Tag Archives: 2010

Dowie Doole Shiraz 2010

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Though the Merlot occupies a special place in my heart, there’s no doubt the core of Dowie Doole’s red wine portfolio centres on Shiraz. This wine is the standard label.

The nose is liqueurous, dark and seamless. There’s a big hit of coconut oak, which is regionally typical, and the whole vibe is very much old school McLaren Vale Shiraz in the best possible way. What I like about this region’s wines above those of the nearby Barossa is a less spiced, more fluid flavour profile, which for me ramps up drinkability. Plus, that hint of earth and dark chocolate that so characterises this region’s Shiraz, and which are very much present in this wine, are like catnip to me. Indeed, I’m a fan of the McLaren Vale. This stuff is dangerously drinkable.

On entry, charmingly self-effacing, moving through to the middle palate with a decent blast of fruit and a correspondingly firm dose of oak. Acid seems subdued, creating a relaxed, thick vibe on the middle palate. Plenty of berries, dusty cocoa, oak and earth. A clean after palate and finish follow, showing as much oak as fruit. It’s difficult to use American oak and get a subtle result and, for some tastes, the level and character of the oak here might be overwhelming, especially considering the appeal of the fruit’s flavour profile.

This is the kind of wine that will slay guests at a barbeque, being the kind of robust and drinkable red that can cut through the haze of casual drinking. I’m very much looking forward to tasting the California Road and Reserve wines.

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

Dowie Doole Merlot 2010

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It was an exciting day recently when Dowie Doole’s new releases arrived at my door. As the producer of utterly unpretentious, highly drinkable McLaren Vale reds (in addition to be being somewhat of a Chenin Blanc specialist), I feel Dowie Doole’s wines engage the most appealing sides of the region’s character. The PR material that came with these samples informs me that a new winemaker, Chris Thomas, has been appointed, so I’m curious to see if any stylistic changes are the result.

I’ve a soft spot in particular for the regular Merlot, not because it’s a $60 wine in disguise, but for its extreme deliciousness of the pure plum variety. This 2010 version certainly has plenty of tasty fruit, but also shows an extra dimension of varietal character that I’ve not noticed before. Where previous releases have been all about luscious berries, this wine’s aroma has a distinctly herbal, green olive side that certainly adds complexity. It grants the wine an altogether more serious vibe, not angular or difficult so much as savoury and adult.

In the mouth, an elegant experience that, again, takes things up a notch from previous releases. It’s still utterly fruit-driven, to be sure, but with its moderate weight and cleanly articulated flavours, there’s a sophistication here that is most pleasing. A nice gravel note sits alongside poised red fruit and subtle oak, all supported by plentiful acid and raspy tannins. The line has a nice rise and fall, trailing off through the after palate and surprisingly long finish.

I’m really impressed with this wine. It shows a slightly different direction from earlier years, and part of me misses the simple fruitiness of those wines. There’s no denying, however, the appeal of what’s in my glass now.

Dowie Doole
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mud House Pinot Noir 2010

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Today sees me tasting Mud House’s standard Pinot, at $29 priced only slightly lower than the shimmeringly named Golden Terraces wine. Whatever the imperfections of the single vineyard bottling, it stands in proud stylistic contrast to this wine, which is a much more seductive, polished expression of Central Otago Pinot.

The nose here is much denser and darker in profile, hinting at the twiggy, herbal edges of the Golden Terraces but focusing more intently on luscious fruit. It’s immediately appealing for sure, and whether that appeal lasts is mostly a question of taste; I suspect many will find it lengthily engaging.The palate is full and chewy as expected after such a buxom nose. Entry flows smoothly, widening quickly and communicating generosity and luxe more than quirkiness or edge. Acid seems lower and tannins less prominently textural, all of which fits perfectly with the character of the fruit. The middle palate lifts with bright red fruit and a core of sweetness that anchors it firmly on the tongue. The effect reminds me of mainstream Barossa Shiraz, a style known for its broad appeal. The after palate is a bit more chiselled and lean, and the finish is decent.

I find it interesting — and laudable — that this is so different from the single vineyard wine. It’s a Pinot built for broad appeal, although personally I’d prefer to drink the Golden Terraces for its sharp distinctiveness.

Mud House
Price: $A29
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Mud House Golden Terraces Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010

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I remember a most productive visit to the Central Otago Wine Company (a contract winemaking facility) in late 2008 which, because of its diverse production, clearly revealed sub-regional differences amongst Central Otago Pinots. I was interested to explore this further, but have since found myself too lazy to pursue it with any vigour. Nonetheless, that memory has stayed with me and, hence, I was excited to see this wine, whose fruit was sourced from a single vineyard in the Bendigo sub-region, just north of über dump Cromwell.

The nose is certainly Central Otago in character; what interests me about this wine, though, is its relatively subtle expression of the fundamentally powerful berry fruit that marks the region’s Pinots. Whilst fruit is at its core, the aroma profile draws in a range of dustier, more herbal nuances, and I like how these add texture and dimension to what might otherwise be a fat profile.

