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A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE WINES OF GARY MILLS FROM
JAMSHEED FAME Boccaccio e-newsletter 14th March Hi everyone, If there was a NAB Rising Star for Wine for
2009/10 then Gary Mills would be a definite finalist. Furthermore, I would go
so far as to say that he would be odd on to win the award. He is one of the
hottest winemakers’ (let me state that it is not in looks, but in winemaking
talent J) in Australia at the moment and is current release reds and Riesling,
are at the top of the tree in regards to quality. Whilst we have featured
some of his 2008 releases separately in our e-newsletter in the past couple
of months, this week we bring them all together and add his just released and
very spectacular 2009 Great Western Riesling. It must have been so
spectacular fort James Halliday sent out a ‘tweet’ with these kind words ‘barrel-fermented
(old oak), lees contacted, and no acidification is a must a $26.50. So my
advice, if you like Shiraz and Riesling, do yourself a favour and buy some of
the Jamsheed wines. Also this week is a small focus on some very good
2007 vintage reds plus the fantastic wines of Brian Croser’s relatively new Tapannapa
venture. Cheers, Anthony D'Anna Boccaccio Cellars Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/anthonydanna JAMSHEED NEW RELEASES: THESE WINES
DESERVE SPECIAL ATTENTION Jamsheed Great Western Westgate Riesling 2009 40 year old Riesling vines, handpicked at perfect
maturity, whole bunch pressed, handled with great care and respect, barrel
fermented, left on lees for 8 months in large old barrels and then bottled in
October. Jasmine (or some sort of white flower), spice, subtle aniseed and rich
lime and grapefruit, yet for those typical Riesling descriptors, it’s quite
different to most Australian offerings. It has weight, softness and a lightly
chalky texture in the mouth, yet remains crisp, dry and minerally throughout.
Almost has what you might call an earthiness (old oak perhaps?). No questions
asked of the length and balance. Bravo Gazbo and take a bow Westgate
vineyard. Drink : 2010 - 2019 95
points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front JAMSHEED GREAT WESTERN WESTGATE RIESLING
2009 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $24.99 A BOTTLE. Jamsheed
Gruyere Yarra Valley Syrah 2008 I’ve loved all of the 2008 Jamsheed Syrah
releases. If we awarded star rating to wineries - Jamsheed would have just
moved into a 5 star rating. Beautiful texture. Complexity. Length. And structure. What more do you
need to know? It’s in the cool climate, spicy, stemmy style, but it’s ripe
and balanced, clean and characterful. Terrific oak handling, supportive but
not overdone. No alcohol heat. Fabulous. Drink : 2009 - 2016 95 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine
Front JAMSHEED GRUYERE YARRA VALLEY SYRAH
2008 (C) IS AVAILABLR WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $34.99 A BOTTLE. Jamsheed 'Garden Gully' 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 GARDEN GULLY GREAT WESTERN SHIRAZ 2008 (C) IS
AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $34.99 A BOTTLE. Jamsheed Silvan Yarra Valley Shiraz
2008 ’ll add some details on this Jamsheed Silvan Syrah at a later date,
but I need to get some thoughts down before it’s all run out. I know that
it’s made with 100 percent whole bunches and was wild yeast fermented, and I
suspect that it was also matured in larger format French oak. It was bottled
unfined and unfiltered and most of the work in the winery was done by
gravity. It’s grown on the Monbulk red soils. It’s small scale winemaking and
it’s turned out a very exciting wine. Gary Mills is the winemaker. He’s done
a stunning job with this wine. It will become clear, if it hasn’t already, over the next few weeks
that the 2008 vintage in the Yarra Valley was an exciting one for the
region’s reds. A watershed of types. It starts meaty and spicy and builds in dark,
peppery flavour as it travels along, though the style and thrust of it makes
it more than a sum of its parts. Dark cherries and violets, licorice and hay.
