Grape Observer

A lighter year: Toolangi Pinot Noir 2011

2013-05-26T07:21:00.000+10:00

The 2011 vintage was not a great one in the Yarra Valley, with persistent rain and disease pressures a theme. The pinot noirs I have reviewed from 2011 from the region have been consitently lighter and paler in colour than is the norm. The better estates have made some worthwhile wines with good flavour, and I count Toolangi's effort in 2011 among them. Hand picked and seeing 11 months in French oak, the wine has a bright ruby colour in the glass and shows the towards pale intensity of its vintage. Its aromatics are clean, with a medium intensity expression of cherry, sap and wood spice, typical of the current Yarra Valley style of pinot noir. The palate is dry, with medium acid and intensity, soft and light tannins and flavours of cherry and wood spice coming through, with light to medium length. This wine is acceptable to good in terms of its quality due to its balance and towards medium length, although it lacks the complexity and depth of the stronger years and is ready to drink now. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13.2%
Price: $26
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.toolangi.com
Tasted: 2013
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A great little find: Chateau Tour de Ségur 2010

2013-05-23T22:17:00.000+10:00

Well folks, I'm back on deck after a torrid few weeks! Wine continues to pile up at the door, and my WSET diploma studies continue at pace with only one exam - table wines - to go, thus meaning much more tasting and writing is in order. In some good news, I appear to have topped my class in the sparkling wines unit, with distinctions in tasting and theory, which is a relief of sorts considering the blind lineup included a Deutscher Sekt and a South African sparkling from Western Cape.

But enough about me. Let's talk about this wine. I found it at a small retailer in the north shore in Sydney, and it's a winner. A bright ruby colour in the glass, it has aromatics of wood spice, plum and tobacco, with savoury tones. A blend of 65% merlot, 25% cabernet franc and 15% cabernet sauvignon, it is dry on the palate, with medium to high acid and chalky tannins. It is expressive of plums, tobacco and earth, with medium length. Overall, the wine is ready to drink now and over the next five years, and is of a good quality due to its length, balance of structure and fruit and hints of complexity in its savoury plum, tobacco and earth characters. Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $33
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: n/a
Tasted: 2013
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Remarkable drinking: McAlister Vineyard, The McAlister 2005

2013-05-05T21:00:00.000+10:00

I've always wondered whether east Gippsland might be eminently suited to producing fine Bordeaux style wines. It has lakes, proximity to the sea and a cool, but not too cool, humid maritime influenced climate. Getting the late ripening cabernet sauvignon grape ripe might just be possible in this sort of environment.

East Gippsland however is largely untrammelled as a viticultural region, part of the enormous Gippsland geographical indication that encompasses so many climates, soils and topographies that it is unlikely to be useful as a guide to the wine consumer. This Bordeaux blend from the McAlister Vineyard, "The McAlister" is sufficiently good that if it is representative of the Longford region's potential, then well, this region has a lot of potential, and deserves to be spoken of in the same sentence as some of the more famous cabernet blends from the Yarra Valley.

A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot, even the bottle, which is sealed under a labelled cork, looks Bordelaise. The wine itself, from the 2005 vintage, has aromatics of blackcurrant, cedar and plums. The palate has flavours of blackcurrant and tobacco, medium length, with fleshy mid palate support from ripe merlot in the blend. This wine is ready to drink now and over the next five years or so and is remarkably left bank Bordeaux like in style. It deserves attention on the grounds of principally its balance, and its complex and interesting expression of the Bordeaux grape varieties. Very Good

Abv: 14.9%
Price: $58
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: n/a
Tasted: 2013
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Pepperilly Estate Wines Rosé 2011

2013-05-02T21:11:00.002+10:00

This rosé from Pepperilly Estate is made from 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% shiraz. I was half hoping that this estate's rosé might have been made from grenache, but I suspect that went into their rather moreish grenache mourvedre shiraz blend!

Salmon pink in colour, this rosé has aromatics of rose petals and a smidgen of cedar wood. The palate has a viscous texture, a touch of petillance, medium acid and is dry and very drinkable with some fruit sweetness evident. You won't go far wrong with this, particularly at only $12. Acceptable

Abv: 12%
Price: $12
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.pepperilly.com
Tasted: 2013
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Pepperilly Estate Wines Purple Patch 2010

2013-05-02T21:04:00.001+10:00

Pepperilly Estate is situated in the Ferguson Valley in the Geographe region immediately north of the Margaret River region. Geographe has a warm to hot mostly maritime climate, and thus it is not a surprise to see some southern Rhône varietals planted here. Their "Purple Patch" wine is a blend of 65% grenache, 20% mourvedre and 15% shiraz. It worked for me.

