Deen De Bortoli Vat 1 Durif 2006
Durif isn’t a variety you see too much of, especially outside the Rutherglen and surrounds. This wine, made from Riverina grapes, is part of De Bortoli’s value-priced “Deen” range. De Bortoli does better than most with its wines at the lower end of the market, so I’ve been looking forward to tasting this curiosity.
Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz 2000
Checking in with a favourite friend tonight, the 2000 Rosehill Shiraz. Most visitors to the Hunter Valley (and there are many every year) will pass by this vineyard, sited as it is on Broke Road, gateway to the wine region. I wonder how many of them get to taste the fruit of Maurice O’Shea’s labour?
Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 1999
Bottle variation has been an unfortunate hallmark of the lesser Mount Pleasant wines, something the use of Stelvin closures may ameliorate. This 1999 Semillon, though, is bottled under old-fashioned cork, and my experience of it has been up and down. The last bottle, opened perhaps two weeks ago, was dumb and lifeless. I thought I’d try my luck again tonight, and I think this bottle is more representative of the wine’s quality and character.
Lovely golden colour. The nose was initially a bit muted, with a little prickly sulfur. Closer to room temperature, and the wine is showing a range of elegant aromas, such as beeswax and a lightly herbal astringency, perhaps some buttery softness too. Still quite fresh at nearly ten years of age. The palate shows remnants of the spritzy acidity often observed in young Semillon, but this soon gives way to a waxy, slippery mouthfeel that lovers of aged Hunter Semillon will no doubt adore. This wine’s line is akin to a wedge that starts tight and widens progressively through to an expansive finish. On the way, classic notes of sweet honey and lanolin caress the tongue, along with some citrus-like reminders of youth. There are also hints of caramel and butter, and in some respects one could be forgiven for thinking this is a Chardonnay. Palate weight also accumulates towards the after palate, to the point where it’s really quite mouthfilling and almost chewy. Good length.
This wine is just starting to show at its best and, although not the most complex or most intense, shows brilliant typicité. Bloody good value.
Mount Pleasant
Price: $A12
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: July 2008
Brokenwood Semillon 2000
I can’t remember why I decided to buy at least four bottles of this and place them in the cellar. It must have shown promise on release. Either that, or I found it at a ridiculously low price and made an impulse purchase. It’s been known to happen. Anyway, here we are eight years later and I think it’s time I checked on its progress. Still relatively pale in colour, showing hints of richer hay in amongst the fresh green hues. Mercifully, not corked. Subtle aromas of sharp citrus with a touch of the aged honey character that one anticipates in an aged Hunter Semillon. But it’s hardly a full-blown aged aroma profile. The palate is disappointingly dilute, and I don’t know whether the wine is going through a “phase,” or if it lacks sufficient intensity of flavour to become a satisfying mature style. Entry shows remnants of the spritzy acidity of a young Hunter Semillon, but this quickly trails off to a smoother, slightly waxy mouthfeel. Again, there are hints of the aged flavour profile; honey, lanolin, beeswax, etc; but there’s also easygoing citrus attributable to an easygoing youth. It’s all attractive enough, but somehow watery too, and I found myself reaching for flavour but never getting enough to feel satisfied. I’m not sure if I’ll bother leaving the rest of the stash to mature further. Well, maybe one as an experiment. The rest, I’ll drink soonish and enjoy what is an easy quaffing style that doesn’t ask a lot of the drinker (and doesn’t give too much in return).BrokenwoodPrice: $A20ishClosure: CorkDate tasted: June 2008
Tyrrell's Vat 47 Chardonnay 2007
Juicy Fruit esters spurt from the glass at first, with white stone fruit and a hint of cream. Squeaky clean, very fresh, floral and powdery in character. With some enthusiastic swirling, astringent herbal aromas also start to emerge, adding complexity and edge. It’s evolving quickly in the glass, which makes for an interesting companion if sipped slowly through the evening. Am I detecting the slightest hint of honey, even? Wishful thinking, perhaps.Flavoursome entry; fruit registers early in the wine’s line. Acidity is prominent and a little rough and ready, adding a rustic sourness to the flavour profile. Fruit continues in a white stone fruit vein, but with the addition of lemon-like citrus flavours that recall young Hunter Semillon. It’s quite