Sunday 28 April 2013

Patritti Barbera 2010

Barbera is native to north western italy but it is finding a home in Australia. Generally the wines from this variety are high in acid and low in tannin which may mean that they would blend well with other more tannic varieties such as Cabernet and Sagrantino.

Patritti Barbera 2010

Get out the truck and back it up as this offers traditional savoury goodness with depth of flavour at a stupid price point. At 16 bucks this beats most other Barbera's in Australia. The flavours of Christmas cherries, earth, tart plum, dried flowers and tar just keep rolling on. The acidity in the wine has meant that the flavours just jump out at you and grabs you by the balls. There is a hint of tannin but otherwise this is a bright wine built for now or over the few years.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $16
Rated: 85
Drink: Now - 2015

De Bortoli La Bossa Sauvignon Blanc 2012

This is a 95 percent  Australian wine with 5 percent coming from New Zealand. You have to love the state of the Sauvignon market at the moment which allows for such wines top me produced. It is a win win for the consumer.

De Bortoli La Bossa Sauvignon Blanc 2012

The nose is ultra shy to begin with but soon flavours of passionfruit, snnow peas and lemon grass come to the fore. The flavours pass quickly on the palate which means I have to take another sip again. At under ten bucks this is perfect but I think I liked the 2011 more.

Alcohol: 11.4%
Price: $9
Rated: 80
Drink: Now

Domaine de Saint Odile Morgon 2011

The more I taste Beaujolais the more I think I need to buy more to drink at home. The tannin to flavour ratio is brilliant and I think that Morgon offers the ability to stash them away in the cellar for a few years.The 2011 vintage sits inbewteen the full on fruitiness of the 09s and the elegance of the 2010s.

Domaine de Saint Odile Morgon 2011

My god the dark cherries, wild herbs and layers of spice are mind blowing. The spice comes in the form of pepper, cumin, cinnamon and sumac whcih makes it savoury yet sweet at the same time. While the palate weight is on the lighter end of the spectrum the flavours pack a punch. Complexity? Hell yes and it is through the roof. Structure? Hell yes as well with prominant tannins and waves of acidity balancing everything out.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: ?
Rated: 90
Drink: Now - 2020

Saturday 27 April 2013

d'Arenberg Stump Jump GSM 2011

This is the work horse of the d'Arenberg range.

d'Arenberg Stump Jump GSM 2011

Light and playful with plenty of red fruits followed by some dirty earthy flavours. There is mid-palate texture in the form of light tannins with a hint of spice adding an extra degree of complexity. The average length is the only draw back but it is the flavours that are most pleasing. I would treat this as a quaffer while I wait for my 2010s to sort themselves out in the cellar.

Alcohol: 14.3%
Price: Under 10
Rated: 82
Drink: Now or over vthe next few years

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Domaine de la Tournelle Fleur de Savagnin 2009

I was expecting a full on vin jaune style wine but this wine actually gets topped with fresh Savagnin in the barrel. Just have a look at the site below for more details.


Domaine de la Tournelle Fleur de Savagnin 2009

Hints of grilled nuts but it has more fruit than I was expecting. I don't research the wine until after I review the wine which makes for interesting tastings when things don't fit with my preconceived understanding of the styles. There is a huge amount of texture that fits perfectly with the flavours of caramelised grapefruit skin, crushed grilled nuts, pineapple, sweaty socks and mixed Asian spices. While the flavours lead the way there is a bright core of acidity and a glycerol style palate feel that balances out the wine brilliantly. All in all a wonderful beverage with many unique elements.

Alcohol: 13%
Price:
Rated: 92
Drink: Now or over the next 12 years
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Fleur de Savagnin, Jura, France label

Wilson Vineyard DJW 2012


Wilson Vineyard DJW 2012

The wine starts off reserved but soon opens up and gets its thing on. Actually this is almost the opposite to the Polish Hill as the Polish Hill just gets tighter and tighter while the DJW opens up and shows all of its treasures. The flavours are full on on entry but fade a bit on the back palate. I've been tasting a fare amount of Riesling recently and all have offered great value for money, this one included, it is just the back palate wobbles a bit when you compare this to its stable-mate. There is more texture and mouth feel with almost the same level of acidity than the Polish Hill which makes me think I would prefer to drink this now while I wait for the Polish Hill to unravel itself. 

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $23
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2020   

Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Kabinett Riesling 2010

The region of Nahe only came about in the early 1970s but the area has always produced top quality grapes. There is a large river system that runs through the area which allows for cooler night thus crisp acidity to accumulate in the wines. While the area doesn't produce the ultra minerally styled wines they are generally full of flavour and very long on their palate length.

Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Kabinett Riesling 2010

Gorgeous Kabinett styled with flavours of spice, lime rind, pine slice and crushed flowers. While these flavours might sound sweet the wine is balanced by crisp acidity which gives the impression of medium sweetness and texture to boot. From the mid-palate on the wine pulls in tight leaving my mouth salivating. Just yum and cheap too for the style.

