Dianna Genders has done it again with a McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon of substance.
Lonely Grape TV Episode 103 – Genders 2006 Cabernet
4 02 2012Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Small Producer, South Australia, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Lonely Grape TV Episode # 87 Dowie Doole 2009 Cabernet
3 10 2011There were no donuts in this wine – good Cabernet from McLaren Vale from Dowie Doole. Check out the video to see what I mean……
http://youtu.be/mQjU39Frdg8
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Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Lonely Grape TV Episode # 85 – 2009 Black Minnow
24 09 20112009 Black Minnow from Minnow Creek Wines – a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet and 5% Malbec. Interesting blend and an interesting wine.
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Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Oak, Sangiovese, Small Producer, wine, wine McLaren Vale
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McLaren Vale Wines – Backyard Shed Cru Red Pack #5
17 09 2011
Backyard Shed Cru Red Pack #5
My wine sales web site www.tastemclarenvale.com.au is about to roll out the new Backyard Shed Cru wine tasting pack. The idea of the Backyard Shed Cru packs is to showcase small artiesan wineries from the McLaren Vale region. The web site also offers a membership deal where one can sign up and recieve these packs every 6 months automatically and with a discount on the normal price as well as freight fee. Check this out at Taste McLaren Vale’s Membership page.
And now for the important stuff – the wines…….
2009 Minnow Creek Black Minnow
Interesting name for an interesting blend of Sangiovese (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and 5% Malbec. I cannot remember having this blend before other than previous vintages of the Black Minnow. Aromas are basically cherry based – just like having a bowl of freshly macerated cherries. There is some difference to the cherries so I suggest there is aromas of both black and red cherries – smells like Christmas time with the local McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills cherries. There is a bit of dust on the nose as well from the smattering of oak that has gone into the maturation of this wine.
Cherries dominate the fruit flavour but there is secondary red and black fruits in abundance. As one may expect from Sangiovese there is a feeling of earthiness while the wine sits in the mouth and as you swallow it the tannins dry the mouth which makes you wanting more. Not a wine to cellar but a wine to enjoy now.
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
This was the surprise for me – I am not normally a Cabernet drinker but I could drink a heap of this. The aromas of blackcurrent and mint just fly out of the glass so much so, you don’t even have to do the “wanky thing” to get the aromas. I get cassis and chocolate with a minty finish. As I am finding with McLaren Vale Cabernet the usual donut effect where the flavors disappear in the mid palate, does not happen here. Good old McLaren Vale is having it’s effect and so the mid palate is there is spades.
2010 Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre
One of my favorite blends and this wine does not disappoint. there was something immediately interesting here and I will admit that I could not work out what it was. The Shiraz portion of the wine was co-fermented with the Roussanne pressings (from the above wine). The result is a real lift added to the aromas from the red fruits that comes through the from the Grenache. The wine had a portion unoaked and the remainder oaked with various aged barrels – in other words they have been smart by producing the best wine they can from small volume by keeping small parcels separate and treating them differently. Blending of these small batches allows the winemaker to produce the style they are looking for without compromise. This outcome is worth the efforts. There is balance here the red fruits from the Grenache, with the structure of Shiraz and the strength of Mourvedre mixed with a layered tannin structure that is not over bearing. I can see a big pan full of chilli mussels in this wines future.
2005 McLaren Park Shiraz
Firstly, this is a classical Genders wine with all the developed characters but more importantly for me the wines change so much over a period of time. One of the reasons I was there so long (well that was my excuse anyway). The aromas started with developed dark briary fruits but after a while changed to that typically shown from Dianna’s wines – floral notes. Then some cinnamon kicks in as well. The flavors also change dramatically. Firstly starts with the briary / black fruits with oak tannins not over done and lots of good acid i.e. Really good structure. Over time the flavors change to include lots of spices and not your normal spices. I got more of cardamon and sage as the wine opened up. After being open for nearly 2 hours there were more changes – the fruits of blackberries and blueberries came through.
2006 Grenache
A lighter that expected offering from the Blewitt Springs vineyard. The peatyness comes through again on the nose with red spicy fruits – Yum. The flavors are a medium bodied mixture of raspberries, cherries & spice with just a hint of oak. This is a drink now wine but I am sorry, as if I open a bottle it is unlikely I will be sharing this.
