Category Archives: New Release – Wine Reviews

Giant Steps – 2011 Release

Reviewed: 17 September 2012

Giants Steps have been taking, well, giant steps in their pursuit of making wines that reflect the place in which the grapes are grown. With access to several excellent vineyards in the Yarra Valley, Steve Flamsteed has produced a superb range of wines that speak of the place where they were grown.

The current release of chardonnays and pinot noirs are from the 2011 vintage. This was a very cold and wet vintage that presented numerous challenges in the vineyard and winery. Properly managed, it is clear that the vintage has produced some excellent wines, albeit in a finer, more elegant style to the 2010s. I expect that in the longer term, the 2011’s from Giant Steps will be fantastic.

The Chardonnays saw 20% new oak, plenty of lees stirring and, in 2011, had only partial malo-lactic fermentation.They are lean and elegant. The pinots are feminine, subtle and supple. They are light bodied now, but experience has shown that with 5 – 10 years in the bottle, these will flesh out and build depth. Quantities of all wines are very limited, so I suggest trying your favourite bottle shop soon.

N.B. This was not a blind tasting, so as usual, my points are for indication purposes only.

Reviewed

Giant Steps – Viognier – Mule – 2011 (17). Apricot and citrus aromas with hints of honey. The palate balances gentle viscosity and texture with fresh acidity that imbues the finish with real drive. Good length of flavour in a leaner style that works really well. Picked earlier to retain crispness, this is a good alternative to sauvignon blanc.

Giant Steps – Chardonnay – Sexton Vineyard – 2011 (17.8). Really creamy and fine, with cashew nut complexity and a lovely mineral core. Hints of lanolin over elegant melon fruit. Stone-fruit on the finish combines with texturing oak and fine acidity to confer excellent length. An elegant wine that will take a few years in the cellar.

Giant Steps – Chardonnay – Tarraford Vineyard – 2011 (18.2). Perhaps the most complete of the three 2011 chardonnays. On the nose there is nutty minerality, whilst the fruit on the palate has real thrust and drive. The balance and length are highlights. The fine minerality is a key component to the finish while the oak and lees characters are a mere whisper on the finish. An excellent wine of real class, this will be even better in 3 – 5 years.

Giant Steps – Chardonnay – Arthurs Creek Vineyard – 2011 (17.5). Slightly richer fruit on the nose. Again, there is lovely creamy notes over delicate fruit aromas. The palate is more forward with strong minerality over subtle fruit. The winemaking influences are less obvious, making this better drinking today. The length is a standout. This should age well also.

Giant Steps – Sangiovese – Mule – 2010 (17). Fresh and vibrant fruit. Has authentic characters, but a degree of fleshiness courtesy its new world origins. Good length and juicy fruit make this a good drink now.

Giant Steps – Pinot Noir – Sexton Vineyard – 2011 (17.8+). Light strawberry hue reflecting the vintage conditions. With cherry and subtle strawberry and spice aromas, this is quite perfumed and evolves in the glass. The palate is firm and austere right now, but the fruit and tannins have an attractive degree of ripeness. An elegant, feminine wine that finishes with tarry complexity. The structure, mouth-feel and length are excellent and the finish is slightly chewy. This really needs a year or two to settle down and open up.

Giant Steps – Pinot Noir – Gladysdale Vineyard – 2011 (18). If anything, even lighter than the Sexton. Complex, pepper and spice, with precise textural components. Elegant fruit on the palate leads on to a textured finish. This really is very long and fine. Subtle and supple, this is very feminine, but still has a degree of power to the fruit. Needs a few years to flesh out, but patience will be rewarded. Burgundian in style.

Giant Steps – Pinot Noir – Applejack – 2011 (18.5). Delicate colour here. More intensity to the fruit on the nose, with more overt cherry aromas on display. This is a lovely wine in the mouth! The texture and mouth-feel are superb. The fruit is remarkably intense on the finish for such a delicate wine and the length is notable. Evolves and builds with air, developing a chewy texture from ripe, though firm tannins and supple oak. Good now, but even better in 5 years.

Giant Steps – Pinot Noir – Applejack – 2010 (18). Wow, the increased fruit intensity and density comes as a shock after the refined and elegant 2011. Spice and smoky notes on the nose over dense red fruits. Much richer in the mouth than the 2010, with firmer tannins on the chewy, textured finish. Good length, but lacks the ultimate balance of the 2011.

Giant Steps – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Harry’s Monster – 2010 (18-18.5). With all the hype about pinot, it is easy to forget just how good Yarra Valley cabernet can be. The wine is closed, but hints at its potential. The fruit is ripe, taut, dense, very finely structured and superbly long. Textured, this has fine tannins and the quality oak has been expertly managed. Ripe tannins are a highlight. Will live for a long time.

Victorian Tasting – New Release

Reviewed – 3 March 2010

The diversity in the Australian wine industry continues to expand each year. It has become hard to keep up to date with the new and exciting wineries that are continually springing up. When John Jens called to say that there was a tasting of some of the new (and not so new) emerging producers, I was keen to attend. The wines were primarily Victorian, with a good selection of pinot noir.

