2010 KELLEREI KALTERN GEWÜRZTRAMINER - DOESN'T QUITE IGNITE

Kellerei Kaltern, located in the alpine region Alto Adige in northern Italy, is one of Italy’s leading cooperatives. With more than 440 members, it bottles a wine range of wines, with a particular focus on aromatic white varieties and typical northern Italian black grapes (Pinot Nero and Lagrein, among others).

When it comes to the aromatic varieties, northern Italy provides a unique expression, typically lighter body, but with greater tension and glacial purity than one sees in examples from Alsace. At their best, they are among the most distinctive and attractive white wines produced anywhere in the wine world.

The 2010 Gewürztraminer from Kellerei Kaltern captures the varietal essence of the grape in the form of lychee and rose petal. However, it lacks that allure and poise that the best wines from this part of northern Italy possess. There’s a decent among to enjoy here for those who enjoy an occasional but infrequent dalliance with Gewürztraminer, but there’s not quite enough to merit a second bottle purchase.

2010 GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Producer: Kellerei Kaltern
Variety: Gewürztraminer
Vintage: 2010
Region: Alto Adige, Italy
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Plastic cork
Retail Price: $29.99
Date tasted: 23 September 2012

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery yellow. Moderately aromatic nose of lychee, candied apples, touch of rose petal, peppery spice. Slightly off dry, quite textured palate, medium in body, lychee, green apple, slight confected edge, finishes clean with moderate length. Acidity is well integrated and sufficient to provide balance. Varietal, but could do with greater intensity on both the nose and palate.
Score: 15/20

2010 JEAN-MARC BURGAUD MORGON CÔTE DE PY - NEW WAVE BEAUJOLAIS

Jean-Marc Burgaud is one of a number of growers at the forefront of quality Beaujolais. For many years, Beaujolais, thanks in no small part to Beaujolais Nouveau, has been stereotyped as a fun but not particularly serious wine. However, over the past decade, the landscape has changed, thanks to a number of dedicated producers who have sought to maximize the potential of the Gamay grape and to express the terroirs of the ten crus of Beaujolais. The entrance of major players from Burgundy to the north, including the likes of leading merchant house Louis Jadot, has also played a part in ‘raising the bar’ in Beaujolais.

Burgaud’s Morgon Côte de Py is an assemblage, made from fruit sourced from several sites on the schist-rich hill that is the Côte de Py near the village of Morgon. The wine is a brooding example of Morgon, relatively deep in colour, with an inviting nose of cherry/damson and flint. Medium in body, there is considerable depth of fruit and tannic structure, suggesting that the wine has plenty to give.

Much is said of Gamay’s ability to ‘go Pinot’. In the Penguin’s experience, this is rarely the case. As we see better and better examples of Cru Beaujolais, it seems that they are expressing their own identity, distinct of both Burgundy and the Rhône.  Those looking for authentic, terroir-driven and food friendly wines with genuine character and ability to age should look no further.

2010 MORGON CÔTE DE PY
Producer: Domaine Jean-Marc Burgaud
Variety: Gamay
Vintage: 2010
Region: Beaujolais, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $36.99
Date tasted: 22 September 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Open nose of dark cherry and damsons, flinty/smoky mineral notes. Medium bodied, quite plush and sensual, starting to open up. The dark cherry/damson fruit flows through to the palate, which starts slightly sweet, but finishes with a pleasant sourness. The wine is framed by sandy tannins, which are largely masked by the fruit. Excellent length.
Score: 17+/20

2010 BANKS THARGO COONAWARRA MERLOT - NOT QUITE FROM THE RIGHT BANK

Merlot is a variety that, with the odd exception, we struggle with in Australia. Single varietal Australia often lacks the exoticism of the best examples from Bordeaux, and all too infrequently lacks for varietal definition. While many Australian Merlots are round, supple and smooth, they rarely excite.

