SARAH WINEHOUSE

The “New Generation Hunter Valley” is a joint venture in showcasing exquisite examples of wine up and down the coast of Australia. This involves the winemaking talents of 6 dedicated lads - David Hook (David Hook Wines), Andrew Thomas (Thomas) (pictured left), Rhys Eather (Meerea Park), Nick Paterson (Mistletoe), Mike De Iuliis (De Iuliis) and Andrew Margan (Margan).

These winemakers decided to settle down in the Hunter after working all over the world in wine for a good reason – the Hunter has its own high calibre, unique and distinct styles, that are really coming to the forefront Australian fine wines and grabbing great scores from Australia’s most renowned wine ciritics. Even though the Hunter Valley has played a critical role in Australia’s wine history, I believe its fame is still emerging and evolving – and these winemakers are on to it.

The New Generation Hunter wine gig in Sydney was held at the Global Gallery in Paddington last week. It was a lot of fun chatting with such friendly people from these wineries, and the place was packed out with a completely new, younger crowd of people you wouldn’t see at trade tastings. I decided to stick to tasting the reds as I love reds (which I often buy from South Australia or Victoria), and am already more familiar with the great Semillons and other white wines from the Hunter. Other people to responded about the whites and I heard they were all simply stunning.

Now straight to the wines on tasting:

SEMILLON – David Hook “Old Vines” 2011 ($25/bottle); Thomas Wines “Six Degrees” 2011 ($22); Thomas Wines “Braemore” 2011 ($28); Meerea Park “Hell Hole” 2010 ($25); Mistletoe “Home Vineyard” 2010 ($20); De Iuliis “Sunshine Vineyard” 2011 ($25); Margan Semillon 2011 ($18).

OTHER WHITES – David Hook “De Novo Bianco” 2011 ($30); Meerea Park “Alexander Munro Chardonnay” 2011 ($35); Mistletoe Verdelho 2011 ($20); De Iuliis Verdelho 2011 ($18); Margan Verdelho 2011 ($18).

SHIRAZ -

David Hook “Old Vines Shiraz” 2009 ($40/bottle) – Nose bit reserved (as in it’s youth and needs more age) but can still tell intensity. Palate spicy and savoury, juicy black fruits (think sweet blackberry). Finish very savoury.

Thomas Wines “Deja Vu Shiraz” 2009 ($30) - Lifted, floral aromas (think violets). Palate elegant and concentrated, with good acidity.

Thomas Wines “Kiss Shiraz” 2009 ($60) – One of my favourites Nose is quite complex, full of lifted violet, warm spices (think cinnamon) and concentrated plummy fruits and blackberry – all on the palate as well with slightly chalky tannins. Really nice, full texture and long finish. Put it away for a while and it will be so rewarding! I just looked up this wine in Halliday’s Wine Companion – this was rated 97pts, along with an ageing potential until 2050!

Meerea Park “Hell Hole Shiraz” 2009 ($55) - Love the name! Fragrant nose presenting red cherry and a hint of earthiness. Juicy palate (full of dark berries) that’s silky smooth. Lean, smooth structure and juicy-ness that lasts all through the length.

Meerea Park “Alexander Munro Shiraz” 2009 ($75) - Good solid Shiraz. Fragrant plums and black cherry. Silky palate, medium weight and good, balanced structure. Long finish. Drink in 5-20 years.

Mistletoe Shiraz 2009 ($30) – Nice, soft perfume. Bright fruits with some spice yet easy drinking. Pleasantly finishes with both sweet and savoury elements.

De Iuliis Shiraz 2010 ($25) – Nose bit reserved. Palate full body and flavour with lots of black fruits, supported by balancing oak and soft, slightly powdery tannin which finishes well.

De Iuliis “Limited Release Shiraz” 2009 ($60) - Full flavour – juicy dark fruits (red/black cherries, dark berries), leather and spice all intermingle beautifully. Smooth, good support and structure, all through the finish.

