Mayhem & Co. 'Small Berries" Shiraz 2012

This wine comes from a small plot of Shiraz in the Blewitt Springs district of McLaren Vale. The old vines are tended biodynamically by the same brother who planted them about 45 years ago. On the website this wine is called the Small Berries Shiraz but it doesn't say anything about small berries on the label that I have in front of me.

Mayhem & Co. 'Small Berries" Shiraz 2012

This wine has been carefully contructed in a hands off sort of manner. As such once open it takes a long while to show anything. To begin with it is unyielding and withdrawn with hints of savoury plums, dark chocolate and Asian spice. As the wine spend time in the decanter the length opens up with the bredth starting to coats the most far reaching edges of my tongue. On the 5 day this looked beautiful in an elegant and thoughtful style of Shiraz far removed from your normal Australian Shiraz. I think some people would have named this a Syrah but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a brilliant bottle of booze.

Alcohol: 13.8%
Price: $42
Rated: 92+
Drink: 2020 - 2032

Clarendon Hills Release 2013

Roman Bratasiuk is the man behind the Clarendon Hills label and he has set about producing only single vineyard wines from the Blewitt Springs, Clarendon and Kangarilla districts of McLaren Vale. He focuses on Shiraz, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet with a new Mataro coming on board. When I tasted through his range years ago they seemed robust with gobs of fruit. Now they have evolved into rustic wines of charm and drive.  He produces wines from 19 vineyards in the area with the majority of the top quality vineyards coming from Blewitt Springs.

Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Grenache 2010

This vineyard was established in the 1920 and the wine is the most relaxed and opens out more than all his wines. The flavours remind me of raspberry coulis, scorched earth and five spice. The long palate is a little angular with a warmth from the alcohol coming through. While I really like the dirtiness and medium weight of the wine the mid-palate is a little ruff and rugged for massive points.  That said this is a good entry level wine to get into Clarendon Hills way of thinking.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $70
Rated: 88
Drink: Now - 2020

Clarendon Hills Clarendon Grenache 2010

The wine is more fragrant and extressive than the Hickinbotham wine with fresh sage, redfruits and hickory smoked meats bounding out of the glass. The palate is nicely weighted in the medium bodied end of the spectrum with just a hint of tannin structure coming through. The entry of the wine is beautiful and reserved but the flavours and structure pull away from the mid-palate on.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $77

Rated: 89

Drink: Now - 2010

Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache 2010

Oh so restrained, complete and complex with flavours of dusty plums dipped in cherry chocolate cake. The old school and rustic palate flows so easily from the front to the back palate with dusty tannins running behind. These plaint and lively tannin are off set by nervy acidity and easy going likeability. Just brilliant and nothing like your fruity Australian Grenache!

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $135

Rated: 94+

Drink: 2016 - 2025

 Domaine Clarendon Syrah 2010

Loaded with oak and dark flavours. I was thinking dried earth, dutch licorice, blackberry compote and roasted spice. These flavour are thick on the palate and heavy but easy to understand and like. The wine is loaded with flavour and would work well if you like parker style wines.

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $57

Rated: 87

Drink: Now - 2018

Clarendon Hills Liandra Syrah 2010

I've tried this label a fair few times and the last time I truely liked it was back in 1999 so it was great to see a return to form. This charming minerally style wine possesses elegance and verve with notes of blackberries, spice, licorice and tar. The palate weight is moving into the full end of the spectrum but it doesn't feel heavy or worked at all. These flavours are supported by a core of fine tannins and up beat acidity which makes the palate jump out and grab you. While it was easy to glug down a glass or two in moments, I could feel the wines energy pulling it back. Leave it alone and it will reward.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $95

Rated: 92

Drink: 2017 - 2030

Clarendon Hills Piggott Range 2010

Everything is ramped up in this wine with oak, flavour and tannin having a mixed martial arts death match. The level of intensity is huge with flavours of scorched earth, dried licorice, bum squished pepper and dutch chocolate amazing all the senses. At the moment the wine is a little full on and warm from the alcohol but if it unfirls and the palate length increases it could be a momumental wine. Oh well, it is still a very good wine but with a massive price tag.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $320

Rated: 90

Drink: Give it ten years to hopefully sort itself out

Clarendon Hills Astralis 2010

This wine is wild and woolie with rustic flavours of plums rolled in earth and smashed spring flowers mixed with raspberries and redcurrants. The velvert texture enhances the overall experience, while the full bodied weight is balnced by boisterous acidity and drying tannins. This wines flavour spectrum is unque in Australia as Roman has managed to cram so much Shiraz goodness in a more European style into one bottle of wine. Bravo I say.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $490

Rated: 94+

Drink: In 15 years 

View Road Wines Sagrantino and Shiraz Vineyards

I went and took some photo's of the Sagrantino and Shiraz Vineyard that I take fruit from. The Sagrantino is located near d'Arenberg and the Shiraz comes from Blewitt Springs.

At the moment the grapes are massively high in acid with no flavour development.

