Author Archives: Weinman on Wine

New Release Whites

21 January 2010

The change to screw cap closures on wines has been something that I have publicly embraced as a great compromise for wine lovers. Being free of all of the imperfections of cork is what it is all about. Whilst the screw cap is inert and reliable, it is not fool-proof. One important difference that I have noted is that wines stay fresher for longer. This impacts on both wines that you buy to age and wines that are best drunk young.

With wines designed for early consumption, like most of the wines in this tasting, the increased freshness has had another consequence that we need to bear in mind. By being slower to develop, they appear to take a little longer in bottle to show there best.

Years ago, I would not dream of keeping a sauvignon blanc for more than a year, but with many of the wines in this tasting, they were actually a little closed and tight. Several looked even better the next day with a bit of airing. I am not suggesting that you start ageing these styles, but it may be worth giving them a bit of air if you find that they do not meet your expectations. Some of the lightly oaked styles can easily take 2-3 years in the cellar.

So to the wines. Once again, the 2009 Clairault sauvignon blanc showed well. This is a lovely drink. Forester also seem to be kicking some goals with their sauvignon. I continue to be impressed with the wines from Deviation Road from the Adelaide hills. I must try and visit them at some stage this year.

This was meant to be a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc tasting, but unfortunately a few pinot gris/grigio wine got mixed up.

Tasted

Deviation Road – Pinot Gris – 2009 (17.5+). Clean and fresh smelling. There is sherbet, musk, pineapple and a touch of cinnamon. Evolves on the palate and has excellent mouth feel and texture. Persistent and balanced. Good acidity to close. (I had a glass with salmon the next night and it was excellent.)

Clairault – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.5). Following on from the excellent 2008, this is another cracker! More overt and obvious than some, there is pristine fruit on the nose in the tropical spectrum with pulpy passionfruit. The palate is really quite tight at the moment but the fruit really builds in the mouth. Will develop over the next 6 months. There might be a touch of residual sugar, but it is all the better for it.

Forester – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.5). Some zesty fruit on this. Ripe, concentrated passionfruit and tropical fruit with pineapple acid. Some winemaker inputs. Textured palate with good mouth feel. Lemony acid to close. Quite a big wine.

Flametree – Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – 2009 (17). Pungent sauvignon characters with lantana and a touch of vanilla. Crème brulle on the creamy palate. Very good fruit and wine making. Fine close.

Hamlin Bay – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17). Lifted, grassy fruit with some passionfruit and musk. The palate is long, fresh and surprisingly viscous. Passionfruit to close. The finish is closed but well balanced.

Wine By Brad – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.8). Focused and precise nose. Quite fragrant, complex and balanced,with fresh acidity to keep the finish alive. Good summer drinking

Millbrook – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Barking Owl – 2009 (16.6). Creamy nose, with some interesting fruit. Sweet fruit but without great excitement. Good current drinking.

Deviation Road – Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (16.5+). A different style to the WA and NZ wines. Starts off zesty and tight. The palate is powerful, long, focused but closed. Will do better with 6 months in the bottle.

Forester – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5+). This is closed and tight. This is quite a serious wine with good viscosity/mouth-feel and some worked wine making inputs. Will be better in a few months.

Howard Park – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5+). Sweet and ripe fruit on the nose, this is lacking some definition at present. A crowd pleasing style that builds intensity. Will be better in a few months.

Preveli – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5). More of the grassy characters here. Some musk and sherbet too. The palate is racy, but the acid is a little firm now.

Sidewood Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – 2008 (16.4). A complex and funky wine with caramel on the close. Unusual.

Sauvignon Blanc

Reviewed: 12 February 2013

Another interesting tasting, with the lightly oaked versions tending to be preferred by the judges for their greater complexity and excellent mouth-feel. The balance of these wines was the key to their success.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Amberly and E&T Gnangara will provide plenty of enjoyment on a warm afternoon if you are looking for an uncomplicated drink.

