Pizzini Sangiovese Shiraz 2011

I loved this wine last time, as it seems to combine the modern Australian style with the dirty nature of Sangiovese. This years version just doesn't have the length like last year.

Pizzini Sangiovese Shiraz 2011

The things I look for in wine is balance, length and structure so if a wine doesn't possess them they get canned. This wine has balance but not the other two so it makes it a great quaffer. Go hard, I say if you can find it cheap.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $18
Rated: 83
Drink: Now

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2012

Viognier is typically full bodied that pairs well with white meats, creamy sauces or spicy curries. The variety is sometimes known for being over the top or too in your face which means you need to be picky with the producer you look at. Yalamba have been working with the variety since 1980 which makes them one of the oldest in Australia. The 2012 version of this wine is brilliant.

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2012

This wine is a little more reserved than I was expecting but it still possessed bobbles of apricot skin, ground ginger, spice and honey. It is floral and inviting with a sweet creamy texture kicking in on the mid-palate. The palate weight is more in the medium to full end of the spectrum with the length just balling on. While I am not a fan of this variety in Australia, I would suck this down case by case as it is that good for the money.

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $25
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2018

Ocean Eight Pinot Gris 2012

There are not too many Pinot Gris wines that take my fancy and I have had two of them in the last few weeks. This wine along with the Stefano Lubiana Gris 2012, are the best I have tried from this country. The Ocean 8 is produced in the Mornington Peninsula by Michael Aylward of Kooyong fame. He crafts four wines from his 32 acres of vines that were planted while he started Kooyong.

Ocean Eight Pinot Gris 2012

This Gris has texture to burn baby. Once open the wine is more about mouthfeel and creaminess than it is about the flavours. That said the flavours are in the typical end of the spectrum for the variety. The level of sweetness in the wine is finely balanced by mouth watering acidity on the back palate, with the length sitting at the brilliant end of the spectrum. Yum and would work perfectly with any Asian style dish.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $28
Rated: 92+
Drink: Now - 2020

Sip those winter blues away

The weather has turned into a rain storm here in Adelaide and the surrounding areas. It is the time of year when the hearty food options come to the centre of my attention as the fire rages in the living room and I pine for a glass of something beautiful.

Mayhem & Co. Hipster Riesling 2012

Does anyone want a lip punching Riesling with style? Oh bab,y give this to me seven more times! The flavours of pink grapefruit, summer flowers, mineral dust and dehydrated lemon pulp are intense to say the least but they are inconsequential to the structure, tightness of the wine and the brilliant length. At the moment it is a little unyielding but all the componants are there for pure enjoyment to hit in about 6 years time. The quality is undeniable and the vineyard has been around for 100 years so its credentials are sound.

Alcohol: 12.4%
Price: $26
Rated: 92
Drink: 2017 - 2027

Henschke Keyneton Euphonium 2010

This wine is a blend of 70% Shiraz, 18% Cabernet and 12% Merlot but it is the Merlot which dominates the front palate. The great depth of flavours such as plums and mulberries attack the front palate with elegant vigor before the Shiraz kicks in on the mid-palate. Each componant does its part and everything is finished off with a touch of blackcurrants, chocolate covered wild herbs and cedary spice. While I think this is a very high quality wine right now, it will show better with 12 years under its belt.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $42
Rated: 90+
Drink: 2022 - 2034

Patritti Selection 181 Grenache 2011

Grenache and the lighter bodied wines are all the rage at the moment as they are easier to drink with a wider variety of foods. Patritti's version also offers dirty charm and structure which complements the food as well. At the core of this wine is a flavour profile that is dominated by earthiness and redberry loving. It is a little wild and exotic to start with but there are those typical McLaren Vale flavours coming in on the back palate in the form of red licorice. The acidity of the wine sparkles which lifts the flavour profile right out of the glass. As this is the first release of this wine I would warn everyone that these will only get better as the winemaker learns what he can do with this variety from this vineyard.

