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Some brief wine thoughts – Tasting Notes


2010
08.27

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Having tasted a far more wines than usual this week, here are my thoughts on but a few.

All wines tasted 25 August 2010.

2009 Tomich Hill  Sauvignon Blanc, 13%

Good colour, nice and clear, a little restrictive on the nose still but a good, typical Adelaide Hills SB palate.  Nice packaging.

2008 Russell Grenock Farm Sauvignon Blanc, 13%

Superb packaging.  Standout wine, highly aromatic, nice strong colour and a fantastic length supported by the expected stonefruit, custard apple and lemon flavours.  Fantastic wine.

2009 Skuttlebutt Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, 13%

Loads of green cut grass aroma and flavour, very minerally, nice acid, well supported citrus flavours.  A little bitter, but very pleasant nonetheless.  Great afternoon wine on the balcony.

09 Stella Bella Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, 13%

A fairly round wine with limited aromaticity, it’s a well made wine but nothing extraordinary in this bottle unfortunately.  It’s sister counterpart, the Suckfizzle far exceeds it in terms of style and interest.

2007 Stella Bella Viognier, 13.5%

Interesting wine indeed and clearly well made and sensibly approached by the winemakers.  It has a fairly long finish with excellent (but very delicate) fruit aromas.  It’s not overly oily or cloying and there is a strong mineral backbone.  Very pleasant and showing well now.

2008 Stella Bella Chardonnay, 13%

Powerful aromas, slightly toasty scent.  Fantastic appearance that will improve with time.  Palate is long, well rounded and highly flavoursome.  Will age well to 2020 and beyond.

2008 Allan Scott Wallops Chardonnay, 14%

I admit this wine didn’t do it for me personally, but it finds its merits among the cool climate chardonnays.  For me, it seems to be trying a little too hard to maintain its aroma which quickly dissipated from my glass.

Dan’s Pick of the Bunch


2006 Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, 13%

An absolutely cracking wine.  Had me in awe for at least ten minutes after the first sip.  Big, ballsy capsicum aromas and flavours dominate the mix with softer gooseberry, mineral, green herb and lemon flavours coming through on the final palate.  Well lifted aromas and acidity.  Great wine, perfect with light tagines on a hot day.

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Tasting notes, mixed Australian wines


2010
07.21

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


2010
06.22

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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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TN: 06 Shot Bull Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA


2010
06.11

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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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Tasting Note: William Fevre 2007 Chablis, France


2010
04.20

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Tonight is a night for the French Chablis lovers…. c’est moi inclus.

Tasted from a half-bottle bought from Cru Bar in James St, Fortitude Valley.

Appearance:  a moderate straw colour, clear, no faults.

Nose: restrained aromas of custard apple, vanilla, butter, baked apple, jasmine flowers, orange blossom and a gentle herbaceousness.  Delicate, refined and unobtrusive.  A fairly broad, general nose but the butteriness from malo fermentation is evident and incredibly pleasant.

Palate:  soft acidity, again not too pressing, crisp but round.  Excellent toasty character on the finish, well balanced alcoholic backbone, medium-full bodied.  Flavours include compote lemon, grapefruit, baked pastries, vanillin, sour apricot and mild banana.  Decent palate weight with a slight slatey character – nice minerality, in Australian terms!  A medium finish with moderately warm pungency.

Conclusive remarks:  This is a very pleasant, introductory level Chablis that will appeal to most Chardonnay and dry Riesling drinkers.  A well made wine, it is both accessible (price) and would match baked white fish well.  89 points.

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Tasting Note Stonecroft Syrah 2007 – Hawkes Bay, NZ


2010
03.03

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Head sommelier, Jeffrey Power at Cru Bar and Cellar recommended this wine to me as an excellent example of a cool climate shiraz.  I happily concur.  Please read on.

Appearance:  Dark plummy red, almost ruby in hue.  Incredibly vibrant, it appears that the wine either wasn’t fined, or only semi-fined.  Nice young rim, certainly shows  youth in both colour, clarity and density of the hue.

Nose:  Sensual, lifted aromas of white lilly, concentrated scents of crushed cloves, slight cinnamon aroma, black pepper mentha, overall it’s a savoury nose backed by a delicate fruit bouquet that seems a little restrained at first, but then opens up into a polite cigar box and slightly tarry beast.  As it opened up, rounder, richer and slightly sweeter scents were established.  Of the opinion that it was French oak only, probably around 14 months – but it’s certainly not overdone.

Palate:  Gentle entry, opened immediately into a warm, spicy and savoury palate with flavours of black pepper, mint, ripe plum, cassis, vanilla, blackberries, cherry and (surprisingly) the slightly toasty/cigar box-like aromas are equally translated along the palate.  The tannin structure is refined, incredibly smooth and the acid / alcohol balance seems just right.  There is a delicate trace of bitterness on the finish – which is truly oustanding in length.  The most predominent character is that of green peppers and peppercorns.  After some time,  a slight herbaceousness can still be tasted along the mid-palate – similar to that bitter-sweet spice you find in fresh wild roquette.  A full-bodied palate  that reaches from front to back without trying too hard to compensate for the usual frontal ‘gap’ in shiraz.

Conclusion: This is a wine of exceptional making that will cellar for many years and will probably look its best around 2016.  Appropriately priced, this Hawkes Bay Syrah is most definitely a match for traditional French dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon.  That said, it’s very easy drinking.  I can’t not give this wine at least 93 points.

Cru Bar and Cellar is located at 1/22 James St, Fortitude Valley Q 4006.  Call 3252 2400 for the bar, or 3252 1744 for the cellar.

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Tasting Note: 2009 Bungawarra Gewurtztraminer, Qld


2010
03.01

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Firstly, a kind thank you must go to Jeff Harden and his family who have provided a sample for reviewing and consideration on our client’s wine lists.

Appearance:  Delightfully clear, bright golden hue.

Nose:  Intense honeysuckle characteristics are at the forefront of the nose, backed by cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, orange zest and lemon flowers.  Some green apple showed once it warmed a little.  Incredibly interesting nose that makes its residual sugar known.

Palate:  A bitter-sweet entry, orange oil, elevated notes of brown spices again including cloves, some slight mentha flavours, rosewater, floral, not overly earthy, fleshy and mouth-filling it completes its rounds in the mouth a slightly over-ripe rockmelon flavour, pronounced acid and a rigorous alcoholic warmth that eventuates to a nectarine and ripe pineapple combination that is rather pleasant.  The texture is somewhat reminiscent of light fruit nectar in spring.

Would match well with light game – foul – poultry – pot au fea – green seared vegetables.

I personally like this wine and its residual sugar is not too over-the-top for me (I prefer drier gewurtztraminers usually).  Very supple – one glass would carry the course of dinner easily.  Very succulent flavours.  I’d rate it a neat 90 points – I’d only like to see a slightly softer alcoholic finish.

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Tasting Note: 02 Raven’s Croft Cab Sauv


2009
12.07

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An exceptional wine, I first tried this in 04 when it was still a baby.  In fact, it’s only just becoming an adolescent.

Appearance:  Gorgeous and intensely dark red in colour, solid nearly to the rim, a little sediment has dropped, but not a great deal.

Nose:  Exceptionally dry, crisp, linear, spicy and earthy.  Very restrictive fruit aromas of plum, cherry and mulberry, but these opened up after double decanting.  Still very tight.

Palate:  Excellent acid balance, broad and very ripe tannin structure, rather dry and spicy like its nose with hints of plum, cassis, mulberry, raspberry, black pepper, slightly toasted oak (so it feels).  Rather sublime on the front and back palates, but (like most Cabernent Sauvignon) it does want for something in the mid-palate.  Moderately long finish, this wine will age for a number of years yet, possibly 5-7 years.

92 points.

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Tasting Note: 2007 L’ami Sage Pinot Noir


2009
11.30

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Decanted, 15 minutes, slightly chilled as room temperature was >25 celsius.

Appearance: Deep ruby-red hue, clear, vibrant, soft to watery rim, shows its youth in appearance.

Nose: Lifted aromas of cherry, black spice, oak, vanillin, mixed nuts / culture butter, some floral notes. Nose is clean, robust, interesting and very true to its varietal.

Palate: Soft entry, very nice butteriness, crisp brown and black spices, toasty nuttiness, excellent tannic structure – very ripe tannins, mouth-filling, pleasant alcohol and acid balance, possibly tiny amount of residual sugar, moderate finish with a slightly bitter cherry aftertaste.

Conclusion: Overall, this is a quality pinot noir from a winemaker with an interesting background. An absolutely gorgeous mouth-feel, backed up by well absorbed oak characters and spice notes, Paradigm Hill’s 2007 L’ami Sage Pinot Noir would make an excellent accompaniment for a grilled lamb and cous cous dish.

I happily give this wine 96 points.

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TN:Bleasdale Shiraz Cab 04 Langhorne Creek SA


2009
11.09

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The wine had been cellared in a Vintec wine cooler since purchase in 2006.

Appearance:  Very dark, deep red colour that verges on inky-red.  Solid in colour right to the rim, a small amount of sediment has released in the bottle since purchase.  When decanted, wine was clear with no obvious faults.

Nose:  Just above the glass an element of oak leaves a first impression.  More central toasty oak and spice characters sit against a very flat, semi-ripe aroma of blackberry, cherry and currants.  A minor vanillin aroma with some nutmeg, cinnamon and a slight sweet character at the end of the nose.  Not overly complex nose – even upon decanting, I had to look deep for these aromas.

Palate:  Initial entry was soft, mouthfilling and a moderate tannin structure is evident.  Cassis, raspberry and mentha characters, excellent alcohol / acid and fruit balance.  There is a nice toasty oak element to this wine, slightly creamy, closer to a traditional Bordeaux blend than a Langhorne Creek Shiraz Cabernet.  Nice bitterness balanced on the mid palate supported by the alcoholic backbone.  Again, not overly complex but there is evidence of black peppercorn, almond and a very subtle orange oil.  A moderately long finish that leaves a pleasant mouthfeel.

Conclusions: Impressively integrated tannin, especially considering the depth of colour of the wine.  A pleasant earthiness backs up the fruit characters but I would have liked to have seen more of the shiraz character that I’ve been seeing in Langhorne varietals since 2001.  It falls short of being an interesting wine, but it certainly has quaffing value and sits within a moderate price-range.  Drink now.

89 points.

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