McLaren Vale Wines – Marienberg and Fern Hill Estate

18 12 2010

Marienberg Cellar Door

The Marienberg Cellar Door has just re-opened after refurbishment of the adjacent restaurant.  They have also moved the cellar door location onto the McLaren Vale Main Street.  This looked like a smart move as previously the outlet was around the corner on Chalk Hill Road.

I was looking forward to visiting the newest cellar door in the area, but that emotion was soon changed to “what am I doing here”.  The cellar door is at the end of the restaurant and it looked like the dumping ground for the items needed to get away from the bar.  There was dirty dishes and generally just stuff all around.  Once directed to use the top of a wine barrel I was then treated to open bottles of wines that had no more than their stelvin caps on – no looking after the wine with oxygen removal options or wine shields.  This made me wonder how long the wines were open and how fresh was the wine.  You can see my comments below are not very complementary and I must say that I found my worst McLaren Vale cellar door.

2008 Marienberg Unwooded Chardonnay ($A16)

Straight away the wine showed aged chemical characters that were unpleasant.

2009 Fern Hill Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($A16)

All the typical flavors of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – strong passionfruit and gooseberry aromas plus passionfruit flavours with an acidic citrus finish.  The wine will probably sell well but for me – why have an overseas wine when we need to support the Australian wine industry.

2009 Marinberg Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($A16)

Not good – closed aromas with flavors that would be a mixture of cats pee with tropical juice.  No way.

2008 Fern Hill Estate Viognier ($A16)

Toasty, bitter oxidized aromas and flavors.  Again, I could not drink this.

2005 Fern Hill Estate Adelaide Hills Merlot ($A16)

The aromas started with some good mulberry fruit and has a smokiness on the finish.  The flavors were dominated by fruit sweetness, smokey oak and some nice acid on the finish.  There was a slight bitterness that drew you away from the wine – the alcohol on this wine was not high so the bitterness would be seen as a fault in the wine.

2006 Marineberg Cabernet Merlot ($A16)

I could not get any aromas from this wine, even though the bottle had been open before I arrived.  The expected black fruits were here with a dusty tannin finish but nothing else.  There was no lingering effect on the palate – once you have swallowed the wine there is no sensation left.  Yet again, I cannot see why anybody would want to drink this.

2008 Fernhill Estate Adelaide Hills Cabernet Sauvignon ($A16)

Aromas were black fruits with a meaty undertone that was concerning.  Classical blackcurrent and cigar box characters with good acid levels and a strong finish.  Clean and basic but not inspiring.

2005 Marinberg Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($A22)

This is down right nasty – porty and oxidised so just not right.  I cannot believe this is classified as a Reserve wine.  Keep your money.

2007 Fern Hill Estate McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A16)

This was easily the best wine here – the aromas were hints of plum with lots of vanilla (from the American oak).  The flavors here was real fruit sweetness with some American oak sweetness as well.  The use of oak was much better here and the finish had a slight bitterness that was probably due to high alcohol levels.  Drink this with something fatty (to take the edge away from the bitterness) such as bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes).

2006 Marinberg Reserve Shiraz ($A22)

This was Ok but not as good as the above Shiraz.  Here was a wine that had lots of plums and oak integration.  It has fair components but just not inspiring enough for me to part with  my money.

2004 The Clifton McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon ($A39)

This wine is just nasty – cannot believe this wine is marketed as a premium wine.  Porty and oxidized like a number of the other red wines.


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McLaren Vale Wines – Possoms Wines

15 10 2010

First of all I thought Possum wines was born from a couple of folks that liked possums – well that maybe the case but the name came from parts of the names from the founding couple.  Dr John Possingham and Carol Summers.  They have 2 vineyards.  30 Ha in Blewitt Springs on the rolling sandy hills with some vines over 80 years old.  Another 30 Ha are in Willunga – between town of Willunga and Sellicks Beach.  The 2 different vineyards produce wines of very different charachter.

Their winery is on Adams Road near the Blewitt Springs vineyard and a full time winemaker is now employed.  Cellar Door tastings can be arranged by appointment.  Their web site is www.possumswines.com.au.

