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.

Jim Barry Wines Cellar Door

With their new winemaker coming from McLaren Vale we were able to get a tour of the winery – I will elaborate on the tour in Part 2 of this review.

Jim Barry Wines has 4 main vineyards

The Lodge Hill Vineyard on the eastern side of the town of Clare.  Has consistently produced Riesling and Shiraz wines of substance.  One vineyard and 2 soil types – just so suited to the Riesling and Shiraz grape.

The Florita Vineyard has long been considered one of the premium vineyards in Australia – John Vickory from Leo Buring made the famous Rieslings in the 50′s and 60′s from this Watervale vineyard.  Jam Barry bought the vineyard in the 80′s when many vineyards were being ripped up in the government led vine pull scheme.

The Armagh vineyard at the North of the township of Clare and was planted by Jim Barry in 1968 with Shiraz.  These low yielding vines produce highly concentrated fruit.

There is a Coonawarra connection here with a vineyard near Penola that was at one time a cricket ground.  Jim Barry decided to not only keep the cricket theme in the vineyard (by keeping the grandstand but also the cricket pitch has not been planted), but the wines also have a cricket theme.  Very smart marketing play that is used in the mid range wines and the high end Cabernet.

Now for my review of the sparkling and white wines.  You will need to check out Part 2 of this review for the red wines.

2006 The Nancy Sparkling Pinot ($A19)

A yeasty aroma combined with cherry and strawberry flavors wrapped up in a nice crisp acidity that is like a freshly picked Granny Smith Apples.  Not a classical “Champagne” style, but this cellar door only wine is more than just a sense of fun.  I would consider this a drink now and enjoy as an aperitif wine.

2010 The Lodge Hill Dry Riesling ($A19)

This wine does not disappoint.  I get stone fruit aromas with the expected limes.  The flavors – well all the limes mixed with slate minerality that just hangs around with that lovely acid tang.  When I tried this all I could think of was – “Why would you drink Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc when you can get Aussie Riesling like this!”

2010 The Florita Riesling ($A40)

This yet to be released wine is a beauty and all that you would expect.  The citrus and the minerality were here in spades.  What I was not expecting was the layer of floral notes that added considerable complexity.

2009 The Florita Riesling ($A40)

Love it – aromas of grapefruit and it’s zest rubbed all over some of the finest slate.  The flavors are similar with the added acid of limes and lemons.  Drink it now or drink it any time in the next 10 years and I am sure it will be good.

2008 The Florita Riesling ($A40)

So different again – and my favorite of the 3 vintages.  Here the kerosine kicks in with that grapefruit zest aroma and then the kerosine developed flavor with lemon, lime and this time mandarins as well.  If this does not want one to throw away the Sauvy then, well maybe there is no hope.

2010 Silly Mid on Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($A19)

A 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon blend that starts with aromas of grass, honey dew melon and passionfruit.  The passionfruit continues with the flavors and quite an interesting acid length.  Not a bad wine, but after the Rieslings I can not see why you would.

2009 Riesling Project – Tank 8 Sweet Riesling ($A19)

Each year the winemakers trial different wine styles and sell them at the cellar door to work out what the wine public like.  The 2009 project was a Germanic Riesling – low alcohol and higher acid.  This was all about green apples, grapefruit, lemon and limes with that slatey tang.  Not as sweet as I expected and that was a good thing.  A classy wine that I am told is “walking out of the cellar door”.  We may see more of this wine style from Jim Barry Wines.

Sold out wines

Watervale Riesling

Lavender Hill (Late Picked) Riesling

Tim Adams Wines Cellar Door

I have only been to the Clare Valley 3 times previously to this occasion.  On one of those occasions, nearly 20 years ago I went to a tin shed cellar door that had the name Tim Adams.  What a difference about 20 years makes.  The cellar door complex is vast, new and shiny with what looks like a reasonably sized winery behind it.  Unfortunately, I arrived at the cellar door with only 20 minutes left before closing time so my reviews below were conducted in record time and thus maybe not as detailed as normal.  So with minimal other information here is my reviews of Tim Adams Wines.

Tim Adams Wines - Winery

2010 Riesling ($A19)

Intense citrus here with lots of lemons and limes, but very interestingly grapefruit.  With these flavors here there is the expected acid depth that supports the flavors that just linger.  This supports just what Clare Valley Riesling is known for.  Bring on the seafood.

2008 Reserve Riesling ($A29)

It has been a long time since I have tasted a somewhat mature Riesling – that organic smell and taste of the kerosene.  Well this one brought back memories of a couple of occasions.  The toasty, kero, citrus rind and grapefruit aromas followed by all those lovely lime flavors.  I can see this wine would not be in favor with everybody, but you cannot please everybody all the time.

2009 Semillon ($A19)

I really enjoyed the floral notes wrapped up with stone fruit (mainly nectarine) aromas.  The flavors show the oak fermentation by some cedar notes and a creamyness complexity.  Those peaches and nectarines also make a play in those flavors.  I can see a bowl of Thai Green Curry in this wines future.