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $28
Rated: 89
Drink: Now - 2018

 

Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay 2011

This is the first wine I have tried from Port Phillip Estate and it is a very high quality one. This Chardonnay is picked from a single vineyard and then whole bunch pressed into French oak and then let nature take its course. Wild yeast, mostly older oak and lees stirring makes for a good quality interesting style, if they can pull it off. In this case it has worked a treat with the fruit still taking centre stage but there is enough winemaker complexity to hold any hardcore chardy'slovers attention. The core of acidity to remarkable and means this will mature nicely in the cellar. Drink now or later, who cares when it is this good.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $30 - $34
Rated: 90
Drink: Now - 2022

3 Tales Sauvignon Blanc 2012

3 Tales Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Lemon grass, dried herbs and quava with a little sugared lemon. There is so much fruit it hits you with a hammer which is typical for the variety. At this price it is a lovely cafe style that offers something a little bit different. When compared to the 2011 version, this is a little too in your face but I still like it a lot.

Alcohool: 12.5%
Price: $15
Rated: 84
Drink: Now - 2015

Jansz Premium Cuvee NV

I have tried two different releases of this wine, blind, and I ended up scoring them the same which is great as this is a non-vintage release.This wine is the current non-vintage.

Jansz Premium Cuvee NV

 

 

 

 

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $20
Rated: 87
Drink: Now

Thompson Estate Locum Cabernet Merlot 2010

Thompson Estate was established in 1994 with the first vines being planted in 1997. The family run Estate has vineyard holdings in the Wilyabrup district which means that this is high quality wine area. The Estate has 44 acres of vine with the majority being planted to Cabernet, Chardonnay and Merlot. Bob Cartwright, of Leeuwine Estate, takes these grapes and crafts them into some high quality wines which gets released at prices that are at the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Thompson Estate Locum Cabernet Merlot 2010

Savoury and medium bodied with a great entry on day one of blackcurrants, plums and everything that reminds you of a summer dessert. The cedary oak is already in the background and the light tannins provides a nice counter point. On day one I had this as a 87 point wine and I was ready to get out the credit card but on day three the flavours had started to peel off the palate so it had moved to an 83 point wine. I would use this as a quaffer as I wait for the big guns to mature in the cellar.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $25
Rated: 87/83
Drink: Now - 2015

Michael Hall Syrah 2010

The Eden Valley ripens its shiraz fruit much later then the Barossa floor which might be why these wines are more savoury and less ripe than the floor wines. The Valley was first settled in mid 1850s with some of the most treasured vineyards being planted not much after that. The Hill of Grace vineyard was planted in 1858. The vineyard that this comes from is much younger than that and is owned by the Binders. As Rolf Binder wants to focus on the more robust floor wines, Michael gets to take and craft something special from this piece of dirt.

Michael Hall Syrah 2010

Mummer this is savoury with frangrant floral notes but there is core of red & blackfruits underneath. It took four days to open up and show some of the higher quality characters that this wine possesses. On the palate the flavours are similar but it is joined by a minerally moment with herbs and cola entering the mix. The mouthfeel is brillaint as it is creamy with a pure drive of acidity lifting the flavours a notch. This is a high quality bottle of Syrah that will demand cellaring.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $40
Rated: 94
Drink: In 13 years

Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2011

The 06, 07 and 08 version of this wine I thought were not up to normal quality of this wine as they pushed the ripeness level a little too far. This wine is not over ripe at all.

Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2011

Elegant is the scribble that is underlined across my note pad and there is lovely spiciness with cranberry sauce, bluefruits and sweaty socks coming through. These flavours are lighht in weight and easy to like. The only thing I would say is that there is a flatness on the back palate that doesn't work with the flavours. I like the entry a lot and it was easy to finish the bottle with my wife and friends of a friday night. This is most probably a better indicator than the review that I did over tuesday and wednesday night. Always a good thing that a wine pleases a crowd. I would recommend that this is drunk in the short term as there is not structure present but the flavours are delightful. Better than the 06 etc? yes and a lovely folow up to the 2010.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $25
Rated: 84
Drink: Now

Torzi Matthews 1903 Old Vines Grenache Mataro 2012

Most of the wines that Torzi Matthews produces comes from fruit grown in the Eden Valley but this wine is from Moppa Hills which is a stone throw away from Greenock. The area is reknown for top quality Grenache which is a great thing considering this wine is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Mataro. One of the most exciting things about this wine is the co-fermentation which is not your normal thing in the Barossa. I think this technique provides better intergration which sets it up as a better quality wine.

