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AN INDEPTH LOOK AT SOME STUNNING 2009 VINTAGE
RIESLINGS
GREAT WINE RELEASES Boccaccio e-newsletter 2nd February Hi everyone, It is hard to think of a more versatile grape
than Riesling: it is grown successfully all over the world, from the Americas
to Albania to Austria and most importantly Australia. Whilst the recent trend
in Australian Riesling has been to mimic that great off-dry and sweet German Rieslings,
our best wines are made in a bone-dry mouth watering style. These wines not
only drink well in their youth, but they age a treat – from ten to twenty
plus years. This week we take a close look at some stunning
new release 2009 vintage Rieslings from around Australia. Whilst there are a
number of new Rieslings’ being released in Australia (it seems almost every
day if we read all the press releases), it is very hard to go past our long
term favourites in Petaluma, Heggies, Frankland Estate and Pewsey Vale. This
for me says something about vineyard site, vine age and the skill of those in
charge of making those great wines. Furthermore, if I had to pick one 2009
vintage Riesling to take with me on a deserted island it would be the 2009 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling which
is a world class example of how good Riesling can be. It deservedly wears
this week’s title as our ‘feature release’. If your thinking about mixing up some of the
wines, we have an added incentive this week and for every 11 bottles you buy
(straight or mixed) of the Rieslings featured below, we will throw in a
bottle of the Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2004 (which is drinking a treat
at the moment) free of charge!! Salute!! Take your time and enjoy this week’s
e-newsletter. Next week we turn our attention to some top class
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from around Australia. FREIGHT LOGISTICS AND TRASPORT Over the last few months we have been trialling
different freight companies to see if there is a better alternative to our
current provider Australia Post. The short answer is that we do not think
there is but we will now be offering customers the option of shipping with
another company. In this case, Fastways is going to be our alternative fright
supplier. As we upgrade our website in the next 6 months, this option will be
available to ‘select’ when you checkout. For the time being, if you prefer to
ship with Fastways you now can and just ask for your wine to be ‘shipped via
Fastways’ in the special instructions and we will do so. How is that for
service?!! Cheers, Anthony D'Anna Boccaccio Cellars Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/anthonydanna Seppelt Drumborg Riesling 2009 The track record of this wine leaves no doubt it will develop slowly
but superbly; it is perfectly balanced and has extreme length, with lime and
apple flavours building to a crescendo on the finish. Screwcap. 96 points Drink 2024 James Halliday Amazing purity of fruit; it really has you smelling and swirling this
wine. Initially the palate is quite closed but it does open up with intense
lemon, green apple, bone-jarring acidity and just seems to go on and on. The
best 2009 vintage Australian Riesling on the market. Drink now and then leave
for 10-15 years. 96 points Anthony
D’Anna The Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard was first planted in 1964 after extensive
research had been conducted in this distinctively cool mainland area. At the
time Seppelt took a considerable risk in producing table wine varieties in
such cold climatic conditions in Victoria. The closest vineyard at this time
were in Coonawarra, which is 120 kilometres to the North West. Today, the
Drumborg Vineyards still remains one of the most southerly vineyards in
mainland Australia. The Drumborg Vineyard was planted for the express purpose
of supplying Seppelt with cool climate fruit. Drumborg was envisaged, created
and developed to be one of the premium table wine and sparkling vineyards for
the Seppelt portfolio. This is one of the coolest wine growing regions on the
Australian mainland, influenced heavily by the currents from Antarctica.
