Full Pour: Search Results

Best's Great Western Bin 1 Shiraz 2009

1 Sep 2010

Shiraz is undoubtedly Great Western's raison d'être. Bin 1 is the baby brother to the mighty Bin 0 and Thomson Family wines (of which the superb 2006 was previously reviewed) but in its more modest way still offers a nice view into this classic regional Shiraz style. In some ways, this makes it the most important wine in the portfolio, in that it's an affordable entry point into something quite distinctive. A gateway drug, if you will, into the region's wines.

I'm pleased to note the nose offers an immediate hit of typically Great Western plum and spice. It's heady and rich within the parameters of the style, showing softness and a halo of vanilla oak that is quite attractive. There's some good detail to the aroma profile too, perhaps unexpected in this level of wine, that keeps me sniffing.

The palate is styled for generosity and pleasure above all else. Its most outstanding feature, for me, is a rush of plum juice that kicks in soon after entry and whooshes right down through the after palate. Delicious. There's also plenty of spice and the sort of soft nougat oak character that can clash with some wine styles but which here seems completely right. A nice lift of lighter fruit carries the after palate to a fresh finish that is tinged with softly sweet flavours.

My favourite of the new Best's Great Western releases.

Best's Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Best's Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

1 Sep 2010

I've tasted this wine twice now and both times have come away impressed with its drinkability. It's not an especially sophisticated wine; in fact, there's a rusticity to the flavour profile that suggests generosity and ease rather than intellect. But that's not a bad thing in my book.

The aroma shows good varietal character, a nice hit of dusty leaf overlaying squashed dark berries and spiced oak. It's all a bit blurry perhaps, and those looking for a chiselled expression of Cabernet may not find their ideal wine in this. For me, though, its value lies in savouriness and a meaty, chunky vibe.

The palate shows an interesting interplay between clean dark berry fruit and a range of brambly, dusty characters. Entry is savoury and bright, introducing a line of acid that is quite firm and supports the wine along its line. The middle palate is really flavoursome, again showing clean, vibrant dark fruits in an earthy, oak-influenced cage that really grounds the wine and gives it plenty of vitality. Fine, rather astringent tannins on the after palate introduce a long finish that treads into red fruit territory, along with just the right amount of oak.

This is a really genuine, regional wine that places enjoyment above perfection.

Best's Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Scarborough Blue Label Chardonnay 2009

20 Aug 2010

Though just as generously flavoursome as its Yellow Label sibling, this wine is made in quite a different style, more aligned to the contemporary idiom. There's no new oak, its fruit is crisp and fresh, its complexity apparently lees-derived with only partial malolactic fermentation.

The nose is crisp, flinty aromas overlaying white nectarine and some funk, possibly sulfurous in nature. Its impact is savoury and rather chiselled; this doesn't present as an especially buxom style. But there's a nice depth to the aroma that prevents it from being an exclusively high toned aroma profile.

The palate shows some richer fruit alongside a continuation of the nose's savouriness. Entry is very flavoursome, an initially crisp mouthfeel becoming glossier and fuller towards the middle palate. A nice array of fruit flavours fans out here; there's citrus and peach in equal measure, with just a hint of butterscotch. Mouthfeel is especially interesting, showing good texture and detail in a contradictorily soft package. A fresh herbal twang asserts through the after palate. The finish is sharp and lengthy.

An attractive style, well executed and priced.

Scarborough
Price: $A19
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mike Press Shiraz 2009

17 Aug 2010

It feels a while since I last tasted some of Mike Press's wines. A quick search of Full Pour tells me I tasted the 2008 Shiraz in February of this year, but earlier vintages are more prominent in my deteriorating memory banks. I remember the splash made by the 2005 vintage wines, and bought a few myself. I've always been impressed by the easy styling of the red wines; at their best they convey a sense of sophistication that sits well outside their price points. Oak handling has historically been a slight sticking point for me, though I am pleased to see the oak flavours in this 2009 wine are much more to my taste.

