The Home of Renowned Tasting

I don’t cellar Semillon; I would much rather buy a good mature one, and in this regard I am very thankful to be able to purchase one like this. Now I say mature, but I reckon this could easily go another 10 years, if that is what you wanted.

Some yellowing. Aromas of glossy lemons, golden fruits, citrus peel, herbs and a little nutty. The palate is toasty and full bodied, having a waxy texture, with lemon, peel, and old nuts. Some secondary development is evident, but the wine is still quite youthful and fresh, balancing the old and the new. Superb length and a lovely dry finish.

Other vintages: 2004

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If you happen to have a child born in 2007 (as I do) then I’d suggest this may well be one of the better local bets to snap open at a 21st. The little buggers probably won’t appreciate a twenty one year old Clare Riesling mind you, so I’d suggest you drink this quietly in the corner as a warm up, before tucking into a bevy of Hunter and Margaret River reds of the same vintage. I had this open in the fridge for, I think, about 5 days and it hardly budged at all.

It’s clean, pristine and precise with lemon, grapefruit and mineral flavours on a fine boned flint-edged palate. Tight, refined and ultra-dry it’s beautifully balanced and very long but not for drinking now unless you are an acid freak. A great wine where patience should be richly rewarded.

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I’d say the packaging of these wines really detracts from what’s inside the bottle, which so far has been really pretty good. Then again I’m not in marketing, or more specifically targeting a specific market, although I guess delivering a good product is ultimately what’s most important. This is made by Neil Pike from fruit coming out of the Sevenhill sub-region of the Clare Valley.

Sweet fresh limes, a little toasty development, herbs and mineral make for a very attractive smelling wine. It offers juicy limes, toast and mineral flavours with a good clean acid cut that’s also not without a certain approachable-drink-me-now-and-quickly softness and sweetness. Fine balance and flow throughout closing with a long sweet limey finish. Very tasty and probably at it’s best right now.

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I’m going on holiday tomorrow for a week and have about 40 notes I’d like to write up..but that’s not going to happen tonight. I’ll aim to knock up about six or seven and have them magically pop up each day in my absence….which may or may not make your little hearts grow fonder.

There’s a bit of spicy clove oak here but it sits comfortably on a bead of cream, lime/citrus and figs. It feels medium to full bodied and has a creamy yeasty texture with fine acidity pulling it into shape, freshening and lengthening the palate. Citrus, figs, spice and savoury lees are the main flavours and the finish is long, creamy and spicy but not without a bit of controlled flinty grip on exit. A top Chardonnay of complexity and sophistication that’s ready to go now.

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This is a new line from Seppelts (hence the review) that came along with a 2006 Heathcote Shiraz. It’s yet another wine from the 2007 Victorian vintage that I reckon is showing smoke taint characters. I think I’m either looking for it too closely or just getting too sensitive to the smell and taste of it (and it’s mainly the taste that presents the problem) because it keeps cropping up over and over again, and while this is not nearly as bad as some, it’s enough to knock a couple of points off and shorten the drinking window.

It smells of nectarine, yeast, smoke, aniseed (or is that Bonjella on my finger?), orange and cardamom spice. Nice and tight on the palate with fine clean acidity and good balance throughout. It’s medium weight with attractive citrus and nectarine flavour that’s marred by a slightly acrid character that carries through to the finish. A promising debut but a tricky wine to score, all things considered.

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Protos is Greek for “first” but it also puts me in mind of a compact sedan, possibly from a compact Asian country, but that may be because I’m a bit of an idiot. There’s 200 dozen made from hand picked fruit off the 3.5 acre block behind the big dam at Glenguin Estate. It’s the first time I’ve seen this wine and I enjoyed my little test drive. A reminder that the Hunter can, and does, make some pretty smart Chardonnay.

It’s full bodied and powerful offering flavours of nectarine, citrus, spicy oak and yeasty lees characters that present warm and slightly sweet with a spine of bright penetrating acidity cutting through the creamy texture to provide necessary shape and vigour. Large scale and intense, but well balanced, with a long spicy finish. It’s a very fine example of warm climate Chardonnay with a bit of X-Factor lurking for possible further improvement.

