The Home of Renowned Tasting

A lot of news in the media recently about Rockbank Shiraz judged as the worlds best shiraz. It was from the so called Melbourne Dress Circle vintage of 2004. I have not tasted the Rockbank but have tried many 2004 Shiraz from the dress circle and they have all been excellent. I received this wine as a present and opened it with no preconceptions and was stunned by its mix of elegance, style and cool climate shiraz. It opens with a mix of white pepper, cinnamon and cloves on the nose. The palate is very silky shows a creamy texture as the flavours waft across the taste buds. The mix of white pepper, red berry fruit, clove and a creamy texture has great persistence, excellent. It is not a heavy wine and it has great balance.

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I tasted this over three days and it didn’t tire much at all. It’s a good sign.

It’s perfumed with roses, basil and aniseed over bright red fruits, a bit of smoke and a seemingly low oak influence. In the mouth medium bodied and tight with fresh acidity, strong dry tannins and flavours of bright red fruits, violet, stalks and mint. It pushes through the palate and clings on long afterwards. I think it’s a wine of structure and considerable power, although not fat or heavy, and should age magnificently - at which stage it may rate even higher again.

Other vintages : 2006

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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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I seem to get through a fair bit of Chardonnay which is more often than not at the expense of Viognier, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc et al. I’d say that after good bottle aged Hunter Semillon, it’s my favourite white wine, and certainly that of JP. Riesling is also a favourite in the warmer months mind you..

All very nice - grapefruit, flint, creamy almond meal and melons - edging to tropical (pineapple) but subdued rather than brash. It’s medium to full bodied in weight with flavours of fresh sour pineapple and citrus with soft clean acid, a flinty texture and a slight warmth from alcohol. It’s got plenty of flavour and a pervasive sense of “yum this is a bit tasty then all right”. Clean finish with a bit of grip a la mode to finish. Very enjoyable I think.

Other vintages : 2006

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Lincoln reviewed this last month and as I always like to say, ‘two reviews are better than none’.

Aromas of tinned grapefruit in light syrup, passionfruit skins, a touch of cream, dirt and grass and some spice. On the palate light bodied, soft and gentle with flavours of grapefruit pith, passionfruit, grass and a little flintiness. It has clean soft acidity and delicacy in its favour but also look somewhat dilute and wanders around on the palate looking a bit lost; a bit more focus and drive would see a higher rating. This is a more subtle Euro style Sauvignon that works well with food (and I just had a little glass with lunch to prove this theory).

Other vintages : 2007

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Anthony Brain is making the wine at Bellarine Estate now (I think) and gave me the poop on this wine. The vineyard is on black basalt over limestone and the vines are 12 years old. The wine is 35% barrel fermented with some solids and aged in old French oak for 4 months (with lees stirring). The tank portion is a clean tank ferment and then aged on fine lees for 4 months before blending and bottle preparation.

A lovely and interesting nose, showing aromas of lychees, lemon, pineapple and gooseberries, all intermingled with some spice, a funkiness and a touch of vanilla. The palate is not sweetly fruited, showing more pure and restrained fruits, tethered if you want, lemony and savoury but with a grassy edge. The wine has good body and great mouthfeel, bright acid and finishes dryly with some spice. All up, quite an impressive wine. I think Gary has a bottle of this too - I would be interested to hear his views.

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I don’t know where the name “Two Wives” comes from, and I must admit I am too shy to ask. I am sure Gary will find out because he loves a challenge and is a bit of a sleuth in his spare time.

A radioactive red in colour. On the nose, red cherries and plums, liquorice and spice, and a bit of buttery oak. The palate is broad and full, with red fruits and spice, liquorice, bright acid and a bit of savoury earth. There is also a bit of stalk and spice on the finish, which I quite like. The tannins are soft and silky, and it is dangerously easy to drink.

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I was given this wine by a friend who brought it to have with lunch. Served blind it was quickly obvious that it was a well made, clean Pinot. The aromas were red cherry and a little dark cherry. The palate showed nice “Pinosity” although it seemed a little simple. Yes it has clean cherry flavours, nice texture but the palate weight seemed a little underdone. Once it was revealed I checked out the website to discover that the wine is from a lovely mix of Pinot Noir Clones, MV6, 114 and 115 but that the vines were only planted in 2000. I suspect it will fill out well over the next few years. I also believe that as the vines get older they will give greater palate weight. At the moment this is rather easy to slurp down though.

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The palest yellow in colour. Pretty florals, lemon and lime, and some minerals. The palate is interesting and complex, simply packed with fruits, lemon and lime, hard melons, grapefruit and pineapple, with a bit of an acid kick on the finish. It also has an endearing and soft sweetness, powerful and complex, quite a richer sweetish style. Great length; impressive stuff, and though it is not cheap, I think it is worth the dosh.

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Oops! I didn’t mean to cellar this, but there it was nestled in the bottom row of the racks. In hindsight there was nothing to fear, as it has handled the past three years with ease. Red cherries and a stalky/vegetal character, green beans, but nothing off-putting if you can believe that. The palate is very pleasant, red jubey fruits and a bit of stalk, slightly smoky, textured, all culminating in a sappy finish. Pretty good all up, especially for a sub $20 pinot, though some might find the green character not to their tastes.

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I am not sure what OMK stands for: suggestions are welcome. I couldn’t find it out on the web, though I do now know heaps about Operation Military Kids and the Outtrim Moyarra Kongwak (OMK) Cricket Club.

A pale yellow in colour. Intense aromas of apricots and tropical fruits, oranges and spices and musk stick. The palate is textured, sweet oranges and apples, big fruited no doubts, lime and mandarins and orange sherbet. It is also a bit oxidative, with old orange rind and sour fruits on the finish. An interesting wine, though not particularly a style I would drink often.

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It’s a funny old business wine tasting. I opened this last night and it was very stinky with off-putting smells of cabbage/brussel sprouts. Mmmm sulphides. I decided to leave the near full bottle for a day and re-taste. The sprouts have left the building and we have been upgraded to a more attractive light truffley smell. That’ll do me. I don’t know if this is representative but it’ll do for now.

Aromas of baked plum, black fruits, licorice, spice, pepper and truffle. On the palate full bodied with black cherry, cassis, baked plum, licorice, plenty of pepper and spice and some earthy truffle flavours. It has a soft thick and creamy texture with plenty of smooth fine tannins. Good blackfruit and spice finish. Quite exciting wine really.

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This is the first of a selection of wines I have from Bellarine Estate. I don’t have one of the excellent Pinot Noir that Lincoln reviewed the other week though as I was sent Merlot instead. Fine by me because I like to concentrate on the A-List grapes.

Colour looks a little developed. Aromas of sweet red berry, spice, toffee, leaf litter, dried herbs and vanilla. On the palate light to medium bodied with red fruit, earth and spicy flavours. A little like a pinot in some respects. It feels quite crisp and refreshing with light tannins and a little warmth. Good length of flavour with a tangy red fruited finish. Rustic and honest. A wine for drinking rather than contemplation..although it’s curiously engaging nonetheless. Really like this.

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I am always a bit suspicious of wines that claim to be Burgundian in style, but this one wasn’t too far off the mark. On the nose, dark red cherries, with spice and some earthy caramel; perhaps a bit of confection too. The palate showed ripe clean fruits, but not too ripe, with some caramel, but not overly so. All this is underpinned by some lovely acid. Nicely textured. No minerals unfortunately (which I quite like in a Pinot), and with time the earth receded and some spicy oak appeared. Not a sweet finish, drying, with some grippy but feminine tannins. Very young, showing promise - leave a couple of years to settle.

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Chardonnay was on the block last night and I thought it might be interesting to compare and contrast two wines made in differing styles. But unfortunately I didn’t research my subjects very well and in the end they were remarkably similar. This one is a single vineyard wine from the Bellarine Peninsula, 100% barrel fermented with up to 12 months in French oak. I was greeted by aromas of lemon and oatmeal, vanilla, cream, a certain freshness, like a stray hand on a knee at the dinner table, with a bit of butterscotch and honey. The palate showed lemon and a bit of spice, restrained peach and melon fruits, a creamy texture but also quite drying really, and with very good length. A lovely wine.

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Black cherries and white pepper, earth and sweet liquorice, it even smells concentrated, almost like cordial (but not in a bad way). The palate shows black fruits, red currants and plums, a real richness, cloves and five spice, a lovely savouriness, finishing with an acid edge. Well there were no problems getting this wine ripe; a nicely balanced wine but on the riper side of things.

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Aromas leap from the glass like dolphins at Sea World. Gorgeous scents of orange sherbet, lychees and lemons, orange blossoms and melons. The palate is lean and savoury, and though the fruits are obviously ripe there is some restraint here. This is not a tarty wine. It finishes with some minerals and musk, drying, satisfying. Would I like some more? Another splash would be nice, thanks.

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Initially showed cashews and peaches, and restrained tropical fruits. The palate was also tight, with peaches and a twist of lemon, fruit-driven and musky, quite focussed. On warming the fruits exploded, ripe tropical fruits, preserved lemons, buttery and creamy, nuts, full flavoured, with a good fruit intensity. Harmonious, with excellent persistence, and a few pips on the finish. A very enjoyable wine, and don’t serve it too cold.

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Scotchmans Hill is a family owned vineyard and winery based on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, and was established in 1982.

A vibrant cherry red. The nose is quite simple, with some cherry fruit and a bit of undergrowth. The palate is disappointing too, with cherry fruit, a bit of smoke and some bitter stalks on the finish. I let it sit in the glass for a while, and it added some weight but not enough, and the impression of diluteness remained.

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