Gorgeous texture. A fan of flavour through the finish, and then nutty, spicy,
sappy tannins. The acidity is perfectly judged. It has texture, complexity,
personality and length. In world terms, the price is a steal. This is a wine
of cool climate beauty. Drink : 2010 - 2020 95 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front JAMSHEED SILVAN YARRA VALLEY SHIRAZ 2008 (C) IS AVAILABLE WHILST
STOCKS LAST FOR $34.99 A BOTTLE. OTHER WINES ON OFFER: A FOCUS ON THREE GREAT 07 CABERNETS’ Balnaves Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Goodness me, some of these 2007 vintage wines are very concentrated.
Here’s another one that needed at least a day’s breathing (in bottle) before
coming round. Beautiful smelling wine - blackberry, Cassis, licorice and cedar wood
with a light floral perfume. It’s full bodied and very dense with rich
chocolate and blackcurrant flavours - concentrated and strong. The tannins
grip firmly, initially with a black tea bitterness to them, but given time do
relax somewhat and settle back into the wine. No shortage of length or
intensity. A brooding and moody Balnaves. Drink : 2014 - 2024 94 points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front Balnaves now command a five star rating from James Halliday which is
now suprised considering the quality of the last five vintages of Cabernet
that Balnaves have produced. - Anthony
D'Anna Drawn from a little over 16 hectares of estate
plantings, the majority of the grapes are sold to other leading Coonawarra
winemakers. The '96 won the trophy for Best Varietal Cabernet in Show at the
1998 Royal Sydney Wine Show, and the '98 is every bit as good. – James Halliday BALNAVES COONAWARRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 (C) IS AVAILABLE WHILST
STOCKS LAST FOR $29.99 A BOTTLE. Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 2009 Perth Royal Wine Show - 15 September 2009 Gold Medal and Trophy
'Best Cabernet Sauvignon' 2009 Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia - 14 September 2009 Gold
Medal 2009 Royal Adelaide Wine Show - 12 September 2009 Silver Medal Another stunning 2007 vintage Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. This
wine has all the characteristics of first class Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium
purple in colour; the nose is a well balanced mix of blueberries,, cassis,
dark plum, cigar and cedar. The palate is complex and refined with lovely
dark red fruits that lead the palate on a seamless and lengthy journey. This
is up there with the best Cabernet Sauvignons produced from the 2007 vintage.
95 points Anthony D'Anna Vasse Felix was the first winery to be built in the Margaret River. Owned
and operated by the Holmes à Court family since 1987, the winery and vineyard
have been carefully developed. Recent acquisitions of a neighbouring vineyard
and property within the Wilyabrup subregion will ensure the dynamic Virginia
Willcock will have the ability to craft wines of the highest calibre for many
years to come, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay leading the way. There
are two ranges: at the top, Heytesbury; then a full suite of classic
varietals. Exports to all major markets. James Halliday Established in 1967 the Vasse Felix estate vineyard is planted in the
heart of the Wilyabrup sub region - The nucleus of premium wine production in
Margaret River. Low yielding, dry grown vines planted on some of the world’s oldest
soils enjoy long, warm growing seasons and cooling summer breezes from the
nearby Indian and Southern Oceans. This moderating effect is responsible for
creating wines of exceptional concentration and intensity whilst retaining
elegance and finesse – these cooling summer breezes from two oceans are
unique to the South-West corner of Western Australia. “Ancient soils and cooling sea breezes from the Southern and Indian
Oceans provide the Vasse Felix vineyards with ideal conditions to craft
consistent, elegant and complex wines with pronounced varietal character and
aroma.” First released in 1972, the Vasse Felix Cabernet
Sauvignon was the earliest wine to emerge from the internationally recognised