However, the ample sunshine during the day result in a growing climate not
unlike that of Northern European regions such as the Rhine Valley. Crisp and fresh on the palate, this is a wine
that is drinking superbly now, but if cellared correctly will last for many
years to come. The palate shows orange and lemon blossom flavours with good
acidity and structure giving rise to a long, juicy finish. This is a perfect
wine to accompany food. The focus during vinification was to maximise clean
fruit intensity. This was achieved by transporting the fruit to the winery in
small batches and then processing it quickly to prevent oxidisation. Cold
fermentation of the wine took place in stainless steel. A superb riesling
that is exceptional value for money, and will stack up against the best in
the world. SEPPELT DRUMBORG RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR
$29.99 A BOTTLE. OTHER WINES ON OFFER: AN INDEPTH LOOK AT 2009 VINTAGE RIESLING FROM
AROUND AUSTRALIA BONUS: BUY ANY STRAIGHT OR MIXED 11 BOTTLES
OF RIESLING FEATURED BELOW AND WE WILL THROW IN A BOTTLE OF JIM BARRY LODGE
HILL RIESLING 2004 FREE OF CHARGE!! Clonakilla Canberra District Riesling
2009 The summer of 2009 was a belter, even so the cool Murrumbateman nights
worked in our favour, slowing the ripening and producing fruit with complex,
delicate aromas and perfectly balanced natural acids. A fine, pure aroma of
summer herbs and white flowers with citrus and stone fruit notes in the
background. Plenty of ripe fruit on the palate with a clean, zesty finish. "Terrific wine. Tart with lime juice and
lemon sherbert. Chalky and fennel-like through the finish. Lots of length,
and a touch of grip. Heaps of aroma. Seriously dry. Incredibly pure. The
flavour flows like adjectives. Or superlatives. On and on. Reckon I might be
a fan of this. Rated : 94 Points"
- Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, July 21, 2009 CLONAKILLA CANBERRA DISTRICT RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST
STOCKS LAST FOR $26.99 A BOTTLE. Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge
Riesling 2009 Wonderful Riesling. This wine has penetrating acidity, fantastic depth
and the structure to handle some medium term ageing. Again the Isolation Ridge
vineyard rises again and this is one of Australia's premier Riesling
vineyards. 93 points Anthony D'Anna The Isolation Ridge vineyard at Frankland Estate is farmed under
organic principles, we believe this highlights the flavours that are achieved
from the unique soils and climate the wine is grown in. The vineyard is
planted on undulating northern and eastern facing slopes and the duplex soils
of ironstone gravel over loam over a clay sub-soil. The vines are from two
different clones, the Geisenheim and Rhine Riesling, planted in 1988. Both
Scott Henry and Vertical Shoot trellis systems are used. The low slow ripening periods typical of the Frankland region allow
maximum flavour developments while maintaining the distinctive racy acidity
and dry finish for which riesling is renowned. These distinctive wines are totally different from any other
Australian wines I have tasted. What sets them apart is an underlying
singular graphite-like character that gives them an earthy 'terroir' driven
quality in both the aromatics and flavours of these wines. Robert Parker; The Wine Advocate Judi Cullam is a tireless champion of riesling
and terroir, thus it's wholly fitting that this exemplary wine should come
from estate vines that are nearly 20 years old. James Halliday's FRANKLAND ESTATE ISOLATION RIDGE RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST
STOCKS LAST FOR $25.99 A BOTTLE. Heggies Eden Valley Riesling 2009 Royal Queensland Wine Show
2009 GOLD MEDAL The Royal Queensland Wine Show is one of Australia’s oldest, most
prestigious and highly-contested wine shows. The first of the annual national
wine shows held in capital cities across Australia, the show allows
Australia’s best wine producers to showcase the new season’s vintage. It's a little-known fact that the history of winegrowing in the Eden
Valley region dates back just as far as the neighbouring Barossa Valley.
Joseph Gilbert, ancestor of contemporary Mudgee winemaker Simon Gilbert,
planted Pewsey Valley in 1847, the same year Johann Gramp started Orlando.
