Sorrenberg winemaker Barry Morey has produced the goods again with this release. I liked the 2009 but this is a noticeably better wine. The quality of the grapes seems to shine through here. There’s 10% Pinot included in the mix.
Initially quite brooding with damp earth, pepper and undergrowth punctuated by frisky red and black cherry/berry fruit. Cola and cinnamon, twigs and stems combine in a wine of superior depth and casual medium bodied ease. A comfortable segue from snug acids to svelte tannin allows the flavours to express themselves with focus and flow as a soft layer of plum eventually reveals itself.
A hint of rare venison wrapped in streaky bacon suggests that a game accompaniment would take this to another level, but it’s bloody good drinking just by itself. Excellent
Region: Beechworth
Alcohol: 13.6%
Closure: Cork
Price: $39
Tasted: October 2011
JP, how did you manage to secure a screwcap version of this? Did they do two sets of closures. I tasted this while in Beechworth and was very impressed with similar notes to yourself. Then the bottle i brought back home (under cork), seemed to have a very mild TCA, so while drinkable was far from great. Oh for a screwcap!
Andrew – my mistake on that. Sadly this was sealed with cork too, I must have been on auto-pilot when I first filled out the specs. I wish consumers had a choice! Sorry to hear about TCA effecting your last bottle…a real shame.
Couldn’t agree more on the consumer choice bit. Unless it’s a massive cost, then why not bottle under both closures.
I’m not sure how much it applies to Sorrenberg but…
I was talking to Louisa Rose about Yalumba’s choice to seal their top tier reds with cork. It’s all about the export market. The US and Europe just don’t want to know about screwcaps.