What a joy – the 2010 Gilligan Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre. One of my favorite blends and this one makes the grade.
Lonely Grape TV Episode # 86 2010 Gilligan SGM
27 09 2011Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Shiraz, Small Producer, South Australia, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
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.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Small Producer, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
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
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Food, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Merlot, Mourvedre, Oak, Shiraz, South Australia, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Lonely Grape TV Episode # 82 – Vinrock 2010 GSM
31 08 2011I found another little gem – a GSM from a very small producer called Vinrock. The red fruit base for this wine is just so enjoyable.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Australia, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Shiraz, Small Producer, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
McLaren Vale Wine – Gilligan Wines
29 08 2011One of the joys, I find in McLaren Vale, is the small McLaren Vale wine producers who make wonderfully rich and different wines. Gilligan Wines is one of these type of producers. They have 2 vineyards, one vineyard of Shiraz that is on the foothills between McLaren Vale and Willunga and the other vineyard is at the Dowie Doole facility on California Road has young Grenache, Mourvèdre, Marsanne and Roussanne. These 4 varieties make the 2 wines made under this label – a Roussanne/Marsanne blend plus a SGM blend. Based on these wines the owners of this small wine venture are smitten with Rhone wines – and why not. The wines have a level of quality and a level of difference that means they should be sought out.
Gilligan Vineyard on California Road
Interestingly, these wines do well in Victoria and overseas. Little of this wine seems to find its way into the rest of Australia. We may have to do something about that. Check them out at www.gilligan.com.au
2010 Roussanne Marsanne ($A21 – but sold out)
Traditional white wine grapes can, at times, be of varying quality from McLaren Vale to the point that many growers are looking at alternate varieties that can produce the flavor profile while getting the acid and sugar balance right while growing the in the warm McLaren Vale summer. Well many could do worse than check out these 2 white varieties. This 70%:30% blend shows what this balance can achieve. There is plenty of flavor here as well as acid. To add to the complexity here the wine say 3 months in old Chardonnay barrels.
This wine has interesting smeared all over its aromas and flavors. Green apple aromas move into stone fruit and melon flavors with a wonderful creamy texture that has a long. long acid finish. This is a food wine that can take flavor – maybe try it with chicken cooked with 40 cloves of garlic.
I know this wine is sold out – but watch out for the next release.
2010 Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre ($A25)
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.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Grenache, Marsanne, Mclaren Vale, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Shiraz, Willunga South Australia, wine
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
McLaren Vale Wines – Assorted wines from Maximus, Coriole, Penny’s Hill and Primo Estate
16 07 2011I have not been feeling well this weekend and I was concerned about what I could write about for this weekend’s blog. So I went looking through my recent wine notes and though I would share some interesting wines I have tried over the last few weeks (while I have been checking out the Scarce Earth Project wines). I hope you enjoy these select wines and hopefully my cold will be over soon so I can share more winery reviews soon.
2009 Maximus GSM
This wine was only 0.1 point from the Bushings King award from the 2010 McLaren Vale wine show. At the same show the wine was award the Trophy for the best Grenache based blend. Others have like it as it is now being served at our Prime Minister Hosted dinners. With this build up, I was looking forward to this wine. The wine did not disappoint. I enjoyed the 2008 wine from the same stable but this is just one big step up. The aromas are dominated initially by the red fruits of Grenache (raspberry and cherry). There is an interesting transfer to a savory aroma that I suspect comes from the Mourvedre. The flavors can be summed up by one word – balance. The red fruits of the Grenache come through again in spades and the tannin structure is just so complementary to that fruit. Plenty of acid here as well so it made my mouth water and think of food. This combination produces plenty of flavor that lasts and lasts at $25 per bottle this wine is a steal.