Margan Shiraz 2009 ($22) - Outstanding value for $22! Very concentrated and needs more time. Intense juicy black fruits, dark spices, and firm, fine tannins. Long finish. Has more to show with time.

OTHER REDS -

David Hook “De Novo Rosso” 2010 ($30) - Nose bit restrained (young wine) but definite perfume comes upfront. Sweet and spicy palate with good acid levels to perfectly accompany a wide range of foods (red meat, duck, Italian, etc). Tannins are soft and last through the finish.

Mistletoe “Barrel Fermented Rose” 2010 ($20)

Margan “Margan Cabernet Sauvignon” 2010 ($22) - On the nose definite herbal, sage characteristic. Savoury palate with black pepper and juicy fruits, with underlaying oak that has a touch of sweetness. Tannins provide a very firm grip. Wine to age a fair while.

I found basically all of the good Shirazes from the Hunter had this beautiful, floral aroma on the nose which really lifted the concentrated intensity of the wines, which was usually accompanied with enveloping silky-ness or prominent spicy notes. The wines taste great now, but all have some more age to be had in my opinion – so much is still to evolve from the shackles of youth…

Anyway, great tasting! Cheers.

So… I’ve recently returned from an amazing holiday in London. I also visited Monaco and South France where there is so much great fresh food (as long as you’re avoiding those tacky tourist burger joints)… & I look forward to seeing the rest of France soon…

I felt I lived part of an elite gastronome’s life, chauffeured across many great restaurants, eating until the wee hours of the morning and trying as much food as imaginable with the staff – only in the end to try as much vino as possible… I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and what it had to offer from the hospitality industry. My favourite wine/restaurant picks are as below (click on images for larger view):

Chateau de la Chevre d’Or (France) – stunning 2 Michelin star restaurant in a quaint castle, with spectacular panoramic views all around. As you walk to the restaurant it feels like you’re in Alice in Wonderland… Was this a dream? Everything was beautiful, lush and green, with immaculately tendered gardens layered down a steep mountain, life-size chess game, large bronze animals – horses, lions, deer… and of course water fountains.  I had wines from Burgundy/Gevrey-Chambertin and can’t remember the exact names but all the wine was good. Food was good too of course – even their vanilla ice cream was special, and full of fresh vanilla bean specs!

Petit la Maison (France, Nice) – we dined with the owner of the restaurant, Nicole, a fantastic lady and pleasure to meet. I haven’t been to the one in London but this one was really fun. We ate until about 4am in the crisp morning air while the restaurant was closed, and all tables and chairs were gone except ours so we had the restaurant to ourselves, sampling many a drink and dessert. Good wine list, again just had Burgundy wines. Nicole is a great chef (and all the staff are great too), and as busy as she always is, she doesn’t let a single dish go out without her checking it first, as well as every single bill. Great restaurant, with two giant porcelain bon-bons at the front.

Mas Provencal (France). Now this was a real visual treat! The whole restaurant was adorned with plants, orchids, big floral arrangements, with grapes, orchids and cherry tomatoes hanging everywhere – all real, and no inch of wall could be seen. They have an amazing super-chessy risotto, which a man serves out of a big cheese wheel steaming hot. A tonne of wine was consumed. Can’t remember the names, but it’s all good! The special wines list also came out on thin slabs of rock  for each wine (mainly Bordeaux first growths) linked by a single rod – pretty funky.