2010 Graham Stevens Wines Vintage Shiraz
I will admit this wine was a surprise. Firstly, it was the first wine I tasted from the 2010 vintage – a port style being an early release. Then I was shown the bottle and it was a screw cap! I thought this unusual and I asked Graham about it. His response was the Vintage style requires clean conditions and minimal oxygen contact so why not a screw cap. Upon thinking about it more, I remembered that some old vintage port styles I have opened from the 70′s had cork disintegration issues. So I should talk about the wine.
Straight away the wine is all about the plum character that is McLaren Vale Shiraz as well as the clean spirit. The aromas and flavors are like Shiraz grapes have been hand squeezed into your glass. The plum is so clean and intense that the spirit does not interfere at all. Once in the mouth the plum explosion is just complemented and cleaned up by the spirit and acid. Wines such as this are a joy to consume and it can only make one wonder why this style has almost disappeared from the Australian and McLaren Vale winemaking scene. Do yourself a favour and try this wine – I cannot see you will do anything but enjoy it.
Please note that I have conducted video tastings of these wines and can be viewed in the coming weeks as Lonely Grape TV.
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Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Small Producer, wine, wine McLaren Vale
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McLaren Vale Wines – Dowie Doole
11 09 2011Dowie Doole has moved it’s tasting facility to it’s headquarters on California Road. They were previously at the Salopian Inn with Gemtree wines until recent times. The new facility is well set up at the end of a small vineyard that belongs to Gilligan Wines. The name Gilligan is synonymous with Dowie Doole as the General Manager and a Viticulturist by that name works at Dowie Doole. They have a vineyard on California Road and in Blewitt Springs.
A structured tasting is offered where 5 wines are offered with tasting notes and 3 cheeses in a very pleasant surroundings of the tasting room. The tastings are by appointment only. They are also working on the outside areas where functions for both inside and outside will be possible.
Now the wines…………
Second Nature Range
2010 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc ($A18)
This is all you would expect from an Adelaide Hills Sauvy – aromas of grass and passionfruit that continues to flavors of straw and passionfruit. What I was not expecting was the citrus flavors as there was a really good level of acid in the wine. I also got a sense of some residual sugar just before the acid kicks in. For those that like this variety why not check this out – you could do worse, you could have a kiwi inspired wine.
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot ($A18)
When first opened the aromas were quite closed but eventually opened up to reveal a fresh berry compote with a small amount of freshly cut mint sprinkled over the berries. The berries continue on the palate with a fresh cherry chaser. A nice wine for this price point.
Dowie Doole Range
2010 Chenin Blanc ($A16)
This stable has a reputation for this variety and I have seen a number of good Chenin wines from these guys. Made from grapes from their Blewitt Springs and California vineyards and it is a little beauty. The glass smells of apples and citrus peel. The peel theme continues onto the flavors with some melons and the acid levels are again high – which is good. The whole comes together with the outcome being a good mouthfeel that makes you hungry for more. Bring it on.
2011 Chenin Blanc
Just been bottled and thus not released yet. Lots of passionfruit that jumps all over your nose and mouth. Will be a beauty once it has settled down after bottling, so one to look out for.
2008 Tintookie Chenin Blanc ($A30)
The Blewitt Springs Chenin vineyard is called Tintookie – Dowie Doole has been making good to great wines from this vineyard and in a climate of pulling out vines they are planting more Chenin here. What is also different is the wine is barrel fermented and it shows very quickly. The green apple aromas are complemented with the nuttiness of some French oak. Once you drink it you get lemons, but there is more to it. There is a creamy mouthfeel that is complemented by lengthy acid.
2009 Merlot ($A22)
Good fruit and smart oak has provided another good wine. Yes, I am suggesting a Merlot is a good wine. Plums with a hint of dustiness and a very interesting cloak finish to the aroma profile. The usual plums and cherries are here combined with some good dusty oak tannins. Again a surprise – minty flavors here as well.
2010 G & T (Garnacha & Tempranilo) ($A25)
55% Grenache and 45% Tempranillo to produce a Spanish theme. Only 6 months in oak has provided a really drinkable red under so many conditions. The red fruits almost smell sweet and combined with the subtle oak provides a vibrant lift out of the glass. Every mouthful asks you back for more with spicy red fruits with oak that does not dominate. An unusual blend that will not disappoint.
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A25)
This was the surprise for me – I am not normally a Cabernet drinker but I could drink a heap of this. The aromas of blackcurrent and mint just fly out of the glass so much so, you don’t even have to do the “wanky thing” to get the aromas. I get cassis and chocolate with a minty finish. As I am finding with McLaren Vale Cabernet the usual donut effect where the flavors disappear in the mid palate, does not happen here. Good old McLaren Vale is having it’s effect and so the mid palate is there is spades.