Initially, there are some bright aromas that seem like left-overs from fermentation. These quickly blow off to show quite luscious red and black berry fruit, some sharp pepper and spice, plus lightly malty oak. The aroma profile tilts firmly towards liqueurous fruit, but there's enough complexity to suggest some seriousness of intent. I suspect a few months in bottle will calm the slight edge here and bring each component together more naturally.

After a flavoursome entry, the palate is pleasingly savoury, taming any suggestion of fruity excess from the nose and placing dense berry flavours in a framework of spice, bright acid and powdery tannin. Don't misunderstand me; there's plenty of fruit, which fills the middle palate with satisfying generosity. It's the structure that elevates this wine well beyond a quaffing style. I'd go so far as to say the structure places this wine in opposition to a quaffing style; I don't feel this is ready to drink, and when it is, will show considerable elegance. For now, good texture and a hint of minerality on the after palate, through to a nice finish that is nevertheless a bit compressed by tannin.

Ridiculously cheap for this level of quality.

Mike Press Wines
Price: $A12.50
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Quarry Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2009

26 Jun 2010

Sauvignon Blanc isn't a variety that immediately springs to mind when I think of the Canberra District, but this is a quirky rendition at a reasonable price.

The nose is brightly faceted and stony with hints of brine; there's little of the overt fruit character one sees in many other expressions of this grape (Marlborough, Adelaide Hills, etc). Because of this, the wine comes across as quite austere on initial sniff, an impression warmth and a bit of swirling changes only slightly. I like the fact this is focused away from obvious fruit flavours -- its style sets it apart even as it makes it harder to embrace.

Entry is full of zest and attack, leading to a middle palate that broadens with some interesting flavours. There's an orange juice-like character to the mouthfeel and acidity that beefs up the body and creates the impression of thicker fruit flavours. I'm not sure the level of residual sugar, but suspect there's a bit in here. The fruit flavours themselves are blurry, and one instead looks to savoury characters (crushed shells, that sort of thing) for definition. It's certainly full of interest, and I note the winemaking involved some skin contact, which would have led to a higher level of phenolic extraction and I presume some of the grip I'm seeing on the middle and after palates. The after palate and finish are typically thin per the variety, though there's a lingering lemon note through the finish that is stubbornly persistent.

The palate's generosity is, one might argue, a slight cop-out after the lean aroma. I'm speaking to my own preferences, of course, and am mindful of not having tasted this wine when newly released. In any case, and as with the 2008 Shiraz, this wine shows stylistic interest beyond its price point. I'd be interested to taste a fresh one.

Quarry Hill
Price: $A16
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Dowie Doole Merlot 2009

21 Jun 2010

I understand 2009 was a difficult vintage in some parts of the McLaren Vale. Certainly, compared to the 2008 Merlot, this wine shows less freshness of fruit character. It retains, however, the same sense of drinkability and charm, and for that I like it a great deal.

The nose shows plums, some spice and what smells like scorched foliage (the power of suggestion, perhaps?). There's a prickliness to the aroma profile that may be partly due to the youth of this wine; whatever its origin, it is quite edgy, yet at the same time connects well with subtle, nougat-like oak notes. Overall, generously expressive, if a bit lumpy.

Entry is bright and fresh, with well-judged acidity carrying light plum fruit flavours through to the middle palate. Weight is light to medium bodied, intensity in a similar range, yet the components seem balanced overall. There's an attractive icing-sugar sweetness to the middle palate, adding some nuance to the fruit flavours and contributing a welcome sense of plushness. The after palate begins to show some dried fruit notes that aren't altogether welcome, which reside under a twig-like note and gentle oak flavours.

A product of its vintage, no doubt, but eminently drinkable nonetheless. I like the acidity in particular.

Dowie Doole
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Windowrie The Mill Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009

5 Jun 2010

Some bottles I look at and presume, for one reason or another, I won't be writing up. This - being a blend of which I'm not terribly fond - was one of them. But drinking it now, nicely chilled, I'm finding it really well made, so thought I'd jot down a quick note.

