McLaren Vale Wines – Chapel Hill

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Chapel Hill Barrel

Chapel Hill has come a long way since I first remember visiting the old Chapel in the late 1980’s.  The Chapel was built in 1865 and was a Christian Bible Church and a parish school and now the central part of the cellar door and art gallery complex portion of what is the whole of Chapel Hill.

Chapel Hill Cellar Door

In this area of McLaren Vale, I suspect it is part of the Seaview subregion, there is a winery, cellar door, art gallery and what is called The Retreat.  The Retreat is a high class accommodation getaway that has function space for corporate functions, cooking classes, weddings etc.  It is famous for high profile cooking classes that all over look some of the Chapel Hill vineyards.

The Chapel

The cellar door not only provides the visitor with a large selection of wines but also seasonal produce produced at the retreat.  You can find such delights as Olive Oil, Dukkah, Verjuice and preserves.  Bring on some fresh crusty bread and I can feel a meal coming on!

Chapel Hill Art Gallery

The latest bottlings show a new direction for the labels from the 4 ranges of wines – The Foundation Series, Il Vescovo, McLaren Vale and Vicar.  The new labels look classy and puts them in good stead for the new few years.

Well I suppose I had better talk about the wines…….

2009 Il Vescovo Savagnin ($A22)

Sourced from the cooler climate Kangarilla vineyard and is my first taste of this emerging variety.  Straight away this was different as I got a restrained orange blossom aromas with nectarine and tropical fruit flavors backed with some good acid.  An interesting wine and I really want to taste more Savagnin to better understand this variety.

2009 Il Vescovo Pinot Grigio ($A22)

My experience with this variety has not been overly positive, but this wine made me think I should have a kinder mindset to Pinot Grigio.  There were hints of grass, lemongrasss and lychees on the nose and really interesting Guava flavor.  Jury still out but still deliberating.

2008 Verdelho ($A16)

A lighter style with a slight fruit salad aroma through to some melons on the palate.  There seemed to be a hint of residual sugar here in an attempt to lift the wine.  I suggest this wine would be one that a number of people either love or hate.  Does the 2008 vintage for a white wine mean this wine has not been a good seller.

2009 Unwooded Chardonnay ($A16)

Naked Chardy – I get quite concerned about this style.  In an attempt to reverse the trend of over oaked styles we have had to endure about 10 years of going the absolute opposite.  This is a good clean wine with a real nice citrus (acid) finish.  This wine is a good seller but for me bring on a balanced chardonnay that includes some oak character.

2008 McLaren Vale Chardonnay ($A25)

Straight away I could tell I was onto something here.  Barrel fermented soft wood characters mixed with some ripe fig aromas led to a spicy, creamy, yeasty melon mouthful.  I just enjoyed this wine and it was the standout white wine here.  Why would one go for so much of the average white wine in the country (alot of it labeled SB) when such a wine is offered.  The complex flavors here go well with complex foods such as a caramelized onion tart with roasted cherry tomatoes and seasoned sliced chicken breast.

2009 Il Vescovo Rose ($A22)

Made from Sangiovese fruit from their Kangarilla Vineyard (not in McLaren Vale and cooler climate).  The aromas were like smelling the red roses from my backyard (sorry I do not know the Rose variety) and flavors of sour cranberries and plenty of acid to cover the 2.1 g/L sugar.  For the Rose drinkers this wine has good structure and would be worth finding.  It would work with Chinese Fried Rice or a cheese platter on a Sunday while watching the footy.

2009 Il Vescovo Tempranillo ($A22)

This Adelaide Hills offering is a relatively soft blend of Mulberries and Cherries with not alot of tannins but has a savoury finish.  My first thoughts was this was a surprise as a number of Tempranillo wines I have been tasting are “stronger” wines and that this has a similar tannin structure of Merlot.  I am thinking a big bowl of pasta with a tomato based sauce and sitting around the table with the family to “share the spoils”.

2009 Il Vescovo Sangiovese ($A22)

Quite a difference with this wine after the last one – the aromas were almost meaty and transformed into a cherry tannin mix that wants to coat the tongue and teeth.  There are more wines of this variety popping up around McLaren Vale and I would say this wine is true to it’s variety and one to check out particularly to be enjoyed with food.