2007 Pinot Gris ($A19)

Did not taste.

2007 The Fergus ($A20)

This is a blend of all sorts of red varieties with a Grenache basis (30%).  This medium bodied red wine has the red fruits you would expect from Grenache.  The aromas and the flavors are a little short, however I can see a lot of people liking this wine.  Lamb, lamb and more lamb would work well here.

2008 Reserve Tempranillo ($A29)

It is good to see the region looking at what maybe the future direction of warmer regions like Clare Valley.  Tempranillo is doing good things in many of the wine regions of Australia – so I was looking forward to this.  I was not disappointed.  The aromas were cherry fruits with a spicy earthyness – with the spices being cloves and cinnamon.  The earthy and cherry continues on a flavor profile that has associated body that is very appealing.  If this is the view of Tempranillo in the Clare Valley then bring on more of it.

2008 Cabernet Malbec ($A20)

A classy wine from an unfashionable blend.  If you like wines with strength and substance then this is one to try.  Strong dark fruits and spice with character and palate length.  At this price this should be on everybody’s list.

2007 Shiraz ($A20)

This vintage is almost sold out and I can understand why.  This vintage the old vines from Aberfeldy vineyard helped produce the wine.  The aromas were reminiscent of mulberries and violets.  The fruit is mainly blackberry and there is wonderful spices of pepper and cardamon.  The acid here creates depth as well as a little tingle on the tongue.

2008 Aberfeldy Shiraz ($A44)

The Aberfeldy vineyard was planted with Shiraz in 1904 so one would expect concentration of flavors from small yielding vines.  So this was another offering I was looking forward to.  The aromas were based around cloves and cinnamon with an envelope of cherry plums.  The aromas also showed there is a decent slug of American oak here – there was the tell tale coconut sweetness.  The flavors were layers of dark fruits, plums and cherries with the spices of cloves and cinnamon and then the American oak adds complexity.  The oak imparted sweet coconut and vanilla flavors.

2010 Botrytis Riesling ($A25 – 375mL bottle)

In the right conditions the Botrytis mold can do wonderful things to a wine – and I emphasis the conditions need to be right.  In this case I can see many right things – flora and fruit salad aromas combined with tropical and citrus fruit flavors that has quite a viscous mouthfeel.  The most impressive thing though is what is not there – so much sugar that it just covers the whole palate and that is all you can taste.  There is a big acid hit here so the high levels of sugar are “stripped” from your tongue and mouth so that cloying experience does not happen here.

20 Year Old Fine Tawny ($A35)

This wine has the hallmarks of a good tawny – wood age colour and flavor that just combines together to just provide a party for your mouth and taste buds.  But as with the wine above there is a lot of acid here and it is not too sweet.  If you like the tawny style without all of the sugar hit then you really need to find this wine.  I know I will enjoy this during the coming winter.

Penny's Hill & Mr Riggs Cellar Door

They also sell wine under the Whoop Whoop label plus a few cleanskin sales from the cellar door.  When I was there just before Christmas they had a cleanskin Moscato which I have been told was very sweet and very refreshing.

The cellar Door also holds a restaurant that is open for lunch 7 days per week.  The “Kitchen Door” creates meals from local produce and changes their menu ever couple of months.

The wines have a history of quality outputs so I was looking forward to tasting these wines.  Check out my review of the Penny’s Hill and Black Chook wines.

2010″Watervale” Riesling ($A22)

Sometimes you here about less being more – well this in one of those wines.  There is a classy simplicity here.  Limes, limes and more limes here.  Clare Riesling is all about the citrus fruits and the acid finish and this wine has both in spades.  Definitely a food wine and I am thinking a big bowl of chilli mussels.

2010 “Ein Riese” Riesling ($A22 375mL bottle)

The aromas were closed to me – I even warmed up the glass in my hands with little effect.  The flavors were dominated by sweet grapefruit.  The acid here was interesting as it offset the sugar so the palate felt cleansed after every mouthfull.  This wine is an obvious crowd pleaser for those that drink the sweeter wines but also an interest here for any wine buff.  I would like to see how this wine would match a plate of dried muscatel’s and a soft Brie.

2008 Viognier ($A22)

Viognier is a white variety that seems to do well in McLaren Vale – however the resultant wine is not always interesting.  In this case the interest has been heightened by the use of oak fermentation for about a third of the wine.  This has lead to a developed toasty series of aromas that continues into the flavors as a honey toastyness with pears and a tangy acid finish.  The toastyness was overdone for me.  I would have liked to see this wine when it was a bit younger.

2009 “Cold Chalk” Chardonnay ($A22)

Yes I got some oak characters here but that was it for the interest.  The aromas had an oily component and the flavors had an almost sour finish.  Sorry – it is a leave for me.

