The Home of Renowned Tasting

Well I think I can tell you that the 2007 red vintage in the Hunter Valley will widely become considered one of the greats. Just as well really because it’s the birth year of my son, and along with Margaret River sharing an equally fine year, it makes for happy news as they are my two favourite regions in Australia (although I’m sure I should not declare any favouritism). I’ll be keeping an eye out for the better Bordeaux as well…but that will no doubt involve some careful triage not to mention serious payage… In the interim we have one of the first bottled specimens of that fine local vintage..most likely for local people.

Magnificent smelling wine with blackberry, clean earth, liquorice, spice, pepper and sort of an intriguing Chinotto-like top note. On the palate medium bodied with fresh acidity and lightly grainy ripe open knit tannin - quite light but very charming. It has flavours of bramble fruit, spice, cocoa and liquorice that tails off a little on the back palate but return with a flourish on the lengthy spicy aftertaste. A fine regional wine that offers great value and significant cellaring potential.

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A curiously cork sealed Central Otago pinot from the Bendigo and Pisa sub-regions. Very good though and perhaps a bit more refined than you would expect of a Central Otago.

Lots going on here with black cherry, plum, sarsaparilla, pepper, spice, smoke, flowers and pencilly oak all making their contributions to this aromatically action packed wine. It’s medium bodied with bright fresh acidity, smooth lightly chalky tannins and excellent flow through the mouth. Not heavy or sweet with flavours of black cherry, graphite, liquorice, spice, a little cocoa and a long clean spicy finish. It’s a very impressive wine.

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A dark dark red, but without any purple. Aromas of black cherries, red cherries, raspberries, blackberries, dusty dry spices and some French polish. A sensational palate, showing red fruits more than black, nuanced, nuts and some cream, raspberries, salted liquorice, then fine sweet fruits and a bit of white pepper on the finish. There is a lovely depth of richness, firm tannins and some acid that just seems to be jumping out of ripe berry fruits. The tannins gathered weight with time, but I didn’t mind; I like a good firm tannin.

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Anthony at Boccaccio Cellars told me to get onto this wine because he said it was a match made in heaven with his signature dish of Findus Ham ‘n Cheese Crispy Pancakes. My culinary skills are not quite as advanced as his so I had to make do with oven roast duck breast and steamed Asian greens on a bed of spiced couscous. I usually like to add that I think Marlborough is generally under-rated as a region for Pinot Noir…so I will.

It smells of ripe cherry, spice, cocoa, tamarillo, smoke and Autumn leaves - at once both typically Pinot and NZ. On the palate medium to full bodied with bright sappy sour edged cherry and plum fruit that’s rich, mouthfilling and complemented by spice, cola and dried herbs. With smooth fine grained tannins, a velvet texture and excellent length of flavour this delivers the complete Pinot package - satisfaction guaranteed.

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Hand picked fruit, 60% new oak from Diggle and Jiggle and 90% malo-lactic fermentation are the key points in the extensive technical bits that Petaluma always seem to provide…just in case you were wondering.

It presents as a more subdued and genteel wine with white peach, nectarine, grilled nuts and spicy smoky oak. On the palate medium bodied with an attractive flinty mineral texture offset by more creamy ‘banana split’ characters. It has fine acidity and feels beautifully balanced, controlled and composed throughout. It’s smooth and polished with no sharp edges or vulgar fruitiness and closes with a long dry flint edged finish. A wine of considerable charm and sophistication.

Other vintages : 2003

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Good wine this and probably the best Ninth Island I can remember tasting - it has personality and vigour.

Intriguing and challenging with dark cherry, raspberry, spice, Irish Moss (if you remember either the lozenge or the syrup) and a little smoke. On the palate firm and muscular with quite chunky grippy tannins and some tangy acid. It has savoury flavours of peat, undergrowth, black cherry and dried herbs. It’s complex and engaging - an earthy wine with an abundance of personality that finishes with bright acid and decent length of flavour. A winner at this price point.

Other vintages : 2006, 2005, 2005

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It’s still sealed with a cork but a nice long cork, and one of excellent quality that will surely please the aesthetes amongst us. This year sees a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the introduction of two brand new grapey chums - 5% Petit Verdot (Evans Vineyard) and 5% Malbec (Sharefarmers Vineyard)

It’s fragrant, violetty and perfumed with aniseed and spice over blackberry, blackcurrant, cedar oak and mineral. Cool, calm and collected. On the palate medium bodied and fine - a wine of effortless sophistication that combines perfectly ripe fruit without excess sweetness or alcohol warmth, a flourish of savoury black olive and graphite with polished cedary French oak in support. It has fine smooth tannins, clean fresh acidity and feels fluid and calm throughout, finishing long and dry. Benchmark Coonawarra.

Other vintages : 2004, 1998

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It’s often a funny business reviewing or trying to form an opinion of a particular wine. Sometimes, even after only the first sip, you have a firm one (opinion that is) and think you have it sorted, other times it’s hmmm well…more elusive and you dither a bit. What am I trying to say? Not quite sure but there’s certainly no certainties when it comes to this sort of thing - especially with Pinot Noir. And am I dithering again?

The light bright red colour that says Go! rather than Stop leads on to complex, multi-faceted aromatics of spicy red fruit/cherry, liquorice root, decaying leaves and some vanilla toffee oak. It’s just medium bodied, clean, light and fresh. Lithely tannic with spicy red fruits, fine oak and a long expansive finish. It’s another excellent example of just how good we are getting with this variety.

Other vintages: 2005, 2003

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I like the Cabernet Sauvignon from this vintage but not so sure about the Shiraz. Release date is July 1.

It smells of of chocolate, pepper, cassis, currants and cedary vanilla oak. On the palate full bodied and very chocolaty with pepper and spice, rich blackberry fruit and some vanilla oak. It’s warm and quite sweet with smooth tannins but lacks freshness and charm - at least for this taster. Warm chocolate sauce finish of moderate length. It’s nice enough but too leaden for higher points.

Other vintages : 2004

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I wish I had a lot more time to write about wine and stuff but sadly I don’t. I also wish that this wine came in a magnum because the bugger was gone before I knew it. Oh well parting is such sweet sorrow. Anyway, you might think that these De Bortoli Reserve wines are higher production than they are, so just to put the record straight this is a make of about 250 dozen.

Sophisticated yet slightly wild with a mix of white peach, nougat, citrus and sulphide. On the palate tight and refined with flavours of citrus, nectarine and almond. It’s glossy and lightly creamy yet deliciously dry and flinty all at once - a wine that wins you over with a gentle stroke of the cheek rather than a showy flash of the parts. Finishes crisp, dry and expansive. Fine wine in every sense.

Other vintages : 2005, 2004, 2003

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Barossa Shiraz is probably best not known for providing weekday bargain drinking but here’s a winery that’s been delivering the goods year after year at very modest prices. I have tasted every release of the ‘Boundary Row’ Shiraz since the 2001 vintage and this could well be the finest. They are currently looking for distribution in NSW if any readers have a hole in their portfolio they would like to fill.

It smells of black and blue fruit, coal, dried mint, pepper and a bit of chocolate. On the palate medium to full bodied with an attractive mix of sweet fruit and more savoury Barossan flavours. It has fine dry tannins, a fresh balanced mouthfeel and provides a great deal of juicy drinking satisfaction. Tails off a little on the back palate but you’ll only notice if you are feeling either over analytical or a little churlish, otherwise you’d be too busy drinking and enjoying yourself.

Other vintages : 2004

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Yes it was tasted in February and somehow I missed writing it up. Opps. There’s a lot of 2006 Hunter Shiraz coming your way over the next week or two as well. So good news for some, not such good news for others, but certainly excellent news for me.

It presents with a bit of a Spanish feel (a technique quite popular on crowded buses or so I am told) with dark fruit, plum and cherry, some herb, coffee, spice and clean earth. It has a fluid medium bodied palate with dark fruit, coffee and fine textured ripe tannins. Good firm finish with a touch of herb to close. It’s very fine Hunter Shiraz with a little something extra thrown in; I know not what but I know I like it.

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It’s a blend of 87% Barossa Shiraz and 13% Riverland Petit Verdot. Not sure about the label but it’s certainly eye catching..perhaps even a little suggestive….

Direct and relatively straight forward it offers up mixed berries (mainly red), pepper, a bit of char and a slight perfume - presumably from the Petit Verdot component. The palate is medium to full bodied with good fruit weight and appropriate tannins - slightly gritty but giving the wine shape and food friendliness. Good value, bang on the money and a fair bit more interesting than many at this price point. It’s a good satisfying drink.

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I thought I’d give the old Panzer Juice a bit of rest for a while and taste a few more dry Australian Rieslings, although the Tasmanians are a bit closer to the German style than those from the mainland I suppose.

It’s fresh and floral with green apple, lime and at this youthful stage a bit of chest tightening free sulphur. On the palate clean and refreshing with citrus and green apple fruit and a pretty flowery mouth perfume. It has a dry flinty texture with acidity and fruit power striking a fine balance - not too heavy, not too light. Excellent tangy green apple finish too. I like it centurion. I like it.

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Not to be confused with the standard Brokenwood Shiraz, this is the pure Hunter version. Initially a confronting wine, it looked dry and very stinky, but given time in a decanter it sweetened up and completely won me over.

Opens up stinky and charry with an array of distinctly non-fruity smells like earth, bacon, smoke, pepper but with time the powerful blackberry/blackcurrant fruit rises up and a licorice/dark chocolate sweetness also emerges. On the palate a mix of savoury earthy flavours and peppery blackcurrant/blackberry fruit backed with plenty of toasty mocha/vanilla oak. It’s medium bodied in weight with attractive fine soft tannins and a long dry earthy finish. A wine with attitude and personality. It comes over as a real Hermitage meets Hunter style. I love it. If you drink it now make sure to give it a couple of hours in the decanter.

Other vintages reviewed : 2005, 2004

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Elderton are a carbon neutral winery which is great thing, especially considering the weight and size of the bottle in which this wine comes. Still sealed with a cork, while the top of the line Command comes in a Stelvin Luxe. I’d guess this is either because Mum likes cork or more likely that the bottle is a special shape that cannot be capped. Perhaps both. This year’s blend is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Shiraz and 19% Merlot and I like it as much as last years, perhaps even a little bit more.

A great smelling wine, with its mix of sweet and more savoury characters, where blackcurrant, berry, liquorice and vanilla ice mingle with earth and coal dust. On the palate it’s medium to full bodied and again offers that delightful mix of sweet ripe fruit, earthy Barossa flavours and tasteful vanilla oak. It has lovely fine grained tannins, feels fresh and bright and finishes long and earthy. A refined and stylish wine (within context) that delivers top drinking now, though I am fairly sure it will cellar beautifully too.

Other vintages : 2004

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It says on the back label that the Cabernet Sauvignon (65% - Barossa Valley) and Tempranillo (35% - Adelaide Hills) is an unusual blend, and I think I have read a similar thing written locally about three times. So I have three big words to offer - Ribera del Duero.

It has more than a bit of a Spainish vibe about it with an intriguing nose of black jelly bean, blackberry, meat and black olives, violet and lavender. Following on is a medium bodied palate that’s quite fresh but also meaty with a blackcurrant/blackberry/cherry sort of thing going on and a floral mouth perfume. It’s touch jubey but not sweet. Not especially deep either but tastiness is the compensation. Light dry tannins and a dry finish complete the picture. Ultimate food style. It’s a really interesting wine too so bonus points for that. Very enjoyable.

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This wine topped the class in the recent AGT wine magazine Merlot tasting, and a nice wine it is too, but I think it says a lot more about the Barossa Valley than it does about Merlot. I tasted it alongside the Elderton Shiraz of the same vintage which had substantially more weight and presence in the mouth.

Opens up with a fair bit of mocha and cedar oak that soon sinks into the red berry and plum fruit. It’s also a bit minty and slightly earthy. On the palate a mix of blackcurrant and red berries, aniseed, mocha and cedar wood again with a touch of earthiness. It’s moving towards being full bodied but is not quite there, has plenty of flavour, attractive ripe but slightly chalky tannins and good length. Well balanced and highly attractive - a bit of a surprise package really.

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I can offer more than a few incisive comments about this wine which is always a good thing. First is it needs to be served not too cold, secondly it looked much better after being open for a day and lastly (or thirdly if you enjoy a jolly good count) it’s a wine of character that really engages you.

It smells of no one thing in particular but you might include things like melon, lemon, flowers, woody spices, nuts and minerals if you were to list them - tending to savoury as much as fruity. On the palate its dry and tight with clean acidity, a little bit of phenolic grip to build texture and a distinct mineral character. It’s mid-weight like a Chardonnay, has a touch of warmth poking through and finishes dry and flinty. A paradoxical wine - it’s a great food style because it’s dry and fairly neutral but it also challenges you and demands your attention with every sip. I think it needs time in bottle to show its best but meanwhile you might like to decant it for best results.

Other vintages : 2006

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Macedon region provides some great wine and this is a fine example. It has a lovely dark red colour and a nose that starts off a little disconcerting but after 20 minutes or so settles down. Initially it has dried herb aromas with licorice and quite a bit of Maraschino cherry. The licorice breathed out leaving pure cherry with a hint of raisin. The palate experienced the same level of change as the nose. It ends up being long with a lovely intense, pure red cherry. It is a complex wine that deserves time and maybe some revisits over a 24 hour period. I had it alongside a range of great Pinots, all were served blind and it provided a great deal of interest as it revealed its self compared to some of the others that were immediately drinkable and showy.

Other vintages : 2005, 2004, 2003

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