2009 CH. PIERRE BISE SAVENNIÈRES ROCHE-AUX-MOINES - CRUSHED ROCKS!

Château Pierre Bise is rightfully acknowledged as one of the very best producers in the Loire Valley. While much of the spotlight falls up on the estate’s Chenin Blanc-based sweet wines, the reds are excellent in their own right and bargains in the contemporary wine marketplace.

The dry Savennières Roche aux Moines is on a par with the high standard set across the high portfolio. Even in a warm year such as 2009, the wine doesn’t show any excess of alcohol (as can be the case with some producers in Savennières).

It is dry and savoury, but not uncompromisingly so. In as much as the wine is most definitely not about up-front fruit, it is a wine that will appeal to those with a slightly intellectual bent. There is plenty of structure here, more than enough to ensure a long life ahead. Those seeking something a little bit different with real verve and interest, at a modest price-tag (see what $45 gets you from Burgundy!), should look no further. This is a wine that is most definitely about place, a wine that can not be replicated.  It mightn't be fashionable, and it mightn't be everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is good.

2009 SAVENNIÈRES ROCHE AUX MOINES 
Producer: Château Pierre Bise
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Vintage: 2009
Region: Loire Valley, France
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 4 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Decanted half an hour before tasting. Bright golden yellow. Not fruit driven! Crush rocks, touch of honey, red apples. Slightly closed initially. Dry, medium bodied and savoury, quite chalky in texture. Not a wine for the uninitiated! Slightly sinewy, but displays lovely palate weight and plenty of interest. Will age extremely well.
Score: 18/20

2010 WERE ESTATE SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY - TIME TO JOIN THE BANDWAGON!

Were Estate is a relatively small high quality producer in Margaret River. The estate’s stock in trade are the varieties which Margaret River excels; Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. A Rosé is also made, as is a Shiraz and Shiraz/Cabernet blend. Since 2009 the wines have been made by Clive Otto, formerly head winemaker at Margaret River mainstay Vasse Felix.

The 2010 Were Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay is further evidence of just how much good Australian Chardonnay is being made these days. It is very much a modern Australian Chardonnay, displaying a well judged balance of barrel ferment derived complexity and rich mouthfeel countered by bright fresh acidity. There is nothing forced about the wine; it is neither heavy, nor does it fall into the trap of being too lean.

This is a very good Chardonnay that can be enjoyed on its own or with appropriate food. Lovers of Chardonnay will lap it up. Those needing reacquainting with the variety should get on the bandwagon soon, before it becomes too trendy!

2010 SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY
Producer: Were Estate
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2010
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $27.00
Date tasted: 5 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery lemon. Interesting nose of grapefruit, green apples and lemon zest overlaid by cashew oak. Dry, medium bodied, fruit characters much the same as the nose, balanced by finely judged oak. Bright acidity lends freshness to a wine that is well balanced and displays a lovely interplay of fruit and oak, neither in excess.
Score: 16.5/20

2010 PINDARIE BAR ROSSA TEMPRANILLO SANGIOVESE SHIRAZ - TRANS-MEDITERRANEAN BLEND

Pindarie Wines is a relative new player on the Barossa Valley scene. This particular wine is a rather eclectic Mediterranean-inspired blend of Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Shiraz. It’s the type of wine that would only be made in somewhere like Australia, free of the shackles of wine of origin controls and the influence of history.

As to the wine itself, it just about works. Once exposed to a decent amount of air, it opens up to reveal black cherry, Turkish delight and dusty herbs. The palate is quite savoury, delivering a pleasant interplay of cherry fruit, powdered cocoa and dried herbs. If one had to be critical, the tannins are a touch assertive on the finish, and there is moderate complexity. All in all it’s a decent effort that would suit hearty cuisine such as Shepherd’s Pie.