2008 “Yacca Paddock” Tempranillo ($A25)

I was looking forward to this wine made from Adelaide Hills fruit and I was not disappointed.  Such a savory aroma that lead into s mouthful of the fruit sweetness of a red berry compote that finished with dry dusty tannins.  So dry that they made my teeth feel like they were dry after each mouthful.  I can see a number of grilled lamb loin chops in this wines culinary future.

2008 “Piebald” Shiraz Viognier ($A25)

Another Shiraz/Viognier blend from this stable (when you include Penny’s Hill & Black Chook wines).  Mr Riggs and co must really like this blend – unfortunately this difficult vintage has not been kind to them.  Stewed plum aromas with just a hint of the apricot from the 5% Viognier addition.  I suspect the Viognier came from the lightly pressed skins from the Viognier winemaking.  Then the wine just falls down – if I wanted a drink that was dominated by apricots then I would drink apricot juice.  Just too much here for me.

2009 “The Gaffer” Shiraz ($A22)

Now here is an example of good marketing – a proportion of the money received for each bottle of this wine sold is donated to pink ribbon charities (Breast Cancer Research).  Another marketing play was this wine appeared on the Australian TV version of Master Chef – it would be difficult to buy such exposure!  Anyway, does the wine match that sort of hype?  Well I am glad you asked – the wine is a typical McLaren Vale Shiraz at that price point.  All plums, strong mid palate with plenty of fruit sweetness.  The wine showed some stewed fruit and just a hint of alcohol hotness – probably a product of the hot conditions from the 2008 vintage.  Take this to your next BBQ – a good wine and a talking point over the Breast Cancer awareness from the pink capsule.

2009 “Sticky End” Viognier ($A22 375 mL)

Now this is interesting.  A late harvest style from the Penny’s Hill vineyard where the grapes have also been dried for 3 weeks on racks to enable a concentration of flavors.  This wine can be described easily in 3 words – liquid sweet Nashi.  I found this such an agreeable wine, and why wouldn’t I as I love the flavors of Nashi’s.  The wine is luscious but not over the top and for the sweet wine drinkers this is a beauty.  The people in the cellar door say the hardest thing they have to do to sell this wine is to get people to taste it – that does not sound too hard at all.  At this time of year the wine would go well with the lighter styles of Xmas Pudding.

Leconfield Wines Driveway

The grassed area next to the cellar door is used for the McLaren Vale venue for the “A Day on the Green” concerts.  Check out the concert series web site.

The cellar door is open 10 am to 5 pm daily and serves platters (such as ploughman’s lunch) every day as well.  The staff are friendly and I would recommend this as a stop for visitors into the McLaren Vale region.

Leconfield Wines Complex

And now the wines……..

NV Syn Cuvee ($A17.50)

Made mainly from McLaren Vale fruit (with some Coonawarra fruit added) – 79% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir and 2% Riesling.  The wine has been made with yeast in mind – the bready yeast is dominate on both the aromas and flavor profiles.  As you would expect from a Chardonnay dominate wine there is peach characters as well.  I was presently surprised by the refreshing acid length that leaves the mouth and the mind wanting more.  A girl friend of mine just loves this wine, where she drinks it just sitting around chatting to her friends.
2010 Richard Hamilton Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($A15.50)

The 27% Semillon in this wines makes a marked difference to the overall balance.  The aromas start with the gooseberries (Sauvignon Blanc), goes onto grassyness (from the Semillon) with some lime notes on the finish.  This finish on the nose makes me think the flavors will have a high acid influence – I was right.  The flavors start with tropical notes and then goes to the lime/acid finish.  Overall a much better wine that I would expect if it was Sauvignon Blanc on it’s own.  A nice plate of antipasta that just has to have some home made Pickled Onions.
2010 Richard Hamilton Slate Quarry  Riesling ($A15.50)

This wine has an interesting following – if for no other reason that it is one of the few quality Rieslings made in the McLaren Vale region.  True to variety I get limes and floral aromas.  The wine is drier that I expected (which is good) and it is just a jumble of zesty lemon and limes all over the mouth.  I can see this wine going so well with asian foods as it will compliment the varied flavor profiles and textures of this type of food.
2010 Leconfield Coonawarra Old Vines Riesling ($A24.95)

It has been a while since I have had a Coonawarra Riesling (I used to drink a fair bit of Wynns in years gone by) and after having the pleasure of tasting some Eden Valley Riesling last week and I can confirm that the Coonawarra offering is not quite in the same class but it is a jump up from the McLaren Vale wine.  This wine had more floral than citrus aromas that just moved into this wonderful razor sharp lemon and lime acids.  I feel people that open this wine should have Coffin Bay oysters (natural of course) in their future.
2009 Richard Hamilton Almond Grove Chardonnay ($A15.50)

I know I generalise but this is what Chardonnay should be like – some toasty oak integration from partial barrel fermentation and the textural feel from extended lees contact.  The flavor of nectarines is wrapped with the creaminess all covered in an integrated oak envelope – yes it should be obvious by now that I really like this wine.  At this price the wine should be walking off the shelves to be consumed with chicken dishes like Oven Baked Chicken Breast fillet stuffed with smoked semi dried tomato and brie served with fresh pasta stirred through with home made pesto.
2009 Leconfield Coonawarra Chardonnay ($A24.95)

