McLaren Vale Wines – Backyard Shed Cru Red Pack #5

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Lonely Grape

Backyard Shed Cru Red Pack #5

 My wine sales web site www.tastemclarenvale.com.au is about to roll out the new Backyard Shed Cru wine tasting pack.  The idea of the Backyard Shed Cru packs is to showcase small artiesan wineries from the McLaren Vale region.  The web site also offers a membership deal where one can sign up and recieve these packs every 6 months automatically and with a discount on the normal price as well as freight fee.  Check this out at Taste McLaren Vale’s Membership page.

And now for the important stuff – the wines…….

2009 Minnow Creek Black Minnow
Interesting name for an interesting blend of Sangiovese (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and 5% Malbec.  I cannot remember having this blend before other than previous vintages of the Black Minnow.  Aromas are basically cherry based – just like having a bowl of freshly macerated cherries.  There is some difference to the cherries so I suggest there is aromas of both black and red cherries – smells like Christmas time with the local McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills cherries.  There is a bit of dust on the nose as well from the smattering of oak that has gone into the maturation of this wine.

Cherries dominate the fruit flavour but there is secondary red and black fruits in abundance.  As one may expect from Sangiovese there is a feeling of earthiness while the wine sits in the mouth and as you swallow it the tannins dry the mouth which makes you wanting more.  Not a wine to cellar but a wine to enjoy now.

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
This was the surprise for me – I am not normally a Cabernet drinker but I could drink a heap of this. The aromas of blackcurrent and mint just fly out of the glass so much so, you don’t even have to do the “wanky thing” to get the aromas. I get cassis and chocolate with a minty finish. As I am finding with McLaren Vale Cabernet the usual donut effect where the flavors disappear in the mid palate, does not happen here. Good old McLaren Vale is having it’s effect and so the mid palate is there is spades.

2010 Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre

One of my favorite blends and this wine does not disappoint.  there was something immediately interesting here and I will admit that I could not work out what it was.  The Shiraz portion of the wine was co-fermented with the Roussanne pressings (from the above wine).  The result is a real lift added to the aromas from the red fruits that comes through the from the Grenache.  The wine had a portion unoaked and the remainder oaked with various aged barrels – in other words they have been smart by producing the best wine they can from small volume by keeping small parcels separate and treating them differently.  Blending of these small batches allows the winemaker to produce the style they are looking for without compromise.  This outcome is worth the efforts.  There is balance here the red fruits from the Grenache, with the structure of Shiraz and the strength of Mourvedre mixed with a layered tannin structure that is not over bearing. I can see a big pan full of chilli mussels in this wines future.

2005 McLaren Park Shiraz
Firstly, this is a classical Genders wine with all the developed characters but more importantly for me the wines change so much over a period of time. One of the reasons I was there so long (well that was my excuse anyway). The aromas started with developed dark briary fruits but after a while changed to that typically shown from Dianna’s wines – floral notes. Then some cinnamon kicks in as well. The flavors also change dramatically. Firstly starts with the briary / black fruits with oak tannins not over done and lots of good acid i.e. Really good structure. Over time the flavors change to include lots of spices and not your normal spices. I got more of cardamon and sage as the wine opened up. After being open for nearly 2 hours there were more changes – the fruits of blackberries and blueberries came through.

2006 Grenache

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.  This is a drink now wine but I am sorry, as if I open a bottle it is unlikely I will be sharing this.

2010 Graham Stevens Wines Vintage Shiraz
I will admit this wine was a surprise.  Firstly, it was the first wine I tasted from the 2010 vintage – a port style being an early release.  Then I was shown the bottle and it was a screw cap!  I thought this unusual and I asked Graham about it.  His response was the Vintage style requires clean conditions and minimal oxygen contact so why not a screw cap.  Upon thinking about it more, I remembered that some old vintage port styles I have opened from the 70’s had cork disintegration issues.  So I should talk about the wine. 

