McLaren Vale Wines – well nearly – 90 Mile Wines

19 06 2011

90 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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McLaren Vale Wine – Braydun Hill Vineyard

8 01 2011

Carol & Tony Bradley-Dunn have put in a lot of hard work to produce some little gems mad with Shiraz from their 10 acres – half planted in 1998 and half in 1999.  They have devoted their exploits to Shiraz from an area of McLaren Vale that does not have much in the way of vineyards.  These vines are situated on the Adelaide side of Onkaparinga Gorge National Park – almost looking over the rest of McLaren Vale.  There is an emphasis on minimal chemicals in the vineyard which helps in the single vineyard wines showing a sense of place.

Braydun Hill Road Sign

Their motto of “Devoted to Shiraz” not only shows their dedication to their vineyard and what they do but also their wine list.  Nothing but Shiraz – but they have 6 wines to taste so they do have variety.  All with just the humble Shiraz grape!  Spending a little time with them also quickly shows a passion for what they do and the product of their labours.

They run a cellar door is open Thursday to Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.  Check their location on my cellar door map.  Their web site is at www.braydunhill.com.au

And now for the wines…….

2008 Shimply Shiraz ($A15)

The 2008 Vintage was very difficult in McLaren Vale and the Braydun Hill vineyard was no exception.  As the resultant wine was not to the standard of previous vintages a very conscience decision was made that the wine needed to be marketed differently – so the name Shimply was born.  And Shimply it is – the wine shows lots of black fruits and spicy satsuma plum characters.  Sure the wine showed a little stewed fruit character and sure the wine was a little short, but at the price why not give a wine that is simply just McLaren Vale Shiraz  a go.  I would mix it with a good old fashioned home made hamburger with beetroot, egg and cheese.

2006 Red Label Shiraz ($A18.50)

This wine was a little experiment where some single vineyard fruit was blended with some cooler climate fruit from Mt Bold, with the aim to produce a wine with a different character to the normal offering.  The wine has spicy pepper with dark fruits aromas with what I thought was some greenness – the main trigger for me that there was some cooler climate material there.  The flavors were all plums, blackberries with a white pepper chaser.  At this price the wine is worth checking out!  What food would I match with this wine -

2004 Hand Picked Single Vineyard Premium Shiraz ($A39)

As the wine was being poured I could tell a difference here.  The wine was so dense that it was almost black – for  a 6 year old red I was not really expecting this.  This darkness made way for a significant jump in complexity.  The aromas had dark berries, dark satsuma plums with hints of licorice and even some mint and a little vanilla.  The mint threw me and I even wondered wrongly that a bit of Cabernet was added.  the oak maturation was 60%/40% Freanch/American and new/old.  The flavors were layered.  Satsuma plum, white pepper, licorice and anise with a fine dusty tannin finish.  This wine would need time to breath – see my review of this wine using a Vinturi Areator.  interestingly, I could see this wine being drunk at the end of the day – one that was maybe stressful and this wine will help the issues of the day just run away (maybe I need some of this today as I write this).

2005 Hand Picked Single Vineyard Premium Shiraz ($A33)

The same dark wine shows the interesting side of single vineyard wines – very different wines from one year to the next.  Reflecting the different seasons and a sense of the place the wine was born.  The dark berries mixed with anise and a more obvious vanilla aromas.  Strong fruit flavors of dark plums and black fruits are married with the cedary notes from the French oak.  The oak here is more obvious than the 2004, but so was the fruit character – so very interesting.  I am thinking of roast beef with lots of roast root vegies with just the right amount of beef jus.

2006 Hand Picked Single Vineyard Premium Shiraz ($A29.50)

Wow – so different again.  This wine has all the briary and hedge row fruits you can want on both the aromas and flavors.  This is a very fruit driven wine – from the up front fruit sweetness, highlighted by the American oak treatment, to the fruit layers on the back of the palate.  I have word this is their best seller of the premium wines, and I can see why.  The fruitiness of the wine leads me to wanting to drink it with pan seared kangaroo loin fillet with red current jelly.