wine region of Margaret River and is enjoying its 34th consecutive vintage this
year. VASSE FELIX MARGARET RIVER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 (S) IS AVAILABLE
WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $29.99 A BOTTLE. Cape Mentelle Trinders Cabernet Merlot
2007 This has 'Quality' tattooed across its forehead. It tastes of bay leaf
and capsicum, spice, cocoa and dusty, gravelly red berried fruits. It's
medium bodied with firm, chalky tannins and, while it seems a little tough as
a youngster, age will be kind to it - we're quite sure. Drink 2011-2017 $32) 92 points Campbell Mattinson & Gary
Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book 2009/10 On Wednesday night we had a Cape Mentelle Masterclass and showcased a
number of wines. Views on each wine differed greatly, some preferring the
coolers years to years such as 2004 and 2007. For me, this wine was a clear
standout, especially considering the sub $25 retail. Quite a perfumed nose
with hints of vanilla, spice, gravel and mulberry. The palate is fresh and
very well balanced, with lovely dark red fruits. It is classic Margaret River
Cabernet Merlot and I would have no problems laying this wine down for a
decade or more. 93 points Anthony
D'Anna Blend 57% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 5%
cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot, 3% other. The majority of the vineyard soils
comprise laterite gravel loam over a deep clay subsoil, the preferred profile
for these varieties in Margaret River. All vines are vertically shoot
positioned and managed to ensure balanced growth during the season. After
destemming and light crushing, individual vineyard batches were fermented on
skins for 10-15 days. At the desired balance of fruit and tannin extraction,
each batch was gently basket pressed, with harder pressings kept aside. Once
sugar dry, batches underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless tanks
before being racked to oak barriques. Alcohol 14% Acid 7g/L pH 3.45 Ph CAPE MENTELLE TRINDERS MARGARET RIVER CABERNET MERLOT 2007 (S) IS
AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $23.99 A BOTTLE. THE FANTASTIC WINES FROM BRIAN CROSER Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet
Shiraz 2006 Perhaps the best of this line. It has an abundance of savoury,
mellowed complexities from time in barrel and bottle. It's soft and elegant,
with fine tannins and supple texture, superb balance and length. 15+ years. 94 points & 5 stars Gourmet Traveler WINE, February 2010 The nose shows attractive red berry-spice aromas, and very fine
tannins persist with the fruit on a medium-weight palate. Highly Recommended WineWise Vol. 25, No.
5., December 2009 Lester Jesberg (Editor) Elegant and harmonious, this is silky in texture, with lovely
blueberry, currant, plum and spice flavors playing out with refinement and
style, finishing with a meaty, savory note. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and
Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2020. 1,400 cases made —H. S. 93 Points
Wine Spectator, Nov 2009 Harvey Steiman Tapanappa acquired the 30 year-old Whalebone
Vineyard in 2002 and completely renovated it onto a new trellis supporting a
shoot thinned vertical canopy. The old Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and
Cabernet Franc vines of the Whalebone Vineyard have responded magnificently.
After a thirty-year struggle the vine roots have penetrated the deeper
limestone layers and are extracting a balance of moisture and nutrient to
sustain a meagre crop of 4 tonnes/hectare. The vines have sufficient canopy
and root system to fully ripen the harvest relying only on natural rainfall. The 2005/2006 growing season was normal except
for a hotter than average January. After veraison in January, the ripening
months were moderate and cooler than average. In 2005/2006 the heat summation
for Whalebone Vineyard for the 7-month growing season was 1394°C days against
the average of 1377°C days. In nearby Coonawarra the 2006 heat summation was
1431°C days, only pushed above the long-term average of 1376°C days by the