Pewsey Vale went out of production in the early part of the 20th century but
was replanted by Yalumba in the 1960s, beginning in '61. A few years later,
Heggies was also developed by Yalumba in the same locality. both have carved
their fame with the Riesling. Heggies began with the '79 vintage. Today they are both fine examples of the understated, minerally,
long-ageing Eden Valley Riesling style, but are subtly different. Yalumba
senoir white-winemaker Louisa Rose sees Heggies as a tighter, more steely
style than Pewsey, leaning towards green-apple flavours. "It's a
slightly higher, cooler site, and the grapes ripen at a lower sugar
level," she says. Heggies is a single vineyard in the Eden Valley
where the 'terroir' is encouraged to produce the distinctive Heggies wine
styles. The soil is a thin layer of grey sandy loam over clay and decomposed
rock - and vines compete vigorously for moisture and nutrient. An altitude of
550 m above sea level, 787 mm of annual rain, plus innovative viticultural
practises produce wines of an extremely high quality. HEGGIES EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
FOR $15.99 A BOTTLE. Mitchell Watervale Riesling 2009 In 1975 Jane and Andrew Mitchell established the
Mitchell Winery, situated on their family property in the western hills of
the Clare Valley in South Australia. The property has three vineyards, which
are located in Watervale and Sevenhill with both of the sites having an
altitude of 300-400 meters. MITCHELL WATERVALE RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
FOR $19.99 A BOTTLE. Petaluma
Hanlin Hill Riesling 2009 DOUBLE TAKE: Petaluma Clare
Valley Hanlin Hill Riesling 2009 By Gary Walsh and Campbell Mattinson, The
Wine Front WALSH: Looks like it’s my turn to kick off this Double Take. No
problem for me: I’m excellent at dribbling. I tasted this in a bracket of five
2009 Clare Valley Rieslings over not one, but two days and I have a feeling
that the old boy and I will be pretty closely aligned on this one. It’s a
good Petaluma and I like it. It’s of a clean and pure nature with pretty
things like orange blossom and aniseed sprayed ’round its lemon head. Not a
bitey acidic wine, rather softer, but still tight. It has very good length
and a most attractive chalkiness lending textural interest. I think it will
age well over the medium term and improve slightly in the shorter one. 92+ from me, although 93 would be fine
too. Gary Walsh MATTINSON:I had this around the 94 mark at first
though I dropped it back a touch later. It’s like drinking pure lime juice,
though that chalkiness through the finish helps to soften it. Seriously crisp
and intense. No idea really how it will age, though I would (even given the
quality) be drinking this over the next couple of years. The more you drink
it the more simple it seems - not unusual for a young riesling of course, but
if it’s going to age well I’d like it to be more piercing. Gorgeous wine to
drink young though - for definite. Rated : 92+/93 Points Campbell Mattinson PETALUMA HANLIN HILL RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
FOR $21.99 A BOTTLE. Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2009 Pretty bath talc, vanilla and lime with some
green apple and flinty stony bits.
It’s a gentle wine that feels natural and unforced with plenty of
fruity flavour, gentle but bright acidity and excellent length of flavour.
Good now. Good later. Enough said.. Drink : 2010 - 2020 94 POINTS Gary Walsh,
The Wine Front The Advantages of Altitude With an altitude
varying between 485 metres and 500 metres, Pewsey Vale sits 250 metres above
the Barossa Valley floor. The cooler temperatures found at this height
encourage a longer ripening period which extends well into autumn. This
longer ripening period is essential for producing superior quality grapes
with exceptional flavour and character - hallmarks of Pewsey Vale wines.
Block to block variation enables winemakers to select from separate parcels
of fruit to tailor wines to the Pewsey Vale style, ensuring consistency from
vintage to vintage PEWSEY VALE EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS
LAST FOR $15.99 A BOTTLE. Skillogalee Clare Valley Riesling 2009 The vineyards were planted in the early 1970s on what was then, at
almost 500 metres above sea level, one of the highest vineyards in South
Australia. The rows are planted on the contour in shallow stony soils mainly
on steep eastern facing slopes. The vines are hand pruned and the fruit is
mainly hand-picked. Yields are extremely low but the vineyard produces intense
flavours and aromas and deep richly coloured reds. This dry white wine was made from hand-picked Riesling fruit from low
yielding vines which grow on the highest slopes of the vineyard at
Skillogalee (about 500 metres above sea level). The vines are hand-pruned and
the fruit is hand-picked. On the nose there are lively fresh lime citrus
aromas with hints of perfume and bath-powder. The palate has intense fruit
flavours balanced by refreshing acidity giving a crisp, dry, lingering
finish. Drink now with seafood or white meat dishes or cellar for about 7 to
10 years. Skillogalee SKILLOGALEE CLARE VALLEY RIESLING 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS
LAST FOR $18.99 LAST CALL ON MULTI TROPHY WINNER RINGBOLT
MARGARET RIVER CAB SAUV 07 Ringbolt Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon - Macquarie Royal Sydney Wine Show
2009 Gold Medal - Macquarie Royal Sydney Wine Show 2009 Margaret River is about 100 kilometres long and runs north-south. This
means the south is slightly cooler (temperature-wise) than the north, a
difference you can often taste in the wines: the northern-end wines are
sweeter and riper. This wine is from near the middle, though it tastes
cooler. Buy the best piece of lamb you can afford, roast it up and serve it
with this little beauty – we guarantee you will be onto a winner. It’s
gravelly and grainy and perhaps a little herbal, but with a lamb roast all
those flavours would go down a treat. The wine isn’t unripe; it’s curranty
and pure and flows nicely along your tongue. Classy. Drink 2009 - 2013;
Price: $24.95 Alcohol: 14.5. Seal: Cork; Score: 91 Points; The Big Red Wine
Book; Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh. It’s enlightening as a winemaker to be able work
with a great expression of Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia - Margaret River.