As a general comment I was surprised at the vast range of wines – some of them form older vintages than are normally found for sale in McLaren Vale.  Also, I found their wines were good value.  I was surprised at how good most of the wines were – particularly for the price, so I would recommend checking them out.

Anyway, now for the wines…….

2008 The Springs Unwooded Chardonnay ($A10 or $8 on dozen buys)

What value here – particularly with dozen buys.  The price probably reflects that Chardonnay can be difficult to sell at the moment.  There are melon and peaches here that are not over the top like some of these style wines can be.  There was a level of bitterness apparent on the after taste that made me think of sulphur.  Not for me but for those that are price conscience then “drink up”.

2008 Viognier ($A15)

Blewitt Springs fruit has produced a very pleasant drink that is true to the peach and apricot flavors and aromas one expects from this variety.  I was particularly happy with the acid length of this wine.  To me this shows excellent value for money and would be a good one to drink cold on a hot day and sharing it with friends.

2008 Two in the Pouch White ($A13 or $A10 on Dozen buys)

A blend I have not tried too many times and I was not disappointed.  The value for money quotient here was very high.  A well made wine with good varietal characters for this price – I had to look twice at the price list to make sure I had not mad a mistake.  The stone fruit of peaches and nectarines are hear in spades.  Again a wine more made for casual consumption instead of food – why not and “pass me a glass”!

2010 Dr Johns Single Vineyard Pinot Gris ($A28)

A new label that shows the new direction of the marketing people.  Different labels and almost no reference to Possoms wines on the label.  It must be that possms are not fashionable!

One of the better Pinot Gris wines I have tried.  Made from Blewitt Springs fruit the wine has really good passionfruit and acid length characters.  I was also pleasantly surprised that the wine was quite dry.  So good with a warm chicken salad dish – just right for the coming summer months.

2006 Willunga Chardonnay ($A13)

This wine has seen a bit of French oak and is just starting to show some developed citrus peel characters combined with nectarines and this really good nutty finish.  The wine probably is getting close to it’s time so drink it right now.

2009 Pink Possum ($A15)

This Cabernet Sauvignon Rose has the usual strawberries and cream aromas and flavors with an added effect from Turkish Delight on the nose and cherries added on the palate.  This wine has a dry finish – much drier that I expected from the aroma.  Bring on Sunday lunch with Willunga Almond Dukkah some Coriole EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and some fresh crusty bread – oh and maybe some friends to share it with.

2008 Two in the Pouch Shiraz/Cabernet ($A13 or $10 for dozen buys)

There is fruit here from both the Willunga and Blewitt Springs vineyards.  The Blewitt Springs component shows through particularly with the aromas of peatyness that combines with both red and black fruits.  The flavors are initially dominated by sweet cherries and plums with some spices and some chocolate on the finish.  At this price give me a bottle or 2 at any BBQ as it will go with charred meats.

2006 Grenache (A$15)

A lighter that expected offering from the Blewitt Springs vineyard.  The peatyness comes through again on the nose with red spicy fruits – Yum.  The flavors are a medium bodied mixture of raspberries, cherries & spice with just a hint of oak.  Sorry, it is unlikely I will be sharing this.

2008 Willunga Shiraz ($A15)

I found the aromas somewhat closed – all I got was a hint of vanilla.  The flavors are a meld of plums, mixed spice, chocolate and licorice.  Not a classical McLaren Vale offering but at that price …….

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A20)

Well how interesting is this – a 2005 red wine being offered for $20!  A proportion of the wine was made from 80 year old vines at the Blewitt Springs vineyard.  As readers of the Lonely Grape would know that Cabernet Sauvignon is not always my favorite wine variety – but this was different.  So much so I left the tasting with some.

The aromas have the traditional blackcurrent fruit but there was also blackberry and an interesting tobacco leaf hint.  The flavors were rich black fruits, this tobacco again and spices to leave a lingering finish.  All I could think about as I tasted this was eating pork chops with this (I had pork chops last night with another Cabernet last nigh and it was a wonderful match).

2006 Possums Vineyard Shiraz ($A25)

This Blewitt Springs wine was the real deal and I have tasted a lot of comparable McLaren Vale wines for much more money, so this wine has to be seen as good value.