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There’s apparently only around 50 dozen of these made, and mailing list members get first dibs.

It’s limey and already a little bit nutty with a little free sulphur showing. On the palate quite rich (in context) with plenty of rich sweet lime and mineral flavour, balanced acidity and excellent length of flavour. It’s often hard to say too much about a young Hunter Semillon other than whether you think it’s good or not. Well this is good and it’s already offering a fair degree of drinking pleasure.

Other vintages : 2005

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Friend Peter had an NZ holiday in March and brought some vinous treasures when he came to stay at the weekend. Wendy and I have fond memories of consuming this wine when we went on a walking trip with Abel Tasman Walks at night in the lodges. The style appears to have changed a little but it is still very drinkable. It opens with lovely lemon aromas and a little grapefruit. The palate is all about fruit that is exactly as the nose suggested except that the oak can be discerned and the acid is quite high in tune with the so called minerality style. It was great with food (tapas) and the fruit was lovely. The alcohol is listed at 14.5% yet I did not see it as being intrusive.

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If the top end white wines from Penfold’s once used to lag behind the reds, then I’m not sure they do any longer. This looked great over two days, in fact much better on the second where it insistently nudged itself up to 95 points.

It smells of lemon, nuts, white peach, yeast and clove spice oak - a paradox of wildness and refinement. On the palate fine and tight with penetrating grapefruity acidity running through a milky texture. There’s flavours of lemon, white peach, spicy ginger and clove oak offset by more savoury yeasty characters. It’s flinty and a little nervous too finishing with with spicy oak and savoury lemon curd flavours. Expensive but first class.

Other vintages : 2005

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Dominic Torzi and Tim Freeland have been at it again and this, their latest creation, is a blend of 28% Chenin Blanc, 28% Riesling, 22% Semillon and 22% Sauvignon Blanc from vines with an average age of 50+ years. It puts me in mind of a Northern Italian dry white and has many of the same positive attributes of refreshment, low alcohol and palate cleansing crispness.

It smells of fruit salad, soap, grass and dried herb with a bit of funky taxi drivers armpit wafting about. Not too overt or sweet smelling - more dry white. On the palate light, fresh and very crisp with subtle fruit salad drizzled with plenty of lemon juice, dried herbs and some minerally flavours. Finishes dry and clean with lemony acidity and excellent length. This has heaps of personality and excels at its purpose. If you like the style (I do) and want a wine with a point of difference then I can’t recommend it highly enough to you. It’s a bit out there and a whole lot more interesting than so much of the stuff that’s out there.

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Well this is one of the most attractive dry whites to have passed my lips in quite a while, so much so that I feel compelled to immediately put finger to keyboard. I was supposed to be tasting but I couldn’t stop drinking the bugger, so if you like a white Bordeaux style then I’d be all over this like a fat kid on a Lime Spider. Only 317 dozen made.

It’s not especially fruity and does not smell specifically of one thing or another, it’s more vinous and dry whitey than anything else, but you could say citrus, apple, dried herbs and vanilla oak all play a part in the mix. On the palate dry but creamy with delightful fine acidity and flavours of lime, vanilla and sweet green peas. It’s gentle and balanced throughout and finishes with a little flinty grip. A delightful wine from start to finish.

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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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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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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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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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Sometimes I feel paralysed when I look at all the wine I have to taste. “Oh I had better do that one soon..hmmm not now I’ll put it in a bracket of a few others…don’t feel like tasting that today…maybe that one might be interesting..oh I’ll taste that one one I am in peak condition and have plenty of time.” and so on. Admittedly it’s not a bad situation to find oneself in but it does get me a bit flustered. And then people read the notes and hold you accountable! And it’s quite often hard work. It’s a bad business I tell you. I have no idea why I do it really. To be honest, I’d say it’s probably because I really like wine and I’m a bit of an egomaniac. I feel a bit better now I’ve got that off my huge manly chest.

