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Once bitten…… amateur wine reviews

2010
07.26

Even as a professional wine writer, I am far too apologetic (though sometimes I wonder why).

It struck me today that people who create things (art, music, food, wine or anything really) tend to champion their creations so strongly that they are easily blinded by criticism, even the constructive kind.

Call me a zealot, but I’m a sucker for criticism and feedback.  I believe that open communication and constructive commentary on products and services is how we can best improve them.  For this single reason, I love open internet forums where we can talk about wine… this blog, for example.

I might be nuts, but I’ve noticed lately that some winemakers defend their wines to the point of chastising reviewers for publishing their honest thoughts.  Sure, I understand that if a wine receives a few ‘bad reviews’ from various Mr Joe-Nobodies then some punters will come across those reviews and disembark from the purchasing bandwagon.  To be honest, if amateur reviewers agree en masse that a wine isn’t great, then chances are you shouldn’t buy it either.  Despite the negative effect criticism may have on wine sales, wine (like art) is subjective and people are absolutely entitled to voice their opinions (even the negative ones).

Flicking through an online wine forum last week, I was confronted by a winemaker’s comments to an ‘amateur reviewer’.  The winemaker came from an obscure part of South Africa.  He chastised Mr Amateur Reviewer for negatively reviewing his most expensive wine and publishing the notes online.  He said “Why did you say my wine had an unnecessarily strong acidic backbone?  Why do you think the wine doesn’t taste ready to drink yet?  Great, now nobody will buy it in Australia”.  (Well, not quite true sir.  If I may butt in, Aussies would still buy your wine here to cellar it…if it weren’t so overpriced).

Anyway, Mr Amateur Reviewer correctly asserted that a strong acidic backbone is necessary in nearly all good wines.  Without sufficient acidity most wines (especially whites) fall flat on the palate and are ‘boring’.  He also highlighted that he still gave the wine 92 points (of 100) – a fairly high score.  For Mr Amateur Reviewer, the wine was far too acidic for the varietal.  He felt that the acidity and high alcohol content overpowered the fruit flavours and aromas, so that’s what he wrote.  I reckon that’s pretty fair – if that’s what he truly tasted in the glass.

It’s a bit disappointing Mr Winemaker didn’t think to ask how or why Mr Amateur Reviewer thought those things.

Personally, I dislike winemakers who arc up over negative reviews.  Firstly, your wine should be good and reliable – no excuses.  If it’s not, then throw the blasted stuff out during production.  Bad wine should never reach the bottling process.  Secondly, if you do receive a few negative reviews why not find out why, and then work on correcting the issues next vintage.  Never, ever chastise your punters, especially those who are active enough to write about your wines.  What do you think they’re going to write about next?  Yes, that’s right… your bad behaviour!  Even if the wine issues are purely a seasonal concern, it would be pragmatic to understand the basis for any negative opinions.  From the next vintage, work to correctly segment your market and you can receive valuable returns by way of positive reviews by happy punters.  Please them, don’t chastise them.

So, my dear readers, I want to put it out there that when you’re reading a review, try to remember that it’s only the opinion of (usually) one person.  As such, don’t decide whether to purchase based only on that single review.  Read around, shop around.. whatever you want to call it – get educated by your peers online.

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Tasting notes, mixed Australian wines

2010
07.21

2007 Paradigm Hill Wines L’ami Sage Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VIC

13.8% ABV.  Screwcap.  Vibrant ruby colour, clear and healthy looking.  Delicate rose, cherry blossom, cinnamon, clove, lifted orange oil aromas, gentle earthiness but mostly expressive of floral and fruit characters.  Good soft entry, refined tannin structure, supportive spice components, good acid/alcohol balance, delicate plum, cherry, currant and raspberry flavours, warming, hints of herbaceousness, savoury and unobtrusive oak assistance, refined along the entire palate with a delicate palate weight and lasting persistence.  95 pts.