2009 Shiraz ($A25)
Classical McLaren Vale plums and spice on the nose that makes one think of dark fruit cake. The classical McLaren Vale Shiraz comes through when you drink it as well – black cherries wrapped up with vanillin oak and a chocolate finish.
2008 Reserve Shiraz ($A60)
Things step up a notch here, the fruit and spice have so many extra dimensions. The aromas are so lifted with cherry and plum and the spice character gives you a sense of cinnamon and anise and classy envelope of vanilla. In the mouth the vanilla continues with a depth of plum and subtle spices of cinnamon and white pepper. An example of how good American oak can be with good Shiraz – it is a pity that generally we are moving away from American oak when it can produce such good wine.
N/V Moxie ($A25)
A sparkling red made from Shiraz, Malbec and Touriga with a distinct female play. The packaging has a sexy and fun feel with a take off of what could be seen as James Bond girl silhouettes. The grapes come mainly from Langhorne Creek to produce a mixture of fairy floss mixed with cherries and a few raspberries. There is juicy fruits and a fair hit of sugar here with the saving grace being the good acid hit that cleans up the palate. For me a bit sweet but I can see a lot of people loving it. The wine has a cult following in Germany and only a small proportion is kept in McLaren Vale for direct sales.
2010 Cane Cut Viognier ($A25 375 ml bottle)
As the name suggests the sweetness comes from cutting the canes on the vine to allow the fruit to dry and concentrate while still on the vine. There is no boytris infection here, but the juice still made over 17 Beaume. As expected for Viognier there is lots of apricots on both the nose and palate. What I found really good was the high level of acid that cleaned the mouth and tongue that allowed you to come back for more
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Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Food, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Merlot, Mourvedre, Oak, Shiraz, South Australia, wine, wine McLaren Vale
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McLaren Vale Wine – Battle of Bosworth
14 08 2011One of only 2 fully organically certified vineyard operations in the McLaren Vale region, that I am aware of. I have previously reviewed this operation so I refer you to this entry by clicking here.
They have 2 wine ranges, the normal company label (Battle of Bosworth) and the Spring Seed Wine Company. The Spring Seed Wine Company was a label created for the American market. With the issues selling into the American market they have decided to release these wines into the domestic market. With the lower price point and the smart packaging these wines should do well.
Battel of Bosworth Cellar Door First Customer
They opened a new cellar door on 12th August 2011 and I could not resist being there – in fact I had the pleasure of being their first cellar door customer. The cellar door can be found on Gaffney Road, Willunga.
Battle of Bosworth Cellar Door Roadway Sign
Check out their web sites at:-
Spring Seed Wine Company
2010 Forget Me Not Sauvignon Blanc – Semillon ($A15)
As expected this 60/40 blend of the 2 varieties is so different to the same blend from say Margaret River. This is good as we do not want wine clones – different is good. What I find very interesting here is that the Semillon seems to be dominate. I get some grass on the nose and some passionfruit on the palate, but the unripe nashi pear seems to me to be dominate. There is good acid here, which also adds to the overall length of the wine.
2010 Four O’Clock Chardonnay ($A15)
Unwooded Chardonnay with all the melons you would want. I get honeydew and rockmelon like they were sitting in front of me. Again the acid length was good. For an unwooded Chardonnay this had a surprisingly good mouthfeel. A project of the great vintage and good winery practice. Chardonnay seems to be making a comeback and this sort of wine will only help.
2011 Sweat Pea Moscato ($A20)
Made from Brown Muscat grape and has a red tinge due to some skin contact when the wine was crushed. With this introduction, I was looking forward to trying this wine to see if there was a little more complexity than most of the offerings of this type. I was not disappointed with this spritzig style wine. The aromas had the expected grape but some really interesting floral characters. The flavors were just grapes, grapes and more grapes but had a interesting mouthfeel (that I expect was due to the skin contact). I can see this wine walking out of the cellar door.
2010 Scarlet Runner Shiraz ($A20)
Starting with a very pleasant set of berry aromas (both blueberry and blackberry). The flavors were the same fruits with a good hit of tannin and acid that means a good length on the wine. Not over done with either the fruit or the oak, so I can see this wine being quite popular.
2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($A18)
Regular readers of the Lonely Grape will know that Sauvignon Blanc is not one of my favorite wine varieties. This offering is not over the top like a lot of these wines. There is some grass and passionfruit here but not too much. The acid length is here which shows the vintage was spot on for this variety.
