2012 FREEMAN 'RONDO' RONDINELLA ROSÉ - IN THE PINK

Rondinella is best known as one of the blending partners in Valpolicella in its various forms. Rarely do we see it as a rosé. Unlike the French and the Spanish, the Italians hitherto have not been huge consumers of rosé, which explain why, especially as the grape originates from the comparatively mild Veneto region rather than Italy’s warm south.

This particular offering from Freeman Vineyards was approached from some interest. There is a suggestion of cherry somewhat reminiscent of Valpolicella. However, the overall impression is of a competently made, but ultimately straightforward and simple wine with modest depth.

If one is looking for a quality rose with an Italian bent, there are better to be found for similar money, notably the Cantina Zaccagnin Montepulciano Rosé (http://penguinspalate.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/cantina-zaccagnini-italian-food-lovers.html) previously reviewed on these pages.

2012 'RONDO' RONDINELLA ROSÉ
Producer: Freeman Vineyards
Variety: Rosé (100% Rondinella)
Vintage: 2012
Region: Hilltops, NSW
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 24 February 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright strawberry pink. Straightforward nose of cherry confiture, fresh raspberries. Dry, medium bodied, palate is much the same as the bouquet, simple cherry fruit, simple and direct. Clean, fresh and uncomplicated rosé for drinking during the warmer months. Decent enough, but there are more interesting rosés out there for similar money.
Score: 14/20

2006 'CATERINA ZARDINI' AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA - SWEET LIKE CHOCOLATE

Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s most legendary wines. Made from grapes that have been deliberately raisined, thereby concentrating tannin and sugar, and fermented to over 15% ABV (sometimes approaching 18% ABV), Amarone is not a shy or retiring customer.

This particular example from Caterina Zardini is a typically hefty Amarone, displaying liqueur cherry and dark chocolate in abundance. With a noticeable residual sugar (notwithstanding its 15.5% ABV), it is akin to an unfortified vintage Port and probably best enjoyed in a similar food context, that is, with a selection of cheeses at the end of a meal.

Although this is a big wine in all senses of the word, it is seamless, smooth and well balanced. While there is little to complain about, this particular imbiber prefers to see Amarone with a touch of bitterness rather than the residual sugar that one encounters here. That said, the wine would please many of a hedonistic persuasion.

2006 ‘CATERINA ZARDINI' AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO
Producer: Giuseppe Campagnola
Variety: Corvina et al
Vintage: 2006
Region: Veneto, Italy
ABV: 15.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 10 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson to the rim. Brooding nose of liqueur cherry, dark chocolate, mocha. Slightly off-dry, rich and full bodied, high in alcohol, yet well balanced, the bouquet flows through to the palate, high quality dark chocolate overlaid by cherry liqueur and damsons, cocoa powder. Opulent and powerful yet seamless. A well made and well balanced Amarone, but lacking the complexity and bitterness that would make the wine more interesting.
Score: 16/20

2004 TAHBILK MARSANNE - AHH, HONEY, HONEY

Honeysuckle – tick. Peach stonefruit – tick. Acacia – tick. Has to be Tahbilk Marsanne. Indeed it is. In this case, the 2004 vintage, sealed under natural cork. Nearing a decade from vintage, the wine is approaching its peak, open, textured and ready for business. Gone is the austerity and brisk acidity of youth, replaced by honeysuckle maturity and peachy fruit.

Tahbilk Marsanne mightn’t be the most difficult wine to procure in the world, and it’s certainly not the most expensive. However, it is a dead set Australian classic that merits, should I say, demands, medium term cellaring. It is also a very food friendly wine. In this instance it was paired with Spaghetti alla Carbonara. It would equally be at home with a Sunday roast chicken or some pan fried scallops.