The wines were presented by wholesalers Travis Howe, Cath Willcock (Imbibo) and also a producer, in Erinn Klein (Ngeringa). Whilst the wines on show were diverse in style, the common theme was the passion with which our hosts presented the wines! Ngeringa is an interesting story, with the wines being Biodynamic. Errin is totally committed to the principles and feels that the wines are now expressing a true sense of place. Whether biodynamics is your thing matters not. The chardonnay is worth trying.

There were several highlights including the wines from Bass Phillip and William Downie. The pick for me, from a value point of view, was the Jamsheed pinot (Pepe Le Pinot). An excellent drink at the price.

NB: This was not a blind tasting. There were too many wines on tasting to review them all, so I focussed mainly on the pinots.

Reviewed

Bass Phillip – Pinot Noir – Premium – 2008 (18 – 18.5). Complex nose, but a touch more forward than in some previous years. The palate is a treat, with leather and spice over earthy fruit. Very refined, this is powerful and silky, though very tight. This is more Burundian in style and is not as approachable as the Crown Prince at the moment.

William Downie – Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley – 2010 (18 – 18.5). Rich, dense and structured, the ripe fruit perfectly balanced by textural components and fine, lingering acidity. The mouth-feel is fantastic and will only get better. The finish is very long and precise. A complete wine!

William Downie – Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula – 2010 (18+). Silky wine, though tighter than the Yarra and Gippsland wines. The structure here is the key. The acid is a touch high at the moment, so give it a year or two to settle. As this opens up, it develops some of the mouth-watering juicy fruit that these wines all seam to have. The finish is long and textured. May turn out to be the best of the three in the medium term.

Bass Phillip – Pinot Noir – Crown Prince – 2008 (17.5/18). Ripe fruit aromas leap from the glass, with strawberry, plum and cherry fruit characters. A generous palate displaying rich, ripe and textured fruit. Think spice, with earthy and meaty components over ripe red berries. The length and generosity make this a great drink. (I gave this extra points for being a really good drink!)

Mayer – Pinot Noir – Doctor – 2010. (17.5 – 18). From a close planted vineyard. Closed and tight on the nose. There is rich, sweet fruit on the palate that evolves into a savoury mouth-feel with extraordinarily fine tannins that caress the tongue. Balanced fresh acidity carries the palate to a precise and long finish. There is a touch of grip on the finish, but this will soften with air. Bring on the roast duck.

Syrahmi – Shiraz – Climat – 2009 (17.5 – 18). Very enticing nose that is vibrant and perfumed, whilst being really deep smelling. In the mouth, there is cherry, menthol, pepper and chocolate over red fruits. Despite its refreshingly moderate alcohol (13.2%), this is packed with flavour. The finish is silky and long, with some leather, aniseed and spice to close. An elegant wine.

William Downie – Pinot Noir – Gippsland – 2010 (17.5 – 18). More immediate appeal here than the other Downie pinots. With bright red fruits, this is succulent, juicy, generous, round and forward. The length and structure are very good. Drink this while waiting for the others.

Wildcroft – Shiraz – Wild One – 2007 (17.8). Rich and vibrant fruit to start, but there are some really interesting funky characters and white pepper reminiscent of the Northern Rhone. The palate has powerful fruit, with earthy (almost gamey) overtones. A long, silky palate is set off by fine, chalky tannins. Not a mainstream style, but a very good wine.

Ngeringa – Chardonnay – 2009 (17.7). Surprisingly fresh and vibrant for a wine that went through 100% malo-lactic fermentation. The palate is where this wine stands out. Excellent mouth-feel and texture on show here. The sweet fruit blends seamlessly with the wine-maker’s inputs such as barrel fermentation and some lees work. A fine wine with obvious appeal. Biodynamic Wine.

Madderns Rise – Chardonnay – 2009. (17.5). Nectarine, peach and perfumed floral notes. This smells really creamy, courteous of the 100% malo-lactic fermentation, though it is in no way overblown. The palate has fruit richness and texture, with grapefruit acidity running over the top. Very fresh, this should improve for another year or two. Good drinking.

Garagiste – Pinot Noir – 2009 (17 – 17.5). Bright, clean and fresh. The palate is excellent, with forward, bright fruit that is long and textured. This has a lovely mouth-feel to complement the juicy fruit. Not quite as complex as some, but this should be excellent value.

Jamsheed Wines – Pinot Noir – Harem Series – Pepe Le Pinot -2010 (17 – 17.5). Smells like pinot, tastes like pinot… must be pinot. This is a really smart little wine, with cherry and spice on a textured palate. There is a touch of licorice and sympathetic oak to close. At around $20, this is a beauty! Try La Vigna, Beaufort St Merchant or Lamont’s in Perth or United Cellars on the east coast.