2009 Chardonnay Vioginer ($A18)
The start was lees than expected as the aromas were very closed. I wondered if it was due to the wine being cold, so I waited for the wine to heat up a little, but it made no real difference. The flavors show how much a little Viognier (about 5%) can make – the apricot of Viognier is noticeable but not overt. This unwooded wine will split the wine tasting visitor to this cellar door. Some will really like it and others will not, and for me …..
2010 Chardonnay ($A25)
Now we are talking. A Chardonnay with some smart French oak treatment. There is extra complexity here that the oak brings to this classic grape variety. Melons mixed with cedar and lovely acid here as well. The mouthfeel also indicates some lees aging. This wine is a beauty and brings me hope that the classical lightly wooded Chardonnay is not dead.
2009 War of the Rose Cabernet Rose ($A18)
I have had this wine before and I have been pleasantly surprised over the quality of this rose from Cabernet – not the usual grape variety for Rose. The aromas of strawberries and a very clean wine with watermelon and blackcurrent fruit. I hear this wine has not been made since and so I urge you to check it out. I have had a few bottles during the heat of summer with some crusy bread and soft cheeses – Yum.
2010 Preservative Free Shiraz ($A20)
This wine is very interesting. Ever heard that people do not drink red wine because they get head aches? One train of thought about this is that the head aches are due to a wine preservative – sulphur dioxide. This wine is produced with no wood contact – aging in the wood requires the sulphur dioxide to be added to the wine. The wine has been made with no additives at all. I thought the wine may have been like a light red with minimal tannins and character. I could not have been more wrong. I got cherries, blackberries and blueberry aromas and the same clean fruit flavors with much more tannins than expected. If you have trouble with the additives in red wines then try this wine – it will not disappoint.
2009 Shiraz ($A25)
This is why McLaren Vale is known for producing high quality Shiraz. The aromas were voluminous with plums and dusty French oak. Here is the great mid palate that McLaren Vale is all about all the fruits from the aromas that just last right across the whole tasting experience right though to a long lasting length. Yes, I enjoyed this wine.
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A25)
All that you expect from Cabernet – blackcurrent fruits all over the place. Good acid length and the oak not being over done will mean the Cabernet lovers amongst us will enjoy this one.
2009 White Boar Shiraz ($A45)
An amarone style – the grapes are air dried to concentrate the grape sugars and flavors before the grapes are fermented. From the few wines made in the style I have tasted, I notice a Current characteristic on both the aromas and flavors. This wine continues this trend. Everything about this wine is classy, concentrated flavors, smart use of oak, and good acid length means this wine is one to check out.
2010 Clarence Sticky Semillon ($A15 375mL)
The aromas were typical for this style – sweet tropical fruits with an apricot envelope. The grass flavor is hear but the striking element of this wine is the level of acid. The acid cleans the palate of the high levels of sugar so your mouth feels clean and ready for another sip.
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Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Chardonnay, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Small Producer, South Australia, wine, wine McLaren Vale
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McLaren Vale Wines – well nearly – 90 Mile Wines
19 06 201190 Mile Wines opened a cellar door in June 2010 in Middleton (between Victor Harbor and Goolwa) in the same complex as Blues Restaurant and Beach Huts. I was lucky enough to catch up with these wines at the McLaren Vale Visitors Centre. Steve is the usual cellar door host – if you visit say hello from the Lonely Grape.
The enterprise is the brain child from 3 mates – a vineyard owner, a marketing guy and a business tragic. Their aim is to produce low cost wines that would appeal to every day drinking public, even to those new to wine drinking. They also seem to be honing into the function market – so pricing is very important to this area.
90 Mile wines also have a wine club, called funnily enough the 90 Mile Club. Membership is $20 per year and you get 25% discount on all wines purchased plus invitations to exclusive events (such as pre-release tastings). Based on purchasing the Destination Shiraz all you need to do is purchase more than 2 bottles and your membership pays for it’s self.
Their web site link is here.
My take on the wines is that apart from the Destination Shiraz, the wines are clean and easy to drink. I can see this maybe appealing to the younger set where wine is a new fashionable drink. Maybe a semi sweet wine would be an addition to this range, if in fact that is what they are aiming for. There are 3 ranges. A cleanskin range which is priced to move high volumes. The Beeamma Range from Padthaway and the 90 Mile Range from Fleurieu region (McLaren Vale, Currency Creek and Langhorn Creek).
Cleanskin Range
There was a couple of whites a rose and a couple of reds – I only tried one of the reds.
