Tag Archives: South Australia

Flaxman The Stranger Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Posted on by
Reply

Flaxman wines are, if nothing else, beautifully packaged. Pete Caton has created the design, and lovely it is too, but the words are also well chosen and applied, something I wish I felt more often about wine labels. It’s all quite artisanal and cuddly in equal measure. The wine itself is made from purchased grapes (hence “The Stranger”).

The nose is slow to emerge from its shell. At first, I got a bit of stressed stalk and old oak, which has in time given way to quite dense red and black berry fruit. It’s not the most expressive nose — not right now, anyway — though it seems to express a coherent character in its low-key way. It’s almost as if there’s a whole aroma profile in there relaxing in shaded comfort. 
The palate makes complete sense of the nose, bringing what is merely suggested by the aroma into full sun. It’s also luxuriously textured. The entry shows dense, dark fruit, liqueur-like in expression and elevated in deliciousness. It also establishes a charismatic textural presence, with velvet-like tannins appearing almost instantly, weaving in and out of a fine acid line. It’s a deliciously sour, orange-juice acid that risks disrupting the more voluptuous aspects of the wine’s flavour profile, but which in the end just serves to keep things fresh and shapely. The middle palate is pure luxe, lashes of fruit flavour flowing over the tongue. There’s perhaps a hint of overripe fruit here, tending towards a prune flavour. No matter. This is a sensual wine; satin sheets and chocolates and all that implies. A decent finish rounds the experience off with a gentle taper, neither too dry nor simple.
A really lovely wine with serious “x factor,” particularly impressive considering the difficult vintage. 

Flaxman Wines
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Flaxman Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply

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

Dowie Doole Tintookie Chenin Blanc 2008

Posted on by
Reply

I believe this is due for release in late 2010, so I feel lucky to get a sneak preview of one of the few adventurously styled Chenin Blancs in Australia. The 2006 was impressive, even though its vibe seemed in some respects unresolved. Hence, I’m keen to understand how Dowie Doole, with its second Tintookie release, has evolved its idea of Australian Chenin style.

This has been made broadly in the same manner as its predecessor; picked early, barrel fermented, left on lees, etc. Yet the balance is subtly different. The nose is quiet and seems more Loire-like than the 2006: intense minerality and an ephemeral fruit character that seems a cross between stewed apple and something much pricklier. I’m not getting an overt oak influence in the aroma profile, which isn’t to say it’s not there. Indeed, there are wisps of vanilla and spice that combine well with the other aromas and seem subservient to them. Overall, the nose is far from exuberant; rather, it poses little questions and scatters clues in equal measure. Very curious and quite compelling.
The palate is a lot more assertive. My key criticism of the previous release was its forthright, slightly simple fruit presence on the middle palate, which seemed at odds with the sophisticated architecture around it. Pleasingly, this aspect of the 2008 seems better balanced. The entry is immediate and flavoursome, with tight, controlled citrus and apple flavours riding a lovely wave of fine acidity. The shapeliness of the attack is reflected in a mid-palate of excellent definition, where fruit and tantalising minerality are joined by oak and lees derived flavours. Even though it’s very young, the flavours seem well integrated; especially slick is the way the minerality seems to turn subliminally into spicy oak then back again, neither dominating the other. Texture is another highlight; the acidity is fine and even, and there’s a deliciously chalky mouthfeel through the back half of the palate. Excellent drive and continuity of line through the after palate, through to a finish that is impressively long. 
Lots of superlatives here; I’m probably biased, as this is my kind of wine. It’s exceptionally dry, no doubt too severe for some tastes, and would seem well prepared for bottle age. A clear step up from the first release, then, suggestive of both smart handling and a firm view on how Chenin ought to taste. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Update: a couple of nights in the fridge and this wine is showing a lot more worked complexity, in line with receding acidity. It retains the grainy, lees derived flavour and palate texture on the back palate in particular, but the whole is softer, funkier and more expressive. A really interesting wine. 

Dowie Doole
Price: $NA
Closure: Diam
Source: Sample

Ishtar Pinot Grigio 2008

Posted on by
Reply
Yet another hot, humid Brisbane day. My little Queenslander is as open as it can be, windows gaping wide on every side in a rather futile attempt to catch the occasional wisp of breeze. Some liquid refreshment is surely in order. 

