Recently in White Category
This is the current release Lake's Folly white, although I believe it sells out rather quickly, so its currency is rather academic. Lake's Folly, as a winery, fascinates me. It is historic in terms of the modern Australian wine industry, has deviated little from its original purpose (releasing just two wines each year, and white and a red), exists in a currently daggy wine region and seems to fly under the radar most of the time. And yet its wines remain sought after. I think that's pretty cool.
The appearance of wine is usually of secondary importance when I'm enjoying a glass, but this wine has such a lovely golden green hue, it deserves mention as its own particular pleasure. Distinctive, slightly sharp nose of marzipan, lightly caramelised stone fruit and more astringent citrus. It's full and luscious but shows beautiful restraint, and I love this ostensible contrast. In the mouth, fresh acidity contributes impact on entry, but there's so much flavour packed into this wine it doesn't take long for texture to assume second place. Quickly, the mouth is awash with fresh peach, almond and a hint of vanilla cream. There's good intensity and attractive fruit character, but overwhelmingly a sense of poise and balance that defies the rich flavour profile. This is why Chardonnay is so revered as a variety; such complexity and capacity to absorb winemaker input, yet still retain stature and shape. The after palate capitalises on clingy, creamy stonefruit, while the finish shows excellent length and linearity.
What an excellent wine. As well as this is drinking now, I suspect it will truly sing as an aged style.
Price: $A50
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: August 2008
Riesling has provided me and many other wine lovers with a fabulous hunting ground for labels that vastly outperform their price points. Consider: the pinnacles of Australian Riesling; singular styles recognised internationally; routinely sell for $20-40. Even Hunter Semillon costs more at the top end. Here, though, is a $9.50 Riesling from the Barossa Valley, a region not renowned for the variety. On the plus side, Peter Lehmann is a winery that has a history of solid, well-priced wines.
A forward nose of candied pineapple and other tropical fruits, plus a bit of spice. I'm not getting the "crisp citrus and floral" notes referred to on the back label. Instead, this seems a broader Riesling style. In the mouth, some initially welcome acidity fades as lemon and candied fruit notes take over. These flavours are assertive but lack intensity at the same time. I suspect a level of residual sugar contributes to this flavour profile, though there's nothing overtly sugary about the wine. A dip in intensity through the after palate precedes some bitterness on the rather chalky finish.
A flavoursome quaffer, then, but quite basic too. Stylistically, I'm not very excited. Lovers of crisp, dry Riesling are advised to keep looking.
Price: $A9.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
I'm not familiar with this label but, according to the winery's tasting note, grapes were sourced from across Victoria after bushfires affected its traditional regional base of the King and Ovens Valleys. That's some pretty cool one off-ness for a paltry $9.50. I remember the days (not very long ago) of cheap Chardonnay oaked so heavily one practically got splinters in the mouth. I'm sure they're still out there, but the vogue for tighter, finer wines seems to to have stimulated a fresh breed of cheapies. Or so I hope.
A high toned, slightly spirity nose that is decidedly vinous without being especially distinctive. A subtle layer of butter and vanilla cream indicates equally subtle malo and oak inputs. This is perhaps a relief, though it also clearly exposes simple fruit flavours of apple and white stonefruit. For all that, quite nice to sniff. Entry has good immediacy of flavour and shows just enough fine acid to retain shapeliness. The mid-palate is of medium body and plentiful flavour, with a clean, round mouthfeel. More white stonefruit, hints of malo and cream vye for attention; it's all straightforward and very easy to drink. The butter and cream takes over on the after palate, and the finish is of medium length, showcasing the wine's soft, easy style above all else. There's also a bit of heat (14% ABV), but it's not ruinous.
This wine is terribly easy to drink and strikes me as well made and well judged. Some texture would be a welcome addition, as it would add interest to the wine's simple, slightly anonymous flavour profile. Good quaffer.