The wines from this region are quite distinctive and this award for Ringbolt
is testament to the strength of the 2007 vintage in Margaret River and the
meticulous efforts of our partner growers. Peter Gambetta, Winemaker RINGBOLT MARGARET RIVER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 (C) IS AVAILABLE
WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $18.99 A BOTTLE. HIGHLIGHTS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS: Bellarmine Estate Pemberton
Shiraz 2008 While it has only been three vintages under its belt, startin with the
2005 (2006 was not made due to vintage rain), Bellarmine Shiraz has cemented
its position as a high-quality cool climate style. The 2008 vintage has an
extra element of damson, plum and cherry sitting alongside the core of
blackberry, licorice and spice. 15% alc Drink to 2028. 96 points James
Halliday, The Weekend Australian 22nd August 2009 When German doctor Dr Willi Schumacher and his wife Gudrun began
searching the world for a place outside Germany to establish a vineyard, they
could have had no idea they would end up choosing a site in the Pemberton
region of Western Australia. It is a beautiful part of the country, with
massive eucalypts attesting to the generous rainfall and usually fertile and
well-drained soil. But even by Australian standards, it is a long way from
anywhere, and the amount of wine/lifestyle tourism is low. That said, the
Schumachers have no reason to doubt their decision to choose Pemberton, and
more specifically, to choose the site for their 20-hectare vineyard. It is
situated on a ridge of gravelly, lateritic soil, and the excess vigour that
makes life difficult for some vineyards in the region is not a problem. Right from the outset I have been an unabashed admirer of the
ever-elegant style of the Bellarmine wines, led by its rieslings. Originally
there were two: Riesling and Riesling Dry, but in 2006, at the request of the
Schumachers, a Riesling Auslese was added. .....All three are sent back (with
screwcaps) – exported doesn’t seem quite the right word – to Germany and sold
there by the Schumachers. Herein lies an explanation for the exceptional
value the wines offer. The reluctance of the German market to pay a
reasonable amount for high-quality riesling has led many German winemakers to
export much of their production. I recently attended a vertical tasting of the Bellarmine rieslings,
chardonnays and shirazes. The rieslings may be the flagbearers, but the
chardonnays and shirazes are also impressive. The chardonnays are equally
elegant, but the shirazes may yet be the best of all. Deeply coloured,
wonderfully fragrant, they are archetypal cool-climate styles and intensely
flavoured. Black fruits, spice, pepper and a touch of licorice do the
talking, and will do so for decades to come. James Halliday Bellarmine Wines produces a range of individual wines made from grapes
grown on its picturesque estate in the cool climate region of Pemberton,
Western Australia. The vineyard was planted in 2000 and is owned by German doctor, Dr
Willi Schumacher and his wife Gudrun Schumacher. The Schumachers are
passionate about great wine and searched the world for a place to plant vines
before they chose what has become the Bellarmine property. Bellarmine
vineyard is 20 hectares in size. Varieties planted include Riesling,
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
The vines sit on an elevated site 220 metres above sea level. Sand dunes
located on the south coast about 50km away can be seen from the vineyard.