Mayer – Chardonnay – Bloody Hill – 2010 (16.9). Subdued nose to start. The palate is fine and silky, with excellent length and texture. The fruit is not particularly complex, but the wine-maker’s inputs add to the mouth-feel.

Ravensworth – Marsanne – 2009 (16.9). Complex aromas of subtle fruit, with a touch of oak evident. Made in a style that emphasizes texture and mouth-feel over primary fruit. Quite a neutral wine that will take food well. Made by Tim Kirk from Clonakilla.

Mayer – Pinot Noir – Bloody Hill – 2010 (16.8). A pretty wine with cherry fruit over tar and spice. The palate is round and satisfying with no rough edges. Acids and tannins keep the fruit fresh and there is little in the way of oak influence.

Pinot Noir and Friends

New Release Tasting

24 November 2010

Pinot noir is a most frustrating grape variety. At its best, the wines possess an almost ethereal character that has aficionados paying hundreds, (even thousands) of dollars a bottle. Often, however, the wines lack any redeeming features, as pinot is a difficult grape to get right in the vineyard, and is also fickle in the winery as well.

With this in mind, pinot noir tastings are the most anticipated that the Fine Wine Club tasting panel judge. It is the hope of finding that mystical wine that hooks us in, though the reality is usually much more painful.

The highlight of this tasting were the two wines from Ostler. I do not know anything about them, but the quality suggests that they are an outfit to follow closely. The Peregrine was great drinking and the Provenance good value.

Of the whites, the Yerring Station is worth a try. It took a couple of days to show its best, but this is an interesting wine. The Nicolas Feuilatte was excellent drinking.

Reviewed – Friends

Nicolas Feuilatte – Champagne – Reserve Particulare – NV (17.9). Quite complex and dense, this has powerful, (though fine) fruit. The palate has lovely red berry fruit characters, suggesting a higher use of pinot noir in the blend. The texture and mouth-feel are excellent. This will get even higher marks with a little bottle age to allow the fruit to open up.

Yerring Station – Marsanne/Viognier/Roussanne – MVR – 2008 (17.8). Very restrained compared to the other whites here. The palate is pristine, pure, restrained, taut, racy and long. The mouth-feel is good and the finish mouth-watering. Whilst very subtle, this has plenty to offer and really hit its straps after being open for two days.

Barwick Estate – Viognier – The Collectables – 2007 (17.2). This wine polarised the panel. Complex, textured, powerful and long, the palate is viscous with nutty fruit characters. The phenolics are a bit less pronounced than in the Millbrook, and the extra bottle age is evident. One reviewer found the palate somewhat fat.

Millbrook – Viognier – Limited Release – 2009 (17). This received mixed reviews. This is a powerful and complex wine. There is apricot, almond and a very viscous mouth-feel. One reviewer felt the phenolics overpowered the fruit somewhat.

Millbrook – Viognier – Estate – 2009 (16.8). Reserved, oily, viscous, tight and long. There is not as much going on here, but this is perhaps the best drink right now.

Gabbiano – Asti – NV (16.5). Fine yet very persistent bead. Pretty nose with floral and grape juice notes. Plenty of floral fruit and sugar sweetness on the palate, though I would have preferred a touch more acid to offset the sweetness a little more. Value.

Reviewed – Pinot Noir

Ostler – Pinot Noir – Caroline’s – 2008 (18+). Very powerful fruit. Pretty fruit characters on the nose, though the latent structure is holding everything in check. The palate is long and dense, and the quality of the fruit is evident. The textural components are a highlight, as demonstrated by the silky mouth-feel. Give it a few years and this will be superb.

Ostler – Pinot Noir – Caroline’s – 2009 (18). Fragrant and very pretty nose of red berries. The quality of the fruit is highlighted by the ripe fruit notes and excellent fruit weight. Texture is a highlight on the palate with dense fruit in the cherry spectrum. There are also hints of truffle/forest floor on a silky, slippery and supple finish. This is drinking really well now.

Provenance – Pinot Noir – 2008 (17.7). Seductive nose! This is silky, fragrant and gently spiced, with excellent fruit quality. The palate is long and nicely weighted. There is a touch of earthy textures and oak tannins on the finish. Very promising wine, and good value at around $30.

Peregrine – Pinot Noir – 2008 – (17.5/18). The real sleeper of the tasting. A lighter style, with more spice over fresh red berries. Whilst closed, this is light, fresh, and easy to drink. With time in the glass, this developed lovely sappy fruit and real depth of flavour. After two days on the tasting bench, this showed very well!

Curly Flats – Pinot Noir – 2006 (17.5). A wine in two parts. There is a seductive nose showing hints of strawberry, stone-fruit and earthy/gamey highlights. The palate, however, is very structured, firm and austere. There is good length, but the finish is drying. This could go either way, but my points indicate that I actually liked it.