Straight away the wine is all about the plum character that is McLaren Vale Shiraz as well as the clean spirit.  The aromas and flavors are like Shiraz grapes have been hand squeezed into your glass.  The plum is so clean and intense that the spirit does not interfere at all.  Once in the mouth the plum explosion is just complemented and cleaned up by the spirit and acid.  Wines such as this are a joy to consume and it can only make one wonder why this style has almost disappeared from the Australian and McLaren Vale winemaking scene.  Do yourself a favour and try this wine – I cannot see you will do anything but enjoy it.

Please note that I have conducted video tastings of these wines and can be viewed in the coming weeks as Lonely Grape TV.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #83 – Genders 2005 McLaren Park Shiraz

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Lonely Grape

Dianna Genders has done it again with her newly released 2005 McLaren Park Shiraz. Layers of flavor here – check out my review……

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McLaren Vale Wines – Dowie Doole

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Lonely Grape

Dowie Doole has moved it’s tasting facility to it’s headquarters on California Road. They were previously at the Salopian Inn with Gemtree wines until recent times. The new facility is well set up at the end of a small vineyard that belongs to Gilligan Wines. The name Gilligan is synonymous with Dowie Doole as the General Manager and a Viticulturist by that name works at Dowie Doole. They have a vineyard on California Road and in Blewitt Springs.

A structured tasting is offered where 5 wines are offered with tasting notes and 3 cheeses in a very pleasant surroundings of the tasting room. The tastings are by appointment only.  They are also working on the outside areas where functions for both inside and outside will be possible.

Now the wines…………

Second Nature Range
2010 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc ($A18)
This is all you would expect from an Adelaide Hills Sauvy – aromas of grass and passionfruit that continues to flavors of straw and passionfruit. What I was not expecting was the citrus flavors as there was a really good level of acid in the wine. I also got a sense of some residual sugar just before the acid kicks in. For those that like this variety why not check this out – you could do worse, you could have a kiwi inspired wine.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot ($A18)
When first opened the aromas were quite closed but eventually opened up to reveal a fresh berry compote with a small amount of freshly cut mint sprinkled over the berries. The berries continue on the palate with a fresh cherry chaser. A nice wine for this price point.

Dowie Doole Range
2010 Chenin Blanc ($A16)
This stable has a reputation for this variety and I have seen a number of good Chenin wines from these guys. Made from grapes from their Blewitt Springs and California vineyards and it is a little beauty. The glass smells of apples and citrus peel. The peel theme continues onto the flavors with some melons and the acid levels are again high – which is good. The whole comes together with the outcome being a good mouthfeel that makes you hungry for more. Bring it on.

2011 Chenin Blanc
Just been bottled and thus not released yet. Lots of passionfruit that jumps all over your nose and mouth. Will be a beauty once it has settled down after bottling, so one to look out for.

2008 Tintookie Chenin Blanc ($A30)
The Blewitt Springs Chenin vineyard is called Tintookie – Dowie Doole has been making good to great wines from this vineyard and in a climate of pulling out vines they are planting more Chenin here. What is also different is the wine is barrel fermented and it shows very quickly. The green apple aromas are complemented with the nuttiness of some French oak. Once you drink it you get lemons, but there is more to it. There is a creamy mouthfeel that is complemented by lengthy acid.

2009 Merlot ($A22)
Good fruit and smart oak has provided another good wine. Yes, I am suggesting a Merlot is a good wine. Plums with a hint of dustiness and a very interesting cloak finish to the aroma profile. The usual plums and cherries are here combined with some good dusty oak tannins. Again a surprise – minty flavors here as well.

2010 G & T (Garnacha & Tempranilo) ($A25)
55% Grenache and 45% Tempranillo to produce a Spanish theme. Only 6 months in oak has provided a really drinkable red under so many conditions. The red fruits almost smell sweet and combined with the subtle oak provides a vibrant lift out of the glass. Every mouthful asks you back for more with spicy red fruits with oak that does not dominate. An unusual blend that will not disappoint.

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A25)
This was the surprise for me – I am not normally a Cabernet drinker but I could drink a heap of this. The aromas of blackcurrent and mint just fly out of the glass so much so, you don’t even have to do the “wanky thing” to get the aromas. I get cassis and chocolate with a minty finish. As I am finding with McLaren Vale Cabernet the usual donut effect where the flavors disappear in the mid palate, does not happen here. Good old McLaren Vale is having it’s effect and so the mid palate is there is spades.