These wines are made for immediate quaffing, so to my mind need a particular balance of fruit, structure and (let's face it) residual sweetness to faciliate their function. The nose is promising, with a shock of cut grass atop quite rounded fruit. There are hints of lychee and paw paw, along with the sharper passionfruit-like aromas one might expect from Sauvignon Blanc. Just pungent enough, fresh-smelling, and well-balanced. So far so good.

The palate follows through admirably. These sorts of wines aren't going to break any records for complexity, but there's still a bit going on here, with generous-enough fruit flavours running all the way along the line, propped up by slightly vicious acidity and a dollop of puppy fat to smooth the edges. I think there's a bit of residual sugar -- I find it well-judged -- adding weight to the fruit without turning the flavours candied.

Nice quaffer. Well done.

Windowrie
Price: $A16.99
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Ishtar Goddess White 2009

26 May 2010

I find it interesting that Viognier seems to polarise not only drinkers, but winemakers as well. It's perhaps not unexpected for a variety that is still quite new in mass market Australian terms, but there's a diversity of styles (see our recent mega-tasting for some examples) that, it seems to me, speaks more of uncertainty than confident choices.

By contrast, one of the things I enjoy about Anita Bowen's wines is that they are all about confidence. Not showiness, but a certainty that enables them to reveal themselves slowly, never crying out too loudly for either love or admiration. Her 2008 Viognier stood out in the mega-tasting lineup for its appropriate winemaking and sense of stylistic resolution. This more recent vintage is no different, though apparently achieved with more subtle winemaking inputs.

A heady, perfumed nose of honeysuckle, spice and nectarine skins. It's an entirely coherent aroma profile without being especially complex (in the sense of having a cascade of different flavours). It is, however, very well defined and precisely layered, and becoming more expressive the longer it sits in glass.

The palate is similarly etched, with an additional, quite adult, streak of phenolic bitterness that strikes me as entirely positive. First, the entry, which is immediate and fleet, depositing bright fruit flavours onto the tongue before reaching a middle palate that shows good balance between acidity and the sort of viscous mouthfeel that can easily sink Viognier. The tension between these two elements is more interesting to me than the flavours here, which are very correct but slightly simple and "grapey." The after palate shows that lovely bitter, pithy streak before the wine tapers off through a reasonable finish.

This wine just feels right in the way it has been judged and executed.

Balthazar of the Barossa
Price: $A19.50
Closure: Other
Source: Sample

Howard Park Riesling 2009

30 Mar 2010

It's endlessly contested, but beauty (if it exists at all) is something I search for in wine as in most things. Perhaps that marks me as profoundly romantic, or foolish, but if something so inessential, so essentially frivolous as wine doesn't encapsulate an aesthetic of a kind, then I really do wonder the point of it at all. Hence my difficult relationship with wines that express themselves on a purely functional level - I'd rather drink beer.

Riesling is a varietal that gets me excited because it sometimes reminds me, more than any other wine, of perfume. I, along with my excellent co-author Chris, are fans of fragrance, and Riesling, in its expressive austerity, comes closest to the manufactured landscapes of man-made smells. Which is quite remarkable, really, as a commercial smell is carefully crafted, layered and assembled to be both distinctive and reproducible; one might reasonably assume a relatively haphazard aroma like that of wine would never come close. Yet it does, to my delight and endless fascination.

This wine isn't perfect, but it has a sense of construction and layered complexity that excites me. The aroma is awash with high toned, aldehydic aromas that echo the extravagant top notes of an old-fashioned, French whorehouse-type cologne. There are some deeper, lemon rind notes underneath the florals that provide an anchor of sorts, something fleshier around which more fleeting aromas can circle.

The palate is quite generous and, compared to some Howard Park Rieslings I recall from the late 1990s, much less austerely acidic. This isn't such a bad thing, especially for present drinking. There's a dramatic but cuddly entry onto the palate, followed by a wash of soft lime juice through the mid-palate. It's a bit lazy, but it's also very pretty, content to be admired for its easy charm. A tangy after palate and long finish round things off well.