2008 GSM ($A18)

Aromas of violets, plum and some perfume from the Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre components to this wine are a good start.  The flavors show some up front sweetness (probably from the ripe fruit expected from this hot vintage) and flows through to some typical Mourvedre strength with a few tannin layers.  I enjoyed the Mourvedre tones to this wine but the fruit sweetness makes the wine a little disjointed.

2008 McLaren Vale Bush Vine Grenache ($A30)

Of course I was looking forward to this wine – it is my favorite McLaren Vale grape.  I was not disappointed from this offering from vines planted in 1926 and 1959.  All the red fruits combined with nutty and complex spice nuisances from the old wood barrels this wine has been aged in.  Oak plays a supporting role to such lovely fruit that anybody who comes to McLaren Vale should try this wine style.  Bring on the slow cooked lamb shanks and there is no way I would share this wine with you.

2009 McLaren Vale Mourvedre ($A30)

Here was where I was blessed – this wine was bottled but not available at the time of my visit.  Due to comments on their Facebook page I knew this wine was around – so I asked and Amelia (cellar door manager) organised a bottle for me to try.  I am so glad I was awarded this favor as the wine was a pleasure.  This variety either on it’s own or as a blender brings serious stuff.  There are wonderful floral and mulberry aromas and flavors with lovely complex spices and dry, dry tannins.  The tannins are so dry that it seems like they are drying your teeth.  The 15% alcohol was not noticeable either on the nose or palate, which also indicated there is complexity here.  The wine needs more time to settle down, but I can see it lasting many years in the bottle – if we let it.  I am thinking of a marinated kangaroo stir fry, with some gamey complexity, as a wine match.

2008 McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon ($A30)

An interesting mix of smoky blackberries and blackcurrents on the nose.  The flavors are mulberry based fruit with licorice complexity and drying tannins.  This wine probably suffers from being the next in the lineup after 2 such wonderful wine (for my palate).  This wine stands the McLaren Vale Cabernet test well, but it is not my favorite variety at the moment.  As I drank this I could see a big bowl of Hoisin Beef with Singapore Noodles complementing the wine and vice versa.

2008 Parsons Nose Shiraz ($A16)

An interesting play here – a lower price wine with an unusual name, in an attempt to bring in more sales.  A certain well known wine writer has given this wine a 92 point score, so it sparked my interest, even though the 2008 vintage was at best challenging.  Straight away I got the unusual scent of blueberries with some star anise and cinnamon.  There is a particular shiraz clone that give some blueberry character, so I guess this is it.  The flavors were dark plums and I was very happy there was no stewed fruit or over oaked character.  I do not rate this as a 92 point wine, however this is quite good everyday drinking, so I guess it has met the criteria.  Bring on plated of different BBQ’d sausages smothered in onions.

2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A30)

Wow – a very interesting roasted almonds aroma combined with some of the blueberries I mentioned above, just draw me in.  The flavors are just what one expects from classic McLaren Vale Shiraz – almost sweet plum fruit combined with the cedar oak with tannins from both the oak and the grapes themselves.  What more can I say but pass on the plate overlapping rump steak and use the wine as the “vegies”.

Wines not tasted

Vicar Shiraz ($A60) & Devil Tawny Port ($A30)

The Vicar is only available for tasting on weekends and the Devil was just being bottled.  I have previously tried these wines (before I took notes) and they both are good wines with a following that means selling these wines at the cellar door is not difficult.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #46 – Chapel Hill Cellar Door

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Check out my latest tasting video where I get to enjoy a Chardonnay and a Grenache from the impressive Chapel Hill stable.  I filmed this at their equally impressive cellar door.

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McLaren Vale Wines – Tapestry

Posted on August 7, 2010 by Lonely Grape

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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Lonely Grape TV Episode #45 – Tim Geddes Wines

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Shane here again. This week I taste 2 wines from Tim Geddes Wines Seldom Inn label. His wines can be described as “stong wines”. I hope you enjoy this review as much as I did filming it.