The 2010 vintage of the Purple Patch has aromatics of thyme, redcurrant, spice and salami. It has a balanced palate with notes of warm and dry undergrowth, with redcurrant and meaty flavours carrying through. This is a good quality wine on the grounds of its medium length, and the complexity evident in its thyme and savoury deli meat flavours and aromatics. The wine is ready to drink now and at $18, represents good current drinking. Good

Abv: 14.5%
Price: $18
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.pepperilly.com
Tasted: 2013
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Good drinking: Printhie MCC Chardonnay 2011

2013-04-27T15:19:00.002+10:00

Printhie's Mt Canabolas Collection (MCC) chardonnay from the 2011 vintage is another good chardonnay from the Orange region. It has complex aromatics of lemon, biscuit, chalk and grapefruit and well handled oak. Towards long length on the palate, the wine has refreshing acidity and the aromatics carry through. This is a good quality wine on the grounds of its balance and complexity, quite long length, and its mealy and lemon driven characters. A classic cool climate chardonnay that is ready to drink now and over the next few years. Good to Very Good

Abv: 12.5%
Price: $36
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.printhiewines.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Excellent: Swinging Bridge Reserve Chardonnay 2011

2013-04-26T06:20:00.000+10:00

Gee, there's some interest here in this chardonnay from the Orange region. Aromatics of spice, minerals, grapefruit and lemon, with a purity of expression that is appealing. The palate sees high acid, some youthful petillance and towards long length. This wine is very good in quality due to its long length and complex nuances of minerals combined with a depth of lemon and steel, all the while retaining its balance. A very good wine indeed. Very Good

Abv: %13.2
Price: $32
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.swingingbridge.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Well priced: Xanadu Next of Kin Chardonnay 2011

2013-04-25T20:37:00.003+10:00

Xanadu's Next of Kin chardonnay from the 2011 vintage is a pretty sound wine for $18.

Quite aromatic for the grape variety, it reminds of white peach, cashew, lemon and grapefruit. Its palate is characterised by light grapefruit and cashew flavours and some lingering length. It is acceptable to good in terms of quality - while not overly complex, it offers a ready to drink now chardonnay that is supported by balanced flavours and good persistence on the palate, all with change from $20. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $18
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.xanaduwines.com
Tasted: 2013
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And then the Gods smiled: a first growth Bordeaux tasting of the 2008 vintage

2013-04-22T22:01:00.001+10:00

Stratospheric pricing means that certain wines that helped to define previous generations of wine lovers and wine writers are out of the reach of many, if not most. I write specifically with the Bordeaux first growths in mind, but the same may be said for the leading wines of Burgundy, which are frequently not only very expensive, but impossibly scarce. That this is so is a function of markets, and markets mostly win, so there can be little complaint on my part. That first growth Bordeaux is not cheap is perhaps not the type of market failure that would warrant a sympathetic ear from many quarters ... That said, this does not mean that not tasting these wines does not matter. I think it does matter. What is potentially lost is the opportunity to benchmark wines against the greatest wines that the world has to offer, and that is a potentially poor outcome for all concerned.

"And it all comes round, once in a lifetime like it always does ..."

Opportunity knocked, and then knocked down the door, with an Institute of Masters of Wine tasting in Melbourne of no fewer than 81 wines from Bordeaux's 2008 vintage, including all of the first growths, bar one. 2008 itself is what I would describe as one of the "normal" years in Bordeaux, neither a particularly good nor a particularly bad vintage, but frankly I'd already said "yes" before I'd got past the second digit in the year.

What follows are my thoughts on the "first growth" bracket. Rest assured that every single one of the wines in this bracket were unquestionably outstanding in quality. There are no "acceptables", "goods" or even "very goods" here. As befits young Bordeaux and their stature, all of the wines would have benefited from at least another ten years in bottle. They will otherwise last I expect for as long as you can keep your hands off them. I should also give special mention to the Smith Haut Lafitte 2008 from Pessac-Leognan which was bright, structured and full of blackcurrant promise, and was far from humbled in esteemed company.

