Category Archives: Rose

Shiraz Blends

5 December 2010

An interesting tasting, with several interesting wines. The Stirling was a highlight, but the wines from Kaleske and Sons of Eden delivered real drinking pleasure. A relatively high number of wines did not get reviewed (points less than 16).

Reviewed

Ferngrove – Cabernet/Shiraz – The Stirling – 2007 (18+). Wow. Cedar and spice to the fore. There is mint, eucalypt and a rich seam of blackcurrant on the nose. The touch of peperriness attests to the shiraz component. The palate is powerful yet very refined. This is a big wine, and the fruit is overwhelmed by the structure now. There is menthol and satsuma plum on the finish. Needs 5 years but will live for 20. Different style to the Majestic.

Sons of Eden – Grenache/Shiraz/Moved – Kennedy – 2008 (17.8). Intriguing nose. This is fresh and juicy. The palate is dense and chock full of high quality, juicy fruit. There is licorice and plum, as well as some savoury notes. The oak is very much in the background and the length is impressive. The finish is very fine and silky, bordering on seamless. Great drinking over the next 5 years.

Kalleske – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – Clarry’s – 2009 (17.7). More restrained, this has dense and concentrated fruit. The palate is a real step up in quality compared to some. There is ripe yet restrained plum and dark berry fruit, with a touch of earthy, forest floor characters. The finish is fresh and bright. A good each way bet.

Deepwoods – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – Ebony – 2009 (17). Fresh and clean with mulberry and spice. There is plenty of vibrant fruit on the palate with enough acidity to make the finish refreshing. This is not so complicated, but is fleshy and enjoyable now.

Deepwoods – Rose – Harmony – 2010 (16.8). More savoury, this has obvious red berry fruit characters (raspberry jube). The palate is surprisingly delicate, dry and savoury with a tangy finish. A serious style that would carry food.

Aramis – Shiraz/Cabernet – 2008 (16.5). Softer and more subdued. There is ripe plummy fruit, but there is a lack of vibrancy. Good to drink though.

Devils Lair – Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc – Fifth Leg – 2008 (16.4). Fresh and vibrant. There are peppery shiraz notes with plummy fruit. There is a touch of mint on a chalky finish. Easy to drink.

Angove – Shiraz/Cabernet – Butterfly Ridge – 2009 (16). This again has some heavy fruit. There are plummy notes on the nose. This is juicy, but without pretence. Easy to drink.

Angove – Shiraz/Cabernet – Organic – 2009 (16). More support from other panel members. Cooler cabernet fruit to open with some grassy and herbal notes. There is a touch of sweet and sour fruit on the palate. Inoffensive and worth a look if organic is your thing.

Moondah Brook – Rose – Cabernet – 2010 (16). Vibrant colour. Fragrant and floral nose, this is very pretty. The strawberry fruit is the main feature, with a fair bit of residual sugar. Savoury notes on the finish keep it fresh.

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.

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.

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.

Chardonnay, Pinot and Rose

New Release

Reviewed: 15 February 2012

Is it just me or are wineries releasing their wines earlier and earlier? Many of the wines reviewed here need a year or two to show their best. If you are drinking them young, don’t serve them too cold and give them time in the glass to open up.

There were also a few good value pinot noirs.

Reviewed

Rose

Chene Bleu – Grenache/Shiraz – Rose – 2009 (16.5). Lovely pale salmon colour. Savoury, dry and refreshing, this has nice mouth-feel and texture. Good length and a touch of oiliness on the finish adds interest. This is a smart wine that will suit antipasto well.

Poudriere – Rose – Bastide Du Claux – 2010 (16.9). Very pale colour to what is a very pretty wine. Dry and refreshing, this has some lovely red berries on the palate with a savoury finish. Good mouth-feel and weight with a hint of oak influence perhaps?

Chardonnay

Howard Park – Chardonnay – 2009 (18+). Deeper colour here. Tight and lean on the nose, showing white peach, citrus and hints of honey and toast. The power and quality of the fruit really comes through on the palate. This is complex and very intense, with rich stonefruit notes over a textured, complex finish. The vanillin oak and buttery lees notes complement the fruit very well. A serious wine of real power, this will delight over the next 5 years. From the Great Southern.

Singlefile Estate – Chardonnay – Family Reserve – 2010 (17.9+). A tighter style that works really well. This is elegant and long, showing grapefruit, peach and nectarine on the palate. Quality oak adds complexity to the finish. Pineapple acid adds to the finish as does a touch of mineral and struck match. This got even better with a day on the tasting bench.