Reviewed

Redgate Wines – Sauvignon Blanc – Reserve – 2012 (18). Elegant and refined, this is a lovely wine. This is a restrained expression of SB where the fruit is subdued and the textural components carry the finish. The hint of sugar to close balances the palate nicely, while a touch of barrel ferment to add texture. Unanimous praise from the panel.

Singlefile Wines – Sauvignon Blanc – Fume Blanc – 2012 (17.5). A good example that balances grassy fruit with refreshing, lively acidity. There is excellent length and the fruit builds in the mouth. Complex, this is a nice compromise between ripe fruit and the savoury structure that comes from a portion of the fruit being fermented in barrel. The lime like acidity to close maintains the freshness.

Evans & Tate – Sauvignon Blanc – Metricup Road – 2012 (17.5). A lightly worked style with complex flint and match-stike character over minerals. The palate is textured and long, the barrel ferment and lees work providing the structure over which the fruit is built. With lemony acid to close, this is long and savoury. The balance and texture are a highlight. A very smart wine that will age well in the short term.

Brookwood Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17). Tropical fruit with gooseberry over lemon zest. Good length and bright fruit, this offers a lot in a mainstream style.

Chalice Bridge – Sauvignon Blanc – The Estate – 2012 (17). Opens with grassy notes on the nose. The palate is grassy and savoury, with excellent texture and mouth-feel. The phenolics have been well judged, adding texture and complexity.

Amberley – Sauvignon Blanc – Secret Lane – 2012 (16.5). Fresh and vibrant, with juicy, lemony acidity. Not overly complex, but will be good value drinking if well chilled.

Evans & Tate – Sauvignon Blanc – Gnangara – 2012 (16.5). Grassy, mid weight fruit on both the nose and palate. The acid carries the finish making this a good choice served cold on a warm afternoon.

Sauvignon Blanc – New Release

Reviewed 24 January 2013

I was interested to read in the Financial Review that their wine reviewer Tim White had not formally tasted any sauvignon blanc in 2012. This must be very disheartening for the many hundreds of wineries who have sent samples in to be tasted.

I am pleased to say that I have reviewed numerous sauvignon blanc based wines in the last 12 months. Admittedly, like in this tasting, not many make it through to print, but those that do are thoroughly worthy of attention.

At the bargain end of the spectrum, the Houghton and Yalumba offer a lot of wine for the price, while the Killerby and Stella Bella demonstrate just how good the lightly oaked style can be. These are quite serious wines that are better suited to sipping over a meal than glugging on a warm afternoon.

Reviewed

Killerby – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17.3). There are gentle barrel ferment and lees aromas to start, followed by match-strike and flinty fruit that has a lovely grassy edge with lemony highlights. The palate is complex, with the worked characters balanced by good quality oak. This is a nicely judged wine where the winemaker’s inputs are apparent, but do not dominate the fruit. Spicy, this should continue to evolve with a couple of years in bottle.

Stella Bella – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17.2). Cooler fruit on display showing herbaceous aromas with lantana and passionfruit. The palate is fresh, displaying racy acidity matched to gentle tropical fruits. The length is excellent and the mouth-feel spot-on. A satisfying and complete wine that would suit seafood perfectly.

Forester Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17+). Clean, fresh and racy, with just a touch of barrel ferment/lees work to add depth to the palate. Textured, the lemony fruit is the main feature here and there is excellent acidity and length to close. Lightly oaked and all the better for it.

Houghton – White Classic – 2012 (16.8). Muted nose with cut grass and a touch of floral aromas. The palate is vibrant and lively. There is a touch of viscosity, good depth to the fruit and the touch of residual sugar balances the fresh acidity well. Excellent summer drinking.

Yalumba – Sauvignon Blanc – Y Series – 2012 (16.7). Aromatic nose, with grassy aromas and a herbal lift. Follows through on a palate that is a little broader and has a touch of phenolic astringency that, when combined with the acid, makes this a refreshing drink. Nicely put together.

Lindeman’s – Sauvignon Blanc – Bin 95 – 2012 (16). A clean and fresh nose that has grassy fruit over tropical hints. Straightforward, and well made, this is a good commercial wine.