2009 Shiraz ($A25)
Classical McLaren Vale plums and spice on the nose that makes one think of dark fruit cake. The classical McLaren Vale Shiraz comes through when you drink it as well – black cherries wrapped up with vanillin oak and a chocolate finish.

2008 Reserve Shiraz ($A60)
Things step up a notch here, the fruit and spice have so many extra dimensions. The aromas are so lifted with cherry and plum and the spice character gives you a sense of cinnamon and anise and classy envelope of vanilla. In the mouth the vanilla continues with a depth of plum and subtle spices of cinnamon and white pepper. An example of how good American oak can be with good Shiraz – it is a pity that generally we are moving away from American oak when it can produce such good wine.

N/V Moxie ($A25)
A sparkling red made from Shiraz, Malbec and Touriga with a distinct female play. The packaging has a sexy and fun feel with a take off of what could be seen as James Bond girl silhouettes. The grapes come mainly from Langhorne Creek to produce a mixture of fairy floss mixed with cherries and a few raspberries. There is juicy fruits and a fair hit of sugar here with the saving grace being the good acid hit that cleans up the palate. For me a bit sweet but I can see a lot of people loving it. The wine has a cult following in Germany and only a small proportion is kept in McLaren Vale for direct sales.

2010 Cane Cut Viognier ($A25 375 ml bottle)
As the name suggests the sweetness comes from cutting the canes on the vine to allow the fruit to dry and concentrate while still on the vine. There is no boytris infection here, but the juice still made over 17 Beaume. As expected for Viognier there is lots of apricots on both the nose and palate. What I found really good was the high level of acid that cleaned the mouth and tongue that allowed you to come back for more

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McLaren Vale Wine – Vinrock

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Lonely Grape

Vinrock has 30 acres of vineyards which are between McLaren Vale and Willunga off Malpas Road. This venture is the heart and sole of Don Luca and his sons in law. They grow Shiraz , Grenache and Cabernet and of course they put everything they can to produce the best grapes they can. They keep some of the best grapes and produce small parcels of wine. The wines have received accolades from wine reviewers including a 4.5 star winery rating by James Halliday. The vineyard was planted in 1998 and the label shows an artists impression of Don planting the first vine cane.

Vinrock do not have a web site but you can check out their web site at Vinrock Web Site

2010 Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre ($A25)
There was no mucking around for this wine – the aromas hit me the moment I opened this bottle. Enjoyment is the only way I can describe I can put it. The aromas of raspberries and plums in an earthy envelope – that just seemed to take over the whole area close to the open bottle and glass. The drinking was wonderfully easy – raspberries and minerallity (I assume this is from the oak). Here is a wine that shows delicate flavors but has strength and length, with the typical McLaren Vale mid palate right through to such a lasting finish. Unlikely I will be sharing any of this one. I can see this with some roasted duck or some game like rabbit.

2009 Grenache ($A25)
When I first opened the wine I was quite concerned as there was almost no aroma. I thought what was going on here. However, I should not have been concerned as soon the aromas opened up with the usual red fruits for Grenache. The real surprise for me was the smell of blueberry – I was not expecting that. The flavors had the usual plum but had sage and red licorice. Unfortunately the finish was slightly bitter and had some stewed fruit feel about it.

2008 Shiraz ($A25)
Some fruits of the Shiraz and dominated by anise, dark chocolate and the vanilla of the American oak. The flavors are dark – dark plums and dark chocolate, mixed with the oak vanilla. Again some slight bitterness that just took the edge off the wine’s finish.

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A25)
McLaren Vale Cabernet does not always taste like the classical range of Cabernet flavors – but this one does. The blackcurrent is evident on both the aromas and flavors. There is also a sense of cherry, earth and really fine tannins. Unlike some Cabernets the mid palate is here in spades – McLaren Vale comes through again! As a person who does not drink a lot of Cabernet, this one is a drinker and a keeper.

