Many differences in relation to the House block. It’s simultaneously bigger and bolder yet more softly fruited.
Mulberry, plums and raspberry coulis. Tighter tannin. Not as much length. Splays on entry but those tannins restrict and give form. I prefer the structure here but like the fruit and its lack of definition less. 90
Region: McLaren Vale
Alcohol: 14.3%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $65
Tasted: June 2014
I popped these Scarce Earth wines (two from Chapel Hill, two from Coriole) in with a number of other 2012 Vale Shiraz for (blind) tasting purposes. The lesser influence of oak was easily identifiable yet not always a plus as far as I’m concerned. The wines were made for reasons that extend beyond the realm of quality alone, so this is not a slight on them. Nonetheless, I’m becoming more and more aware that the reduction of oak doesn’t necessarily make a better Vale Shiraz. Intervention isn’t always a bad word.
Jubey blackberry and mulberry with hints of leather and raw meat. Faint whispers of potpourri. The tannins are slightly ferrous and lie a little flat on the palate although they do stretch out. Spice is minimal. 91
Region: McLaren Vale
Alcohol: 14.1%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $65
Tasted: June 2014
Region: McLaren Vale
Alcohol: 14.1%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $65
Tasted: June 2014
Grapes are sourced from the estate-owned Suma Park Vineyard in Geelong. 30% whole bunches, indigenous yeast ferment, maturation in 30% new French oak. Really liked the look of this and I’ve no qualms letting you know the bottle was drained over two nights.
Dark fruits and red/purple florals on the nose. Sour cherry and plum skins interspersed with forest litter, black raspberries and herbs. Depth of fruit flavour and intensity at a low baume level. Cloves, anise and roasted brown spice. Slinky in the mouth with excellent form and a confident sweep of earthy, layered tannin. Yes. 94
Region: Geelong
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $42
Tasted: June 2014
It’s sometimes difficult to rate these lighter Yarra Valley Cabernets…and the value judgements you make can come back to bite you on the arse.
This smells and tastes of blackberries, olive tapanade and rosemary with suggestions of capsicum and chocolate. Mobile acidity and soft, long tannin. Saline minerality. A varietal dip through the belly. Savoury, slightly cedary finish. Very unforced. Angular though, under a modicum of flesh. No clutter here. It won’t wow you but it may well creep up on you…as it did on me. 90+
Region: Yarra Valley
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $29
Tasted: June 2014
The Yarra Valley appears to have a number of sites suited to Merlot yet I don’t sense a lot of enthusiasm for the variety within the region. This would be one of the last Punt Road wines Kate Goodman played a part in. She leaves to pursue her own label, Goodman Wines, and other (no doubt nefarious) activities with Bird on a Wire’s Caroline Mooney. Tim Shand takes the reins as chief winemaker.
Smells of purple and red forest berries, fresh plums and ferns with a little menthol lift. Only just medium-bodied with a rounded mid-section and dark chocolate tannins. A wine with a staid demeanour. 89
Region: Yarra Valley
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $25
Tasted: June 2014
The second off-dry Riesling I’ve tasted from the Adelaide Hills. Neither have done much for me.
Very round in the mouth. The fruit feels flaccid and formless. A bit of friction at the end. Paw Paw, baked apple and lime zest. Not overly sweet, just ineffective. 86
Region: Adelaide Hills
Alcohol: 10.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $25
Tasted: June 2014
Not a lot of worthy Chardonnay coming out of McLaren Vale. Battle of Bosworth have managed to make a success of it in good years as have Chapel Hill. By and large the region is simply to warm.
Preserved lemons are dominant with peach in the wings. Briney tang which I rather enjoy. Almost ginger-like spice. Some leesy give and savoury oak. Good fruit, adroit winemaking input. Perhaps not the most complex wine in either flavour or texture but tasty. 91
Region: McLaren Vale
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $35
Tasted: June 2014
Loved the 2012 Dexter Chardonnay but I’m less enamoured with this Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir. Part of the reason for that is no doubt attributable to stylistic preference.
Expressively perfumed with ripe maraschino cherries, plums and distinctive blueberries accompanied by a sheen of savoury, cedar oak and a lick of chocolate. Something which reminds me of powdery cosmetics. Pert acidity and grippy tannins carry the plush fruit. Intense and spice laden. By the second day it has developed more complexity and savoury dimensions emerge. Some tamarillo too. The oak (23% new French barriques) will take time to settle regardless. 92
Region: Mornington Peninsula
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $50
Tasted: June 2014
Now resplendent with a shiny and accurate bottle shot. May well be the first on the interwebs, although I can’t be certain.
Cassis, truffle, cedar and shaving foam with raspberry peaks. Poise and balance. Very minty. Nowhere near as big as you might expect from the ABV. Impressive for the money. 91
Region: Eden Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $20
Tasted: June 2014
Recommended retail price is listed but you’ll be able to find it for less without any effort.
Dilute and without much length but citrusy, fresh and clean. Easy to slug back. Echoes of unripe passionfruit, lemongrass and herbs. Very refreshing but not far away from drinking alcoholic water – which means its audience is assured. 86
Region: Australia
Alcohol: 11.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $14
Tasted: June 2014
