B O C C A C C I O   C E L L A R S

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

 

 

1030 Burke Road
Balwyn 3103
P +61 03 9817 2257, 9817 5352
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www.boccaccio.com.au

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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


THIS WEEKS FEATURE RELEASE:

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

De Bortoli Estate Syrah 2008

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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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.

 

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