New Release – White

Reviewed: 13 October 2012

This tasting presented the opportunity to work our way through a number of interesting wines. From the ever reliable Shaw and Smith SB to the brilliant value Houghton White Classic.

Reviewed

Cherubino – Sauvignon Blanc – Pemberton – 2012 (17.8+). There is no mistaking the high quality oak which is creamy and very fine grained. The palate is viscous and the fruit intensity and quality are excellent. The oak and winemaker’s inputs suppress the delicate fruit now, so some time in the cellar will help this wine to fill out. There is Chardonnay like texture with lovely citrus acidity to close. A complex wine with lovely texture, length and aftertaste. Just give it a few years to fully express itself.

Shaw and Smith – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17.5). Grassy nose to open, with sweet tropical fruit highlights. Lovely fruit on the palate with gooseberry, fresh passionfruit and a hint of pineapple. Very long, the high acid is refreshing and taut. The creamy finish suggests a touch of lees, oak and/or barrel ferment. Another fine wine under this label.

Cherubino – Sauvignon Blanc – The Yard – Channybearup Vineyard – 2012 (17.2). Lovely fresh fruit here over subtle worked characters and a hint of nuttiness. The palate is lively, taut, textural and long. Not overt, but the gentle fruit is very satisfying. There are hints of musk and sherbet to close that add interest.

Houghton – Chenin Blanc Blend – White Classic – 2012 (17). Clean and fresh with hints of pear and talc. The palate has lemony fruit that is vibrant and fresh. Good length, though the finish is quite taut and restrained. Easy to drink now, this is also likely to age superbly over the next 5 years. Bargain!

Willow Bridge – SBS – Dragonfly – 2012 (16.9). There is lemony fruit at the core of this wine. In the mouth, the fruit is persistent and long, with well judged balance. A great wine to drink on a sunny spring afternoon.

Millbrook – SBS – Barking Owl – 2012 (16.8). Smart wine. The palate is tight and long, though a touch linear now. With good mouth-feel, the balance is a highlight. This is a quality wine that could do with a year or so in the bottle to open up. There is a lovely finish with the acidity/sweetness balance perfectly judged. From Margaret River.

O’Leary Walker – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (16.7). More straight-forward and bright fruit that is in the tropical spectrum. Not overly dense, but an enjoyable wine with life.

Mount Riley – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (16.5). Pungent aromas of lantana, gooseberry, asparagus and pineapple. More of the same on a palate that is clean, fresh and uncomplicated. Good length to close. If you like you NZ SBs, then this is worth a try.

Sauvignon Blanc and Blends

Reviewed: 18 September 2011

With summer on the horizon, here are a few fresh young whites that are worth a look.

Reviewed

Cape Mentelle – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – 2011 (17.5). More complex and “serious”. By this I mean that the wine has seen some extra winemaking inputs. There is probably a degree of barrel ferment and some extended lees contact. A savoury wine that is more about texture than ripe fruit. The fruit will become more expansive with time in the bottle.

Shaw and Smith – Sauvignon Blanc – 2011 (17.4). More restrained nose with some cut grass notes. Lovely balance and mouth-feel. There is a degree of texture and viscosity to the palate with a long and focused finish. Quite complex, this is good drinking.

Deep Woods – Sauvignon Blanc – 2011 (17.2). Ripe pear and sherbet on a somewhat lean and tight wine. Follows through on the palate with racy acidity and vibrant fruit. Zesty characters on the finish adds interest. The best current drinking in this bracket.

Kim Crawford – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). More of the NZ characters here, with some classic, though subdued, cat’s pee notes and grapefruit. Quite a complex wine that has a touch of viscosity and depth to the fruit. Good length. Only if you like the style…

West Cape Howe – Sauvignon Blanc – 2011 (17). Reserved. Light, fresh and floral nose. Quite a neutral palate that retains fresh acidity. Will carry food well.

Barking Owl – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – 2011 (16.8). Quite a complex wine, both on the nose and the palate. Long, with more of the viscosity that we have seen on other wines here. Good acidity and length. A crowd pleaser that is cleverly made. Should be good value.

Millbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2011 (16.7). Pungent, with lantana, herbaceous notes and a touch of passionfruit. Also has some musk/candied aromas. Forward, ripe and full of flavour. Not that subtle, but has plenty of appeal.

New Release Sauvignon Blanc and Rose

4 February 2011

Question. What is a good rose supposed to taste like?

Answer. Nobody knows!

The Rose revival continues in Australia, but the question is… who is drinking them? It is very challenging to walk into a bottle shop and choose a rose that you are unfamiliar with as there is no way of knowing what it will taste like.

If you buy a bottle of riesling, then you expect it o taste like riesling. With rose, there are so many styles that it gets confusing. In this tasting, we looked at a number of wines that ranged from sugary fruit-bombs to delicate, pale and dry wines. To me the wines from De Bortoli were the stand-out, as they seam perfectly suited to a plate of antipasto.

The sauvignon blancs were also hit and miss. They were all Australian and again, the styles varied.

It is worth pointing out that this tasting had a high attrition rate, with many wines not making it to these pages.

Tasted

White

Deviation Road – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Grassy and slightly savoury nose. The palate is more straightforward, with lovely zesty acidity. There are hints of tropical fruit on a refreshing finish. Points for being a good drink.

Wicks Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Quite oily and textured nose with aromas in the gooseberry/grassy spectrum. There is also a mealy almond character. The palate is dense and textured, with more secondary characters. A touch of viscosity in the mouth adds to the finish.

Sarantos – Sauvignon Blanc – Soft Press – 2010 (16.5). Quite vibrant and floral. Long and crisp, this has texture and spice on the palate.

Xabregas – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (16.5). Initially closed, but develops some floral notes. The palate is bursting with vibrant fruit. There is plenty of fresh acidity and a hint of residual sugar to balance the finish. Will be better in six months due to the relatively high CO2 and a touch of sulphur. (One panelist felt this was more like a riesling in style).

De Bortoli – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon/Rolle – La Boheme – Act One – 2010 (16.4). Almond meal on the nose. The palate is lean, dry and crisp. A good drink.

Rymill – Sauvignon Blanc – The Yearling – 2010 (16.2). Grassy/herbaceous nose that follows through to the palate. A firm finish suggests a relatively serious wine that should improve with some time in the bottle.

Rose

De Bortoli – Rose – 2010 (16.7). Pale salmon colour. Delicate nose. The palate has lovely peppery fruit along with some fresh plum and currant flavours. Complex and savoury, this is a very smart wine. (Pinot)

De Bortoli – Rose – La Boheme – Act Two – Pinot 2010 (16.5). Pale salmon colour. Again, savoury with hints of spice. The flavours are quite neutral and the slightly salty, tangy finish begs for some food. (Pinot)

Victory Point – Rose – 2010 (16.3). Lifted red strawberry fruits here. The palate is generous and relatively dry. The crunchy acidity adds to the texture.

Sauvignon Blanc

New Release

3 December 2010

In the lead up to Christmas, we thought it would be good to look at a few sauvignon blancs. On a warm afternoon, these wines make for excellent drinking. The surprise for me was the quality of the Adelaide Hills wines. They possessed a drinkability that was lacking in some.

For sheer power, the Paretai by Matua Valley is a stand-out. I would encourage you to try a bottle and let me know what you think. For me though, the Geoff Weaver and the Shaw and Smith are the picks for drinking on a warm day.

Reviewed

Matua Valley – Sauvignon Blanc – Paretai – 2010 (18). Quite seductive nose. This is really forward and powerful with all the tropical fruit characters typical of the style, combined with quality winemaking inputs. There is viscosity and length to the palate, and a silky mouth-feel completes an altogether impressive wine. Incredibly long and seamless finish. A wine to sip, not drink.

Geoff Weaver – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.5). Fresh and clean, with tropical fruit on the nose. The palate is pure passionfruit, with lime juice and a touch of pineapple to close. Impressively long and zesty finish.

Mount Avoca – Sauvignon Blanc – Fume Blanc – 2009 – (17.5+). Lemony, viscous, long and taught. An impressive wine with character. This has had well handled winemaker’s inputs. Not in the mainstream, but very impressive with food.