The aromas were of fruit cake with a touch of vanilla and some fresh plums on the side.  The flavors just showed such layered complexity – the usual peatyness of Blewitt Springs, the typical McLaren Vale plums, cinnamon spice with a lingering chocolate finish.  Just “Yum” in a bottle – yes I took some of this home as well.  I can feel a steak coming on…..

Not Tasted

2006 Dr Johns Single Vineyard Shiraz ($A35)


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McLaren Vale Wines – Inkwell Wines (again)

11 09 2010

This blog entry is against what I had set out to do – to review every McLaren Vale winery I could find before reviewing any of them for a second time.  Two things went against this.  Firstly, I spent the last weekend feeling unwell and was not able to taste wines properly.  Secondly, when I tried the below wines, I was so impressed I felt I just had to share them with the Lonely Grape readers.

Check out my first review of Inkwell.

2010 Viognier

Even before you raise the glass one gets hit by fragrant aromas.  Fruit salad and some grass both on the nose and palate.  After drinking this why would you be interested in Sauvignon Blanc!  The wine is fresh and there are minimal additives (including no acid addition).  After drinking this I am even more excited about Summer being just around the corner to drink some of these white wines from the spectacular 2010 Vintage.  It would be good on it’s own, however there is some underlying complexity that screams food – maybe some BBQ’d Chicken Thighs simply marinated in Coriole Vina Cotta and Verjuice.

2009 Primotivo

The grapes for this wine were picked after the heat wave of the 2009 Vintage and it is a surprise the alcohol is only 13%.  Zinfandel has a reputation for big ripe berries that can just be full of sugar and thus produce very alcoholic wines.  This wine continues with the unusual factor.  The aromas start with berries and continues to a spicy fruit compote.  It too me some time to recognize the smalls of canned peaches – now that is different.  The flavors are just layers of complexity with fruit sweetness, luscious tannins and spice of star anise.  There is a savoriness here but also like red licorice – how interesting!  This would be one wine to pull off a match with sweet and sour pork.

2008 Shiraz

I enjoyed the 2007 Shiraz so I was looking forward to this wine, even though it was from the difficult 2008 Vintage.   The grapes were picked before the heat wave and the wine is close to 15% alcohol, so the picking timing was well done.  The wine was matured in oak for 24 months so I was interested to see if the oak monster appears here or if the fruit has enough weight to carry this off.  Oh boy I was looking forward to this.  The aromas show the spicy plum that is a characteristic of McLaren Vale Shiraz.  There is a melody of other herbs and a little hint of vanilla.  Now bring on the flavor – again this is essence of McLaren Vale Shiraz – plums. pepper, herbs all mixed with dry tannins.  The tannins are so dry they try to de-water the sides of your mouth.  there is some bitter chocolate and licorice on the finish.  Time is needed to see this wine at it’s best – and you will not be disappointed.  If one had to drink this now I would love a thick juicy T Bone Steak.


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McLaren Vale Wines – Dyson Wines

21 08 2010

Sitting here drinking a glass of Dyson’s GPR 2002 Clarice Cabernet Sauvignon and wondering what to write about this winery and I turned the bottle around and read the back label ……

“Dyson Wines

“I trust in Nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility.  Spring shall plant and Autumn garner to the end of time”

- Robert Browning

Allan at his Cellar Door

For Allan Dyson this is the spiritual essence that defines each bottle of wine produced on his 15 acre vineyard, which is tucked in by the ocean just west of the McLaren Vale wine region on the Fleurieu Peninsula.  Here since 1977, Allan has worked with Nature to create a perfect environment for his hand-made wines.  The vines are dry grown and emerge from a carpet of deep clean straw mulch which conserves moisture, cools the soil and provides a rich haven for the colonies of earthworms that have been introduced to enrich the growing environment.  It’s as old-fashioned as Nature itself.  The hand-picked fruit is almost bursting with flavor and is processed using traditional methods of basket-pressing and open fermentors.  The Cabernets are hand plunged, while the Chardonnay and Viognier are pressed ever so gently before being cold fermented in a temperature controlled Barrel Room.  Finally, wines that display classic varietal flavors rich in colour and balanced by firm, even tannins are aged in classic fine-grained French oak bariques.  These wines are as bold or as delicate as the palate desires.  It’s the way all wine used to be made – and we like it that way!

