Category Archives: Chardonnay – Wine Reviews

Chardonnay

Chardonnay – New Release

Barry Weinman: 31st January 2016

John Streicker, a New York based entrepreneur, has gradually been building a stable of older vineyards across the Margaret River region. This culminated in the purchase of Clairault winery in 2012. Bruce Dukes who had been making the Streicker wines at Naturaliste Vintners, was entrusted with the production of Clairault wines following the acquisition.

I recently reviewed the Streicker Shiraz and was impressed by the quality of both the fruit and winemaking. The Chardonnay also proved to be an excellent wine.

There were a number of other excellent wines reviewed including the great value Bond Road Chardonnay from Hollick. This is a wine that is drinking a treat now.

Ultimately, the wines from Flametree (SRS) and the Arivina were my top picks, though both would benefit from some time in the cellar.

ReviewedArivina Chardonnay

Arivina Estate – Chardonnay – Wildwood Ridge – Reserve – 2014 (18.5). Very fine, high quality fruit on the nose, showing supple peach and nectarine. Tight grained oak on a palate that is very long, yet quite restrained. A lovely drink, with mouth-watering grapefruit acidity driving the finish. (RRP $55).

Flametree – Chardonnay – SRS – 2014 (18.5+). Barrel ferment characters on the nose that express as struck match and just a hint of curry leaf. The complex palate is full of grapefruit and melon characters, with taut acid. The oak is very fine (expensive) and adds depth to the finish. A superb wine. (97 Pts from Halliday). ($56 from Dan Murphy).thumb_lge_document_14787_1Streicker – Chardonnay – Ironstone Block – 2012 (18.2). Complex aromas with hints of struck match, minerals and creamy lees notes. Pineapple fruit sits underneath. The palate is powerful and very long. The smoky notes from the oak complementing the fruit and lees work well. A bigger style, but also very very good. (RRP $41).

Cherubino – Chardonnay – 2014 (18+). Supple and fine, with stonefruit over citrus and melon notes. Long, the grapefruit acidity and tight knit oak define the finish. Needs a couple of years to settle down, but will be long lived and gain complexity along the way.

Grosset – Chardonnay – Piccadilly – 2013 (17.9). A more restrained style, with fresh fruit and acid. Quite modern, the winemaking influences present more as textural components rather than overt flavours. Long, with grassy, melon and grapefruit flavours, with a touch of smoke to close. Delicate and balanced, but this needs time to show its best (and score higher points). (RRP $55).

Note: A bottle of 1998 Grosset Chardonnay was drinking superbly recently.

Hollick – Chardonnay – Bond Road – 2013 (17.5). Creamy, with complex nutty notes. The fruit is quite rich and accessible on the palate, with decent texture and lemony acid. There is good length and hints of toast on the finish. Excellent drinking now.Hollick - Bond Road Chardonnay

New Burgundy Imports

 

New Burgundy Imports

Barry Weinman: 23 December 2015

Fluctuations in the Australian dollar have impacted on the price of some imported wines over the last few years. Whilst the big houses’ prices have stayed relatively stable, I have noticed fairly big shifts in the price of some wines, particularly from Burgundy. For a period, there was a flood of great value wines, but as the dollar has fallen, prices have risen accordingly.

Prices today now appear to be back around traditional levels. With this in mind, I was pleased to be able to look through a range of direct import wines brought in by Lamont’s. Whilst the wines are in no way cheap, they do offer a cross-section of styles, often showing excellent typicity and high quality.

My notes below are first impressions. There were over 60 available for tasting, so I did not dwell on any of the wines for long. Also, as the tasting was not a blind tasting, I have not allocated points to any of the wines.

Vintages

After very good vintages in 2009 and 2010 for both red and white Burgundy, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were more variable.

According to Jancis Robinson (http://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/vintages/burgundy-white), in both ‘12 and ‘13 the high quality of white Burgundy proved much better than most expected. The downside was that volumes were much reduced. 2011 was not so lucky.