Howard Park
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Braided River Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009

15 Mar 2010

I've had some interesting conversations over the last couple of weeks on the merits (or otherwise) of writing up straightforward, commercial wines. There's no arguing the relevance; this wine is available pretty much everywhere, and as a consumer I'm just as interested as the next snob in reading a bit about what I might buy. But as a writer, my issue is that, more often than not, they provoke no reaction. They are exactly what I think they will be, and where's the fun in that?

Absolutely regional aroma, showing typical passionfruit and light cut grass. Say what you will about Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; there's no denying it stands out like dog's balls in a line up, and I'd argue this demonstrates inherent merit in the style, taste notwithstanding. This one is quite soft, though, some Vaseline on the lens obscuring the harsh angularity that can be an issue in some examples.

The palate is correct, but is marred for my taste by an excess of apparent sweetness. No doubt I'm in the minority here; this is exceptionally well-judged in its attempt to alienate no-one, and on one view there are few higher compliments one could pay a commercial style. In the mouth, soft and almost cuddly, with accessible citrus and passionfruit flavours expressed with watercolour imprecision. No great length, no great surprises.

What you see is what you get.

Braided River
Price: $A18.99
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Bloodwood Chardonnay 2009

21 Feb 2010

Not a lot of tasting (as opposed to drinking) these last few days. Tonight, while dinner is cooking, I thought I'd give this wine a go. It arrived during the week from the indefatigable David Cumming, who does PR for many Central Ranges wineries. My experience of recent wines from this zone has been variable, but this bottle is getting more and more interesting as I swirl.

A strong element of minerality, aided perhaps by some sulfur, dominates the nose, followed closely by flowers and quite complex fruit notes. The fruit edges towards stonefruit, with some pithy grapefruit too. It's quite a savoury aroma profile, challenging even, and evolves to show a hint of baked goods. The elements show a discordant relationship, never resolving cleanly, but constantly exchanging meaningful glances.

The palate, initially, seemed simple and slippery, with straightforward white peach fruit. It has quickly become complex and savoury, though, and to me a lot more interesting. The entry is quite flavoursome yet gentle too; fruit flavours seem to glide towards the middle palate on satin sheets. And if that sounds a bit tacky, it is, or at least threatens to be, until one realises on the middle palate there is a range of quite adult flavours on offer, and the mouthfeel has become more textured too. Rocks get thrown together as the wine edges towards the back palate, where a floral lift takes flavours towards a subtle, glowing finish of good length. Oak seems subliminal, winemaking equally simple. I feel like I'm tasting the fruit, and I like it.

Bloodwood Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mike Press Chardonnay 2009

24 Jan 2010

Or: the art of the perfect quaffing wine.

At $8.33 per bottle, this wine positions itself squarely at the "everyday drinking" end of the market. This can be scary vinous territory, swinging unpredictably from surprisingly good to revoltingly cynical in the twist of a corkscrew. And it's fair to ask: what ought a wine to be at this price? I don't pretend to have an answer, but I know a good attempt when I taste one, and this certainly is a good attempt at the ideal quaffing white.

The nose shows alcohol and sweet basil, but mostly juicy white nectarine (including the skins). It's all quite simple and fresh, with little in the way of confectionary overtones, nor worked characters that might suggest a sense of obesity. The palate adds to these simple, attractive flavours by delivering a slippery, borderline syrupy mouthfeel that speaks of cost-effective luxury. Intensity is quite decent, and there's a surprisingly sophisticated streak of minerality running underneath all that peachy goodness. Indeed, this is the Hyundai Sonata of quaffing wines; aiming above its station and, for the time it takes to smell and swallow, more or less delivering. That it evaporates from one's memory almost as quickly as the dramatic impact of Avatar is quite beside the point. It's awfully fun while it lasts.