Soils are gravel laterite. Irrigation is used very rarely in this high
rainfall area. Ever since the first vintage in 2004, Bellarmine has
consistently produced stunning wines. Bellarmine Wines is rated 5 stars out
of five by renowned wine writer James Halliday in his 2009 Wine Companion. BELLARMINE ESTATE PEMBERTON SHIRAZ 2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS
FOR A SPECIAL PRICE OF $20.75 A BOTTLE. MUSEUM RELEASE OF A MULTI-TROPHY WINNER AT CURRENT RELEASES PRICES St Hallett Eden Valley
Riesling 2005 2006 Royal
Hobart Wine Show —Gold Medal 2006 Sydney
Royal Wine Show —Gold Medal TROPHY
For The Best Aromatic White 2009 Royal Melbourne Wine
Show 30/10/09/09 One of St
Hallett's recent museum releases is available in very limited lots in select
restaurants, but if you see one drink it for its glorious developing
toastiness and smoky nose, yet still pristine palate showing beautiful talc
and minerals, lemon-lime fruit and crisp apple crunch. Excellent. Tony
Love Adelaide Advertiser, 12 August 2009 A re-release of
Eden Valley riesling with four years in the bottle, this shows the interest
age can bestow on this outstanding white-wine variety. The nose shows evolving
richness, with lemon, spice, lime and minerally notes. It has lovely texture,
with elegant, zesty flavours and a savoury, toasty touch, finishing tangy and
clean. 5 STARS Epicure – The AGE 4th August 09 Ralph Kyte
Powell The
Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide —92 points 100 Best
Australian Wines 2006 (Matthew Jukes) —Top 100 Attractive
tropical lime aromas; generous palate, with rich passionfruit and lime juice
flavours; very good length and finish. Gold medal Sydney Wine Show '06.
Screwcap. Rating 94 Drink 2010 Release Price $19 Date Tasted Feb 06 James
Halliday Nothing succeeds
like success, St Hallett has now merged with Tatachilla to form Banksia
Wines, which will provide significant economies of scale while keeping the
character and identity of the brands separate. St Hallett understandably
continues to ride the Shiraz fashion wave, but all its wines are honest and
well-priced. It has established its own distribution network in the UK, and
actively exports to Europe, North America and Asia. James Halliday The Eden Valley,
situated in the hills region of Barossa is Australia's most celebrated area
for the growing of the Riesling grape. The combination of warm days and cool
nights contributes to a long, slow ripening period, typically producing a
crisp, firm, austere style with powerful lime and lemon citrus flavours. Only the finest
parcels of grapes from our Eden Valley growers are chosen for this wine, with
all fruit handpicked and then immediately crushed, cool fermented and bottled
so as to retain the fresh aromatic flavours of the variety. Typically the St Hallett Eden Valley Riesling
displays lifted floral and lime blossom characters on the nose which follow
through onto the palate which is crisp and fine. Supported by a refreshing,
steely acidity this wine is an ideal accompaniment to seafood, in particular
freshly shucked oysters. Alternatively if cellared for five to eight years
the wine will develop a rich toasty character. ST HALLETT EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2005
(S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LASTS FOR $18.99 A BOTTLE. AUSSIE SAUV BLANC LIKE NO OTHER De
Bortoli Yarra Valley Sauvignon 2008 This is a very
good example of why Sauvingnon Blanc doesn't have to be boring. A typical
nose of cut grass, and unripe passionfruit. It is the palate that does the
talking. Really good mouthfeel and texture, actually quite tart to finish and
plenty of lemon, cashew, mandarin and lychee on the palate. Very nice to
drink. 90 points Anthony D'Anna Most of the
praise heaped on De Bortoli Yarra Valley in the past few years has centred
around its reds: syrah and pinot noir in particular. The advances have been
just as stellar with the whites, and at a tasting a couple of weeks ago of
the top end De Bortoli white wines, it occurred to me that everything
winemaker Steve Webber has been saying over the past few years has now
settled beautifully into place. The De Bortoli Estate and Reserve chardonnays
(the latest are from 2007, to be reviewed shortly) are the best they have
ever been, and the sauvignons are seriously on the money. De Bortoli’s white