Alcohol: 9.5%
Price: $42
Rated: 90
Drink: Who cares
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

 

Bimbadgen Estate Shiraz 2011


The Hunter Valley isn't that far from Australia’s largest city so I is a perfect place to take a little drive up to on the week-end. The area can be divided into two sections, the upper and lower Hunter. The upper Hunter is mostly fertile alluvial soils where the grape vines find it easy to produce large quantities year in year out.  The lower Hunter has a more diverse soil type with basalt, volcanic red and yellow clay. Some produces are bottling these individual vineyard wines and showcasing those soil types. 

Bimbadgen Estate Shiraz 2011

True regional style Shiraz with boot polish, earthy plum and a touch of spice comes through on the very good length palate. The light bodied palate weight is balanced by a buff of tannins that is built for the right and now. The team at Bimbagden did well in a cool and wet vintage to produce a wine of this quality.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $20
Rated: 86
Drink: Now – 2016

Saturday 20 April 2013

Windy Peak Pinot Grigio 2012

This Pinot Grigio comes from the King Valley which is located in the north eastern area of Victoria. The climate is on the cooler end of the spectrum with the average rainfall ranging from 329mm to 630 mm per year. This area focuses producing top quality Italian variety wines but this wine is entry level and priced at the lower end of the range.

Windy Peak Pinot Grigio 2012

The flavours of the wine are in the Grigio style but there isn't the acidity that I normally associate with Grigio. The good length palate has slight sweetness and texture with flavours of sugared apples, pears and fresh cut flowers. This is easy to drink and is a good entry into the world of Grigio.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $14
Rated: 83
Drink: Now

De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Grigio.gif

Alta Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2012

This wine offers the traditional Sauvignon Blanc flavours that people expect from the Adelaide Hills.

Alta Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2012





Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $17
Rated: 86
Drink: Now or over the next few years

Alta Sauvignon Blanc 750mL 2012

Reinhold Haart Haart to Heart Riesling 2008

The Haart family has been in the wine industry for centuries. They offer European flavours and style with a lower price tag than many of their peers. They use more traditional methods for processing their grapes and they try to maintain the practises of their forebears.

Reinhold Haart Haart to Heart Riesling 2008

Masses of flinty floral aromas with quartz and fresh cut apples to match. At the moment this is so easy to chug down at lunch or later in the night. The juicy palate is balanced well by sweetness and more modern flavours but it doesn't have the texture or complexity of brilliant Rieslings. What you get here is great entry level drinking at cheaper prices. Don't get me wrong there is complexity and vibrancy running through the heart of this wine, it is just German Riesling can be so engaging it is scary. This one just falls behind just a touch. Buy now and drink over the next few years while you wait for the expensive age-worthy wines to evolve.

Alcohol: 11%
Price: $29
Rated: 89
Drink: Now - 2017
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Jansz Late Disgorged Cuvee 2004

Jansz Late Disgorged Cuvee 2004

These extended lees contact sparkling wines are rare in Australia as they cost a lot both in time and in money. This version is rustic and full bodied yet it maintains a a nice acid line. The developed colour of beautiful golden yellow gives the impression that the wine will be fully ready to go but once they hit my palate the acidity leaves the wine feeling middle to young in age. The flavour of toasted brioche and Dutch cream pair nicely with lemon rind and vanilla custard. The layers of flavour slowly evolve and from the mid-palate on get a little rustic and dirty. I love the way it evolves and the story of the wine transpires into a European twisted love story. Drink now or later it doesn't really matter as it is ready to go.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $50
Rated: 90
Drink: Now - 2016

Thursday 18 April 2013

Tyrrell's Old Winery Semillon 2012

Tyrrell's Old Winery Semillon 2012

Go out and grab a can of solo and a lime splice at your local service station and you have yourself this wine. It is medium bodied with sweetness and mild length to match. It is easy to drink and would go down well at a BBQ.

Alcohol: 11%
Price: $9.99
Rated: 80
Drink: Now

2012 Tyrrell's Old Winery Semillon

Toolangi Vineyards Chardonnay 2010

Toolangi produces a large variety of wines at different price points but they focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This wine is the entry level version and is a good insight into the style that they produce.

Toolangi Vineyards Chardonnay 2010

Full bodied and full on but with vibrancy to match. The worked style is rounded and cuddly with flavours of flint, peach, melon, gun smoke and roasted nuts. The creamy palate is fresh yet textured and would work brilliantly with any French style dish in the heart of winter. At 26 bucks this sits about right, especially if you want masses of texture thrown in.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $26
Rated: 85
Drink: Now - 2017

Lark Hill Dark Horse Vineyard Viognier 2012

I'm not a fan of Australian Viognier but I will make an exception for the Lark Hill version as it possesses great length, flavour and texture.

Lark Hill Dark Horse Vineyard Viognier 2012







Alcohol: 12%
Price: $28
Rated: 87
Drink: Now or over the next four years