Essenza (London, Notting Hill) – Great Italian restaurant. I actually had one of my favourite wines of my whole trip – BATASIOLO, VIGNETO CEREQUIO, BAROLO, DOCG 2004 : Nebbiolo. Intense garnet red colour. Bouquet full of red berries & hints of tobacco or cigar box following through to a full, dry mouthfeel. Plush.. Dense red and black fruits, with soft spice. Good length and vibrant finish. Really ripe but supported by savoury characters. Around $50-75AU. Beautiful! http://www.batasiolo.com/

Mediterraneo (London, Notting Hill) – Italian restaurant and the older sibling of Essenza. Had ILICO ILLUMINATI, MONTEPOLUCIANO D’ABRUZZO, 2008: overall a delicious palate and great value wine in Australia – thus recommended as it over-delivers on quality Some lifted violet on the nose, and plush, dense fruit characters (think plums and blackberries), with brightness (think raspberries) in a full mouthfeel, soft tannins and good acidity to pair well with food. Very pleasant finish. http://www.illuminativini.com/

Pizza East (London, Notting Hill) is a great Italian restaurant with really satisfying fresh pizzas and grub. I had a great value wine from the restaurant’s list which was the ITYNERA, MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO, 2009: This wine was so easy to drink, but a medium weight red – very ripe and plush – great with food; Aromatic, full of berries and earthy notes, and a thick mouthfeel; good finish. Really great value quaffer at only around 10 Euros!

Cipriani’s / C (London, Mayfair) – really great Italian restaurant. Giuseppe Cipriani is a lovely person to meet and has done really well in all his restaurants, starting from Harry’s bar in Venice in the early 1930s. There are good wines on the list but for once I didn’t drink much wine. I had Bellinis as they are really outstanding there – of course because the drink was founded by Giuseppe at Harry’s Bar. It was so clean and refreshing – albeit went down a little too quickly!

Min Jiang (London) – is a Chinese restaurant around Kensington. There I had the CANNETO, VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO, 2006: Well rounded with expressive floral, feminine characters (think a lifted violet hue on the nose etc), soft spices with a ‘bit of a bite’ (black pepper), concentrated plush fruit (plums, blackberries and raspberries) and a hint of tobacco. Somehow the plush-ness of the wine went fine with the Chinese food, and didn’t overpower the cuisine. I later bought this wine at The Sampler wine store in Kensington, however it tasted differently like it needed more age – I didn’t have a decanter on me and it really does help open this wine up like they did in the restaurant. So, decanter you should… Around $20AU.

The Mitre (London) – I was quite surprised with this ‘by the glass’ wine – BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO ‘VOLPI’, 2009: For a casual place this is a good wine, possibly one of the best I’ve had by the glass at a pub. Good honest Italian wine – bright red and black fruit including cherry and blackberry, dark colour, good food-friendly acidity but also good on its own (unlike some Italian wines which some find hard to enjoy by themselves due to the austere acidity and tannin – however they are the perfect match with food). Around $10AU/glass.

Home House – club in London with a good red by the glass: AUGUSTINOS BIO BIO VALLEY, PINOT NOIR, CHILE, 2009 – Red & black fruits on the nose with deeper liquorice, leather and earthy characteristics (good for a wine by the glass at a bar, where Pinots can often be like a fruit bomb). Palate savoury with dense black fruits (like blackberry & black cherry), warm spice and a touch of black pepper, all enveloped in a smooth mouthfeel, with none of that ‘tarty acid’. Good example of Pinot from Chile.

Yauatcha, a nice Japanese restaurant (London) – had the PLANETA, CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA, SICILY ITALY, 2009, which they serve chilled. The red wine is a transparent ruby colour, with a fruity bouquet crammed full of strawberries, cherries, dry fig and raisins… The palate is full of these fruits, and also presents pleasant soft tannins followed by a pleasant acidity and round full mouthfeel. Nice, lean finish too.