intense and extremely lively on the tongue; we’re a long way from flabby New World Chardonnay of years past. Firm, defined thrust through the after palate as the acid carries increasingly citrus-like fruit flavour through to the finish. There’s a little lift, or perhaps even some alcohol heat on the finish, and the wine’s density does fall away somewhat precipitously towards the end of its line. But the finish is long and tasty and only promises good things.Yummy wine. This lacks the extra complexity of a really top Vat 47, but is nonetheless a delicious drink and one with a promising future over the mid-term. I’m betting this will be great with fish and chips. An iconic Aussie Chardonnay for the price of lesser village-level white Burgundy or generic Bourgogne.Tyrrell’sPrice: $A35Closure: StelvinDate tasted: June 2008
Lake's Folly Chardonnay 2005
Made in small quantities, the Lake’s Folly white wine is a Chardonnay benchmark of sorts in Australia, albeit one that seems to be labelled “old fashioned” whenever it is mentioned. As a firm believer in the transcendence of style over fashion, I don’t see this as necessarily a bad thing. What I’m more interested in, after tasting my way through a few white Burgundies of similar price, is how this wine stacks up stylistically and in terms of value. Quite a rich, golden green colour. The nose shows a controlled burst of flavour, from pure fruit notes to those rooted firmly in winemaking. Rich oatmeal and cream mixes with round yet fresh Chardonnay fruit. The fruit here is a mix of yellow stonefruit and citrus, and to me smells brilliantly judged in terms of complexity and balance. Despite all the notes on offer, the whole is restrained, keeping its reserves of depth and power in check. The palate shows excellent continuity from the nose in terms of overall flavour profile. A fine acid backbone carries intense, tasty fruit down well defined, yet large scale, structure. By that I mean that it’s not a wine that shoots down the middle of the tongue in a narrow line. Rather, it spreads across the tongue but always maintains poise and flow, never lapsing into laziness. More stone and citrus fruit, spice and creaminess, even some tasty minerality, all the elements tipped towards generosity, again in the context of a clear acid structure. The after palate tapers off quite steeply into a cut apple note, before a subtle acid-driven finish of excellent length.A contradictory wine at this stage of its life, as the flavour profile suggests a generous, flavoursome wine, but (thanks to the acid) one that isn’t able to fully express itself. All it needs is some time to relax. It is, perhaps unsurprisingly, an utterly different style from any of the white Burgundies tasted of late, although I should note that I’ve hardly sampled a complete cross section. Not an inexpensive wine; however, placed in this context, I think the Lake’s Folly Chardonnay represents excellent value. Lake’s Folly
Price: $A50
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail
Lake's Folly Cabernets 2005
Anyone not familiar with Max Lake’s writings on food and wine is well advised to acquaint themselves with his rather extensive bibliography. He is a gourmand of the finest sort; an unashamed sensualist who is not afraid to deeply question the sources of his pleasure. It’s been a while now since Mr Lake sold the Lake’s Folly winery to Peter Fogarty, and the wines have been made for some time not by the Lakes but by Rodney Kempe. No matter — the grapes are the same and the general approach remains constant.
The 2005 Cabernets is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 11% Merlot and 8% Shiraz.A dense, dark colour, with bright flashes of purple and red. The nose presents a delightfully inscrutable aroma profile. Inscrutable because it is deep beyond immediate perception, yet offers tantalising glimpses of ripe fruit, dried flowers, meatiness and high quality oak. As with the best wines, it knows more than you do.
From entry onwards, fruit of the highest quality coats the tongue, spreading flavour that is both intense and of satisfying density. It unfolds in a focused line, widening steadily towards the mid-palate. Acid provides most of the structure through the entry and mid-palate, but it’s a subtle acidity, fine and subservient to the density of the fruit. Medium bodied, this wine is as much Hunter Valley as it is Cabernet, and its character will feel like coming home to enthusiasts of this region. Others, though, may lament its tendency towards regionality, perhaps at the expense of overt varietal character. Personally, I love it. The after palate remains focused, while lightening a little in tone. Impressively long finish, as velvet tannins coat the mouth with intensely sweet berry flavour.