Sagrantino Vineyard Oliver's Taranga

I take my fruit from one row of a vineyard

 The vineyard is run organically but isn't certified

The fruit is only just starting to change

Shiraz Vineyard Blewitt Springs

This vineyard is run biodynamically

 The vines are 40 years old and are dry grown

It was planted by two brother over 40 years ago

Patritti Old Gate Shiraz 2009

Patritti has been growing great grapes in one of the best areas in McLaren vale for some time but they now take some for themselves.  The Old Gate is the entry level wine that offers brilliant value as it uses structure and ripe flavour in the one package.

Patritti Old Gate Shiraz 2009

Lather me in chocolate and licorice sticks but call me aromatics and spice. It's the sort of wine that is loving and structured at the same time so I am in two minds as how I should take this. After three days I said take me as I am which means drink me in a few years and I will shine.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $18
Rated: 87
Drink: Now - 2029

Patritti Lot 3 Shiraz 2010

Patritti Lot 3 Shiraz 2010

The grapes for this wine comprise all three blocks from Patritti’s home block.  That means this wine is part old gate, JBP and Wirri Wirri Patritti combined which gets me excited just thinking about the prospect of tasting it.  This wine is aged in new French oak and is only the free run juice making this wine made in a super premium fashion. Once the bottle is open, the room fills with bright and savoury floral aromatics which transfer easily onto the palate.  There are flavours that bounce onto my mouth with energy that I used to have when I was in my late teen but these flavour do so in an elegant and cerebral manner. The wine is lighter in weight than the JPB but it certainly doesn’t lack depth or length of flavour. In fact it took three days for the tannin structure to emerge from under the flavours of blackberry compote, Dutch licorice, chocolate covered blueberries and Asian spice.  Once those tannins took hold they never let me go. It was as if a single tannin had walked down my tongue and dropped a time bomb. Three, two, one…boom and the bomb has started an avalanche of ripe tannins which cascade over my tongue enveloping every inch of my mouth.  Now compared to the JPB this wine has a little more balance between oak and flavour but I could understand if people preferred the JPB as it is a little more full bodied wine. However, I see the Lot 3 wine as having greater balance, length and beauty but only by the smallest of margins.   

Alcohol: ?

Price: $30

Rated: 95

Drink: 2020 – 2037

Recently I seem to be receiving a few samples of wine that have only just been bottled or haven't been given a label which is something I consider to be very cool.  Getting in on the ground floor feels so good. Hand painted and I love it.

Patritti Merlot 2009

When I think of the bargain wines of the century a few come to mind.  Any Semillon is the first and Halliday was the man that got me onto that variety.  Next is Mike Press from the Adelaide Hills which came to the front of my mind by Campbell Mattinson. As these two gentleman and the wineries that they recommended have shaped my buying in the past I would like to share one winery that I think joins these ranks as the best  value driven winery in Australia.

Patritti Merlot 2009

I wasn't expecting much from this wine but from the get go I new this was going to be a great value Merlot that offered a little extra. The palate is plumpy with spicy plum working its magic before some savoury crushed flowers and licorice join the team.  This is an easy wine to like as it slips down my throat with control and refined goodness.  What is most enchanting is the amount of tannin that holds the structure together and carries the flavour along my tongue.  While this is not the best wine going around for $12 it beats a lot of wines three times its price. Time to get on board!

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $12
Rated: 86
Drink: Now - 2016

Patritti JPB Shiraz 2010

I received a comment on a Wirra Wirra wine a little while ago asking if their wine and this wine tasted similar as they come off the same vineyard so I thought I should do a bit of research.

As you can see there are three blocks on this one vineyard.  The block to the right is where the Wirra Wirra Patritti Shiraz comes from and the wine is more aromatic that the two other blocks. While this wine is off of the middle block taste of the wine is a little more robust in its style than the block to the right.  The block to the left is the most robust of the three blocks and tastes a little more like the wines that come from the heart of McLaren Vale.  All of the blocks are on a sandy soil which makes them best during the hotter vintages. As this wine has only just been released I have only seen two places that sell it. At cellar door and myCellars.

Patritti JPB Shiraz 2010

When I first tasted this the thing that stood out the most was the tannin structure. It is more like a Nebbiolo than a Shiraz but the flavours are carried perfectly on the robust velvety tannins.  What also knocked me over was how tight this wine was for at least the first five days, after which flavours of dark chocolate and savoury blackberries started to emerge.  Each day I came back to check on this wine something new and exciting showed itself in the form of smoked blueberries, crushed rock and wood soaked straw.  This is the sort of wine that gets me reaching for my dancing shoes as not often do you find wines that people will be drinking in 30 to 40 years and saying I remember when we first started buying Patritti before they became the star winery of Australia. Did you parents ever tell you about the times when they used to buy Grange by the carton? This wine is the same as that but you get the chance to get on board at the beginning.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $45
Rated: 94 +
Drink: 2025 - 2050

Wirra Wirra Patritti Shiraz 2010

Wirra Wirra is fast becoming my winery of the year.  The Woodhenge was so good I thought that that was it.  I want to meet the head winemaker from this winery as I now put him and his team up the top of the tree in terms of quality. The quality of this wine is staggering yet I tasted this wine not knowing the price or district from within McLaren Vale that this wine originated from.  The winery must have some of the best vineyards in McLaren Vale because this is the first young Shiraz to drop me to the floor. I actually had to sit down for five minutes after taking the first sip it is that good. Now the team at Wirra Wirra only had enough juice to fill two barrels so there is not much around which means you need to get in fast.  The best part is this wine was made for the scarce earth project meaning that it will be on tasting.  Try it and buy it I say.