Shaw and Smith – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17.5). Lanolin and lemon on the nose. Fresh and zesty palate with lime acidity on the finish. This gets marks for being a really good drink. Bring on summer!

Clairault – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17.4). Some tropical fruit on the nose with passionfruit and a touch of lantana. The palate is long, fresh and slightly viscous. Good mouth-feel and texture. An excellent example of Margaret River sauvignon blanc.

Clairault – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17.3). Unusual nose. Grassy and a touch of fresh herbs. Quite powerful and viscous fruit on the palate. Long and dense, this is an interesting wine.

Millbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Very grassy on the nose. The grassy notes continue on the palate with herbaceous fruit carried by lemony acid. Nicely textured mouth-feel. From Margaret River.

Yarrabank – Vintage – 2006 (16.8). Quite a complex nose, with autolysis notes on a fresh nose. The palate is firm but very long. The first impression is that the finish will be a touch hard; however the weight of fruit on the palate carries the wine to a very long conclusion. This is not subtle, but should develop well over the next 5 years.

Voyager Estate – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – 2010 (16.5). Subtle grass and herbaceous fruit characters on the nose. The palate is fresh and uncomplicated. Good drinking.

Matua Valley – Sauvignon Blanc (sparkling) – NV (16.3). Smells like sauvignon blanc, tastes like sauvignon blanc, must be sauvignon blanc. Light and refreshing with enough fruit weight and complexity to carry the finish. Why? Why not!

Plantaganet – Sauvignon Blanc – Omrah – 2009 (16). Lifted grassy nose that works. Lemony fruit on the palate. Powerful, long, textured and zesty.

Sancerre and Poilly Fume

Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire

9 May 2010

Given the vast quantities of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that we see, it is easy to forget that the Loire Valley in France is the spiritual home of the variety. It can be quite startling to taste the French wines along side the New Zealand wines – the styles that they are made in are so different.

The wines of Sancerre and Poilly Fume often display the creamy/worked characters associated with extended lees contact and lees stirring. The better wines may also be fermented and stored in oak, which further increases complexity.

We looked at a range of French wines that are either now on sale, or will be arriving in the country in the next month or so to see how they stacked up. It should be noted that wines from 2009 were bottled and shipped from France in the last three weeks. The resulting “bottle shock” means the wines will improve with a few weeks rest.

Tasted

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – Roc de l’abbaye – 2009 (17.5). Savoury nose with creamy characters associated with lees contact. There is also an underlying mineral component. The palate starts off fine and steely, with a creamy, textural component. A pretty yet powerful wine that will improve in the short term. Great value at $25 from Lamont’s in Cottesloe.

Pascal Jolivet – Sancerre – 2008 (18). A touch more lifted with some tropical and stone fruit (both peach and apricot), with some development starting. The palate is more worked and textured, powerful and viscous. This is long and builds in the mouth with fine citrus acidity. A lovely wine.

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – L’ Antique – 2009 (16.9). More fragrant again with apricot, musk, sherbet and passionfruit. These characters follow on the palate with green apple and lime juice acidity. Develops some oily, spicy notes and has a touch of phenolics. I would like to see this again in six months.

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – 2009 (17.5). Closed, steely, pristine and young. In the mouth – steely, taught, fine and fresh. A simpler style that may develop some complexity from time in the bottle.

Comte La Fond – Sancerre – 2007 (17.3). In some ways, this blends characteristics from all the other Sancerres. Some tropical fruit, passionfruit and musk, but also with complex “worked” characters and some bottle age.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – L’ Antique – 2009 (17.5+). Closed to start, but with some lemony, citrus notes. Becomes fragrant and spicy with air. The palate is quite grippy, with lemony acid. Fruit is there, but is very shy. Almond and apricot to close. One to watch.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – 2009 (17.8). Tight and really lemony. Steely, slate minerals and balancing lemon acidity. This should go down a treat next summer and should be excellent value.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – Les Sables – 2009 (17.5+). More richness and texture here with a touch of fresh soap and herbal notes over a touch of stone-fruit. Crisp acidity with granny smith apple and lemon zest. Great example that will only improve.