And isn't that what quaffing wines are all about?

Mike Press Wines
Price: $A8.33
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Climbing Sauvignon Blanc 2009

23 Jan 2010

Curious wine, this one. Without quite knowing why, I was anticipating a boring, commercial style and, insofar as this wine avoids insulting levels of residual sugar, I was pleasantly surprised. But I'm still scratching my head in terms of what this wine is.

What's here is indeed dry -- almost austere -- in its flinty restraint. The nose shows wispy varietal character, far from the scream of Marlborough sauvignon blanc, just hinting at some grass and passionfruit. There's a nice basil note too. Volume is turned way down, though. The palate is more textural than flavoursome, with a chiselled form that is two parts acidity and one part flavour profile. The latter shows similar restraint to the nose, with more grass and light passionfruit, plus a streak of flint that reminds me of some dry rieslings. It lacks outré impact, though there's a nice intensity of flavour through the after palate, and the acid certainly creates an impression in the mouth. Unremarkable finish.

Neither here nor there, perhaps, but ironically may appeal to those who dislike Sauvignon Blanc. For me, I'm looking for something more to latch on to here, and I would be curious to see how far this style could move in a minerally direction. The flavour profile also suggests a bit of lees or barrel work might yield interesting results. Again, curious wine.

Cumulus Wines
Price: $A21.99
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Smallfry Barossa Tempranillo Garnacha Joven 2009

17 Jan 2010

What are the chances? This is the second Australian wine tasted in as many weeks made in a joven style, blending Grenache and Tempranillo, but referring to the former as Garnacha instead of the more bogan-sounding Grenache. This one is from micro-producer Smallfry, and the bottle in front of me is one of a run of 110 cases.

Dowie Doole's G&T showed a ~~Grenache~~ Garnacha-dominant flavour profile of jammy red fruit, with Tempranillo adding savouriness and complexity at the edges. This, by contrast, takes a completely different approach, with funky, meaty Tempranillo taking centre stage, and Grenache adding some soft fruitiness. On the nose, the smell of pulling weeds, charcuterie, spice and soft red fruits. It's light and fun, and its savouriness is attractive to me. No oak that I can detect.

The palate is feather light, almost insubstantial, and it all might be too ephemeral if it weren't such easy fun. Entry is sweet, but this quickly fans out to a savoury middle palate that is perhaps a bit dilute. The after palate shows the greatest complexity of flavour -- crushed leaf and fresh cranberries -- plus a smattering of grainy tannins. Finish is decent.

Very refreshing style. Personally, I prefer this to the Dowie Doole, though the latter's generously sweet fruit will win many fans too.

Smallfry
Price: $NA
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Dowie Doole Garnacha & Tempranillo 2009

2 Jan 2010

There's something both fun and savvy about the way this wine is marketed; indeed, about what this wine is. The label design for starters, which caused me to laugh out loud when I pulled the bottle from its box, calls out the initials of its constituent grapes. Being a fan of gin and tonic, I immediately thought of satisfyingly fresh aromatics and a vaguely medicinal effect. More to the point, though, I thought of fun, ease and casual sophistication. Not a bad association to make given a new wine label.

The style here carries through, presenting a McLaren Vale spin on the easygoing vibe of a Rioja joven. The nose shows unmistakably fruity Grenache alongside some soft oak influences -- light nougat and caramel -- and a darker, more funky angle that, perhaps, is driven by the Tempranillo component. It's fresh and fun, provided you are OK with a fruit sweet aroma profile, and its complexities are expressed as cuddliness rather than anything more intellectual.

The flavour profile is absolutely in line with the aroma, showing juicy red fruits, rhubarb, some sunlit brambles and gentle caramel oak. It's light to medium bodied, with a solid attack of confectionary fruit, leading to a middle palate that is all about deliciousness. The flavours are fleet of foot, registering then moving quickly on, never allowing time to be fully savoured or indeed examined too closely. This is deceptively sophisticated; there's something impressive about making a wine seem so effortless. A fairly light after palate, with a smattering of grainy tannins, leads to a vibrant finish of average length.