2008 Crimson Silk Sparkling Shiraz ($A21)

Of course I have to try the sparkling Shiraz – at this time of year my favorite wine style.  There is fresh red and black berries here that has a refreshing level of sweetness (from the 8 g/L sugar remaining in the wine).  This is a fun wine but it also has a serious side with some interestingly gripping tannins on the mid palate.  Now this is one to share with friends as a “Sunday Afternoon” wine.


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Lonley Grape TV Episode # 64 – Vale v Barossa Sparkling Shiraz

21 12 2010

Back at the Barossa Collective Cellar Door (Main Street, Tanunda). Drop in and say Hello and let them know Shane sent you. This time I am tasting 2 Sparkling Shiraz wines. Thorpe 2006 & Karra Yerta NV. Both yum in a glass and just what one needs for the Xmas feast.


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McLaren Vale Wines – Leconfield (home of Richard Hamilton Wines)

5 12 2010

This cellar door is one of the new classy style – with lots of new wood, stainless steel and glass.  The driveway shows off well manicured vineyards with lots of red roses (the roses also act as a early waring for some vine diseases).

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)


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McLaren Vale Wines – Minko Wines

20 11 2010

Nestled into the main street of Willunga is a little gem that is Minko wines.  This old world building is the working home of Margo who was just voted the 2010 Outstanding Cellar Door Person Award – well done Margo.  You can also get a number of fine foods, coffee, olive oils and a couple of times a week wonderful fresh bread.  The wines are made from grapes sourced from the company vineyards in Mount Compass which is outside the McLaren Vale region but they get a mention here because because of the cellar door location.

Minko Wines Cellar Door

I was impressed to see a Vinturi being used to serve the wines.  The Vinturi is a wine aerator that provides the wine with air integration like they have been open for a considerable time.

Minko Wines - Inside the Cellar Door

They also offer a wine flight with 3 Pinot Noirs complete with tasting notes and a tasting platter of Pate, Cheeses, smoked semi dried tomatoes and crackers all served in the side garden setting.  All for the low sum of $10 per person and then you have the option to buy 2 of each Pinot in a 6 pack for $135 compared to $150 normally.

2006 Trio – Sparkling Pinot Noir / Chardonnay / Pinot Gris ($A15)
An interesting aroma of Lychees and honey mead.  The flavours start with stone fruits and green apple and leaves you with a lychee finish.  The wine is neither sweet or dry and thus can be drunk in many settings with and without food.  How about a French Onion Tart.
2009 Pinot Grigio ($A18)
The aromas were a little closed but there was a hint of stone fruit.  The flavours are dominated by the stone fruits of nectarines.  There is a softness here with just a little sweetness.  I can see a wild rocket, cherry tomato and red onion salad with a pan fried salmon fillet.
2010 Unwooded Chardonnay ($A18)
Lots and lots of rockmelon aromas that continued in the flavour profile.  There is alot of acid here that leads to citrus note across the whole palate and then leaves a fresh grapefruit finish.  I found this a very different wine that sparked my interest – this does not happen often with unwooded chardonnay.  The acids scream seafood – so with a twist lets try it with crab stuffed into chicken breast fillets.
2010 Late Picked Pinot Gris ($A18)
Starting with orange peel aromas, I was concerned that this was going to be a very sweet wine and was concerned that my palate was going to explode with sugar and then I was going to struggle with the red wines to come.  Well I should not have been concerned as the wine was not cloying at all – the acids here were enough to clear the palate of the sugars.  Flavours of orange and apricots leads one to think about Mum’s Apricot Crumble.
2008 Pinot Noir ($A25)
Quite aromatic with violets and sour cherries with a savory finish.  Flaours just remind me of a fresh berry compote with just a little sour cherry thrown in.  As expected this is a lighter style wine which made me think of a match with runny soft goats cheese with fresh crusty french stick.
2005 Pinot Noir ($A25)
The aromas just leapt of of the glass well before I got the glass anywhere near my nose – just like I was crushing fresh cherries and raspberries with some savory oak notes on the finish.  Like the aromas I also got an immediate understanding of complexity here.  Cherries mixed up with some small amounts of mushroom compost and then wrappd up in a spiced beetroot envelope.  I do not normally drink Pinot Noir but I bought some of this to take home with me and I am thinking one of my home made pizzas with lots of mushrooms, smoked mussels, sausage with chunks of Fetta.
2006 Pinot Noir
Not normally for tasting – this wine is part of the Pinot Noir Wine Flight as already outlined.  This wine to me shows why Piont Noir can be such a fickle variety as it showed some savory cherries but none of the complexity and fruit power of the previous 2 wines.
2006 Merlot ($A18)
For a variety I am not overly fond of, this was an interesting find with aromas of violets, plums and blackcurrents.  The flavours showed not only ripe cherries but with the clever use of oak there was lots of spice and a cigar box finish.  Try it with Chicken in red wine
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A18)
Interestingly this wine started as the usual Cabernet and I though – well here we go again just another Cabernet.  By the time I was finished I realised I was so wrong.  On top of the blackcurrents one expects from the variety I got the eucalyptus and menthol that I really get these days.  These note leads me to straight away think of roast lamb with mint sauce to go with the wine.
2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($A28)
Different again – this time I get a real meaty aroma to go with blackcurrent and the cigar box from oak treatments.  The flavours are full of berries with a dusty tannin finish.  The fruit here makes me think of herb crusted lamb loin chops.
NV Sparkling Merlot ($A18)
Lots of sweet fruits (but not too sweet) with blackcurrents dominating.  The tannins are light and the finish is refreshing.  There is enough complexity here to say this is a serious wine made for fun.  Can be drunk at any time with almost anything – not just the Xmas turkey smothered in cranberry sauce.


