26^th July 2014

The Oxford Dictionary defines terroir as:

• The complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.
• The characteristic taste and flavour imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.

What these definitions fail to capture is the people involved in the production of the wine. It is my view that terroir is the effects of the natural environment, combined with the collective memories of the people involved in making the wine.

For example, in an area like Bordeaux, it is the people who select the grape varieties grown, and the people who decide on how the grapes will be treated (both in the vineyard and the winery).

In Australia, a classic example of terroir is Coonawarra. Here is a region that has a proud tradition of producing quality wines. Perhaps more so than any other region in Australia, it is a single grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) that made the region famous.

That said, many good wines from Coonawarra have been made from Shiraz, particularly under the Wynns (white) label. What has always interested me is that these wines taste as much of Coonawarra (mint, eucalyptus and herbs) as they do of Shiraz.

In the current tasting, there was a fascinating opportunity to look at two pairs of wines, one pair from Coonawarra and the other from McLaren Vale. Both pairs had one Cabernet and one Shiraz. In both cases, the region is famous for one variety. In McLaren Vale however, this is Shiraz.

In each case, the region from which the wine came was clearly identifiable, independent of the grape variety.

Hollick – Cabernet Sauvignon – Ravenswood – 2010 (18 – 18.5+). Wow. This is a step up in terms of fruit intensity and quality. The nose opens with ripe blackberry and mulberry, over menthol, licorice and spice. The palate is tight and refined, with drying tannins masking the (high quality) fruit. Very long, the texture and mouth-feel are a highlight. A superb wine that, whilst refined and elegant, is a classic example of the Coonawarra terroir. (RRP $77).

Hollick – Shiraz – Wilgha – 2010 (18.5). Menthol and cedar over beautifully ripe fruit. The quality oak adding to the overall package. On the palate, this has it all: Balance, power, refinement and subtlety, all melded into a complete and compelling package. The length of flavours and the mouth-feel are outstanding, the tannins extraordinarily fine (though abundant), and the texture spot on. This wine drinks beautifully and has Coonawarra stamped all over it. Whilst this will age well, why not drink this over the next 10 years, while waiting for the Ravenswood. (RRP $54).

Shottesbrooke – Shiraz – 2012 (17.8). More density here, though not over-ripe in any way. Opens with McLaren Vale choc-mint notes over ripe fruit, with spice highlights. The palate has ripe fruits, though there is remarkable restraint given its origins. Excellent length, with firm tannins and texturing oak to close. Chewy tannins shut down the mid-palate fruit, so give it some air or 5 – 10 years in the bottle. (RRP $19).

Shottesbrooke – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2012 (17.5). Quite tight and restrained. Pretty red fruits with hints of cedar and cherry. Only medium-bodied, but a lovely example, with dusty tannins to close. Will age well for several years. An impressive wine that is elegant and refined, this is clearly Cabernet Sauvignon, but also recognisably McLaren Vale. (RRP $20).

Reviewed:10^th July 2014

I am somewhat surprised and a little perplexed that we do not drink more wines from Greece. According to Jancis Robinson, Greece is the home of modern winemaking in Europe, with cultivation of vines and wine production dating back to 2000BC.

From Greece, viticulture spread through Sicily, the Italian mainland and France. In other words, it was the Greeks who brought modern grapes and winemaking to many of the most famous winemaking countries in the world!

Whilst there was an extended period (many centuries) where Greek winemaking was considered rustic at best, over the last few decades there has been a significant improvement in viticulture and winemaking. This has led to a revival in the industry.

There are major winemaking regions on both the mainland and some of the islands. Like other major European producers, Greece has legislated to define various appellations, as well as a tiered quality system.

Indigenous varieties include the white grape Assyrtiko (used in several wines in this tasting) as well as the red varieties Agiorghiyiko and Xinomavro. Like many other old-world producers, classic French varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are produced, often blended with local varieties.

This tasting was hosted by La Vigna in Western Australia. La Vigna stocks (arguably) the largest collection of imported wines in Western Australia (or Australia for that matter). It should definitely be on every wine enthusiast’s list of places to visit!

Reviewed

Gaia – Assyrtiko – Thalassitis – 2012. Light and fresh, with hints of musk and perfume. The palate is relatively neutral, with enough depth to make for enjoyable drinking. Some similarities to Pinot Gris. (RRP $38).

Gaia – Assyrtiko – Wild Ferment – 2013. A complex wine with barrel ferment and lees characters and vanillin oak highlights. The palate is textured and long, with a drying finish that maintains focus. A smart wine. (RRP $40).

Gaia – Xinomavro/Merlot/Shiraz – Agiorgitiko – 2012. Fresh cherry-like fruit with sweet berry highlights. The plate is flesh and fruit driven. Perhaps this has seen partial carbonic maceration to maintain the fleshy fruit characters. (RRP $33).