There are some things one could object to here; the fruit is quite sweet, the structure very light, the concept derivative. But, as with my experience of the Dowie Doole portfolio generally, drinkability and real world satisfaction are put ahead of intellectual conceit and pretentious winemaking. I'm having a serious craving for croquettes.

Dowie Doole
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Tyrrell's Johnno's Semillon 2009

1 Jan 2010

Tyrrell's has long made a habit of highlighting single vineyards in its Semillon porfolio, and this label continues the tradition. Small batch (250 dozen), old vines (1908), sandy soils; it oozes cred simply for what it is. Tyrrell's has gone a step further here and vinified the grapes in a deliberately old fashioned manner, sending things off the authenticity scale entirely. Indeed, it's the kind of wine that is so tantalising on paper, one half suspects it will be a disappointment in the mouth.

In fact, it has quite exceeded my expectations. I've drunk this over two evenings and it has hardly moved, perhaps softening slightly on day two. The nose shows typically straightforward young Semillon citrus, in this case surrounded by a range of other flavours, from chalk to cheese, that add complexity. It's still austere and quite etched, just with a wider range of aromas than usual. It's also quite expressive, something one can't take for granted with young Hunter Semillon.

The palate is a wonderfully textural experience. The entry is immediate and flavoursome, tight acidity helping pure citrus flavour to burst onto the tongue. Before long, a mouthfeel that is part chalk and part sandpaper begins to register, along with increasing complexity of flavour. The wine remains very focused and intense, as befits its status as a quality Semillon, but the textural influences create a feeling of generosity, if not downright drinkability, that makes the wine quite accessible as a youngster. The finish is extremely long and fine, with great delicacy to its gradual taper.

I'm quite excited about how this wine will age. I hope Tyrrell's persists with the style.

Tyrrell's
Price: $A33.33
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Angullong A Sauvignon Blanc 2009

29 Dec 2009

I gather the previous vintage was well rewarded at wine shows. Presuming the 09 is made in a similar style, I can see why. This is a generously flavoured wine, quite different in style from, say, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, despite a similarly vivid outlook.

The nose is as cuddly as Sauvignon Blanc gets, with pungent yet soft aromas of unripe passionfruit, crushed leaf and gin. Somehow, it puts in me in mind of Smith's Salt and Vinegar Chips, undoubtedly the best salt and vinegar crisp on the market. It's not a seawater thing; rather it suggests the morish deliciousness of salt combined with the raw astringency of vinegar and the addictive sweetness of potato.

The palate is quite gentle in the context of the style, though it takes until the middle palate for this to register. The attack is actually quite tight and crisp, acidity creating the greatest impression. Things broaden as the wine progresses, mouthfeel becoming thicker and flavour becoming sweeter. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a hint of well-judged residual sugar, though it could just be the fruit. The acid rises again through the after palate, bringing back some zing and whisking the wine away to a clean finish. No great length, but that's not a surprise considering the variety.

A really crowd-pleasing style at a good price. Not my style, mind, but that's neither here nor there.

Angullong
Price: $A15
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2009

19 Dec 2009

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc can, on the surface, seem quite uniform in style, notwithstanding some notable exceptions. That it's one of the most recognisable wines has much to do, I'm sure, with its success. It also causes me to wonder: if I were going to make such a wine, what would I be aiming for? Would I seek to out-Marlborough other wines, with even more up-front regional character? Or would I seek to tone down the style, maximising inoffensiveness and, presumably, appeal?

This wine's answer is to combine the obviousness of the style with a few tricks to enhance drinkability. It certainly doesn't hide its origins; on the nose, there's enough pricky herbaceousness and gooseberry tartness to declare immediately what it is. But it pulls back from engaging a truly vulgar expression of the style. Whether you warm to this will depend very much on your affection for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; what's evident, though, is the smart line drawn here; it's not too much of any one thing and, given the style, that's impressive.