Barwick Estate – Pinot Noir – The Collectables – 2008 (17/17.5). Starts out firm and muscular, and the cherry/plum fruit is restrained. There is a touch of bacon fat on the nose, typical of the region/oak treatment. This really opened up with time, and the pretty fruit and texture were a highlight.

Ant Moore – Pinot Noir – 2008 (17). An interesting wine. Powerful, textured, nutty and dense. Will age well. (More akin to a dry red in style and would have received higher marks in a tasting with wines other than pinot).

Peregrine – Pinot Noir – Saddleback – 2008 (17). Fragrant plum, spice and strawberry. Quite medium bodied, this has pretty fruit. Not as complex as the best, but good drinking and not bad value for a pinot.

Clemens Hill – Pinot Noir – 2008 (16.8). Crimson colour. In some ways this is more shiraz like, with sweet fruit, lovely mouth-feel and fine tannins on a textured finish. This represents good drinking, though it is not strictly pinot-like.

Rau – Pinot Noir – 2008 (16.5). More weight than some here. Fresh fruit on the nose and high acidity on the finish. May evolve.

Riesling and Pinot New Release

5 July 2010

Reviewed

Richardson – Pinot Noir – 2006 (17.8). Complex dark fruits including cherry and plum. Cedary oak adds complexity but does not dominate. Good fruit here. Concentrated and dense. The texture and length are highlights. Will evolve.

Angove – Riesling – Vineyard Select – 2009 (17.7). From the Clare Valley. More alive than some here. Opens with citrus zest, grapefruit and lime juice. The palate is flooded with lovely limey fruit. The texture in the middle palate is good and the finish is balanced. Acid builds to add focus. A very good wine.

Dog Point – Pinot Noir – 2008 (17.5). Fragrant and perfumed, with red fruits, cherry and blackcurrant all combined with a touch of cedar in an attractive package. The palate has serious, layered fruit and the wine is well made. Texture and length are the highlights. Leave it for a few years if you can resist drinking it, and be rewarded. NB. I was on my own in recommending this.

Kalgan River – Riesling – 2008 (17.5). Closed. Fine acid dominates fruit right now. Some lemon and musk/spice on a palate that develops and builds. Germanic in style, with a touch of fruit and sugar sweetness.

Lamont’s – Riesling – 2009 (17). Restrained at the moment. Steely and fine on the palate, there is minerals and fine acid to carry the finish. Very long and develops. Clearly superior.

Wynns – Riesling – 2009 (16.8). Restrained and taught on the nose. There is almost a touch of spritz on the palate from the acid and dissolved CO2. Very tight and fine, the acid is beautifully balanced. This is very young and sure to age well, (and score higher points in the future).

Angove – Riesling – Long Row – 2009 (16.7). Not so overt on the nose, but a touch of lemon sherbert and perfume. Round, soft, balanced and with good acidity to close. A touch of sweetness makes it easy to drink.

MadFish – Pinot Noir – Gold Turtle – 2009 (16.5). This really opened up with air. Sweet cherry fruit combine with spice and a touch of perfume. Whilst the palate is long, this is far too young. (Received more support from the rest of the panel).

Kalgan River – Riesling – 2009 (16). Floral and fresh nose. Floral with lime juice running through the palate. A touch of caramel is a bit out of place.

New Release – Mixed

Reviewed: 14 March 2013

Every now and then, a tasting slips through the cracks and does not get published.

I reviewed these wines a month ago, but forgot to write up the review. This means there is a little bit of context missing, as I have had to rely solely on my tasting notes to bring the reviews to you

Reviewed

Millbrook – Tempranillo – 2012 (17). I like the smell of this as it has ripe fruit, balanced by savoury highlights. There is a touch of fruit cake, currants and cedar on the palate. The tannins are quite fine, yet assertive, giving the finish a drying edge. The texture is good and the fruit builds with air. A year or two will see this flesh out and build.

Cape Mentelle – Zinfandel – 2011 (17.3). Dense, fleshy fruit is the dominant character on both the nose and palate. This is a ripe, yet well structured wine that balances fruit richness with an excellent mouth-feel. This is a leaner style of zinfandel that balances the fruit with fine tannins and a savoury edge. Will work a treat with a casserole anytime in the next 5 – 7 years.

Hamelin Bay Wines – Merlot – Rosé – 2012 (17). The panel really enjoyed this wine as it was considered to be a good example of the style. Leads off with a neutral nose that, whilst dry, has a floral lift. Dry and savoury on the palate, this has refreshing acidity balanced with a hint of savoury fruit.

Fifth Leg – Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc – Rosé – 2012 (16.5). Richer hue and more body to the fruit on the nose. Savoury, dry and with a touch of grip on the close. I like this style where the savoury structure takes precedence, and the gentle red fruits caress the palate on the finish.

Swings & Roundabouts – Chardonnay/Pinot Noir – Backyard Stories – 2011(16.7). Ripe, new world fruit, but there is good acidity to balance the fruit and dosage. Good length and gentle complexity to a wine that is uncomplicated and easy to drink.