Other good wines tried were at:

The Ebury, London – Saint Estephe, Chateau les ormes de pez, 1996;

Vinoteca Wine Bar, London – wide range of Spanish/Italian wines (as well as international);

Sake no Hana, London – Devil’s Corner, Pinot Noir, Tasmania, 2008, chilled & by the glass. I also had amazing sake there called Azumaichi – very easy to drink, rich, very soft/unique rolling feel in the mouth, semi-dry;

Kensington Wine Bar, London – tried a good amount of wines including a nice red under the name of Paul Pernot, 2008;

Berry Bros and Rudd, Wine Merchant, London – have a great selection of wines and I was lucky enough to have a tour of the underground wine cellars and rooms right underneath London city, which are beautiful;

Institute of Directors, London – good wine list with classic wines, I had Gevrey-Chambertin;

The Hilton Hotel, London – classic Penfolds Bin 128 at Freddie Flintoff’s charity ball – the table was filled with this never-ending juice!

I also added my favourite restaurants from this trip to my top restaurant page which are well worth a visit if you’re around the areas. Cheers!

   Spinifex winery from the Barossa… a reflection of all great things the Barossa can do in wines with Shiraz, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Mataro, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Semillon and Ugni Blanc. With the heavy emphasis of respecting the terroir, signature wines are created in synergistic blends – every single wine I’ve tried so far has exceeded my expectations for a good winery. The wines also represent the finesse of French wine styles and each has its own personality.

Furthermore all the wines are great value for price… These are the wines tried recently:

Spinifex ‘Lola’ Marsanne 2010: Delicate but definitive wine full of interesting characters on the nose and palate – think floral notes, almonds, nougat, pears, white nectarine and fresh acidity with firm, rounded texture and minerality. Overall a dry and complex white wine with a smooth finish. Rrp $20.

Spinifex Rosé 2010: A rosé wine made from Mataro, Cinsault, Grenache and Shiraz. Lovely salmon colour as opposed to the hot pink rosés that taste like a tarty fruit bomb! Fresh, vibrant palate with red fruits and savoury spices. Rrp $20.

Spinifex ‘Papillon’ 2009: A bright, aromatic, fresh red wine made from old vine Grenache, Cinsualt and Mataro. Nose – raspberries, red currants, red cherries, roses, spices and earthy notes; all also on the palate full of vibrant fruit, spices, a touch of wood and tannin dryness. Warm finish, long length. Rrp $24.

Spinifex ‘Espirit’ 2009: Deep, fragrant bouquet full of red fruits and spices, also on the palate, along with black fruits and plenty of texture and mouthfeel. Lovely, impressive wine with good solid finish… Great reviews and accolades from last year’s release. This is a personal favourite and a great table wine. Rrp $32.

Spinifex ‘Bete Noir’ 2009: Made from Shiraz. Rich, deep cocoa undertones with roasted characters (like mocha?), plums, blackberries and cedar, all enveloped super silky smooth mouthfeel and delicious bright acidity. Intense but somehow lightweight… Rrp $40.

Spinifex ‘Le Maline’ 2009: Shiraz Viognier. Dark and dense in colour. Aromatic with interesting complexity – ripe plums and berries, tobacco, leather, some exotic herbal notes and spices. Full body with red plums, dark fruits, leather and earthiness. Rich and silky. Dense but not heavy. Savoury finish with a touch of ripe fruit. Rrp $52.

Spinifex ‘Indigene’ 2009: Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache blend. Nose a little reserved but needs time to age. Again, aromatic with interesting complexity – sweet plum/cherries, fresh earth and touch of liquorice. Palate dark, earthy, rich, silky, with interesting leather and dark chocolate. Again, intense but not heavy. Great length. Rrp $52.

Spinifex ‘Le Chemin’ 2009: Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz, Carignan, Cinsault… A fantastic blend! Nose full of dark fruits and spices, blackberries and cherries. Palate bright and juicy with red fruits but prominent savoury spices and highly satisfying texture. Length is consistent and very good. Rrp $64.

Spinifex ‘Tabor’ 2009: Mataro. Nose reserved but needs age, can tell it’s lovely with leather and black juicy fruits. Palate is quite ripe even though needs to age. Rrp $75 (Sold Out at cellar door).