Chateau Haut-Brion 2008, Pessac-Leognan
Licorice, blackcurrant, tobacco and a purity of aroma come to mind. Tobacco, fine grained tannins, impossibly long length, blackcurrant and licorice meld together to make this a stunning wine. This is the sort of wine that makes you ponder the unquestionable merits of this ultimate expression of Pessac-Leognan/Graves region terroir.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2008, Pauillac
Blackcurrant, graphite, cigar box and some leafy notes make up the aroma of the Lafite. A bit of green capsicum, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, blackcurrant, young firm tannins, smoke and long layered length fill out the palate. Very pure fruited, the charm and intensity of the Lafite grows in the glass. Regal in its cabernet sauvignon dominant bearing, it will prove irresistible with age.

Chateau Margaux 2008, Margaux
The Chateau Margaux has some real charm, beguiling its victim by presenting itself as easier to understand, but proving to be anything but. Plums, blackcurrants, leather, graphite and earth make up its aroma. The palate has extremely long length, and lingering flavours of plums, blackcurrants and a smidgen of leather.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2008, Pauillac
The Mouton Rothschild vied for my favourite of the set, bringing together some of the best aspects of all of the other first growths, with its purity of fruit and layered length in particular standing out. It has aromatics of tobacco and blackcurrants, with an exciting purity of expression. Its palate has long and structured length, with blackcurrant flavours predominant.

Chateau Cheval Blanc 2008, St Emilion
The Cheval Blanc has a soft intensity of blackcurrants and plums in terms of aroma, and vied with the Mouton for the number one billing. The palate has long, almost ridiculous length, reminding of plums, graphite, cigar box and spice, and has fine grained but medium tannins and is a complex wine, showing its cabernet franc characters.

Chateau d'Yquem 2008, Sauternes
The Chateau d'Yquem proves itself to be almost a definition of the "complete wine". Aromatics of marmalade, flowers, apricot, honey and caramelised sugar, give way to endless length on the palate, and nuances of apricots, honey and marmalade. Every aroma, every flavour is pitch perfect, its balance extraordinary.

I am not sure what happened to the Chateau Latour 2008. Suffice to say, I don't feel hard done by in its absence.

History in a bottle: Chateau Tahbilk Cabernet 1971

2013-04-18T00:21:00.000+10:00

This cabernet, opened some 42 years after its vintage, speaks from a different and distant past. But its reach is neither a cold nor confronting one. Its expression of the comfort of familiar places sings loudly. "Place of origin is a matter of importance in any bottle of Australian wine. Grape variety is a matter of interest." This quote from Eric Purbrick of Tahbilk from circa 1960 seems apt generally, but particularly so in the context of this Tahbilk cabernet from the 1971 vintage.

Tahbilk is of course one of the few Victorian wineries able to provide a more or less continuous narrative from the first boom in cool climate Victorian viticulture in the nineteenth century to the present day. And their 1971 cabernet proved to be an excellent wine, worthy of the acclaim that it has garnered.

WS Benwell wrote in 1960 in his book Journey to Wine in Victoria that those who do not know their Tahbilk reds well enough are apt to mistake its intensity of colour for a sign of extreme youth, and that it takes a long time to lighten out. And true to this guidance, decades later, the colour of the 1971 vintage is still strong at 42 years old. The wine wastes little time showing its wares, revealing a distinctive aroma of blackcurrants, intermingled with mint, tobacco and tar. It is almost sui generis, and is a worthy expression of a long standing central Victorian terroir. The palate is medium bodied, but its length is long, and its acid still fresh, with flavours of tobacco, blackcurrants and tar carrying through. An outstanding, complex, complete and interesting wine. History in a bottle. Outstanding

Abv: n/a
Price: n/a
Vendors: n/a
Website: http://www.tahbilk.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Solid: Santa Cristina Toscana IGT 2010

2013-04-17T21:06:00.000+10:00

This wine is a blend of sangiovese, cabernet, merlot and syrah. While not unpleasant, its convincing attributes were few. Aromatically, it speaks of raspberries, redcurrants and leather. On the palate, it is a balanced wine, but tastes somewhat hollowed out. It has short length and redcurrant flavours. Suitable for immediate drinking, this is an acceptable no frills style of wine that reminds of an AOC Bordeaux or a South-Eastern Australian commercial blend. Acceptable

Abv: 13%
Price: $18
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.santacristina1946.it
Tasted: 2013
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Not scandalous: Patina Scandalous Riesling 2012

2013-04-14T13:38:00.001+10:00

The name "Scandalous" suggests that this is not a serious wine, much to my mind as might a picture of a rabbit. I wonder whether serious wine consumers might overlook it thinking it a "commercial wine", while the less serious probably aren't after riesling anyway. Which is something of a pity, since the wine deserves to be taken a bit seriously.