2004 MARSANNE
Producer: Tahbilk
Variety: Marsanne
Vintage: 2004
Region: Nagambie Lakes
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 6 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright golden yellow. Open and inviting nose of honeysuckle, acacia, rockmelon and peach. Dry, medium bodied, savoury, excellent depth of fruit. Although not overly complex, there is good depth and length of flavour, carried by fine acidity. Yet another enjoyable Tahbilk Marsanne.
Score: 16.5/20

2009 TAROT GRENACHE - QUEEN OF HEARTS

In Australia, we tend to ignore just how far we have progressed with Grenache in the past two to three decades. Originally a base for fortified wines, Australia has some of the oldest Grenache vines on the planet. Yet it is a variety that is still struggling for respect. Not as sexy as Pinot Noir, not as popular as Shiraz, not as serious as Cabernet, Grenache just doesn’t seem to attract wide interest or appeal. Yet, better contemporary examples of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale Grenache are as good as they have ever been.

Twenty or so years ago, Grenache was often jammy and confected, certainly not sophisticated. These days, better examples tend to be more savoury in profile, emphasising spice and the kirsch/liqueur cherry fruit profile one associates with the variety. Yes, the wines tend to be high in alcohol, such is Grenache. However, as the 2009 Tarot Grenache from Alpha, Box & Dice illustrates, balance is key. This is a wine that is shy of full bodied, savoury in character and well balanced notwithstanding it’s 15% ABV.

Chateau Rayas it may not be, but it is a good example of McLaren Vale Grenache that is food friendly; equally at home with gourmet bangers and mash, a burger or marinated lamb chops straight off the barbecue.

2009 TAROT GRENACHE
Producer: Alpha, Box & Dice
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2009
Region: McLaren Vale
ABV: 15.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $17.00
Date tasted: 27 February 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. High toned nose of tar, licorice, kirsch and ground pepper. Touch volatile (but not unpleasantly so). Quite savoury, no tannin to speak of, morello cherry. Relatively simple, but satisfying and drinking very well. Although the alcohol is high, the wine is well balanced and not heavy or hot in any sense.
Score: 15.5/20

2010 DOMAINE DE PERILLIERE COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES - YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY

Thanks to the strength of the Australian dollar, we have seen an explosion of imported wines in Australia. The south of France is a great source of well made moderately priced wines, evidenced by this very good Costières de Nîmes.

This Syrah-heavy blend (the balance being Grenache) delivers plenty of flavour and a modicum of complexity for less than $25. More particularly, is it is well balance, savoury and food friendly. This is the sort of wine that will win many over to the virtues of French wine.

It is another great effort from the team at the Cave des Vignerons Esterzargues and further proof of the progress being made in improving the quality of wines across Europe. While much of the attention is focused on great wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the like, we often forget just how much generic wines such as these have improved in the past couple of decades.

2010 COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES
Producer: Domaine de Perillière
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Southern Rhône, France
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $23.00
Date tasted: 26 February 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep cherry red. Vibrant nose of damson, kirsch, raspberry, anise and white pepper. Dry, medium bodied and fruit forward. Quite straightforward, but no unattractive; palate much the same as the nose. Good length and excellent value for money for a southern French red that delivers above average depth of flavour and complexity. Definitely more than just a mindless quaffer.
Score: 16/20

2011 BK WINES 'CULT' SYRAH - WILD HEARTED SON

Much has been said and written of the 2011 vintage in southern Australia, ‘wet’ and ‘cold’ being the two common themes. It certainly was a challenging vintage in many regions, one that demanded considerable vigilance on behalf of vignerons. In some instances, it may well have been just too wet and cool to harvest fruit of sufficient quality. However, in some instances, particularly in warmer regions such as the Barossa Valley and Heathcote, the atypically cool and damp conditions seems to have resulted in wines with prettier aromatics and greater elegance than may be the case in warmer years. Dare one say, some wines have quite a European edge. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, as the conditions grape growers faced in 2011 weren’t that abnormal for those in Europe’s milder wine regions.