Reds fared better in some parts in 2011, but again, the ‘12s and ‘13s fared were stronger overall. http://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/vintages/burgundy-red

The Wine Enthusiast was more supportive of 2011, as was The Wine Advocate.: https://www.winemag.com/PDFs/Vintage_Chart_2015.pdf

First Impressions

Pernot Belicard – Chardonnay – Puligny Montrachet – 2012. Fairly straightforward, but clear typicity. Minerality and texture over fresh fruit, hints of grapefruit and melon. ($122)

Pernot Belicard – Chardonnay – Puligny Montrachet – Champ Canet – 2013. Fine minerality and fruit, with hints of flint. This is really smart. The palate is bright, textured and long, with a fine finish. ($186).

Pernot Belicard – Chardonnay – Puligny Montrachet – Perrierres – 2013. Bigger, richer and more expressive. Long, powerful palate with stone fruit in the peach spectrum, minerals and melon. Great length to close. ($186).

Pernot Belicard – Chardonnay – Mersault – Perrierres – 2013. Refined and balanced. Less overt power than its sister wine from Puligny, but with lovely grace and balance. Long and fine, with gentle minerality to close. A graceful wine. ($255).

Pierre Morey – Mersault – 1er Cru – Charmes – 2013. Quite generous fruit, yet the acid and minerals add restraint and balance. Long and refined, this is a smart wine with a zesty finish. ($199).Pierre Morey

Jean Monnier et fils – Meursault Genenrieres – 1er Cru – 2013. The potential is there, but this is quite acidic and restrained at present. Hints of smoke to close. Taut and fresh, give it 5 years to show its best. ($98)

Phillippe Livera – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertain – Clos Village – 2011. Fragrant cherry fruit on the nose. The palate is light and fresh, the weight matching the gentle fruit. Good length, this wine will suit current drinking. ($104).

Phillippe Livera – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertain – Clos Village – 2012. More depth and density compared to the 2011. Cherry fruit and supple spice, with a core of minerality. This finish is defined by fine, drying tannins which frame the fruit perfectly. Long and supple finish. Now – 5 years. ($104).

Phillippe Livera – Pinot Noir – Chapelle Chambertain – Grand Cru – 2010. Feminine, delicate fruit on the nose. The palate has cherry and spice, with cedary oak. The power here really builds, gaining depth and texture. The length is a feature. A spectacular wine with innate power, reflecting the vintage. ($N/A).

Domaine Humbert Freres – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertain – 1er Cru – Estrournelles St Jacques – 2012. A lovely purity to the fruit, with power and structure. This is a big wine that needs a few years, but will reward ($255).

Jean-Marc Millot – Pinot Noir – Echezeaux – Grand Cru – 2011. Limpid appearance. This is pretty, refined and elegant. There are cherry fruit notes with subtle spice. Delicate, this is a great effort for the year. ($264).

Pierre Morey – Pinot Noir – Pommard – 1er Cru – Grand Epenots – 2012. Cherry, spice and supple tannins all feature here, with bright acidity driving the finish. Angular, this needs a few years to let the high quality fruit shine. ($192).

Pierre Morey – Pinot Noir – Pommard – 1er Cru – Grand Epenots – 2013. For current drinking, I prefer the balance here. More feminine and refined, with gentle structure. Drink over the next few years while waiting for the 2012 to hit its straps. ($196).

Emilie Geantet – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertain – Vieille Vignes – 2013. Grace and power is a feature of all Geantet wines, and this is no exception. Refined, elegant and silky. Souring acidity adds life. Cherry spectrum fruit and a very clean finish. ($125). Emiie Geantet

Emilie Geantet – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertain – 1er Cru – Les Champeaux – 2013. Seductive nose, with cherry and anise. The cherry fruit here is breathtaking: intense, yet refined and balanced. The finish is long and supple, with tight knit oak adding depth. Evolves and builds. A superb wine and my pick of the tasting. I might need to have a word to Santa… ($192).

 

Felton Road 2014 Vintage

Felton Road 2014 Vintage

Barry Weinman: 20th September 2015Cornish Point 2014

Felton Road Winery is one of the oldest wineries in Central Otago. The first vines were planted in 1992, and the first wines produced in 1997. Amazingly, Blair Walters has been the winemaker for every one of those vintages, meaning that 2014 is his eighteenth vintage at the winery.

The winery is located in Bannockburn, a is a (slightly) warmer sub-region of the otherwise cool Central Otago region. Sitting in an inland basin, Bannockburn has warmer days, yet cooler nights.