It has clean and youthful aromatics of lemon, lime and lightly candied oranges, and orange peel. Its palate has high acid, medium length, and is off dry to medium dry with 38g/l of residual sugar, but finishes dry due to its excellent acid profile. Bright, fresh and lively flavours of oranges, lemons and limes round out the palate. Overall, I think this is a good wine on the grounds of the purity of its fruit expression, and the balance achieved between its sugar levels and high acidity. A new label is in order for this quite interesting riesling. Good

Abv: 11.9%
Price: $22
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.patinawines.com
Tasted: 2013
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A good Beaujolais: Paul Durdilly Beaujolais 2011

2013-04-14T13:11:00.004+10:00

Beaujolais, a part of Burgundy in name rather than perhaps reputation, faces its share of criticism, much of it deserved.

That does not mean however the region cannot produce tasty wine. It can. This wine for example is enjoyable; more or less exactly what I am seeking in a Beaujolais. It is a medium intensity ruby in colour, with a blue tinge. It has aromas of bright raspberry, cherry confectionary, lavender and some blueberry. And, of course, a touch of banana. On the palate, it is dry, with medium acid, light tannins and body, and primary fruit driven flavours of blueberry and cherry sweets. This Beaujolais from Paul Durdilly is simple and balanced, with good fruit. Its enjoyability factor is high, and it seems to have more fruit, and less banana, than many Beaujolais. I would buy this again. Good

Abv: 12.5%
Price: $17
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: n/a
Tasted: 2013
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Queensland wine? Why not.

2013-04-10T22:30:00.000+10:00

Beginnings

My initial experience with Queensland wine was a rather awkward one. On return after a long day travelling in the beautiful Daintree rainforest in far northern Queensland, I spied a sign pointing towards a wine cellar door. Exhausted, but fascinated by the prospect of grapes grown in the wet tropics where they may yield two crops per year, a not insubstantial, nor particularly convenient nor frankly considerate detour was insisted upon by yours truly. After kilometres of driving, turn offs missed and retraced and dogged persistence, we arrived near a somewhat suburban looking house, with a sign suggesting that the wine was made from assorted tropical fruits. There were no grapes to be seen. There were no vineyards to be seen. Just inexplicable fruit wine. Proposed trips to cellar doors are now submitted for approval one year in advance.

Fantasies of tropical viticulture aside, Queensland is mostly too hot to grow wine grapes of character with latitudes counting down from the high 20s, and few would be aware I expect outside of the good State of Queensland that they even exist. I was therefore quite fascinated by the prospect of an invitation to taste a number of wines from two of Queensland's wine regions - the Granite Belt and South Burnett, as part of a recent Queensland wine event week ably aided by fellow wine writers Stu Robinson from the Vinsomniac and Steve from QWine, with the kind support of the wineries involved.

The places. And isn't Queensland too hot for wine grapes?

The climate in southern Queensland is sub tropical which is, with few exceptions, inconsistent with fine wine production. However, the key thing that makes the wine regions of the Granite Belt and South Burnett possible, is their altitude. Despite being situated at a positively balmy latitude of around 28c, the Granite Belt region is moderated by some serious altitudes of between 450m and 1000m above sea level, giving it four seasons, and a much cooler climate than its latitude would otherwise bestow. Wine grapes have been planted here since 1965 and the region is Queensland's largest with around 500 hectares under vine.

South Burnett is situated to the north, and is warmer and has a lesser altitude than the Granite Belt region. It is located at around 26c latitude, and its altitudes range around 300m to 600m above sea level. Vines have only been planted in South Burnett since 1993, despite some dabblings earlier in the century. The little "A" symbols on the following maps from Google Maps provide more clues, I expect, than my words:

The Granite Belt wine region

The South Burnett wine region

The wines. Are they any good?