hot January. Whalebone Vineyard has consistently proven to be
cooler than Coonawarra in prior and subsequent vintages (see
www.tapanappawines.com.au and scroll down from Vineyards to Whalebone
Vineyard, Wrattonbully to Climate). The paradox is that despite being cooler
Whalebone Vineyard ripens each variety earlier and more completely than
Coonawarra, probably because of the protection it receives from the crest of
the Naracoorte Ranges to the west and the much reduced wind speeds from the
Great Southern Ocean from the southwest. The still air, cool night, warm day temperature
regime of the Whalebone Vineyard particularly suits Shiraz in its support
role for Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc also performs well at the
Whalebone Vineyard, which is not surprising given the similarity of the soil,
geology and climate to that of St. Emilion in Bordeaux where it excels. The
moderate ripening months of vintage 2006 allowed Cabernet Sauvignon (60%),
Shiraz (30%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) to be picked between the 29th of March
and the 1st of April in dry, sunny and
cool autumn conditions. The 32 year-old vines of the Whalebone Vineyard
yielded the meagre crop of 2.5 tonnes/hectare in 2006. The average analysis
at harvest was 25.5 Brix, the pH was 3.5 and the acid 6.5gpl as tartaric. TAPANAPPA WHALEBONE VINEYARD CABERNET SHIRAZ 2006 (C) IS AVAILABLE
WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $64.99 A BOTTLE. Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Adelaide Hills
Chardonnay 2008 Interesting to see Tapanappa using 50% new oak with this wine, when
Petaluma use 100% and charge a hell of a lot more for their Tiers Chardonnay,
which isn't necessarily any better a wine. The 2008 Tapanappa is quite
complex yet bright on the nose, with savoury, nutty accents of grapefruit,
melon and lemon. The palate is surprisingly luscious, with a counter balance
of good, mouthfilling structure for chardonnay, which is altogether
contradicted by a very refined, restrained cool-climate fruit profile. It
finishes very long, and should age particularly well. 95 points Australian Wine Journal, 4th of February 2010 Chris Plummer The hand-harvested Chardonnay from this seminal Adelaide Hills
vineyard, first planted by Brian Croser in 1979, stood out for all of our
Chardonnay judges for its purity and length. Both Louise and Tom noted
"almonds" and "nuts", while straw, peach and lemon grass
were some of the other notes. Andrew praised its "grain" and
"completeness". The Adelaide Review Hot 100 SA Wines,
November 2009 Andrew Jefford Lively, refined and beautifully focused, showing citrus, pineapple and
green berry flavors that linger on the deft, complex finish. Best from 2011
through 2018. 1,500 cases made.—H.S. Wine Spectator, Nov 2009 Harvey
Steiman An impressively powerful, concentrated wine with
grapefruit and cedary oak aromas already quite complex and rich. Intense,
tightly structured, long and powerful in the mouth. Still a baby. Drink now
to six years. 95/100. Food: Roast chicken Sydney Morning Herald Good Living, 18th of August 2009 Houn Hooke In 1978 Brian Croser selected the Piccadilly
Valley in the centre of the Adelaide Hills because it provided the best
terroirs in which to grow Chardonnay for the Petaluma Chardonnay, and Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay for the sparkling wine Croser. The Tiers Vineyard was the
first vineyard planted in the Adelaide Hills since the 19th century. It is in
the centre of the Piccadilly Valley at 450 meters elevation and is on the
same site where Brian and Ann Croser live and where the Petaluma Winery was
built in 1978. The Tiers Vineyard has 3 hectares of 28 year-old
Chardonnay on closer spacing of 3,330 vines/hectare with vertical canopy, the
first Australian mainland vineyard on this hand-labour intensive
configuration. Another 1.5 hectares of the oldest vines on the Tiers were
recently pulled out to make way for Dijon Chardonnay Clones 95 and 96 on
devigorating rootstocks. These vines were planted on still closer spacing of
1.5m x 1.5m, or 4440 vines/hectare. The fruiting wire of the new vines has