Deep Woods – Chardonnay – 2011 (17.5+). Subdued and tight, this is seamless and silky in the mouth. An unusual wine in that no features define the wine, but it is very enjoyable. An elegant wine with a touch of musk to close. Will take a couple of years to hit its straps and fill out.

Yering Station – Chardonnay – Village – 2010 (17.2). Compared to the Howard Park, this is delicate and refined. A precise wine with hints of citrus and nectarine over a creamy finish. Very well made, the gentle oak and lees contact really adds to the package. Good length too. One panellist noted that the wine was very well made, using the fruit to best effect.

Hill-Smith Estate – Chardonnay – Eden Valley – 2010 (17). Complex, creamy nose, with an appealing minerality on top. Powerful fruit on the palate that has been massaged with some skill in the winery. Quality oak is a bit obvious now, but should settle, as the wine integrates well with air.

Yering Station – Chardonnay – Little Yering – 2010 (16.9). Well made, if uncomplicated wine with varietally correct fruit characters and enough winemaking inputs to flesh out the palate. Easy drinking and enjoyable.

The Arm Chair Critic – Chardonnay – Over & Under – 2010 (16.5). This received good support with the panel appreciating the good length and pretty fruit that had grapefruit overtones. Will be better in another year or so and should represent good value.

Pinot Noir

St Huberts – Pinot Noir – 2010 (17 – 17.5). Delicate fruit on the nose. The palate hints at strawberry. This is very well made and quite silky, while the textural components add life to the mid palate. Very good length, this needs 5 years to show its best. Great to see a wine of this quality under this label.

Yering Station – Pinot Noir – Village – 2010 (17.3). Fresh, vibrant and appealing wine. There are hints of cherry and plenty of spice, with good length and a touch of complexity on the finish. This actually builds nicely in the mouth, suggesting that a few years would see it improve. Develops fleshy fruit of real appeal with air. Cherry and spice to close.

Mad Fish – Pinot Noir – Grand Stand – 2010 (17.2). A bigger style with immediate appeal. There is lovely cherry fruit with hints of plum and aniseed on the finish. In fact, there is a touch of fresh fennel and star anise. This is lush and velvety in the mouth and oh so easy to drink. Not that complex, but who cares.

Yering Station – Pinot Noir – Little Yering – 2010 (16.7). Some appeal here. This is a straightforward, slightly sappy wine that would suit food well. There is, perhaps, a touch of carbonic maceration that adds a hint of candy.

Chardonnay and Rose

 

New Release

Reviewed – 20 August 2011

I have mentioned before that Rose is a wine without a clear definition of style. This tasting has gone part way in changing my opinion. All three wines reviewed are worth a look at, but the Turkey Flat is a good drink in any context. I actually had a glass of this with a cassolet, and it went down a treat.

There were also some very smart chardonnays. Interestingly, there was a cross-section of styles from the bigger, more obvious style of “The Pick” to the racy and nervous drive of the Vasse Felix. Both are excellent expressions of chardonnay, just different.

The star of the tasting was the Hardys. A wine of balance and refinement that while drinking a treat now, will live for several years to come.

Reviewed

Hardys – Chardonnay – HRB/D643 – 2008 (18). Fresher fruit nose here. This wine has immediate appeal. Quality fruit, judicious oak and skilled winemaking combine to make a wine of real length and elegance. The palate is long and refined, with stonefruit and citrus notes. The oak is a mere whisper in the background, adding texture and mouth-feel. A joy to drink!

Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – 2010 (17.8+). Refined and pristine nose with stonefruit characters. Has good quality fruit and quality oak handling. A long and textured palate, with lovely lemony acidity to close. Everything is in place to make this a star, it just needs a couple of years for the fruit, oak and acidity to come into balance.

Warner Glen Estate – Chardonnay – 2008 (17.8). Complex nose. Lovely minerality in the style of Chablis, with a touch of struck match, almond and cashew nut too. The palate is long and fine with a degree of viscosity. The finish is dominated by the medium toast but high quality oak, but hopefully this will settle in the bottle.

Warner Glen Estate – Chardonnay – The Pick – 2009 (17.5+). Bigger style with obvious malo-lactic fermentation, barrel ferment and lees stirring notes. Medium toast oak provides some toasty characters to the finish. Quality fruit, but this is a bigger wine. Although this is starting to develop, it took three days to show its best. In many ways, this is the opposite of the Vasse Felix.

d’Arenberg – Chardonnay – The Olive Grove – 2010 (17). Zesty citrus notes over ripe fruit. The palate is flooded with passionfruit and zippy acidity. Young, fresh and intense, there is refreshing bitter almond to close. This was a real surprise.