“Nature at it’s best” – Allan Dyson”

Dyson Vineyards

The above just says it all.  Allan is such an interesting man to talk to and one gets a sense of passion to assist nature to produce one of it’s drinks – wine.  He firmly believes that wine is made from grapes and that is what the winemaker should strive for – to make wine that is true to the nature of the grape.  He aligns himself with nature by nurturing his vineyards, looks after the soils, uses dry grown ideals.  Also all is done at the winery – hand picking (into buckets that are cooled before processing), basket pressing, cold ferments, oak maturation, bottling and bottle aging.  Allan also believes the industry has lost it’s way somewhat and that we need to go away from these big fruit bombs with massive oak and produce more restrained wines that can be consumed while eating food and not making one want to curl up and go to sleep.

Allan has also been putting together some very interesting condiments that he sells from the cellar door.  These include:-

  • Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Chilli Infused Cold Pressed Olive Oil
  • Lemon Myrtle Cold Pressed Olive Oil
  • Wood Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • Sweet Chilli & Quandong Sauce
  • TMC (Tomato, Mustard & Chilli) sauce

These are in 375 mL bottles with the oils for $15 and sauces for $8.

The Dyson Wines web site is www.dysonwines.com

Now for the wines:-

In a few months there will be a Chardonnay/Viognier blend that Allan is quite excited about and a new Cabernet will be seen soon.  Also, interestingly, there looks like some Chardonnay vines are soon to be grafted to Tempranillo.  Something else to watch with interest in the coming years.

Sparkling White Sable ($A14)

The grapes for this wine do not come from the Dyson vineyard.  It is made as a semi dry, fruity and easy drinking style that just walks out the cellar door during the warm months.

Sparkling Shiraz ($A14)

As for the Sparkling White above this wine is made from non-Dyson vineyard grapes.  It is not too sweet and is just made for easy summer drinking.  Not what I would call a food wine, but something to enjoy with friends, and at this price why not.

2008 Grand Privilege Reserve Viognier ($A20)

The aromas were restrained but the flavors were somewhat of a surprise.  There is not the normal apricot one gets from a lot of wines from this grape.  The wine shows Allan’s vision of showing the grape characters.  To go with this is some yeastyness and a rich mouthfeel and a good acid balance.  A wine that could go a few more years yet.

2006 Grand Privilege Reserve Chardonnay ($A20)

A 2006 Chardonnay being the new current release wine – how interesting.  The wine had the same restrained aromas as the Viognier but the flavors are all melons and a little stone fruit.  The French oak adds a lovely complexity and structure to the wine that indicates the wine still has a few years left.

2002 Grand Privilege Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($A22)

Again, an aged wine as the current release.  This just shows Allan’s commitment to not releasing his wine until he thinks the wine is starting to show it’s best.  You only get this at the small wineries.  The aromas were restrained berries, cedar and violets.  Flavors were just like eating Cabernet berries without the sugar and some soft oak.  The wine is just a soft infusion of berry and oak and it drinks so well.  I can see this wine appealing to many a wine drinker and would go with many a meal – from the Chicken Minions (I had with it tonight) through to pizza or pasta.

Ambra Liqueur ($A20)

This is 16 year old Liqueur Sauvignon Blanc that has been sitting in old Sherry barrels in the cellar door.  Allan just siphons some off for bottling as required.  The wine is not fined or filtered and is such an interesting drink.  The flavors are like burnt caramel and is not as sweet as I had expected.  The layers of flavors are there for the drinker to see – worth the effort to check out this point of difference.

Dyson Old Sherry Barrels

Liqueur Chardonnay 375mL ($A20)

Another way to sell Chardonnay – 1990 Chardonnay at that.  The wine coats the glass as it also coats the tongue with strong almost burnt toffee flavors that is not as viscous as I was expecting.  Another different (in a good way) wine that should be checked out.  I look forward to sharing my bottle with friends.


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McLaren Vale Wine – Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards

10 07 2010

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!


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McLaren Vale Wineries – Hugh Hamilton

27 02 2010

Hugh Hamilton Wines has a theme of Hugh being the black sheep of the family and this theme is branded right across the business.  From the wine labels to the wine names to the merchandise and even the road signs entering the winery.