been reduced to 0.5m from the ground, from 0.8m in the older plantings, to
take ripening advantage of ground warmth at night. The fruit from this newer
planting of 1.5 hectares is blended with the older vine fruit in Tapanappa
Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay. The Piccadilly Valley is the coolest
and highest rainfall viticultural sub-region in South Australia, with an
average heat summation for the growing season of just 1172ºC days and an
annual rainfall in excess of 1200 mm. The mean temperature of the hottest
month (January) is 17.7ºC. The Piccadilly Valley is a homo-clime of Dijon in
Burgundy. The soils in the Tiers Vineyard are free draining red-brown clay
loams with a high content of clay (50%+) and rock fragments. The 1600 million
year-old Calc-silicate parent-rock of the soil was brought to surface by an
ancient fault line, and it exists only beneath the Tiers Vineyard and small
portions of the neighboring properties. From 2005 Ann Croser, the owner, has
agreed to divide the crop of the Tiers Vineyard between Petaluma and
Tapanappa. Tapanappa selects its Tiers Chardonnay fruit from the thinner and
rockier soils on the top of the slope and Petaluma harvests the belly of the
slope. TAPANAPPA TIERS CHARDONNAY 2008 (C) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
FOR $69.99 A BOTTLE. HIGHLIGHTS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS: This is such a
consistent performer that in assessing a new vintage the main feature I’m
looking for is length of flavour - the flavour profile itself is very similar
each year. That said, this
release is blessed with such a mound of spicy, peachy, floral fragrance that
I wondered if the palate itself would turn out to be a little more full-on
than normal. It’s not really - but it is delicious. It’s fresh and relatively
crisp, its flavours of lemons, fennel and peach punching through to long-ish,
linear finish. There’s a lot about this release that seems like classic
Tahbilk marsanne, which makes me think that it will have an excellent
cellaring life. For me though - I would drink it over the next five years.
Drink : 2008 - 2015 92 Points Cambell Mattinson, The Wine Front This is a
Tahbilk built to age. Whilst we all know how well Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon
and Shiraz can age (decades in good vintages), this stellar wine has a long
life ahead of it. Still quite tight and backwards, it has all the ingredients
there to age for 8 to 10 years (and maybe many years more). 93 points
Anthony D'Anna Quite backward
bouquet with honeysuckle and apple in evidence; tightly wound, yet quite
generous on the palate, with a fine line of minerality following through to
the conclusion. Screwcap. Rating 91 Drink 2015 James Halliday A winery steeped
in tradition (with National Trust classification), which should be visited at
least once by every wine-conscious Australian, and which makes wines -
particularly red wines - utterly in keeping with that tradition. The essence
of that heritage comes in the form of the tiny quantities of Shiraz made
entirely from vines planted in 1860. In 2005 Tahbilk opened its substantial
wetlands project, with a series of walks connected (if you wish) by short
journeys on a small punt. Exports to the UK and the US. James Halliday Hallelujah, a screwcap to protect one of the best
but least recognised varietal cellaring specials. James Halliday TAHBILK MARSANNE 2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE
WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $9.99 A BOTTLE. AND THE STUNNING 2005 TAHBILK REDS OFFERED AT AN
AMAZING $12.99 A BOTTLE Both Tahbilk
Cabernet and Shiraz have always been good value, good quality wines, but we
shouldn't take them for granted: they're Aussie gems. If you haven't had one
for a while, it's time you rediscovered them. Seems a bit
softer and cuddlier than usual, but it's still full of that immensely
attractive cherry-plummed, earthen flavour that the estate is famous for.
It's tannins don't get in the way, but there's enough of them, and the smear
of eucalypt-like flavours gives it a welcoming sense of lift. Lovely wine.
