for now, you’ll need to put up with traces of overly firm structure on the after palate in particular. But why quibble when each mouthful offers up so much distinctive flavour?

Drink this with pungently flavoured food – Peking Duck, for example – to get the most from it right now. I’ll come back to this in about two to three years’ time. Promise.

Hoddles Creek
Price: $A20
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Mount Avoca Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

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Though its Shiraz wines can be of the highest quality, and tend to hog the limelight, my view is that Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pyrenees is seriously undervalued. It often combines a muscular structure with the sort of clear, supple fruit character that draws you right in. This wine from Mount Avoca exemplifies these qualities, and is well-priced to boot. What’s not to like?

The nose rings with clear, clean cassis fruit character, flanked by a bit of minty goodness and brown, textural oak. The more I swirl and sniff this wine, the greater the influence of that brown, earthy character, which creeps over the fruit and warms it through. It’s a remarkably coherent aroma profile for such a young wine, though it’s equally clear this is a raw beast, leaking undigested primary aromas in all directions. Still, there’s the beginnings of some focus and elegance here, and I suspect once the wine rests it will present even more impressively. As it is, full of potential and certainly not unenjoyable.

The palate is just all about structure at the moment, and whether you enjoy it as a young wine may depend mostly on your tolerance for acid and tannin. That’s not to suggest there’s no flavour or that it’s completely overpowered; indeed, there’s a strong, firm core of dark fruit that runs in a rather compressed line right the way along. But structure keeps it all in check, perhaps too firmly for now, suggesting some time in bottle is required. There’s a lovely gravel-like texture and flavour here, like licking berry-covered asphalt on a hot day. It’s the highlight of a flavour profile that is very correct and ultra-clean. Also notable is this wine’s length, which seems to springboard off all those tannins and carries a ribbon of crisp berry flavour right through the back palate.

This wine would be impressive at $35; at its recommended retail price, it’s a no brainer.

Mount Avoca
Price: $A27
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

De Iuliis Steven Vineyard Shiraz 2009

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This has to be one of the best 2009 Hunter Valley Shirazes I’ve tasted so far.

It’s a charming vintage, incidentally, bringing to a close ten dramatic years in the Hunter. There have been several memorable vintages for reds – 2003 for its drought-driven concentration, 2005 and 2007 for their balanced power, and now 2009, which seems to exemplify the sort of medium bodied, supple elegance that I associate with the region’s Shiraz style in its most classical form.

The nose is complex and clean, hitting notes as varied as cranberries, grilled meat, sweet earth, and soft oak. While it’s absolutely typical of the region, what separates it from a merely correct wine is a sense of depth and detail, combined with a distinctiveness to the fruit character. It’s a nose to dive into and explore, providing new perspectives the longer one stays with it.

The palate really takes things up a notch, again absolutely striking and crystal clear. What’s quite sensational here is the articulation of flavours on the palate; each component lands cleanly on the tongue and transitions to the next without any jarring breaks or unseemly peaks and troughs. Dense red fruit with a crisp edge, a sort of green juiciness that’s hard to place but remarkably fresh, black pepper, subtle oak. Structure is firm, as one would expect of a young wine like this, sparkling acid adding freshness and abundant tannins providing plenty of textural interest.

Of all the fine qualities of this wine, what has stayed with me most since tasting it is the character of the fruit. It has the sort of subtle distinctiveness that some producers might be tempted to obscure in a blend but which, here, stands out for its beautiful imperfection. It’s clearly the product of a single site, for better or worse, and we should thank De Iuliis for letting it shine alone.

De Iuliis
Price: $A40
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Irvine Grand Merlot 1996

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This smells nothing like a fifteen year old Eden Valley Merlot. The absurdity of that statement will, of course, be evident to those with a knowledge of this wine’s place in the Australian wine canon – it’s probably the only Eden Valley Merlot you’d think about cellaring for anywhere near this long, so it in fact tastes exactly like what it is – an exceptionally good fifteen year old Eden Valley Merlot. And, on the basis of this tasting, it’s a shame there are so few such wines.

When there’s a level of quality present, as there is with this wine, one’s experience of drinking it is as much a matter of timing as anything else. So the question becomes: are the elements ideally balanced right now? There’s a gorgeous smack of sweet primary fruit of a red berry character, a firm overlay of tertiary aromas and a dark framework of firm, coffee-tinged oak. So far, so good.

The palate makes my own answer to the question clear; this is surely drinking at its peak. As fascinating and beautiful as fully resolved old red wines can be, I usually prefer them in a state of maximum complexity, displaying a mixture of old and young wine characters. This retains an abundance of primary fruit, sweet and luscious, alongside the old leather and mushroom notes that accumulate only through an extended afternoon nap in bottle. Though, structurally, this has enough grunt to go even further, I like that its tannins remain slightly aggressive and primary, because they provide a link to its origins, allowing me to experience several moments in time all at once. The wine is simultaneously young, middle aged and old, jumping between all of its dimensions with elegance and poise, accumulating pleasures with each leap.