The aromas were closed but the palate was a mouthful of peaches and slight oakiness.  This wine is more refined and is longer lasting, but my money is on the Richard Hamilton version.
2009 Richard Hamilton Jette’s Viognier ($A15.50)

Again a little closed with just a hint of stone fruit coming through.  30% of the wine was left on lees for 6 weeks and this shows on the flavor profile as there is a layered textural feel with peaches and cream.  The wine has a real soft finish so it is one for people that do not like the acid razor slashing over the tongue.
2010 Richard Hamilton Gida’s Rose ($A15.50)

This is a fist for me – a Rose made from Merlot.  The wine is only slightly sweet and is just dominated by strawberries – lots and lots of them.  I can see a hot day and many people seeing the bottom of a bottle or two of the Gida’s Rose, while consuming a ploughman’s lunch (like those served at the cellar door).
2010 Richard Hamilton Late Harvest Riesling ($A15.50)

The grapes for this were ripened for an extra month compared to the Slate Quarry Riesling and the wine was not as sweet as I thought.  A big winner at the cellar door where I am sure people just need to taste it and there is a large part of the population that will just love it.  All the same floral and citrus notes as the Slate Quarry without the sharp acid that would not be like by a proportion of drinkers – and good luck to them.  The asian food theme fits well here – particularly if one wants to tone down a chilli based meal with a glass or six of this.
NV Syn Rouge ($A17.50)

Sparkling Shiraz – oh how I love you!  This 2008 wine at this price is why I think everybody should be drinking good sparkling reds.  I got Raspberries and cherries with some serious oak tannins on the finish.  There is a little residual sweetness here but not too much like some sparkling reds.  If you are looking for a special match for the traditional Christmas Turkey then look no further than a good Sparkling Red and this one would fit the bill nicely.
2009 Richard Hamilton Lot 148 Merlot ($A18.50)

Plenty of fruit sweetness that fits the plum and cranberry hits one expects from Merlot.  What I did not expect was the cinnamon flavors from the clever use of oak.  Still not my style of wine however I can see a lot of people liking this one.
2009 Richard Hamilton Shiraz ($A18.50)

I was looking forward to this as the 2008 version was highly regarded.  What I found was what I would classify as a “typical McLaren Vale Shiraz”.  This version has seen some American oak action as you get vanilla and coconut action.  The plums and drying tannins are just what this variety shows in McLaren Vale.
2009 Leconfield McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A24.95)

Just to confuse you this Leconfield wine is made from grapes sourced in McLaren Vale (not from Coonawarra).  There is American oak sweetness here with all the nutmeg and cinnamon you would want for.  Plenty of juicy Shiraz fruit here also.  Put it all together and there is a good all round package.  This wine is more refined that the previous and has a greater life expectancy than the above wine but I am still drawn to it.
2009 Richard Hamilton Hut Block Cabernet Sauvignon ($A18.50)

Minimal aromas here with all the flavors one would expect from a McLaren Vale Cabernet – lots of sweet Blackcurrent fruits with fine drying tannins on the finish.  I can see a thick slice of Beef Wellington in this wine’s future.
2009 Leconfield Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot ($A24.95)

Again the aromas were somewhat closed but the flavors were full of sweet fruits and fine tannins.  True to expectations this wine has a softness imparted in some way from the Merlot – an elegant and refined structure that please those that like this style.
NV Richard Hamilton Lion Heart Tawny ($A18.50)

A lighter mouthfeel and viscosity than I expected however the aromas and flavors are not light.  This has all the warming , sweetness and character of this fortified.  Another style that is not popular but once tried the wine tends to sell its self.  A plate of vintage cheddar, water crackers and dried muscatel grapes and watch this wine just disappear.

Other Wines (Not tasted)
2006 Burton’s Vineyard Grenache Shiraz ($A39.95)
2009 Centurion Old Vines Shiraz ($A59.95)

On this basis I was ecstatic when my friend from Collective Barossa (a collective of 3 small Barossa family owned wineries) asked if I was interested in showing McLaren Vale wines of the same varieties as they had in their cellar door.  Well, I was so excited I was nearly jumping out of my skin.

As the day drew nearer I was actually nervous – with so many questions about how I would go.

• Could I talk about the wine to the public
• Could I deal with the public if there was any issues
• Would I cope with the systems, taking money and using an Efpos unit
• Would I sell any wines
• What wines should I take with me
• What information should I have for the wine drinking public
• Would I need a sparkling wine stopper

Early this year I had applied for a job as a part time cellar door person – only to be told that I did not have any experience and thus not suitable.  This also increased my self doubt.

My lovely Wife and Son came with me and I was also concerned that they may not find stuff to do while I was working.