2008 Derwent Estate Pinot Noir – Granton, TAS

13.5% ABV.  Screwcap.  Rich, deep purple hue with relatively dense rim for a Pinot.  Earthy, mouldy, grainy aromas are balanced by a deep and dark range of bright purple fruits (plums, cherries, blackberries).  Delicate oak to the nose, pleasant and lifted scents.  Fruit driven entry into the front palate, rich, creamy (malolactic influences), soft white pepper, silky tannin structure, moderate palate weight, pleasant toasty character on the finish which highlights the creamy – fruity flavours of the wine.  Full fruit and well developed oak resting.  Pleasantly warming with a long finish (the toasty flavours are the last to leave).  Refreshing and mysterious.  Very much a new world Pinot Noir, perfect for the contemporary Australian market.  I particularly enjoy this wine’s palate weight (not heavily fined) and I believe it will age incredibly well for the next 12 years +.  96 pts.

2007 Paradigm Hill Wines Col’s Block Shiraz – Mornington Peninsula, VIC

13.6% ABV.  Screwcap.  Clear and deep red hue to the rim.  Tarry, tobacco box, raspberry, black pepper, eucalypt aromas.  Clean nose – very straightforward but not offensive.  Gorgeous black spice on the sides, toasty and caramel-like (though not the sweet kind) there’s a lovely raspberry flavour backed by a small vanilla component, some herbaceousness (spinach?), rustic and masculine.  This is a great cool climate shiraz, a bit ‘old world’ which is welcome.  Moderately long finish, fantastic palate weight and a good acidity to balance the heavy fruit flavours.  Will definitely age until at 2025.  92 pts.

2007 Blue Poles Vineyard Allouran – Margaret River, WA

14.0% ABV.  Screwcap.  This wine is 66% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc.  Traditional Right Bank Bordeaux blend.  Very deep red hue, verging on black in density.  Attractive to look at.  Beautiful herbaceousness, hints towards green leaves, mentha, black pepper fragrances.  Deeply earthy and brooding.  Relatively heavy oak on the nose but opens up with a tiny bit of airing to strong plum aromas.  Some chickory – which I found unique.  Some chocolate scents.  Pleasant, bitter-sweet entry on the front palate (excellent fruit coverage).  Good palate weight, alcohol is well balanced by the acid, fruit and spice characters.  Chalky to silky tannin structure.  Typical fruit-cake melange of spices associated with Merlot, but it goes deeper – closer to stewed plums in cloves.  Aromatic and sensual.  Decent oak indicates that this wine will age well past 2020.  Excellent finish but this will improve with further aging too.  Delicious.  94 pts.

2008 Blue Poles Reserve Merlot - Margaret River, WA

14.0% ABV.  Screwcap.  Extremely deep red hue to the rim.  Tobacco, plum, cardamom, cinnamon and clove on the nose.  Some raspberry influence on aroma.  Strong nose but pleasant.  Definite hint of cocoa.  Lifted mixed berry aromas are nice.  Soft entry onto palate, very fine acidity, superb palate weight, lengthly, broad but not angular, chocolate, cherry, plum, minor raspberry and clove flavours.  Gorgeous tannin (chalky but leaning towards silky).  Exceptionally well made wine, fantastic length and very foward on the fruit.  Drink now but see fantastic results 10+ years.  96 pts.

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Robert Channon Wine Dinner, Queensland

2010
07.19

Robert Channon recently held an exclusive wine dinner at Indooroopilly Golf Club.  The members only event was a huge success with over 70 guests, 4 courses and 4 matching wines.

It was clear the Verdelho was the real hit of the evening and this is where most of the event post-sales were made.

Here are some images from the night (excuse the quality – the camera wasn’t the best!)

Become a member of the Club here:  http://www.indooroopillygolf.com.au/welcome/index.mhtml

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TN: 06 Tim Adams Botrytis Affected Riesling, Clare Valley, SA

2010
06.22

Screw closure.  375mL. 12.0% ABV.  85 g/L residual sugar.

This wine has a fairly deep golden hue to its body and rim, is rather viscous but very clear and bright.

