Clare Valley 15.0% Screwcap $22 Source- Sample
The origins of this wine from Sandy Godfrey lie within his stint at the Tim Adams winery, his love of Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the difficulty he experienced selling it as a straight variety. Out of hardship, great progress can be made. Yes, the Cabernet is to the fore but it’s the intelligence of the blending which excites me when it comes to this wine. The Tempranillo adds spice, and I think it may contribute what I perceive as the sour cherry and grape tomato flavours on the mid and back palate. I’m jumping ahead of things though.It smells of violets & enters with soft, sweet blackberries and blackcurrants. From there we have savoury and sour nuances, blonde pouch tobacco, coffee and a liitle eucalypt lift (nothing distracting, the “mint” is in balance and does add some nice highlights). Tannins are fine grained and provide excellent structure, and there’s a mix of milk and dark chocolate on the palate. No doubting the quality or judgement of the French oak that held the wine for 18 months either. It integrated nicely over the course of two days and I’d suggest, on the basis of this, that a bit of time in the cellar will see the wine improve. It’s a perfectly enjoyable drink now though, just give it a decant.
Godfrey’s Polished wines are aptly named. The two I have tried are both smooth, soft, rich and clean. But there’s a lot more to them than that. They stand out in terms of depth and mouth feel with this particular blend adding some extra complexity. It’s offering a fair bit for a wine at its price point. Delicious and fascinating at the same time.
Winery website- http://godfreywines.com.au/