2009 Scarce Earth Shiraz ($A60)
The Scarce Earth Project is bringing high quality single vineyard wines that show the character of the different soils. This version is all about what is good about McLaren Vale Shiraz. The ripe plum fruits, the generous mid palate and the length of character from the tannins and good acid. The oak character was slightly strong right now so I recommend keeping this wine for a few years before you really will get the enjoyment this wine is made for.

2010 Terra Mia Shiraz (~$A12)
Everyday drinking wine with little aromas but there was good fruit depth with a mixture of plum and licorice. As you would expect there is not a lot of oak character here. Also as expected, the oak is minimal but the fruit and the acid here pulls this wine off. If value is what you crave then this one maybe worth checking out.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode # 82 – Vinrock 2010 GSM

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Lonely Grape

I found another little gem – a GSM from a very small producer called Vinrock. The red fruit base for this wine is just so enjoyable.

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McLaren Vale Wine – Gilligan Wines

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Lonely Grape

One of the joys, I find in McLaren Vale, is the small McLaren Vale wine producers who make wonderfully rich and different wines.  Gilligan Wines is one of these type of producers.  They have 2 vineyards, one vineyard of Shiraz that is on the foothills between McLaren Vale and Willunga and the other vineyard is at the Dowie Doole facility on California Road has young Grenache, Mourvèdre, Marsanne and Roussanne.  These 4 varieties make the 2 wines made under this label – a Roussanne/Marsanne blend plus a SGM blend.  Based on these wines the owners of this small wine venture are smitten with Rhone wines – and why not. The wines have a level of quality and a level of difference that means they should be sought out.

Gilligan Vineyard on California Road

Interestingly, these wines do well in Victoria and overseas.  Little of this wine seems to find its way into the rest of Australia.  We may have to do something about that.  Check them out at www.gilligan.com.au

2010 Roussanne Marsanne ($A21 – but sold out)

Traditional white wine grapes can, at times, be of varying quality from McLaren Vale to the point that many growers are looking at alternate varieties that can produce the flavor profile while getting the acid and sugar balance right while growing the in the warm McLaren Vale summer.  Well many could do worse than check out these 2 white varieties.  This 70%:30% blend shows what this balance can achieve.  There is plenty of flavor here as well as acid.  To add to the complexity here the wine say 3 months in old Chardonnay barrels.

This wine has interesting smeared all over its aromas and flavors.  Green apple aromas move into stone fruit and melon flavors with a wonderful creamy texture that has a long. long acid finish.  This is a food wine that can take  flavor – maybe try it with chicken cooked with 40 cloves of garlic.

I know this wine is sold out – but watch out for the next release.

2010 Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre ($A25)

One of my favorite blends and this wine does not disappoint.  there was something immediately interesting here and I will admit that I could not work out what it was.  The Shiraz portion of the wine was co-fermented with the Roussanne pressings (from the above wine).  The result is a real lift added to the aromas from the red fruits that comes through the from the Grenache.  The wine had a portion unoaked and the remainder oaked with various aged barrels – in other words they have been smart by producing the best wine they can from small volume by keeping small parcels separate and treating them differently.  Blending of these small batches allows the winemaker to produce the style they are looking for without compromise.  This outcome is worth the efforts.  There is balance here the red fruits from the Grenache, with the structure of Shiraz and the strength of Mourvedre mixed with a layered tannin structure that is not over bearing. I can see a big pan full of chilli mussels in this wines future.

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McLaren Vale – Budburst and Christmas Preparations

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Lonely Grape

No wine or winery reviews this weekend.  I have not been able to taste wine for the 8 or so days due to having the flu and not being able to smell has hampered any quality wine tasting.  On top of this I have not really been inclined to wine tasting anyway.  So what am I going to talk about this week.  From the title you can see I want to share 2 things.

Budburst

Driving around McLaren Vale today, I noticed that a few grape vines between Willunga and Sellicks Hill have the green shoots showing that the vines are starting to awaken from their winter sleep.

Budburst 2011

The anticipation of the coming Vintage starts with Budburst!

Christmas Preparations

Why would I be talking about Christmas now?  I attended a tasting last weekend with some friends from the DeadRed Wine Group (see Charlie’s comments about the tasting here) – I was not tasting so I started to discuss a yearly activity that will be happening in my household.  The making of the Christmas Fruit Mince!