2010 BAR ROSSA TEMPRANILLO SANGIOVESE SHIRAZ 
Producer: Pindarie Wines
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 23 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson in colour. Bright nose of black cherry and Turkish delight. Dry, medium bodied, quite savoury, initially hard to define, with air black cherry emerges together with powdered cocoa. Dry tannins carry the finish. The alcohol is inobtrusive.
Score: 15/20

2009 GRIVOT BOURGOGNE ROUGE - TIGHTLY COILED

Vosne-Romanée based Domaine Jean Grivot ranks among the echelons of Burgundy. With holdings in both Vosne-Romanée and Nuits St Georges, the domaine produces wines from generic Bourgogne, through Grand Cru level. Under the guidance of Etienne Grivot, it has transitioned to organic viticultural processes.

The wines from this address aren’t flashy or dressed up with flattering new oak. Rather, they are structured wines marked by sinewy tannins. By and large, they are not wines for immediate enjoyment, but to be cellared with patience.

The 2009 Bourgogne Rouge is true to type, if not necessarily true to the supposed fruit forward nature of the vintage. Transparent cherry red, it is tight both on the nose and the palate, tannins winning out over delicate cherry and cranberry fruit. It really needs a few years for the tannins to soften. This is not a wine for those that like the allure of rich, sweet fruit, but a slightly demanding wine, that asks questions of the drinker.

2009 BOURGOGNE ROUGE
Producer: Domaine Jean Grivot
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2009
Region: Burgundy, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $54.99
Date tasted: 19 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Transparent cherry red. Slightly closed nose yielding a touch of cranberry and redcurrant, floral notes. The palate is similarly tight, sturdy almost chalky tannins to the fore. Delicate cranberry and cherry fruit lies under the structure of the wine. There is definite upside potential here, but the wine needs 3 or so years aging to unfurl.
Score: 16+/20

2010 BINDI PYRETTE SHIRAZ - SILKY AND SEDUCTIVE

Bindi Wines is a famed Macedon Ranges producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of the highest class. The outstanding Quartz Chardonnay and Original Vineyard and Block 5 Pinot Noirs are among the best Australian examples of the two great Burgundy grapes.

While the focus at Bindi is very much on matters Chardonnay and Pinot Noir related, a Shiraz is also produced under the Pyrette label. Made from Heathcote fruit, it eschews the power and excesses of alcohol that mark some Heathcote wines.

The 2010 Pyrette Shiraz is a Shiraz made like a Pinot Noir, with the use of à la mode whole bunch fermentation. The resulting wine possesses a silky smooth mouthfeel, fine grained tannins revealing themselves on the finish. The wine is slightly earthbound, with suggestions of game and raspberry fruit. There’s plenty to enjoy here, and upside potential for medium term cellaring.

2010 PYRETTE SHIRAZ
Producer: Bindi Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2010
Region: Heathcote, Victoria
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $39.99
Date tasted: 25 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright cerise, fading slightly at the rim. Touch of bottle stink blows away to reveal white pepper, raspberry/boysenberry ripple, morello cherry, earth in the background. Dry, medium bodied, savoury, quite gamey and meaty, raspberry. Very supple, plush and refined, sensual even. Not as rich, ripe or power-packed as some Heathcote Shiraz. One would imagine that it could have been picked earlier than many others as well.
Score: 16.5+/20

2009 WHISTLING EAGLE SANGIOVESE – THE GODFATHER

Sangiovese has become an increasingly popular variety on these shores in the past 10-15 years. However, relatively few Australian producers seem to get it right. Coriole, one of the original players makes a very good value and true to type Sangiovese, but many other examples lack varietal definition and flirt with jamminess.

Although better known for its Shiraz, Heathcote winery Whistling Eagle produces a classy Sangiovese that is among the nation’s best. It is bang on the money in terms of varietal character and has a slightly meaty, autumnal quality that has one thinking of the rolling hills around Montalcino. While it may not possess the depth or complexity of the very best examples from Tuscany, there is much to like here.