2009 Primo Estate Joseph Double Pruned Cabernet Magnum ($A275)
Joe Grilli, owner and senior winemaker has mad a career of being innovative. 10 years ago he made a wine from Angle Vale Cabernet (very hot climate area) and I am told the wine was an absolute beauty. The secrete was the vines were double pruned. In this case the primary crop was pruned early so a second crop would be produced by the vines. This second crop is much less than the initial crop would have been and the grapes ripen much later. In 2009 Joe decided to have another go at this unusually produced wine and put all of the wine into magnums. Well I am glad I was told this wine was from Angle Vale fruit as I would have made somewhat of a fool of myself with this review as all I could see were cool climate characters. The aromas showed the customary blackcurrent but then I got green herbaceous characters with an interesting hint of mint – which would immediately make me think this was a cool climate wine and even potentially from Coonawarra. There is also evidence of dusty oak. I do not like wines that show to many green characters and I was concerned this wine was going to be very green. Well I was wrong again – the wine was an amalgam of blackcurrent and very fine tannins. Lots and lots of character and lots and lots of time ahead of this wine. An absolute beauty that so many people will never see – what a pitty.
2007 Coriole Vita Reserve Sangiovese ($A50)
Coriole has a long history of growing and making wine from the Italian grape variety of Sangiovese. As a warming area McLaren Vale should be well suited to this variety. They have also been working on a Reserve style to produce a “Super Tuscan” wine. I have tasted earlier Reserve efforts and had felt they were just aged versions of their estate wines. This wine, however, was different straight away. The aromas were a mouth watering mix of juicy black fruits. The flavors continued in the juicy fruits mode with layers of very fine tannins. The oak influence is there but it plays an integrated part. Balanced and long lasting means this wine was wrapped up and brought home with me. My mouth is watering while writing this and I have put the wine away so I do not get tempted to drink it just yet.
2009 Penny’s Hill The Experiment Grenache ($A30)
The last 2 times I have been to the Penny’s Hill cellar door this wine was not available, so when I heard there Grenache was available then I just had to drop in. The aromas showed both the expected red fruits but a lot more cedar from the oak than I would expect for this variety. Even though the oak continued in the same vain in the flavors this wine was what I would call lovely McLaren Vale Grenache – all those red fruits and the oak mixed with a great acid profile that assisted the wonderfully long flavors and mouthfeel of the wine. Yes I love this variety and yes the wine has more wood treatment that I would normally agree with, but the whole thing works. Put the wine away for a couple of years and I would expect an even better wine.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, cellar door, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Shiraz
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Lonely Grape Tv Episode #76 Mourvedre
27 04 2011What a joy – tasting one of my favorite wine varieties (Mourvedre) and spending time with my son Tyler. One of them tries to take over the show.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Food, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
McLaren Vale Wine – Shingleback Wines (Part 1)
27 02 2011
Shingleback Cellar Door
Shingleback Wines Cellar Door has the distinction of being the first cellar door you drive past or to as you enter McLaren Vale’s main street. They moved into the current facility a few years ago after being in the Tourist Infoamtion Centre and have not looked back. The renovated old building looks great and is set up with lounges and art for those that may want to linger or those who are driving and not wanting to have a drink. The facility has a lot of room so they can set up well for functions. For the Sea & Vines Festival they put on a great show.
Shingleback’s vineyards are on the flat between McLaren Vale and Willunga. They are close to Fox Creek Wines – I used to work for Fox Creek so I like the association. I found some close flavor profiles – particularly with the sparkling red between Shingleback and Fox Creek. The tastes of McLaren Vale are here for all to see and taste.
I find one of their marketing ploys as fascinating – they have a buy 2 and get a third wine at equal or lesser value (not for the Show Wines). This makes their wine seem to be better value to the customer and the winery gets more volume sold -quite simply the potential for a wine – wine situation. This could be a 2 edged sword as some people may take offense to such a strategy, however I am told that the strategy is seen very favorably at the cellar door so well done guys!
There is now a restaurant open next door to the facility – I will talk about this more next week.
Shingleback Cellar Door - Side Door
Red Knot Range
Fruit driven entry level wines – $15/bottle or $30 for 3.