The winery has 32 hectares of vines spread across four vineyards, three of which are currently in production. The region is surprisingly dry, with annual rainfall of approximately 350mm/year. The rain is spread over all 12 months of the calendar, ensuring excellent vine health.

The winery is certified bio-dynamic, though no fuss is made about this. Blair suggests that it helps in their quest to accurately express a sense of place. Production currently sits at around 12,000 cases.

The team at Felton Road suggest that 2014 may well be their best vintage ever! To complement these, we also tasted a five wine vertical of the Chardonnay and the Cornish Point Pinot Noir.

This tasting coincided with the launch of the new Reidel “Central Otago” Pinot Noir glass, and these were used to great effect. (I look forward to comparing them to the “Chianti” glass, which remains my benchmark all-purpose glass).

Conclusion: Be it the Chardonnay or any of the Pinot Noirs, the wines of Felton Road set the benchmark for Central Otago.

A special thanks to Red and White for hosting this tasting. As the wines were not served in a blind line-up, my points are for illustrative purposes only.

Reviewed – 2014 Vintage

Felton Road – Chardonnay – 2014 (18). A delicate and creamy nose, courtesy of the barrel ferment and malo characters. With air, the pineapple, nectarine and grapefruit aromas build. The palate is defined by minerality and delicate spice. Almost Chablis-like, yet there is a core of ripe, elegant fruit that will build with time in the bottle. Long, fine and restrained, with excellent Bannnockburn 2014balance and mouth-feel. A saline-like tang to close.

The winemaking for the Felton Road Chardonnay has evolved over time. The 2014 only saw 10% new oak. Careful attention is paid to picking times, with the fruit picked relatively early. As a result, the wine went through 100% malolactic fermentation, yet retains lovely acid balance.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Bannockburn – 2014 (18.5). Lovely nose that has precise varietal characters over quite generous fruit. The palate is fine and lively, with minerality and spice over cherry-like fruit. Silky and supple, with texturing oak and slightly chewy tannins. The acidity adds drive to the finish. A precise wine that will benefit from a year or two in the cellar. A lovely drink.

A blend of three different vineyards, 4000 dozen made.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2014 (18.5+). Block 3_2014Feminine and perfumed, the nose is delicate and quite beautiful. Precise, ripe fruit on the palate that is both subtle and supple. There is a mineral character that presents texturally, with very fine fruit tannins and texturing oak adding grip on the very long finish. Builds depth and power with air, and there is serious structure. Give it 5 years.

Matured in 30% new oak, which was air-dried for three years, 1100 cases made.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Block 3 – 2014 (18.7). Vibrant fruit on the nose, with depth and obvious power to the fruit. Lovely fruit on the palate. Silky mouth-feel, the fruit builds and fans out with air like the proverbial peacock’s tail. Tremendous length and presence, though this is quite understated. A joy to drink now, but will build if you are patient.

From the oldest vines on the property and some of the oldest in Central Otago. 12 – 14 months in oak. No fining or filtration, indigenous yeast. Natural malo. 600 dozen produce.

Felton Road – Cornish Point Pinot Noir – 2009 – 2013

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2013. (18). Lovely perfumed nose. Ripe, fresh cherry and red berry fruit over spice notes. The palate is rich and dense, with excellent mouth-feel and texture. Chewy tannins, mineral-like acidity to close. A lovely wine from a warmer year.

Bannockburn – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2012 (18.6). Detailed, accurate and almost Burgundian. Complex earthy notes meld with the ripe fruit into a seductive, enticing nose. Fantastic mouth-feel and texture, the drying tannins complementing the fruit brilliantly. Depth, presence, power, yet supple and restrained. A great wine from a very good year.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2011 (17.5). There is an immediacy here that is attractive, but this lacks the depth and structure of the best. Good length, with the acid driving the finish. Drinking now with food. From a challenging year.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2010 (18.3 – 18.5). Relatively closed and restrained on both the nose and the palate. Precise and fine, with cherry and red berry fruit to the fore. The mouth-feel is a standout. Near seamless, with silky tannins and supple oak just holding the fruit in check. Really needs another 5 years to hit its straps. With air, this opens up. From a cooler year that proved to be very good.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Cornish Point – 2009 (18+). Lovely immediacy to the fruit on the nose. This reflects in the palate. Silky, textured and delicious, with slightly chewy tannins. The dense fruit on the palate is good to go now. A powerful wine from a cooler year.

