Adelaide Hills 13% Cork $45 Source: Retail
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| Croser & the Piccadilly Valley |
Put this up against the 03 Arras and the 05 Brown Brother’s Patricia. It got smashed. 10 years on lees and zero dosage…a bit of sugar would have helped this one. The acidity is rough as guts. 54% Pinot, 46% Chardonnay.
Complexity is not the issue here. Autolysis and aldehydes make merry in the flute, countering the fruitiness that I had thought was crucial to Brian Croser’s original idea of what Australian sparkling wines should be about. I loved the distinct smell of apple strudel though. There are red berries and baking spices too but they are obscured by the aroma of unmaintained, old brass instruments and questionable oyster shells.
Plenty of almond notes on the palate and the lemon and grapefruit gratefully lingers at the end. It’s a big brute of wine with a lot of layers but I’m not convinced I want to delve into a relationship with it. I’m not really into S&M.
Winery website- http://www.croser.com.au/