2009 Unwooded Chardonnay
The aromas are quite distinctly missing – maybe the wine was a bit cold. The flavors are true to variety (melons) and there was not as much of an acid finish as I was hoping for. A soft drinking style that is not necessarily a food wine – just drink it with friends on a Sunday lunch.
2010 Rose
Your basic Rose – strawberry and rose water mixed with a real acid backbone. Another one for a hot weekend lunch wine.
2009 Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
I got a distinct aroma layer of red fruits (red currents and raspberries) with a perfume ending. This is a real fruit driven wine with all fruits you expect from this blend – red fruits from the Grenache and some fruit tannin and backbone from the Shiraz and Mourvedre. If you have not tried this blend before and like fruit driven wines then this is a great start. The wine is under a Zork closure as part of a trial.
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
At first I was concerned about this wine as I got almost no aromas from my tasting glass with this wine. What I tasted was completely different – nice black current fruit (as expected) combined with fruit based tannins (skins etc) that are quite fine. The real thing that got me here was the acid levels that left the tongue tingling. I can see my favorite beef and chilli pizza going down well with this one.
2009 Shiraz
Again the aromas were closed here. The flavors are what you expect from a fruit driven Shiraz – particular emphasis on plums. The acid level is again nice and high and the tannins are quite fine and smooth. Soft everyday drinking with a BBQ written all over it.
Haycutters Range
Mid level wines $18/bottle or $36 for 3.
2010 Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon
The grassyness of the Semillon comes through as the dominant aroma with some passionfruit there as well (from the ripe Sauvignon Blanc). There is a real citrus component here – probably from the Semillon. I found the wine a bit lacking in the mouthfeel department so it would be a pass for me.
2007 Shiraz Viognier
The wine saw co-fermentation of Viognier skins and the Shiraz. The aromas of plum also have a lift that you get from the co-fermentation. I could definitely taste the apricots one expects from this blend but it was just a little apricotty for me.
Show Wines
2006 “The Gate” Shiraz ($A37.50)
As you would expect this is a step up and the wine delivers. With a 2006 wine there was a number of developed flavors here mixed with licorice all over the place. The flavors are what McLaren Vale seems to produce the best – chocolate and licorice. There is a fruit sweetness here also that goes straight into a mouth full of fresh plum character. The tannins are fine and not over powering. With the fruit basis of te wine, I would choose a dish of Chicken in Red Wine.
Check out Part 2 of this review to read all about the Shingleback wines plus the rest of the Show Wines.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Oak, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, wine, wine McLaren Vale, Wine tasting descriptors
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Taste McLaren Vale’s Backyard Shed Crew Red Pack #4
6 02 2011
Every 3 months Taste McLaren Vale puts together a tasting pack called the Backyard Shed Cru pack. This time it is a red wine pack. While I review small artisan wineries from McLaren Vale I not only write about them but also look to providing you with the value for money pure McLaren Vale yummyness wines from these small producers. The price also includes freight to anywhere in Australia!
You can check out the wines and order at the Taste McLaren Vale web site in the next couple of days.
Below is my reviews of the 6 wines that appear in the Backyard Shed Cru Red Pack #4 – I hope you enjoy, and remember any questions about these wines or any other McLaren Vale wine please let me know how I can help you.
2008 Thorpe Wines Shiraz
There was about 30 – 35 tonne of grapes used to make this wine and was picked before the heat wave of that year. The picking date was based on flavor profiles and not based on the impact of the heat wave. The aromas were the usual plum and berry character plus the same iodine background that I found in the Cabernet from the same vintage. The flavors hit me with citrus notes combined with plums plus the spice character of nutmeg and star anise (not the normally associated pepper flavors of Shiraz). The finish was savory but not overly tannic (the wine spent 1 year on 2 year old oak). There was an overall delicious factor that stuck me as definitely providing value. When tasting this wine I thought of charred (BBQ) meats – maybe a good burger with lots of onion, cheese, lettuce, tomato and beetroot smothered in tomato sauce.
