Vineyard Kitchen

Check out part 1 of this review here.

The restaurant associated with the Shingleback complex has recently re-opened and has been getting some good reviews.  See the attached menu.  There is a real effort going on here at the Vineyard Kitchen to provide an experience as well as good food.  There is live music provided on Sunday and Friday evening.  The portion size feedback has been 3 Tapas plates have been enough for 2 people – so I am also hearing value plus quality is bringing people back.

Wines are mainly Shingleback wines plus a “Winery of the Month”.

Shingleback Range

NV Sparkling Chardonnay / Pinot Noir ($A22/bottle or $A44 for 3)

Good clean drink with yeast characters with up front chardonnay flavors (melon and peach).  There is a real acid hit here that I just makes the mouth water for more.  Starting the meal off with this would not disappoint.

2010 Chardonnay ($A22/bottle or $A44 for 3)

The most unusual aroma of french onion soup starts one off on a wine that has the complexity driven by fruit quality combined with frech oak.  There is the creaminess from the malolactic fermentation and an acid backbone that is characteristic of the Shingleback whites.  Seeing the wine smells like french onion soup why not drink this wine with the soup.  Add some fresh crusty bread with lashings of butter (to match with the creamy mouthfeel) and you might just be on a winner.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30/bottle or $60 for 3)

As expected this wine is a step up from the other red wines (see part 1 of my review).  The aromas were a little closed (probably due to the bottle only just opened prior to the tasting).  The tastes were far from closed.  There was some black current expected for Cabernet but the mouthfeel was just BIG.  There was obviously some excellent fruit here and aged in good oak as the tannin structure was well balanced but neither was obviously overpowering the other.  Cabernets are known for lacking character on the mid palate – not so here,  McLaren Vale flavor is here in abundance.  I am thinking of drinking this wine with a plate of Irish Stew.

2007 Shiraz ($A30/bottle or $60 for 3)

Straight away I get cigar box and french oak aromas – even before my nose was embedded into the glass.  I really enjoyed the fruit depth here – satsuma plums and black fruits together with the fruit sweetness makes the experience like drinking a complex fruit cake.  Again there was acid depth creating a backbone for all the fruit and oak structure.  I am thinking of a steak with mushroom sauce – you never know I may even share the wine.

2007 “Show Reserve” Shiraz ($A30/bottle or $60 for 3)

This wine was being groomed for “The Gate” range and it was changed at the last minute.  This is good for the consumer as the wine is cheaper!  For me this wine is another step up from the standard Shiraz, however I can see a lot of people liking the fruit of the standard wine.  Here, there is lots of plums (both dark and red) and cherries combined with quite smooth fine tannin structure.  A couple of slices of Beef Wellington would see me very happy while drinking this wine.

NV “Black Bubbles” Sparkling Shiraz ($A30/bottle or $60 for 3)

Regular readers of “The Lonely Grape” know I like a good sparkling red and I do like this one.  I can best describe it as “liquid black forest cake with bubbles and a drying finish”.  I enjoyed this with a meal of pan fried marinated chicken breast fillet and a Caesar salad.  It worked well so why not try it as well.

Reserve Wines ($A55/bottle)

2006 D Block Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine was just opened when I arrived, however I got lots of dusty characters from the oak treatment here – I was immediately concerned about the oak monster about to appear here.  The flavors showed intense fruit of which only some was the expected black currents – so McLaren Vale character just shines through again.  The tannins are dry, dusty, soft and a little grainy which indicates to me the wine needs some more time to see it’s best.  There was certainly layers of structure here so you need full flavored food maybe slowly braised lamb shanks.
2006 D Block Shiraz
The aromas start you off with interesting inky or iodine, through to earthy and then a slight perfume hint at the end.  Quite complex already.  The flavors are all about the fruit with just a little oak supporting the structure.  Layered fruit cake (plum and sultanas) are hear to give a you the McLaren Vale Shiraz experience.  Drinking now better than the Cabernet above, but it will still last for a while – if you have the patience.  With all this structure how about trying this with a Beef & Guinness Pie.