Cypress Hill are a small producer from the cool climate Granite Belt in Queensland who specialise in Shiraz but also have plantings of Viognier & Marsanne, not to mention oak and hazelnut trees inoculated with black truffle spores. As a confessed truffle addict I’m hoping for the best outcome there.
They’ve come at their 2008 Rosé from an interesting angle. 48 hours of cold maceration prior to fermentation and aged on lees with 2 months of oak. All of this leads to an unusual style with plenty of interest, starting with the colour.
It runs the gamut from dark ruby red through to drying crimson blood. The label reads “full-bodied” and they ain’t kidding. Lot’s of palate weight and intensity here, beginning with raspberries, cherries, toffee apples and boiled red lollies. The mid palate takes a fascinating turn with a mixture of more savoury notes accompanied by blackstrap molasses and hints of tea before a finish which includes dried herbs and spice.
As if the complexity of flavours weren’t enough, the textural aspects are just as intriguing. At different moments it’s kind of sticky like a licked lolly pop, soft and slippery and then particularly grippy on the finish with noticeable tannin dryness.
I’m all for a Rosé that makes you think & this certainly does. But more than that, I found myself really enjoying the strangeness in a visceral way. In short, I found it complex & delicious and a bit over half a bottle went down pretty easily with food. Always a good sign.
Winery Website- http://www.cypresspost.com.au/
A few quick questions Jeremy – as an estimate how many Queensland wines would an average Man Durphy's store in Brisbane stock?
Are there Queensland wine sections, as there is with SA, VIC, NSW, WA, TAS etc? Or is it just supplemented throughout the bulk/cheapie wine sections? (if at all)
Cheers as always,
Chris P
Most Dan Murphy's I visit have a small QLD section (usually grouped with NSW and Organic) stocking around 10 wines. They generally whack the cheaper Sirromets and Clovelys in the bulk sections. NSW & QLD don't sell that well here at the moment.
But I must say the whole Brisbane retail market has changed dramatically over the course of 2009. Each Dan's is quite individual and many "independents" are stocking a wider and more interesting range. It's all a bit in flux, but I'd say the retail wine buyer is going to end up winning once it sorts itself out.
Cheers and best wishes for the New Year Chris!
jeremy