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From The WineStar Journal, Wednesday, July 2, 2008
(an extract only, subscribe for full weekly version – it’s free!) |
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New
financial year and no doubt some resolutions to peg back the wine
spending. My suggestion is to put that suggestion on ice for a week. One
of the best Shiraz you will by this year bar none; one of the best
bargain reds you will buy this year bar none. A last chance to procure
some genuinely exceptional wines we thought had long gone and some
special bubbles to ease the credit card strain… It has taken me exactly half a year but I believe I have tasted the best Shiraz released this year and it is from the Penfolds stable. For some shock value, I will add that I have tried both the latest release Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2003 and Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2005 and as good as they are I am not referring to them. No, this is right up there with the Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz 2005, which is fair to say really rocked my boat as well. The wine I am referring to is the Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2004. How's the irony though? I (finally) managed to analytically take this wine apart recently despite the fact that we had sold our allocation inside 24 hours about 6 weeks ago. The irony is it was at the London Wine Fair where I promised myself I would not look at a single Australian wine. Lucky for me I did, luckier still is the fact that we recently acquired not just another large chunk of possibly the best St Henri, if not in the top 2 or 3 made but also a healthy allocation of larger format (magnum) bottles which will ensure future generations are able to enjoy this wine, just as current generations are in raptures over the main contender for 'best St Henri' status in the utterly brilliant 1986.
The one thing I love about St Henri is the large old wooden vats it is made in. Apart from being holding receptacles they do not impart any oak flavour on the wine. So what we are talking about here is a pure, unadulterated version of premium South Australian Shiraz. And so it proves here. An impenetrable deep purple, the nose is a concoction of perfumed spice specifically violets, lavender, thyme with cinnamon and nutmeg. It explodes in the mouth with lashings and lashings of this gorgeous fruit that I described. It is rich yet still restrained, hiding a little more of its ample assets. It 'feels' right. Layer upon layer of perfectly balanced and well put together (structured) wine. Resist the temptation of cracking this too early or befriend a retailer - it is superb.
Fact is, I am not really going out on too much of a limb in my comments, and I’m certainly not Robinson Crusoe in my admiration of the wine. It is quite rare to see so many critics consistently rate a wine so deep into this ‘Exceptional’ zone where it resides. “It’s destined to become one of the greats” says Winorama’s Gary Walsh (96+/100); “certain to flesh out magnificently” is Jeremy Oliver’s (96/100) take and Campbell Mattinson of The Wine Front (96/100) said “this is gorgeously pure, and should cellar magnificently”. Again, it was no surprise to me that each of these individuals rated it higher than the Grange 2003 released at the same time and no slouch either. To those comments, I will add the same point I have made each year when this wine is released which is a dozen bottles of this is setting you back the same price as two bottles of Grange, less so in fact. A final comment; I am not a huge magnum fan - more so not having space for them than being averse to consuming them. However when the opportunity presented itself to purchase a quantity of magnums, I knew it was the wine that shatters that rule, especially at our sell price. It is this type of wine that breaks all the spending rules and makes partners put on the silent treatment for days at a time – and totally worth it!
The Year’s Best Bargain Shiraz? The quality of the 2004 vintage coupled with the legend that is St.Henri makes the quality of the aforementioned wine almost expected but what happens when a South Australian Shiraz is well under $20 and is being touted as “better than a lot of $35 reds”? The Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Shiraz 2007 will in a short day or two become possibly the easiest sell job we have had thanks largely to the recently released The Big Red Wine Book by Campbell Mattinson. Easy because the work here is done for us. Find a better accolade summary of this wine and pass up the opportunity to buy. It will be a feat;
Torzi makes this wine as if it’s destined for a far higher price: open fermenters, whole berry bunches, wild yeast and mostly French oak. Bravo! It’s as smooth as a big-lipped kiss, as satisfying as a pay rise, as full and fruity as a blackberry pie. Curranty, soft, long and stylish, its tannins, fruit complexity and oak full of ‘wow’ factor. The only problem is that there’s not much of it. It is a great wine at a great price – as good a bargain as I have seen in Australian wine over the past 10 years. Loaded with Flavour and style, it is the perfect red wine package. It tastes better than a lot of $35 reds. Please, get in fast – this will not last. Drink 2008 – 2014; 94 points – Campbell Mattinson; The Big Red Wine Book also;
#1 Top 100 Red wines under $20
The Big Red Boutique Bargain of the Year
Bargain Shiraz of the Year
Pretty impressive stuff.