Spinifex ‘Valee des Roches’ 2009: single site Shiraz from Barossa. Fragrant nose, full but delicate. This is a powerful wine which has spices noticeable straight away, but overall soft, firm, and tannins have a good grip. Definitely for the cellar! Rrp $85.

All these wines were stunning and very impressive, especially with having a wide range of wines all displaying obvious care in winemaking. The reds will age well and I would love to see how they all are in 3+ years. I bought a few cases of the Spinifex Espirit from last year’s release and it’s sensational – drinking beautifully now but also very cellar worthy, although it’s hard to resist not touching the remaining bottles now. Anyway, hope you enjoy them as much as I do… Each wine has it’s unique focus so it’s worth trying wines across their whole range. http://www.spinifexwines.com.au/

Cheers!

Established in 2002, Tapanappa wines are owned by Brian Croser (famous for distinguished winemaking and formerly of Petaluma), Jean-Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch-Bages in Pauillac and Société Jacques Bollinger, the parent company of Champagne Bollinger. As you can imagine such expertise coming together quickly reached icon status in this 5-star (from Halliday) winery venture (http://www.tapanappawines.com.au/).

Tapanappa wines were presented at this month’s Wine Ark tasting (http://www.wine-ark.com.au/)  (along with Torbreck wines and Dom du Pegau – what a treat!). All the wines display “old world” (in this case, French) fine winemaking skills seamlessly integrated into the unique Australian terroir (terroir, pronounced “te wah”, is a French word that describes the unique aspects of a vineyard (in terms of geology, geography and climate) that influence the characters of the wine made from it). The result? Iconic Australian wines of distinction, made with minimal intervention, expressing each individual vineyard site. Tapanappa is located at the Whalebone vineyard in Wrattonbully, the Tiers Vineyard in Piccadilly and the Foggy Hill Vineyard in Fleurieu Peninsula. Their wines are single vineyard expressions of these sights. Tasting notes:

Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay (Piccadilly Valley) 2008 – Intense and prominent fruit flavour (white nectarine, peach) with elegant acidity and seamlessly integrated oak which adds to the body and texture/mouthfeel. Along with the fruit flavour there’s also a savoury element that balances the whole wine. Great length. Rrp around $80. Cellar up to 10 years, but is drinking beautifully from now.

Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot Noir (Fleurieu Peninsula) 2009 – My personal favourite! Hint of something floral on the nose, intense red and black fruits with good depth of the black fruits and spices (think liqorice and anise), with silky, savoury tannins and good length. Strong but smooth and elegant – Iron fist in a velvet glove… rrp around $50.

Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard (Wrattonbully) Merlot 2006 – Concentrated red fruits and plums with hints of fresh earth, savoury spice and herbal characters. Tannins provide a prominent grip while wine remains plush. Rrp around $70.

Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard (Wrattonbully) Cabernet Shiraz 2006 – Savoury characters with mulberry and blackberry, silky smoothness but with full body and flavour. Rrp around $70.

These wines compliment any wine collection or make a great gift of something special and unique as only limited amounts are made. Cheers!

   Rymill wines (http://www.rymill.com.au/) present great value, seamless ageing, and plenty of flavour across their range. In particular I’m mentioning the mc2 wines – a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that’s rich, elegant and silky smooth. Rymill’s mc2 was stated “best buy under $20. Highly recommended” by Gourmet Traveller Wine last year (Peter Bourne). Being from Coonawarra this provides classic terroir for great quality Cabernet and other varieties. Rymill’s straight Cabernet Sauvignon also shows well across every vintage.

Overall tasting notes for the Rymill mc2 1999, 2000 and 2001: Really presents its elegance but with no sharpness that can come from a lot of young cabernet wines. Nose is lifted with violet and raspberry, with black fruit and plums. Palate has ripe plums upfront enveloped in subtle, silky and chalky tannins that give a slight grip to the wine, with dark chocolate and subtle spices such as black pepper and cinnamon, oak is well integrated and adds to smoothness of the wine through to a decent finish. Great for those who find straight cabernet wines a little too astringent – this is a good quality cabernet blend that’s very approachable and versatile. Can cellar well in the medium term, especially for a $20 wine.