How can making fruit mince be classified as something to talk about in a wine blog?  I can hear this question coming over the social media waves.  Well my fruit mince has a uniquely McLaren Vale wine feel to it.

A local McLaren Vale store on the Main Street is called Yummy Nuts (an interesting name for a small business that provides all sorts of produce – check out their web site here).  I am able to source a large selection of bulk dried fruits (mainly Australia produce) where I get a good hand full of each of the selections.  Examples are apricots, pears, apples, currents, raisins, figs, cranberries, plums etc – you get the picture.  In regards to figs, I find that a small amount adds to the complexity of the mix but too much is not good for the texture of the final mixture as the small seeds make the mince almost seem gritty.  So keep the figs to a minimum.  Then I also get a good amount, say 1.5 – 2 kg of some good South Australian Riverland dried Sultanas (also from Yummy Nuts).

McLaren Vale's Yummy Nuts

All of these fruits are placed into a dedicated plastic sealed container to which I add the McLaren Vale ingredient – Durus.  Durus is sold from Middlebrook Estate and is a Comquot liqueur, sweetened with honey and fortified with brandy – check out my review of Middlebrook.   A full 750mL bottle of Durus is added (less a shot for me while I do the adding).  Some other fortified wines are added during the coming months – just any left overs of what I maybe drinking at the time, or a shot of the treacle like fluid that comes from my port barrel.  The filled container is placed in the bottom of our fridge.

Each week over the coming months the drunken fruit is removed from the fridge and is mixed to ensure all the fruit has the chance to soak up the lovely fluids.  From time to time additions are made – either a fortified or a touch of good South Australian Brandy.  As it gets closer to Christmas some mixed spice, cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg (the fresh nutmeg makes a huge difference so I would recommend this) gets added to the mix.

When it is time to make the mince, some fresh grated apple is added.  I like to use some Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples – the crisp acid nature of these apples seem to give the mixture a lift.  The final mixture is “minced” in the food processor.  The mice is halved – one half used in my Xmas Pudding fruit base and half for the Fruit Mince Pies.  The puddings are made in November and the mince Pies are made the day before being served (but they will last a while – something to do with a certain preservative that gets added).

The McLaren Vale regionallity of the Fruit Mince Pies does not stop there.  The pastry base is made with ground almonds – with almonds being another icon product from the region.  Here I use ground almonds purchased from what I believe is the best regional farmers market around – the Willunga Farmers Market.  This market is held every Saturday morning and is a wonderful experience just to wonder around and see what is on offer from a wide range of fresh local produce – and the produce is just fantastic.  Do yourself a favor and check out this market, even if it is just for the experience.

The recipe for the pastry is:-

1/2 cup almond meal

2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup castor sugar

200g chilled butter (diced) – it is important that the butter be chilled

1 egg yoke beaten in 1/4 cup of water

Using a food processor mix the dry ingredients and add the butter 1 cube at a time and process until crumbly then add the egg mixture.  Form the mixture into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour.  Take a small amount of the chilled pastry and form into the holes of a non-stick small muffin pan – then add a small amount of  of the fruit mince.  Cook in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.  You need to keep a close one on them when in the oven – they are easy to burn.  Take note that the pastry is soft when it first comes out of the oven so you need to let them cool slightly before placing on a tray.  If you can stop them being eaten straight away, then place the cooled pies into a sealed container.

If you give this recipe a try, then please let me know how it goes.

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McLaren Vale Wine – Battle of Bosworth

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Lonely Grape

One of only 2 fully organically certified vineyard operations in the McLaren Vale region, that I am aware of.  I have previously reviewed this operation so I refer you to this entry by clicking here.

They have 2 wine ranges, the normal company label (Battle of Bosworth) and the Spring Seed Wine Company.  The Spring Seed Wine Company was a label created for the American market.  With the issues selling into the American market they have decided to release these wines into the domestic market.  With the lower price point and the smart packaging these wines should do well.

Battel of Bosworth Cellar Door First Customer

They opened a new cellar door on 12th August 2011 and I could not resist being there – in fact I had the pleasure of being their first cellar door customer.  The cellar door can be found on Gaffney Road, Willunga.

