Lonely Grape TV Episode # 51 Barossa v McLaren Vale Shiraz

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Lonely Grape

I had a 2005 Gumpara Shiraz the other night and it was so good I just had to share it with you.  Then I thought I would compare it with one of my favorite McLaren vale Shiraz wines – 2008 La Curio Reserve Shiraz. YUMMMMMMM.

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McLaren Vale Wineries – Maxwell Wines Part 1 Whites, Meads & Fortifides

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Maxwell Wines

I first visited Maxwell Wines during my McLaren Vale winery adventures in the mid 80’s and this visit brings back fond memories.  In those days the parents of the current owner ran the winery and cellar door.  Dad was serving me and we got to the mead and in particular the spiced mead.  As you will note below the spiced mead should be consumed warm and he was heating up the mead.  Then Mum came in and started abusing the old man, told him he was a “silly old coot” and that he had done it all wrong (as the mead had started to boil).  This was in the days that their facility was on Kangarilla Road where the Oxenberry Farm cellar door and Tim Geddes winery is today.

Old Mead Wine Barrels

This McLaren Vale winery has been making class wines particularly their range of red wines (which I will review next week) and is also known for making excellent mead (fermented honey).

The cellar door facility (location shown on my cellar door map) is has a warming interior including an open fire place.  The glass panels next to the tasting bar show over the winery and overlooks the old Shiraz vines next to the winery.  Weddings and other functions are held there and a weekend food option is about to start – I will comment more in Part 2 of this review.

I have known Helen, the new cellar door manager for a number of years and make sure you say hello and when you visit tell her that the Lonely Grape sent you.

White Wines

2010 Little Demon Verdelho ($A15)

With aromas of tropical fruits and apricots combines with melon and apricot flavors that has a richness which makes me think there is a fair level of residual sugar here masked by a good acid finish.  I would not consider this a food wine but a wine that would be drunk amongst friends on a Friday night after work.

2009 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay ($A22)

Good to see a chardonnay with some oak – no nakedness here.  Good stone fruit characters of nectarines and peaches matches well with the minimal oak influences.  The finish has a creamy textural feel that compliments the wine so well.  I am told Chardonnay is making a comeback and with wines such as these who needs the single dimensional of some many of the top selling white wines being sold in Australia these days.  It would be a pleasure drinking with with a creamy chicken pasta dish.

Meads

Fermented honey called mead is dated back to the Vikings who considered mead as an aphrodisiac and would drink the honey mead period or the Honeymoon.  Maxwell’s have been making this wine since the 1980’s and have, what I believe, is the largest mead production in the Southern Hemisphere.  I have been drinking these wines sine the 80’s and they have been consistently good.  I have tried a number of mead’s before and they do not come close to the quality seen here in McLaren Vale.

Honey Mead ($A14)

Made to be drunk chilled.  There are floral marmalade aromas that lend into the not as sweet as expected apricot honey aromas.  Why not try this wine as an alternative on a hot summers day.

Spiced Mead ($A14)

This mead is made to drink warmed but not not boiled ( I have used ceramic cups heated in a microwave).  The mead is infused with cinnamon and cloves and this moves through in spades on both the aromas and flavors.  particularly the aromas that just attach the senses.  Cold night, warm spiced mead, open fire and the one you love – I know it is a cleachae but in my mind it would work!

Liquor Mead ($A14 375 mL)

This little bottle packs quite a punch.  The aromas are wonderfully complex with the expected honey but there is coconut and cumquats here as well.  When consumed there is an immediate warming effect that is enhanced by spiced sweetness.  I use this an addition to one of my favorite creamy pasta and chicken dishes.

Fortifieds

White Port ($A24)

I was looking forward to this as I have not had a good white port for quite a while.  Well after trying this one I am still to try a good white port for quite a while.  The aromas provide an interesting start with a mixture of raisins, treacle and citrus peel.  But that was it – the flavors were limited and very short.  A miss for me on this one.

There are a number of excellent red wines at Maxwell Wines and I will review them next week.  So until then – Salute.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #50 – Tasting wine in my Donga

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Welcome to the 50th episode of Lonely Grape TV. I never thought it would last this long! A change of venue – this one was filmed in my donga while I am working back in the mining industry.

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McLaren Vale Wines – Inkwell Wines (again)

Posted on September 11, 2010 by Lonely Grape

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 – Adrian Kenny Wines

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Adrian is in a few words – an interesting character – and that is why I like the guy.  He has been making wines  for a number of McLaren Vale wineries and McLaren Vale grape growers that have not been able to sell their grapes so have organised to make their own wine.  I have tried a number of these wines made under contract for others.  I have enjoyed these wines so I was looking forward to trying his own wine.

Adrian likes to work on what he calls the Trinitarian Balance which is a balance between flavor, aroma and texture (or what I often refer to as mouthfeel.

Adrian has a need to do the different things and to incorporate technology to provide something different.  This burning need is a driving force in his winemaking style.  There is no standard Adrian Kenny wine as the wine he makes this vintage may not suit what he wants to try next or the next batch of interesting fruit he can find.  Adrian has also decided to reduce the work he has been doing for others and to spend considerably more time working on his wines and his use of technology.  We can then look forward to many different wines to try from this “innovator”.

2010 Fleurieu Peninsula Sauvignon Blanc Trial Batch 8a

Just bottled and nearly all the wine sold.  The grapes come from Mt Compass vines and they were picked relatively early so to achieve only 11% alcohol.  This was an attempt to make a more refined wine and a move away from the fruit bomb mentality.  I was looking forward to trying this as I am not a not normally a fan of Sauvignon Blanc and maybe this would be different.  Unfortunately the wine was all over for me before it began – the level of sulphur added to the wine was overpowering on both the nose and palate.  The level of sulphur was at 30 ppm which is normally acceptable – but not in this case.  I even left the wine tom breath for a couple of hours but to no avail.

