Category Archives: Great Southern

2012 Alkoomi Frankland River Chardonnay

The Great Southern isn’t necessarily among the initial regions that come to mind when you’re thinking about Chardonnay but I can’t see any reason for that to remain the case in the long term. Butter, bran and porridge (breakfast wine?) … Continue reading

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2011 Alkoomi Cabernet Merlot

I liked this a touch more than the Shiraz. Minty, vegetal characters on the nose. Blackberry, plums, leaf, cheap cedar oak. Basic grainy tannin for shape. Softly fruited. You could go here. 86 Region: Great Southern Alcohol: 14.0% Closure: Screwcap … Continue reading

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2011 Alkoomi Shiraz

Ah, average wine. It certainly brings my privileged existence into relief. Kind of full-bodied yet lacking in substance. Utility not luxury. Black fruits and gum leaf. Uncouth tannin. Fades quickly – on the palate and from memory. 84 Region: Great … Continue reading

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2013 Alkoomi Sauvignon Blanc

So, “one small parcel” of this was “held on skins prior to pressing to enhance the richness and flavour of the resulting wine”. I fear that the mention of skin contact when it comes to white wine will be the new ‘minimal … Continue reading

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Howard Park Jeté Sparkling Rosé NV

It’s early days for Howard Park’s venture into sparkling wines. They’re sourcing their grapes from the Great Southern region – Mount Barker in this case. Base wines are fermented in both stainless steel and used French oak. 98% Pinot Noir … Continue reading

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2011 Alkoomi Frankland River Shiraz Viognier

Incorporates 7% Viognier…which feels like a little too much in this wine. It’s slippery and tannic, floral and spicy. Underneath a thick veil of cedary chocolate oak are echoes of stonefruit, blackberry and mulberry. Seasoning in the way of ginger, … Continue reading

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2013 Snake + Herring High and Dry Riesling

The Porongurup counterpart of the 2013 Snake + Herring Great Southern Riesling duo. Possesses the hallmark traits of the subregion. Attractive white floral fragrance with what feels like lees-derived give and savouriness rubbing up against freshly squeezed and slightly sour … Continue reading

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2013 Snake + Herring Teardrop Riesling

Hails from the Mount Barker subregion of the Great Southern. Not your typical Australian Riesling. Leesy texture cushioning the region’s naturally high acidity and grippy, woody tannin on the back-palate. Some old oak? It isn’t as stern or austere as most … Continue reading

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2012 Snake + Herring Tough Love Chardonnay

The bottle tells me this is a multi-regional blend using fruit from the Margaret River and the Porongurup subregion of the Great Southern but the website seems to indicate that it’s 100% Margaret River. I’ll go with the bottle. Fuller flavours … Continue reading

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2012 Snake + Herring Hallelujah Porongurup Chardonnay

We all know that John Cale’s take on the song is the definitive version. And we all know that it’s time to give the song a long rest. Now to the wine. Tight, linear, insistent and also needs a rest … Continue reading

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