Battle of Bosworth Cellar Door Roadway Sign

Check out their web sites at:-

www.battleofbosworth.com.au

wwspringseedwineco.com.au

Spring Seed Wine Company

2010 Forget Me Not Sauvignon Blanc – Semillon ($A15)

As expected this 60/40 blend of the 2 varieties is so different to the same blend from say Margaret River.  This is good as we do not want wine clones – different is good.  What I find very interesting here is that the Semillon seems to be dominate.  I get some grass on the nose and some passionfruit on the palate, but the unripe nashi pear seems to me to be dominate.  There is good acid here, which also adds to the overall length of the wine.

2010 Four O’Clock Chardonnay ($A15)

Unwooded Chardonnay with all the melons you would want.  I get honeydew and rockmelon like they were sitting in front of me.  Again the acid length was good.  For an unwooded Chardonnay this had a surprisingly good mouthfeel.  A project of the great vintage and good winery practice.  Chardonnay seems to be making a comeback and this sort of wine will only help.

2011 Sweat Pea Moscato ($A20)

Made from Brown Muscat grape and has a red tinge due to some skin contact when the wine was crushed.  With this introduction, I was looking forward to trying this wine to see if there was a little more complexity than most of the offerings of this type.  I was not disappointed with this spritzig style wine.  The aromas had the expected grape but some really interesting floral characters.  The flavors were just grapes, grapes and more grapes but had a interesting mouthfeel (that I expect was due to the skin contact).  I can see this wine walking out of the cellar door.

2010 Scarlet Runner Shiraz ($A20)

Starting with a very pleasant set of berry aromas (both blueberry and blackberry).  The flavors were the same fruits with a good hit of tannin and acid that means a good length on the wine.  Not over done with either the fruit or the oak, so I can see this wine being quite popular.

Battle of Bosworth

2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($A18)

Regular readers of the Lonely Grape will know that Sauvignon Blanc is not one of my favorite wine varieties.  This offering is not over the top like a lot of these wines.  There is some grass and passionfruit here but not too much.  The acid length is here which shows the vintage was spot on for this variety.

2009 Chardonnay Vioginer ($A18)

The start was lees than expected as the aromas were very closed.  I wondered if it was due to the wine being cold, so I waited for the wine to heat up a little, but it made no real difference.  The flavors show how much a little Viognier (about 5%) can make – the apricot of Viognier is noticeable but not overt.  This unwooded wine will split the wine tasting visitor to this cellar door.  Some will really like it and others will not, and for me …..

2010 Chardonnay ($A25)

Now we are talking.  A Chardonnay with some smart French oak treatment.  There is extra complexity here that the oak brings to this classic grape variety.  Melons mixed with cedar and lovely acid here as well.  The mouthfeel also indicates some lees aging.  This wine is a beauty and brings me hope that the classical lightly wooded Chardonnay is not dead.

2009 War of the Rose Cabernet Rose ($A18)

I have had this wine before and I have been pleasantly surprised over the quality of this rose from Cabernet – not the usual grape variety for Rose.  The aromas of strawberries and a very clean wine with watermelon and blackcurrent fruit.  I hear this wine has not been made since and so I urge you to check it out.  I have had a few bottles during the heat of summer with some crusy bread and soft cheeses – Yum.

2010 Preservative Free Shiraz ($A20)

This wine is very interesting.  Ever heard that people do not drink red wine because they get head aches?  One train of thought about this is that the head aches are due to a wine preservative – sulphur dioxide.  This wine is produced with no wood contact – aging in the wood requires the sulphur dioxide to be added to the wine.  The wine has been made with no additives at all.  I thought the wine may have been like a light red with minimal tannins and character.  I could not have been more wrong.  I got cherries, blackberries and blueberry aromas and the same clean fruit flavors with much more tannins than expected.  If you have trouble with the additives in red wines then try this wine – it will not disappoint.

2009 Shiraz ($A25)

This is why McLaren Vale is known for producing high quality Shiraz.  The aromas were voluminous with plums and dusty French oak.  Here is the great mid palate that McLaren Vale is all about all the fruits from the aromas that just last right across the whole tasting experience right though to a long lasting length.  Yes, I enjoyed this wine.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($A25)

All that you expect from Cabernet – blackcurrent fruits all over the place.  Good acid length and the oak not being over done will mean the Cabernet lovers amongst us will enjoy this one.