The Lane – Chardonnay – Block 3 – 2009 (17). Lovely nose. Peachy fruit, with creamy textural notes. The palate is restrained and tight, though there is skilled winemaking on show. There is creaminess to the finish with a gentle mealy finish. Develops butterscotch and lees/oak influences. Should score better in a year or two.

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Turkey Flat – Rose – 2010 (17). A bit more fruit weight here, with some sappy cabernet fruit with real length. I like this as a sunny afternoon drink and the drying finish adds appeal. Smart packaging helps to make this a “must try” this spring.

Stella Bella – Rose – Skuttlebutt – 2011 (16.7). Fresh, fragrant and vibrant with lovely cherry fruit. This has obvious appeal. Savoury and mouth-watering, this would take a light snack well. Well judged residual sugar leaves the palate quite dry.

Devils Lair – Rose – Fifth Leg – 2011 (16.4). Quite a neutral nose and palate. The finish is savoury and quite long. A good wine that is suited to savoury food.

New Release Cabernet (and Rose)

21 October 2009

I would like to start this review with a question. How many wines can one man make and for how many wineries? The man of the moment in Western Australian wines is undoubtedly Larry Cherubino. Having made a reputation for himself at Houghton Winery in the late 1990’s, Larry has since branched out with his own winery and as a contract/consultant winemaker for numerous local operations from the Great Southern and Margaret River.

Larry produces his own wines under the Cherubino/The Yard/Ad Hoc labels and is a consultant to many others. In this tasting, apparently the Pedestal and the Capel Vale both claim his input.

Of the wines tried, the Capel vale was a standout. This is not going to be cheap (think $70+), but it was very good. From a value point of view, the Higher Planes will make good drinking over the next few years and is a relative bargain at $20. It is not surprising to note that both these wines came from the stellar 2007 vintage.

We are steadily working our way through the backlog of Roses. I am pleased to report that we are down to a dozen or so bottles. What I now realise is that there is no “textbook” style for these wines. They vary significantly from fruit driven and sugary sweet to the dry and oxidised styles (See Shemerdine).

Reviewed

Capel Vale – The Scholar – Cabernet – 2007 (18.5). Dense and concentrated nose with cool fruit. There is a touch of mortein (good) and mint (also good). Some herbal notes too. The palate is ripe, fresh, long and supple. Really builds in the mouth. The fine tannins close down the fruit now, but the finish is silky. Developed ripe blackcurrant and mulberry fruit with air.

Houghton – C W Ferguson – Cabernet Malbec – 2007 (17.5). Clean and fresh, opens with some menthol and eucalypt fruit, but the fruit is ripe. The palate starts austere and dry, as the fruit and oak tannins hide the fruit. Could have a bit more flesh, but should develop nicely with a few years in the cellar.

Higher Plane – South by South West – Cabernet Merlot– 2007 (17.3). Seamless, fine and elegant. Very closed at the moment. A pretty wine.

Castelli – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 (17.2). Dense and ripe fruit here with a touch of licorice and spice. The palate is dominated by black currant, spice and cedary oak, with a touch of vanilla on a drying finish. Medium bodied, the fine tannins close down finish. Classy.

Pedestal – Cabernet Merlot – 2008 (17). Complex nose with dense cabernet fruit and a touch of cherries. The palate is chewy, rich and textured. Not sophisticated but good drinking. A big man’s wine.

Pepperjack – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 (17). Opens with eucalyptus and menthol fruit. This is a big wine. Round sturdy fruit in the black spectrum. Eye watering. A cabernet for shiraz drinkers?

Amberley – Secret Lane – Cabernet Merlot – 2008 (16.5). Dumb to start with and very closed. The palate has some spice oak and red currant and it builds some chocolate texture with air. Not as concentrated as the best here.

Kiss Chasey – Rose – 2009 (16.3). Sweet smelling with some floral overtones. A touch of savoury characters too. The palate is savoury, spicy, long and interesting. There is gentile cherry fruit with a drying finish.

Shelmerdine – Rose – 2008 (16). This was a very pale brown in colour, attesting to the oxidised wine making style. The nose is clean and bright, but lacks any strong fruit character. This is an unusual style that should suit food.