wine head honcho, Sarah Fagan, should be rightly proud. This 2008 De
Bortoli Sauvignon undergoes full malolactic fermentation and is one highly
textural beast. Two things hit me straught up: how dry this wine is, and how
textural. The combination is something to behold. It’s got lots of floral
aromatics, spice, apple seeds and pippy fruit, but the wine’s structure,
mouthfeel and tension is where the real quality resides. Excellenti. Drink :
208 - 201 93 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front What's the story
One of the best locally produced sauvignons on the market, it's as good with
food as without. Tastes Expect layers of guava, mango and cashew. The palate
is creamy and direct with terrific intensity of flavour and great
balance." Matt Skinner, Australian Good Food, December 2009 "This
Sauvignon Blanc, simply named "Sauvignon" has snappy lemon and
floral notes with plenty of minerality. The palate is bright with flavours of
ripe white peach and nectarine, citrus and minerals but it is also has a
wonderfully creamy texture with a lovely weight on the palate." Wine
Diva, www.winescores.ca (Canada),
October 2009 "The De
Bortoli winemakers make their Yarra Valley sauvignon blanc more like a
chardonnay (fermented in old barrels and so on), in an effort to subdue the
grape's overt pungency and emphasise it's chalky, minerally texture. The
effort has paid off, too: this is fabulously lean and bracing." Max
Allen, Australian Gourmet Traveller, 20 Sexy Sauvignon Blancs, January
2009" This is a
refined and bright style of Savvy, gently worked into smoothly honed shape
and trading on terrific fruit quality. Resolved, intense and slick, gentle
tropical, some citrus and fine lines of acid sparkling through the
finish." 92 points Nick Stock, WBM100, November 2008 Appearance Pale straw with
hints of green. Bouquet: Subtle Sauvignon
fruit, quite expressive and minerally. Palate: Creamy
and elegant. Fine, slate like flavours with good length and texture. Vintage
Conditions: 2008 saw timely December and January rainfall followed by warm
dry days and cool nights. Harvest dates were earlier than normal. Winemaking:
Estate Sauvignon Blanc is selected from four distinct sections of estate
vineyard at Dixons Creek. All cane pruned, shoot thinned and hand picked.
Fruit is whole bunch crushed and pressed until there is nothing left in the
skins, the phenolics being an important textural component in the wine. The
wine is roughly racked to older casks with lots of solids. The wine is
allowed to ferment naturally and part of the wine undergoes malolactic
fermentation. Lots of battonage over a five month period. The phenolics we
extract during partial crushing and subsequent pressing are vital to
producing wines with texture and minerality. This combined with hand tendered
vineyards, hand picking and sorting, a little ‘roughing up’ with a crusher
and the use of older casks, produces a style with some unique characters. DE BORTOLI YARRA VALLEY ESTATE
SAUVIGNON 2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $18.99 A BOTTLE. STUNNING YARRA VALLEY SHIRAZ There is so much
care and thought put into De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley reds these days that
you’d almost call them works of art. That said, the style choices made for
this wine have pushed marginally beyond my boundaries. It’s time to
talk about bitterness. For a long time it was a dirty word in Australian
wine, though slowly some are starting to see that bitterness is not always a
bad thing. In fact it’s often a desirable thing. Bitterness is not always an
excuse for unripeness and there’s an argument to say that sweetness must be
watched as closely as bitterness traditionally has. This 2008 De
Bortoli Syrah has a bittnerness to it. It’s both its strength and its
weakness. It’s otherwise plummy and cherried and decidedly nutty - I love the
general flavour profile, mostly because of its distinctly dry,
food-enhancing, savoury quality. Clearly there are stalks involved here and
for me, they are on the high side - though the characters they add, are
likely to age well. A wine to be watched. And kept for a few years. And
enjoyed with food. Love the nutty aftertaste, even if there are streaks
through it. Drink : 2012 - 2017 91 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine
Front "Gee, this
is a lovely cool-climate shirazer, syrah (same thing, different language).