Torzi Matthews 1903 Old Vines Grenache Mataro 2012

The wine opens with fragrance and earth all in one. The medium weight is a mix between cherries, pepper, lavander and christmas pie on a very long palate. This great depth of flavour is balanced by savoury chalky tannins that enhances the whole package and lets the message of the wine speak volumes. In the end the vibrant acidity finshes off the party nicely. If this wine was from Torbreck it would be 100 bucks but it comes with a price tag of 35. Bargain.

Alcohol: 14.2%
Price: $35
RAted: 90
Drink: Now - 2024

Fairbank Rose 2012

I have been tasting a few rose wines over the last two or three months and this is the second best of them. Funny as the only one better is from Sutton Grange which is the premium brand from this estate.

Fairbank Rose 2012

This wine is delicate, savoury and ultra pale in colour when compared to the other wines in this category. There is a tart cherry character mixed with rose water, spice and fresh herbs that is woven on a beautifuly long and light palate. The oak provides textural elements and not any flavour profile which means the flavours are pure bliss. What a lovely change and a breath of fresh air for this style in Australia. Love it and want to drink it now.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $22
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2015

Majella Riesling 2012

Name the first grape variety that comes to mind when I say Coonawarra? Name the second? Now by the time you get to the top five you still haven't go to Riesling. Is this good or bad for Majella or the wine drinkers of Australia? I think it is great as the quality of this wine is around the quality of the Clare or Eden wines but the price is much lower. If this was available along with a chardonnay from the same region I would now turn my chair towards this little number.

Majella Riesling 2012

There are those atractive varietal notes in the form of lemon balm, flint, and spring flowers before a hint of gun metal hammers home which seems to spank up the back palate. The palate is alive and kicking which would make me turn to Asian style meals for a partner in the dinning room. I wasn't expecting something of this quality from this region, at this price point, but that could also be a result of the brilliant 2012 vintage.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $17
Rated: 89
Drink: Now - 2020

d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz 2009

The Dead Arm used to be the top of the tree for d'Arenberg but the Single vineyard wines are now the leading light. The Dead Arm in 2009 was produced from low yielding vines that were picked over a six week period that had the qualirty and flavour profile that Chester is looking for. It is funny that I have read so many reviews of this wine but they all have differing opinions on when to drink and the quality. I'm of the opinion that this is high quality but won't need too much cellaring to hit its straps.

d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz 2009

I though I would give this a day open before tasting it and when I finally put my nose into the large Waterford glasses the aromas hit me straight away. They were smokey, meaty and earthy but with forceful notes of melted licorice, marshmellows, chocolate coated plums and raspberries. The oak already seems to be in the background with the balance quite stunning. I'm not sure if the flavour are so open and upfront that I don't really notice the structure but I'm sure it is underneath. Now here is why I think it won't go for 20 or 30 years. The acidity level is not as prominant as I would like but I guess for an 09 this is brilliant!

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $60
Rated: 92
Drink: 2015 - 2026

De Bortoli La Boheme Act Four 2011

Another goal kicked with this wine.

De Bortoli La Boheme Act Four 2011

What do you want out of your red wine? Sweet or Savoury? For me it is savoury as it pairs with entree and mains better. Do you want to drink them now or later? Well I would like a selection as most wine I want to drink now but a small percentage I want to cellar. While this wine is in the drink sooner rather than later it is definately in the savoury style with flavours of earth, mushrooms, mixed cooking herbs and cherried spice. The light body and light tannins, that spread across my tongue, hold the interest factor high. I would wait for the weather to warm up a bit and get right into these.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $20
Rated: 87
Drink: Now - 2015

Vang Dalat White NV

Vietnam isn't the normal place I would think about for wine but the country has got right behind it. The amount of tourists and with the increase of the middle class the wine industry has exploded. Most of the vines are young but many overseas and local companies have invested heavily to get the industry started.