Hugh Hamilton Wines Cellar Door

The views from the cellar door are worth the visit alone.  You can get about 300 degree views of the surrounding vineyard based countryside – just spectacular!  For the location check out the Cellar Door Map.

The merchandise is high quality and are really promote the Black Sheep brand.  The white t-shirt range is a particular favorite with a play on some of the wine names – I will leave it to your imagination what “The Madam” looks like!

They also have a wine club that allows you to obtain their rare wines, discounts and functions, on the basis of purchasing 2 dozen wines per year.

Black Sheep Club Benefits are:-

FREE membership & FREE freight for whole cases
Priority access to our scarcest wines
Our premium wines automatically delivered to your door, anywhere in Australia, twice a year
Significant savings of up to $50-00 per case for each allocation including rare wines
15% saving on all Hugh Hamilton wines and merchandise all year round
Gift service – we will send wine & merchandise on your behalf to family & friends with a personalised card
Invitations to cellar door events and bonus offers
Hugh’s vintage report & tasting notes with suggestions of when to drink and food accompaniments
Replacement guarantee for any damaged wines
Your choice of a red, white or mixed pack for your ongoing allocation
Surprise gift or special offer in each allocation

You can check out the wine club and all the other aspects of this winery at their web site www.hamiltonwines.com.au.

Along with the branding the wines are also something that is different and shows individual character.

2009 “The Trickster” Verdelho ($A18.50)

This wine is interesting if for no other reason that is has only 11% alcohol.  Either the grapes for this wine were picked earlier than is normal McLaren Vale practice or alcohol has been removed from the wine via reverse osmosis technology.  Either way the product is a light and refreshing infusion of fruit salad and citrus on the nose and grassy citrus on the palate.  There is not as much acid on the finish as I would expect.  The light nature of the wine means it is an excellent hot afternoon with family & friends.  It would also work with a fish entree – I had a smoked salmon dish tonight that would have gone well with this wine.

2009 “The Scallywag” Unwooded Chardonnay ($A18.50)

The grapes here are from 1975 planting of the “OF” clone.  The subtle nose is a mixture of melons and guava.  The melon theme continues on the palate with hints of tropical fruits.  I normally think that Chardonnay should have some oak treatment to get the best from this variety however I could imagine drinking this with a Cesar Salad and enjoying the matching.

2008 “The Loose Cannon” Viognier ($A22.50)

An interesting expression of orange blossom and nashi on the nose followed by the nashi and lime finish on the palate.

2009 “The Floozie” Tempranillo Rose

The 24 hour skin contact has waved its magic wand to produce a musky and Turkish Delight (both on the nose and palate) with a lovely stone fruit but dry finish.  How about a plate of Salt and Pepper Squid.

2008 “The Mongrel” Sangiovese Blend ($A22.50)

A blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 5% Tempranillo.  When I saw this wine on offer I straight away thought of the standard earthy and grainy taninic styles (such as from Coriole).  I was wrong (again) – yes there was some earthyness on the nose but this was no where near being dominate.  Instead I got hints of Rosemary and Cloves on the nose with a medium bodied cherries on the palate with smooth tannins.  Any tomato based pasta dish would do justice to a bottle or two of this wine.

2008 “The Ratbag” Merlot ($A24.50)

I have not made is a secret that Merlot is not my drink of choice, as the style tends to be a softer and a short soft tannin finish.  For my palate I tend towards the bigger red wine styles.  That is a generalisation and I will admit generalisations can be dangerous to hang your hat on!  Here is one of those times.  When I tasted the wine my first thought was that I had the wrong wine poured into my glass as this wine had “body”!  After checking the label I was convinced that, in fact, it was a Merlot I gave it another try.  The nose was really nice spiced plums.  Red plums continue on the palate combined with dark berries and a tobacco leaf finish.  I would love to have this wine with some Italian Sausages with a pan fried melody of seasonal vegetables.

2008 “The Scoundrel” Tempranillo ($A24.50)

WOW!!!!!!!  This is the most pleasantly different example of Tempranillo.  The nose had white pepper with preserved strawberries.  Strawberries continued on the palate with plums and a soft tannin finish.  Such a difference compared to other Tempranillo wines I have tasted, and I am better for this experience.  Some of this wine came home with me and I look forward to drinking it with either grilled pork chops or one of my home made pizzas – now the only decision is do I share the wine!