2009 SANGIOVESE
Producer: Whistling Eagle
Variety: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2009
Region: Heathcote, Victoria
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $28.00
Date tasted: 10 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Medium ruby red. Open nose, black cherry, hickory, quite meaty. Sweet fruited on the palate up-front, quickly moving savoury. Very varietal and true to the grape. Silky, fine and elegant. Oak is in the background and well integrated. One of Australia’s best examples of Sangiovese.
Score: 17/20

2008 DALWHINNIE SHIRAZ - SETTING A REGIONAL BENCHMARK

Little introduction is needed to Dalwhinnie. It is well and truly a Pyrenees veteran, as well as setting the regional benchmark in terms of quality for its Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The Eagle and three single site wines are outstanding examples of their type, Australian Shiraz at its most stylish.

As an established producer of high quality Shiraz, Dalwhinnie very much occupies a premium place on the pricing scale. $60+ is no small price to pay for a fine Shiraz. So how does the wine measure up? The 2008 is without a doubt a very good Dalwhinnie Shiraz. It displays typical small berry fruit (cherry, blueberry, boysenberry), with a suggestion of sweet and sour. Oak is inobtrusive, allowing the fruit to speak and regional character to come through. It seems that the wine might just be entering a closed phase, as the tannins seem to be quite noticeable. The quality is certainly there, but a decent slumber in the cellar might be needed.

2008 SHIRAZ
Producer: Dalwhinnie
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Region: Pyrenees, Victoria
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $64.99
Date tasted: 15 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Attractive floral led bouquet (lilac, violet), raspberry, plum, clove and star anise. At the fuller end of medium bodied, elegant and suave, silky texture marked by very fine tannins. Very clean, pristine fruit definition, characters the same as the nose. Very fine and classy.
Score: 17.5/20

2006 TAR & ROSES MIRO – FULL THROTTLE PRIORAT

Tar & Roses is a project that spans two continents, Australia and Europe. In Australia, wines are made from fruit sourced from central Victoria, specifically Heathcote and the Alpine Valley. The European wine, a Garnacha (aka Grenache) based blend is fashioned in the rocking outcrops of Priorat, the revitalised region located inland south-west of Barcelona.

Tar & Roses is a partnership of industry stalwart and former Mitchelton winemaker Don Lewis and Narelle King. All of the wines bottled under the Tar & Roses use the so-called non-traditional varieties, including Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.

Miro is a typical Priorat blend of Garnacha and Cariñena (Carignan), fleshed out with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Like many of the wines produced in über fashionable Priorat, it is not a shy and retiring type. It delivers a full throttle assault of ultra-ripe chocolate and dusty herb laden fruit. It is a wine that will divide tastes, and is most certainly not for those of a subtle persuasion. That said, there is a good amount to enjoy here, especially on a cold winter’s day with a hearty braised meat dish.

2006 MIRO
Producer: Tar & Roses
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2006
Region: Priorat, Spain
ABV: 15.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $50.00
Date tasted: 12 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Meaty, slightly burnt nose, dark chocolate, wild herbs, tar. Full bodied, rich and powerful, weighty, savoury, quite meaty in character. Quite warming on the finish. Flirts with but just avoids excess. A brooding monster for those who like power.
Score: 15.5/20

MICHAEL HALL SYRAH – RACK ONE UP FOR THE BRIT PACK

Brit Michael Hall gave up a career in the auction business to pursue a passion for a wine. If the 2009 Flaxman’s Hill Syrah is anything to go by, he made a good decision. The wine is reflective of the direction taken by a growing band of Australia’s finest small producers. The focus is on expressing a sense of place, without an excess of alcohol, oak or other winemaker imprints,

From a vineyard situated at over 500 metres altitude, the wine possesses an alluring floral nose interwoven with typical blueberry, plum and raspberry. Regional spice adds lift and complexity. All in all, it’s an excellent offering suggesting that Michael Hall is a label to look out for in the future.

2009 FLAXMAN’S VALLEY SYRAH
Producer: Michael Hall Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2009
Region: Eden Valley, South Australia
ABV: 13.2%
Closure: Diam
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $39.99
Date tasted: 12 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Attractive floral led bouquet (lilac, violet), raspberry, plum, clove and star anise. At the fuller end of medium bodied, elegant and suave, silky texture marked by very fine tannins. Very clean, pristine fruit definition, characters the same as the nose. Very fine and classy.
Score: 17.5/20