This example, from small Coonawarra producer Banks Thargo just about succeeds. It is most definitely varietal, with plum and cherry fruit to the fore. Earthy notes confirm its Coonawarra origin. There’s a fair bit to enjoy about this elegant Coonawarra Merlot, the only downside being that it fades away slightly on the finish.

2010 MERLOT 
Producer: Banks Thargo
Variety: Merlot
Vintage: 2010
Region: Coonawarra, South Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap

Price: $19.99
Date tasted: 16 September 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Clean and varietal nose of plum, morello cherry, touch of background oak, earthy notes. Medium bodied, bright plum and cherry, well integrated acidity. A decent wine with good varietal character, but tires slightly over the course of the bottle.
Score: 15/20

2011 BANNOCKBURN SAUVIGNON BLANC - SAVVY BY NAME ONLY

Bannockburn Vineyards long ago established itself as one of Australia’s leading producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Now under the winemaking guidance of New Zealand-born Michael Glover, Bannockburn continues to flourish. It does so by emphasizing individuality and expressing the importance of site. It is fair to say that Bannockburn, particularly with Michael Glover at the winemaking helm does not follow a prescriptive rule book.

Bannockburn’s Sauvignon Blanc is a case in point. For one, it is not 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Riesling is blended in for aromatic lift, and Chardonnay for textural weight. Moreover, the wine is partially fermented in barrel; French oak and Italian acacia. The result is an arresting wine that is as much about texture as it is about flavour.

Forget about commercial New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Forget about Sancerre. This Friuli-inspired wine will challenge those who have cast aspersions toward Sauvignon Blanc; though to be truthful, the identity of the dominant grape variety is incidental here. This is an intelligently put together and immaculately crafted contemporary dry Australian white wine. One hopes it’s not too long before varietal labelling can be dispensed with, allowing the wine to be whatever the vineyard, vintage conditions and Michael Glover’s whim permit.

2011 SAUVIGNON BLANC
Producer: Bannockburn Vineyards
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2011
Region: Geelong, Victoria
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $29.99
Date tasted: 8 September 2012

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery lemon. Lifted aromatic nose of freshly chopped herbs, lemon zest, smoky overtones. Medium bodied, developing palate weight as it warms up in the glass, quite a textural wine, slightly herbaceous, lemon/grapefruit citrus, oak very much in the background, lending texture and structure. Finishes long with fine acids.
Score: 17.5/20

2009 CHÂTEAU CAILLETEAU BERGERON TRADITION - BORDEAUX FOR THE VALUE CONSCIOUS

There are literally thousands of producers in Bordeaux, the world’s largest contiguous wine producing region. The spotlight continually falls on several dozen Cru Classes and Right Bank equivalents. Little thought is given to the many hundreds of producers, mostly located on modest terroir, these days producing wine of a very good quality. Indeed, it is ironic that the traditional Bordeaux wine-buying public laments sky-rocketing prices for the region’s superstar properties while ignoring many of its great values.

Based in Blaye, Château Cailleteau Bergeron is one such property that is producing good quality modern-styled wine in Bordeaux. The Tradition Rouge, its entry level red cuvee, is a blend of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). Matured primarily in stainless steel tanks, it expresses Merlot on the way only Bordeaux can. Although a relatively simple wine, it is food friendly, savoury and, equally importantly, true to type. It’s the sort of wine that reminds us wine nerds why we got into wine in the first place.

2009 CHÂTEAU CAILLETEAU BERGERON TRADITION 
Producer: Château Cailleteau Bergeron
Variety: Merlot
Vintage: 2009
Region: Bordeaux, France
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $34.99
Date tasted: 8 September 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright plum red. Forward nose of morello cherry, plum and spice. Medium bodied, cherry confiture, dark plums touch of wood-spice. Not particularly complex, but displays plenty of character and will suit many dishes. Drops away a little on the finish, but holds up pretty well.
Score: 15.5/20