With all this going through my mind we left McLaren Vale and went off to the Barossa – I was so excited.  I also promised myself that I would not visit a winery on the way.  Late that afternoon I could not stand it – I just had to visit a winery.  There was one just around the corner from our Cottage in Bethany.  I have always liked Bethany – it is the oldest German settlement in the region  and up on the hill one gets an excellent view of the Valley.

Bethany Cottage Views

Then the day of reckoning.  The family organised to check out some local attractions and I was moving wine into the Collective Barossa cellar door (Main Street, Tanunda).  My host Marie was wonderful and after some coaching on how the handle the money and where things were we were all ready.  Over the next 2 days I had a ball.  Talking about wine to anybody that would listen and just being passionate about wine and how McLaren Vale and Barossa both make wonderful wines.  Sure, I forgot to write down the details of a couple of sales but we worked it out.

On the first evening the winemaker for Karra Yerta Wines came and had a chat with us (after the cellar door was closed) and we all had a relaxing couple of hours with good people – and I got to talk about wine some more.  I was in my element.

The family had a lot of fun shopping, going on a helicopter flight, seeing performing dogs and more shopping.

I must have done something right as Marie not only told me I was a natural behind the cellar door tasting bench, but to invite me to come back and do it all over again next year some time.  I look forward to it already.

Check out the Collective Barossa web site

The one wine I want to share my tasting notes is from Karra Yerta and is their award winning Eden Valley Riesling.

2010 Eden Valley Riesling ($A25)

Yum in a glass!  I do love really good Riesling – Clare, Eden Valley and South West WA.  This one is sensational and shows off what a wonderful variety this is.  The aromas are fresh with citrus with hints of flowers and musk.  The flavors are crisp lemons and limes (limes dominate on the finish).  The thing that strikes me here is the acid – there is lots here, but it is soft acids not those sharp “cut the tongue” that often occurs in young Riesling.  I can see a hot summers day and a bottle of this open – food discretionary, the wine is not.  This wine will age gracefully, however I cannot see my stash lasting too long.  Thanks James & Marie for this beauty.

Check out these wines and more from www.graysonline.com/wine.

Tapestry Vineyard Views

I understand the wine under this label is made at Boar’s Rock Winery in McLaren Vale and rumor has it that little wine was made in 2010 as they are reducing their stocks plus concentrating on the functions side of the business.  The facility has great vineyard views and plenty of balcony to view them from.  There is also wide grasses spaces with a BBQ and a bench table at the rear of the complex – which would be good for families to take in the open spaces and the views.  During summer they serve Antipasto platters for lunches and during winter they have cheese platters available.

Tapestry BBQ Area

The winery used to be known as Merrivale with the vineyard being established in 1969 and wines made in 1971 with the current owners (Gerrard Industries) taking ownership in 1997 with the Merrivale label being phased out.  A second vineyard in Bakers Gully was also purchased in the 90′s.  You can check out their web site at www.tapestrywines.com.au.

2008 Tapestry Riesling ($A16)

The kerosene aromas with hints of limes is a dead give away for Riesling.  The wine is not strongly flavored but there is some limes and ginger there.  A good acid finish is the best part of the wine – a wine that is a pass for me.

2010 Tapestry Sauvignon Blanc ($A18)

Grapes for this wine were sourced from the Adelaide Hills (Gumeracha).  Not as grassy as the usual Sauvignon Blanc offerings.  I get a wine that is strong Gooseberries and some passionfruit with a soft acid finish.  I would not call this a food wine but one to drink with friends – just because you can.

2009 Tapestry Verdelho ($A18)

Not much here for me – either aromas or flavors.  Another miss from me.

2009 Tapestry Chardonnay ($A18)

By this time I was a little worried but my faith was restored!  The restoration started with barrel fermentation and 9 months oak maturation and continues with cream and melon aromas.  The wine finishes with a well balanced peaches and cream combined with a savory finish.  I am thinking of Salt and Pepper Squid with some Chilli Jam to go with this wine.

2007 Tapestry Late Picked Riesling ($A16)

This was a surprise as the wine had some pleasant aged Riesling character with a slight citrus note – not a sweet single dimensional wine based on sugar.  I am thinking of a nice curry – maybe a Butter Chicken or a Rogan Josh.

2009 Tapestry Rose ($A16)

This Shiraz based Rose has wonderful aromas of strawberries and cream and after such a pleasant start the wine goes down from here and the flavors do not meet the expectations after sampling the aromas.  Another miss for me.

2009 Old Vine Grenache ($A25)

From a difficult vintage good things can grow.  All the things one looks for in Grenache are here – red fruits, floral, perfume and cedar notes for the complex aromas.  This continues onto the flavors showing balance between the fruit and smart use of what I suspect was large and old oak barrels.  Simply put – I like this wine and look forward to consuming my purchase with roast lamb.