Rymill Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 – Nose complex with sweetness. Palate upfront plums and earthiness with leather, oak and blackberries, through to a smooth and pleasant finish. Drinking even now, but I think as it was cellared correctly.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 – Nose more vibrant than 1990. Plenty of red fruits on nose and palate, with savoury complexity and silky tannins. Drinking now with plenty of secondary characters.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 – Hint of cedar, aniseed and plums on the nose with a pleasant palate, soft tannins and good mouthfeel. This would be the last year to drink it.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 – Nose bit lifted and aromatic, with dark characteristics such as licorice and blackberries, as well as rhubarb and delicate spices. Palate rich with red and black fruits, cocoa and velvety tannins that are soft like the 1997 but a little more vibrant. Smooth finish with an old fashioned feel without the wine falling over.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 – Hint of mocha on the nose with earthy and leather characteristics and a little bit of lifted complexity. Palate plenty of juicy (from the acid) plums and blackberries, with savoury, delicate spices and tannins well integrated to a smooth finish.

If you are interested in these wines they may still be available at great prices through http://www.wineiq.com/ via a personal wine broker to help you.

Cheers!

Last week Emmilou  hosted another wine dinner (http://www.emmilou.com.au/), matched to Stockman’s Ridge Wines from Orange (http://www.stockmansridge.com.au/). As people turned up we started trying the wines immediately and got some quiet time with the winemaker, Jonathan, before the place filled up. He makes wine without formal winemaking education and lab testings, and instead just uses his primal wine instincts. Stockman’s Ridge are a reasonably young/lesser known winery yet the diners really got into talking about them all night (perhaps the bountiful amount of booze flowing around also helped Food was delicious as usual, and usually I’m not a huge fan of small dishes coming out periodically that make me feel anorexic, but this dinner left me feeling well fed! Menu with Stockman’s Ridge wines matched on the night:

Seared scallops, marinated prawns, Champagne sauce and Crispy leek – accompanied with the Pinot Gris: Very fresh pinot gris with plenty of citrus and crisp pear, good texture and mouthfeel to the wine, with the finish not harsh like some around this price point. Rrp about $20/bottle.

Jamon Serrano with Fresh Figs, Walnuts and Truffle Honey – accompanied with the Rider Zinfandel 2009:  Very approachable red wine – Great for anyone actually getting into red wine. Zinfandel is a very popular variety in America but there is not much grown in Australia at present. Attractive perfumed nose with floral notes, berries and sweet rhubarb. Palate light and fruity with red berries, soft tannins and a hint of herbs and spice which adds some dimension. Rrp around $20 per bottle. Can stick it in the cellar for some more years, but it’s very drinkable now. Emmilou already serves their Zinfandel by the glass.

16-Hour Pork Belly with Apple Coleslaw – accompanied with the Rider Merlot Cabernet Franc 2009: Has no sharpness that can come from elegant, austere wines. Nose is lifted with violet, raspberry, black fruit and plums. Palate has plums enveloped in subtle, silky and chalky tannins that give a slight grip to the wine, with subtle spices such as black pepper and cinnamon, oak is well integrated and adds to smoothness of the wine through to a decent finish. Great for those who find cabernet wines a little too astringent – this is a cabernet that’s very approachable. Rrp around $20/bottle.

Seared Blue Eye Trevalla, Braised Beef Short Rib, Asparagus and ‘Bacalao’ – accompanied with the Rider Shiraz 2008: This wine’s won 5 Gold, 5 Silver and 8 Bronze medals. Aromas of warm spices, dark berries, plums and cherries with some toasty character. Palate savoury and warm, with silky tannins well integrated into the wine, and concentrated red and black fruits. Rrp $25/bottle.