Ladoucette – Poilly Fume – 2006 (17.5). A big wine. “Turbo-charged”. This is worked and showing some development. Lanolin and lees from barrel fermentation. The palate is creamy and textured, with honeyed development. There are some oak tannins to close. Good drinking and ready now.

New Release

21 February 2009

A mixed bag this week with a selection of good quality cabernets, and a bracket of sauvignon blanc. There were several note-worthy wines including the Crossings sauvignon blanc and the MadFish – Sideways cabernet. Both represent excellent value. The Vasse Felix cabernet is excellent.

The pair of cabernets from Houghton’s proved to be the most informative though. Both samples were left in a very hot stairwell for many days in the middle of summer. (This was prior to delivery to me). The Gladstone was showing obvious signs of heat damage that really flattened the fruit. The C.W. Ferguson was in much better condition, though perhaps not quite perfect. The Gladstone has a cork and the Ferguson is under screw cap. A compelling example of the benefits of screw caps.

So to the tasting…

Reviewed

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec – C.W. Ferguson – 2007 (18.2). Wow. Fresh and vibrant fruit with clear varietal black-currant on the nose. Silky and fine, but with high quality fruit and oak. Fine and elegant and good drinking. Will improve with time. (May be even better with a fresh bottle).

Vasse Felix – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2007 (17.9). Wow, forward and lifted cassis on the nose with ripe red fruit and red-currants. Develops cedar and cinnamon with air. The palate is ripe and chewy. This is a big, rich wine with excellent mouth-feel. Soft tannins and supple acid make for excellent early drinking. The fine tannins build on the close which will support medium term cellaring.

MadFish – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Sideways – 2008 (17.8). Closed to start but with some vanillin tones and red fruits. Continues on the palate with black-currant and fine oak to close. Well made using good fruit. Fine tannins complement the fine cedary finish.

Crossings – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.4). Soft, fresh and perfumed, with some lantana as well as gooseberry and lychees. The palate is well balanced, round and generous. The finish is savoury and long. Zesty acid to close. This is really good drinking at around $15.

Capel Vale – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Debut – 2009 (17). Restrained and tight on the nose. The palate is subtle and quite seamless. Lemony fruit dominates the finish. Excellent balance and mouth-feel. A delicate wine.

Castelli – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Cerca – 2008 (17). Dense but closed.. This has quite serious fruit. The palate is dense, chewy, silky elegant, structured. Long and lean finish. Very fine tannins build. Needs ten years to show best though some may question the cooler fruit characters.

MadFish – Cabernet Sauvignon – Gold Turtle – 2007 (16.8). Ripe and dense. Good quality fruit. Red currant. The palate is quite lean, with good structure, but lacking depth. Will flesh out in a few years.

Deepwoods – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.7). A serious style that received more support from other panel members. Closed and dumb. Grapey characters on the nose and palate with some barrel ferment and oak characters. A touch of oxidative winemaking perhaps? Complex but not mainstream.

Cumulus – Sauvignon Blanc – Climbing – 2009 (16.5). Aromatic, but with a grassiness that cuts through on the nose. Some tropical notes and passionfruit. The palate is clean and fresh, but remains lean, tight and grassy. A lemony finish with plenty of acid. Apricot to close.

Millbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5.) Very pale. More in your face, forward and vibrant, but a bit too cheeky for my palate.

New Release Whites

21 January 2010

This was meant to be a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc tasting, but unfortunately a few pinot gris/grigio wine got mixed up.

Tasted

Wine By Brad – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.8). Focused and precise nose. Quite fragrant, complex and balanced,with fresh acidity to keep the finish alive. Good summer drinking

Millbrook – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Barking Owl – 2009 (16.6). Creamy nose, with some interesting fruit. Sweet fruit but without great excitement. Good current drinking.

Preveli – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5). More of the grassy characters here. Some musk and sherbet too. The palate is racy, but the acid is a little firm now.