The nose deeply resembles the characteristics of young Riesling grapes, particularly the alluding to delicate lime and mineral aromas.  It’s clear that the botrytis has added another layer of aromatics, particularly those of orange blossom, orange oil and jasmine.  A slight hint of rancio character, which is strange but interesting (in a good way).  Deep of nose aromas are backed by slight vanillin scents.

The palate immediately states the sweetness (from the high residual sugar levels left after fermentation).  With adequate, but slightly lower than expected acidity, there seems to be a mild mandarin flavour and a creaminess I usually associate with MLF.  Good balance along the palate, there is a small and delicious amount of delicate white grape tannin here, binding itself to the orange blossom flavours of the botrytis effect.  Some tartness to the wine, but the sweetness really overides this to a great extent.  Very gentle flavours on the finish of white chocolate, stewed citrus fruits, burnt toffee and hazelnuts.  Interesting palate – but don’t serve it too cold or you’ll miss out on the smaller flavours.

89 points.

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(mini) Review – Salt Restaurant, Rosalie, QLD

2010
06.17

So I have had breakfast at Salt twice now in the space of a month and a few times prior to 2010.  The food has been exceptional on all visits and the coffee is of a very high standard.  My partner loves the fact that their lattes are made in a ‘bowl’ – very Euro-cliche, but adorned by many I’m told.

The service staff are efficient but, like too many restaurants in this city, they were lacking in the personality department.  A nice ‘Hello, how are you?’ on arrival would be a good start.

Overall, the food is prepared quickly, tastes good and the coffee has been brilliant every time we’ve visited.  Those are pretty good odds.  Definitely worth a try – and the experience comes at a reasonable price too.

7/10 points.

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TN: 06 Shot Bull Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA

2010
06.11

Rather overt French oak influence on this shiraz, particularly well rounded and evidently will age well until 2020+.  Firm, dry tanins and a pleasant bitter back palate.  The final notes to leave are those of chocolate, clove and nutmeg.  Hints of white pepper spice, red currants and raspberries.  Excellent length, moderate acidity and a warming alcohol makes this a perfect Shiraz complement to slow food like lamb

The Wine... nice eyes!

tagine.

I’m hypersensitive to sulphites in a wine – this may have a relatively high concentration.  Tread with caution if you suffer from suphite allergies.

89 pts.

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Sirocco Noosa, Queensland riverfront dining

2010
06.04

Sirocco is an absolute culinary gem in the centre of Noosaville.  Despite having uninterrupted views over the ever-relaxing Noosa River, I found it hard to keep my eyes off the plate.  With African and Mediterranean inspired food and decor, it’s a real pleasure to taste food so richly flavoursome, yet so elegantly presented.

You all know I’m a big fan of decent food, it’s really no secret.  But this place kind of is a secret.  At least to tourists it is.  It does get very busy at times, but the service, food and views are all pristinely co-ordinated and over a number of visits I’ve never been let down.  You’d be silly not to follow the locals and eat at Sirocco.

Be careful – it’s hard not to get hooked.  I recommend you try the tagine of Dakota Vale organic duck maryland with broccolini, medjool dates, fresh orange and cinnamon quill – served with saffron, orange and toasted almond cous cous.

Absolutely outstanding.  I’ll be there in two week’s time for breakky!

www.sirocconoosa.com.au

ph 07 54 556 688

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Review: Thai Ayuthaya, Kelvin Grove QLD

2010
05.27

Staring at the plush Thai-inspired front door, we felt a sudden endorphin rush.  The venue is a bit intimidating to look at, with its high spire-like roofing.  Once inside, that changes and you’re immediately filled with confidence that this place knows what they’re doing.

Water features, lovely table settings, smiling and friendly waitstaff are excellent highlights.  The complimentary chilli infused rice crackers on arrival were a fantastic touch.  Certainly whet our appetites.

For entree, I sampled the Pla Muag Tod – basically deep fried calamari with a sweet chilli sauce.  Very well presented, flavoursome and a reasonable portion.  I had this with a glass of d’Arenberg’s Olive Grove Chardonnay.  My dining partner sampled a Prawn Tom Yum soup.  He wasn’t convinced it was the best he has had – but wasn’t overly disappointed, either.  The size was a little lacking, considering the simple ingredients.  To accompany his entree, he had a Pina Colada.  Refreshing.

For mains, we shared Pad Gratium Prik - stir fried pork with garlic and roasted peppercorn.  Very pleasant indeed.  We also shared a traditional Gang Keow Wan - chicken green curry and sampled their coconut rice.  While tasty, we admit Little Lily Thai at the QUT Kelvin Grove hub does a better coconut rice.  The mains were delicious, contained a decent amount of meat product in each (always a bonus in Asian cuisine for me) and were well priced.

I sampled the West Cape Howe Cabernet Merlot and we had freshly squeezed orange juice to assist digestion afterwards.  We would have stayed for dessert, but we couldn’t fit it!  If going in a group, share some dishes together.  They really are quite well sized.

Appetisers varied $6-$9.  Mains $16-$25.

Service was fast, incredibly friendly and very well trained.  Although very good, I got the feeling that the staff were not used to be ‘busy’.  There were no errors – however they did apologise a few times for the wait on food.  In my eyes, there was no wait on food or drinks – certainly not enough to apologise for.  This confidence will come in time, I hope.  The team works well together.

Highly recommended.

Thai Ayuthaya is located at 252 Kelvin Grove Road, Kelvin Grove Q 4059.

Please phone 07 3356 9926 for RESERVATIONS or book online: http://www.thaiayuthaya.com.au/

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Match dark chocolate with wine

2010
05.08

Three wonderful things happened to me today.

1) I met with a most astounding wine grower from Margaret River – Mark Gifford of Blue Poles Vineyard and sampled their (equally astounding) wines;

2) I spent a divine, albeit short time with a special someone over coffee at the Hilton lounge; and,

3) While browsing in a boutique wine retailer, had the pleasure of recommending a wine to a young lady looking to impress a potential beau over dessert.

All three things somehow revolved around conversations of chocolate and wine.  So, I’m wanting to write about how to match wine to a chocolate dish.

Matching wine to food needs to be personal.  A match that I like, you might not like so much.  But there are some general rules that will keep you on the straight and narrow.

  • Firstly, before you head to your local retailer, please think Australian wine…!
  • The wine should be slightly sweeter than the chocolate
  • Avoid super-syrupy ports, tokays and muscats unless your chocolate is nice and bitter
  • Dark choc with higher than 55% cocoa should be matched with heavier reds and / or aromatic reds – think Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel
  • Chocolate that’s lighter in cocoa solids better matches spicer and aromatic reds like Merlot, Pinot Noir and even port or Tokay, if the chocolate mix is really sweet (e.g. chocolate truffles)
  • Barossan Shiraz should be a no-go zone, unless you’re having it with fondue, or a chocolate-fruit dish
  • If your chocolate is very light in flavour, consider a blend with Cabernet Franc – very nice aromatic touch
  • Consider something a bit different – though dark chocolate best matches aromatic reds (to which I am a devoted consumer…!), a decent Riesling, Trebbiano, Brandy, Tempranillo and even Moscato can all make excellent matches…. especially if the chocolate is in cake form!  Yummo.

Chocolate for me is incredibly sensual – it was made to be enjoyed with the one you love.  Wine is exactly the same.  They could be considered close cousins, in that respect.  To ensure a winner, sneakily find out what kind of chocolate your loved one likes most, Google up a decent recipe that isn’t too hard to make and explains how to make the appropriate garnishes (like cake icings, or dustings for truffles etc), eat a small piece of the mixture or final product to determine how dense the chocolate is, then choose your wine based on the above.  If in doubt, hit up a soft Merlot from Margaret River…. heck, why not try Blue Poles? I know I will be.

And, in case of any doubt that chocolate is amazing………………..

“Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!” quoted by Elaine Sherman.

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Review – 16th on Park, Park Road, Milton, Queensland

2010
05.06

For those that don’t know me well, seldom do I write a formal review of a restaurant – but here are some honest thoughts on 16th on Park, located at 16 Park Rd, Milton, Queensland 4064.

Let me set the scene.  The night prior to my visit, I did some ‘googling’ to find a suitable place to meet someone I was seeing for the first time.  First impressions matter a lot, so I figured I’d go somewhere that a) the coffee would be good, b) the service would be friendly, prompt but relaxed and c) the food would be reliably tasty.  I wanted to try somewhere different this time – the same old haunts can be a bit too familiar when meeting someone new.

My first qualm is with their website.  Although seductively designed, it doesn’t contain some seriously important information – the opening hours!  Relying on a review website, I gauged they would most likely be open and took a chance.  Restaurants and cafes should understand that if a customer is browsing the website, they want all the information needed to dine in that venue on the website.  Call me crazy, but the last thing I need in my busy schedule is to have to call the venue and ask them for their opening hours, after already spending a good 5 minutes looking for the hours online.  A good restaurant website lists opening hours.

We went for a brief coffee and lunch on a Wednesday.  I don’t know if it was the rainy weather that week, or perhaps a severe dislike for people – but our waitress was truly the rudest I have had in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne to date…!  I do not say this lightly.

I arrived to find my guest waiting on a comfortable sofa – nice decor, I thought.  We opted to move to a table so we would be more comfortable eating and drinking.  Being caught up in introducing ourselves, we forgot to take our menus with us to the table.  Rather ungraciously, the ill-mannered waitress brought the menus to us and, I quote almost verbatim here, said in a sarcastic tone: “It’s ok, I’ll just walk the menus over to you then.”  If I was with someone I had known better, we would have walked out right then.

Needing some liquid salvation after being abused, we ordered coffee.  (Perhaps we should have opened a bottle of red…)  For the following five minutes, she returned three times, each time I requested more time as we were catching up.  I’m not a fan of waitstaff that have no intuition when it comes to table service, but this was just plain ignorance.  So, to remove any doubt, generally if a customer asks for more time, they mean it.

We ordered and the food came out within a decent amount of time.  I had the Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto with Maple, Pine Nuts and Sage.  My dining partner sampled the House Made Potato Gnocchi with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Chorizo, Spinach and Bacon.

Despite the risotto being averagely prepared and under-seasoned, the flavour was actually pretty nice.  My partner seemed to enjoy the gnocchi, though there seemed a bit too much chorizo and bacon which I’m sure would have left a fatty mess in his mouth.  The waitstaff wouldn’t know what we thought though unless she read this post, because she didn’t even bother to ask us how the meals were, nor provide any follow-up service.  Honestly, she could have gotten another round of coffees out of us, if only she had bothered to ask.  Rather unimpressive, even for a Brisbane cafe.

The coffee was not too bad and it was presented very quickly, considering the lack of staff and the number of lunch diners.

I have to make a business observation here – strange, I know.

…

Having worked both in Australia and overseas for very good restaurants that hold themselves out as specialists in desserts and patisserie, I’ve come to understand how money is made in these places.  I was surprised that only a lunch menu was offered to us at the table.  I think, absolutely in fact, that a dessert menu should have been offered at the same time.  In fact, if it had we probably would have selected from it, rather than the savoury menu.  From a financial point of view, there is an enormous profit margin to be made on desserts, compared to savoury meals which cost more to prepare.  By not presenting the dessert menu as an available “first-choice” option, it also dilutes the impressive marketing image the company is trying to maintain on its website – as a dessert specialist.

…

Needless to say, despite the fantastic company and conversation I found in my new friend (who I will most assuredly take on future, hopefully more pleasant restaurant excursions!), we decided to head out and go for a walk instead of contemplating dessert or more coffee.  Truth be told, we just didn’t feel welcome.

The deformity of service in young venues like 16th on Park is not uncommon.  However, it is a strong determinant of success or failure.  I will certainly keep visiting Freestyle Tout and other similar venues where I know the service will be more acceptable.

http://www.16onpark.com.au/

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