Cumulus Estate Luna Rosa Rosado 2015

Rose is coming into it own times with the weather starting to warm up. I love the diversity in rose now as many wineries are making dry style rose as a count point to the sweeter styles from the Barossa that consumers are used to.

Rosado is the Spanish version for rose so I was thinking that this would be a drier version. In fact this wine came about as a Portuguese winemaker was doing vintage at Cumulus and set about having a competition with the winemaking team. The wine has been kept on as the first vintage was well received by the drinking public.

Cumulus Estate Luna Rosa Rosado 2015

Lovely light and dry in appearance and smell. There seems to be crispness and tension in the wine and they translated to the palate with flavours of sour cherries and dried herbs. Once the wine hits the mid-palate it moves into ripe strawberries which seem to be a little sweet for the style of the wine before a touch of spice finishes the wine off. I really loved the profile of the wine, except for the ultra ripe strawberries, and would recommend it to be served with a salad of spring and summer. After tasting it I found out the price and was astounded.

Alc: 12.2%
Price: $15.50
Rated: 89
Drink: Now

Torbreck The Descendant 2012

Torbreck seem to try to walk the line between ultra ripe fruit and lush textures. Sometimes they pull it off and they are brilliant wines. On the other side sometimes they push the limit a little too far. I guess the Barossa is going through a change as there is more diversity in the styles coming from the region which is a good thing.

Torbreck The Descendant 2012

The nose feel lush and lick but there is a chili heat already coming through. On the palate it is still evident but it is joined by scorched earth, tar and dried ink. I like the mouth fell yet the heat is too much for me. I guess as it was picked in early April in 2012 that could explain the heat component. Either way I would be drinking this earlier and in winter rather than summer.

Alcohol: 15%
Price: $125
Rated: 87
Drink: Now - 2019

Wild Duck Creek Estate Springflat Shiraz 2013

I sat down with David 'duck" Anderson yesterday and tasted through his new release wines. He is a lovely down to earth fellow that doesn't talk shit. He is a straight shooter. He spoke about the lack of rain that Heathcote has been suffering yet again. He thinks its another drought and I agree with him. Its been cold but the rain just hasn't come in any significant form he says. The 2013s I tasted were from a warmer year which has meant that the fruit is there and in many of his wines the oak has already been swallowed up.

Wild Duck Creek Estate Springflat Shiraz 2013

Boom it is out in the open this wine. This is most probably the best Springflat that I have tasted on release as the oak is already in the background and it is a little less sweet than normal. The first flavour out of the gate is pencil shavings, raspberry coulis, dark chocolate, boiled plums and spice. This is a full bodied wine but still retains a sense of charm and elegance. The tannin structure says stash me away but I say nay open it whenever you want.

Alcohol: 15.7%
Price: $52
Rated: 94
Drink: Now - 2027

Clairault Wines Estate Chardonnay 2013

I’ve never heard of these guys but it was an eye opener to taste their wine. The grounds of the winery are beautiful and look like they have been constructed with precision in mind.  

 Clairault Wines Estate Chardonnay 2013

 Oh so refined and restrained with flavours just poking their head out before running and hiding. This is built for cellaring and is beautifully woven together. There are hints of white nectarines, brown pears and just ripe peach with grapefruit and freshly ground spice. Whoever is growing this or putting this together should be given an award as the price of this wine is low but the quality is up there with the top in the country. Love it and bought a 6 pack for the cellar.

 

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $38

Rated: 94 +

Drink: start in 2019

 

Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese 2013

Its a big move for a winery to release 6 sangiovese based wines and really goes to show how much effort Pizzini is putting in to showcase this variety. From my perspective this wine is all about summer as it is light to medium bodied with fruit yet retains a sense of sourness about it.

Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese 2013

There is a small amount of merlot and shiraz in this wine but you wouldn't know as it tastes all sangiovese in a light body mode with sour cherries, dried earth and spice. The flavours move through well with a faint dusting of tannin underneath. This wine is perfect for summer or a funky wine bar in town so people could grab a glass after work with a group of friends. High quality and good value.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $21.50
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2016

 

Deep Wood Estate Winery Harmony Rose 2014

I have never tried a wine from this estate but was keen to try them as they were just around the corner from the house we were staying in Dunsborough. The winery is fantastic with a real sense of beauty and style about it.

Deep Wood Estate Winery Harmony Rose 2014

This is a mix of Shiraz and Tempranillo and was fermented on Chardonnay lees. This sounds all good but has resulted in a really sweet rose style wine with a big up front flavour that fades very quickly. The palate is a little hot and confusing but I do get some strawberries and herbs.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $15
Rated: 81
Drink: Now

Redbank Ellora Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvee 2012

The King Valley sounds like a good spot for sparkling wines.

Redbank Ellora Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvee 2012

There is an intense line of spice, cherries and baked bread running through the spine of this sparkling wine. This is a full bodied expression and it tastes far more expensive than the price tag states. The complexity level is rather good with flavours of pralines, strawberries and grapefruit skin combining with the above mentioned flavours but they are a little loose knit for a huge score. I would be drinking this leading up to the Christmas season.

Alcohol: 12%
Price: $23
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2018