Greenock Creek Release 2012

Greenock Creek Release 2012

The times they are a changing…a few years ago Greenock Creek would have only been open for 2 weekends but last year the cellar door was open until mid-January. This has meant that more people can experience the wines that Michael and his team produce each year, especially the 2010s that were released at the start of September.  The vineyard is looking healthy as the vines have been able to get a good recovery over the last 3 years.  

Greenock Creek Cornerstone Grenache 2011

This years Cornerstone feels ready to go with its perfumed nose of redcurrants and sandalwood interplayed with Indian spice and raspberries jubes. On the palate there are those lovely flavours with no alcohol heat at all, I normally get a bit of alcohol heat from the cornerstone, and it all finishes with a beautiful wedge of acidity. The start and the finish of this wine are beautiful but the mid-palate is a little wacky for my liking, not in the way of disjointedness but in terms of flavour. It came across as hession bags or twine and these flavours distracted me from the overall nature of the wine.

Alcohol: 15%

Price: $29

Rated: 85

Drink: Sooner rather than later

Greenock Creek Cabernet 2010

This is a change from the last wine as there is a pungent nature about the flavour yet it stays very savoury.  From the get go there are flavours of blackcurrant, smashed pepper, cedar, blueberries and dried deadly nightshade. I think that last descriptor is one of the components that I always taste in Greenock Creek's Cabernet and one that I find quiet attractive. The wine is very light and elegant but given that it come from 2010, it is not unexpected and again there is a nice acidic wedge finishing the wine off.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $38

Rated: 90

Drink: Now – 2020

Greenock Creek Alices Shiraz 2010

All the Shiraz based wines from Greenock Creek are better in quality than the previous years release.  The Alices Shiraz comes from the younger vines and normally it is the big boy of the group.  This year’s version has a little more restraint yet it still retains those flavours I would normally expect. As a young wine this is rather complete but it has been open for three days so it isn’t something to freak out about. On the palate the wine isn’t as sweet as per normal but the oak still plays a role in adding a candy flavour.  The fruit flavours of dark chocolate, mocha and licorice make this a full bodied experience and one that works so well now.

Alcohol: 15%

Price: $30

Rated: 90

Drink: 2014  - 2019

Greenock Creek Apricot Block Shiraz 2010

This is the first time I have noticed the structure in a Greenock Creek wine before the flavours which suggest that this will keep and improve in the cellar. This wine is full bodied with great length of flavour but the tannic grip holds all the flavours in place for what seems like an age. Those flavours are nice as they remind me of running through a field carrying tart plums, licorice sticks, Christmas cake and dried red currants on a warm summer’s day when I was a kid.  In the end the wine finishes with saliva dripping down my mouth which leaves me alive and vibrant.

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $38

Rated: 92

Drink: 2018 – 2030

Greenock Creek Seven Acres 2010

The feel of this wine is beautiful as it slinks down my tongue, coating flavours of fragrant pan roasted Indian spices mixed with dried licorice and chocolate sauce. These flavours evolve so slowly, it feels like the flavour spectrum wouldn’t change but they do as they turn into ironstone and fresh blackberries. Once again the tannins kick in, like they do in the Apricot Block, but this time they are even more pronounced. In fact the tannins pulsate on my tongue like they have their own heartbeat. This wine reminds me of the old Greenock Creek wine from the early to mid-1990s and that brings a smile to my face.

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $48

Rated: 94

Drink: 2016 - 2035