The palate confirms the approach suggested by the nose, and in particular shows a sense of weight, if not overt residual sugar, that helps the package slip down oh-so-easily. On entry, lively acidity and passionfruit flavour promise satisfaction. The mid-palate is where the slippery, unexpectedly viscous mouthfeel appears, taming the wine's acidity and helping flavours to show greater generosity. The after palate and finish thin out as one might expect, though there's a trace of intensely aromatic passionfruit on the finish that is quite persistent.

A smart wine with a clear purpose.

Mud House
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Flaxman Riesling 2009

4 Dec 2009

The small Flaxman estate vineyard is located in the Barossa ranges, in the same area as various renowned vineyards like Heggies, Karra Yerta and Pewsey Vale. In amongst mature Semillon and Shiraz are the forty five year old Riesling vines from which this wine is made. You'd expect, with this pedigree, definitive Eden Riesling. And so it is.

Intense mineral, gravel notes establish the aroma profile, which goes on to express floral and lime rind characters as well. There's a clear articulation of top, middle and base notes here, each working in concert with, eventually blurring the lines between, each other. Its character, while complex and clear, is also soft, preferring to communicate in soothing tones. I associate a certain coherence with superior wines; they express singularly as opposed to as a collection of discrete smells. This wine possesses such coherence, and is quite thrilling in its clarity.

The palate shows great balance between fine, fresh acidity and fruit weight. Indeed, the citrus notes are surprisingly generous compared to a nose heavier on the minerality. On entry, flavour skates briskly over the tongue, supported by beautiful acidity and a mouthfeel that seems ultra-refined, indeed almost slippery. The middle palate is all about ripe, fresh limes, cleanly expressed. There are also some flowers and slate that travel along the edges, and which grab centre stage through the after palate. A high toned, pithy finish goes on for quite a while.

It's just so effortlessly stylish, this wine, like a natural beauty who looks great in just about anything. I don't mind saying I'll be putting in my order for a few bottles.

Flaxman Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Kirrihill Slate Creek Vineyard Riesling 2009

4 Dec 2009

A single vineyard wine from the Watervale sub-region of the Clare Valley. And a really true example of this style of Riesling too, very much in a drink now idiom but recognisably regional all the same.

The nose shows swirly, shabby chic aromas of old lace, freshly squeezed lemon juice and ripe white flowers. There's also a hint of talcum powder verging on minerality, which adds a nice lilt to the aroma profile. Taken as a whole, the nose is both relatively complex and totally accessible, signalling a wine made for easy, but not braindead, enjoyment.

On entry, acid is restrained in volume yet robust in texture, overlaid with lemon juice notes that are less intrusively sour than some. This combination carries linearly through to a mid-palate that widens only marginally, holding its tight, clear line. Intensity of fruit is moderate, which suits the style, and it's here that a range of flavour complexities emerge. Pebbles and crusher dust sit in the minerality camp, while the fruit turns towards a lemon rind-like astringency. Texture is even and a little gravelly through the after palate, and the finish is long, tapering elegantly away to nothing.

A solid wine, then, with plenty of character and made in a style that's very approachable right now. Not a bad Friday night choice.

Kirrihill
Price: $A19.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Results tagged “2009”

Best's Great Western Bin 1 Shiraz 2009

Best's Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Scarborough Blue Label Chardonnay 2009

Mike Press Shiraz 2009

Quarry Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Dowie Doole Merlot 2009

Windowrie The Mill Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009

Ishtar Goddess White 2009

Howard Park Riesling 2009

Braided River Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Bloodwood Chardonnay 2009

Mike Press Chardonnay 2009

Climbing Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Smallfry Barossa Tempranillo Garnacha Joven 2009

Dowie Doole Garnacha & Tempranillo 2009

Tyrrell's Johnno's Semillon 2009

Angullong A Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Flaxman Riesling 2009

Kirrihill Slate Creek Vineyard Riesling 2009

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