Brookwood Estate – Chenin Blanc – NV (16.5). I like the fact that this is obviously made from chenin blanc in the style of wines from the Loire Valley in France. The fruit has real apple like overtones and the acid is refreshing and lively.

New Release – Mixed

Reviewed: 20 February 2013

Whilst the Xanadu Next of Kin was, by far, the best wine of the chardonnay bracket, The De Bortoli colombard/chardonnay was the big surprise. Good fruit, excellent winemaking and a ridiculously low price. An interesting and worthwhile alternative to cheap sauvignon blanc.

With the cabernets, the Howard Park was in a league of its own (thought the Woody Nook was knocking on the door). The value wine though was the Devils Lair – Fifth Leg.

To finish off, the Vat 5 by Deen De Bortoli reaffirmed its claim as a stunning bargain when it comes to dessert wine.

Reviewed

De Bortoli – Chardonnay – Sacred Hill – 2012 (16). Bursting with flavours reminiscent of ripe stone fruit. The clean and fresh palate is simple and straightforward, but the hints of nuttiness round out the finish. Great value commercial wine that is to drink not think.

De Bortoli – Colombard/Chardonnay – Sacred Hill – 2012 (16,3). A nice wine that is clean and fresh, with grapefruit and lemony flavours. There is enough acidity to keep the palate lively and refreshing and there is good length and balance. I would happily drink a glass of this on a warm afternoon. Stunning value at less than $7.00 on special.

Xanadu – Chardonnay – Next of Kin – 2011 (17). A real step up in terms of fruit quality, weight and texture. The winemaking here is also more expansive and generous, with some lees and barrel influence adding depth and texture to the fruit. The long and fleshy finish displays excellent oak handling.

Howard Park – Cabernet Sauvignon – Abercrombie – 2010 (18 – 18.5+). Wow, the fragrant violet and red currant fruit on the nose is hauntingly beautiful. Opens to show hints of vanillin oak and cedar that complements the fruit well. The palate is dense, tight, long and fine. Whilst the tannins are palpable, they are remarkably fine and silky. The fruit quality here is superb and the winemaking first grade. Whilst refined and elegant now, this needs 10+ years to see it peak. Superb wine!

Woody Nook – Cabernet Sauvignon – Gallagher’s Choice – 2010 (18+). Cedar and spice to the fore, but develops superb varietal fruit with air. Quite closed and tight, this needs to open up to show its best. Initially presents as leaner style and will certainly be a good accompaniment to food over the next 5 years This will however blossom in 10 years. Excellent wine.

Devil’s Lair – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot – Fifth Leg – 2011 (17). This wine has concentrated ripe fruit on both the nose and palate. There is an almost mocha like flavour (from the shiraz) running over the juicy/succulent fruit. Cassis is the dominant flavour and while not obviously Margaret River in style, this is dense, long and quite opulent.

De Bortoli – Semillon – Vat 5 – Botrytis – 2008 (17). Sweet marmalade fruit on the nose. The palate has more of the same, with decent acidity to balance the long finish. This wine is viscous, dense and totally delicious. Whilst I do not quite see how this beat its big brother, the Noble One, for a trophy recently, it is a brilliant wine at the price.

Rosé and Moscato – New Release

Reviewed: 1 March 2013

In many ways, a blind tasting of Rosé and Moscato is more interesting (though not necessarily more enjoyable) than most of the tastings I do here at Fine Wine Club. The reason for this is the diversity of styles that are offered up to the consumer as well as the tendency for the wines to be at the cheaper end of the price/quality scale.

The result is that many wines do not make it to these pages. The overly sweet and simple wines are automatically excluded as are the ones that lack any sort of typicity.

Of the wines reviewed here, the Emeri by De Bortoli is my pick. The relatively low alcohol (8%) makes this a great wine for a sunny afternoon, or as an aperitif before something more serious.

Reviewed

De Bortoli – Pink Moscato – Emeri – NV (16.7). A gentle wine that has some similarities to a rosé in that there are hints of red berries on the nose and a gently pink colour. Light and fresh, with refreshing acidity and well-judged sweetness. (This is a lot drier than most tasted in the line-up). The finish is rounded off by granny smith apple acidity and there is good length to close. A very good example of the Australian style.

Yalumba – Sangiovese – Y Series – Rosé – 2012 (16.4). Savoury fruit on the nose. The palate is dry, with gentle red fruits balanced by savoury, almost spicy highlights and fresh acid to close. Good with food or on its own.

Lindeman’s – Moscato – Early Harvest – NV (15.8). Quite a strong mousse in the mouth. Musk and rose water like aromas over fresh, grapey fruit. Quite sweet and relatively simple, this is an easy drink. (7.5% alc)

Bella Riva – Moscato – Moscato – Del Re – 2012 (15.8). Gently effervescent. Clean and fresh with grape flavours to the fore with a hint of blackcurrant. Simple and uncomplicated, with just enough acidity to balance the touch of sweetness.