Mattinson has already nabbed himself a case of this. Drink 2009-2015. 91
points Cambell Mattinson & Gary Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book 2009/10 No.62 The
Top 100 Red Wines at $20 or less - Cambell Mattinson & Gary Walsh, The
Big Red Wine Book 2009/10 Bright red-crimson; a full-flavoured but elegant
wine, with an abundance of black cherry and blackberry fruit; best for many
years; extract perfectly managed. Screwcap. 14.5% alc. Rating 93 Drink
2020 $19.75 Date Tasted Aug 08 James Halliday TAHBILK SHIRAZ 2005 (S) IS AVAILABLE
FOR A SPECIAL PRICE OF $12.99 A BOTTLE WHILST STOCKS LAST. Tahbilk
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 You either like
Tahbilk’s reds or you don’t, but for those generally in favour … this is a
lovely release. Well-structured, well-flavoured, drink-now or drink-later
Aussie red wine. It tastes of blackcurrant, earth, cedarwood and eucalypt, and,
while there’s lots of savoury appeal here, there’s a hit of smooth sweetness
running right through the centre. Classic Tahbilk red, really. Rated : 93
Points Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $18 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2009 - 2016 By
Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front Top 100 Reds
Under $20 - #1 in The Big Red Wine Book (2009/2010) and #2 Cabernet Sauvignon Corporate
slogans aren’t really our bag, but Tahbilk uses ‘A Priceless Inheritance’,
and we reckon that’s about spot-on. The epitome of a well-structured,
well-flavoured, drink-now or drink-later Aussie red wine. It’s not over the
top, but it’s not wimpy, either. It tastes of blackcurrant, earth, cedarwood
and eucalypt, and, while there’s lots of savoury appeal here, there’s a hit
of smooth sweetness running right through the centre. It is a 100 per cent
classic Tahbilk red. The makers – and Australian wine in general – should
be very proud of it. Drink 2009–2016. Price: $18. Alcohol: 14.5%. Seal:
Screwcap. Value * * * * * Score: 93 Points; The Big Red Wine Book; Campbell
Mattinson & Gary Walsh. Established 1860
at Nagambie Lakes, Tahbilk is one of Australia’s most scenic and historic
wineries, with a tradition of producing one of Victoria's most reliable
Cabernet Sauvignon. Tahbilk is blessed with an abundance of old vine
plantings, including small, precious parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon dating
back to 1949. The back label for our latest Cabernet Sauvignon release states
"The nose and palate exhibit an intense mixture of eucalypt and spice
combined with blackberry undertones whilst the finish is long and
flavoursome, balanced with fine grape tannins." Whilst I was not
responsible for writing the label, I couldn’t agree more – although I would
have woven mint, tobacco and hints of capsicum amongst the descriptors.
Still, it’s what your nose and palate tells you that counts! Tahbilk TAHBILK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 (S) IS
AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR A SPECIAL PRICE OF $12.99 A BOTTLE. A WANTED WINE FROM HEATHCOTE Wanted
Man Heathcote Shiraz 2008 Wanted Man has
fast become one of the top few Heathcote producers. Pure, ripe, silken and
sweet-fruited. A beautifully presented wine. It tastes of eucalypt, toast,
blackberry and iodine, and when its tannins kick in they come juicy and
flavoursome and fine. Easy to drink, easy to like, easy to be impressed by.
Drink : 2009 - 2014 91 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front One sniff of
this deep purple wine and — wham! — you’re transported straight to Heathcote.
Nowhere else produces shiraz with such an amazing combination of cool,
sandalwood-drenched perfume and warm blackberry fruit. Max Allen With hand picked grapes from low yielding
vineyards, the vines for this wine are grown on the white quartz and Cambrian
soil of Victoria's Heathcote region. All estate grown, the fruit has
benefited from a warm summer, resulting in ripe, and fleshy fruit. With hints
of bramble, plum and lush blueberries on the nose, this wine is rich and
approachable. Hints of spicy fruitcake and candied fruits lead to a pleasant
and fruit rich palate of plums and stewed fruits, all underpinned by a
velvety texture and mouth feel. Silky tannins allow easy drinking now
however, the wine may develop some complexity with age. Matured in French oak
barriques after wild and cultured yeast fermentation on skins, this wine can
be enjoyed with chicken dishes, slow cooked or barbecued meats and pastas
with tomato based sauces. WANTED MAN HEATHCOTE SHIRAZ 2008 (S) IS
AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $29.99 A BOTTLE. YOUR LAST CHANCE TO BUY 08 RICE SHZ The Story
Rice Vineyard Grampians Shiraz 2008 Another single
vineyard release from Rory Lane and I think at the moment it is slightly
better than the Westgate wine (in saying that, they are both A grade wines).
