Thomas Wines DJV Shiraz 2010

The weather conditions for the Hunter in 2010 was warm compared to the coolish 2011 and 2012 vintages but the season wasn’t as ideal as the glorious 2009 vintage. While 2009 wines are uniformly brilliant, the 2010 wines can range from good value to down right supreme.  One man that has cut his teeth on producing quality wines from a range of producer including Tyrrell’s and a host of international wineries in the US and Italy is Andrew Thomas so it is interesting to see what he is able to achieve in such a vintage.

Thomas Wines DJV Shiraz 2010

The three reds from Thomas wines are all individual vineyard wines which have a common theme running through them yet they are all totally different. At this stage of the wines development the flavours are locked up in fluffy tannins which combobulate brightness over the course of the 4 days that I tasted this wine. For a 2010 wine this is more full bodied than many others but it does so in a Hunter Valley frame of mind so expect regional earth and a restrained flavour profile. 

What the hell does that all mean? Well, the wine is medium bodied with flavours of plum and raspberries but they aren’t sweet at all.  They are more savoury with notes of sourness running through the wine that has a nice vibrancy of acid at its core. The length of the wine is very long and is filled out nicely with a pop of spice on the back palate. A beautifully constructed wine that seduces the senses.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $30

Rated: 89
Drink: 2013 - 2019

Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2010

Frank Mitolo is one of the most important people in the food and wine industry in McLaren Vale.  The Mitolo group is comprised of five different divisions, mainly in the food industry.  Ollo is the olive oil arm which has just secured a massive export order to China while the wines are distributed all over the globe.

Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2010

Pure McLaren Vale in a plush and comforting style, yet it still retains a degree of elegance that only Ben Riggs could put together. You get the usual suspects of licorice and bitter chocolate with ripe blackberries and creaming soda coming through. The palate and aroma’s mirror each other brilliantly but it is the lovely creamy mouthfeel that is most attractive.  When I was tasting this wine, I thought  the price would be around the 40 buck mark which was great when I found out it was 28 RRP.  I would pick up a case of this and crank it out over the next 12 months as this wine offers joy to drink now, even if it could keep for longer.

Alcohol: 15.2%

Price: $28

Rated: 87

Drink: Now - 2018



Hentley Farm Shiraz 2010

Hentley Farm Shiraz 2010

Right from the word go this wine looked good with a huge dose of tannins holding everything together.  Like all of the other wines from this producer the flavours are toned down with specks of sweetness mixed in the flavours of blueberry pie, custard tart, cherry cola and iron fillings. It is the sort of wine that would impress anyone yet this is the entry level wine for Hentley Farm. Bravo for starting out with quality the focus right from the bottom.

Alcohol: 14.7%

Price: $30

Rated: 87

Drink: 2016 - 2022

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2010

When I first tasted this wine I thought that Henry’s Seven meant that there was seven different varieties in the blend but it actually means that the vineyard is seven acres in size with planting of Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Viognier.

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2010

As I am not really a fan of Viognier in the Shiraz blends in the Barossa I wasn’t looking forward to tasting this wine but it seems that the white variety has only added slipperiness to the palate and not those overt apricot flavours. The wine starts out with a dried cranberry flavour infused with crushed rocks before a whole load of fruit flavours come rolling in.  Do I see a plum or raspberries? You get both in this wine with a huge dose of spice and star anise with a little red lipstick and cured meat adding some interest. In fact this wine is a three course meal in one bottle. This wine is different than your normal big baller Barossa wine in that it is held back and more balanced between richness and refreshing flavours. While the palate is seamless now I would expect this to rock hardcore with 5 years under its belt.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $33

Rated: 92+

Drink: 2017 – 2026

Hillcrest Vineyard Premium Chardonnay 2010

This wine was picked at the same time as the village but it comes from the oldest plantings in the vineyard.

Hillcrest Vineyard Premium Chardonnay 2010

For the first two days this wine was very difficult to taste but my god did it improve over the next few days. From the start the depth of flavour was profound and on the third day the true balanced showed itself.  Wild flowers intertwined with dried grapefruit skin, almond essence and cracked pepper roll their way down my tongue with verve and a classy swagger. This is one to stash away for a few years and then show off at the Christmas table.

Alcohol: 12.9%

Price: $60

Rated: 93+

Drink: 2015 - 2020

Sangiovese - Australia V Italy

About three months ago I was sent a huge amount of Sangiovese from Australian and Italian producers and here are the results. I have tasted through all of them but are still in the process of writing up my notes but there are a few things that stuck out in my mind. Sangiovese has moved into the mainstream for Australian consumers and for total plantings around the country.  As it is now a household name, the quality has risen from poor to now being good to very good.  The areas that stands out the most are Beechworth, King Valley, Bendigo, Heathcote and McLaren Vale but the bigest surprise comes from Margaret River.  Carpe Diem has produced two beautiful wines in a more savoury style, that needs a bit of extra bottle age to show its best.  Each of the Sangiovese based wines from this producer follow the Italian train of thought so they are blends with Sangiovese taking the centre stage. The list of the top 6 Sangioveses in the country are listed below.

The top 6 Sangiovese wines in Australia

Castagna La Chiave 2009
Castagna Un Segreto 2009
Coriole Vita 2009
Pizzini Rubacouri 2005
Sutton Grange Giove 2009
Vinea Marson 2010

Coriole provides Sangiovese in the form of a full bodied wine with a little Cabernet in the blend, while Castagna La Chiave sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.  All of these 6 wines should be tasted if you are into top class Australian Sangiovese.

On the other side of the coin. The wines from Italy have dropped in price, due to the strength of the Australian dollar, and the quality of the Italian wines has risen.  This rise in quality resulted from a perception that the majority of wines from the country were very rustic or dirty due to extended maturation in oak barrels, up to ten years, and sloppy winemaking practises.  Italy has changed its whole philosiphy and is now turning out some of its best wines made from a large variety of indiginous grapes that are unique to the area. The country prides itself on producing wines that pair well with food in a meduim bodied savoury style which is everything that consumer is moving towards at the moment. Watch out for quality imports competing with the Sangiovese based wines from Australia.

Triple Take Semillon

Margan Semillon 2011

This wine sits at the cheap end of the spectrum and it does deliver a nice amount of forward flavours in the form of lemon pith, green apples and fresh cut grass.  What happens once the liquid hits my mid-palate is that the flavour becomes dilute. It is a good wine at the price that can be enjoyed at any stage.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $16
Rated: 83
Drink: Now to 6 years

Brokenwood Army Block Semillon 2010

Shy as hell at this stage but after 4 days, the wine shows notes of lime drops, green apples and lemon grass.  The density of the wine builds over this time but never does the wine get become over bearing.  Well, if you don't like mineral style acid then you should steer clear but for this type of wine the acid is needed to ensure a long and beautiful journey to adulthood. At this price, I ask for something special and this wine delivers and more.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $40
Rated: 93 +
Drink: In 15 years

Tyrrell's Johnno's Semillon 2011

This wine is more about texture and Tyrrell's could be the only winery that would experiment with such a style.  They basket pressed the whole bunches and the juice received little clarification prior to bottling. The flavours explode from the glass the minute the bottle is opened with flavours of lime peel, smash quartz and dried grass.  The wine coats my mouth in a thick yet refreshing manner, holding my attention. This wine is a perfect counterpart to the Vat 1 and is equally as impressive. Buy with pride!

Alcohol: 11.4%
Price: $45
Rated: 93
Drink: Now - 2041