I am not going to guild the lily - I never do - but as substantively fledgling wine regions, as can be expected, there were some ups and downs in a tasting of a selection of the regions' wines. Only a couple of wines were in the mix that I would consider "good", most being "acceptable" and a couple being "poor", at least in my humble opinion. But to find some good wine is always exciting. The best and most interesting red I thought was a Nero D'Avola from Golden Grove Estate in the Granite Belt, while the best white wine was probably a chardonnay also from the Granite Belt from Witches Falls, although that was despite, rather than perhaps because of its style.

I am not a wine marketer, but my concern as a wine consumer with many Australian wine regions is that there seems to be a something of a prevailing smorgasbord ethos. Every winery seems to produce at least five styles. Perhaps it's the only way to make a dollar in a tough market. Personally, I am attracted to the idea of one or two marquee blends or varieties per region. This is not a particularly new thought - the same point is made in materials written on nineteenth century Victorian viticulture. But perhaps to illustrate my point, I tasted here a kaleidoscope of varietal wines, including chardonnay, viognier, semillon, verdelho, cabernet sauvignon, mourvedre, shiraz, tempranillo and even pinot noir!

It's almost overwhelming, and clearly highlights, perhaps understandably given its situation, that Queensland wine is in an exploratory phase. My hope is that this phase ends at some point, and the winners are focussed on, so that the exploration of terroir and nuance can begin in earnest. And, here for what it's worth, I suspect the most profitable path will lie with varieties and blends that don't already have established reputations elsewhere in Australia. Does the world need further expressions of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay than offered by Australia's already numerous and in many cases well established and classic wine regions? Or to put the point slightly differently, and with no disrespect to the pinot noir I tasted, is pinot noir from Queensland ever going to be more than a novelty?

The tasting results

To be extra judicious with these new wine regions, I tasted all of the wines blind. The results follow.

The best red

Golden Grove Estate Nero d'Avola 2011, Granite Belt

This wine from Golden Grove Estate, from Sicily's nero d'avola grape, struck me as generally of interest. I haven't tasted widely of the Sicilian versions of nero d'avola, but rustic, thin and acidic are amongst my recollections from thimble sized servings at bustling venues in northern Melbourne, although the grape is of higher repute in Sicily and London than my limited survey sample.

It did strike me as this might be the sort of grape variety that could work well in a sub-tropical latitude moderated by altitude, such as in the Granite Belt. And that proved the case here. The wine has aromatics of ripe and unripe blackberries, savoury tar and tea leaves and wood spice. On the palate, high acid, medium length, and savoury blackberry and tea tree flavours come though, as well as a certain "wildness". I thought this to be a good wine on the grounds of its balance, length and being well held together by its acid profile on the palate, and frankly was a bit interesting. It's a food wine that is ready to drink now, and over the next couple of years. Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $24
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://goldengroveestate.com.au
Tasted: 2013

The best white

Witches Falls Chardonnay 2012, Granite Belt
This is something of a strange choice as "best white" given my thought that Australia's regions have enough chardonnay. Nonetheless, the wine is bright in the glass, with a pale intensity and lemon colour with tears evident. Aromatics are of medium intensity and developing notes of oak, cashew nuts and muted yellow nectarines. It has pronounced oak aromatic influences. The palate is dry with medium acid, a full body, and decent intensity of flavour of cashew nuts, caramel and straw, with medium to long length. Overall, I thought this wine to be of an acceptable to good quality, on the grounds that the palate is balanced with some complexity in its interaction between fruit and oak flavours and its quite long length. But personally I would have preferred substantially less oak influence, and found the flavours of cashews dominant. The wine can be drunk over the next few years. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.witchesfalls.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Some further whites

Ravens Croft Chardonnay 2011, Granite Belt
This wine is bright in the glass with a lemon-white colour. Aromatically, it is clean, with developing aromas of straw, lemon, minerals and chalk. The palate is dry, with medium acid, medium to full body and medium intensity flavours of straw and lemon and short length, supplemented by some almond like characters. The overall quality of this wine is acceptable on the grounds that it is pleasant enough to drink, but it lacks framing acidity which led to an at times flaccid mouthfeel in my opinion. The primary fruit characters are its best feature and it is ready to drink now. Acceptable

Abv: 13%
Price: $35
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.ravenscroftwines.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Witches Falls Verdelho 2012, Granite Belt