Wine is an intersection of region, producer and consumer, at its best when these elements are positively aligned. I could drink this every day, so well does it match my idea of good wine.
Lake’s Folly
Price: $A50
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: April 2008
Tyrrell's 4 Acres Shiraz 2006
I presented the 2005 4 Acres at a dinner with Chris last year, where it promptly stole the limelight from a table full of desirable labels we had both brought to the party, as much for its difference as its objective quality. It was like essence of Hunter Shiraz, quirkily different from “Australian Shiraz” as well as singular in the context of its own regional style. The 2006 is interesting for a number of reasons, not least because it shows a clear relationship with its Vat 9 sibling of the same vintage, perhaps indicating the degree to which vintage conditions shine through with these wines.
A bit of sulfur suppressing significant aroma at first, but lifting after an hour or so to show deep, rich smells of red fruit, eucalyptus and some regional stink. There’s also faint oak influence that adds richness and depth rather than anything especially “primary.” It’s a beguiling aroma, and quite complex.
Entry shows good impact and flavour intensity from the tip of the tongue onwards. There’s a lovely fanning out of flavour with this wine and, by the time the mid-palate arrives, the mouth is awash with intense, quality fruit. More red fruit and dirt here, mostly savoury but with edges of sweetness. As with the Vat 9, there’s a slightly plummy, very ripe fruit note. I think it works better in the context of this wine, though, because overall the 4 Acres is a lighter and more charming wine than the Vat 9, and can carry this idiosyncratic flavour profile more easily. The wine’s structure seems evenly split between prominent yet balanced acidity and velvety, mouth filling tannins. Mouthfeel is correspondingly bright and substantial. Nice, focused line through the after palate and finish.
I really love this wine, and I admit I’m biased towards its style. But it’s an easy wine to fall for and, despite its sophistication, I imagine wine novices would easily recognise the quality of this wine’s fruit, as well as its superb balance. If anything, it’s a more “complete” wine than the 2005, and I’ve a feeling it’s only showing the tip of the iceberg in terms of what it might become in a few years’ time. I’ll be waiting with anticipation.
Tyrrell’s
Price: $A30
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: April 2008
Mount Pleasant Mount Henry Pinot Shiraz 2002
Pinot Noir and Shiraz. A little odd, you might say, yet not without precedent. As the back label explains, some of wine legend Maurice O’Shea’s most renowned wines were blends of these two varieties. So, Mount Henry is a tribute of sorts to these iconic wines. It’s pure Hunter Valley, of course, wrapped in a heavy, somewhat monumental bottle of chunky proportions. First impressions are marred somewhat by a big whiff of brett that never quites dissipates as the bottle empties. It’s not, however, beyond tolerance, at least for my palate. Rather, it’s a metallic sheen over deliciously earthy red fruits, quite sweet really, a bit of custardy oak and some funkiness. It smells of Hunter Shiraz but shows a marked divergence at the same time, with some bright complexity pushing it away from the straight Shiraz style. On entry, the wine smacks the lips and tongue with generous flavour almost immediately. It’s got good presence, this wine. The mid-palate shows good fruit weight and a fine, powdery texture, and tastes of raspberry liqueur poured on a dusty dirt road. Characterful, if not hugely complex. The after palate and finish are quite textural, thanks to chewy tannins.There’s a slight lack of focus to this wine’s progression through the palate, but why quibble over something so tasty? Parallels between Hunter “Burgundy” and Pinot Noir have a lot of history to draw on, if only at the level of nomenclature and general “style.” But there are synergies there, as O’Shea and this wine show. It’s a wonder more producers in the Hunter don’t experiment with this blend. I’m led to believe some Hunter enthusiasts are taking matters into their own hands.McWilliams Mount PleasantPrice: $A30Closure: CorkDate tasted: March 2008