Ultimately, what is most astonishing about this wine is its freshness, and how that freshness is utterly transportive. I see in this wine its formative moments — vigorous green vines collecting energy to fill the beautiful berries that in turn filled this bottle — and through it my own life and the sense of discovery that characterises adolescence but which fades into rarity as one grows older. Thank goodness for those things that help me to remember.

Irvine
Price: $NA
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

Waipara Hills Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

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How quickly some things change. Only a very few years ago, to buy decent Central Otago Pinot Noir would almost inevitably put a serious dent into one’s wallet. Last time I visited the region, a couple of years ago now, I was heartened to see a lot more reasonably priced wines, still genuine expressions of the style. This wine isn’t exactly bargain basement, but at under $30 retail it sits comfortably in the mid-price bracket.

And, quality-wise, it fits solidly in this bracket too. There’s nothing remarkable about this wine at all and, though that may sound like a put-down, it’s simply a reflection of what it is: an accessible expression of Central Otago Pinot. To the last point first, the wine is true to type. The nose has a characteristic density of fruit that I associate with the region, along with a slightly dirty texture that roughens the aroma profile and lends it an edge. Thyme, dark biscuitty oak, hints of spice. It’s all there in a glossy, slick package.

The palate is similarly slick, structure in particular well-judged. In the earlier days, the region’s Pinots were often criticised for a coarseness of structure and an excess of extract; while this does taste fairly extracted, I’m not seeing an unbalanced structure, acid and tannin being present but not terribly intrusive. This, combined with a full-flavoured fruit profile, creates a lazy plushness that is alternately seductive and bland. This is so easygoing that, at times, I wish for more angularity, more edge. The reality is, though, that one probably needs to step up a rung to get the kind of character this wine suggests but never quite delivers on. As it is, a genuine taste of the region for, in historical terms, not very much money.

Waipara Hills
Price: $A29.90
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Margan White Label Shiraz Mourvèdre 2009

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The concept of a Hunter Valley Shiraz Mourvèdre is a bit tantalising; though classic partners in several regions both here and abroad, Shiraz of the Hunter persuasion, often characterised by earthiness, should be especially well-matched to the savouriness Mourvèdre can bring. Margan’s version is the only one I’m aware of, though, so clearly not a wine that sits in the mainstream.

And that’s a shame, because on the basis of this wine, the combination has more than conceptual merit. This is just all about meaty, earthy, sinewy ropes of dark flavour. The nose kicks off with an uncompromising aroma profile of Morello cherries, on which is piled a good helping of oak, sweet earth and cured meats. It’s a very compact aroma, fully expressive and quite complex, always remaining rather streamlined and to-the-point. Serious, even.

The palate is, in its own way, just as direct. Good impact on entry, a sharp hit of savoury red and black fruits registering first, followed on the middle palate by a slightly broader spread of glossy oak and textured dirt. Good intensity and, within the confines of a narrow line, impressive density. Structurally, this is still pretty raw, the acid in particular cutting a rough line through the palate; this should soften with time. I’ll also be interested to see if a hint of bitterness through the after palate also softens; the wine would improve if it did. A good lilt to the decently long finish.

Although this isn’t a wine of enormous scale, to my mind it’s a real statement of style and intent. I like it.

Margan
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Devote Greenock Shiraz 2009

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This has been open a good couple of days and is just starting to sing. There was something fuzzy about it on opening, the clarity of its fruit obscured by structural static. Much better now, though.

On the nose, a spiced, clove-laced aroma of crushed blood plums and cedar, pine needles and marzipan. Opulent is going too far; mellifluous a better description for what is an easy, conversational aroma profile. I like the oak character in particular; it’s a mixture of nougat and nuts with hints of dark spice. Despite being more accessible after a couple of days, this remains a rustic nose, roughed up with dark notes and graced with a character of fruit that’s more tart-baked than freshly picked.

The palate is generous and solidly structured, with a level of density that remains high right down the line. That said, it’s not the most highly defined wine, flavours blurring into one another with pleasant casualness. So the overall impression is one of large scale ease, which is tremendously appealing if you set aside the sort of hard-edged detail that some wines pursue in the name of quality. No, this is old school Barossa, full of plum and fruit cake spice, well-balanced acid and soft tannins. The fruit may lack an ounce of freshness, but it’s barely a mark on the drinkability here.

A very good wine in its style.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A32
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Thomas Sweetwater Shiraz 2009

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One of the more unusual wine marketing campaigns of late is surely New Generation Hunter Valley. If its central image reminds one why mixing metaphors is generally a bad idea, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment behind the campaign. The Hunter Valley, though often a favourite of wine writers (myself included), seems to suffer an image problem, especially outside of its core Sydney market. So any attempt at reinvigoration is welcome, because I suspect history will show we are in a very exciting period for the region, several producers doing great work with its classic Shiraz and Semillon styles, driven by a desire to see more deeply into vineyard and site. Of course, being such a fan of the region, I completely missed the recent New Generation tasting here in Brisbane, much to my disappointment. Thankfully, I have been able to obtain some samples that, I hope, will provide a good snapshot of the more interesting current releases.