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McLaren Vale Wines – Middlebrook Estate

23 10 2010

Middlebrook Estate Cellar Door & Function Centre

Middlebrook is a McLaren Vale restaurant and function center that specialises on Weddings (where the Rotunda comes into it’s own).  I have been visiting the cellar door on an infrequent basis since 1986 and the inside of the function center has seen many changes for this McLaren Vale function institution.

I can still remember my first visit when I was introduced to Duris (see below) and it was just so different I was not sure about it on the first try – so I asked for another taste.  Well the look from the lady working the cellar door indicated she thought this was a request of some drunk.  Anyway, I did get another taste and then there was no complaints as I walked out with a case of this very unusual liqueur.

Now days the wines seem to be made to suit the catering for the masses at wedding functions ie lighter bodied and sweet wines.  If this is their aim they do well – so well that a number of the wines were not available for tasting as they were in limited quantities and those remaining were reserved for future functions.

To me all I really care about is to see they keep making Duris!

Middlebrook Estate Gazebo

N/V Cogno Brothers Cuve Brut ($A10)

A nice clean and neutral bubbly that is popular for the wedding parties that utilise the facility.

2005 Cogno Brothers “Cin Cin” Pinot Grigio ($A15)

Shows that aging of this variety does not make much sense.  There were developed characters here with most of the fruit flavors almost gone.  There was also a slight bitter after taste.  Life is too short………

2008 Middelbrook “Contessa” Unwooded Chardonnay ($A15)

After the disappointment of the Pinot Grigio and then to be offered an unwooded Chardonnay, I started to think this was going to be a long, long tasting!  Well I was wrong again.  This wine showed really nice dried peach aromas (maybe some residual sulphur coming through).  The flavors were peach again plus some apricot that provided an interesting textural mouthfeel.  I could see why this wine was only available for functions as it would just evaporate on a hot day with a few people at a gathering.

N/V Middlebrook Ma Cheri Moscato ($A15)

As expected there was loads of grapey sweetness with some bubbles added – again a walk in start at most functions.

2008 “Cin Cin” Sangiovese ($A15)

Macerated cherries that were dropped and rolled around on the ground – if you can imagine this and add some oak tannins and this is what I was tasting.  Sangiovese and value for money means a match for many menus at such a function house.