2007 “The Rascal” Shiraz ($A24.50)

Shiraz does so well in McLaren Vale and for 2007 being a drought year the wine is of high quality and worth checking out.  It has ripe fresh plums with cardamon and black olives mixed in.  The palate has vanilla (from the oak treatment) with plums, spice and fine tannins on the finish.  Nothing here is over the top and the components are well balanced.  Bring on a thick juicy Wychwood Meats T-bone steak.

2007 “The Villain” Cabernet Sauvignon ($A24.50)

I cannot help but think about lamb while I was tasting this wine – with no pun intended.  This has the expected nose of blackcurrents but there are hints of freshly picked thyme and other spices.  The palate continues with the blackcurrents and black olives with the oak as a supportive role only as there is a soft tannic finish.  How could you not think of lamb with this wine?

N/V “The Madam” Sparkling Tempranillo Sangiovese ($A22.50)

For the regular readers of the Lonely Grape would know that I am a sparkling red fan.  Hug Hamilton used to make a sparkling Merlot that was not on my “to drink list”.  Now this is some thing different – a sparkling Tempranillo Sangiovese blend.  I just had to try this one.

Well this was worth the visit to the cellar door!  The nose had an earthy, spiced dark plums (fresh plums not stewed).  When you drink this you are immediately seduced by a full bodied wine (hints of plums, olives and a little chocolate) followed by soft silky tannins.  There is some sweetness here but not excessive.

2009 “Goldilocks” Light Fruity White

This “light fruity wine” is made from Gewurtztraminer – an unfashionable variety.  It has been picked early and is only 11% alcohol.  Hugh says that this wine is to be enjoyed and who cares about the wine snobs that would dismiss this wine.  There is a mixture of musk lollies with rose water and the palate drives straight into tropical melons and lemon zest clean finish.  I was surprised that there was 31 g/L in the wine as it did not seem overly sweet – there must be a lot of acid here to offset.  Try something spicy with this – maybe a Thai Noodle Salad.

N/V “The Ruffian” Liqueur Muscat ($A24.50)

Along with the usual alcohol nose tingle the nose was full of raisins, Christmas pudding and candied citrus peel.  When tasted I directly thought of 2 words – luscious and lingering.  The high viscosity of the wine coated the mouth with liquid raisins, peel and slightly burnt caramel – somebody please pass the blue cheese.


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McLaren Vale Wine – d’Arenberg Wines (Part 1)

17 01 2010

This cellar door and restaurant have a deserved reputation for quality of service, great regional food and McLaren Vale wine plus a glorious view of McLaren Vale.

d'Arenberg Cellar Door & View

The winery and the Osborne family are local icons and from a purely personal perspective with a long departed family member being a part of my beloved Norwood Football Club Hall of Fame – what more could you ask for!

There are so many wines available from the d’Arenberg Cellar Door that I will review the wines tasted from the one cellar door visit in 2 blog posts.  This one has the whites, sparkling and fortifieds.  Part 2 will have the reds tasted.

2009 The Broken Fish Plate Sauvignon Blanc ($A19)

McLaren Vale seems to be doing OK with this variety and this is no exception.  The nose shows the hotter vine characteristics of tropical and passionfruit.  The palate has an overall fruit sweetness (not sugar sweetness) with lots of stone fruits, tropical overtones and finishes well with good acid.  Bring on a Sunday lunch with friends for a bottle or 6 of this wine.

2008 The Dry Dam Riesling ($A15)

McLaren Vale is not known for producing quality Riesling – d’Arenberg is not known for keeping to conceptual rules.  The vineyard for this wine can be seen from the cellar door.  The wine is just starting to move into a “sleeping phase” where all the good Rieslings come out the other side being a wonderful concoction which is nothing like what the original wine was like.  The wine is starting to show some kerosene aromas with the palate showing citrus (mainly limes).  I found this wine surprisingly good and all I could think of while trying it was a big plate of Salt & Pepper Squid.