Verdelho, despite my exhortations that it be used for its true calling to make an Australian style of the famous Madeira verdelho based wines, has a knack of producing wines that are perfectly fine to drink without demanding too much cerebral exercise. This particular wine fits that bill. It is lemon-white in colour, with a medium to pronounced intensity aroma of tropical fruits of mango, pineapple and guava. The palate has flavours of tangy lemons and salt, with shortish length and racy acidity. Overall, this is an acceptable wine that has racy acidity and is quite a balanced expression of fruit driven tropical fruit flavours. Tasted blind, I thought it a well balanced "white wine drink" that is ready to drink now. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 12.4%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.witchesfalls.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Ballandean Estate Wines Viognier 2012, Granite Belt

Gee this was an unusual wine to taste blind. Lemon to gold in colour with evident tears, it has aromatics of minerals, paw paw and florals, with the fruit characters verging on being slightly rank and/or overripe. The palate has a petillance, medium acidity, is dry to off dry, and has flavours of guava, spice, yellow nectarine, straw, chalk and is quite floral and blowsy, supplemented by some pithy citrus fruit and apricot kernel. Overall, the wine certainly displayed some complexity of flavours, but seemed more of a mystery tour of flavours than I am used to with viognier. A mostly balanced viognier suitable for current drinking. Acceptable

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $18
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.ballandeanestate.com
Tasted: 2013

Clovely Estate Left Field Semillon 2009, South Burnett
This wine struck me as problematic, no pun intended. Aromatically, it is marred by strong struck match and sulphur notes, with the gunflint type characters overwhelming in my opinion. The palate is dry with medium to high acid, a gentle petillance and has quite limited and neutral flavours of citrus and straw and short length. Overall, at least in my opinion, there is simply not enough going on the palate here to commend this wine, with only notes of lemon citrus and acid with time in the glass, although it is at least reasonably balanced in expression. Poor to Acceptable

Abv: 10.6%
Price: $20
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.clovely.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Some further reds

Ridgemill Estate Cabernet Malbec 2009, Granite Belt
This cabernet malbec both smelled and tasted like, well, a regular cool climate cabernet malbec. It could have been from central Victoria. Developing aromatics of leaf, capsicum, sappy oak, shoe polish and black fruits. On the palate, the wine is dry, with high acid, filmy tannins, woody length and oak coated blackcurrant flavours. In context, I think this to be an acceptable to good wine, but it was a bit "high in everything" - acid, tannins, wood, yet its length acted as a redeeming feature, and I've certainly had worse cabernet blends. Acceptable

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://ridgemillestate.com
Tasted: 2013

Clovely Estate Reserve Shiraz 2010, South Burnett
Look, I am sure that this wine has some redeeming features, it's just in my opinion, they were not obvious on this tasting. The aromatics reminded me of green potting flowers, rubber, plastic and ash, and these are aromas that I personally find highly unattractive. The palate is dry, with high acid, short length, simple fruit and seemingly burnt flavours. In conclusion, I felt that this wine was aromatically terrible, although it tasted slightly better. I cannot recommend it on this tasting. Poor

Abv: 14%
Price: $28
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.clovely.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Witches Falls Pinot Noir 2012, Granite Belt

As mentioned above, it's hard to imagine pinot noir from Queensland being taken seriously. Nonetheless, the result here is at least self-evidently varietal, so kudos to the winemaker and viticulturalist. It has clean, developing aromatics of cherry and sappy green wood. The palate has strong sappy and stalky notes, with a simple fruited cherry expression. It lacked some body but overall, the wine is acceptable, with the strong stalky notes and green flavours presenting a challenge of sorts. Acceptable

Abv: 13%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.witchesfalls.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Pyramids Road Mourvedre 2011, Granite Belt

This wine sort of worked. Ruby in colour, it has aromatics of raspberry, leather, dark plums and tar. The palate has slightly stretched plum and savoury fruit flavours, supplemented by Christmas cake and iodine. This is an acceptable and balanced wine suitable for drinking over the next few years. Acceptable

Abv: 14%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.pyramidsroad.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Hidden Creek Tempranillo 2009, Granite Belt
This wine did not work at all for me. Aromatics of green potting plants, and fresh green herbs. The palate is dry, with high acid, short length, roughish tannins, tar, and little to offer on the palate other than neutral "red wine" flavours. Poor

Abv: 14%
Price: $22
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://hiddencreek.com.au
Tasted: 2013

Classically styled: Printhie MCC Shiraz 2011

2013-04-02T23:18:00.001+11:00

Printhie's MCC shiraz from 2011 presents particularly well aromatically. Wafts of pepper, dried herbs and plums remind of a hypothetical blend between a Great Western, Sunbury and Canberra shiraz, with it bearing a more than passing resemblance to some of Clonakilla's offerings from the latter region. On the palate pepper and plum flavours predominate in a medium bodied style, with shortish length.