Kir Yianni – Merlot/Xinomavro/Shiraz – Paranga – 2012. Refined, elegant, silky and polished, with red fruits and fine tannins. Fermented/stored in stainless steel, so oak plays no role in this fleshy wine. One to try this winter with simple food. (RRP $26).

Kir Yianni – Merlot/Xinomavro – Estate – 2010. This has a lot in common with right bank Bordeaux, or super Tuscan reds for that matter. Precise ripe fruit is complemented by fine-grained oak and dusty/powdery tannins. The structure here combined with the density of fruit should facilitate aging over the medium term. (RRP $40).

Kir Yianni – Xinomavro – Ramnista – 2010. The first wine that was 100% Xinomavro. The nose had perfume and spice over a touch of cedar from the oak. The palate is dense and structured with decent length. A big wine, but one that is worth trying. (RRP – $37).

Gaia – Agiorgitiko/Shiraz – S – 2011. Aiming to emulate the success of the super Tuscan reds (they blend Sangiovese with a small amount of classic French red grapes), this wine sees 30% Shiraz added to the native Agiorgitiko. A dense wine with hints of pipe-smoke over licorice and spice. There is a degree of silkiness to the ripe fruit, and the finish is quite supple for what is a big wine. Age-worthy. (RRP $50).

Kir Yianni – Shiraz/Merlot/Xinomavro – Dyo Elies – 2008. Silky and refined, yet with real depth of fruit. The finish is chewy, tannic and very long, with oak highlights to close. This is a very fine wine. (RRP $60).

Reviewed: June 30, 2014

When it comes to Riesling, the Great Southern region of Western Australian deserves the same quality reputation as the Clare Valley in South Australia. Like Clare, there are several subdistricts within the region that are capable of displaying subtle stylistic differences. If Frankland River (like Watervale) is the engine room, then the Porongorup district is the Polish Hill of the region.

Several producers are now making separate wines under two or more of the subregions including Howard Park. Both the Porongorup and Great Southern wines are excellent example of the style. It is, however, the Madfish that really caught my attention.

According to Jeff Birch, all Riesling produced for the 2013 vintage started life destined for the top wines. Ultimately, some batches did not quite make the grade, and were declassified and then bottled under the Madfish label.

Whilst the 2013 Madfish Riesling is not quite as intense as its big brothers, it is an absolute bargain!

Reviewed

Howard Park – Riesling – Porongurup – 2013 (18.5). Closed on the nose, though hinting at potential. The palate has lime juice and grapefruit characters. The acid is fresh, yet remarkably polished and almost silky. With excellent length and persistence, this is a thrilling wine. (RRP $34).

Howard Park – Riesling – Great Southern – 2013 (18.5). Fragrant and supple fruit on the nose. This follows onto the most delightful of palates that transitions from citrus and minerals upfront, to delicately refined acid in near seamless fashion. The length and persistence are outstanding. Sublime wine. (RRP $33).

Howard Park – Riesling – Madfish – 2012 (17.8). Whilst this wine does not have the intensity of the Porongurup riesling, it has the same soft, polished fruit and acidity. Somewhat viscous in the mouth, with excellent line and length. From the Great Southern. (RRP $18).

Reviewed:  18^th June 2014

It is easy to get a little myopic living and tasting in Western Australia. WA is capable of producing exquisite wines in a wide variety of styles. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Shiraz all excel.

This combination of great wines and easy access to the wineries results in a lot of my reviews being about WA wines.

This tasting served as a timely reminder that, on the other side of the country, Tasmania is also producing superb wines. The Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs (and the sparkling wines based on these varieties) deserve their reputation as some of Australia’s finest.

As expected, the Dalrymple Pinot was excellent. It was the Rieslings however that really made me pay attention.

Reviewed

Parish Vineyard – Riesling – Coal River Valley – 2013 (18.5). Floral notes of lime blossom and musk-like perfume. The palate is tight, with the mineral-like acidity cutting through the citrus fruit. Excellent length and tremendous mouth-feel make for an outstanding wine. (RRP $30).

Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers – Riesling – Überblanc – 2012 (18). A very fine wine with piercing acidity and minerality. That said, this has excellent texture, depth and mouth-feel. Will age well for many years.

Dalrymple – Pinot Noir – Pipers River – 2013 (18+). Sour plum, clove and cinnamon on the nose. The palate is firm and full, with quality fruit and winemaking evident, the oak serving to highlight the fruit rather than dominate it. It is on the finish where this wine stands out, with waves of fruit flavours evolving in the mouth for some time. Excellent wine and good value. (RRP $33).

Reviewed: 12^th June 2014

Ferngrove, whilst not an early pioneer of the region, has played an important role in the development of the Great Southern, and the Frankland sub-district in particular. This has been on two fronts. Firstly, they established a reputation for quality wines, but perhaps more importantly, served as contract winemakers for others in the district.