The palate begins promisingly, with a continuation of the aroma’s dusty spice and texture, expressed through an attack that bristles with acid. The middle palate, fully-fruited and quite generous, disappoints me a little because its fruit seems too sweet to sit easily against both the wine’s structure and its other flavours. It’s like a slightly too obvious boob job on an otherwise attractively imperfect figure, trying too hard to be something it’s not. Of course, others may disagree on this point, but for my taste I would have preferred a more confidently savoury expression of fruit. Moving past this, the after palate shows attractive, dusty tannins and a return to the dark savouriness of the aroma and entry. The finish is adequate in length and pleasingly mouthwatering in effect.

Does that flash of sweetness on the middle palate unbalance the wine? A little, perhaps, but it’s not distracting enough to rob me of the enjoyment of drinking an otherwise highly distinctive Central Otago Pinot.

Mud House
Price: $A36
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Capital Wines The Backbencher Merlot 2010

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Capital Wines’ premium Kyeema Merlot piqued my interest in this second label wine. I find it endlessly interesting to see how producers differentiate their lower level releases from their premium labels. Some seem to chase vastly different styles (for example, heavily oaked reserves wines versus fruit-driven entry level wines), while others attach a more nuanced appeal to more expensive wines through exotic vineyards, small quantities, and other canonical markers of vinous authenticity, singly or in combination. In this case, the back label suggests fruit for this wine is sourced from the Kyeema vineyard, the very same vineyard whose grapes power the reserve wine. I presume, therefore, the difference lies in part in fruit selection.

Immediately on smelling it, the oak treatment here is less prominent, pushing fruit forward in the aroma profile. The fruit’s character is particularly interesting. It has the same savouriness as the Kyeema, with perhaps a simpler touch and more rounded expression. It remains light years away from many other Australian Merlots in character. The fruit seems at times to lack vibrancy and freshness, though this does not detract from its generosity and distinctiveness.

The palate is, in some ways, more approachable than the Kyeema, being less bright with acid and hence more mellifluous in flow. Tannins are also less astringent here, allowing the wine to relax through the back palate. Despite all this, it’s still a well-structured wine, showing good flow and focus. Flavours sit in a red berry and herb spectrum, fruit three quarters savoury and one quarter strikingly sweet. It’s an interesting tension, not entirely resolved, overridingly fun. I like this very much, despite its more modest aspirations compared to the Kyeema wine. Both wines are valuable expressions of this varietal in an Australian context.

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

Salo Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010

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Made in tiny quantities, lots of whole bunch action, an apparent passion project; this is practically collapsing under the weight of its own cred. What’s gratifying, therefore, is its relative subtlety. The nose, especially, starts almost mute, gradually releasing aromas of flint, oatmeal, linseed oil and, eventually, some white stonefruit. It’s never especially expressive, and I do wish for a bit more volume (in time, I think), but its complexity is undeniable.

The palate is powerful and quite masculine in character, as if a taciturn character gives way to a muscular bulk it just can’t hide. A sharp, clean entry broadens to a middle palate awash with fruit and savouriness. Peaches, herbs, minerals. The standout dimension is texture, and I love the way this wine moves over the tongue with a deliciously tangible, mealy texture. Intensity is impressive, but it seems to trade some definition for all its power and complexity. Everything here points to a focused articulation of flavours, but just before the money shot, it loses concentration and blurs its form. Reasonable people can disagree about whether this is desirable; personally, I yearned for it to go all the way and express each of its components with crystal clarity.

A very interesting wine.

Salo
Price: $A40
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Clonakilla O'Riada Shiraz 2010

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You’ve got to love a Shiraz that looks like a Pinot.

And that’s the first impression of this wine; shockingly light in colour, lacking the density that regular drinkers of Australian Shiraz might easily take for granted. The fact that I could see light pass right through it in my glass had a profound effect on me. That a well-known producer might release a wine so flagrantly at odds with conventional expectations of this varietal made me feel all of a sudden that Australian Shiraz has come of age, that there’s legitimacy to the wide range of classic styles we produce, that we are, indeed, the true home of this chameleon-like grape. That’s a lot to pile on a single wine, let alone one that is effectively a second label. But as the shining, ruby-like liquid poured into my glass, I felt lucky to be able to enjoy such confidently different expressions of our great grape.

There’s no disappointment here. A cursory sniff immediately establishes this wine’s cool climate credentials. Red fruits abound, but what strikes first is a cascade of pepper and spice, dried flowers and etched detail. I can understand why cool climate Shiraz challenges some drinkers, but there’s such pleasure in these perfumed aromatics, which seem closer to fine fragrance than to anything agricultural. Especially beguiling is a shake of dried herbs that darts in and out of what is a complex, constantly shifting aroma profile.