Vang Dalat White NV

The Vang Dalat is an interesting wine as the flavours are nothing like I have tasted before but the palate is dilute and short. First to the flavours as they are in the lemon, green papaya and sandlewood sort of frame. Next to the quality as the flavours are alive and kicking on the front palate but the mid-palate is a bit flat before they fade on the back palate.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $4
Rated: 79 and pretty good for the price especially as it works well with the style of food
Drink: Now

Pearwood Wines Blanc de Blanc NV

Pearwood Wines Blanc de Blanc NV

For 15 bucks I wasn't expecting much but what I found was lovely. It combined creamed melon, struck flint with dried figs and grapefruit. There are massess of bubbles which sort of take away some of the message as the bubbles bombard the palate without letting the flavours talk. At the quality level I would have said it was around the 20 - 25 mark so at 15 it is an easy buy. I would use it as a quaffer for my wife or parties and get out the top French year for the wine buffs.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $15
Rated: 86
Drink: Now - 2016

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2010

Rockfords Basket Press is one of the top wines that the serious Shiraz wine lovers collect that wish to cellar them for ten or so years. This years version is so restrained and withdraw I almost wrote it off on day three.

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2010

In the beginning there was arms, legs and a head but nothing that held the wine's message together. The bold flavours of menthol, cherry balm, cinnamon,  chocolate and satuma plums are at odds with the silky palate at the moment as on the first day they didn't connect but on day four the medium to full bodied wine was seamless. Long and wound with moments of delightful vibrancy. This will move you once it turns 15 so stash it away.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: ?
Rated: 94+
Drink: 2025 +

Guigal Saint Joseph Rouge 2007

The sub-region of Saint Joseph is found in the Rhone Valley and is one of the bigger areas in the region. The red wines are Shiraz but may have rousanne thrown in. The wines that come from this region offer good quality drinking in the medium to short term in a true French style. 

Guigal Saint Joseph Rouge 2007

This is a a wine that offers a lot of comforting flavours that combines fruit with dirty French componants. Think roasted meats, dutch herbs, leather and spice with blackberries and ripe plums. The wine has presence and intensity on a ultra long palate. There has been plenty written about the ups and downs of this wine, ranging from ugly to brilliant and this bottle is closer to brilliant. I would just get cracking with it.

Alcohol: ?
Price: $60
Rated: 92
Drink: Now - 2016
Importer: Negociants Australia

Henschke Tappa Pass Shiraz 2010

Henschke's are kicking goals at the moment. Everything that I have tried from them from the 2010 vintage rocks and this wine is no acception. The intro below was taken from the Henschke web page.

"The 2010 growing season was preceded by above average winter rainfall. Spring was mild with little frost damage and gave us an even budburst. The weather remained cold and wet through spring, which held back growth until a two-week high 30s heat wave in November affected flowering and fruit set. Spring rains continued into early summer right through until mid-December, making it the wettest year since 2005. The vines responded to the heat and grew vigorously until early January, developing lush canopies, but bunch development suffered as a result. A roller-coaster ride of heat spikes and cool changes continued through a warm summer with occasional thunderstorms. The vines went through veraison a week earlier than 2009. Lower yields coupled with the mild ripening period resulted in concentrated fruit. Vintage began a week earlier than 2009 and was in full swing by mid-February. The white vintage was all but finished a month later while the red harvest continued with deeply coloured, well-balanced grapes being picked during mild, dry conditions until the end of April"

Tappa Pass is a sub-region in the Barossa and the vineyard was a catalist for the creation of this wine. Now the fruit comes from three different sub-regions and in 2010 it is a pearler.