Trago River Blue Cheese with Guava Paste, Quince and Date Brioche – accompanied with the Outlaw Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: Full Cabernet style. Herbaceous and blackberry characters on the nose. Palate juicy with plenty of acidity and dark fruits, slightly grippy tannins and overall savoury character lasting through the length.

Instead of having the winemakers/reps stand and talk (and doing so while some tipsy patrons keep talking), the winemaker was going conversing around with each table separately so we could all ask questions and share entertaining stories… Both Emmilou restaurant and Stockman’s Ridge wines presented a fun and entertaining night. If you’re looking for a good value emerging winery from Orange it may fancy you to check out Stockman’s Ridge. And in the meantime I’ll tuck into Emmilou for some more soul-nourishing grub! Look forward to next time…

Cheers!

   I tried this variety at a Wine Ark tasting (http://wine-ark.com.au/) a while ago now and was suddenly drawn into this lesser-known grape variety from Italy. It was like getting bitten by the Pinot bug… Like a whole world opened up to me that I previously hadn’t got into – absolutely delicious! This was a 2004 Bressan Schippettino – vibrant and elegant. Had it again at the new wine bar, 121 BC / Vini (http://www.vini.com.au/), in Surry Hills where they stock it – worth a try (both the wine and the bar!).

   Bressan Schioppettino 2004 – Rarely seen in Australia is this wine from Friuli in northeast Italy. A pure, mouth-watering example of the hard to cultivate Schioppettino variety from Italy. Starting with a complex bouquet of aromatic wood, musk, lots of wild mixed berries and a whiff of cigar box, these characters then follow through the palate packed with flavour – but not jammy or over the top. This is all enveloped in velvety mouth feel, medium-body and a vibrant, long finish. Age has really let time do it’s thing, letting complexity evolve and soften but still remaining powerful – Excellent drinking now and over the next few years…

Cheers!

On a recent Wine Ark tasting (http://www.wine-ark.com.au/), winemaker David Paxton presented his wines with witty humour and a great response. As they say, “You can never go wrong with McLaren Vale” – yet he goes further than just good wine, exporting to many countries overseas and already grabbing 5 stars from Halliday’s winery ratings.  For the greenies, Paxton has also become the first member of 1% For the Planet (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org). Full biodynamic principles are embraced in Paxton wines which means nutrient-rich, healthy soils for the vines to grow from.

The wines on tasting were deeply appreciated, including the Elizabeth Jean Shiraz (very old fashioned and savoury characters, only 100 cases made in her name (D. Paxton’s mother), complete elegance), Jones Block Shiraz (vibrant, fruity shiraz with mocha, licorice and dark chocolate) and the AAA Shiraz Grenache, as below:

AAA McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache, 2008 – I found the Shiraz Grenache outstanding value. Can drink now but it has way more to offer if you let it age over at least another 2 years. Nose is lifted, opulent and bright with red cherries and raspberries – but no where near a tacky fruit bomb (i.e. overly sweet). Palate has red cherries, warm christmas cake spices, very silky tannins, smooth oak and an elegant finish. Simply delicious! Great balance in a wine especially for $23 rrp, and being such a great wine this will age until 2020+. 14.5% alc.

Keep an eye out for these wines! http://www.paxtonvineyards.com/   (There’s also a little clip about them on their homepage)

Cheers.

 “You see it sitting on the dining table in front of you. It is captivating, alluring, and you have been known to worship it from time to time. It nestles into your hand as though it has been crafted for you and you alone, and as you pour it into the glass and savour its aromas, you know you are going to remember this moment. As you take your first sip of the dark, velvety liquid you find yourself transcending time and space, absorbed by what took place to bring this bottle to your table…“ Craig Summerfield 2005

This is exactly how I feel about wine – Good wine. And Summerfield from Pyrenees is no exception (http://www.summerfieldwines.com/). Awarded 5 Stars from Halliday, the red wines from Summerfield all show a lifted, opulent nose combined with deep intense characters such as plum, mocha, oak and concentrated black and red fruits.