Felton Road Chardonnay – 2009 – 2013

Blair takes a fairly hands-off approach to the Chardonnay, avoiding filtration where possible, due to the naturally stability of the wines. Whole bunch pressed, barrel fermented with wild yeast. They spend 12 months in up to 15 year old oak, with a small amount of battonage to add texture.

Felton Road – Chardonnay 2013. Lovely nose that has mineral and spice notes over nectarine and white peach. The palate is defined by taut acidity and supple, creamy texture. Drinking well now, but will open with time.

Felton Road – Chardonnay 2012. More complexity here, with an almost Burgundian feel. The nose has curry-leaf minerality over stone fruit notes. The palate is supple, rich and complete with excellent length and texture. An excellent wine that can be drunk any time over the next 5 years.

Felton Road – Chardonnay 2011. Has a presence that is very attractive. Stone fruit and spice, with a touch of smoke and flint to close. A complete wine that is drinking well now. Delicious!

Felton Road – Chardonnay 2010. Delicious. Complex, developed, chewy and textured, with just a hint of honey. A decent drink now.

Felton Road – Chardonnay 2009. Fine, supple, rich and textured, Powerful fruit and great length of flavours. A touch of viscosity adds to the mouth-feel. Drinking perfectly now.

 

Leeuwin Estate – Art Series White Wines

Barry Weinman: August 23rd 2015

Leeuwin Estate – Art Series Whites Wines

Leeuwin Estate is rightly famous for their Art Series Chardonnay. This is a wine of great quality that has set the benchmark for Australian Chardonnays for many years. As a result, it is easy to pay only scant attention to the rest of the wines in their portfolio. That would, however, be a mistake…

The current release of whites offers broad appeal. Of particular note is the Siblings SBS. This is a really interesting example, yet is made in an approachable, early drinking style, and at an affordable price.

Then there is the 2012 Art Series Chardonnay. Another spectacular wine under this label and a bargain when compared to other great wines of the world.2015 Leeuwin Estate Whites

Reviewed

Leeuwin Estate – Riesling – Art Series – 2014 (17.5). (RRP $22). A notably different profile to the Rieslings from Clare and the Great Southern. Very pale in the glass. The nose and palate are restrained, tight and very steely. In the mouth there is bracing acidity to close. This is a neutral, food friendly style now, but is sure to blossom with 10 years in the bottle.

Leeuwin Estate – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Siblings – 2014 (17.6). (RRP $23) Cut grass, fresh herbs and asparagus on the nose with tropical hints. The palate is quite complex, with grassy, savoury notes over a core of ripe cool climate fruit characters. Partial barrel ferment/lees stirring adds depth without adding overt flavours. There is just the right amount of residual sugar to balance the fresh acidity, making this an excellent drink now. Who needs food?!

Leeuwin Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – Art Series – 2014 (17.5 – 18). (RRP $32). Wonderful floral, perfumed fruit on the nose. The palate is quite dry and savoury, with delicate, precise fruit set against a textural background aided by barrel ferment characters. Restrained, with fine though plentiful acidity, this will be a joy to drink with seared scallops now, or on its own in a year or two.

Leeuwin Estate – Chardonnay – Prelude Vineyards – 2014 (17). (RRP $34). Very pale colour. Lively and fresh, with peach and tropical fruit characters and zesty acidity. Excellent early drinking and a good alternative to NZ SB. A satisfying drink that will gain complexity with a year or two in bottle.

Leeuwin Estate – Chardonnay – Art Series – 2012 (18.7+). (RRP $94). Relatively pale hue. The nose is fantastic! Complex, yet restrained, with lovely stone fruit notes. The palate is rich and textured, with citrus and white peach, over pineapple acidity. Very long and persistent, yet the intense fruit possesses a degree of restraint. The fine fruit and creamy oak meld into a seamless package. This is drinking very well now, but will reward after a few years in the cellar. Superb!