Price: $A9.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
Anecdotally, Sauvignon Blanc, alone and in blends, seems to be the quaffer of choice for casual work lunches and similar occasions. It's not hard to see why; flavours are for the most part easily discerned and unchallenging. There are some quite lovely versions of the "classic dry white" blend. The Grosset springs immediately to mind, and the Margaret River style seems especially prized by the lunchtime crowd. Most examples, though, seem to express more modest vinous aspirations. This one, from McLaren Vale based winery Tatachilla, is made from fruit sourced across South Australia.
A sharp, upfront aroma profile comprising powdery lemon and some tropical fruit, along with a suggestion of astringent herbs (basil-like). It's simple and a little tame within the context of the style, and a far cry from the grassy Margaret River style. In the mouth, entry lacks immediacy but builds flavour towards the mid-palate, where more citrus and passionfruit settles on the tongue. The Semillon influence is most noticeable in the wine's palate weight, which is more substantial than a straight Sauvignon Blanc. Despite the weight, flavours strike me as dilute, and the wine never reaches an adequate crescendo of intensity. Acidity ramps up as the wine moves to the after palate, and the finish is as much textural as it is flavoursome.
A very quaffable, straightforward wine that, to my taste, offers little beyond the immediate. That's no bad thing; in fact, this wine is well judged with respect to its likely market and consumption context. Just don't expect a bundle of character here.
Price: $A9.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
Amazingly, I managed to get the cork out of this bottle without breaking my corkscrew. Ouch! That sucker was really stuck in there, but I digress...
If there was ever a wine that smelled of lanolin, this is it. One whiff and I'm back in Rotorua watching a tourist sheep-shearing show; afterwards, you can't escape the gift shop without rubbing some of the local produce on your hands, and this is what it smells like. The aging here has also contributed a sort of butterscotch and must that's not too bad: it's kind of like your grandparents' house, actually - imagine a dish of slightly moist hard candy that's a souvenir of the Brussels World Fair, but again I digress...
The color has wound up at a beautiful gold the color of fresh Oregon apple cider. Once you drink some, it doesn't taste at all like you'd expect, I reckon: there's a quick start of something like Granny Smith apples with an underlying steel; then, it's on to quince and pears with an appealingly full mouthfeel. Supporting acidity is very good indeed, veering towards Clare riesling territory, but it all winds down on a lovely note of warm apple pie (or tarte tatin if you prefer a Francophone air to your wine tasting notes).
With some time and air, notes of smoked salt and poire also surface.
What was a relatively simple wine in its youth is, I think, better for having waited. It's hard to imagine this being any better than it is right now, especially considering the price.
If there was ever a wine that smelled of lanolin, this is it. One whiff and I'm back in Rotorua watching a tourist sheep-shearing show; afterwards, you can't escape the gift shop without rubbing some of the local produce on your hands, and this is what it smells like. The aging here has also contributed a sort of butterscotch and must that's not too bad: it's kind of like your grandparents' house, actually - imagine a dish of slightly moist hard candy that's a souvenir of the Brussels World Fair, but again I digress...
The color has wound up at a beautiful gold the color of fresh Oregon apple cider. Once you drink some, it doesn't taste at all like you'd expect, I reckon: there's a quick start of something like Granny Smith apples with an underlying steel; then, it's on to quince and pears with an appealingly full mouthfeel. Supporting acidity is very good indeed, veering towards Clare riesling territory, but it all winds down on a lovely note of warm apple pie (or tarte tatin if you prefer a Francophone air to your wine tasting notes).
With some time and air, notes of smoked salt and poire also surface.
What was a relatively simple wine in its youth is, I think, better for having waited. It's hard to imagine this being any better than it is right now, especially considering the price.