2008 Tapestry Shiraz Viognier ($A25)

Shiraz was co-fermented with Viognier skins to produce this wine as a variant of the plain Shiraz wines, and by using the Viognier skins then a different wine is produced with no new grape requirements.  The Viognier gives a lift to the aromas where stone fruit is layered over the sweet Shiraz fruit.  The flavors are dominated by the plums of Shiraz but one can tell the Viognier is there.  The tannins are drying on the palate.  Give this one a try – I suspect that a number of people will love the wine and a number of people will pass on this one.  When I consider this offering against the Grenache then this wine is a pass for me.

2008 Tapestry Bakers Gully Vineyard Shiraz ($A20)

This wine was made for the American market and I am concerned that by doing this we are dumping substandard wine that does not meet the usual standards of McLaren Vale to overseas markets – no wonder our wines are not seen as quality if this is what we send.  This wine is just loads of jammy over ripe fruit – another pass here.

2007 Tapestry Shiraz ($A25)

There is ripe plum fruit here – though not anywhere near the same extent as for the Bakers Gully Shiraz.  The flavors are sweet (like fairy floss) with some pepper, but reverts to jammy on the finish.  Not going well here as this is a pass also.

It should be noted that there is a $5 charge to taste the Reserve wines, with the fee refundable if a purchase is made.

2006 Tapestry Reserve Fifteen Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon ($A45)

The aromas were restrained but the flavors are a step up.  There is a mix of blackberry and blueberry with hints of vegetative capsicum notes combined with complex spices (not the least being Star Anise).  The french oak is obvious but not overpowering – the fruit weight does it justice.  I can almost taste the rich rabbit pie to go with this wine.

2007 Tapestry Reserve The Vincent Shiraz ($A45)

The best fruit from the Bakers Gully Shiraz fruit sees 100% new American oak for 24 months.  Based on this introduction I was expecting the vanilla oak monster to be appearing.  Sure there are vanilla aromas and flavors but they are not overpowering.  The aromas also have licorice and the spice mix of cardamon and nutmeg.  The flavors have intense fruit that combined with the oak characters and spices combine into a complex and lingering effect.  What a step up from the other Shiraz based wines from this stable.  This wine is pretty good now but let it live in the bottle for another 5+ years and it will only get better.  Right now I would drink this with lightly seared Kangaroo Loin steaks with a stir fry of seasonable vegetables.

N/V Tapestry Sparkling Merlot ($A22)

Readers of the Lonely Grape would know I am a fan of sparkling reds – normally of the Shiraz based wines.  So I was interested, but unsure what this wine was going to show.  The aromas and flavors showed lots of mulberries, with some spices and apparent sweetness (though not too much).  As one would expect there are soft tannins here that combine nicely with the other characters.  Again, there would be alot of people that would enjoy the softness and the sweetness (hello to my sister – she would like this), however for this money there a number of other options.

Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Road Sign

Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards is one of the original vineyards of the McLaren Vale region.  First plantings were in 1859 with the Kay Brothers purchasing the property in 1890.  The current winemaker, Colin Kay, is third generation family winemaker.  The winery is well know for it’s flagship red wine – the Block 6 Shiraz.  The old vines for this wine produce such small amounts that you can only purchase the wine from the winery if you are a wine club member and commit to purchasing 6 other wines.    The wine club is worth signing up for as you get discounts on the wine (available from the time you join ie if you join at the cellar door then you can get the discount straight away).

Kay Brothers Gardens & Surrounds

The cellar door has a a wonderful view of the vineyard covered valley running down from the winery.  There are old vineyard equipment examples and picnic tables around the large grassed areas – perfect for kids to safely run around.  I have been to the cellar door on  may occasions and there is definitely a sense of old world and a smiling face to greet you.  If you have not been there yet it is one that you should visit.

The cellar door is open 9 – 5 on weekdays and 12 – 5 on weekends and public holidays.  Their new web site is at www.kaybrothersamerywines.com

Kay Brothers Cellar Door

2008 Eden Valley Riesling ($A22)

Not what I was expecting to see an Eden Valley Riesling here in McLaren Vale.  The fruit came from 60 year old vines and produces a wine full with lemons and limes with some apples and the usual flintyness that one expects from Eden Valley Riesling.  The wine was just starting to show some aged characters on the nose, so I expect this wine will soon be transitioning from the fruit driven youthfulness to kerosene nuances of older Riesling.  The crisp acid finish is just begging to be consumed with freshly cooked but cold shellfish.

2008 Amery Vineyards Viognier ($A22)

The nose on this wine was closed, however the flavors had pears and nectarines and quite a lengthy finish.  These flavors were unusual for a Viognier, but there was no real interest for me to purchase this wine – so a pass for me.

2010 Amery Vineyards Viognier ($A22)

Even before I got the glass up to my nose I could get some significant aromas of passionfruit and other tropical fruits with a hint of grassyness.  The flavors just kept on going with the same theme with lots of good acid.  A marked step up from the previous wine (note that there was no Viognier made in 2009 due to the heat wave conditions).  This would go well with many different Asian foods – how about an old favorite Thai Green Chicken Curry.