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McLaren Vale Wines – Tim Geddes Wines

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Tim Geddes Wines Basket Press

To say that Tim Geddes is an interesting character would be an understatement.  With making wines from the old Maxwells winery (that is now owned by Scarpontoni) he has developed a number of wine making gigs as a contractor and just for fun he makes his own wine as well.  The Seldom Inn label is a tribute to his father and reflects Tim’s sense of family.  The Seldom Inn label started in 2003 with 1 or 2 barrels of wine to being a full time thing in 2007 with 800 cases of wine and progressing to 1800 cases of wine made in 2008.

Tim exudes a bum down and get things done persona from the moment you meet him and his passion to produce a product that has his mark on it is also very evident.

After tasting his 2008 reds and the 2009 whites I can use 1 word to describe his wine – Strength.  There is nothing shy here, in it’s place is full flavored offerings that express a want to be different and to show what a winemaker can do.

Tim has a web site for Tim Geddes Wines and you can contact Tim through this web site.

2009 Seldom Inn Viognier ($A22)

Crisp and clean just describes this wine to a “T”.  Passionfruit and melons with lots of acid length with an interesting finish with a hint of grape tannin.  Good to see an everyday drinking white wine from McLaren Vale that is not Sauvignon Blanc.  This is a wine to drink with friends on a hot summers Sunday.

2009 Wild Ferment Viognier (~$A30)

Wow, it this different or what.  Tim wanted something more from his white wines, than just standard stainless steel non wooded white wines.  His winemakers want to “play” with some wine to make something different and with lots of character.  Well he has succeeded.  The use of native yeast, new french oak maturation for 10 months (on lees) has lead to another level compared to the Seldom Inn wine above.  The aromas have passionfruit led tropical aromas with just a hint of creaminess.  This creaminess just rolls into the palate that starts with creamy melons and has a wonderful mouthfeel texture from all this plus interesting layers of tannin.  I expect this tannin is a combination of wood and grape tannins.  In a word – “Funky”.  There has only been about 20 dozen bottles produced but have not been labeled.  The complexity here means this is a food wine and these flavors would match well with so many foods.  The creaminess could go with rick cream based pasta dishes, or enough funkiness to match with coconut cream Thai curries.

2008 Seldom Inn GSM ($A22)

A Grenache (60%), Shiraz (30%) and Mataro (10%) blend that is one of my favorite styles at the moment.  However, this wine would not be one of them – there is a tar and bitterness component here that spoils the red fruits and dry dusty tannins.  After discussing this with Tim, I believe that the Grenache was over ripe and many of the bunches were heat damaged.  The 15% alcohol is another indicator of the potential for over ripeness.  Though not a bad wine, I would leave this one.  As a note, I tasted the 2009 Grenache and it was wonderful (though not a finished wine) and I hope Tim makes a GSM and a straight Grenache from this base wine.

2008 Seldom Inn Cabernet Sauvignon ($A22)

This wine was certainly back on track.  The fruit for this was mainly from 40 year old vines with this vintage picked early for McLaren Vale Cabernet that year and it missed most of the heat wave of that year.  The best word for the aromas was “Black”.  The flavors were just layers of black current fruit with just lovely tannin complexity that leaves the mouth screaming for more.  This wine needs more time to reach it’s best but worth the wait it would be.  Sit it aside for 5+ years and try it with Beef Wellington.

2008 Seldom Inn Shiraz ($A22)

Matured for 16 months in 40% new oak (both French & American) and the rest 1 year old oak.  Big fruit here but with big oak and together it pulls the components together to make something better than each component would be on it’s own.  Lots of dark plums, subtle spices and teeth coating dry tannins.  Probably needs 10 years in the bottle, but I suspect little will make it that far.  Such strength is this wine needs extremely strong flavored red meats.

2008 Seldom Inn Petit Verdot ($A22)

The surprise packet of the whole bunch from Tim this year.  The aromas and palate just tasted like a quality quince paste with a good dose of tannins thrown in.  As for the other reds here, it needs time to mature, however it is more approachable now than these other reds.  I would try with with the sweetness of Hoisin Sauce based dishes.