2009 White Boar Shiraz ($A45)

An amarone style – the grapes are air dried to concentrate the grape sugars and flavors before the grapes are fermented.  From the few wines made in the style I have tasted, I notice a Current characteristic on both the aromas and flavors.  This wine continues this trend.  Everything about this wine is classy, concentrated flavors, smart use of oak, and good acid length means this wine is one to check out.

2010 Clarence Sticky Semillon ($A15 375mL)

The aromas were typical for this style – sweet tropical fruits with an apricot envelope.  The grass flavor is hear but the striking element of this wine is the level of acid.  The acid cleans the palate of the high levels of sugar so your mouth feels clean and ready for another sip.

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Lonely Grape TV Episode #81 d’Arenberg Shiraz Grenache

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Lonely Grape

A McLaren Vale icon d’Arenberg Red Stripe Shiraz Grenache. 2 of my favorite varieties at the moment. A joy to share with you and I hope you enjoy it too.

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McLaren Vale Wine – Fonthill Wines

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Lonely Grape

I first tried wine from Fonthill a few years ago when the owners were also running a restaurant in McLaren Vale (where the Vineyard Kitchen is currently operating from). It was obvious then that the wines were tailored for the restaurant – and why not when you run the restaurant as well. When the restaurant closed down the wines seemed to fall from the wine radar until now. The wines are being shown over the next month at the McLaren Vale Visitors Center. Why not check it out.

2008 Clare Valley Riesling ($A15)
From the Sevenhill sub region of the Clare Valley, this Riesling shows up front citrus peel characters (probably due to the wine showing some age) with the expected lime aromas one expects from this variety. the flavors continue in. The flavors bring on a lime hit and there is a softness which I believe is from some residual sugar. The wine is very soft and I expect a lot of people will like this – the slight sugar and soft characters. For me, I expect significantly more acid from this variety so it left me wanting more.

2006 Verdelho ($A12)
Here comes the The Mclaren Vale contingent of this lable – Verdelho from California Road has shown promise and I was looking forward to this. The aromas were non existent, which was probably due to how cold the wine was served. The flavors were also very light with melons and an unusual water melon rind character (which was probably due to the age of the wine). I can see this wine was made for the restaurant that the owners of Fonthill used to operate. I suggest the wine is past it’s best.

2002 Dust of Ages Grenache ($A25)
Again from California Road and my favorite variety, I was looking forward to a wine with some age. What I found was a wine that was past it’s best days. The Wien needed time to blow off some bottle stink to show some strawberries and general red fruits. The flavors showed some diminishing fruit with some classy oak treatment. I wish I tasted this wine a couple of years ago! If you have this wine, I suggest you drink it now. I also understand there is a new Grenache soon to be released and I suggest that it would be worth checking it out.

2004 Silk Shiraz ($A25)
Now we are looking at some thing interesting. A California Road Shiraz – there is some very good Shiraz made from along this road. Cherries and plum aromas with the same on the palate mixed with some good oak. Not your most complex wine but quite a nice drink.

2009 Shiraz Malbec ($A15)
The youngest wine of the group and one of the most interesting. Malbec has been blended with Shiraz for a long time by a small number of producers and I was also interested that this was a blend from Padthway and Clare Valley. For the price I found this wine to be good value. There was red fruits fruit cake as the aromas. The flavors could not be more different – black fruits, chocolate with an interesting minty finish. Not too many tannins here, but enough to provide a drying finish on the palate and teeth.
I consider this a buy of some interest and to be consumed quickly with most foods.

2005 Vale Mistelle Verdelho ($A15)
A product of wanting to provide a sweet wine for the restaurant trade, the wine is made by adding a small amount of spirit to stop the fermentation before all the sugar has been converted. I get aromas of lemon peel and pears – most interesting. Flavors of tropical fruits and orange blossom that has been dipped in caster sugar. The sugar is not over done here. I recon that many people would like this wine and at this price why not.

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