Add glowing reviews from the likes of Philip White and Gary Walsh and
the almost inconceivable fact that Torzi produces just 1280 cases of
this gear and it is hard not to ask “why the hell does he only sell it
for $16.99?” All elementary I guess as we envisage being sold out of
this sooner rather than later. Red:
Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Shiraz 2007 -
$203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle
#1 Top 100 Red wines under $20 - Campbell Mattinson; The Big Red Wine Book
The Big Red Boutique Bargain of the year’ Campbell Mattinson; The Big Red Wine Book
Bargain Shiraz of the year’. Campbell Mattinson; The Big Red Wine Book
It’s certainly aromatically complex and fragrant with ripe dark cherry, menthol, brown spices, mint, leather, coffee and coconut ice all contributing to the riot of smells. Medium to full bodied with a mix of sweet dark fruit, spice, aniseed, coffee and malty scorched peanut giving a distinctly dry savoury impression rather than a plump fruity one. It has fine light grainy tannins, fairly prominent sappy acidity and a finish of decent length. Offering a degree of complexity and finesse rarely found in wines under twenty dollars, it’s a very successful follow up to the debut vintage. Rated : 91 Points; Tasted : May08; Alcohol : 14%; Price : $17; Closure : Screwcap; Drink : 2009 - 2015+; Gary Walsh; Winorama
This drought red’s a dead honest expression of the High Barossa in the driest vintage Dominic Torzi can remember. Make that could remember – he wrote these notes before vintage 2008. There’s as much old black pepper and austere micaceous stone in it as red and black berries. The middle’s all plush and caramelly before those dusty finishing tannins move in. It’ll live for a very long time, but sang a hearty duet with pepper and game sausages, pasted with Krondorf Road Trading Company Fig and Chilli Chutney and a little Matchett’s Chilli Fire from Currency Creek. It’s a bargain! Philip White The Independent Weekly May 2008
Another seriously slick wine from Torzi Matthews. Densely fruited. Ripe and sweet dark plum and prune flavours that slide around the mouth effortlessly and finish with a soft, salted liquorice aftertaste. It's very ripe but not alcoholic, and more-ish in the extreme. Grant Dodd The Wining Pro May 2008
Aged for 13 months in ex Frost Dodger barrels with the addition of two year old 70% French / 25% American oak hogshead and barrique barrels. Vintage2007 Vintage was the driest I have witnessed here in Mount McKenzie since planting back in 1996. It was on track to produce another blinding Schist release. You be the judge! Dom Torzi. Total production: 1280 cases!
Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2003 (screwcap) - $479.88 per dozen or $39.99 per bottle – ONE WEEK ONLY What a beauty! Is there no end to how high Cliff Royle and his team can raise the bar? Being the good budding journo that I am, I went back to copies of The WineStar Journal from 5 years ago when I wrote that Voyager Estate Cabernet was on the same tier of quality as Cullen and Moss Wood yet at a fraction of the price. I have seen nothing over the last 5 years to change my mind. In fact having seen the 2003 Cabernet Merlot on 3 occasions now I contemplated a very scary thought indeed - I couldn't help but think the wines are getting even better. That is an amazing thought really given how good these wines have been but following the pearler of a 2002 they pulled out last year (from a below par vintage, mind you) and now this effort, this is truly a winery at the top of its game. It is not just the Cabernet Merlot that excites; as a complete package across the entire range of reds and white Voyager Estate would be the regions number one. We'll worry about the other wines in the coming weeks but this is the 'must-have' and our first nomination for wine of the year - yes, it is that good.
Outstanding colour and clarity, a burst of rich and ripe cassis and berry aromas. The mouth shows more blackcurrant and cassis flavours with a hint of savoury oak. The tannins are ripe but not sweet, the finish long. Every showing has me concocting drinking windows I rarely contemplate yet it shows remarkable balance for a young wine. Let's err on the side of caution and say 10 years down but this is an exceptional wine that again sits comfortably on the top shelf of WA reds. Drink: Now - 2017. Quality: Exceptional – BW; WineStar © January 2007
A deeper hue with more ruby colour than the same wine sealed with cork, this is a classy, seamless Margaret River cabernet of immense potential. Scented with a heady, smoky and slightly meaty and perfume of dark plums, cherries and cassis, it’s backed by nuances of forest floor, mocha and spearmint with undertones of pencil shavings oak. Long and sumptuous, it’s vibrant, deeply fruited and finely crafted, presenting a rare marriage of impact and structure with elegance and balance. (Margaret River, $45 retail, approx., 19.0/96, drink 2015-2023) Jeremy Oliver
As much as I do like Coonawarra and Yarra cabernet I still like Margaret River the best and Voyager Estate is one of the best of the best. We bought plenty of the 98, 99 and 01 vintages but seem to have missed 00 and 02. Won’t be missing out on this vintage though. Half a dozen will be going straight to the pool room. A great smelling wine offering up blackcurrant, cherry, dark chocolate, tobacco and pencilly oak. Classic cabernet. On the palate medium to full bodied with firm ripe long grained tannins. The tannins are particularly good and sit beautifully within the wine. It has rich blackcurrant and cherry fruit balanced with more earthy tobacco, dark chocolate and cedar flavours and blah blah blah… at this point I stopped analysing and starting drinking because all you really need to know is that this is a top shelf Margaret River cabernet. Fill your boots. Rated : 96 Points; Alcohol : 14%; Price : $45; Closure : Screwcap; Drink : 2007 - 2023; Gary Walsh, Winorama
A classic Bordeaux blend of 75 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 per cent Merlot, 4 per cent Cabernet Franc and 1 per cent Petit Verdot. Strong red-purple; medium-to full-bodied; rich, round, blackcurrant fruit; supple tannins and quality oak all seamlessly interwoven. Drink: to 2025; Rating: 95 points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2007
Classic Cabernet, cherry, spice, moderate concentration, integrated oak. Well made. Balanced, midweight aromatic finish. Needs time. 4-6 years. Decanter Award Winners – 5 Star Wines; Decanter Magazine, February 2007
Voyager Estate is not only one of Margaret River’s finest wine producers – it’s right up there with the best in Australia. The 2003 Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot is one of the best yet. The deep, bright colour is a joy to behold, and the powerful cassis nose features beautifully integrated oak. The long, firm palate is very impressive and perfectly balanced. Cellar ten years…. Outstanding. Winewise, 25th December 2006
There's normally a hint of bay leaf in southern Margaret river cabernet but I don't smell it here. But there is masses of dark plummy, currant and attractive vanilla oak too. Has succulent, juicy currants in the mouth too; really mouth-filling with long dry tannins- classic Cabernet Sauvignon tanginess. Plums and chocolate round things off. Another classy Voyager Cabernet Sauvignon. 94(95)/100 Tim White, The Financial Review
Now this is a lovely cabernet. It's balanced and fine, blisteringly varietal and yet ready to be chugged into too. Tobacco, chocolate, blackcurrant, pencils, dust, gravel - it's a picture of Margaret River cabernet, at its balanced best. It's adorable. Drink: 2007-2016. 93 points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir 2007 - $335.88 per dozen or $26.99 per bottle Kooyong is located on the Mornington Peninsula at Tuerong and focuses on producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine; which are both suited to the Peninsula’s cool maritime climate. Kooyong is a ‘domain’ in the true sense of the word and the wines are made from 100% estate grown fruit at its own on-site winery.
Vibrant ruby red. Opulent and perfumed with cherry and raspberry notes with supporting minerality. A finely structured palate supported by persistent acidity and tannin. This wine shows the richness and depth. It has a good linear palate and is supported with subtle oak. An elegant wine which is both approachable when young and showing potential for further improvement with age. Drink over the next six years
Boy, hasn't Aussie pinot Noir come a long way. This is a beautiful bistro pinot noir, full of length, dryness, minerality and style. It almost out-Burgundies Burgundy with its dry, savoury length, its twists of dried herbs leaps of acidity making it a perfect dinner table partner. A delight. Drink: 2008-2011. 91 points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
This junior Kooyong wine is growing to draw o an expanding range of purchased fruit and has ventured a little further away from the ripe signature house style in ’07. More cool and herbaceous than the estate styled wines, but offering plenty to enjoy; red fruits, fragrance and juicy pinot flavour. 91 points; Nick Stock; Wine Business Monthly, WBM 100, May 2008
Hardys Tintara McLaren Vale Grenache 2004 - $479.88 per dozen or $39.99 per bottle In 1876 Thomas Hardy recognised the potential that lay within the rich loamy soils of McLaren Vale and purchased the Tintara Winery & Vineyard from a Dr. Kelly. Two years later the Mortlock Flour Mill was converted into the present winery. This facility stands proud as one of Australia’s pre-eminent winemaking facilities, consistently producing award-winning wines of outstanding character and complexity.
Brick red with purple hues, this highly fragrant bouquet shows musk, red liquorice, star anise and blackberry fruit characters. A rich and textured palate has been created, with bright fruit characters of strawberries and violets with underlying musk. The vibrant fruit characters on the palate are supported by elegant, savoury tannins which lead into a long, refined finish.
Tintara wines are aimed to be the purest expression of what the McLaren Vale wine region can produce. An historic area best known for Shiraz and Grenache. This fruit when combined with small batch open fermenters and basket pressing along with the use of specific French coopers matched to each vineyard, results in individual wines with great depth and style.
Fine-grained and elegant, this charming and supple grenache has a meaty, leathery aroma of brambly red and black fruits lifted by a spicy, floral perfume. Juicy to the point of viscosity, its palate offers length and integration. (McLaren Vale, not yet released, 17.5/91, drink 2009-2012) Jeremy Oliver, OnWine
Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Pinot Noir 2006 - $599.88 per dozen or $49.99 per bottle This wine represents fine Pinot expression. Forever changing in the glass and bottle this is a dynamic wine. Restrained and fine, savoury and restrained sweetness, this Pinot has wonderful balance and a combination of dark cherry and savoury characters. This wine should be decanted 30-45 minutes before serving.
Slightly darker in colour than the Coldstream But still with good clarity and life. Lifted perfume and fruits but also carrying a purity. Both dark and red cherries dominating with density, violets and some floral notes. Wonderful pinot expression with lightness and life as well as a density, purity and complexity that only pinot can capture. A wine to enjoy for years.
From the school house block owned by the Fergusons comes this, the last and easily the best of the Mac Forbes Pinot trio. Good clear deep red colour with a nose of considerable authority and complexity offering small red fruits, cherry, sap, aniseed and spice. Perfect Pinot aromatics. The theme of purity and clarity continue on the lively light to medium bodied palate which combines strength and delicacy and has fresh flavours of red fruit, cherry, spice and sap with some floral overtones. It has vigour, drive and great structure courtesy of beautiful clean acidity and fine tannin and closes with a long and surprisingly expansive finish. It’s all class. A beautiful wine of precision and grace. Rated : 95+ Points; Alcohol : 13%; Closure : Screwcap; Drink : 2008 - 2016+; Gary Walsh Winorama
Stella Bella Sangiovese Cabernet 2005 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle The esteemed and traditional grape of Tuscany and Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon are blended to produce a wine of grape contrast. As a young wine, the savory earth, dry cherry fruits and chunky tannins of Sangiovese juxtapose the sweet berry fruits and long, fine tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. With time the components meld in a “bricks and mortar’’ fashion – more heterogeneous than homogenous yet supple in structure, rich in fruits and contrasts.
Stella Bella was established by 2 well-known Margaret River winemakers who, in deference to their employers, did not identify themselves on any of the background material or the striking front or back labels. In the wake of increased financial backing, Janice McDonald has (oenologically) come out. All the wines have a vibrancy and sense of style befitting the labels. - James Halliday
Lifted savoury, earthy, spicy red fruit aromatics courtesy of the sangiovese; medium-bodied; firm but not green, and has excellent length. 14º alc. Rating 90 Drink 2018 $27 Date Tasted Jan 07 James Halliday Wine Companion 2008
White:
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2004 - $959.88 per dozen or $79.99 per bottle – ONE WEEK ONLY A collective sigh of relief greeted the release of this great wine under screwcap. In a tasting earlier this year I wrote that the fruit literally sings (like Leeuwin's annual concerts): white peach, nectarine and grapefruit are the sopranos, barrel ferment and limited malolactic fermentation the orchestra behind. Over the intervening six months the wine has moved into an even higher register of perfection. $92, S, 14.5%; From: Margaret River, WA; Drink: Now-2019; 97 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 10-11, 2007
Aromas of dried pear, honeydew melon, citrus, cloves and plenty of spicy vanilla and nuts oak. Woodsy and almost aftershave like. On the palate full bodied and intense with flavours of pear, lemon drops, peach and almond nougat backed with a liberal application of spicy oak. Some savoury lees derived flavours add complexity but do not muddle the clarity of the fruit. There is a little warmth from alcohol and direct clean acidity adds cut and sparkle but no hardness. Enormous length of flavour. One of the best of the best. Rated : 96 Points; Drink : 2008 - 2018; Gary Walsh; Winorama
The just-released 2004 ($91) is a stellar wine - in my view, the best Art Series chardonnay since the fabulous 1995 and possibly the best ever. Peter Forrestal, The Sunday Times
A stylish, elegant and seamless chardonnay whose floral aromas of grapefruit, lemon, mango and sweet vanilla oak overlie nuances of mineral, pineapple and honeysuckle. Initially round and juicy, it’s long and mouthfilling, with a core of explosively intense fruit. It finishes with clean acids and a hint of minerality, and while it’s a first class wine, it remains a little less defined and is likely to mature earlier than the top vintages. (Margaret River, 95/100, drink 2009-2012+) Jeremy Oliver
Notwithstanding the challenges of Yattarna, Giaconda, Petaluma Tiers and so forth, Leeuwin is my choice as Australia's best Chardonnay. James Halliday
"No matter how many times I participate in vertical tastings of Leeuwin chardonnays, I continue to be mesmerised by the complexity and quality of these wines. They are fruit-driven, not oak-pushed; they have exceptional balance, structure, line and length; they have a Burgundian ability to wrap a complex cloth around a core of marvellous varietal fruit; there is a paradoxical mix of family similarity and individuality; and they have exceptional longevity." James Halliday
A succession of brilliant vintages and an extraordinary consistency of style, has made Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay the most highly prized Australian white wine on the secondary market. Indeed, it now sits with Penfolds Grange in the Exceptional category of Langton’s Classification. The Block 20 vineyard is a source of the most extraordinary and exquisite Chardonnay fruit imaginable. Andrew Caillard MW
Vasse Felix Margaret River Semillon 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle The 2007 Vasse Felix Semillon is fresh and zesty with a lifted vibrant perfume of dried herbal notes, fresh lemon and tropical lime. Partial fermentation in oak and time on lees provides a spicy clove and vanillin note with a charred, yeasty complexity. The palate shows great weight with clean varietal flavours of lime and freshly cut grass with the crisp acidity providing a long backbone to support the pure fruit flavours through to the finish.
Margaret River Semillon is recognised by a loyal band of supporters as a wine style with a reputation that can only grow. It offers vibrant zesty flavours in its youth, with a well structured acid backbone. The variety lends itself to bottle aging and is one of the few white grape varieties that we would encourage 7-10 years bottle maturation. A better track record than most Chardonnays. Upon release, Margaret River Semillon can have a similar flavour spectrum to a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, showing grassy, lime and herbal notes but with more palate richness and weight. After 3-4 years bottle maturation a lovely toasty complexity develops providing more richness.
The question with wood-aged semillon is typically when is enough oak enough? Margaret River semillons have oscillated over the years between the clunkily over-wooded to the super-greenish battery acid-like extremes, achieving most success with deftly, sensitively oaked semillons whose fruit is still allowed to play first violin. Here’s a beauty, with lightly toasty, vanilla and butter-like nuances beneath some pretty, nettley and cut-grass-like semillon whose juicy melon and citrusy flavours are handsomely enhanced with creamy lees-derived influences. It’s tightly focused and wrapped up with a zesty dose of acidity and delivers a length and brightness that stays and stays with you. (Margaret River, $25 retail, approx., 18.8/95, drink 2009-2012+) Jeremy Oliver
Tim Adams Riesling 2007 - $203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle It's flowery and packed with assorted citrus fruits and spice and an intense palate offering lime, grapefruit and apple flavours. On the palate dry and minerally with squeaky acidity and a lightly chalky texture closing with a good long tangy citrus finish. It offers an abundance of riesling flavour, delivered with precision and grace. A very convincing wine. 93 points. Gary Walsh, Winorama
Limes, more limes, lemons and grapefruits. By now you get the hint that citrine is the major player here. Very citrine in fact. Yet with a touch of delicacy as well and a hint of minerality to take the edge off it and give it a good clean fresh acid structure. It lingers long and finishes with a delightful tanginess and zest. Try it with battered whiting fillets. Paul Ippolito, The 5-Minute Wine Rush
Lively riesling ... unmistakably Clare Valley ... It's aromatic and youthful with intense citrus lemon and lime on the bouquet and palate, mineral characters, a balanced acidic backbone and a crisp, dry finish. Drink it with freshly shucked oysters or cellar for a decade or more. Kerry Skinner
The green/straw colour of this wine gives way to a lifted aromatic zesty nose. The palate is vibrant with crisp acidity and plenty of lemon/lime characters. It also displays a mineral backbone with plenty of fruit readily expressing itself now. However, with the Clare/Eden Valley rieslings, the best wines (such as this one), show themselves long after their vintage ... You can drink them now while young and fresh but my firm advice is to put them down and save them for another time and place. Jim McMahon
This is always among the finest rieslings produced in the Clare Valley ... It's rapier-sharp and beautifully focused, still bright with characters of lime and blossom, and with a structure in which the alcohol plays second fiddle to the acid. Tony Harper, Brisbane News, 2 April 2008
Tim Adams has consistently produced wines of exceptional depth of flavour. James Halliday
Waipara Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - $203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle Since its launch in August 2001 Waipara Hills has been dedicated to producing some of New Zealand finest regional wines, a fact not missed by wine judges both in New Zealand and abroad. In four short years the winery has taken an impressive eight trophies, thirty gold medals and thirty-two silver medals for wines in both our ‘Regional’ and ‘Single Vineyard’ ranges.
The colour is a pale straw with platinum tints and a sensational lustre. On the nose, it explodes with massive aromas of lychee and strawberry, kiwifruit and passionfruit and fresh aromas of cut grass. bouquet leads into explosive flavours of gooseberry, blackcurrant and fresh, sweet herbs. The palate is dry and crisp with a fine acidity to balance the pungent array of flavours that linger on the finish.
Water pale with just the slightest hint of lemon to the hue, this is bright and pungently aromatic with tropical fruit, tangelo and gooseberry on the nose carrying through to the clean, ripe, fruit-filled palate. It's quite dry with a tongue tickling spritziness and an illusion of toastiness to the tangy finish and is as easily as good as last years multiple gold medal winner. A classy savvy that's going to be another star. 13.4% alc Sue Courtney, Wine of The Week, September 8 2007
This is a decent, fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc: less of the cat's pee and more of the apple-flavoured fruit. Just a faint hint of gooseberry on the green apple nose that lacks a little intensity. The palate has a little fatness to it, very good fruit, plump clean fruit with apple, citrus lemon, orange zest and a touch of spice. Viscous towards the finish. A well made Waipara Sauvignon Blanc for those who prefer their SB "tamed". Drink now. Tasted January 2008. Wine Advocate Issue #176; Apr 2008 Neal Martin 86 Drink 2008 -
Tucks Ridge Chardonnay 2005 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle Most attractive, fine grapefruit, melon and nectarine flavours; excellent balance, line and length; subtle barrel ferment oak inputs. Top gold medal Winewise '06. 14º alc. Rating 95 Drink 2010 $29 Date Tasted Jul 06 ; James Halliday
Five Star Winestate
Top Gold Medal - Winewise Small Vignerons
This wine has an appealing nose of lemons, blossoms, pineapple and stone fruit. The palate adds some apple notes and is cradled in a soft vanilla blanket. The flavours continue on and a lovely creaminess balances beautifully with the crisp acid finish.
Mark Bredif Vouvray 1986 - $539.88 per dozen or $44.99 per bottle The 1985 version of this received huge wraps and while I noted the complexity of the wine, I wasn't as sure as many others of its longevity with most pundits tipping the wine to last many decades. The cork eased out quite easily on this one which had me a little worried. The wine shows a bright and clear colour which belies its age. The nose does exhibit some aged characters with a toasty character not dissimilar to aged Riesling. The most prominent fruit characters for mine was that of pear or even apple pie. In the mouth the wine shows a lovely acidity which lifts the wine through to a long finish. I can see how the wine can go a lot longer but it is very enjoyable now and a pinch for a 20yo wine at around $40. BW WineStar
I have not been on the old Vouv for quite some time. This is the current release. The cork was unbelievable. Tight as. It must be re-corked. Pale gold colour. Aromas of candle wax, cumquat, apple, butter and flowers. On the palate there is sweetness balanced by crisp acidity and flavours of tangerine, apple, cumquat and more waxy toasty flavours developing. Crisp but sweet finish. For those not familiar with the style - this is not a dessert wine but does carry a fair amount of sweetness. Medium sweet. I am not sure we have any white wines in this country made in a similar style. Rated : 93 Points; Alcohol : 12.5%; Price : $45; Closure : Cork; Drink : 2006 - 2016+; Gary Walsh; Winorama
Marc Bredif is a highly respected producer in Vouvray, which shares ownership with the de Ladoucette winery in Pouilly Fume. We recently showed four Vouvrays from Marc Bredif during the Working with Wine seminars and they were a revelation. They all showed great purity of expression, with prodigious ageing potential, and they are an excellent example of what Chenin Blanc can achieve. Complex notes of flowers, quince, lanolin, apples, and citrus are all integrated in wines that have refreshing acidity which aids their slow evolution. - Negociants
Sparkling: Egly Ouriet Grand Cru Brut Tradition Nv - $1199.88 per dozen or $99.99 per bottle NV Brut – Tradition Grand Cru: (a 75/25 pinot and chardonnay blend disgorged October, 2006 after 39 months of aging). In typical house fashion, this is a very yeasty and full-bodied/flavored Champagne with obvious age on the complex and deep nose that introduces rich, full, intense and tangy flavors that are also fully mature. And while this could of course be aged further, I suspect that the aromas will develop discreet oxidative notes if held too long. For the present however, this is a wonderful effort that is everything one could reasonably want in a NV Brut unless your taste runs to ultra elegant examples because the Egly style is definitely not cut from that cloth. 92/now+ Burghound #28
Here's the latest edition of a wine that caused a sensation last year by winning the New York Times' tasting of luxury Non-Vintage Champagnes. Natural fermentation. Wild yeasts only. The first period of the élevage lasts almost one year - with the wine remaining on its fine lies. The wines clarify slowly, as was once typical across the region. Bottling was in 2001, without fining and without filtration. The blend is 75% Pinot Noir + 25% Chardonnay and includes 50% 2000 harvest, plus an assemblage of vins de réserve for remaining 50% of the cuvée (20% 1999 + 20% 1998 + 10% 1997). Dosage is a low 4 to 5 grams per litre. Aged on lees for 39 months and disgorged September 2004.
I loved all the Egly-Ouriet wines, and again the basic Brut Tradition Grand Cru NV was very impressive – but then it’s no ordinary NV, being grand cru and 50 per cent reserve wines from the 97, 98 and 99 vintages, with 39 months on lees. Huon Hooke – Sydney Morning Herald
And from Egly-Ouriet, I loved the richer, typically pinot noir vinosity and nuttiness of Brut Tradition and the multilayered texture and strawberry creaminess of the Cuvée Brut Non Dosée. Max Allen – The Weekend Australian Magazine June 2005:
The Brut Tradition, with its minimum dosage of 5 and 6g/l, is a wonderful expression of Pinot Noir; old gold colours; scents of warm fruits; deep, powerful, resonant flavours. Le Classement 2005: 8.5 très bon vin. Andrew Jefford, The New France
Last Week: Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Shiraz 2004 - $455.88 per dozen or $37.99 per bottle When one adds these traditional vineyards to the talents of winemaker Kevin Glastonbury a very handy input by mother nature in 2004, the result is nothing short of brilliant. A deep red with bright hues, the nose is the first sign of something special here with my favourite Mint Slice (chocolate mint) coming to the fore. The unmistakable Cabernet Shiraz tango ensues in the mouth with flavours of cigar box and plummy fruit intertwined with spicy fruit and the merest hint of leather which get the senses working. The oak is played perfectly, the length is gracefully long. The wine an absolute pup yet more than enjoyable with a few house breathing. It has pedigree, it has character, it is eerily rustic and genuinely traditional but modern at the same time. Exceptional wine. Drink: Now - 2020; Quality: Exceptional BW; WineStar© April 2008
Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle The grapes for this Shiraz were selected from five vineyards in the Hilltops district around Young in New South Wales. The 2007 vintage at Hilltops was marked by a warm, dry growing season. The long drought reduced yields and concentrated flavours. There is an intense black-red colour to this wine. The aroma shows ripe, black fruit in various guises: blackcurrant, blackberry and blackstrap liquorice! Great now if you love a powerful red, but leave some in the cellar for five to ten years to taste its full potential. Tim Kirk, winemaker ; Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007 ($30) screwcap: This is pretty much the perfect Hilltops shiraz. It's tight, perfumed, juicy and sure, its long, ropey, chalky tannins giving it good potential in the cellar. What I love though is the flavour profile: licorice, dry chocolate, dark cherries and cedar smoke, a dab of mint helping it lift from the glass. This is beautiful. Drink: 2009-2016. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
Grant Burge Thorn Eden Valley Riesling 2007 - $191.88 per dozen or $15.99 per bottle The Hyatt Wine of the Year Awards; With three awards, Grant Burge Wines from the Barossa Valley was the most prolific award winner of the 2007 Hyatt/Advertiser SA Wines of the Year Awards. With both the Judges’ Panel and Consumers’ Panel awards for its 2007 Thorn Eden Valley Riesling it was only one of three wineries to obtain “double billings from both judges and consumers and then became the only wine company with three awards. Commenting today, Grant Burge said: “This is a triple treat and comes hot on the heals of the Thorn Eden Valley Riesling being awarded a Five Star rating by noted Australian wine judge, James Halliday. Trophy, Class Riesling Category, 2007 Hyatt/ Advertiser SA Wines of the Year - Judges Category & Consumers Category
Past Features: Shiraz – Click here for full list of Shiraz Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz 2005 - $660 per dozen or $55 per bottle – 96/100 Halliday; 5 Trophies, countless Gold Medals Tin Shed Melting Pot Shiraz 2005 - $203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle – 91-94/100 Robert Parker De Bortoli Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier 2006 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle - 94/100 Halliday, Top 100 Halliday;
Cabernet Sauvignon – Click here for full list of Cabernet Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2004 - $299.88 per dozen or $24.99 per bottle – 95/100 Halliday, 2 Trophies, 4 Gold Petaluma Coonawarra 2004 - $539.88 per dozen or $44.99 per bottle - 97/100 Jeremy Oliver; 96/100 Campbell Mattinson; 94+/100 Gary Walsh; WineStar Top 100 Two Hands The Lucky Country Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $120 per dozen - 92/100 (Excellent) Value: Exceptional - MA StarPanel© September 2006; WineStar Top 100
Other Reds – Click here for full list of Pinot Noir Calulu Park Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2006 - $203.88 per dozen or $16.99 per bottle - 90/100 Campbell Mattinson Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 - $479.88 per dozen or $39.99 per bottle Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 - $275.88 per dozen or $22.99 per bottle - 90/100 Neal Martin; The Wine Advocate
Chardonnay – Click here for full list of Chardonnay Wickhams Road Gippsland Chardonnay 2007 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle - 94/100 Winorama Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007 - $179.88 per dozen or $14.99 per bottle - 91/100 Winorama, 91/100 Campbell Mattinson
Riesling – Click here for full list of Riesling Howard Park Riesling 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 96/100 Halliday, Top 100 Halliday; MadFish Great Southern Riesling 2006 - $167.88 per dozen or $13.99 per bottle – 92/100 Halliday, 18/20 Peter Forrestal Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2007 - $191.88 per dozen or $15.99 per bottle
Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Other – Click here for full list of other Whites Vasse Felix Margaret River Semillon 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle – 95/100 Jeremy Oliver Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - $215.88 per dozen or $17.99 per bottle - Excellent BW; WineStar© November 2007; WineStar Top 100 Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - $239.88 per dozen or $19.99 per bottle - 5 Stars * * * * * Winestate Magazine; Gold Medal - London International; WineStar Top 100
Champagne – Click here for full list of French Champagne
Roederer Brut
Premier - $803.88 per dozen or $66.99 per bottle - 5 Stars *
* * * * Huon Hooke and Ralph Kyte-Powell; Epicure Uncorked; WineStar Top
100
Sparkling - Click here for full list of Aussie bubbles Clover Hill 2003 - $407.88 per dozen or $33.99 per bottle - 96/100 Halliday, Top 100 Halliday; WineStar Top 100
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