2008 The Money Spider Roussanne ($A20)

The somewhat closed nose opens up to a tropical palate with a real nectarine back palate that finishes with a wonderful acid packed length.  I have not had a lot of experience with this variety but I enjoyed this wine and consider it a definite food wine.  I would try this with a farmhouse chicken casserole with lots of leeks, capsicum and carrots with a big side of creamy mashed potato.

2008 The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne ($A15)

This wine was everything I expected.  A wine driven by ripe apricots and lots of acid.  I suspect the wine would divide the d’Adenberg followers – some will really like this wine and others would not touch it with a barge pole.  And for me – well you will just have to guess.  For those that like the wine should think about a vegetable lasagna to accompany this offering.

2007 The Olive Grove Chardonnay ($A15)

Peaches on the nose, peaches on the palate, light integrate wood overtones including a creamyness on the back palate.  An enjoyable lighter style chardonnay that is worthwhile checking out while you are eating Alfredo pasta style dishes.

2007 The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay ($A25)

Now this chardonnay is a step up in quality.  The nose is somewhat woody with a mouthfull infusion of peaches and cream and a long long acid length.  I was surprised that there was no Malolactic Acid fermentation as the wine was quite creamy.  this says to me good fruit integrated with wonderful oak.  This has enough strength to go with a Chicken Kiev.

2008 The Last Ditch Viognier ($A20)

Well what a pleasant surprise.  I wondered why a Viognier was last on the list.  Well some of this wine has been through a barrel ferment and the complexity of that component comes through is layers of stone fruit, toasty, yeasty and again a long acid finish.  A robust wine that would go well with a couple of more years of cellaring.  If you had to drink it now then try a creamy moussaka – there is enough flavor and acid to cut through classic.

NV The Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Chambourcin ($A28)

Readers of the Lonely Grape will realise that I am a sparkling red fan.  I have had this wine before and thought it was too sweet – probably to overcome the things that Chambourcin variety lacks, but I though I should try this to review for the blog.  The nose indicated sweet fruit and palate was also sweet, with some oak influences and an almost candy like finish.  A pleasant drink but to sweet for me.  I understand that the wine is a good seller from the cellar door once people try the wine.  As always try a sparkling red with roast turkey served with cranberry sauce.

2005 The Vintage Fortified Shiraz / Chambourcin ($A30)

I have had the pleasure of trying some d’Arenberg Vintage Fortifieds and I was looking forward to this one.  My recollection indicated these were not the same wines I tasted at the McLaren Vale Wine Show tasting as this wine did not quite have the depth I remember.  There was the expected alcohol tingle on the nose with licorice dominance and brandy overtones.  The palate was softer than expected with lots of licorice and a hint of plums on the finish.  Surprisingly approachable now and could see the next decade with ease.  Please pass the vintage cheddar and water crackers with a glass of this one.

NV Nostalgia Tawny ($A30 – 375 mL)

With the wonderful tawny colour comes expectation and making my mouth water with expectation.  Boy was I not dissappointed – with a nose of fruit cake and the pleasant alcohol tingle.  The palate is immediately covered in a viscous mix of nuttyness, fruit cake and  raisins.  The mouth is coated for what seems like an age – what a joy.  After dinner consumption is suggested.


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McLaren Vale Wines – Madeleines

8 11 2009
This lable (previously known as Vincognita Wines) is the infusion of 2 families.  The Belej family and the Dix family.  The Nangkita Vineyard was purchased by Peter Belej in 2003 after having significant Riverland vineyard experience – particularly with the Viognier variety.  Chris Dix was working for another winery but had intentions to produce his own wine and contacted Peter to buy some of the excellent Viognier fruit.  At the time Peter was sick of winemakers taking his fruit, and in his mind, destroying his product.  Peter thought that Chris had talent as a winemaker, however he refused Chris’s grape purchase request.  Peter had another idea – lets make the wine together.  That was in 2002 and the rest they say is history
 
The Nangkita Vineyard is situated in the souther Mt Loft Ranges and is in the middle of the Fleurieu Peninsula (also mid way between McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek).  There is no cellar door, however you can see the vineyard on the outskirts of Nangkita (driving south on the Victor Harbour Road turn left at the sign post as you come into Mount Compass.  The vineyard is approximately 100 acres of a combination of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvingon Blanc, Gewurtztraminer, Primativo, Merlot and Chardonnay.  The area is about 160m above sea level and as such is cooler than the McLaren Vale region.  The soil is white sand (between 1 and 1.5 m in depth) over sandstone and clay. 