Chardonnay – New Release – May 2015

My love affair with Western Australian Chardonnay shows no sign of ending any time soon. Whether the fruit comes from Margaret River, Porongurup, Denmark or Mount Barker does not seem to impact on the quality. In fact, some, like Howard Park, blend fruit from several of these areas.

Interestingly, despite the climatic differences between these districts, this does not seem to directly translate into the wine style produced. Picking time and winemakers’ inputs also play a big role, along with clonal selection for the vineyards.

To keep the locals honest, I put a bottle of the Coldstream Hills Chardonnay into the tasting (Yarra Valley). This is a cracking wine and, at $25 on special from Vintage Cellars, represents very good value.

It was the wines of Howard Park and Singlefile that flew the flag admirably for the locals. This is the first time that I have seen both wineries’ new flagships

Reviewed

Howard Park – Chardonnay – Allingham – 2013 (18.5+). Cashew nut, lemon zest, grapefruit and spice, with complexity and structure from the fine-grained high quality oak. Fine acidity adds to the mouth-feel. The underlying power of the wine becomes apparent with air. This is a lovely, refined wine, with great depth of fruit and supple texture. A superb drink now or in 5+ years. (RRP $89).

Singlefile – Chardonnay – Family Reserve – 2014 (18/18.5). Complex, though subtle worked characters here. Minerals/curry leaf, partial malo, lees contact and quality oak all add to the package. The flavour profile matches the nose, with stonefruit, pineapple and citrus notes. Long and quite restrained, with nutty characters and apricot kernel astringency to close. An excellent wine that will be even better in 5 years. (RRP $50).

Singlefile – Chardonnay – The Vivienne – 2012 (18/18.5). A leaner, more restrained style that appears somewhat immature at this stage. Full of potential, the taut grapefruit and melon notes are the main flavours now. With air, the texture and lovely mouth-feel really shine, aided by deftly handled oak leading on to a very long, drying palate. Give it 5 years to see it at its best. (RRP $80).

Howard Park – Chardonnay – 2014 (18.3). Restrained and fine, though the high quality fruit and winemaking is evident. Pineapple like acidity carries the finish. Modern and lively, this is another wine that needs a few years to come into its own. That said, the balance and structure are exemplary. A complex, mouth-watering wine that needs time. (RRP $54).

Coldstream Hills – Chardonnay – 2013 (18). Youthful, almost zesty fruit gives way to complex fruit characters. The high quality oak adds depth and texture, yet is in no-way overt. Long and taut, this has excellent presence and mouth-feel, with drying acidity to close. A fine wine that will be best in 2 – 3 years, or with food now.

Marchand and Burch – Chardonnay – Porongurup – 2014 (18 – 18.5). This is a richly textured wine with great depth of fruit. Opens with lovely pineapple and stonefruit characters. The palate is very long, with savoury complexity and minerals becoming apparent on the finish. This is a very powerful wine that will be at its best in 3 – 5 years. (RRP $73).

Reviewed by Barry Weinman

Caledonia Australis

10th May 2015

The South Gippsland Wine Company is the parent company for Caledonia Australis and Mount Macleod wines.

The vineyards that make up the estate started life as a project to supply Bass Philip Winery with fruit grown in close-planted vineyards in the early 1990s. In 2008/2009, Mark Matthews purchased the vineyards and then the winery/brands.

The focus here is on the Burgundian varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Mount Macleod being the more approachable (and less expensive) brand.

Mark was in town a little while ago to show the current releases. These were predominantly from the 2012 vintage, which turned out to be a good year. There was delayed flowering, but the weather held to allow for picking of excellent quality grapes in April. Given that many other regions harvested in February that year, it demonstrates the cool climate nature of the region.

The wines were uniformly good to very good. The Mount Macleod represents good value early drinking. It is my view, however, that it is worth paying a little extra for the Caledonia Australis range. These wines are not Burgundies, but they are fine examples of good Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Given the discount available from the website, these wines represent very good value!

N.B. This was not a blind tasting, so the usual caveats apply to my points.

Reviewed

Mount Macleod – Chardonnay – 2012 (17 – 17.5). Leaner fruit on the nose; this is quite fine and elegant. The palate has spice and almond meal characters and has a degree of viscosity in the way it coats the mouth. The fine, crisp acidity carries the near seamless finish. (RRP $26: $18 from the winery).