This is the first time I’ve seen a wine sealed with a Novatwist closure, which strikes me as a simultaneously downmarket and more user friendly version of the metal Stelvin closure. Certainly did the job here, in any case. I had this wine open last night but it proved disappointingly vague, so I whacked it back in the fridge for later tasting. This rest overnight has certainly improved things and I suspect in its likelier context — lunchtime, restaurant, probably al fresco — it will present to its greatest advantage immediately.

An attractive, straw-like colour, clear as a bell. The aroma is straightforward in a typically Pinot G way; it’s grapey and pear juice-like, with an attractive side of aromatic brown spice. One can’t expect an excess of complexity with this wine style (at this price point), and on that score this wine utterly lives up to expectations. It is, however, well balanced and clean, weighty enough but stopping short of love handles.
The palate shows a full, slippery mouthfeel alongside easygoing fruit flavour. Entry is fluffy and fun, with pale fruit flavours upstaged by the pumped up, viscous mouthfeel. The fruit never gains enormous intensity, settling for a watercolour expression of pear and spice, while the mouthfeel continues on its merry way, slipping and sliding across the tongue, underlined by just enough acidity to provide some shape. The after palate is quite fresh, with really well-judged phenolics roughing up the tongue and adding a twist of bitterness to the flavour profile. Soft finish.
Not bad really; it’s very well made and, while it doesn’t push the variety forward in any respect, should provide good drinking at many a Summer lunch.

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

Simply Sunshine Red 2008

Posted on by
Reply

The companion wine to Simply Sunshine’s White, and made in the same mould. The challenge, it seems to me, at this price point is to deliver something with a bit of character within the constraints imposed by production costs, margin and the presumed taste of consumers. With regard to the latter, I have a horror of wines that are cynical and hold their drinkers in contempt; this attitude is by no means limited to cheaper wines, either. 

There’s no doubt this red wine is, stylistically, in value mode, but what makes it interesting, and hence why I’m writing it up, is that it adds a bit extra to the mix that helps elevate it beyond the usual sub $A10 bottle. The nose is quite rich and plummy, with a whiff of the confectionary fruit character that, in excess, sinks some cheap wines. But it’s held in check by some unexpected aromas: turned earth, dark spice and the smell of plum skins that, together, add savouriness and complexity. 
The palate sticks to this pattern, sweet fruit certainly dominant, just falling short of cloying simplicity by an undercurrent of sophisticated savouriness and well-handled oak. A soft, subtle entry that takes a bit of time to get going. Fruit flavour builds at the top of the mouth towards a very generous middle palate. There’s quite a bit happening at this point; plum fruit, boiled lollies, vanilla oak, an undercurrent of crushed leaf and sweet earth. The balance, it should be said, is tilted firmly towards the first three flavours, but there’s enough of the latter to suggest loftier objectives. A subtle after palate and finish.
A well-made wine with plenty of flavour; I feel like an attempt has been made to pack in as much as possible at this price, including a bit of “real wine” sophistication. 

Simply Sunshine
Price: €5.45
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Balnaves Chardonnay 2008

Posted on by
Reply

It’s interesting to note this wine’s up-market position in a range, indeed region, known almost exclusively for its red wines. At $A28 retail, it’s hardly bargain basement territory, and the label goes to some effort to impress the drinker with the care (hand picked!) taken here. 

The style is opulent, with fruit flavour in the yellow nectarine spectrum and no shortage of winemaker input. On the nose, rich aromas of ripe stonefruit and cream, soft cashew nuts and lightly smoked vanilla. Wannabe Chablis this is not, and for that I’m grateful, because it offers, instead of second-hand style, a balanced interpretation of heavyweight Chardonnay that seems to suit the character of the fruit. 
The palate is as expected, combining a similarly rich flavour profile with a slippery-slide mouthfeel and what appears to be a bit of alcohol heat too (label says 13% abv).  Nicely flavoursome entry, with subtle acid and a hint of minerality underlining nectarines that aren’t quite as squishy as on the nose. The middle palate is where it’s at, though, presenting a wash of quite complex flavour, including a decent contribution from spicy oak. There’s a bit of crème caramel too, cushioning the assertive fruit and oak elements. Things start to fall apart a bit through the after palate, as all that rich, bold flavour becomes too much for the wine’s architecture to contain. But it’s a pleasant sort of disintegration, leading to a long, quite powerful finish of peach tarte tatin. 
I’m wishing for a tad more minerality, structure and thrust through to the finish, which would make this wine’s voluminous flavour profile nimbler and more elegant. Still, it’s a solid wine and will be pleasing to those of you (like me) who enjoy bustier Chardonnay styles.