Check out my review of Thorpe Wines.
2008 Pieri Occasione
Made the classical Ripasso style and from Shiraz grapes. Unlike the amarone style above I have never had this wine style before. This wine creates difference by taking the red wine from last year’s vintage and pass it through this years skins after they have been pressed – talk about a point of difference! The wine was aged in older French & American oak so oak is not a dominate factor. The aromas showed strength of plums and currents. The strength of the fruit was not expected – particularly as these aromas were not jammy. The flavors were an interesting contrast of some bitterness (from the skins), sweetness and drying tannins. The fruit flavors are in line with the aromas, so the Shiraz-ness is true. Drink it with just about anything but just drink it to try wine of this style.
Check out my Review of Redheads Studio where you can get Pieri wines.
2006 Petanga Wines Dio
A Grenache (70%), Shiraz (30%) and Mourvedre (10%) blend and what another joy. Dio means God – there is nothing more behind this name that it is the sister wine to Diavolo, which means Devil. Here we have the musk lolly smell, with more obvious red fruits (red currents) and the familiar fennel linger on the back of the nose. Paul tells me this wine has a relatively high volatile acid level which would also increase the “funkyness” on the nose. Again, this is a big wine but has a silky finish that includes a real floral and perfume element which I would expect comes from the Mourvedre. Make sure you decant the wine and let it breathe – it will be worth the effort. Talk about expression of of the vineyard and the sense of place, this wine is just sensational now and will only get better over the next 10 years (if it lasts that long). This wine screams food, so don’t let it down and have it with a beef stir fry that has some Chinese five spice that will go so well with the fennel notes of the wine.
Check out my review of Petanga Wines wonderful wines.
2006 Danshi Rise Shiraz
Just essence of McLaren Vale Shiraz here – all the plum, licorice and just a little chocolate. The mid palate that McLaren Vale red wines are famous for is shown so well here. Added to this is a sense of place – the minerallity of the soil mixes well with the strength of the fruit and the grainy tannins. The tannins are interesting as there are lots of them but they just meld so well together with the weight of the fruit. This is a wine that is all round complexity and even though it could be drunk now would continue to get better over the next 5+ years. Slap a Wychwood Meats T-bone steak in front of me with this wine and get out of may as this would be devouring time!
And yes another review – this time of Steve’s Danshi Rise wines.
2006 Pikkara Shiraz
This wine was a surprise from the moment I tried it. Pikkara is a small wine label from a 5th generation McMurtrie family growers and Nat has decided to make some wine with the help of the guys at Redhead Studios. The aromas start with lovely cedary notes from the French oak combined with the classical plum one expects from McLaren Vale Shiraz. As the wine breathes the obvious cedar blows away and the silky smooth plum tends to dominate. The flavours show the savory characters of that classical McLaren Vale Shiraz with the chocolate plums enveloped in lovely fine tannins. As the wine opened up I found some cherry character also coming through. The best way to understand this wine’s underlying strength is that at no time during the tasting did I pick up on the 15% alcohol! Drink over the next 5 years and enjoy it with that has been slow cooked with garlic and rosemary.
2009 La Curio The Nubile Grenache Shiraz
I was lucky enough to taste some of Adam Hooper’s wines in barrel from the 2009 vintage about a year ago and knew these wines were going to be good. As soon as I poured this wine I knew it was going to be interesting. The wine was quite light and a dark pink colour. The aromas just jumped out of the glass as soon as this pouring occurred. Lots of raspberries and cherries combined with just a hint of cedar oak – no oak monster here! The flavors were all about easy drinking with lovely raspberries wrapped around silky smooth tannins. the 30% Shiraz component added some plum strength on the finish of the wine which just allowed the whole experience to stay in your mouth for quite a while. This easy drinking red wine can be consumed in almost all occasions, and why not when the quality is this good. Forget this wine if you are looking for the strength of a Shiraz but for drinkability count me in – especially if there is a Chinese banquet ready to be consumed also.