It's beautifully fragrant, elegant and smooth, with a long, persistent
finish. The flavours meld beautifully - blackberry, dark cherry and licorice,
with a late hit of spice. Ideal for a Christmas gift or to knock over on the
big day." Rick Allen, Manly Daily, December 2009 "A
RHONE-like shiraz, first in De Bortoli's 'estate' range made from fruit off
its Yarra Valley vineyard. Whole bunch fermentation in warmer temperatures
and use of older oak casks has worked wonders. There's dynamic spice,
licorice and blackberry on the nose, fine tannins and a long finish. Widely
available." Jeff Collerson, The Daily Telegraph, December 2009 "With
plenty of talk about Yarra Valley syrah, this is a brilliant cool-climate
example from 2007 winner Steve Webber. Compact, pure dark fruit spiced with
smells of juniper and green pepper, make way for a plush, chewy and delicious
mouthful of wine." Matt Skinner, The Sun Herald, November 2009 Vintage
Conditions: 2008 saw timely December and January rainfall followed by warm
dry days and cool nights. Harvest dates were earlier than normal. Winemaking:
Fruit is sourced from from 4 estate vineyards planted in 1971, 1987, 1990 and
1994. Vines are cane pruned to 18 bunches per vine and shoot thinned at the
10-15cm stage so that there are no more than15 bunches per vine. The vines
are hand picked into 8kg buckets and transported to the winery. Fruit was
hand sorted and a combination of whole bunches, whole berries and crushed fruit
is gravity tipped to open fermenters. The fruit was then allowed to ferment
with ambient yeast. Both hand and foot plunging are used to gently extract
colour and flavour over 20 days. The grapes are pressed and settled for 24
hours before racking to cask (10% new) for MLF and maturation. After 10
months the wine is gravity racked and then bottled. Syrah with lots of whole
bunches is quite a defining Yarra style. The whole bunch characters and the
graphite from the soil are a lovely combo. DE BORTOLI ESTATE YARRA VALLEY SYRAH
2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $24.99 A BOTTLE. TWO FANTASTIC GREAT WESTERN REDS Jamsheed
Great Western Shiraz 2008 If you’ve ever
visited Seppelt at Great Western then the chances are that you’re familiar
with the Garden Gully vineyard. It’s on the main highway almost neighbouring
Seppelt, and Garden Gully’s old weathered vines (planted in the 1950s) have
always looked like likely suspects. Problem is (I’m told) that it’s a
drastically frost-prone vineyard. This Jamsheed
version of a Garden Gully syrah had 50 percent whole bunches included in the
ferment, a 40 day maceeration, was fermented with wild yeast, matured in
all-French oak (only 20 percent of it new) and was racked by gravity.
Naturally, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. This is beautiful handling,
to say the least. It’s a beautifully textured, medium-weight,
fully-ripened, silken wine. A wine of real class, and balance. A knockout in
many ways - for its quality. Dark cherries and plums, sap and spice. A touch
of earthiness, and a touch of leatheriness too. I love its length, it’s
weight, the feel of it on my tongue. It doesn’t over-reach, it just ‘is’,
Drink : 2012 - 2021 94+ points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front JAMSHEED GREAT WESTERN SHIRAZ 2008 (C)
IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $34.99 A BOTTLE. Best's
Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 There’s a
freshness to these 2008 Best’s Great Western reds that I’m not sure I’ve seen
before in young Best’s wines. It’s not a radical departure but the winemaking
seems more ‘modern’. In a good way. In any case I’d
say this is the best Best’s cabernet that I’ve tasted. Maybe I’m wrong - but
it’s definitely a good wine. Pretty good value too, just quietly. It tastes
of blackcurrant and plums, dust and eucalypt. It’s satiny smooth. Tidy but
refreshing acidity. Fine, ripe tannin. Vivid, dark purple hues. And a
satisfying finish. It should perform well in the cellar too. Drink 2011-2017 92
points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front The youthfulness
of this Victorian Cabernet comes through immediately and quite forthrightly.
Bold and brash on one level, with the hallmarks and making of elegancy on the
other. A red with attitude, vigour and vibrancy, with a good sense of purpose
and direction – I like it, lots. It rewards with classic varietal Cabernet
fruit, black fruits, liquorice, coolness and then a ripened spiciness. Its
mouth feel and texture is smooth, highly drinkable and is overall reasonably
balanced, maintains good oak presence and has fine lingering tannins,
auguring well for the long haul. Classy label to match. Try this with spiced
lamb shanks. Drink to 2018 plus. About $25. Rating: 91/100 – Excellent.