Awesome wine, awesome effort. For me close to being faultless for Grampians
Shiraz and this for me, eats the current batch of St Peters' Shiraz. 95+ points
Anthony D'Anna It’s fragrant
and perfumed with juicy mixed berry fruits, spice and delightful cocoa and
vanilla oak. Smooth and mouth-filling with abundant sweet fruit, spice and
sumptuous suede-like tannins. The acidity is fresh, but unobtrusive, just
enough to pull in the waist of all that fleshy ripe fruit, but discreetly.
Pulsating length, closing with spice, and a firm, but ripely stalky
aftertaste. Touch and go for an even higher rating. Superb. Drink : 2011 -
2018 95 Points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front Here is a bit of
background info on the 08 The Story releases. It's coming to
that time of year again when we get our new wines in order to release. This
year we will be releasing 3 Shiraz wines, first to out loyal mailing list
customers At the end of August and then to the general public, retailers and
Restaurants in November. Our Grampians
Shiraz Blend this year is titled 'Wilderness' to represent our move towards
more natural winemaking processes and equipment - the use of indigenous
yeasts for all ferments and the use of wooden fermenters which I believe give
softer and more integrated tannin structures and have better insulative
properties to maintain fermentation temperatures. Wilderness also represents
my move into the unknown of self-employment, to fend for myself finally as a
full-time Story person. This blend is of 4 vineyards, and is a dark, yet
mid-weight shiraz with exciting aromatics and lovely balance. A seductive
little number. We also have 2 Single Vineyard releases in very
small quantities. We again have a Westgate Vineyard shiraz, showing its
lineage from our 2006 release with typical blackberry and cassis drive, good
acidity and lovely texture. We also will release our first Shiraz from Rice's
Vineyard, a warmer site near Stawell, which is more earthy, with riper,
bigger tannins and hints of minerals flecked through the aroma. Both are
regional, yet distinctly different and I think showcase two distinct
terroirs. THE STORY RICE VINEYARD GRAMPIANS
SHIRAZ 2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $39.99 A BOTTLE. & DON’T FORGET THE STUNNING STANDARD 2008 THE
STORY GRAMPIANS SHIRAZ The Story
Wilderness Grampians Shiraz 2008 This is Rory's
entry level Shiraz and he has labelled this one 'Wilderness' as it was the
first wine he made being self-employed and more towards natural processes.
Good move on both parts. This is a super wine for the price and much in the
vain of the 2006. Think thick and juicy, with lovely lifted fragrant dark red
fruits. Whilst it might be dense, it is still light on it's feet and lovely
purity and freshness. Drink now or cellar for eight years. 93 points Anthony
D'Anna Our Grampians Shiraz Blend this year is titled
'Wilderness' to represent our move towards more natural winemaking processes
and equipment - the use of indigenous yeasts for all ferments and the use of
wooden fermenters which I believe give softer and more integrated tannin
structures and have better insulative properties to maintain fermentation
temperatures. Wilderness also represents my move into the unknown of
self-employment, to fend for myself finally as a full-time Story person. This
blend is of 4 vineyards, and is a dark, yet mid-weight shiraz with exciting
aromatics and lovely balance. A seductive little number. THE STORY WILDERNESS GRAMPIANS SHIRAZ
2008 (S) IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $19.99 A BOTTLE. GREAT ENTRY LEVEL DRINKING PINOT NOIR Kooyong
'Massale' Pinot Noir 2008 Love Massale and
Clonale by Kooyong; they always seem to hit the spot. Red fruits, earth/mineral and a little meatiness.