Caledonia Australis – Chardonnay – 2012 (17.5 – 18). Compared to the Mount Macleod, there is more intensity to the fruit here on both the nose and palate. Peach, apricot, citrus and grapefruit are apparent, whilst the finish is long and savoury. There is lovely line and length here with some pineapple, cashew nut and mineral notes to close. (RRP $36: contact winery for pricing).

Mount Macleod – Pinot Noir – 2013 (17.5). Bright, fresh cherry fruit to the fore, with savoury notes adding interest. The palate has spice characters and decent texture, with a savoury lift. Whilst it is not overly dense, it is delicious and succulent. Acidity to close keeps thing fresh. Great value (RRP $26: $18 from the winery).

Caledonia Australis – Pinot Noir – 2012 (18). Like the Chardonnay, there is greater density to the fruit apparent here. Cherry, savoury spice, earthy notes and restrained oak all gel into a long, savoury, almost ethereal palate. Fine and tight, this is excellent. The souring tannins and acid add life, ensuring longevity. Balanced but needs time. (RRP $36: $28 from the winery).

Chardonnay – March 2015

5th March 2015

The team at Deep Woods continues to produce cracking wines. This time it is the turn of the Reserve Chardonnay to shine.

Vasse Felix also continues to impress. Whilst I have reviewed it before, the 2013 Heytesbury continues to impress. This wine is nothing short of spectacular.

The bargain of the tasting is likely to be the Clairault. A fine wine that will be close to half the price of the others listed here.

Reviewed

Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – Heytesbury – 2013 (18.7). More depth and complexity than any other wine tasted here. Opens with delicious curry leaf aromas and minerality over fine, texturing oak and lees work. The palate is very long and extraordinarily fine. This is a richly textured wine with expensive, yet restrained oak. A superb wine that is good now or any time in the next 5 years. A bargain compared to anything out of France. (RRP $65).

Deep Woods – Chardonnay – Reserve – 2013 (18.5). This is in a more savoury style. Spice and Chablis-like minerality over lemon and peach characters that tend towards white nectarine. The palate has underlying depth and power. Very long and fine, yet viscous, intense and powerful. Great wine.

Marchand and Burch – Chardonnay – Porongorup – 2013 (18+). (RRP $75). A superb wine that has plenty of pineapple (Gin Gin clone) fruit. Long and supple, the palate is a textural treat. The oak has been really well handled, framing the fruit without dominating. Will flesh out with a year or two in bottle.

Clairault – Chardonnay – 2012 (18 – 18.5). Whilst this is a leaner style, there is excellent quality fruit and fine balance. This is a subtle wine that needs some attention to appreciate its finer qualities. The restraint and subtlety means that this is a wine for the enthusiast rather than an everyday quaff.

Forester Estate – February 2015

Reviewed: 16th February 2015

Forester is owned by the McKay family and was established in 2002 following the sale of the family’s previous winery – Abbey Vale. It is situated in the northern part of the Margaret River region of Western Australia.

What made the wines reviewed here stand out in blind tastings was that they offered such good drinking. These are made in a middle of the road/mainstream style that highlights the quality fruit and confers early drinkability.

The wines will also age well in the short to medium term.

Reviewed

Forester Estate – Chardonnay – 2013 (18 – 18.5). (RRP $37). With youthful fresh fruit and acidity, this is a wine of real potential. Lemon curd, nectarine and fine grained French oak all feature. Excellent fruit, in a minimalist style, with a textured, almost chewy finish. Great now, but will be even better with a year or two in the bottle.

Forester Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2012 (18 – 18.5). (RRP $37). Ribena, mint and eucalypt (menthol) fruit on the nose. The fleshy blackcurrant fruit on the palate is complemented by fine tannins and supple oak. This is only medium bodied, allowing the fruit to shine. A lovely drink now or in 10 years.

 

 

 

New Release – December 2014

Reviewed: 20th December 2014

This was my first opportunity to try the wines of Tolpuddle. The Tolpuddle vineyard in Tasmania has been supplying fruit to some of Australia’s best chardonnays and pinots for a number of years. A recent change in ownership however (Shaw & Smith) has seen some wine made under their own label.