7th October 2009 – Paul Ippolito If Great Western were somehow prohibited from
growing Shiraz, it would probably be just as famous for its Cabernet
Sauvignon. Intense spicy, berry, leafy aromas and long, dense, yet
supple flavours and classic structure are hallmarks of Great Western Cabernet
Sauvignon. With age, they develop remarkable finesse and elegance. Cabernet
Sauvignon from Great Western works well from the right sites, warmer and
north facing sites tend to produce the best fruit. As is common in other
regions, Cabernet Sauvignon in Great Western is picked late in the vintage
season to allow for good fruit flavour and texture. BESTS GREAT WESTERN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $24.99 A BOTTLE. TOPLINE HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON Thomas
Braemore Hunter Valley Semillon 2009 The Braemore
vineyard, situated on the sandy alluvial flats of Hermitage Road,
consistently produces outstanding semillon featuring freshness, vibrancy and
remarkable longevity. This is a traditional Hunter Valley style exhibiting
delicate lemon and lime fruit characters intermingled with an attractive
grassy complexity, and is supported by a zesty, citrus-like acidity providing
a pleasing purity and freshness to the finish. Braemore vineyard is one of
the Hunter Valley's most awarded vineyards. 2009 Braemore ranked in the "Top 6 Whites" in James
Halliday's "Top 100 NSW Wines, 2009" - scoring 95 points. This individual vineyard Semillon was sourced
from the dry grown, low cropping "Braemore Vineyard" (planted
1970), owned and operated by Ken Bray on Hermitage Road , Pokolbin. A
traditional Hunter Valley style, this wine exhibits lifted, vibrant lemon and
lime fruit characters, intermingled with and attractive grassy complexity.
The palate features similar delicate grassy fruit and is underpinned by a
zesty, citrus like acidity providing a pleasing freshness to the finish. The
delicacy and finesse of this style provides a perfect match with most seafood
dishes, and is positively orgasmic with freshly shucked oysters. Whilst
extremely enjoyable as a young wine, this wine will realise its full
potential with at least five years bottle age, when it starts to develop the
complex toasty characters for which the great Hunter Semillons are so famous. THOMAS BRAEMORE HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON
2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $24.99 A BOTTLE. ANOTHER CRACKING VINTAGE OF SSB Cape Mentelle Semillon Sauvignon
Blanc 2009 I used to drink
a fair amount of Margaret River SSB and SBS and I’d still rather have it than
NZ offerings. Lemon, grass,
lemongrass, gooseberry. Tight and intense with grapefruit flavours, some
grassiness and a whisper of vanilla cream. Superb balance. Nothing overdone.
Clean acidity and freshness with exemplary minerally length. Still a
pacesetter as well as being a trendsetter. Drink : 2009 – 2012 Rated : 94
Points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front CAPE MENTELLE MARGARET RIVER SEMILLON
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $19.99 A BOTTLE. PLEASE NOTE: (S) SCREWCAP,
(C) CORK |
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F A M I L Y O W N E D F I N
E W I N E M E R C H A N T S S I N C E 1 9 6 3 Riesling offers Unlabelled Clare Valley 'The
Greatest' Riesling 2008 is available for $8.00 a bottle. Jim Barry Watervale Valley Riesling
2008 is available for $12.99 a bottle Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling 2008 is
available for $24.99 a bottle. Chardonnay offers Williams Crossing Chardonnay 2007 is available
until stocks last for $20.99 a bottle. Wickhams Road Yarra Chardonnay 2008
is available until stocks last for $14.99 a bottle. Hoddles Creek Unoaked Chardonnay 2006
is available for $17.99 a bottle.. Semillon offers McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon 2004 is
available for $13.99 a bottle. Peter Lehmann Semillon 2006 is
available for $9.99 a bottle. Tyrrells Vat 1 Hunter Valley Semillon
2002 is available for $39.99 a bottle. Shiraz offers Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2006 is
available for $13.99 a bottle. White Box Heathcote Shiraz 2006 is
available for $15.99 a bottle. McWilliams Mount Pleasant Phillip
Shiraz 2007 is available for $13.99 a bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon offers Wirra Wirra Church Block Cabernet
Shiraz Merlot 2007 is available for $16.99 a bottle. Balnaves Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 is available for $29.99 a bottle. Barwang Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 is available for $14.99 a bottle. Pinot Noir Curly Flat Macedon Pinot Noir 2006 is
available for $44.99 a bottle. Stoniers Pinot Noir 2008 is available
for $23.99 a bottle Sauvignon Blanc offers Villa Maria Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc 2008 is available for $19.99 a bottle. Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc
2008 is available for $17.99 a bottle. Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc 2008 is available until stocks last for $16.99 a bottle. Sparkling offers Chandon Vintage 2006 is available for
$29.99 a bottle. Moet Chandon Non Vintage is available
for $59.99 a bottle. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter,
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