Wirra Wirra Patritti Shiraz 2010

Oh so fragrant in it's approach as the aromas waft out of the glass. Was I expecting this? No, I was thinking this would be dark in nature but this wine is feminine and expressive which toys with your senses.  Dare I take a sip? Could the palate live up to the seductive foreplay of the perfume that dances around in my nostrils?  Hell yes! The palate is something that will live in my mind forever as it balances structure and flavour like no other Shiraz that I have tasted.  Is this the best young Shiraz I have ever tasted? Yes and it should be in everyone's cellar that loves this variety. The wine seems to pull off everything. It is lively in the mouth yet intense in flavour that feels dark and evil but is really seamless and light.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $130
Rated: 95
Drink: 2017 - 2040

 

Jauma Chenin Blanc 2011

I've been speaking to a few guys in the wine industry and everyone agrees that James Erskine is one of the nicest guys going around.  He is a captivating slender gentleman with passion oozing from every pore. When you meet him you feel energetic and enthused yourself which bring me to how these wines are sold.  Each year James, Anton and Tom put on a huge show in each capital city, normally with some food that they have fished out of the sea on the way to whatever city they are heading to. They create a buzz and sell almost all of their wines in that short time. What I think this is is a marketing process, pure and simple.  Get people involved in the hype and hope they don't bother to think about the wine. Now I don't think the team are thinking that way but I think that is happening.  The wines that I have tried from Jauma in 2011 aren't that good and they aren't very good value but he has sold out.

Jauma Chenin Blanc 2011

The wine has a little melon on the nose but otherwise you get a totally nail polish remover nose with not much else. On the palate there is the same nail polish remover notes that leaves my palate tired.  While there isn't the lovely refreshing acidity that you normally get from Chenin Blanc or the complexity or texture in this wine but you do get the hand of the winemaker.  In the end the wine fell off my palate in a mess.

Alcohol: 13.2%
Price: $22
Rated: 79
Drink: Now

Jauma Giggles off-dry Chenin Blanc 2011

Chenin Blanc has been grown in McLaren Vale for a while now and more people are starting to put one on the market.  This might be a result of the continual average increase in temperature in Australia and some varieties handle the change better than others. I think the Vales with find a home for other varieties such as fiano, vermentino, aglianico and nero d'avola just to name a few.

Jauma Giggles off-dry Chenin Blanc 2011

When I was thinking of Chenin Balnc my thoughts immediately went to this will taste crisp. Well it doesn't. The wine comes across as being very simple and sweet due to the amazing amounts of volatile acidity (VA). The VA kills any other flavour and just makes the wine tiring to drink.  From the mid palate you get sugar mixed with VA which is refreshing but still not the most pleasant to drink. What brings up the score is a nice hit of lemon on the back palate. 

Alcohol: 11%

Price: $30

Rated: 81

Drink: Now

What do you think a plastic cork says about the quality or longevity of the wine? 

Wicked packaging for the Jauma range.

Jauma Wood Vineyard 2010

Everyone is into food and wine pairing so I thought I would do movie and wine pairing instead.  The movie that pairs best with this little number is "The Tree of Life".  Terrence Mallick's film is shot naturally with no lighting and only a hand held camera as he is trying to show everything in a raw state.  The film is brilliantly cast and the leading lady is breathtaking in her outfits.  The film is visually impressive with little dialogue which tries to show the brutal nature of life.  Good idea but after 30 minutes into the film you get a large proposition filled with shots of volcanoes, oceans and the sun.  The cinema was packed and about 2 hours in people started yelling out comments like "I can't get back those minutes in my life or what sh** is this" and we even had one gentleman snore his head off.  Mallick spent 4 years editing this film which lends itself to perfectionistic tendencies, but in the end the message is lost due to his execution.  From the reviews I have looked at he either got no stars or 5 stars, with no stars taking up the greater proportion. 

Jauma Wood Vineyard 2010

The wine slowing creeps out of the bottle with cinnamon, red licorice and red lollies.  After a while a little dark chocolate comes into play.  These are beautiful flavours but they sit on an ultra bitter finish and a hint of Clag glue.  There are lovely light tannin elements coming into play which suggests that you could age this in the short to medium term.  Get rid of the flavours from the mid-palate to the finish and you have a brilliant wine!  Now I've had this wine four or five times and they have ranged from undrinkable to very good (72 - 89pts) and this one is in the middle. 

Alcohol: 15.5%
Price: $80
Rated: 85
Drink: 2011 - 2017