Reviewed

Louis Latour – Chardonnay – Macon – Villages – Chamaroy – 2012 (16.8). Light and fresh nose, but with subtle minerality sitting under the fruit. Quite viscous and with good length and mouth feel, but not overly deep. A simple, entry level White Burgundy, but an enjoyable drink. (RRP $20).

Felton Road – Chardonnay – Bannockburn – 2013 (17.9). Lovely nose to this wine with melon and spice over creamy, textural notes. The palate is long and supple, with the restrained oak and gentle lees work just keeping the fruit in check at present. Fine and elegant, this will evolve over the next 5 years. (RRP $50).

Tolpuddle – Chardonnay -2013 (17.8). Muted fruit on the nose (grapefruit and pineapple). The palate shows a leaner, racy style that lacks a bit of generosity now in part due to the very crisp acidity. That said, the potential is obvious. A tightly wound wine that is sure to score higher points once it has time to settle down (RRP $70).

Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – Heytesbury – 2013 (18.5+). Aromas of minerals and spice over complex fruit and winemaking notes. The palate is superb, with curry leaf minerality over peach, nectarine, grapefruit and struck match notes. The length and persistence are outstanding, with a near seamless palate transition. Almost chewy, the nutty, complex fruit really builds on the finish. (RRP $60).

Pinot Noir

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Bannockburn – 2013 (18.5). (RRP $79). Lovely fruit on the nose, with cherry, strawberry, savoury plum and plenty of spice. The palate has tar, clove and aniseed hints to close. This is concentrated and powerful, though it has not quite come together as yet. Another year will see the high quality fruit fill out.

Tolpuddle – Pinot Noir – 2013 (18.3). Richer and rounder fruit, though the acidity on the finish is initially confronting. With air, the fragrant fruit really builds and this settles down and evolves into a dense, powerful wine of significant charm. Needs a year or two to start drinking well, but 5 – 10 years may be even better. (RRP $85).

Flowstone Wines – October 2014

8th October 2014

Stuart Pym may not be a household name, but he has made wine (and beer) that many of us have enjoyed over the years. After a stint at Matilda Bay Brewery making beer, Stuart returned to Margaret River to pursue winemaking as a career.

Stuart spent time at Voyager Estate, before moving on to Devil’s Lair and then Suckfizzle/Stella Bella. Whilst still consulting to Suckfizzle, Stuart has now struck out on his own under the Flowstone label.

The winery is located in Forrest Grove, south of the Margaret River township, with the vineyard planted in 2004 and 2008. Fruit has been sourced from established vineyards around the region, selected for the style of wine that Stuart is trying to craft.

Early results are excellent. The wines tasted here are the second vintage released by the winery and, refreshingly, it is great to see both the whites and reds being released with a little bottle age, at a time when the likes of Penfolds are bringing forward the release of their premium wines.

I found the Chardonnays to be particularly interesting as they have been produced in quite different styles. The standard wine is rich and textured, with immediate appeal, whereas the Queen of the Earth is finer and more restrained. Again, the extra time in bottle is helping here.

Reviewed

Flowstone – Chardonnay – 2011 (18). Opens with a lovely nose that balances ripe fruit notes with complex, barrel-ferment characters. Complex, worked, textured and chewy on the palate, with struck-match complexity. Very long and powerful, this is a dense and expansive wine that is complemented by the barrel-ferment characters and the inclusion of 20% new oak. (RRP $35).

Flowstone – Chardonnay – Queen of the Earth – 2011 (18 – 18.5). Subtle and restrained by comparison to the standard wine. Very fine and long, with underlying power that is tightly controlled. There is clearly very high quality oak here, but this does not dominate the fruit. Citrus characters to close. Will improve with another year or two in bottle. From the wineries “Home Vineyard”, the oak is 50% new and 50% 1 year old. (RRP $55).

Flowstone – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2009 (18). More fruit intensity on the nose compared to the red blend. The palate is textured, chewy and vibrant, with ample tannins coating the finish. Quite a powerful wine that needs a big steak or a few years in the cellar, but does benefit from the extra couple of years in bottle. A serious wine that spent 3 years in oak (100% new). (RRP $75).