Penfolds: 2013 Bin Release

Perth: 18 February 2013

The Trustee Bar & Bistro

The title of this event is a little confusing, as there was no wines from 2013 on show. The releases were from 2010 – 2012 and represent the latest installment of these iconic Penfolds red wines.

It was with some excitement that I approached this event, as several of the wines being shown were from the 2010 vintage. This has proven to be a superb vintage in all the main wine-growing regions in South Australia. Andrew Baldwin, red winemaker at Penfolds was in Perth for the event, to talk us through the wines.

Firstly, as you would expect, the wines from 2010 were outstanding. Whilst still trademark Penfolds in style, the finesse and balance of the wines were a highlight. Secondly, the tasting highlighted to me how important it is to serve wine at an appropriate temperature.

Summer in Perth is a challenging time to serve red wines as room temperature is often too warm to really appreciate fine red wine. It is often quoted that 18 – 20 degrees is the ideal temperature to serve red wines which is a lot cooler than my house for example.

I leave my red wines in the cellar for as long as possible and will pop them in to the fridge from time to time during dinner, just to drop the temperature a few degrees. When a red gets a bit warm, it loses its finesse and balance, and the alcohol tends to become a bit obvious.

And so it was with the wines at this tasting. Transporting wines on a hot Perth afternoon is a challenge. When the wines were served they were a little warm which flattened their perfume and elegance. Fortunately the air conditioner in the restaurant was working a treat, which dropped the temperature quite quickly. It was however, my good friend John Jens, who chilled a few bottles in ice-buckets to give me wines to taste at an optimal temperature.

This tasting comes with a few caveats. The usual one applies about this not being a blind tasting, so my points are best used as a guide. Secondly, this was a dinner, so my note-taking was a little impaired. Finally, Andrew was an excellent host, making it difficult to disagree with what he was saying 🙂

Seriously though, the wines and food were excellent and I am grateful to Penfolds and The Trustee for hosting the event.

Reviewed

Penfolds — Riesling – Bin 51 – 2012 (18). From a superb year in the Eden Valley, this is lovely wine. Lime juice and lemon zest are the dominant fruit characters, with a steely minerality providing the structure and cut-through. Seamless, delicious and very age-worthy.

Penfolds – Pinot Noir – Bin 23 – 2012 (17.5). This wine probably suffered the most from being a touch warm. On the nose, this was earthy and dense, with almost chocolate like aromas of strawberry fruit. On the palate this is quite earthy, with forest floor and dark cherry characters. From the Adelaide Hills, the wine gets deluxe treatment (Hand picked, refrigerated transit, cold soaking with extended maturation and 9 months on lees). Hand made by Peter Gago, this is more Central Otago in style than Burgundy for example.

Penfolds – Shiraz/Grenache/Mataro – Bin 138 – 2011 (17.5 – 18). Fresh, succulent fruit with red berries over plum and fragrant spice.The fruit is leaner than the 2010’s but there is lovely structure and excellent length. There is a higher percentage of shiraz (65%) this year due to the difficulty of fully ripening the Grenache and Mataro. This is an elegant expression of Barossa fruit, and is a lovely wine. (Drink now – 2020).

Penfolds – Shiraz – Bin 128 – 2011 (17). Trademark Penfolds nose combining succulent fruit and sweet (though subtle) oak. The palate is also trademark Penfolds, but in a lighter, more elegant style. With air, this develops lovely spicy notes that carry through to the palate. Whilst this will probably age well for a few years, my preference would be to drink it over the next 2- 3 years. (Coonawara).

Penfolds – Shiraz – Bin 28 – 2010 (18). Fragrant sweet fruit over complex tobacco aromas and hints of coconut from the oak. The palate is dense, tight, structured and long. The fruit here is initially bright and fresh, with red berries, plum, cinnamon, spice and chocolate highlights. The polished tannins are a real highlight. (Drink: Now to 2030).

Penfolds – Cabernet Sauvignon – Bin 407 – 2011 (18). Excellent quality fruit on display that is quite dense and opulent. There is obvious blackcurrant aromas over chocolate and cedar. Whist the length is excellent the fine tannins are plentiful and shut the fruit down somewhat on the finish. Primarily from Coonawara, Wrattonbully, Robe, McLaren Vale and Padthway, this sees some new French and American oak as well as first and second use barrels. A riper style, yet beautifully balanced.(Drink to 2030+).

Penfolds – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – Bin 389 – 2010 (18.5). This is a superb wine! Lovely sweet fruit that shows fragrant perfume from the cabernet, over rich red fruit from the shiraz. The palate is long, supple and savoury, with the oak seamlessly integrating into the fruit. Textured and structured, the tannins are very fine and add depth to the finish. A delicious wine that is beautiful now, but will age superbly. (Drink 2025 – 2035).

