Guigal La Turque 2005

Guigal is the biggest negociant and wine producer in Cote Rotie and they produce some of the least and most expensive wines in the region. The La Turque, La Landonne and La Mouline are at the top of the quality and price tree.  These wines are made in a more modern style yet they still retain the inherent structure of an old world wine. Below is a photo of the La Turque vineyard.

 

Image from Oldbridgewine

Guigal La Turque 2005

Get out your visa cards as you will need it to purchase a bottle of this.  To start with this wine was all locked up and not showing well but it is only 8 degrees today so I warmed the glass up in my hand before taking the plunge. After it warms a little flavoursome note of red-fruits dancing with graphite and spice start to take hold. These flavours are soon taken over by blackberry essence and funky earth that has had a fresh bail of straw and a cow poo added to it.  The marvellous flavours are outdone by the tannin structure which with every heart beat builds and builds into the crescendo of fireworks on new year eve.   These tannins hug my tongue with love and lust that just makes me want to sit with this wine longer.  There is nothing overwhelming about this wine, in fact it is medium bodied controlled yet has this power running through its skin that it magical and mystical at the same time. What I would say is that this is not ready to drink now. I would wait until it turns into a teenager and then have a look.  

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $750

Rated: 96+

Drink: 2018 - 2034

Importer: Negociants Australia

Penfolds 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Penfolds 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

2009 Cabernet's from the Barossa are so drinkable! Well this isn't totally from the Barossa but a large component comes from the area. This wine has an inherent forcefulness about it with plush flavours and a savoury element sitting in underneath. The normally full on American oak is hiding behind the flavours and the structure manages to settle in nicely which provide a nice counter point to the extrovert nature of the flavours.  While everything is balanced, I really dig the flavours of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, mint, spice, chocolate and stinging nettle as they are easy to understand and in your face.  When I say in your face, these flavours aren't trying to be aggressive but they do make themselves known. Now to the length. Long, long and long like the Amazon as it take you on a journey with events that you wish you could have photographed. One wine for now or later.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $200 street price
Rated: 94
Drink: Now - 2030

Henschke End of Vintage 2012

Henschke End of Vintage 2012

With the long days of vintage behind us, but still fresh in our minds, it is now time to reflect on the 2012 vintage, which I consider to be in the top five vintages of my 35 years of winemaking.

In the lead-up to vintage, the La Niña pattern weakened, resulting in a drier, colder winter with below average rainfall, which followed through to spring with mild conditions and an early budburst. Flowering and fruit set were affected by wet, drizzly weather in Eden Valley and persistent morning fogs in the Adelaide Hills, which led to only average yields.  The summer was also surprisingly mild with below average temperatures and only two short heat events to speak of. Some cooler weather, followed by an Indian summer, provided a slow ripening period and allowed for a long window of picking, which produced intense fruit flavours, high colour figures, good acidity and mature tannins in our Eden Valley fruit. The slow ripening period in the Adelaide Hills encouraged intense fruit flavours, high natural acidity and good balance in the fruit. 

In Eden Valley the standout varieties were riesling, showing delightful aromatics, purity, intensity, excellent acidity and length of flavour, and shiraz, showing great purity, colour intensity and strikingly mature tannins. In the Adelaide Hills the standout varieties were chardonnay, showing exquisite fruit flavours, length and acidity, and pinot noir, showing excellent spice, colour intensity and mature, velvety tannins.   

Sticks No 29 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

The Sticks winery is located in Yarra Valley but this wine comes from two sub-regions, Dixons Creek and Yarra Glen.  Dixons Creek is not that big of a sub-region with only 34 people studying at the school in the area. What this area does provide is elegance in the Cabernet variety.  Below is a map of the two areas that this wine herald from.

Image from Google Maps

Image from Google Maps

Sticks No 29 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

True easy going and sophisticated flavours of fresh leaves and tiny blackcurrants slowly waltz out of my glass but they do so in such a manner that I have to stand to attention. The wine is definitely well constructed with the tannin and acid sitting firmly under the flavours of fun and frivolous joy. There is life brimming from the beautiful knight in well worn armour but that only adds to the experience now and in the future. It is the sort of wine that could be consumed now but I get the feeling that it will reward a few years in a dungeon.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $40
Rated: 88
Drink: 2014 - 2025

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2009

More people need to drink these sort of wines as they are so easy to like in a medium bodied and food friendly manner.  You could get home from work and crack one, consuming the whole bottle without even thinking or you could take your time with a nice Baron of Lamb sprinkled with garden herbs.  

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2009

If Mataro drove an F1 car it would be Sebastian Vettel as it dominates this wine. It does this in a inviting and alluring manner with plenty of red-fruits and tannic grip to match.  It is the sort of wine that creeps up on you with every sip which adds to the overall pleasure of the vinous experience.   Over the course of the event the team is joined by spring flowers and autumn leaves rolled in warm clay and spice. All of these lovely flavours combine effortlessly with the structure to complete the package. This is the sort of wine I will drink in the short to medium term while I wait for the big guns to rest in my cellar.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: ?
Rated: 88+
Drink: Now - 2017
Importer: Negociants

Penfolds RWT 2009

Penfolds RWT 2009

400 grams Sultanas
75 grams Raisins, finely chopped
200 grams Mixed fruit
200 ml Brandy
250 grams Butter
155 grams Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
75 grams Marmalade
300 grams Plain Flour
75 grams Self-raising Flour
1 Tbs Mixed Spice
250 Ml Rum

1 Punnet Blueberries

100 grams Milk Chocolate

Pinch of Spice

1 stick of Salami

Combine sultanas, raisins, mixed fruit and rum in a owl and allow to sit over night in the fridge. Preheat over to 150 degrees Celsius. Beat butter and sugar together and then beat in eggs one at a time. Add the marmalade and beat until combined and then fold in flour, spice and fruit mixture.  Spoon into prepared pan and cover with foil.  Cook in 3 1/2 hours or until an inserted skew comes out clean. You now have a perfect rum fruitcake.

Cook punnet of blueberries in oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes to release pungent blueberry flavours.

Serve warm blueberries, fruitcake, milk chocolate, spice and salami on a platter for guests.

Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: $130 street price
Rated: 93
Drink: Now - 2027

Poderi Aldo Conterno Il Favot Nebbiolo DOC 2008

Many wine connoisseur regard Pinot Noir as the elixir from the god yet I'm yet to have a life changing moment with that variety.  On the other hand I have had many jaw dropping moments with Nebbiolo so it is always great to see another one land on my tasting bench.  This variety possesses those beautiful aromatics yet it has a tannin and acid structure that is often to die for.  This wine I like so much that after only having four days off in the last six weeks I'm thinking of cracking another one of these on Friday as I have the week-end totally free.  

Poderi Aldo Conterno Il Favot Nebbiolo DOC

Imagine rolling around in warm earth on a mild spring day in a country garden in England and you basically have this wine down pat. You also get an inviting fluffy sweet tannin structure that is accessible now, this is strange for your normal Nebbiolo as they often need a while in the cellar, and a easy acid element.  Now I don't think this is built for the long haul but it does give you an incite into what the variety brings to the table. 

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $80

Rated: 90

Drink: Now - 2016

Importer: Negociants