My review of La Curio (previous vintage wines) is here.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Oak, Shiraz, Small Producer, wine, wine McLaren Vale, Wine tasting descriptors
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
McLaren Vale Wines – Chapel Hill
15 08 2010
Chapel Hill Barrel
Chapel Hill has come a long way since I first remember visiting the old Chapel in the late 1980′s. The Chapel was built in 1865 and was a Christian Bible Church and a parish school and now the central part of the cellar door and art gallery complex portion of what is the whole of Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill Cellar Door
In this area of McLaren Vale, I suspect it is part of the Seaview subregion, there is a winery, cellar door, art gallery and what is called The Retreat. The Retreat is a high class accommodation getaway that has function space for corporate functions, cooking classes, weddings etc. It is famous for high profile cooking classes that all over look some of the Chapel Hill vineyards.
The Chapel
The cellar door not only provides the visitor with a large selection of wines but also seasonal produce produced at the retreat. You can find such delights as Olive Oil, Dukkah, Verjuice and preserves. Bring on some fresh crusty bread and I can feel a meal coming on!
Chapel Hill Art Gallery
The latest bottlings show a new direction for the labels from the 4 ranges of wines – The Foundation Series, Il Vescovo, McLaren Vale and Vicar. The new labels look classy and puts them in good stead for the new few years.
Well I suppose I had better talk about the wines…….
2009 Il Vescovo Savagnin ($A22)
Sourced from the cooler climate Kangarilla vineyard and is my first taste of this emerging variety. Straight away this was different as I got a restrained orange blossom aromas with nectarine and tropical fruit flavors backed with some good acid. An interesting wine and I really want to taste more Savagnin to better understand this variety.
2009 Il Vescovo Pinot Grigio ($A22)
My experience with this variety has not been overly positive, but this wine made me think I should have a kinder mindset to Pinot Grigio. There were hints of grass, lemongrasss and lychees on the nose and really interesting Guava flavor. Jury still out but still deliberating.
2008 Verdelho ($A16)
A lighter style with a slight fruit salad aroma through to some melons on the palate. There seemed to be a hint of residual sugar here in an attempt to lift the wine. I suggest this wine would be one that a number of people either love or hate. Does the 2008 vintage for a white wine mean this wine has not been a good seller.
2009 Unwooded Chardonnay ($A16)
Naked Chardy – I get quite concerned about this style. In an attempt to reverse the trend of over oaked styles we have had to endure about 10 years of going the absolute opposite. This is a good clean wine with a real nice citrus (acid) finish. This wine is a good seller but for me bring on a balanced chardonnay that includes some oak character.
2008 McLaren Vale Chardonnay ($A25)
Straight away I could tell I was onto something here. Barrel fermented soft wood characters mixed with some ripe fig aromas led to a spicy, creamy, yeasty melon mouthful. I just enjoyed this wine and it was the standout white wine here. Why would one go for so much of the average white wine in the country (alot of it labeled SB) when such a wine is offered. The complex flavors here go well with complex foods such as a caramelized onion tart with roasted cherry tomatoes and seasoned sliced chicken breast.
2009 Il Vescovo Rose ($A22)
Made from Sangiovese fruit from their Kangarilla Vineyard (not in McLaren Vale and cooler climate). The aromas were like smelling the red roses from my backyard (sorry I do not know the Rose variety) and flavors of sour cranberries and plenty of acid to cover the 2.1 g/L sugar. For the Rose drinkers this wine has good structure and would be worth finding. It would work with Chinese Fried Rice or a cheese platter on a Sunday while watching the footy.
2009 Il Vescovo Tempranillo ($A22)
This Adelaide Hills offering is a relatively soft blend of Mulberries and Cherries with not alot of tannins but has a savoury finish. My first thoughts was this was a surprise as a number of Tempranillo wines I have been tasting are “stronger” wines and that this has a similar tannin structure of Merlot. I am thinking a big bowl of pasta with a tomato based sauce and sitting around the table with the family to “share the spoils”.