Ferngrove was established in 1998 by Murray Burton. In the last few years though, ownership has moved off-shore, with a Chinese investor (Xingfa Ma) taking over majority control.

The good news for the team at Ferngrove (who now also own Killerby), is that there has been no change in the day-to-day operations. Chris Zur, who joined the team at inception, is still there, serving as Vineyard Manager, as is Kim Horton who has headed up the winemaking team since 2003.

Ferngrove is one of those rare wineries that is capable of making excellent wines at all price points. From the Symbols range (RRP $16.50), through to The Stirlings (RRP $70), the wines deliver on their promise.

The focus of this tasting was the Orchid range. These wines sit at/near the top of the Ferngrove quality tree, with only The Stirlings sitting above them.

Reviewed

Ferngrove – Riesling – Cossack – 2013 (17.5 – 18+). Lovely lime curd and lemon zest fruit here. This is a powerful wine, with taut minerality cutting through the fresh lemon and lime fruit on the palate. Excellent length and persistence, with fresh, brisk acidity that adds drive. Bone dry, this is a lively riesling that will age well. (RRP $23).

Ferngrove – Chardonnay – Diamond – 2012 (17). A complex nose that has Burgundian overtones. Peach and melon characters lead the aromas, but it is the lovely grapefruit accent, combined with slick winemaking that is a highlight. Powerful palate, though it needs a year or two for the fruit to settle back into the oak. Whilst some will find the oak a little obvious now, this is a good mainstream style that will benefit from at least another year or two in bottle (or being given a little air prior to serving). (RRP $25).

Ferngrove – Cabernet Sauvignon – Majestic – 2011 (17.5). Ripe summer berries to the fore on the nose. The palate is bright and varietally correct, with cedary oak and firm tannins giving way to fresh acidity on the finish. Decent length to close. Will reward cellaring. Spent 20 months in new French oak. (RRP $32).

Ferngrove – Malbec – King – 2011 (17 – 17.5). Precise fruit on the nose, with black plum and red berry characters. There is also a touch of menthol and slight dustiness that may come from a touch of residual SO2. The finish is quite firm at present, with the new oak (French and Hungarian) playing a role. That said, there is no doubting the quality of the dense, dark fruit. (RRP $32).

Ferngrove – Shiraz – Dragon – 2011 (18). Beautiful nose that combines ripe, supple fruit with savoury, winemaker’s inputs. The fruit is both floral and fragrant, with savoury plum and cinnamon notes and fresh peppery highlights. The palate is very fine and long, with ripe, supple tannins and oak. Well made, this is a lovely wine now, or in ten years. (RRP $32).

Reviewed: 6^th June 2014

Houghton’s place in the history of viticulture in Western Australia is unique. Soon to celebrate their 180^th anniversary, Houghton dates back to the very early days of settlement in the state.

The purpose of my visit to Houghton was primarily to try the recently released 2011 Jack Mann, but I also took the opportunity to taste through a cross-section of the range.

The key feature of the Houghton range is their ability to deliver great value wines at all ends of the price spectrum. From the humble Stripe range, right through to Jack Mann, the quality is excellent within the respective price points.

Whilst some wines within the cheaper ranges are stronger than others, the price makes them all worth considering. For me though, it is at the premium end where the quality/value proposition gets really interesting. Starting with the Wisdom range, the wines are uniformly superb.

Reviewed

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon – Wisdom – 2011 (18). There is a significant step up in fruit quality and depth compared to the cheaper wines. The nose has pretty fruit (violet and blackcurrant), with cedar and spice in the background. In the mouth, this is silky and supple, with waves of ripe fruit washing over the palate. The length, depth, texture and persistence are all excellent. A pleasure now, but will be better with time.

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon – CW Ferguson – 2008 (18.3+). Beautiful fruit that is just starting to blossom. There is a floral lift to the nose with violets, mulberry and supple spice. In the mouth, this is still quite structured and firm, the chewy tannins adding texture. Initially the fruit is quite shy, but this really builds depth with air. Excellent length to close.

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon – Gladstone – 2011 (18.5). Quite different to the CW Ferguson, as this has more overt fruit power. The nose has blackcurrant and even a hint of cassis, with tobacco leaf and cedar adding savoury complexity. The palate is rich and dense with precise, ripe fruit notes. Despite the obvious power, this retains a degree of supple drinkability. The finish is remarkably fine.

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon – Jack Mann – 2011 (19). The nose is reserved and tight. The power of the fruit is palpable, even if it is somewhat suppressed right now. The palate displays awesome fruit, with spectacular depth. The wine builds and evolves as the fruit starts to unwind. The length is a highlight, as are the silky/fine tannins. This is the most immature of all the cabernets. Everything is in place, but it needs a little time to really meld. A superstar!