Penfolds – Shiraz – Bin 150 – 2010 (18.5). From a single sub-region in the Barossa, this is another superb wine. A big, bold shiraz that is structured and has excellent texture. Still, this retains a degree of elegance and the balance is a highlight. This was served with a smoky beef rib and the flavour match was inspired. This is probably the best wine in the range and with time, I am sure that the fruit characters will more fully express themselves. One for the patient! (Drink 2025 – 2035).

Wines of South Africa

Hosted by David Clarke from Sommeliers Australia.

Reviewed: 20 November 2012

For a country that has a reputation for producing high quality and distinctive wines, the number of South African wines that make it on to the Australian Market is very small. Subsequently, my exposure to these wines is very limited. When presented with the opportunity to try 18 high quality wines, I hopped straight on a plane to Sydney to attend this tasting. The wines were selected on the basis of quality and style.

My first impressions are that there are some very high quality wines being made and they can represent excellent value in South Africa. It remains to be seen how competitive the pricing will be if the wines ever make it to Australia.

When it comes to style, based on this limited sample, there seems to be a clear division between the very ripe, high oak styles and the modern, fresh and leaner examples. My preference, clearly, was for the latter.

Despite my preconceptions, Pinotage makes up less than 10% of the wines produced in South Africa. Cork issues prevented me from reviewing any here.

A special thanks to Fix St James for hosting the tasting.

Reviewed

David Nieuwoudt – Semillon – Ghost Corner – 2010 (17). From Elim. Very complex nose that has minerals, struck match and really grassy, herbaceous fruit. There is creamy lees over grassy fruit on the palate. Long, the lemony acid really drives the finish. A complex wine of some charm.

Ataraxia – Sauvignon Blanc (+Semillon) – 2012 (16.8). From Western Cape. Clean, fresh nose with tropical fruit over lanolin, lantana and musk. The finish is uncomplicated and refreshing with a touch of creaminess to close. Drink up any warm afternoon.

Cape Point Vineyards – Sauvignon Blanc – Reserve – 2010 (17.2). From Cape Point. Some funky fruit notes that blow off very quickly to reveal complex, oak influenced, tropical fruit and a touch of developing honey. This has lees and barrel ferment notes on the nose and palate that contribute to the complex and long finish. Quite gentle and approachable, this would be easy to pair with seafood.

Mullineux – Chenin Blanc/Clairette Blanc/Viognier – 2011 (17 – 17.5). From Swartland. Round and rich, the colour and nose is quite golden. The nose is all about minerals and spice. Honeyed and textured, the finish is quite lean and has chalky texture on the close. Quite a neutral/oxidative style that places texture and mouth-feel ahead of primary fruit. Produced in old oak barrels which helps build the texture. Antipasto would pair with this very well.

Beaumont – Chenin Blanc – Hope Marguerite – 2011 (16.8). From Bot River. Quite subdued initially, this has lemon and zesty fruit. The palate has sweet fruit and is round and generous. Quite viscous, the hint of residual sugar really fleshes out the middle palate. There is citrus fruit on the close with a touch of sherbet and spice. Quite long and very easy to drink.

Ken Forrester Wines – Chenin Blanc – FMC – 2010 (17.8). From Stellenbosch. A complex nose that combines winemaker’s inputs with citrus and cloves. The palate is rich, dense and textured. The fruit and the oak combine with the honeyed fruit and a touch of sugar to confer great length and depth of flavour. Despite the richness, the lovely acid backbone gives this wine life. A powerful wine that has some similarities with Vouvray. There is a component of Botrytis and the wine spends a year in new 400l oak. (14% alc, 6gm/l residual sugar). Definitely a wine to try if you get the chance.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards – Chardonnay – 2011 (18+). From Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Fresh and lively stone-fruit on the nose, with some nutty fruit and mineral characters. The palate has lemon and creamy barrel ferment/lees texture. The acid carries the fruit right to the close and ensures that this will age well. The oak has been superbly handled and all components are in place, this just needs a few years to blossom. 13% alcohol.

Klein Constantia – Muscat de Frontignan – Vin de Constance – 2007 (18.5). From Constantia. One of the most famous wines in history, once more highly priced than the great Bordeauxs. Gorgeous nose that shows honey and spice, with lovely apricot/dried apricot fruit and subtle nutty aromas. Whilst there is tremendous power to the apricot fruit, there is enough acidity to complement the viscous mouth-feel. Bitter almond and apricot kernel apparent on the close with outstanding length. The sweetness is the perfect counterpart to the rich fruit. I found myself almost chewing the wine more than a minute after the last sip was swallowed.

Paul Cluver – Pinot Noir – 2010 (17+). From Elgin. Dense dark fruits here. Black cherry and firm oak on both the nose and the palate with a touch of reductive notes now. This is austere, tart and very long. An age-worthy wine that will blossom in 10 years, but is firm right now.

Bouchard Finlayson – Sangiovese/Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Mouvedre/Barbera/Shiraz – Hannibal – 2010 (17). From Walker Bay. A very drying style where the tannin structure and muted fruit comes from the sangiovese. Long and savoury, this will pair very well with a good steak. Very drying and tart, this will age well in the medium term.