2006 Cogno Brothers Family Selection Merlot ($A15)

Mulberries and cherries in an obvious tannic mix and a dry finish.  Merlot oh Merlot you are still not my style of wine.

2006 Cogno Brothers Family Selection Barbera ($A15)

This wine was all about drinking spiced fruit cake.  All the aromas and flavors brought one back to this fruit cake recipe.  I can see a lot of people liking this style.  Matching food with this would be challenging to ensure the flavors are complimentary.

2006 Cogno Brothers Family Selection Shiraz ($A15)

So typical of a lot of Shiraz one finds around.  Sweet fruit (plums & Cherries) aromas that evolve into the plum fruit that is Shiraz.  The overall wine experience is a little lighter than what I would consider “normal” and again I can see a lot of people liking it for that reason.  It also works well as this wine would suit many different food styles – just like the differences at a function.

2005 Joseph Cogno “Il Padrino” Cabernet Shiraz ($A20)

The aromas were closed but this does not give a clear indication of what is to come.  The flavors are well balanced between black fruits, soft tannins and good acid length.  Again this good old Aussie blend does good things.  The wine has length but is not too heavy – again a theme for this winery.

N/V Middlebrook Duris ($A25)

Again a treat that has been bringing me back to Middlebrook Estate in McLaren Vale since 1986.  A Honey Cumquot Liqueur that has great length and citrus character.  The flavors start with the honey and continue onto the citrus that is the cumquot (probably best described as a mix of mandarin and lemons).  There is a hint of complexity here that seems like the cumquot peel.  This blend has less obvious alcohol than what I remember from previous tastings, but the overall effect is not diminished.   Other than drinking it straight after a meal, my best use has been as an integrate part of the fruit mince used for the Xmas pudding and Fruit Mice Pies.  I macerate the dried fruits in Duris, Brandy and fortified wines that are handy.

Wines not taste or not availiable:-

Cobbity Cooler range

Cogno Brothers Deluxe Rose (sparkling)

Cogno Brothers “Black Harvest” Sparkling Grenache

Cogno Brothers Frontignan Spaetlese

Cogno Brothers Bin 77 Fruity White

Cogno Brothers Camden Gold

Cogno Brothers La Morra Rose

Cogno Brothers Cobbitty Classic Red (sweet)

Cogno Brothers “Black Harvest” Still Grenache

Middelbrook Scenario (Viognier Chardonnay)


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McLaren Vale Wines – Tapestry

7 08 2010

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.


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Collective Barossa – Barossa & Eden Valley Family Wineries Cellar Door

13 03 2010

I know this is a Blog about McLaren Vale but I strongly believe that we should look at wines and wineries outside our region – if for no other reason but to see what others are doing.  This visit to the Barossa was motivated by 2 other things.  Firstly, I have considered opening a cellar door on behalf of a select number of small McLaren Vale producers and I was curious how Collective Barossa was set up.  Secondly, Marie (the person behind this new cellar door) and I have been conversing on Facebook and did want to meet this person.

Collective Barossa with Marie

I am very glad I did visit as it was great to catch up with Marie and the wines were very good.  The 4 family based wineries are:-

  • GUMPARA WINES: Established 1999. Annual production 500 cases.Vineyards : Light Pass/Stockwell. Situated: Light Pass.  Gumpara Blog.
  • KARRA YERTA WINES: Established 2006. Annual production 350 cases. Vineyards: Moppa/Kalimna/Eden Valley. Situated: Flaxman’s Valley.  Karra Yerta Wines web site, blog and Facebook Fan Page.
  • KURTZ FAMILY VINEYARDS: Established 1996. Annual production 4000 cases.Vineyards : Light Pass/Stockwell. Situated: Stockwell.  Kurtz Family Vineyards Web Site.
  • SMALLFRY WINES: Established 2005. Annual production 1200 cases.Vineyards : Eden Valley/Vine Vale. Situated: Angaston.  Smallfry Wines Web Site.