2009 GTS ($A18)

I have not had a Grenache, Tempranillo, Shiraz blend before so another level of interest was sparked.  No disappointment this time.  Another level of interest is that the Grenache had a few bunched of Viognier during fermentation.  The aromas are dominated by cherries with the earthiness one normally associates with Tempranillo.  The flavors continue with the cherries and a melody of red fruits.  There are soft tannins and a hint of darkness which I can describe as briarness.  There is some lovely fruit here but with some darkness as well – I see this as an excellent combination with Pizza or Pasta.

2009 Fleurieu Peninsula Tempranillo Trial Batch 3b ($A22)

The fruit comes from a biodynamic vineyard on the Fleurieu Peninsula.  Adrian was trying to make a Tuscan style wine.  The aromas were understated and I believe that  the wine needs time to reach it’s potential.  There was cherries and the Briarness I mentioned above.  As the wine was breathing in  the glass I got some floral tones starting to come through.  The flavors were interesting.  At first there was some greenness and then blackness with a slightly bitter finish.  While Adrian & I were talking about this wine I found the wine changed and the greenness and bitterness disappeared, so one to watch for a few years.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode # 49 – Adrian Kenny Reds

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Join me with my Son as my assistant trying a couple of red wines from an innovator McLaren Vale Winemaker.

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McLaren Vale Wines – Redheads Studio

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Lonely Grape

My first look at Redheads Studio was something different to what it is now – but the philosophy is the same.  Small scale winemakers have a place to do their thing without having to have all your own winery equipment and you can get advice from full time winemakers.  The small scale allows winemakers to do things that the large wineries would not even attempt.  Thus there is the potential to find some hidden gems in such a place.

Redheads Tasting Bar

Redheads Studio is on Chalk Hill Road in the Loom Wine complex.  It seems like they are still organising their opening times but the intention is to be open 10am to 4 pm on most days.

They are looking to produce some smoked small goods from the Birkshire Pigs being raised on the property and these will be available at the cellar door soon – just another reason to pay this interesting cellar door.

Redheads Wine Racks

And now the wines…….

Pikkara

2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A25)

Grapes from a McMurtrie Vineyard and has been aged in French & American oak and has just won an award in it’s first outing.  This is classical McLaren Vale Shiraz with typically wonderful fruit characters of plums and black fruits.  The oak is well balanced and has an excellent acid length to the palate.  The tannins are a pleasantly grainy and it just makes me think about a thick juicy steak.

Pieri

Andrew Pieri has a vineyard at the far end of Foggo Road between McLaren vale and McLaren Flat.  The vineyard sits on sandy based soils and is making styles of wine that are true to his Italian heritage.

2008 Azzardo ($A25)

This is an amarone style where the Shiraz grapes are air dried for about 2.5 to 3 weeks.  The grapes are lightly misted with sulphur water to ensure mold does not cause issues.  The grapes lose at least 50% of their weight – thus concentrating the sugars and flavors in the grapes and thus the wine.  The wine is different right off the bat.  The aromas are concentrated plums, currents and cardamon spice that has a meatiness to it at the end of the aroma depth.  Speaking of depth, the flavors just show so much structure.  There is a sweetness to the palate that has such a structured and complex spice mouthfeel.  There is oodles of lingering everything here – certainly a WOW factor.  I suspect this wine is different enough to not make all red wine consumers happy, but I say bring on the difference.  In terms of food – well one needs full flavors and structure, so maybe try this with some blue cheese.

2008 Occasione ($A20)

Made the classical Ripasso style and from Shiraz grapes.  Unlike the amarone style above I have never had this wine style before.  This wine creates difference by taking the red wine from last year’s vintage and pass it through this years skins after they have been pressed – talk about a point of difference!  The wine was aged in older French & American oak so oak is not a dominate factor.  The aromas showed strength of plums and currents.  The strength of the fruit was not expected – particularly as these aromas were not jammy.  The flavors were an interesting contrast of some bitterness (from the skins), sweetness and drying tannins.  The fruit flavors are in line with the aromas, so the Shiraz-ness is true.  Drink it with just about anything but just drink it to try wine of this style.

La Curio

Adam makes wine that I am consistently impressed with.  He has managed to get his hands on old vine fruit – in some cases 80 to over 100 year old vines) and has a simple wine structure.  Make a Grenache wine and a Shiraz wine.  Take the best barrels into the Reserve wines and the rest goes into the blend of the 2 varieties.  The blend has turned out to just a wonderful wine as well – sounds like a win – win situation.

I have previously reviewed these wines so check them out at La Curio Review.

2008 Grenache Shiraz ($A21)

2008 Grenache ($A27)

2008 Shiraz ($A31)

Also available but not tasted were the Stamfords and Clark & Longwood labels.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode # 48 – Dyson Cabernet & Vasarelli Shiraz

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Join me and my helper Son in brining to you 2 small wine maker wines. A Cabernet from the Dyson Wines stable and a Shiraz from Vasarelli Wines a McLaren Vale family icon name and now a cellar door and restaurant.

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McLaren Vale Wines – Dyson Wines

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Lonely Grape

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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Lonely Grape TV Episode #47 – Tapestry Grenache & Inkwell Shiraz

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Back at my home bar and tasting a lovely dry grown Grenache from Tapestry and an old favorite in the Inkwell Shiraz.

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