Fresh and light in the mouth with fine powdery tannin - light and breezy yet
serious. It’s big on style and expansive on the finish. Very highly
recommended (just in case you missed the enthusiasm). .Drink : 2010 - 2015 92
points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front KOOYONG MASSALE PINOT NOIR 2008 (C) IS
AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $23.99 A BOTTLE. A GREAT VALUE COTE DU RHONE Domain de
la Chartreuse Cote du Rhone Rouge 2006 Vintage 2006 was
a good year in the Rhone Valley and it shows with this wine. Quite pure and
fragrant with dark cherries, rich cassis, plums, spice and acidity. A great
value sub $20 Rhone Valley red. Anthony D'Anna Grower Profile:
One of the oldest Domaines in Châteauneuf du Pape, once owned by the Monks
who were the first to create this distinctive wine. It is super unctuous with
a great density and a deep emphasis on well matured Grenache with great
longivity. The Côtes du Rhone is a superbly made wine full of charm and good
balance - perfect enjoyable drinking. The Carthusian
Order planted their grapevines on the small hills surrounding this 13th
century monastery. The vineyards are located on soils dating from the end of
the lower cretaceous to the upper cretaceous periods. On an impervious marly
layer are found prevalently various types of soil, but always sandy. The vineyards of
Valbonne are part of the appellation Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone
Villages. During the last
25 years, the association has almost restored, with new varietals, the
vineyards which the Carthusian Order cultivated. In fact, the
grapevines planted by the Carthusian community had been abandoned completely
after their departure in 1901. The inventory done in 1907, at the time of its
sale at public auction, mentioned 17 hectares of grapevines, of which at
least 3 hectares were of the pinot variety, according to the conserved plans. The mention of a
still leads us to think that this vineyard was also intended for the
production of alcohol which went into making Grande Chartreuse liqueur. Also recovered
were some large barrels, which can still be admired in a cool and humid
cellar dating from the 13th century. Abandoned after
their departure in 1901, the vineyard disappeared almost entirely. Starting
in 1977, the beautifully located grapevines were replanted. Today, a little
over 16 hectares are cultivated and the viticultural domain of the old
Carthusian monastery is nearly completely restored. Climate, soils
and varietals are the components of any viticultural domain. The local
climate is very different from that of the surrounding Mediterranean region.
Encircled by forest, the vineyard of Valbonne benefits from a certain
freshness, which confers to the wine its elegance and aromatic finesse. The soils of
Valbonne are characterized by their exposure (horseshoe-shaped small hills),
by the forest environment (hygrometry, regularization of temperatures), and
by the numerous terraces of light and stony chalky-sandstone. Varieties:Grenache
(50%), for the roundness, the fullness and the fruit. Syrah (50%), for the
color, tannins and its aptitude for ageing. Location: A
Northeastern exposure. Grapevines on terraces and small hills. Its privileged
location, at the heart of a magnificent forest, constitutes an closed
environment with a unique climate. Soil: Is
constituted of chalky-sandstone, dated from the lower cretaceous period of
the secondary era (240 million years). The soil is of a homogeneous structure
and texture. The age of the
vines: The Grenache: 25 years The Syrah: 25 years Cultivation:
Grapevines are cultivated traditionally, some with natural grasses. Debudding
and thinning are done in summer. Production: 40 hl/ha. Vintages: 100%
hand-picked, bunches are harvested in light wooden boxes, the grapes are then
sorted on tables in the cellar. Shipped to Australia in a temperature controlled
container. DOMAIN DE LA CHARTREUSE COTE DU RHONE
ROUGE 2006 IS AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST FOR $16.99 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 2009 is
available for $24.99 a bottle. Chardonnay offers Stonier Chardonnay 2008 is available until stocks
last for $21.99 a bottle. Wickhams Road Yarra Chardonnay 2008
is available until stocks last for $14.99 a bottle. Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2008 is
available for $18.99 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 2007 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 Gieson Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
2009 is available for $15.99 a bottle. Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc
2008 is available for $17.99 a bottle. Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc 2009 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,
please mail us at newsletter@boccaccio.com.au
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