Madeleines Basket Press

 Another advantage is the high quality (low salinity) water in the aquifer under the vineyard.  Irrigation is kept to a minimum but the last 2 -3 years being in a drought has ment the water was vital to grape and wine quality.  Up until 2009 the best grapes were kept for their wines and the remainder was sold to other wineries.  With 2009 being difficult to sell wine grapes lead to a decision to utilise most of the for their own wine making pursuits. 

Madeleines Nangkita Vineyard

Nangkita Vineyard Views

The web site is www.vincognita.com.au

Now the wines:-

White Wines

2008 Nangkita Vineyard Viognier (A$19.50)

The grapes for this wine were picked before the 2008 vintage heat wave set in and the quality shows they made the right decision.  The wine is dominated by characters that I was not expecting.  This wine is full of ginger and cinnamon and not dominated by apricots.  Peter tells me there is 2 clones of Viognier one has the apricot flavours and the other has these ginger characters.  Obviously this wine is dominated by grapes from the second clone.  The wine has a wonderful mouthfeel - almost viscous and the acids are starting to soften.  The wine would go well with chinese or thai foods.

2009 Nangkita Vineyard Viognier (A$19.50)

The 2009 wine is very different to the 2008.  This wine has more of the apricot characters with hints of ginger.  There is plenty of acid in this wine and Chris believes the wine will be drinking best next year.  Tasting the 2 wines together is interesting to show the differences in style.  It will be interesting to see this wine in a years time but I do not think mine will last that long.

2009 Gewurtztraminer (A$15)

The wine was bottled only 4 weeks before the tasting – so it should have just settled down after the shock of bottling.  The wine has the usual floral characteristics on the nose but there is none of the sweet candy smells one can get with this variety.  The palate shows good acid, some minerality and the floral/turkish delight characters with a hint is spiciness on the finish.  There is almost an oilyness to the wine that I find pleasing.  This is a dry wine and would go well with chinese foods as it would compliment the various spices used in this style of cooking.

2009 Chardonnay (tank sample)

Straight from the tank – only a small proportion saw any oak and no malolactic fermentation.  Chris has tried to make a chardonnay that is different to the usual.  Partially due to the difficulty in the public’s perception about this wine variety but also to try a few different things with the wine.  The wine shows good apricot and peach aromas and palate with sufficient acid to make this a good food wine.  A nice piece of pork or a tuna steak would give you a good match.

Red Wine

2007 Nangkita Vineyard Primitivo (A$22)

The vines are basically the same as Zinfandel.  This wine is like a fruit cake in a glass, raisins on the nose and a mouthful of raisins with little oak influence on the tannins or the flavour characters.  Oak is there but not a big part of it (old french and american oak was used).  This would go well with a Moroccan Tagine of goat, vegetables and dates mixed with chilli, cummin and crushed tomatoes.

2007 McLaren Vale Shiraz (A$19.50)

This is a big wine with an inky colour (from the small berries from that years vintage).  The nose and palate shows lots of stewed plums that are almost sweet and the heavy oak (used to offset the fruit).  Make no mistake this is a big – big wine and will need a number of years before the tannins settle down.  I would not really drink this until after 2015.

2007 Nangkita Shiraz (A$19.50)

The wine has sice, plums, blackberries with oak influences on the nose.  The palate continues with ripe plum and blackcurrant fruits with lots of white pepper.  The oak is strong but so is the fruit.  The fruit is so concentrated that it lingers on the palate after the oak tannins have gone.  Again the wine is a big monster (not as big as the McLaren Vale Shiraz).  I would still let this wine alone for a while before trying it.

2007 NSX 10th Anniversary Shiraz (A$48)

This wine was made from the best barrels from 2007.  The wine is huge both in fruit and oak.  In saying this it more approachable now than the other 2 Shiraz wines above.  Great black berry and plum fruits mixed with lots of cedery oak tannins and a good acid lift.  Approachable now but will last for a long long time.


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