2009 Il Vescovo Sangiovese ($A22)
Quite a difference with this wine after the last one – the aromas were almost meaty and transformed into a cherry tannin mix that wants to coat the tongue and teeth. There are more wines of this variety popping up around McLaren Vale and I would say this wine is true to it’s variety and one to check out particularly to be enjoyed with food.
2008 GSM ($A18)
Aromas of violets, plum and some perfume from the Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre components to this wine are a good start. The flavors show some up front sweetness (probably from the ripe fruit expected from this hot vintage) and flows through to some typical Mourvedre strength with a few tannin layers. I enjoyed the Mourvedre tones to this wine but the fruit sweetness makes the wine a little disjointed.
2008 McLaren Vale Bush Vine Grenache ($A30)
Of course I was looking forward to this wine – it is my favorite McLaren Vale grape. I was not disappointed from this offering from vines planted in 1926 and 1959. All the red fruits combined with nutty and complex spice nuisances from the old wood barrels this wine has been aged in. Oak plays a supporting role to such lovely fruit that anybody who comes to McLaren Vale should try this wine style. Bring on the slow cooked lamb shanks and there is no way I would share this wine with you.
2009 McLaren Vale Mourvedre ($A30)
Here was where I was blessed – this wine was bottled but not available at the time of my visit. Due to comments on their Facebook page I knew this wine was around – so I asked and Amelia (cellar door manager) organised a bottle for me to try. I am so glad I was awarded this favor as the wine was a pleasure. This variety either on it’s own or as a blender brings serious stuff. There are wonderful floral and mulberry aromas and flavors with lovely complex spices and dry, dry tannins. The tannins are so dry that it seems like they are drying your teeth. The 15% alcohol was not noticeable either on the nose or palate, which also indicated there is complexity here. The wine needs more time to settle down, but I can see it lasting many years in the bottle – if we let it. I am thinking of a marinated kangaroo stir fry, with some gamey complexity, as a wine match.
2008 McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon ($A30)
An interesting mix of smoky blackberries and blackcurrents on the nose. The flavors are mulberry based fruit with licorice complexity and drying tannins. This wine probably suffers from being the next in the lineup after 2 such wonderful wine (for my palate). This wine stands the McLaren Vale Cabernet test well, but it is not my favorite variety at the moment. As I drank this I could see a big bowl of Hoisin Beef with Singapore Noodles complementing the wine and vice versa.
2008 Parsons Nose Shiraz ($A16)
An interesting play here – a lower price wine with an unusual name, in an attempt to bring in more sales. A certain well known wine writer has given this wine a 92 point score, so it sparked my interest, even though the 2008 vintage was at best challenging. Straight away I got the unusual scent of blueberries with some star anise and cinnamon. There is a particular shiraz clone that give some blueberry character, so I guess this is it. The flavors were dark plums and I was very happy there was no stewed fruit or over oaked character. I do not rate this as a 92 point wine, however this is quite good everyday drinking, so I guess it has met the criteria. Bring on plated of different BBQ’d sausages smothered in onions.
2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A30)
Wow – a very interesting roasted almonds aroma combined with some of the blueberries I mentioned above, just draw me in. The flavors are just what one expects from classic McLaren Vale Shiraz – almost sweet plum fruit combined with the cedar oak with tannins from both the oak and the grapes themselves. What more can I say but pass on the plate overlapping rump steak and use the wine as the “vegies”.
Wines not tasted
Vicar Shiraz ($A60) & Devil Tawny Port ($A30)
The Vicar is only available for tasting on weekends and the Devil was just being bottled. I have previously tried these wines (before I took notes) and they both are good wines with a following that means selling these wines at the cellar door is not difficult.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, cellar door, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, McLaren Vale Wine, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Shiraz, tempranillo, wine, wine McLaren Vale
Categories : Mclaren Vale, wine
Recent Comments