The palate is light to medium bodied, as the wine’s appearance and aroma suggest. A spiced attack leads to more expansive flavours on the middle palate, always focused but with greater range and more fully fruited. There’s a nice meatiness to the flavour profile too, and I would love to try this wine with some top quality snags or a juicy rack of lamb. Smoked herbs dominate the after palate before a detailed, savoury finish lingers on. Acid is bright and fine, tannins sandpaperish.

An utterly satisfying wine and one that banishes all thought of cool climate Shiraz sitting anywhere near the stylistic sidelines in Australia.

Clonakilla
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Kingston Estate Petit Verdot 2010

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While I rather enjoyed Kingston Estate’s upper end Petit Verdot, my memory of the prior release of this wine isn’t an especially fond one, so much so that I don’t believe I wrote it up. There’s interest for me in these accessible wines, though, especially those made from alternate varieties. It’s good to have options at the lower end apart from Shiraz and Cabernet (and the occasional Merlot), and I believe any encouragement of variety in drinking ought to be positively noted.

So I wholeheartedly applaud the idea of this wine, which is, needless to say, a different thing from enjoying the wine itself. Again, as with the previous release, this doesn’t entirely satisfy me. There’s the more expensive wine’s purple fruit and plushness of character, but with a coarse edge and sense of less than ideal ripeness. Volume isn’t in question, though. There’s plenty of aroma to go around, and just the slightest hint of confected berries.

The palate flows cleanly, starting with a soft entry that rests almost entirely on ripe red berries. The middle palate shows a touch more acid and, less happily, a distinctly overripe fruit note. Density seems to recede the further the line progresses, with the after palate speaking more of soft structure than fullness of fruit. The finish is lean and mean, lacking the soft landing such a style would really benefit from.

This isn’t without merit, and would go down a treat as a slightly different BBQ red. There’s just a little too much to distract, though, for it to be truly enjoyable in more contemplative circumstances.

Kingston Estate
Price: $A14.99
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Second Nature Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2010

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This, Dowie Doole’s second label red, has been a reliable visitor to my house over the last few years. It’s invariably drinkable and full of flavour, showing the best face of a quaffer with surprisingly few compromises. It’s not a rarified wine in provenance or intent, but it’s usually tasty, which is quite enough to please me, most days.

The 2010 red is an especially good release. It’s so easy, so juicy, so luxurious. The nose is warm and fully fruited, showing red and black fruits embedded in a comfortingly spiced lattice. The vibe is plush and generous, as it always is with this wine, but what lifts this vintage above most is its quiet balance. This is, despite the style, a gentle wine, almost delicate in its placement. Totally unforced, this wine doesn’t so much prompt extended sniffing as it does a taste, and quick.

My lack of patience is repaid with a mouthful of easy flavour. Entry prickles a bit with acid, ushering bright red fruit onto the middle palate, where it is joined by some extra layers of fruit flavour as well as spice and soft oak. Intensity is impressive for a wine at this price point, as is the flavour profile’s avoidance of easy sweetness. There’s sweet fruit, for sure, but overall the profile tilts towards savouriness, without sacrificing drinkability. The after palate is slightly muted, while the finish rises strongly with spice, some edgy oak and more dark fruit.

I have long admired Dowie Doole wines for their ease and lack of pretension. As lovely as the higher priced labels can be, I think this producer’s particular stylistic biases mean its everyday quaffer, this wine, stands above the crowd.

Dowie Doole
Price: $A19
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2010

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I review a fair few Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, even though it is often difficult to see new and interesting things in what can be a fairly homogenous style. One path to further interest is to head down the terroir route, seeking variety and insight through specialisation. Another, and this wine is an ideal exemplar of what I mean, is to look for the essence of the style in the most mainstream context.

The wine that originally got me hooked on the style, many years ago, was the standard Geisen, a humble drop by any measure. It was explosive, full of flavour and immersed in the utter vulgarity that is, in my view, an essential ingredient of good Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. We often celebrate delicacy and restraint in wine, but there’s a gaudy beauty in excess, and I believe we miss something if we choose not to engage these particular aesthetics.

To the wine at hand; what I like about this is that, without pretense, it exemplifies the drinkability and character of the style. It’s a great mainstream wine. The nose is tropical and heady, with passionfruit, some papaya, a bit of green. This isn’t the complex, edgy wine some producers are exploring in the region. But in its way, it is perfect, showing all that’s good about this varietal, including a degree of loucheness, without unattractive exaggeration or insulting timidity.

The palate is simply delicious, with well balanced acid supporting an array of simple but typical flavours. More passionfruit and lemon curd, tangy and moreish. The trick here is that it sidesteps the least attractive tendencies of the style: an excess of acid, too florid a flavour profile. The middle and after palates are of moderate intensity and good flow. The finish is short, as one expects, but clean, with a nice lift of grassy aromatics cleansing the palate.

A great, highly commercial example of why this is a classic wine style.

Waipara Hills
Price: $A21.90
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample