The Home of Renowned Tasting

Monday is always the biggest day for delivery of samples. Three dozen or so yesterday. Not sure why. Anyway, I sauntered in yesterday to check out the last few days arrivals and grabbed this out of the box. I’d read a lot of good things but never tried the wines. So far, so good. Adelaide Hills does a good line in Merlot I think and I used to like the Shaw + Smith one..and then they grafted it over to something else.

Great colour and then an attractive mix of black plum and red berry, some leafiness, black olive, a touch of camphor and then a layer of spicy vanilla and cocoa oak. It’s medium to full bodied with a good fruity red berried attack and some more savoury olivaceous flavours backed with seductive, if not obvious, vanilla oak. With smooth but assertive powdery tannins, a fresh and supple mouthfeel and good length flavour this modestly priced Merlot delivers the goods in spades. Dial M for Merlot.

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I don’t know how much it costs locally, but I want to buy a few. It’s Merlot dominant (as you would expect) with a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and as an unreformed Merlot enthusiast..well let’s just say I’m very enthusiastic…

Delightful aromatics - black plum and blue fruits, tar, minerals, white flowers, camphor and liquorice all backed up with toasty oak. It’s a veritable shopping list of descriptors all right. In the mouth full bodied, concentrated and strong with plenty of dry tannic extract, fresh acidity and rich ripe fruit that saturates the palate - falling to savoury and earthy rather than sweet. Finishes long and dry with a slick of fine powdery tannin. Authoritative and engaging: a great wine.

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Do we like the labels on these wines? It’s always a question? I know Lincoln does, and now I’ve decided that I think I agree with him. Always a dangerous move. Anyway, I like the what’s in the bottle too. Not sure if I have the points exactly right (could be 91 or so..) but never mind all that; it drinks really well and has intelligence, a swiss army knife (colour) and charm.

It’s spicy with red berries, plum, a touch of mint, black olive and subdued cedar oak - light and attractive. On the palate just medium bodied with red berries, a soft earthiness and some varietal black olive flavours. The tannins are fine and lightly grainy and it feels fresh and balanced with a good clean finish. It’s a lovely drink, not especially deep or rich, but soft and elegant with great drinkability. In short, a refreshing and highly civilised table wine.

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More Merlot action tonight and this was clearly the pick of the bunch. The other wines on the bench (and left there) were 2007 Dowie Doole (sweet, jammy and shapeless - 85 points at best - $25), 2006 Shottesbrooke (stalks, green coffee bean and berries but freshness and length as compensation. Green but quite drinkable - 87 points - $20), 2007 Ferngrove (rubbery stink, eucalyptus, pepper and berries - light but dilute. 86 points - $19).

A pleasingly rustic mix of earth, cherry and light vanilla cedar oak lead on to a medium bodied palate with berry, earth and tobacco flavours. Good fruit weight and nice chunky tannins offer a juicy easy drinking mouthful with a bit of style and interest. Closes with lightly chalky tannin and good length of flavour. Attractive wine and especially food friendly too.

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I’m away for a bit of this week, staying with me mum in the provinces, and I’ve packed the boot with Merlot, Cadenzia and about eight tonne of babies kit. I don’t know why I chose those particular wines…it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time…so far, so good.

There’s a fair bit of depth here with blood plum and Chinese spice, briar, some earthy truffle notes and cedar wood. Perhaps a flicker of mint but I know I like it. It’s medium to full bodied with some fresh berry, blackcurrant and plum, plenty of spice and some earthy flavours and presents with fairly crisp acid, fine dry tannin and a touch of warmth from alcohol. It’s nice and easy but not without complexity, shape and substance. Tastes like proper Merlot.

Other vintages : 2005

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A blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Bouchet. Never heard of Bouchet eh? Well, it is just an alternate name for Cabernet Franc when grown in certain cru areas of Bordeaux. Now I know nothing of Bordeaux vintages pre 2003 so this was a bit of a speculative purchase, but at the price didn’t seem too risky. And it showed a good red colour. The nose was initially milky, but settled to show red fruits and cedar, with a only touch of mocha and leaf. No ripeness problems. The palate showed red currants and was quite smooth, though there was a tarry edge, especially on the finish. There was also a touch of pippy bitterness that was more obvious without food. A wine displaying drying fruits, not lush, and a bit of dustiness too. After a couple of hours grippy tannins emerged, so I think it will go a few more years.

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I’m not much of a disciplined or organised taster and I tend to think that wine should be tasted at home or in a more casual environment as opposed to walking about in a white coat sniffing and spitting. It’s the environment in which most people will drink the wine after all so it works for me. It does restrict my throughput mind you, but at least not at the expense of thoroughness. To this end I generally like to have around about six bottles open each night - maybe three whites and three or four reds and some of the carry over champions from the previous night that are up for a re-taste. Lots of bottles. Anyway, I had a quick snort of this (Riedel Chianti glass) whilst cooking dinner (not Fish ‘n Chips but Egg ‘n Chips this time) and I thought “Oooh that goes all right..if only I was cooking Italian tonight - Sausage ‘n Chips”.

It offers concentrated cherry and berry fruit, licorice, smoke, a bit of meatiness, potpourri and lots of interest. It’s medium to full bodied with dark cherry, dark chocolate and spice mingling with more meaty savoury flavours. It has delightfully rustic chunky tannins and an abundance of character. It’s entirely vinous, thoroughly enjoyable and (over) delivers the goods at this price point.

Other vintages : 2005

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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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Mount Majura is a small vineyard and winery close to Canberra, in the ACT. The vineyard is situated on the eastern slopes of Mount Majura and is characterised by red volcanic soils also containing some limestone. They produce a swag of different varietals.

A rampant nose, showing an intensity blackcurrants that dominate everything, though on the second night there was also some tar and a vague woodiness. The palate showed ripe black fruits, a bit of dirt and soft comforting tannins, but seemed a bit hollow to me, which is odd because I thought Merlot was supposed to fill out the mid-palate. Length is moderate, and there is just a bit of char on the finish. This wine was actually consumed next to a Vietti Dolcetto d’Alba, which is a very different style of wine, and as you would expect both wines had their admirers, for different reasons.

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This is 100% Merlot off vines with an average age of 35 years and as it’s just outside the St Emillon AC, only qualifies for a more humble status of AC Bordeaux. Good news for the consumer I think. Now if you have any blocks you want busting then this could well be the wine for you - it has enormous extract and grip, and whilst perhaps a bit New World in style (but without the sweetness), it still looks like Bordeaux to me. Importers: Ce Soir

Strong dark colour with great aromatics including raspberry compote, violet, camphor, mineral and earth. On the palate medium to full bodied with ripe purple fruit, raspberry, violet and a strong earthy mineral character. Rich but dry to taste. It has huge extract with strong dry tannins and a good earthy finish. Already throwing a crust, I’d give this beast a few years to settle, and then enjoy it over the next five (or more).

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A curious mini-theme this afternoon - 2006 Barossa Merlot. The first wine from Vinecrest ($22) (a fairly ordinary affair offering slightly candied berry and plum fruit, spice and a floral lift with a medium bodied palate lacking in depth and length and closing with a hottish finish) and this grandly named wine with an equally ambitious price.

The colour looks a bit developed but the nose is pleasant enough with a mix of plum, coffee bean, spice and minty pine needle lift. On the palate medium bodied with berry, plum, coffee and some greener flavours running through it. It has mid-palate richness, some powdery tannin and crisp acidity but insufficient stuffing overall. Finishes a little warm with some dried herb flavours. Quirky, nice enough, but grandly over-priced.

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It is not that I dislike Merlot; it is just that I don’t have much of it in the cellar - less than a case I would reckon. This was a one-off one bottle purchase, and turned out to be a very enjoyable wine. I would say that it is the best Merlot I’ve had in years, but that could be taken as a back-handed compliment. The wine opened with strong and compelling aromas, dominated by lovely plums and red fruits, intertwined with some dried meats. The palate was as round as a cricket ball, with glossy red currants, red and black plums, all with a savoury edge and a touch of leathery development. The tannins are as soft as the Queensland Reds’ defence. At its peak - drink now.

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I can’t remember having an Abbott’s prayer since the 1999 vintage, which was a wine that I liked a lot at the time, although I am not entirely sure it was completely clean. This vintage certainly is. It’s 64% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon has been polished and buffed to squeaky clean perfection. Perhaps too much so.

A fragrant mix of plums and blue fruit, blonde tobacco, coffee grounds and fine clove spice oak with a slight cooling camphor lift. Lovely to smell. On the palate medium bodied with sweet berry and plum fruit, coffee and spice flavours. Slightly briary and earthy but primarily driven by ripe fruit and oak. It has velvety tannins - polished and fine - and feels fluid and and smooth in the mouth. Good length finishing with a spice and coffee aftertaste. High quality and well mannered although (at least for me) not particularly exciting.

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This is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. I like Adelaide Hills Merlot and this wine is further proof (or encouragement) that growers should persist or even plant more of it.

Pretty and perfumed with ripe plum, berry, licorice, dried mint, camphor and cedary vanilla oak. On the palate medium to full bodied with sweet juicy plum and berry fruit, licorice and dried herbs. It’s ripe and creamy with a fresh acid bite, a little warm alcohol, and firm smooth tannins. Finishes with a plum and chocolate aftertaste and a slightly bitter herbal twist. A lovely wine with plenty of charm and character.

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What an enormous backlog of notes I have. It almost feels painful. I wish I had more time to sit down and squeeze them out. I’ll start off with a nice easy note for a nice easy drinking wine.

Aromas of plum, red berries and dusty coconut vanilla oak. A pretty smell to win the public over. On the palate medium to full bodied with plum, red berry and tobacco flavours propped up with attractive vanilla oak. Nice and round but a bit hollow in the middle. It has grainy powdery tannins and a decent finish. Simple, yet affable and attractive.

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This is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc from the outstanding 2005 vintage (which for some reason I decided to skip buying on indent..cutting off my nose to spite my face no doubt). Enquiries to marcus@cesoirwine.com

Nice and rich with cassis, cherry and currant fruit, licorice, camphor and some floral notes. Beautiful aromatics. On the palate medium bodied with cassis, cherry, mineral and black olive flavours backed with subtle mocha oak. Ripe but just staying this side of being over. It has smooth tannins, good extract and fresh balanced acidity. Nice and light in the mouth with good length of flavour. This is a great success. A thoroughly delicious wine.

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I have a few bottles of the 2001 Mangan floating about in the cellar somewhere. I tasted one on release and found it to be a formidable wine. Dense and tannic. I must grab one soon and see what is happening. Anyway, previous vintages have been Malbec dominant but the 2006 is a little more approachable due to a higher Merlot component (50%) with the remainder being made up by Petit Verdot (36%) and Malbec (14%). This is a great result for such a difficult red vintage.

Aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, meat and violet with a touch of mint. On the palate medium to full bodied with plum and sweet cassis fruit, dark chocolate, violet, dried herb and meaty flavours. Pretty dense and compact but not heavy at all. It has ripe powdery mouth coating tannins and good freshness with a clean long finish. An excellent wine that is full of interest. It almost tastes intelligent (yet sadly had no osmotic effect on this particular taster) and looked great over a couple of days.

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A mature release from a well regarded producer. This is a blend of Merlot (85%) with the remainder being Canbernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Enquiries for trade and stockists can be directed to marcus@cesoirwine.com

Aromas of plum, cherry, orange peel, earth and pencilly oak. On the palate medium bodied with plum and cherry fruit, mineral and earthy flavours supported with attractive toasty oak. Dry and refined. It has soft lightly chalky tannins with a good crisp acid attack. Well balanced, charming and ready to drink.

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Canon Fronsac is usually Merlot based with a goodly splash of Cabernet Franc thrown in and I’d guess this is no different. Recent warm to hot vintages are helping this AC produce excellent wines at very reasonable prices. Imported by Ce Soir Wine Importers.

Aromas of raspberry and black fruits, dried herbs, smoke, earth and a bit of oak. Savoury rather than fruity with some black tea fragrance adding interest. On the palate medium bodied with cherry, chocolate, dried herb and earthy flavours. Not especially weighty but has good sweet fruit supported by loose knit talc-like tannins and enough acidity to provide balance. Finishes nice and fresh with dark fruit and some licorice flavours. Delicious and highly drinkable.

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Blue Metal Vineyard wines are made exclusively from the 26 acre vineyard on Hurdle Ridge. It is the highest vineyard in the Southern Highlands at 790 metres above sea level and this combined with rich, free draining soils, makes it an excellent vineyard site.The vineyard lies over a cap of basalt rock, known in Australia as blue metal – hence our name.

I would say for a new wine, from an (as yet) unheralded region, this may be a little ambitiously priced.

Very youthful with peppery juicy raspberry and plum fruit, sweet grass and subtle vanilla/cedar oak. Fresh and floral. On the palate medium bodied with sweet raspberry, cranberry, grass, pepper, bitter herbs and vanilla oak. It has fresh acid and lightly stalky astringent tannins but pleasing balance and line. Finishes with sweet red fruit and bitter herb flavours. A bit outside the mainstream for Australian merlot but I quite like it.

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