Plenty of volume here with sweet nectarine, lemon peel and a fair bit of woody clove spice oak - all clean and direct. On the palate full bodied with nectarine, melon, lots of spicy vanilla oak and just a little savoury wine maker input that’s very nicely done - I like a Chardonnay that does not taste too much like cheese sticks and it’s becoming increasingly rare. It’s quite sweetly fruited with clean acidity, feels balanced and fresh in the mouth and has a long spicy finish. A powerful fruit and oak style that offers excellent value.

Other vintages : 2005

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Here’s a new wine for (or from) Ce Soir Wine Importers from Aoc Touraine. I’m starting to see reviews of their portfolio cropping up all over the place. Indeed, I see this month’s AGT wine features a review of the excellent 2004 Les Léonides in the best imports $25 and under section. I’m told this particular wine will be available under screwcap, rather than the dodgy old synthetic that was in this bottle. I’m writing the note from memory because I don’t know where I put my note for it, but I only tasted it yesterday, so it’s as fresh as the wine. I’m the consummate professional.

It’s fairly subdued with gentle aromatics of light fresh tropical fruit (something along the lines of pineapple/green melon/kiwifruit), creamed honey and subtle grassy herbal character. On the palate it’s mid weight with a subtle creamy lees texture, balanced unobtrusive acidity and a little bit of flinty grip. It’s entirely pleasant and lovely to drink with nothing abrasive or obnoxious sticking out to annoy you. Finishes with decent length and a bit of flintiness on exit. Very attractive wine. I recommend it. I should probably give it 90 points.

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A Mosel this time and doesn’t that word have some pretty negative connotations in Australia. I think of four litre casks of “Mosel” style wines made from goodness knows what grapes. Time to move on and get with the times.

It’s very fruity and leaps out of the glass (perhaps even wearing orange tights) brandishing apples, sweet citrus, spice and mango. On the palate an explosion of fruit flavour with juicy apple, tangerine, mango sorbet and florals - a riot of sweet fruit cut with sparkling tangy acidity. It looks to have a fair amount of residual sugar but pulls up clean and flinty with some lingering sweet lime and apple flavours to close. It’s balanced, refreshing and would work really well with spicier Asian food.

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I first heard about this wine a couple of months ago when that prolific wine writer, Paddlepop Ryan, muttered some shadowy details about a new Barossa Semillon he had enjoyed the night before. Old Paddlepop looked a bit rougher than usual (if at all possible) that morning, and perhaps the deviation from his usual diet of Banana Paddlepops and Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc had unduly ruffled his mane. Anyway, I digress, this wine hit the old chops after tasting a bracket of all too sweet Chardonnay and it fell down like spring rain. It put me in mind of a Northern Italian white, something with not much flavour, but a whole lot of refreshment. A food style and made from a noble grape too - not some rubbish like Pinot Grigio.

It smells of lemon barley water, wool jumper, a few dried herbs and a bit of sherbet - although not really much at all. It’s quiet and vinous rather than showy. On the palate again subdued and light with crisp but fairly dilute lemon barley flavours, a few dried herbs and a bit of mineral. It’s clean and very fresh with bright acidity and a good dry finish. An ultimate dry white food style and one I really like. I could drink heaps of it..

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The Barons Langwerth von Simmerns’ history in the Rheingau dates back to 1464. This makes them the oldest continuously operated family business in the world. Their estate commands 26 acres of some of the best vineyards in the Rheingau, which are now run by the Baron George and his wife Baroness Andrea Langwerth von Simmern.

If you open it young you’ll be greeted by a bit of free sulphur (nothing too daunting mind you) but then comes the reward - an explosion of citrus, white peach, mineral and spice. It’s racy and spritzy on the palate with tingling sherbetty flavours of tangerine, lime, lemon and passionfruit sorbet and fairly bursts through the mouth. It has strong acidity to balance the juicy fruit and finishes very long with a tangy acid bite on exit. It’s a powerhouse of Riesling purity - a brilliant Kabinett.

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