I highly recommend their blog and facebook fan page to find their location and to get to know these small wineries.

The cellar door is inviting – when you find it.  At the time of the visit there was no real signs showing where they are.  As a side note another visitor during my time there was to assist in working with the council to get sign approvals.  Marie, who holds the fort on most occasions is a real down to earth character and know it is her doing that not only was I there for the visit, but it has ensured that I will return on my future Barossa visits.  Te cellar door is also the front of a German Museum that will provide interest to many a visitor – particularly to those with partners and kids that don’t want to taste wine.

Collective Barossa Cellar Door

It should also be noted that not all wines from the 4 wineries are available at any 1 time.  I tried 12 wines on this visit.  Anyway, I should talk about the wines:-

Karra Yerta Wines

2009 Eden Valley Riesling ($A25)

This is what Riesling is all about limes and some lemon with an uplifted perfume nose and acid that just goes on all day! Oh how I love this wine style – Eden Valley just makes some classic Riesling.  Everybody should be drinking this wine to just understand how good Riesling can be.  Take some of this and just eat it with lashings of fresh seafood.

2006 Eden Valley Riesling ($A25)

Can Eden Valley Riesling age I hear you ask.  Don’t let me influence you – just try some of this wine and it will do all the talking.  The wine has just come out of the “dumb phase” where one is not sure – to this infusion of kerosene, citrus peel, quince and again great acidity.  If you are not convinced after tasting this wine then aged whites are just not your thing.  The wonderful layered complexity of the wine means it would match up well with any creamy sauced chicken dishes.

NV Sparkling Shiraz 2009 Disgorged ($A35)

Hold the fort – if I was impressed with the Rieslings then this wine just blows me away!  They disgorge only 20 dozen each year of this unfiltered, bottle fermented ripe red and black fruit with an aged component to it.  Not a sweet wine and the tannins really combine well with the rest of the wine to leave your mouth feeling great and asking for more – and who would I be to not comply!

2006 Shiraz Cabernet (A$25)

Firstly it is good to see a wine with a little more age on it that the normal 2008′s I normally see.  Secondly, a big plus on the old Shiraz Cabernet blend – so many wonderful wines were made from this blend in the 80′s only to be put on the back burner when the varietals of the 90′s came through.

The nose showed a little green capsicum herbaceousness on the nose combined with lots of good blackberry style fruit.  The palate is just an infusion of blackcurrents, blackberries and mulberries with the gentleness of the oak coming through.  What a stunner and I am surprised at the price point for this wine.

Gumpara Wines

2008 Old Vine Semillon ($A18)

Straight away the lemongrass hits you before you can even get your nose to the glass and then red apples combined with peas adds to the intrigue.  On the palate you get pears and almost honey wafts though and then a good citric acid lengthy finish.  Some of the vines for this wine are 90 years old and they are dry grown.  This would be one of the best Semillons I have had since I tried their 2007 Semillon last year.  The wine would age gracefully but I am not sure I can leave it alone.

2006 Reserve Shiraz ($A32.50)

26 months in American oak and it shows with vanillian characteristics everywhere, but the wine is not over oaked for me.  There is wonderful Mulberries and cherries here all wrapped up in the oak spiciness and I like it!   Classy wine that has a number of years ahead of it – as long as you can keep your hands off it.  Bring on a thick juicy Wychwood Meat rump steak – don’t worry about the side dishes, just the steak.

NV Tawny Grenache ($A32.50)

A note on these fortifieds – they are in a beautifully shaped 500 mL and also can be purchased in a wooden boxed 3 pack.  I have one of these on display near my home bar.

Oh – not much else I can say.  A deeply coloured blend of creamy raisins wrapped in toffee on the nose and honeyed and spiced apricots with a almost grainy tannin finish.  Not a sweet finish as the spirit washes it all away.  You bring this and I will bring a plate of vintage cheddar cheese and afterwards some glacied ginger (a dedication to my departed grandmother who just loved glacied ginger).