 Henschke Tappa Pass Shiraz 2010

The wine is very perfumed upon opening and that fragrance carries over onto the palate. It is rich yet savoury at the same time with flavours of spice, bluberry chocolates, plum skin and blackberry sorbet. It is the balance of these flavours and the polished tannin structure combined with succulent acidity that takes this to the next level. Beautiful wine from a brilliant vintage.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $84
Rated: 95
Drink: After it turns 12

Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2009

I'm so into Fiano right now.

Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2009

The aroma's are non-existent at the moment but after a while things start to open out. The texture is creamy but there is huge amounts of vibrancy and juiciness. The wine feels like it has no oak characters at all which is true after I read the info sheet. This wine spent the whole time in stainless steal tanks before bottling. The flavours are in the dried herbs and savoury stone fruits and orange skin, while the length is extreme and the enjoyment factor edging that way.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $46
Rated: 94
Drink: Now - 2020
Importer: Arquilla

Coriole Scarce Earth Galaxidia Shiraz 2011

This wine is produced from a small block down the bottom of the estate and would normally make its way into the estate Shiraz. Normally this is one of the best blocks to go into that bottling and it is great to see Coriole showcase the block for the scarce earth project. The messgae below is taken from the media release for this wine.

"Scarce Earth is a McLaren Vale initiative exploring and celebrating the geological, climatic and soil diversity of the region. All wines are produced from a single block which represents a unique flavor and personality profile. The 2011 vintage in McLaren Vale was un-seasonally cool and produced wines with a little more restraint, elegance and approachability.'


 Coriole Scarce Earth Galaxidia Shiraz 2011

This is one of the best Shiraz based wines I have tried from Coriole as it seems to combine regional full bodied flavours with elegance and structure. This might have been as a result of the cool and wet vintage as it has avioded all those unripe or flavours that I normally associate when disease pressure is high.  In this wine you get the typical licorice and earth notes but they are joined by red currants, raspberries and rhubard pie with a touch of spice on the back-end. At the moment that wines structure sits firmly under the flavours yet it is the first thing I notice and the last thing to leave. Love it and get on board the 2011 wines from the Vales as they seem to be less oaky and slightly less ripe than the previous years wines.

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $50
Rated: 92
Drink: 2016 - 2027

Jamie Oliver 15 min Blackened Chicken San Fran Quinoa Salad + Penfolds Cellar Reserve Traminer 2012

Jamie Oliver 15 min Meals Blackened Chicken San Fran Quinoa Salad

My wife wanted me to make this after it was aired on TV but I had reservations about the use of mango in a main dish. I have never used quinoa before but after tasting the meal I will be using it again as it adds a lightness and textural element that is refreshing. The salad for this dish involves a cup of quinoa with some boiling water added and let to sit over some heat. The base to the salad is devine and the best part of the meal. All I did was blitz spring onions, coriander, chilli's, spinach, rocket and mint and lay it on a platter as it patiently waits for the hot quinoa to arrive. Meanwhile grab some chicken thighs, Jamie says chicken breasts but i'm on a budget, and sprinkly them in some five spice and smoked paprika with a dash of salt and pepper on a grease proof paper. Fold the paper to cover the chicken and smash it with a rolling pin. I believe this is half cooking and half therapy so go for your life. Once done throw them on a griddle pan on high temperature with two capsicums that have been cut into random pieces until they are cooked. At about this point the quinoa would be ready so drain the water and add it to the platter. Make sure you mix the diced elemenst with the warm quinoa. Cut the chicken into manageable sizes and scatter over the platter. Now add some fetta, cress, avocado chunks, olive oil and lime juice. As mango's aren't in session at the moment so I didn't add any. Serve on the platter with a bit of natural yogurt. My wife said this was one of the best dishes that we have tried from his cook books.

Penfolds Cellar Reserve Traminer 2012

This wine came in two parts. Day 1 ugly as all hell but it had great length and a creamy mouthfeel. On day three the wine was balanced with flavours of turkish delight, rose petals and spring blossom.  The mouth fell and length stayed the same so in all the wine is pretty snazzy but it will need a year or two in the bottle just to let everything work itself out.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $34

Rated: 90

Drink: 2014 - 2019