Amery Vineyards

2005 Amery Vineyards Merlot (A$22)

Another unusual offering.  This Merlot sparked my interest.  The aromas had the usual plum, but there was rhubarb and a hint of peppermint as well.  The flavors had cherries and mulberries with quite pleasant layers of tannin that drew you into a slightly bitter finish.  One of the more interesting Merlots I have found for a long time – a pitty about the hint of bitterness on the finish.  Still if you like Merlot and would drink it with food then I would check this out.  Food matching would lead me to a Beef stir fry – say Broccoli Beef Noodle Stir Fry.

2007 Amery Basket Pressed Cabernet Merlot ($A22)

The floral aromas blend into flavors of blackcurrent and mulberries.  The finish is very dry – the tannins seem to suck all the moisture from your mouth and even coat the tongue.  The overall effect is lingering however the very dry finish makes me think this wine needs a year or 2 to mellow before being at it’s drinking best.

2005 Amery Shiraz ($A22)

An interesting blend of blackberry and vanilla aromas make way for the flavors of ripe plums, vanilla (from the American oak) and really nice white pepper.  The overall effect was good and was lingering.  A step up from the other reds so far.  It is also good to see reds with a bit of age on them being sold through cellar door (though I hope this is not because they have not been able to sell the wine).  How about a Tuscan Burger to go with this.

2006 Amery Basket Pressed Shiraz ($A22)

Another step up! the 2006 was a good vintage and this shows in this wine – Yum.  An interesting aroma mix of plums with tobacco and eucalyptus (just on the back of the nose).  The flavors infuse plum, fennel, blackberry and oak (well balanced).  The fruit flavors are from fleshy fresh fruit and not your stewed styles and the finish is just so persistent.  At this price I seriously suggest you get some of this wine.  As a winter comfort food lets have a big plate of ricotta gnocchi with a spicy tomato and basil based sauce.

2004 Hillside Shiraz ($A40)

Oh how I love these steps – the 28 months in oak (about 50% new oak) has really made a difference in this wine.  Black cherries on the nose and flavors of blackberry spices (fennel, nutmeg and pepper), vanilla and milk chocolate.  There is no oak monster here the fruit and oak blend well together to make a very interesting whole.  This wine is just made to go with slow braised lamb shanks.

2006 Hillside Shiraz ($A40)

What a difference a couple of years and a good vintage makes.  The quality that the 2006 vintage brings to the table is shown with this wine output.  This wine is significantly more a fruit wine combined with very cleaver oak use with aromas of floral plums, pepper and hints of fresh leather.  The flavors start with spicy mulberries and finish with cedar, tar and dark chocolate.  A very pleasant dry finish that leaves the mouth wanting more.  I can see that both the 2004 and 2006 wines are very different and will appeal to different people and with different foods – this is one of the reasons I love wine the variations and permutations available to the skilled winemaker for us to taste.  How about a serving of Rosemary and garlic roast lamb with crispy roast potatoes and peas?

2010 Moscato ($A22)

This sweet offering has quite a following from the cellar door patrons and the last time I was at the cellar door this wine was sold out.  It is good to see more to this wine than just sugar and grapyness.  On both the nose and the palate there were lots of green apples and a lovely finish of cleansing acid.  I can see many a bottle of this being consumed in the great outdoors during summer.

Amery Founders Very Old Tawny Solera ($A22 375 mL bottle)

This wine was first released to celebrate the winery centenary (I still have my bottle of the first release sitting in my wine fridge).  This blend has an average age of 16 years and I must say this shows everything a tawny “port” should bring to the table.  The richness, the nuttiness combined with just so many flavors into an experience that needs to be shared.

Amery Founders Grand Liqueur Muscat ($A22 375 mL bottle)

This one is about 14 years old (on average) and is just like drinking a raisin based Christmas Pudding.  There is a lovely viscous mouthfeel here that just lingers and lingers.  I am thinking a nice runny Brie with dried fruits and nuts while drinking this – but I must warn you I may not share this wine.  Worth every cent!

Rare Liqueur Muscat ($A60 375 mL bottle)

Made mainly from the 1992 vintage there is a real difference here compared to the above wine.  Here there is none of the freshness a solera system can provide – this is just concentrated yummyness.  This is a concentrated and intense viscous mothfull of toffee, figs, coffee and raisins.  If you can afford this then it is an experience just to try.  You will have to get your own though – I will not be sharing any of this with anybody!

Rosemount Wines Cellars

This cellar looks like it is a facility to store wines as the Ingoldby Road winery now makes the wines.  The facility has extensive gardens for the kids to run around in or to have a picnic.  Inside there is the old huge vats and a barrel room that looks like it is set up for functions.  In this area is quite often an art display.  The tasting area has an area for the kids to do some drawings and general seating – where one can be served a cheese platter or some nice brewed coffee.

Not all the Rosemount wines are available for tasting as there is a large number of wines.  It was good to see some cellar door only wines as there is a limited reason to visit this cellar door to buy wine – discount liquor stores can sell their wines at a discount compared to the cellar door prices.

Note that the prices are volume related so the prices below are set as (1 bottle price / 6 bottle price / 12 bottle price).

