Reviewed: 10 December 2012

This tasting was a good opportunity to look at some of the other wines that have been floating around the tasting bench for the last couple of months, waiting for a suitable bracket to be put in.

There was a wide selection of grape varieties and styles. It was interesting (though not unexpected) to see the Australian wines displaying more richness of fruit as compared to their European counterparts. Whilst not in the “traditional” style, these wines can represent excellent drinking.

Reviewed

Catena – Malbec – 2010 (17.7). Smart wine this. Ripe, though restrained fruit that is dense, yet supple. There are blueberry flavours over complex, savoury notes. Supple, mouth-coating and slightly viscous, the palate is delicious. The tannins shut down the fruit on the finish now, but there is no denying the quality. 5 – 10 years would only help.

Pazo San Mauro – Albarino – 2010 (17). Minerals to the fore over lemony fruit with lovely zesty acidity on the finish. Long and refreshing, this has good mouth-feel, with a touch of phenolic richness and lees influence to add depth and complexity. A dry, worked style of some charm (Rias Biaxas).

Swinney – Tempranilo/Cabernet Sauvignon/Grenache – Ingenue – Tirra Lirra – 2012 (17). Dense fruit that has a touch of tar. The lovely sweet fruit here gives away its new world origins. The palate is flooded with ripe fruit and sweet oak. A mouth-filling new world red with just enough tannin and acid on the close to keep it interesting.

West Cape Howe – Tempranillo – 2011 (17). Dusty, savoury nose that is varietally correct. The palate has lean though ripe fruit and is dominated by sour cherry characters that run right through to the close. The finish is very long and the tannins are fine, yet palpable. An excellent effort as this is identifiably tempranillo by its structure. (Perth Hills and Frankland).