Price: around US $10; aged releases typically A$17 from the winery
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: August 2008
Full marks for creativity. As a name and label concept, the "Arrogant Frog" range is all very New World, and I'm sure you don't need me unravel the various ironies here. The angle is "best of both worlds;" New World approachability combined with Old World character. This is so fraught with stereotypes that I won't even attempt to engage it, but I can certainly taste and write about what's inside the bottle.
Quite a pretty appearance, with good clarity and a lightly golden hue. Served cold, this wine smells of very little. Perhaps some subtle spice and a little floral perfume. It really needs to become quite warm, just off room temperature or thereabouts, to show a richer, more fruit driven aroma, mostly high toned apricot with perhaps some vanilla. It never becomes truly expressive, though, and strikes me as slightly dilute.
The palate shows a syrupy, viscous mouthfeel and notes of spice and tinned apricot. It's full to the point of feeing thick in the mouth. The flavour profile is quite simple and shows a little alcohol burn on the finish (the label says 13.5%). Structurally, there's not a lot of acidity, so the wine collapses gently in the mouth, with a wash of viscosity that's generous but formless too. The after palate and finish tapers off but some residual flavour lingers longer than one might expect.
This is a clean wine with straightforward flavours and a notably viscous mouthfeel. There isn't a huge number of straight Viogniers on the local market, so if you're after a well-priced example, you may find this satisfactory, especially if you serve it on the warm side. Not a lot of depth or sophistication here, though.
Price: $A9.50
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
Barossa Chenin Blanc. I'm guessing it won't bump Pinot Gris from fashionably derivative restaurant wine lists any time soon. However, Chenin Blanc interests me as a variety because, as lovely as it can be in the Loire Valley, it seems to leave its personality at home when it travels. And yet, the loveliness of a nice Vouvray keeps me hoping for greater things in our local wines. At under $10, at least this wine makes it inexpensive to test the waters.
Served cold, this wine smells of prickly lemon, green apple, a hint of honey and a slightly waxy note that adds some softness to the aroma profile. Closer to room temperature, the aroma stays remarkably static, gaining in richness but not losing its fundamentally bright, aromatic character. There's nothing especially wrong with the way this wine smells, but it's also a bit bland, the way an IKEA bookshelf is bland. You know it will do the job, but you can't really love it.
The palate seems more strongly influenced by temperature. Initially, this wine displays a tight, almost overwhelmingly lemon-like palate, bright and refreshing in its sharpness and acidity. Mouthfeel is nicely textured, with a blanket of well-judged acidity providing a nice sense of freshness, if not a terribly sophisticated structure. At first, I thought I detected a hint of oxidative flavours, but this seemed to fade through the evening. As it warms, the wine shows notes of honey and round, slightly sweet fruit, all of which provides enjoyment on the mid-palate. Perhaps a hint of minerality too. There's certainly a good deal of flavour. Acidity carries the wine cleanly through the after palate, where the flavour profile reverts to citrus-driven astringency, clean and satisfactorily long.
A fuller, yet still refreshing Summer white to serve with lunch. I'm not seeing the depth and complexity of a top Chenin Blanc, but on its own terms I think this wine succeeds well, and manages to present a degree of character one might not expect at this price point. It is interesting to note the label encourages bottle age. Excellent value.
Price: $A9.40
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
Time for an experiment. I'm not afraid of wine made for the price conscious consumer, perhaps as much out of necessity as anything else. But I tend to stick with tried and true favourites; those acknowledged bargains that, in terms of quality, consistently sit above their price points. I also tend to shop in the $15-20 price range for my everyday wines. Habit can mask new opportunities, so this evening the other half and I decided to visit our local 1st Murphy and purchase one dozen bottles, the total of which was not to exceed $120.
It was surprisingly difficult, not because I'm a snob but because there's actually a quite limited range of wines under $10. It turns out life is much easier when you have $15 to spend on a bottle of wine. Despite this, we emerged twenty minutes later with a full dozen. Here's the first.