2009 Cabernet ($A78/dozen)
Good clean blackbery fruit with very soft tannins. Nothing exciting here, but I have been told that at the price the wine has been walking out of the door.
90 Mile Range
This range is produced from grapes that come from the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula (Currency Creek, Mt Compass and down to Victor Harbor).
NV Brut Cuvee ($A14)
Made from McLaren Vale fruit with the aromas of clean stone fruit – which makes me think this wine is made from Chardonnay. The flavors are clean and crisp stone fruit that will be drunk very cold at (as I have been told) many local weddings. It is obvious that the wine is targeted to celebration events at a very reasonable price.
2010 Riesling ($A17)
I have had very few Rieslings from the region that I consider are good expression of the variety and this continues the trend. Some orange rind and floral aromas that had little to consider for flavor. Definitely a leave for me.
2010 Shiraz ($A20)
Made from Currency Creek fruit showing the lower end of the ripening scale. Here the wine is all about cherries and spice to make it a little nice. Nothing spectacular here but a number of people who are new to red wines may find this interesting.
2006 Destination Shiraz ($A40)
Hold the fort – this is a major step up and what a surprise after the rest of the range. There is a level of complexity and interest not seen in the other wines. 16.5% alcohol and 2 years in American oak leave their mark. Aromas seem to be loosing their fruit characters and are more leather and coconut. The alcohol is not causing the nose to tingle – indicating a strength in the wine that helps balance the alcohol. The flavors have lots going on – stewed satsuma plums, pepper, chocolate with that hint of coconut. Again the alcohol is not prominent as the complexity copes so well with it. Especially at the discounted price this wine is worth checking out.
Beeamma Range
They have a vineyard in Padthaway in the South East of South Australia. The soils there are rich Terra Rossa soil on a limestone base – typical soil types for the Coonawarra and Padthaway regions.
2008 Chardonnay ($A14)
Straight from the fridge the aromas were masked, but as the wine warmed up I got some peaches and rockmelon. I did not get any oak characters from this soft and easy drinking wine. As expected there is melons and stone fruits here – not intensive fruit but at this cost one would next expect it either.
2008 Shiraz ($A14)
I got a greenness in the aroma profile of this wine that I do not normally find in Shiraz. the greenness was combined with fresh plums, white pepper and cedar oak. The wine has soft tannins though these tannins are quite drying on the teeth. This continues the trend of soft easy drinking wine from the range.
2008 Cabernet ($A14)
Just lots of cherries and ribena (blackcurrent) fruit with the same soft tannins – just an easy drinking style.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A14)
This wine seems more complex than the 2008 wine. Starting with some eucalypt aromas combining with plums (not what I would expect from a Cabernet). Good black fruits (both blackberry and blackcurrent) with soft oak notes, that again have teeth drying tannins on the finish.
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Tags: Australia, Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Chardonnay, Oak, Riesling, Shiraz, Small Producer, South Australia, sparkling wine, wine, Wine tasting descriptors, Winery
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
McLaren Vale Wines – Primo Estate Wines
11 04 2011I remember about 25 years ago spending a very enjoyable afternoon with a young winemaker who was to be married soon and we discussed things such as making wine in the hot wine region that is Angle Vale (just north of Adelaide), making wine from the unfashionable grape that is Colombard and making wine racks from100mm square concrete re-enforcing mesh. Why do I bring this up now – particularly when I am talking about a McLaren Vale winery. Well the young winemaker was Joe Grilli the winemaker and owner of Primo Estate Wines. He was and still is married to Dina, he continues to make a wine from the Colombard grape and now has a vineyards in Clarendon and McLaren Vale plus a cellar door / function center and winery in McLaren Vale.
Primo Estate Cellar Door Complex
Joe has been known for many things in his career to date. Using botrytis infection to produce the wine gems that are known today. He has also linked very firmly to Italian heritage from experimenting with Amarone and Ripasso treatments of the wine grapes, some of the first extra virgin olive oils (EVO) and an aged vinegar. Joe also takes a yearly pilgrimage to Italy where he produces Italian wine from Italian grapes with Australian know how. These wines are released in a special event every year.
Apart from a beautifully styled cellar door complex, they hold the Joseph Experience where you can taste some of the Joseph range of wines with some locally made bread plus the Joseph EVO) – costs $10 which is refunded if you buy any of the wines tasted. This tasting is very popular so I recommend you book so to avoid disappointment.
Wine club membership entitles you to 10% discount on most wines and invitations to wine dinners and other events plus a phone call every now and then offering some special deals. membership costs nothing – so why not.