AA Badenhorst Family Wines – Shiraz Blend – 2009 (17.5). From Swartland. Pepper and spice over chocolate fruit on the nose. The palate is peppery, with fine, though chewy tannins. The souring finish adds life and makes this easy to pair with food. There is chocolate, coffee, licorice and a touch of tar to close. An elegant wine that needs a few years to flesh out.

The Sadie Family – Columella – 2009 (18+). From Swartland. Complex nose that has a combination of ripe fruits and savoury notes. Chocolate, mocha and a touch of vanillin oak on a dense, textured, long and spicy palate. This is a significant wine. The oak is very high quality, the length is prodigious and the texture evolving. Powerful and intense, this deserves 10 + years in the cellar. Superb!

Rust en Vrede – Shiraz – 2010 (17). From Stellenbosch. Really chocolate-like fruit that is rich, ripe and forward. On the nose there is cherry and red berry fruit that is forward and approachable. A riper style and less structured, this appeals as an excellent drink-now wine. 15% alcohol, but does not appear in any way hot. Think McLaren Vale for style. The estate was started in 1694 and the wines are biodynamic.

De Trafford –Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz/Cabernet Franc – Elevation 393 – 2007 (18+). From Stellenbosch. Floral red fruits with herbal highlights. This reminds me of walking through my tomato plants, the hints of tomato leaf characters rising above the fruit. The palate is lean, yet powerful, the herbal characters complementing the fruit well. The oak is apparent, but balances the fruit well. Really needs time to evolve.

De Krans – Touriga National/Tinta Barocca/Souzao – Cape Vintage Reserve – 2008 (17.5). From Calitzdorp. Smells like port! Think fruitcake with an alcohol lift. The rich, fruitcake-like characters continue on the palate. Made like a port, this will age very well. In South Africa, this sells for around $10 per bottle and is an absolute bargain.

New Release – Rose

Reviewed: 24 November 2012

I have often commented that it is hard to assess a line-up of rose due to the diversity of styles. From the dry and savoury to the sweet and frivolous, you will find numerous examples on the market.

With wines like these, a little residual sugar is usually a good thing. It rounds out the palate and balances the tart mineral characters. An added bonus is that the wines are typically lower in alcohol than usual, with several wines in the tasting being just above 10%. This means that a glass at lunchtime or mid afternoon will not slow you down as much as other styles.

My clear favourite was the La Boheme which is made by De Bortoli. The relatively dry nature of the palate made this the best match for food. This was a good wine that happens to have been made in the rose style.

Whilst these wines are typically served chilled, don’t serve them too cold or you will loose some of the fruit flavours.

Reviewed

La Boheme – Rose – Dry Pinot Noir – Act Two – 2012 (17). Very pale colour here. The nose is a gentle, though attractive mix of red summer fruits. Despite the colour, the fruit strucutre on the palate is very good. This has a degree of depth to the flavours that was lacking on some of the wines. The red fruits build on quite a savoury finish. There is good length and the fresh acid adds life and vitality. My pick and a wine perfectly suited to food. (It was excellent with prawn linguine for dinner).

Angove – Rose – Grenache/Shiraz – 2012 (16.5). Vibrant pink salmon colour from the grenache. A relatively dry style that has floral notes over light, red fruits that are quite juicy. There is a hint of strawberry, with a nice savoury twist to close. A good wine that builds in the mouth with the touch of sugar adding flesh to the finish. Needs no food.

Harris Organic – Rose Muscat – NV (16.5). Just the merest hint of pink here. Lovely orange peel and apricot characters over grapey, muscat aromas. The palate is intensely sweet and quite viscous. There is enough acidity to keep the finish fresh. I am not sure if this should be classified as a rose as it drinks more like a dessert wine. This should actually drink very well with fresh fruit at the end of a summer lunch.

Luna Rosa – Rose – Rosado – 2012 (16.5). Paler colour than some and the nose is quite restrained. Plush, sweet fruit with good acidity and excellent length, aided by the soft acid. A touch of sweetness in the middle palate makes this an excellent choice for a warm afternoon drink served quite cold. The finish here was a highlight.

Scuttlebutt – Rose – Shiraz/Merlot/Sangiovese – 2012 (16.4). While the colour is quite light, there are more obvious fruit characters with a touch of orange peel and musk aromas. The palate is fresh and succulent with admirable length of flavours on quite a savoury finish. Not bone dry, but this is part of the appeal. A fun wine that is full of life.

Willow Bridge – Rose – Dragonfly – 2012 (16.3). A neutral, savoury wine that is really suited to some light foods or an antipasto. I like the acidity on the finish that cuts through to keep the palate fresh.

West Cape Howe – Rose – 2012 (16). Vivid pink colour. Subdued fruit characters up front. A soft, gentle, neutral wine with nice fruit to close. The palate is a touch viscous and quite dry with a finish that is a touch tart. A versatile wine that will please many.