2009 Diamond Label Sauvignon Blanc ($A16/$A13/$A11)
This Adelaide Hills wine is typical for variety with very herbaceous and cut grass aromas that lead into passionfruit and gooseberry flavors.  Not really my style but I could see a lot of people liking this wine.

2009 Twilight Harvest Unoaked Chardonnay ($A20/$A16/$14)
This limited distribution wine (cellar door and restaurant sales only) is quite aromatic for an unoaked chardonnay the palate has good acid and all the flavors expected from the variety – melons and peach.  I would still rather an oaked Chardonnay.

2009 Show Reserve Robe Chardonnay ($A22/$A17.60/$15.40)
Now we are getting somewhere – the 3 months of oak treatment makes a distance difference to the wine.  The wine is currently slightly dominated by the oak and probably needs some more time to integrate with the grapefruit flavors.  The finish is long with some good tangy acid.

2009 Limited Release Adelaide Hills Chardonnay ($A30/$A24/$A21)
There is some classy french oak treatment here.  The aromas have a real lemon peel with an underlying nuttyness – very pleasant.  The flavors are well balanced with stone fruit (maybe nectarines) instead of the expected melons and lovely oak right through the palate with a lovely oak finish.  This was certainly the best of the white wines with the complexity here would go well with a variety of foods so why not match it with a Chinese or Thai banquet.

2008 Vineyard Series Ripe White ($A20/$A16/$A14)
Here is a late harvest Riesling that is only available at the cellar door (due to the limited quantities made).  There was a real citrus aroma with some aged, slightly oxidative characters showing through.  The palate was not as sweet as I expected and one can tell there is some good Riesling fruit here and such a good acid finish for a late harvest style.  I suspect this wine is the product of of the hot 2008 vintage.  Drink very cold and very young.

2009 “O” ($A18/$A14.40/$A12.60)
This low alcohol (7.5%) slightly carbonated Moscato has turned into a large volume marketing success for Rosemount.  Served on ice (even at the cellar door) is just a refreshing drink that tastes just like grape juice.  This is a classic drinking with friends wine – I used to call this a veranda wine, and not really a food style.

2009 Ruby “O” ($18/$A14.40/$A12.60)
Served so cold it is difficult to get the full aromas for this wine but the flavors are something else.  The 5% Shiraz added to this wine makes such a difference – it creates a typically Shiraz (red grape) notes to the sweet grapey flavors.

2008 Vineyard Series Ripe Red ($A20/$A16/$A14)

A Cabernet, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir and Muscat blend that has a relatively high level of sweetness and is served cold.  I would suggest this needs to be drunk very cold as this wine just shows over ripe “porty” characters.   This is a big pass for me and my palate.

2009 Twilight Harvest Grenache Shiraz Viognier ($A20/$A16/$A14)

Another wine with residual sweetness and is made to be served chilled.  The aromas are cherry and red fruits (raspberry) dominate.  The flavors show an initial hit of red Grenache fruit that transitions into some Shiraz based black fruits.  There is enough tannins here to leave a drying effect even though there is a lot of sugar here.  I can see a large number of people liking this wine, but again not for me.

2006 Show Reserve McLaren Vale Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre (($A22/$A17.60/$A15.40)

This blend of 47% Grenache, 47% Shiraz and 6% Mourvedre is one of my favorite styles.  The aromas start with quite strong red fruits with some underlying strength from the Mourvedre and the toast oak.  The flavors start with the expected red fruits and then layers of depth come on through.  Nuances of cinnamon combine nicely with the oak tannins.  The finish was softer than I expected but it was lingering.  I keep thinking of a caramelized onion tart with roasted cherry tomatoes.

2005 Show Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A22/$A17.60/$A15.40)

The wine has seen both American and French oak and shows all the aromas typical for McLaren vale Shiraz – mulberries, spice and even some coffee.  The flavors continue with mulberries and blackberries but has a slight bitter finish.  Seeing this is a 2005 wine the bitterness will probably remain – unfortunately a pass for me again.

2008 Show Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon ($A22/$A16.60/$A15.40)

This wine has been in bottle for about 6 months and my first thoughts were that this wine would be quite young.  My suspicions were correct this wine has lots of strength and would do well with a number of years before opening.  I was particularly pleased there was none of vegetative characters I quite often find with Coonawarra Cabernet.  The aromas were complex with blackcurrent, licorice and nutmeg.  The flavors are black fruit dominate  with very dry dusty tannins.  Too early to tell the best food match but I suspect that some lamb with a good mint sauce may be close.

2007 Show Reserve McLaren Vale Traditional ($A22/$A16.60/$A15.40)

An unusual blend with 83% Cabernet, 9% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.  I got cassis aromas and some plum from the Merlot.  The blackberries and plum continue in the flavor regime with some spice and layers of tannins that give the wine a wonderful length.  This wine also needs a number of years before showing it’s best.

My next post will have reviews on the dessert wine, port and the Flagship wines.