Immediately odd. The bottle says "wine of Italy and New Zealand" and, according to the back label, it's a "skillful" blend of Hawkes Bay and Italian wine. I spent the majority of last week examining 2006 white Burgundy offers, so jumping from the obscurity of individual vineyards (or parts thereof) to a more transcontinental concept of regionality has my head in a spin. A nice golden colour, crystal clear. The nose is all about crisp green pears and that slight prickliness that, to me, is characteristic of Pinot Gris. So far so good.
A flavoursome entry that shows more pear and perhaps some sweet herbs too. Mouthfeel is thick and a bit oily, with relaxed acidity that sits on the right side of flabby, but only just. The mid-palate demonstrates a fullness of body that, in the moment, feels very satisfying but which trails off precipitously as the wine enters the back of the mouth. The wine's line shrinks back to a thin echo and passes to a soft, slight finish. I wonder if there's a little residual sugar propping up this wine's flavours of unripe pear and herbs?
Overall, this wine strikes me as well judged, extremely drinkable and entirely forgettable. At $A11.40, it's quite well priced and, for me, delivers an appropriate amount of value. Good BBQ or lunch wine, and a pretty good start to the bargain dozen.
Price: $A11.40
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: August 2008
I've been revisiting a few wines previously examined on Full Pour, with pleasing results. Here are some brief thoughts.
The Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2006, last tasted a few months ago, continues to resolve well. When young, this wine was pretty lumpy, though full of flavour. It is now achieving good harmony across its various elements and, to my taste, is starting to enter into its proper drinking window. Lovely pepper, deep purple fruits, spice and excitement.
The Mike Press wines have received a lot of press and, of those I've tasted, the 2005 Merlot and Cabernet are my favourites. I had a bottle of the 2005 Cabernet a few nights ago, and it demonstrates a balance and sophistication that its 2006 sibling currently lacks. Really nice Cabernet at a very cheap price.
The Hoddles Creek Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from 2006 are in fine form at the moment. The Chardonnay has filled out nicely with a few months in bottle, and provides incredible intensity and sophistication for a wine under $20. Lovely, generous flavour profile. The Pinot is a deliciously beetroot/rhubarb-laden wine, good structure, full of flavour and texture. It's more plush and sensuous than it was on release, and all the better for it. I understand the 2007 versions are out and I shall be hunting them down. If 2006 is anything to go by, a few months in bottle will do them a world of good.
It pays to check on wines now and then. The slightly old Rieslings I've tasted lately are proof enough, and this wine continues the trend. I remember tasting this at cellar door and finding it a steelier, more austere style than the usual Clonakilla. I loved it and bought several, expecting it to age slowly.
Hence, I was quite surprised to smell this and find savoury toast the dominant aroma component. But it's not a static wine, and the initial aroma soon disappeared, only to emerge half an hour later as a more complex profile comprising more toast, aggressively sour lime and a hint of honeyed opulence too. It's beguiling, perhaps forceful, definitely characterful.
The palate is even more surprising. As an aside, people always say aged wines, and aged white wines in particular, are a matter of taste, and perhaps they are right. But there's no doubt older wine is an education, and for my money a good aged Riesling (or Hunter Semillon) is worth cellaring purely to see how much it changes. This Clonakilla, for example, still shows powdery acidity, but a whole spectrum of bottle aged complexity overlays this firm structure. It's not a very old wine, for sure, but hints of honey and savoury edge (the unkind might call it slightly kerosene-ish) push their way into the dominant blanket of lime marmalade and floral talc. Quite unexpected in terms of the austerity of the young wine. Intensity is dramatic and, although part of me is tempted to think of this wine as vulgar, I'll settle for "confident." Lovely and clean through the after palate, with a finish that lingers very well without undue weight or clumsiness.
Quite a masculine Riesling style, and oh-so distinctive. It's interesting to see various Australian regions offer alternatives to the mainstream Clare/Eden Riesling style. A wonderful thing from the drinker's perspective.
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: July 2008