Mark Summerfield presented his wines at the Australian Museum Wine Ark tasting with an overwhelming response. Instead of following the strict rules of winemaking with chemical and pH analysis and tests, Mark is one that never attended a winemaking course and chews his grapes non-stop to determine the exact time to pick and make his wine. His technique has resulted in excellently reviewed wines, all presenting richness, elegance and luxurious balance. If I had to choose, these three wines were my top picks:

Summerfield Tradition 2008 - Shiraz (51%) Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) Merlot (18%) Cabernet Franc (8%) – lifted blueberry and violet characters combined with deep intense characters of plum, mocha, oak and concentrated black and red fruits. On the palate, all the same characters in concentration with warm spices and soft tannins, all in a long lasting finish. Drink or cellar up to 12+ years. Great value. Rrp $27. 

Summerfield Cabernet 2008 - Vibrant but lifted nose including violet, black fruits and vanillin oak with a hint of chocolate. Palate concentrated but soft and without the harshness that many cabernets below $30 have: intense plums, red fruits and black currant with deep complexity involving vanilla, spice, well integrated tannins, and a good rounded finish. Can drink or cellar up to 15 years… Great value. Rrp $27.

Summerfield Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - Outstanding wine. Aromas of dark cherries, oak, black fruits and cocoa. Really plush palate of blackberries and mulberries with seamlessly integrated tannins and warm spices. Can drink from next year or cellar up to 15+ years. Rrp $50.

Cheers!

Recently went to Single Vineyard Sellers’ (http://www.singlevineyards.com/) tasting at the Hilton hotel, Sydney. With nearly 200 wines on tasting, there was a lot to taste with properly tasting each wine - 3 hours into the tasting I realised I wasn’t even halfway through! Many wines showed this and that, but one of the wineries I noticed was Dandelion Vineyards (www.dandelionvineyards.com.au/). I kept noticing their finesse and strength in their elegance in their Rieslings without looking at the labels. Upon getting around to the reds in tasting I also noticed their bold, powerful Shiraz, and again Dandelion Vineyards showed up on the labels…

They’re not a greatly famous winery, yet… I just read now that James Halliday has just included them in his top 10 best new wineries of 2011, in which he reviews: “Dandelion Vineyards: McLaren Vale/Barossa Valley, SA … The wines range from conventional to unconventional. In the former category, the trophy-winning 2009 Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling. Unconventional is the 2007 Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale Shiraz, which is co-fermented with riesling. Everyone involved in the venture has a (real) day job that allows them the luxury of making small quantities of genuinely exciting wines.”

I also tried Paddy Borthwick wines from Wairarapa NZ. Paddy Borthwick’s international winemaking years certainly show in his impressively crafted boutique wines. In particular I enjoyed their elegant style pinot noir that leans away from the popular, sometimes overly fruity style (www.borthwick.co.nz/). These were in my top picks from the tasting:

Dandelion Vineyards – Wonderland of the Eden Valley 2010 - From their oldest Riesling vineyard. Nose is attractive and unobstructive – green apple, lime and floral notes. Palate overall clean stone fruit, citrus and lime, followed by a good finish with elegant, smooth minerality and lean acidity. rrp about $29.

Dandelion Vineyards – Red Queen of the Eden Valley Shiraz 2008 - A rich wine. Full of concentrated plums, raspberries, blackberries and prominent, firm, silky tannins with savoury and dark chocolate characters. Good length. Finish a little lean, has a lot more to show more with age. Should cellar for at least 5-10 years. rrp about $63.

Paddy Borthwick – Pinot Noir 2008 - Burgundian/elegant style pinot… Lifted bouquet on the nose, full of red cherries and black fruits. Complex palate with intensity of fruit alongside tobacco, spices and very silky tannins. Vibrant characters through to the finish, which sits beautifully. rrp about $48.
Cheers!