First up, the Thomas Wines Sweetwater Shiraz.Thomas Wines is a producer whose wines I have enjoyed on many occasions, though I’ve never before tasted this label. Diving right in, the nose is strongly influenced by fresh red dirt and textured oak, notes that combine to create an impression of sharp savouriness. This isn’t a nose that seduces through plushness or promises of rich fruit flavour. Rather, it’s a wiry, angular aroma profile, suggestive of a hard-earned, lean muscularity. Fruit notes, such as they are present, are firmly in the red spectrum.

The palate is a burst of savoury freshness, acid playing the dominant structural role. On entry, a real tingle of fresh red berries, sliding sharply to a middle palate that introduces the nose’s dominant notes – earth and oak. Though oak is quite prominent, its character is terribly well judged, seeming both old and slick at the same time. Though the wine is light to medium bodied, intensity is very impressive, helped along in terms of impact by all that acid. The finish settles to a surprisingly soft, almost plush, flavour, expressed within a still-nervy framework of textural acid and loose-knit, coarse tannin. This might be really challenging to someone with a taste for Barossa Shiraz, but that’s precisely what I love about it.

This is all Hunter, a no compromise style that confidently expresses the region’s charms. Take it (preferably with a bit of bottle age) or leave it.

Thomas Wines
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Chapel Hill The Chosen Home Block Shiraz 2009

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Three 2009 Shirazes in one sitting – this, the same producer’s Road Block and the Tyrrell’s Old Block. Each wine completely different from the next, though with both Chapel Hill wines showing a distinct regional relationship, as one would hope.

Increasingly, I’m enjoying what I see as the nascent influence of Burgundy on Australian Shiraz, not of technique, but of philosophy. There are such marked differences between regional Shiraz styles, and indeed within regions and sub-regions, yet to my mind this remains territory that is barely mapped, and wines like this are a step along the path towards a deeper, finer, Burgundian understanding of how Australia does Shiraz. None of which would matter if the wines weren’t much good, so I’m pleased to note this is an excellent McLaren Vale Shiraz, in my opinion superior to the Road Block, though very different from it too. The vines here are a lot older, and without wanting to dive into that conversation, I will innocently note that this wine seems more resolved and complex, less brutal in flavour profile than the Road Block.

The nose is quite settled and full of adult savouriness; dusted cocoa powder, cherries, raspberries, complexity, medicine, comfort, dusty beauty. Who doesn’t love a farmer? This smells so genuine it completely bypasses a conversation about what it is and just exists in its vibrant, deeply understood way.

The palate is of medium weight and seamless complexity. There are coffee grounds and red fruits, expressed with significant intensity of flavour. What’s really nice here is the wine’s sense of quiet vitality; it just sings in the mouth with calm and a sense of reserve, never jumping around, nor sticking at any stage, nor cloying the palate. Modern McLaren Vale Shiraz can be bruising in style, but this wine’s weight and balance highlight what I love about an old school expression of the style: sheer drinkability.

These are wines that, in a sense, teach us all over again what wine is — a conduit for one of the most intense yet least scrutable forms of aesthetic delight.

Chapel Hill
Price: $A55
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Chapel Hill The Chosen Road Block Shiraz 2009

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One for the tannin freaks. Interestingly, I had this with a robust lamb and rosemary pie and, after initially thinking it would be a good companion because of all that fabulous structure, it ended up being the least interesting food match of the three wines I had before me at the time (one of the others being the Tyrrell’s Old Patch just reviewed).

The aroma has quite strong fermentation esters that take a while to blow off. I like fermentation esters, so this made me smile, but give it some time to discover its true character. The purple sweetness of youth never quite goes away, which is an interesting foil to the dark, dense, somewhat savoury, relatively oak-heavy profile that settles with some time and air. It’s one of those wines that seems to have oodles of power and bulk in reserve, not fully expressing itself, but looming over you, so you’re always aware it’s there. The oak character is well matched to the fruit, contributing coffee grinds and dark spice to the fruit’s ripe, rich, dark character.

The palate is only medium bodied, which again provides an interesting framework in which the dense fruit can sit. Tannins are simply gorgeous in a modern way – majorly prominent, ultra fine, blankety, sweet, delicious. They really do dominate the experience of this wine right now, which is no bad thing – it’s a fun wine to drink, and though it initially begs for food, it ends up being way richer, deeper and more of a mouthful than any “food wine” needs to be. A streak of red berry soars above it all, giving the after palate light and nuance. Ultimately, some nuance, a bit more light and shade, would complete this wine, but in its style it is a lovely drink.

Chapel Hill
Price: $A55
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift