Tag Archives: Orange

Printhie Shiraz 2008

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Packaging is certainly the goods; nice label and a sensibly weighted bottle. 

The aroma shows gentle spice and a floral element, all wrapped around a heady but slightly confectionary berry fruit mix, with oak aromas that sit in a lump alongside the fruit. There’s plenty of immediacy on offer, even if the aroma profile wears its commercial heart on its sleeve a little much for my liking. To be fair, the spice here is interesting and attractive, and the oak character well matched to it.

Similar contradictions on the palate, which shows a bit much sweetness for me. There’s a slippery viscosity as well, which suggests some Viognier may be part of the mix. Nothing on the bottle to suggest it, though, so who knows? Entry is gentle and flavoursome, with dark berries and icing sugar sweetness continuing through the middle palate, which simplifies its expression to a clean plum jam note and some nutty oak. Some nice tannins and lively, orange juice acidity on the after palate break through an overly glossy mid-palate mouthfeel, before a sappy, slightly astringent finish takes over.
This is a very solid commercial style for not much money; my only wish is that it were more characterful. Orange has the makings of a distinctive cool climate wine region, and as a wine lover I yearn to see that distinctiveness present in all the region’s wines, from top to bottom.

Printhie
Price: $A17
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Dindima Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005

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Interesting wine on paper, this. It’s a new release wine yet, at five years of age, relatively old to be so. Not that this is a bad thing; one could argue a lot of red wines are released way too young. Still, it does raise interesting questions even before tasting around style and intent. To the wine, then.

Decidedly herbaceous. Not breathtakingly so, and whether you will find its piercing cut grass and mulch notes objectionable will likely depend on your tolerance for Bordeaux blends on the leaner, greener side of things. There are also aromas of (slightly too much) vanilla and and dark, concentrated fruits, sort of cherry-like but deeper than this descriptor suggests. 
The palate shows considerable tannin and I suspect this is one reason why the wine has been held back for release. Entry is lean and slippery, and the middle palate does not build much in terms of volume. There’s an intense, focused streak of fruit right down the middle of the line; this feels pretty austere. Chalky tannins build through the middle and after palates, I question whether they are fully ripe; like the nose, it’s all a bit edgy without being completely over the top. Quite a long finish, all told.
A marginal wine that I suspect will divide drinkers. I like its brightness and focus, but acknowledge it will be a bit too lean for some.

Dindima
Price: $A35
Closure: Diam
Source: Sample

Patina Pinot Gris 2008

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I’m shallow and pretentious; there’s no other explanation for leaving this wine untouched at the bottom of the sample pile for so long. In my defense, some kind of filter is more or less a necessity when there’s so much wine out there; one can’t simply taste it all. And if I instinctively gravitate towards varieties and regions I am experienced with and attracted to, is this really so wrong? 

It is if I miss out on nice wines. This bottle is a lesson in something unexpected (Pinot Gris d’Orange?) turning out to be bloody good. Perhaps not so unexpected, though; Orange has been steadily working its way towards some serious cool climate cred over the past few years, and Pinot Gris is a variety I usually prefer to drink when made into a wine that retains some elegance and shape. Add some clever winemaking and you’re almost there.
The rest comes through on tasting. The aroma is full and lush, with a sharp edge of citrus helping notes of subtle oatmeal and stonefruit to express with fresh vitality. There’s real complexity and depth to this wine’s smell, which is both unexpected and fascinating. I’m not used to tasting a reasonably-priced Pinot Gris with such character. It’s reads as an odd combination of Hunter Semillon and slighty busty Chardonnay, but with its own sense of integrity.
On entry, an immediate rush of fruit flavour and a level of intensity that confirms the nose isn’t a fluke. Flavours are simple and citrus-driven at first, building towards a lees-influenced middle palate that takes several steps up in sophistication. While it’s a bit of a sledgehammer of a wine, and its fruit flavours show a little too much sweetness for my taste, there’s good detail in its flavour profile and several layers to its texture. Mealy stonefruit peaks through the after palate, and the finish is impressively long.
What a pleasant surprise. Went exceptionally well with a simple omelette of ocean trout and goat’s cheese.

Patina
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Bloodwood Chardonnay 2009

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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

Printhie Mount Canobolas Collection Shiraz Viognier 2008

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Ever since Shiraz Viognier blends became popular in Australia, a very few years ago really, it seems to me producers have been struggling with how (perhaps even why) to tackle this style. The biggest problem, for me at any rate, is too evident a Viognier influence, turning what would ideally be a feminine, elegant wine into something caricatured, almost cartoonish, with overt apricot flavours and an unattractively pumped up mouthfeel. I’m making all sorts of problematic assumptions about style, of course, but that has been my honest reaction over a few years of tasting local Shiraz Viogniers. So I tend to approach them with some trepidation.

This wine let me down at first. Apricot aromas dominate slightly reticent spicy Shiraz and create a sweet, exaggerated aroma profile akin to a forced smile. The apricot never entirely settles into the fabric of the wine, but it does recede sufficiently with some swirling to allow meaty, white peppery berries to step forward and share the spotlight. There’s also some well judged ice cream oak to add complexity. 
The palate is replay of the nose’s evolution over the short term. Starting too sweet and slippery, it becomes much more savoury after an hour of air. Entry is cheeky, with a thread of red fruit sliding along the tongue towards a middle palate that remains tight, but adds an array of peppery, savoury flavours. Weight is light to medium bodied, with a focused architecture and brisk movement along the line. Intensity is only moderate, and the overall impression is one of lithe elegance rather than power. A textured, slightly raspy after palate that emphasises pricklier aspects of the flavour profile, with just a bit of fruit sweetness to keep things friendly. Good length.
Not entirely resolved as a wine, but there’s plenty to enjoy, and it’s nice to taste a premium label that takes a measured, subtle approach to style. Elegant packaging.

Printhie
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Climbing Sauvignon Blanc 2009

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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

Angullong A Sauvignon Blanc 2009

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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

Angullong A Cabernet Merlot 2008

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There are many different interpretations of a “drink now” red wine, ranging from exuberantly fruity wines like Teusner’s Riebke through to this. I’d describe this as light, somewhat Italianate in style, except it lacks the requisite rusticity of mouthfeel to fully qualify. Nonetheless, it seems a valid enough answer to the stylistic question.

On the nose, quite expressive with a dash of caramel oak, some high toned fruit in dried peel mode and a general impression of levity. This isn’t a bruiser at all, nor is it especially refined or complex, but it’s quite a penetrative aroma profile nonetheless. The palate shows more liquidity than suggested on the nose, and I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing. With the fruit sitting, as it does, in the upper registers, a more aggressively textural mouthfeel seems appropriate. The rough edges, though, are smoothed over here. Still, there’s ample intensity of flavour, and the fruit is clean. There’s a nice streak of acidity that runs the length of the wine too, which partly compensates for the lack of tannic fun. Pretty decent finish.
There’s some thought behind this wine, which I appreciate at the reasonable price point.

Angullong
Price: $A15
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Cumulus Climbing Chardonnay 2006

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I’m not terribly familiar with wines from the Orange region in NSW, but there’s no time like the present to become acquainted with new friends. I picked up this bottle on the way home as accompaniment for chicken salad.The aroma of this wine reminds me in a strange way of moderately aged Hunter Semillon. It’s an intense yet subtle nose that wafts out of the glass slowly. A mix of white stone fruit (more stone than fruit) and some astringent greenness, a bit like honeydew without the sugar. There’s also a pleasingly offbeat nuttiness that reminds me of roasted pine nuts. Entry is quite powerful, with intense and slightly clingy fruit flavour coating the tongue from the tip onwards. Although it’s a lively, acidic wine, the emphasis is on forward cool-climate Chardonnay fruit and some nutty oak. Flavour is generous, yet it’s a focused wine that retains its shape through the palate. The after palate emphasises nutty, caramel oak as it moves to a decent finish. This won’t be to everyone’s taste, especially not those who favour a more worked, broad Chardonnay style. But for me, it’s a characterful wine that goes well with food or on its own. Good value. I should also mention the label, which is stylishly individual and always stands out in the retail lineup.Cumulus WinesPrice: $A18Closure: StelvinDate tasted: February 2008