NV Liquor Semillon ($A32.50)

This wine looks like honey and that theme follows all through the wine.  You can smell and taste quince and figs to go with the honey.  To round off the flavors are pear and slightly burnt caramel.  Layers of yummyness here.  You bring this wine and I would be there with some Woodside Cheese Goats Brie with water crackers and thinly sliced pear and nashi.

NV Liquor Frontignac ($A32.50)

A glass full of the most lovely and complex raisins, prunes and liquid fruit cake!  There is a creamy mouthfeel here.  This wine really needs to go with a full flavoured sweet tart or a Christmas Pudding.

Smallfry Wines

2009 Eden Valley Cabernet/Grenache Rose ($A18)

Nice rose coloured wine that does not disappoint.  Rose petals and figs on the nore and the flavors are floral with typically Grenache red fruits.  A very pleasant wine that makes me want to break open a bottle or three with some of my friends on a Sunday afternoon.

2008 Late Harvest Riesling ($A15 375 mL bottle)

Cut canes and thus raisining some of the fruit during the 2008 heat wave lead to this wine’s existence.  The wine is just like drinking a slightly sweet but higher viscous white grape juice.  It would match well and/or in a chocolate and orange trifle smothered with whipped cream.

Kurtz Family Vineyards

2005 Boundary Row Shiraz ($A24)

Wow a 2005 red as the current release.  I was looking forward to this straight away.  The wine did not disappoint.  As the wine gets close to you nose you get a sense of the red fruits (mulberry, raspberry and the usual plums) wrapped in an envelope of white pepper.  The flavors are mulberry and plums with pepper, spices and a hint of violets.  This just says bring on another steak!


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McLaren Vale Wines – Pirramimma

14 02 2010

Pirramimma Road Sign

Pirramimma is one of the McLaren Vale originals, but seems to have suffered that in relative terms little is known about them in the wine drinking public.  In the last year their has been a shift in the company with one of the partners buying out the other.  Since this time they have included the Sparkling Range, Katunga Range, Grey Nomad Range, a sweet white and a range of cleanskins (under the guise of an Export Clearance Sale).  Not including the cleanskin wines, there is over 30 wines now for tasting at this cellar door.  You can check out the wines and other winery information on the Pirramimma Web Site.

Pirramimma Cellar Door Entrance

Check out my Cellar Door Map to find the location of the cellar door.  Their full contact deatils are on the Cellar Door Contact Details Listing.  The cellar door has just been given facelift recently, however these have not changed the old world charm.  The original white washed walls and hessian ceilings remain – it is worth checking out.

Pirramimma Cellar Door

Two of the wine ranges were not tried in this tasting.  Firstly, the Stocks Hill Range has a history of being value for money easy drinking styles that are true to variety.  The Stocks Hill Shiraz has graced my glass on many occasions.  The other range not tried was the Grey Nomad range which was made for another market and has just been released for tasting at the cellar door.  Also note that I have not reviewed their cleanskins.

Sparkling

The sparking range is a new offering from Pirramimma.  All wines are $A18 each or for a limited time $A120/dozen plus a wine cooler.  There are 6 bubblies – Viognier (reviewed below), Riesling, Chardonnay, Rose and 2 reds.

NV Bardot Sparkling Viognier ($A18 or cellar door special $A120/doz + Wine Cooler)

The nose was grapey with the usual apricot tinge on the palate.  The wine is obviously made as a light drinking style for the weekend party / celebration market.  I would not classify these as food wines but as fun drinks to be shared with friends.

Pirra

The Pirra range is a good initiative to produce low alcohol wines.  I am not sure if the wines are made from early picked grapes or are de-alcoholised – probably a combination of both.  The cellar door is offering the white for $A80/case and the red (grenache shiraz) for $A70/case.

2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($A14)

The nose showed passionfruit characters which normally indicate ripe McLaren Vale fruit which makes me think this wine has had some de-alcoholised treatment.  True to the variety the palate was a fresh infusion of cut grass and passionfruit – all these characters are light, which should be expected of a “light style”.

Katunga Range

A new range of wine with 2 offerings – both are reviewed below.