Plainly, this is a good wine that is well made, with some support from fine grained lightish tannins and some ripe red cherry notes too. In fairness, I think though the palate does lack some concentration of flavour, appearing a little wan at times, due no doubt to the wet 2011 season. Nonetheless, the breeding of this wine is apparent, and it presents as a smartly and tightly made shiraz. It is ready to drink now, and over the next few years. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $36
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.printhiewines.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Layered riesling: Patina Riesling 2012

2013-04-02T23:15:00.000+11:00

Patina in Orange have produced a fairly classically styled riesling here, with the slight twist of retaining 8g/l of residual sugar. A pale intensity lemon in colour, it has clean aromatics of yellow grapefruit, lemon, lime and a mineral edge. The palate is between dry and off dry (although this is not noted on the label in one of those handy diagrams), has high acid, and dominant flavours of yellow grapefruit and lemons, with medium length.

This is a good quality wine on the grounds of the fruit concentration and its general line and length. The somewhat youthful sour grapefruit like flavour on the palate and lemon pith impression on the finish, typical of this style of riesling, will not be for everyone in its youth. However, this classically proportioned riesling is nonetheless ready to drink now and can be drunk, I expect, over the next 10 years or so. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 11.8%
Price: $27
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.patinawines.com
Tasted: 2013
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Scotchmans Hill Cornelius Single Vineyard Syrah 2009

2013-04-02T23:05:00.000+11:00

Scotchmans Hill's Cornelius syrah is not cheap at around $50 to $60, but it certainly showed well. And I didn't even notice its somewhat hefty 15% alcohol by volume until I read the label. In terms of both aroma and palate, the wine is savoury in impression, with flavours of undergrowth and plums, medium body and medium length, and nuances of pepper and spice. This wine is ready to drink now and is very good in terms of its quality due to the intensity and balance of its fruit flavours, its length and the general complexity on offer. The back label shown contains a wealth of detail on the wine. Good to Very Good

Abv: 15%
Price: $65
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.scotchmanshill.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Good medium bodied syrah: Provenance Wines Shiraz 2008

2013-04-02T23:01:00.000+11:00

Geelong is my favourite local region for pinot noir, and it turns out that the region can make some pretty good medium bodied shiraz too based on this wine.

Dark in colour, this 2008 shiraz from Provenance Wines in Geelong has brooding aromatics of dark plums, mint, tomato bush, dried herbs and undergrowth. Its acidity is towards high on the palate, with medium body, black cherry and plum flavours, seasoned with some black tea leaves. It's almost like there's a bit of pinot noir there in this wine. Medium length and a restrained savoury character remain on the finish. Overall, I think this is a good wine on the grounds of its complexity and length on the palate, and it presents as northern Rhône like in terms of style. Good

Abv: 13.2%
Price: $26
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.provenancewines.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Of interest: Angullong Fossil Hill Tempranillo 2011

2013-03-27T23:19:00.000+11:00

I'll need to get out my soil maps, but I was interested to see that this wine is grown on a mixture of limestone and volcanic soils in a cool climate with the vineyard at 600m of altitude in Orange, and thus presumably the name Fossil Hill.

Ruby in colour, this tempranillo has aromatics of dark plums, pepper, a ripe blueberry like character and wood spice. Its length is short to medium, and acidity a bit higher. Flavours of redcurrant, tart raspberries and oddly enough blackberry jam come through, with a spicy undergrowth flavour ever present and adding an exotic touch. I think this is an acceptable to good quality wine on the grounds of the purity of fruit flavours and the hints of exotic spices, although the acidity is perhaps higher than I prefer. This wine is ready to drink now, and over the next few years. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $22
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.angullong.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Not bad for $12: Mouton Cadet Blanc 2011

2013-03-27T23:18:00.001+11:00

At $11.99, I think this is a reasonable sort of wine. An AOC Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, it has sauvignon blanc dominant aromas of gooseberry, herbs, chalk, green apple and some riper semillon notes of yellow nectarine. The palate is dry, with medium acid and body, and medium-high alcohol, and flavours of gooseberry, green apples, nettles and chalk, with probably medium length in fairness to it. This is a pretty solid sort of wine on the grounds of its balance of fruit and medium length, and is ready to drink now. Its "value adds" are that it provides some "old world" chalkiness and texture in contradistinction to the more exuberant fruit driven Australian versions, and its low price. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 12%
Price: $11.99
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.moutoncadet.com
Tasted: 2013
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Ok: Chateau Lamothe de Haux 2010

2013-03-27T23:18:00.000+11:00

The Côtes de Bordeaux is a new appellation (since 2009) that takes in the former Premières Côtes de Blaye, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Côtes de Castillon and Bordeaux Côtes de Franc. A few less appellations to learn then. This particular wine is fairly keenly priced at $18.99 a bottle and is merlot dominant.

This wine is not amazing, but it's not terrible either. It sits in that well populated wine region of "it's nice enough". Ruby in colour, it has clean medium intensity aromatics of tomato bush, mint, redcurrants and red plums. The palate is dry with medium acid, medium tannins (fine grained), medium-high alcohol and flavours of plums, chalk, redcurrants and some oak character. It's ready to drink now, and probably won't improve much from here. Acceptable

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $18.99
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.chateau-lamothe.com
Tasted: 2013
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Solid offering: Montalto Pennon Hill Chardonnay 2012

2013-03-24T22:20:00.002+11:00

The 2011 is vintage shown.

This is a solid sort of chardonnay. Like many Australian chardonnays at the moment, it is at the "Chablis end" of the chardonnay spectrum, with muted aromatics of apples, white nectarine, a bit of spice, subtle oak and a quite evident almond like character. On the palate, it has between medium and high acid, with flavours of apple, pear and white nectarine, and medium length.

In summary, in terms of quality I think the wine is somewhere towards the "good" end of the "acceptable to good spectrum" as the fruit profile is clean and there's a bit of complexity with the almond characters and interest for the price. Perhaps though it is just a little restrained in its neat and tidy state; like being in a high gear but travelling just a bit slow for the accelerator to work properly. Acceptable to Good

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $23
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.montalto.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Good quality wine: Bay of Fires Chardonnay 2010

2013-03-24T22:04:00.002+11:00

This is a pretty good sort of chardonnay really. With a colour somewhere between water and lemon, it has aromatics of oak, melon, gunflint and a little pineapple. The palate shows its Tasmanian origins - medium body, between medium and high acid and a quite elegant expression of lemons and ripe yellow nectarines, with some good length on the palate.

Overall, I think this is a good to very good quality wine on the grounds of the purity of the fruit flavours, the quite long length and the general complexity of the wine on offer. Strangely enough, it had more flavour and ripeness than I was expecting from these southerly parts. Perhaps the grapes weren't picked as early as the current local trend. Good to Very Good

Abv: 13%
Price: $38
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.bayoffireswines.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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Dear Reader

2013-03-21T23:08:00.001+11:00

The sometimes transitory nature of technology is aptly demonstrated by the recent decision by Google to shortly discontinue the availability of Google Reader. If you use Google Reader (or any other RSS reader for that matter) to read Grape Observer, and it interests you, could I kindly recommend that you also subscribe to receive Grape Observer by email to ensure that you continue to receive updates. There is an icon on the right of screen to do that.

As well as keeping the connection, subscribing by email builds a direct relationship with your author (i.e. me), something that RSS technology does not (I have little visibility over who subscribes to RSS feeds). And communicating with fellow wine enthusiasts at an individual level is something that I care about at the end of the day; frankly, it's the reason I write Grape Observer.

Thank you for your interest.

Fruit forward: Sassy Pinot Noir 2010

2013-03-21T22:24:00.002+11:00

Sassy's pinot noir, from the Orange district, resembles the classic Australian fruit forward version of pinot noir. Almost opaque in colour, it opens to vibrant cherries and strawberries on the nose. The palate has medium acid, light tannins and fruit driven cherry, strawberry and rhubarb flavours. Perfectly pleasant drinking, and ready to drink now over the next couple of years. Acceptable

Abv: 13.7%
Price: $30
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.sassywines.com.au
Tasted: 2013
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