A link to the Primo Estate Wines web page is here.
Now the wines…….
NV Primo Secco ($A20)
Released for only 1 week – I felt my timing was spot on. The wine has been loosely styled on the Prosecco style. Made with 30% Colombard the wine shows tropical and melon aromas with nice melon flavors and a creamy finish. This wine is made for easy drinking as it is light and refreshing. I can see this being another winner for this stable.
2010 La Biondina ($A15)
Straight away I was very happy to see this wine had gone back to it’s roots. Gone was the blending with Sauvignon Blanc and thus is back to a straight Colombard. As per my previous tasting of the wine over many years it is a clean and crisp wine that I consider to be the best Colombard made in Australia – with apples, tropical fruits and an underlying minerality.
2010 The Venetian Garganega ($A25)
I have never seen or heard of this variety before – let alone taste it. As the name suggests the wine was made in Tuscany under the keen eye of Joe. I got some interesting floral and citrus aromas and the flavors were, well just so complex from such a series of light flavors. There was peach, minerality creamy mouthfeel and even though it seemed relatively low acidity the flavors just lasted so long. I believe this is the first release of this variety and I suggest it will not be the last.
2009 The Tuscan Shiraz Sangiovese ($A28)
The second of the Tuscan wines and this one is beauty as well. The aromas were lifted with floral notes, black fruits, dusty oak and a coconut finish. The flavors show complexity again – briary black fruits, olives, cardamon that lingers with vanilla plus coconut from the oak that just licks the palate. So different (as you would expect) from the below wine.
2009 il Briccone Shiraz Sangiovese ($A25)
Black Cherries mixed with spiced earthiness and cedary oak. Another good wine that needs time to really come together and show it’s best.
NV Joseph Sparkling Red ($A70)
Those regular readers of the Lonely Grape will know I am a Sparking Red fan – when done well. This wine has a huge reputation and I was so looking forward to trying it again – last time was over 10 years ago. The base wine here is drawn from a solera system started in 1988. The system adds new wines to the top barrels and the wine is made from the lowest barrels, As wine is drawn off wine in barrels above are added and so on up the barrel system (see a definition of Solera System here). The base wines are made from Moda (Cabernet merlot) and Shiraz with a very old port used and the top up liqueur.
There is so much aged complexity here – nutty, coffee and those developed characters you see in old red wines. One can also taste the port liqueur that just adds another layer of complexity. I will say, for my palate, this wine lacks some freshness that could be gained from some more newer wine added to the blend. I can imagine many wine people thinking this is wrong – but it is my palate.
2007 Nebbiolo ($A75)
Made from Clarendon Vineyard grapes and shows some influence from a visiting overseas winemaker who had spent time working in Barolo (where this variety is king). The wine shows minimal skin contact as the wine is lighter than “normal” and one can see the wine browning relatively quickly. Fast becoming a favorite of mine – the aromas of burnt orange, cinnamon, all spice and turkish delight. The turkish delight continued in the flavor profile that included violets, range of spices – all wrapped up in a savory finish. I so enjoyed this wine and I will be visiting this variety more in the future.
2008 Angle Gully Shiraz ($A65)
Quality Clarendon fruit here, showing that quality wine can be made from such a hot and difficult vintage that was 2008. Dark and concentrated with spices, dark plums combining well with the oak treatments. What stuck me here was the underlying minerality here that I do not normally associate with Shiraz. I can see this wine aging better that I will.
2009 Zamberlan Cabernet Sangiovese ($A28)
I was again luck to taste this wine as it has not been released as yet. Interestingly, this wine undergoes the Ripasso treatment ie the 2009 wine is passed though skins from the 2010 pressings (in this case the 2010 Moda – Casbernet Merlot). The aromas show a list that I find when drinking this style. The flavors show the black current that is cabernet but there is a depth brought on by the ripasso treatment. As you would expect this wine needs time to bring all the components together. Watch out for it when it gets released.
2008 La Magia Botrytis Riesling Traminer ($A25)
For those that say this wine style is not worthy – you need to try this. Aromas that are all floral – orange blossom, roses and honeysuckle combine so well. The flavors are what you expect – citrus and apricots with a real sweetness. What does strick you here is the understanding the wine is very sweet but not cloying – this wine has lots of acid that just cleans the mouth. Bring on the dried fruit and blue cheese platter.
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Tags: Adelaide, Amarone, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Colombard, Grape, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Nebbiolo, Shiraz, wine
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