15 September 2010
When I was informed that Matt Holden, the Sales Manager for Fine Wine Wholesalers decided to put on his new release wines from Grosset, Mosswood and Pierro etc, I jumped at the chance to review the wines.
The highlight was the Grosset Polish Hill. A truely great wine. There were a few other stars including the Mt Horricks 2010 riesling and the Mosswood Chardonnay.
Please note, the wines were not tasted blind, and this may have influenced my points.
Reviewed (in order tasted)
Mt Horricks – Riesling – 2009 (17.5). Floral, perfumed, round and mellow, yet with lovely lime juice acidity. The palate is long and tight to close, but this is a touch more developed than the others here.
Mt Horricks – Riesling – 2010 (18.1). Lifted fruit on the vibrant nose, with musk and lime juice. There is even a touch of granny smith apples. Lemon and lime brule on the palate. This is fine, long and quite seamless. (This is possibly the best riesling ever made by this producer.)
Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2010.(18.7). Wow, this is special. The nose is restrained and tight, yet bristling with potential. There are lovely floral notes and a touch of citrus. The palate is fine, taught, crisp and seamless. The length is outstanding and the floral notes continue on the extraordinarily fine finish. This is the best young Australian riesling that I have ever tasted!
Grosset – Riesling – Springvale – 2010 (18). Surprisingly closed by comparison to others here. Steely nose with minerals and lime juice. A touch of orange rind. Again, very long and with floral and musk on the close. Very good.
Lenton Brae – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – Wilyabrup – 2009 (17.5). Complex and grassy with green apple. This is clean, fresh and vibrant, yet there is a lot of intrinsic power coiled up and waiting to develop over a few years. Interesting wine.
Pierro – Chardonnay – 2008 (18.2+). Pineapple fruit, lees, barrel ferment and oak all appear on the lifted nose. Peaches and cream to the fore on the palate. This is very long and fine. It is a more forward style, yet retains its elegance and poise. Good length and excellent mouth-feel. This really opens and gets better with air.
Mosswood – Chardonnay – 2008 (18.2). Restrained and closed on the nose – this is extraordinarily fine. Yes there are some pineapple and stone fruit characters, yet these are subdued. Whilst the oak is a little forward right now, this will settle. A textural treat that needs a few years to show its best.
Mosswood – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 (18.6). Perfectly ripe and very dense, the fruit quality here is superb. This is ripe, with raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, spice and a touch of tar. The fruit is incredibly dense and fine, suggestive of a warmer year. Silky tannins and excellent length of flavours are a feature. As this opened, it displayed more of the characters typical of Margaret River cabernet.
Chapel Hill – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 – (18). Dense and closed initially, this has impressive fruit on the nose. The palate is dense and firm, the fruit characters are subdued and the tannins are fine if a bit chalky. Very good fruit combined with excellent winemaking guarantee a very long future. (This should also be good value).
Pierro – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2005 – (18). Cooler fruit characters with mint and some eucalypt. Perfectly ripe fruit that is starting to show the first signs of development. The palate is soft and supple, and there is good mouth-feel. Not quite as dense fruit as the others, but great drinking.
Feet First – Shiraz – 2008 (17.7). Fresh, but with dense fruit. The palate is all pepper and spice. There is cinnamon and nicely weighted fruit. The tannins are firm, but these will soften. Should be excellent value.
Chapel Hill – Shiraz – 2008 (18.3). Dense, ripe and displaying very good fruit. Super wine this, the fruit is dense and ripe, yet this is a restrained wine that will need years to show its best. Some chocolate to close. Silky tannins and Satsuma plum fruit. Textured, balanced and excellent oak.
Deepwoods – Cabernet Sauvignon – Reserve – 2008 (18.4). Intense and racy nose. The intensity of fruit on the palate is a revelation. The finish is fine, long and seamless – this is a superb wine. Excellent length and intensity of fruit.