2006 Grenache Tannat Shiraz ($A20)

Well I was looking forward to tasting this wine.  The use of Tanant – a wine grape known for producing extremely tannic wines and mixed with my 2 favorite red wine grape varieties, sparked my interest.  The nose had interesting violets and quince (possibly from the Tannat) combined with the red fruits you would expect from Grenache.  The heavy palate started with star anise and quinces, satsuma plum and pepper on the mid palate, then a strong tannic finish.  Interesting to try, but not really for me.  I am not sure if time will dumb down the “bigness” in the wine so you would need strongly flavored foods to match with this wine.

2008 Shiraz ($A20)

The packaging does not let you into the fact that there is a little addition of 5% Viognier to this wine (indeed the packaging laws don’t require the winery to put any wine variety that is less than 20% of the whole makeup).  the makeup is apparent on the nose of the wine with some lifted apricot tones mixed with plums and pepper.  The palate starts with sweet mulberries and through the mid palate brings in some liquorice complexity intermingled with cedary tannins.

Bring on some seared kangaroo fillet with lots and lots of sauted mushrooms with just a hint of brandy added.

White Label Range

This range has been the main thrust of the top end wines from Pirramimma for as long as I can remember and I look forward to each new release.

2004 Old Bush Vine Grenache ($A20)

This has been my favorite of this range for a few years.  The old bush vine vineyard is only a stones throw from my home and I check out their progress as I drive past then every week.  The wine is quite true to variety and being a 2004 vintage means it is usually older and approachable than a number of other winery Grenache offerings.  All the red fruits you want and expect from Grenache with a nice hint of spices plus soft oak influences.  I am thinking here of a rack of lamb smothered with a red wine jus with a side of crispy beans.

2006 Petit Verdot ($A25)

Now here is an interesting wine and I strongly suggest any visitor to the cellar door try this wine – please.  It is easy to shrug this wine off as it is an unusual variety amongst a large number wines being offered for tasting.  The perfumed nose is reminiscent of blackberries infused with violets and the palate is a clone of Mulberries and cherries mixed with vanilla and finishing with dry dusty tannins.  Yeah, even if this wine does not ring your bells it is different enough to expand your tasting experience.  By the way, this wine could cope with the many varied flavors of a Chinese banquet.

2006 Shiraz ($A25)

The wine is typical of the main variety found in McLaren Vale, but not as fresh and flavorsome as many other of this variety around.  I would spend my money on other wines from this winery.

2004 Tannat ($A25)

A 2004 offering a straight varietal that has a reputation for being very tannic – well I have to try this one!  The nose is an interesting infusion of black cherries and quince followed on the palate with more interesting quince, dark fruits and dry grainy tannins.  In terms of a food match – well it has to be something really, really big – I will leave that one to you.

Super Premium Range

2004 ACJ Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Petit Verdot ($A50)

The company flagship and it has a deserved reputation for being a fine wine.  The nose is all black fruits (blackberries and blackcurrents) with violets.  The palate is blackcurrent with fine and lingering tannins.  If you like red wine, there is a good chance you will like this wine.  Definitely a food wine, why not try it with roast beef (baked with garlic and pepper) – cooked to your liking.  Remember to make mine medium and I will be there.

Fortifides

2002 Fortified Shiraz ($A18 500 mL bottle)

Yes I admit that I have consumed a few bottles of this wine in the last year.  I enjoy the spiced red fruit infusion that is a lingering sweet but tannic finish that almost dries the palate.  The thought of a plate of cheddar cheese, water crackers, quince paste and raisins is making my mouth water.

NV 12 Year Old Liqueur Port ($A15)

Every thing about this wine screams good value.  This is quite classy in the glass – nutty caramel with rancio characters that leaves the drinker wanting more.  What a nice winter warmer.

Digby Old Tawny Port ($A36.50)

There is layers of complexity here from the grainy tannins, lovely sweet fruit and all the aged rancio flavors you really need.  This is really an enjoyable mouthful and bring on sharing this with your loved one in front of an open fire!


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