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For Your Pleasure
"For your pleasure
In our present state
Part false part true
Like anything
We present ourselvesThe words we use tumble
All over your shoulder
Gravel hard and looseThere all night lying
With your dark horse hiding
Abhorring such extremes" - Bryan FerryCategories
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Category Archives: McLaren Vale
2010 Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot
Good folk at Pertaringa, making honest wines of some quality. I should have warned them not to mess with Merlot in McLaren Vale…although to be fair I believe there are some grapes from the Adelaide Hills in the mix too. It’s plummy … Continue reading
2011 Chapel Hill il Vescovo Sangiovese
Two Chapel Hill reds tasted from the “challenging” 2011 McLaren Vale vintage and they’ve both come out looking good. Kudos to those involved with both the viticulture and the winemaking – that would primarily be Rachel Steer, Bryn Richards and … Continue reading
2011 Coriole Sangiovese
The 25th release of Coriole’s Sangiovese, a wine I’ve certainly consumed and enjoyed my fair share of. It’s not quite of the same standard as is usually the case. The wet, cool vintage didn’t seem to hamper their Barbera much … Continue reading
2012 d’Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling
They might be more widely known for their Rhone varieties but d’Arenberg’s first white wine was in fact a Riesling, made under the stewardship of the legendary d’Arry Osborn. It’s an oddity in that McLaren Vale isn’t the first region … Continue reading
2012 Chapel Hill il Vescovo Rosé
Sangiovese is so well suited to Rosé. A portion of this saw time in French hogsheads and that’s helped create a malleable mouthfeel which sheathes structured, nimble acidity. Fresh red cherry and raspberry, a pinch of dried oregano and some ruby grapefruit. … Continue reading
2012 Coriole Fiano
Coriole first planted their Fiano in 2001 and that forward thinking is paying off handsomely now. This is crisp and significantly above light bodied. Its beeswax texture is an extremely attractive feature. Aromas of white flowers, lemon, citrus rind and … Continue reading
2010 Chapel Hill Shiraz
A well crafted rendition of McLaren Vale Shiraz, although it doesn’t exhibit quite the same vitality evident in other expressions from the 2010 vintage. Smooth, creamy oak plays a key role even though only 22% of it is new. I’m guessing the … Continue reading
2011 Chapel Hill Parson’s Nose Shiraz
Funnily enough I preferred drinking this entry-level Chapel Hill Shiraz over the standard release from the lauded 2010 vintage. It’s not as complete a wine and it doesn’t have the same length or depth but that juicy flavour without excess weight … Continue reading
2011 Yangarra Estate Old Vine Grenache
This impressed when I tasted it in the Vale a few months back and it’s looking even healthier with a bit more flesh on its bones now. Yangarra winemaker Pete Fraser is big on exposure and canopy management; it’s paid … Continue reading
2012 Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigley Grenache Rosé
A frustrating wine for me. I like Wirra Wirra and believe they are heading in a very positive direction, but their Rosé seems to be satisfied with mediocrity. Now, I don’t have any statistics but I suspect it sells very … Continue reading