2008 Grey Label Shiraz (~$A35)

A barrel sample as the wine was not finished at time of tasting, but I was ready to drink this one now.  The 13% new American oak was evident with the vanilla aromas and the fruit characters were just luscious.   The best fruit with the different oak treatment has made a big difference – one to watch out for and the suggested $35 price tag is worth every cent.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #44 – Waywood Wines Pt2

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Another experiment. @ Waywood wines that have been kept for 10 days under vacuvun (ie air removed from the partially empty bottle). The idea was is to see the development over the 10 days……

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McLaren Vale Wines – Fall From Grace / S.C. Pannell Wines

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Fall From Grace is one of the most interesting Jewels of McLaren Vale.  At the smallest wine store I have ever experienced one can find:-

  • French & Italian wines from artisan producers
  • high quality glassware
  • restaurant cookware
  • French & Italian wine region maps
  • wine related books
  • Opinel Knives
  • Vinturi wine aerators
  • French Spirits (Gill is the brand ambassador for Cerbaco)
  • French Market baskets
  • The only tasting outlet for S.C. Pannell wines

All this in a space no more than 2.5 meters wide and 6 meters long.

But a list such as this cannot fully convey what this special outlet can provide the visitor.  Gill has spent many years travelling the wine world with Qantas and calls McLaren Vale home.  As such she knows most people that walk past and those that drop in for something different – either as a gift or a wine that would just go well with what is being cooked for tea tonight.  The room is bordered by seating so you can take your time.  I spent a couple of hours there today and just enjoyed watching and meeting people that just dropped in.  I must say it was a very enjoyable time – and even met a reader of the Lonely Grape.

What an interesting mix of wines and what a concept.  Who would have thought a shop selling overseas wine would have such an interest in one of Australia’s best wine producing areas (McLaren Vale of course).  Gill does not sell Australian wine – even though Fall From Grace is the only tasting outlet for S.C. Pannell Wines.  Every weekend there will be one of Steve’s wines available for tasting (however you cannot purchase these wines from there).  Steve’s wines have received acclaim from just about everywhere so even 1 wine for tasting is worth just dropping in.

Fall From Grace is in the Main Street of McLaren Vale, in what I would call, the trendy area of the street and just next to Blessed Cheese Cafe.

The owner of Fall From Grace, Gill, alone is worth the effort to call in.  Not only can she talk about each wine and who makes each wine from her shop but she is just so passionate about every aspect of wine – so much so that her real overall passion is wine education and conducts courses for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust plus conducts 1 day tasting courses (over lunch) that sound very civilized.

As well as a wine from S.C. Pannell available for tasting there is usually a wine from her shop also available for tasting.

Fall from Grace has a blog – check it out here.

S.C. Pannell web site (including sales) is also worth checking out.

Well enough about Fall From Grace but lets discuss wine:-

Le Pere Jules Poire (De St Desir-De-Lisieux) ($A20)

This is a pear cider from Normandy, that funnily enough smells and tastes like pear.  I hear that during the recent vintage here in McLaren Vale this was a drink of choice after maany a long day in the winery.

2007 S.C. Pannell Nebbiolo ($A45)

This Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo wine is a blend of many different clones which just adds to the overall complexity here.  One of the very interesting things with this wine is that only yeast was added to this wine and then it was aged in large old oak barrels for 24 months.  The aromas just keep developing while the wine is in the glass – I got an earthy mixture of roses, tar and cherries.  Very different to the citrus characters of the Nebbiolo wines I have tasted from McLaren Vale.  The flavors were just this wonderfully savory mixture of cherries, tar, great acid levels and this lovely tannin structure.  The tannins must have mainly been delivered from the fruit (as only old oak was used) helps the wine to produce this layering effect that just keeps rolling well after you have finished the last sip.

I agree with Gill that a Porcini Mushroom Risotto with lots of “stinky” hard Italian cheese would be worth traveling a long way for the combination.

2007 Montefalco Rosso ($A34)

Straight away one can tell this is different and when I heard the words “this is a blend of Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Cabernet & Merlot” I knew this was!  Both the aromas and the palate had lovely fruit layerings of cherries and raspberries that finished with lovely tannins.  These tannins I felt were soft to start with, but I soon found there was an underlying strength to these tannins that worked so well with the tannins.  All I could think of as a food match while I was tasting this wine was to continue the Italian theme, with pizza.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #43 – Waywood Wines

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Lonely Grape

What a great day – in a winery tasting wines during a sunny winters day in McLaren Vale. The Waywood wines are what I would call food wines.  What do you think?