Balnaves
Price: $A28
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Greenock Shiraz 2007

Posted on by
4

Some producers, often the more interesting ones, evolve a consistent house style that, presumably, speaks to a certain idea of wine. In the case of Yelland & Papps, there’s an easygoing lack of pretentiousness to its wines that is, frankly, a relief after tasting more ambitious, overwrought styles. On the minus side, it can come across as excessively dilute and unstructured, as I felt was the case with the 2007 Cabernet I tasted (but did not write up) the other day. But when it works, as with this Shiraz, it’s very pleasing indeed.

Once past an initial bit of stink, lots of expressive, soft aromas, with a mixture of milk coffee, sweet juicy berries, crushed leaf and warm brown spice. It just smells good really, the same way coming home to an almost-ready roast dinner smells good, and it’s not hard to forgive a hint of overripe fruit that is also in the mix.
The palate is attractively structured, with the same prominent acidity I noted in this producer’s 2007 Grenache propping up each flavour and tempering the sweeter tendencies of the fruit. The entry is straightforward and quite lively, introducing a core of clean blackberry fruit surrounded by supporting spice and coffee oak. The middle palate is just so easy and clean, it’s hard not to enjoy. Nice movement through the after palate, with lighter red berry flavours coming to the fore. Decent, balanced finish with subtly textured tannins lightly brushing the tongue.
A very down-to-earth wine. Provided you don’t have any issues with acid-driven, relatively fruit sweet red wines, it should go down a treat.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A30
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Posted on by
2

Somes wines deliver an initial slap – excitement, intensity, distaste, and so on – as soon as you begin tasting. Despite what they might become over time, there’s a frisson associated with this first impression that tends to stay with you. 

In the case of this wine, it’s a slap that says “don’t even try to understand me.” It’s not a seduction, or a challenge. It’s a blunt refusal to yield. Feshly poured, it shows an impossible level of concentration on the nose. There’s a lot there, to be sure, yet it’s bound up in its own depth and richness, and takes a hell of a lot of swirling (or a good decant) to let go of some secrets. Coffee grounds, freshly polished antique furniture, deeply steeped black tea, greenhouses full of ferns, the most essence-like dark fruit. It’s a remarkable aroma profile that communicates seriousness of intent and absolute confidence. 
The palate carries through on this concentrated seriousness. To begin, the entry sings with dark berry essence, and it’s well before the middle palate that tannins emerge. It’s worth lingering for a moment on the tannins, as they are a feature of this wine, not only in terms of abundance but character, too. Textured, even and quite sweet, they present the most prominent face of the palate and, if nothing else, promise a long future for the wine. For now, if they (inevitably) prevent the line from flowing as freely as it might, this can hardly be considered a fault, and as a tannin enthusiast I must admit I’m kind of getting off on it. The middle palate shows impressive, powerful fruit beneath all the tannin, such that the whole achieves a curiously correct sense of proportion. Perhaps even giants can be elegant. The after palate is more of the same, and the level of tannin here shows good control through to a finish that is dry and fruit-sweet at the same time. 
It’s hard not to be impressed by this muscular wine. Haul a bottle out in ten years’ time to retaste. 

Balnaves
Price: $A90
Closure: Procork
Source: Sample

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes I have trouble getting into this wine but no such problems tonight. It’s a cracker.

Intense, racy bath salt-like aromas overlay a good deal of floral, mineral notes and some fine citrus rind. It’s incredibly complex for a young Riesling which, like other simply made white styles, can seem simple in youth. Not this one, though; it exudes sophistication and confidence, not through volume or excess, but simply by being classically well-built from tip to toe. I’m sniffing this wine again and again and there’s more to extract each time.
The palate is, if anything, even more impressive, as it adds great thrust and length to the nose’s proportioned, complex aroma profile. It’s a curious thing — intensity that sings with minerality rather than fruit flavour — I love it. The entry is immediate thanks mostly to some pretty assertive acidity, and it all builds from here to a middle palate of great shape and flinty texture. There’s an edge of sweetness that softens the relatively austere flavour profile, and this smidge of soft focus makes this Polish Hill more approachable than some others I have tried. Swift movement through the after palate to a reverberant finish of snazzy length. 
Many critics tend to rate the Polish Hill above the Watervale, and in this instance I’d have to agree. What a great Riesling.

Grosset
Price: $A39
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail