Mount Eyre Vineyards Three Ponds Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2010
This is a live review. What does that mean I hear you say? Well it means the glass is in my hand as I type. No literally but nearby enough to count as me sharing with you this very decent Chardonnay as I drink. Why is this all so special you say? Well the reality is my tasting note are normally weeks, sometimes longer behind their tasting. A modern day reality of wine writing and the perpetual catch up one plays with the balancing act of tasting and posting ensues. Anyway this is good folks, real good. This is real Chardonnay, modern Australian c21 Chardonnay and these guys have got all the elements just right. Divine classic regional nose. Pure pristine peach melon, discernable cashew and real French oak, tantalizing acidity and a synchronicity that rewards through a smooth lightly creamy harmonious palate. Beautiful drinking with much more to come. Everyone take a bow. Yes I like this especially at this price. Try it with bucatelli carbonara.
Drink to 2018. About $23.13.5%. Hunter Valley. 94/100 – Excellent – 95/100 - Superb.
O’Leary Walker Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010.
Boys take a bow, this is real good red. By boys I mean David O’Leary and Nick Walker – winemakers and the dynamic duo behind this great little label which has in the space of a few short years made an impression to all and sundry. A fresh vibrant youthful Cabernet – but drinkable, drinkable in spadefulls if this was ever a saying – a tad irresponsible but you are smart enough to know what I am trying to suggest. It’s young red and black fruit doesn’t overdo itself, indeed whilst it dazzles it doesn’t blind you from the other parts, the spicy oak, the lively acidity that places a nice cut through it nor the fine tannins that augur well for later. Put a few bottles away for later on. Try it with oven roasted pork.
Drink to 2018. About $22. 14.5%. 94/100 – Excellent.
Lerida Estate Lake George Pinot Rose` 2011
I don’t have a great wine memory. That may surprise you or not. But seriously I’m not good on the recall of what’s your favourite latest wine front. Indeed I am likely to refer the enquirer to this website than being able to rattle off a dozen names. I don’t do top ten wedding wines, wines to buy your boss for Christmas or to impress your loved one on a big night out wines either very well. So it is a tad interesting (and probably relevant) that I still remember this wine so well and clearly from tasting and drinking it earlier this week. The drinking it may have been a bigger factor I admit. Anyway the elegance and classiness of this Rose` really stood out, and I also recall effortlessly the pure pristine fruit – strawberry raspberry and watermelon that came through a sweetish but well poised nose and carried through effortlessly in harmony with a light minerality onto the palate delighting all and sundry. Happy also to sing its praises to all and sundry. Very nice also may I indeed say with some pork and chive dumplings.
Drink Now. About $18. 11.7%. 94/100 – Excellent.
Norfolk Rise Vineyards Mount Benson Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Smooth – seamless- long - flavour packed and delivering at all levels especially value and price. I could just finish my review right here and you would get the message. A very decent red wine that also marries well with a range of cuisines. It’s not over the top style means that it blends in fits in with a range of drinking circumstances. On its own, with a bowl of combination fried rice, a spag bol or even a char grilled sirloin. Indeed this wine has winner all over it.
$17. 14%. Drink to 2014. 90/100 – Very Good.
Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011
A very attractive white blend. Full of fresh ripe succulent luscious fruit, yum, packs a punch with an array of tropical fruits, mango, pineapple and bananas. Lovely lush fulsome and delivers a soft long smooth finish, with a nice tight structure but one that allows the busty fruit to do all the showing. Try this with grilled barramundi fillets in a mango salsa sauce.
About $25. 13.1%. Drink Now. 89/100 – Very Good.
Madfish Grandstand Shiraz 2008
In a lightweight bottle that saves 27% glass (always a good thing) comes this latest brand from the people of the Howard Park wine stable. The Grandstand label reflects wine from acertain vineyard in South West Australian that the vineyard people have attributed high quality too. I like the spicy inherent deep berry filled character of this red with upfront fruit, seamless there oak and a lingering long smooth finish that is moreish. A very good debut I say and value at that – quality and affordability all in one place. Try it with roast pork.
About $17 – a bargain. 14%. Drink to 2015. 90/100 – Very Good.
Cullen Margaret River Red 2009
Made from grapes from the Cullen and Mangan vineyard and of Merlot dominance, Malbec and Petit Verdot there is something special; about this value red that imparts the best of top shelf Cullen and its focus and commitment onto something you could easily turn into your house red. Smooth soft well rounded fruit, along with fine tannins and seamlessly imparted oak. Tick, tick and tick, it does the trick for me. Try this with mushroom and chicken risotto.
12%. About $20. Drink Now to 2016. 90/100 – Very Good.
Cassegrain Limited Release Gerwurztraminer 2005
This is benchmark stuff. Yes I know it is Gerwurztraminer and it has some miles on the speedo but seriously this is excellent white wine. The winemaker and wine grower should take a bow each on the making and cellaring fronts. It is just right on all these fronts – spice, musk and lychee, aromatic but in a reasoned tempered way, no cloyingness, just seamlessly imparted flavours balanced and in sync. Delicious moreish and as I said the real deal. Cellared beautifully and released recently. Try this with yum cha.
14.5%. About $35. Drink to 2015. 95/100 – Superb.
Five Oaks Cabernet Rose` 2010
Deep and vinous looking – really so – like the homemade Italian reds I was weaned on. Serious Rose` this stuff, not a pretender, not relying overly on ripe fruit, sweetness or mass appeal. Serious raspberries, cherries and watermelons.Again as I said a robust serious Rose `that delivers and packs a punch. Long smooth and all encompassing on the finish, this is a pleasure to drink and savor. Try it with paella.
Drink Now. 14.1%. About $18. 91/100 – Excellent.
Zema Estate Cluny 2006
This presses the value buttons really hard for me. It also presses the quality button for me really hard as well. Not bad buttons to press I say. $25 is pretty good value for 100% Coonawarra red blend made by winemaker Greg Clayfield and delivered with decent bottle age. What else do you want. Well it delivers so well on the quality front as well with seamless red and black fruits, integrated but pronounced oak and fine grainy tannins. The deliciousness of the fruit impresses on the nose and then palate, the longevity is inherent in the tannin structure and in the oak that has time yet to fully mellow. Heading down the right track with its development so far, it delivers well on the drinkability front now, but is a good bet on the drink later stakes as well. Try this chicken and leek pie.
Drink to 2016. Alc 14%, About $25. 93/100 – Excellent.
Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
This has mass appeal – real mass appeal, not the trendy fickle fly by night mass appeal. No this is serious appeal. NZ respectable savvy blanc true to its roots, fruit driven, not over the top fruit, soft fresh acidity not woozy but not overly present. I taste an array of tropical and citrus fruits that just meld into one another seamlessly and effortlessly which in turn glide their way down the throat with ease, calling out for more. A moreish white, again there’s that mass appeal coming through. My house white my mud house white as well I say, I declare and what a declaration it is. Enjoy. Try it with pizza napolitana.
Drink Now. About $22. Alc 13.5%. 93/100 – Excellent.
Fox Creek McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2008
Like this wine muchly, very muchly, so muchly so that my grammar has been affected. McLaren Vale Chardonnay – assertive yes in fruit aroma profile, but there is also an underlying finesse and polishedness to it that makes it a classy drop to savour. Green olives, an inherent minerality and then evolving ripe white peaches then melon follow along with underpinned lemons and limes. The oak is there hand in hand with the fruit, providing a deliciousness that just delights at every twist and turn. Try this with penne with carbonara sauce. Oh and at $17 it is up there in the value stakes.
Drink Now to 2014. Alc 12.0%. About $17. 92/100 – Excellent.
Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
I look forward to tasting the Penley reds each year. They are so drinkable, balanced, seamless and well integrated that even in their youth they delight the senses and especially the palate with their full flavours, smoothness, ripeness and yet also strong backbone, auguring well for the future. Yes they will develop for years to come, but I like the way they come across now. Yes you get some youthful exuberance, some youthful sweetish coconutty oak and some edginess to it, but there clear focus is lineal smooth and just right drinking now. Celebrating 20 vintages is no mean feat and it reflects through the consistency and value that this wine offers each release. Bring me more I say.
Drink to 2018. About $20. 15.0%. 92-93/100 – Excellent.
Howard Park Great Southern Chardonnay 2009
Stunning. Superb. Exceptional. Just right. Spot on. Immaculate drinking. And so on and so on. You get the drift, this is special Chardonnay drinking. Crafted beautifully with the polished Chardonnay fruit making a classy classic entry, elegance and refinement the major hallmarks. Yet with evolving time in the glass, the aromas dazzle even more and bedazzle the senses. Peach melon, a swirl of butterscotch and fresh figs all make their presence felt. The acidity and overall structure however along with subtle lineal spicy oak add overall to its gravitas and poise, ensuring one does not dominate another. Long smooth supple and luxuriant in mouthfeel, the length is so distinct in its counterbalance of flavour and structure and finish. Beautiful drinking and value plus. Try this with lobster mornay. nb This will be released in October 2010.
$38. Drink to 2015. 13.5%. 96-97/100 – Superb/ Exceptional.
Dominique Portet Gippsland Pinot Noir 2009
This is stunning Pinot Noir, one of the best I have tried in ages. I couldn’t tell you the last one I had that smelt and tasted this good. Everything in it just comes together so well. Balance, style and finesse all in one. Fresh strawberries, light rhubarb, invigorating cherries, spicy cinnamon, rose petals and truffle. A clear fruit focus however yet with a spicy edginess, measured subtle oak, light right tannins, a seamless delivery but all in line and sync with continuing flowing stunning Pinot aromas. Ben and Dominique Portet take a bow, this is a classic Pinot Noir in every sense.
About $40. 13.0%. Drink to 2016. 95/100 – Superb.
Little Yering Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2005
Grown and bottled by Yering Station in the Yarra Valley, the blending of the varieties is just oh so spot on. Everything stands out varietally but the synergy of the three delivers a classic blend that is so delicious, food friendly and hits the mark on the drinkability stakes. Moreish, fulsome and lineal in palate delivery, the velvety pluminess tantalises along with blackcurrants and blueberries, this is a bobby dazzler of a red and value plus at that. Try it with thin crusted pizza, prosciutto and mushroom.
About $19. Drink Now. Alc 14.5%. 91/100 – Excellent.
Water Wheel Memsie Shiraz Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
I know we talk up consistency, value and quality quite a lot in the world of wine but Water Wheel really represents these principles, time and time again with its range ofwines that are predictably good, well priced and taste like you expect them to. This red Bendigo blend full of classic berry fruit is no exception. Well blended it is dominant Shiraz but the other two red varietals have done their supporting role jobs as well. It drinks a treat.