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McLaren Vale Wine – Waywood Wines

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Lonely Grape

Andrew Wood from Waywood Wines contacted me via e-mail with the intention to have a look at his wines.  His tone from the first moment was one of wanting feedback on his wines – not just a review that would go out to the wine public via the Lonely Grape Blog.  This was certainly different for me as most tastings have been based on just getting a good review.

Andrew’s background was as a Sommelier in London and then deciding to take his love of wine further by undertaking studies and working vintage in Europe.  Having a Queenslander as his partner has lead Andrew to Australia – firstly in the Granite Belt and then the last 6 vintages in McLaren Vale.  As you could imagine the passion for wine has also lead to a want to express himself by making his own wines – and so Waywood Wines was born.

It was also very obvious that Andrew’s passion extends to wine and food matching so not surprising that the wines are made to consume with food.

Check out their web site.

The wines are sold by the dozen so prices are supplied as dozen prices as advertised in the 2010 Winter Newsletter.

Anyway – now for the wines (note that the wines were open for a couple of hours prior to the tasting):-

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($100/dozen – winter 2010 special)

Black & brambly fruits on the nose makes way for light blackcurrent fruit flavors with good tannins and acidity and ends in a quite dry finish.  I suspect the fruit characters are fading however, there is evidence of structure.  For the price this would work well in “easy drinking” occasions so maybe lets pear it up with something spicy like a lamb based tagine.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($180/dozen)

I found the aromas on this wine to be closed and almost nothing there.  This Willunga Cabernet was picked young and it shows with such a good level of acid.  There are good black fruits here (blackcurrents & mulberries) with firm chalky tannin layers that coat the teeth.  This wine needs some more time in the bottle to show it’s best.  Definitely a food wine so try it with something robust to match the secondary flavors such as Turkey Lasagna.

2008 Shiraz ($150/dozen)

I got black fruits and hits of vanilla aromas.  The flavors started with black and red fruits and straight away showed a great acid and tannin structure.  There was distinct ironstone steely acid here as well.  I suspect the wine is still a little tight and another 12 months in bottle will spring something even more wonderful.  The wine was picked after the heatwave of the vintage so it just proves how cool Clarendon actually is.  Bring on charred meats – I am cooking a BBQ tomorrow night and I wish I had a bottle of this to drink while cooking and eating.  At this price I would put some of this away.

2005 Shiraz Cabernet (only available in mixed dozens)

I got more developed aromas here than fruit ones – some leather and spice.  Interestingly, I got a hit of sweet fruits when I first put the wine in my mouth.  Then I got an oak hit, then finished with some good savory fruits mixed with good acid and tannins.  Another food wine that would go well with roast lamb.

2007 Shiraz Cabernet ($180/dozen)

This Willunga Cabernet and Clarendon Shiraz was my favorite wine here.  The aromas were again closed and just hid what was to come.  There was some cherry and chocolate flavors so a bit cherry ripe like.  The french oak kicks in with some spice (clove and fennel) that is so well balanced with the oak.  Lots happening here so I would try this with a mushroom risotto with lots and lots of Parmesan cheese.

2007 Tempranillo ($180/dozen)

A really interesting series of aromas here – the best from this wineries offering.  A distinctive smell that took me some time to get a handle on – iodine.  Plus black olive, cherries and black fruits that trails into some perfume and flowers.  The best nose of these wines – by a long way.  The wine is almost textural when you drink it – plums, red fruits  matching well with the dry and chalky tannins (from the extended maceration).  Give this a year or 2 to reach its best and give it a try with complex foods – sizzling Mongolian steak and special fried rice.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #42 – Kay Brothers Cellar Door

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Lonely Grape

It was such a pleasure to conduct a tasting at the oldest family owned winery in McLaren Vale. Part of the Kay family since 1890. This time I try their Basket Press Shiraz and a Liqueor Muscat.

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