Clearly 2011 shouldn’t be written off. There are many excellent wines, white and red, from this derided vintage. While they mightn’t make old bones, many will deliver considerable pleasure in the short to medium term. This brings us on to the 2011 Syrah from Adelaide Hills producer BK Wines. It displays some of the better traits of the 2011 vintage, attractive perfumed aromatics and a savoury palate with a nice line of acidity. However, there is a green edge running through both the bouquet and palate that detracts. One wonders if the fruit used here was uniformly ripe, particularly given that it was sourced from a relatively cool part of the Adelaide Hills. In sum, there’s plenty to like here, but ultimately the greenness is just a touch overbearing, which is a bit of a pity.

2011 'CULT' SYRAH
Producer: BK Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2011
Region: Adelaide Hills
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 9 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Interesting nose of licorice, star anise, black pepper, floral notes, touch of green pepper/resin. Dry, savoury, medium bodied, quite European in feel. Red fruits to the fore, though the overall impression is savoury. There is a slight green edge to the wine suggesting that the fruit wasn’t uniformly ripe. An ‘almost but no cigar’ wine; on the upside, there is good aromatic complexity and the wine has a lovely savoury quality, but there is a distinct and off-putting green edge.
Score: 15/20

1998 MOUNT PLEASANT LOVEDALE SEMILLON - CLASSIC

You don’t get much more of an ‘Australian classic’ than Hunter Valley Semillon; early picked, unoaked, light in alcohol and ageworthy, Hunter Semillon is one of a kind. Lovedale is one of the great labels when it comes to the style. At 15 years from vintage, it’s a wine that should be hitting its stride.

A bottle was duly uncorked on a Saturday evening. The wine poured a bright golden yellow, evidencing bottle age. The nose displayed great complexity, grilled nuts, lemon pith, acacia and beeswax, reflected on the medium bodied palate.

This particular bottle was in excellent condition, showing this great wine at the peak of its power. In contrast to the stereotype of Australian wine, this is a wine that is about nuance, finesse and subtlety. While Australian Chardonnay has come a long way in the past decade, and Riesling has its charms, we shouldn’t forget Hunter Valley Semillon, one of Australia’s gifts to the wine world.

1998 MOUNT PLEASANT LOVEDALE SEMILLON
Producer: McWilliams Wines
Variety: Semillon
Vintage: 1998
Region: Hunter Valley
ABV: 11.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 9 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright golden yellow, suggesting development. Complex nose of beeswax, grilled hazelnuts, brazil nut, mace, acacia, lemon pith. Dry, medium bodied, well balanced acidity, slightly nutty, lemon pith, slightly cheesy (in a good way). In some ways, the wine is not too dissimilar to a mature dry Loire Chenin Blanc. A good bottle enjoyed at its peak.
Score: 18/20

2002 YARRA YARRA SYRAH VIOGNIER - SGT PEPPER MOVE ASIDE...!

As we all know, Australian Syrah/Shiraz comes in many shapes and sizes. This particular example from the Yarra Valley, is very much in the northern Rhône mould. At less than 13% ABV, it is a wine that places elegance and finesse ahead of pure power. Meaty, peppery and savoury, with a touch of floral lift, there is much to like here.

Eleven years on from vintage, the 2002 Yarra Yarra Syrah Viognier is just starting to hit its stride. The bouquet is showing some secondary complexity, tannins have fully resolved, yet there is still good depth of primary fruit. It is a glassy drop that is enjoyed until the end of the bottle.

2002 SYRAH VIOGNIER
Producer: Yarra Yarra
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2002
Region: Yarra Valley
ABV: 12.9%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 2 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby red. Bright aromatic nose of freshly ground black pepper, dark cherry, grilled meat, lavender, violets, iodine. Dry, medium bodied, elegant and stylish. Savoury, meaty and peppery, silky in texture. Starting to show secondary complexity.
Score: 17.5/20

2010 LAWSON DRY HILLS GEWÜRZTRAMINER - SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

Gewürztraminer is very much an extrovert variety. Its pungent aromatics and unmistakable rose petal and lychee make it impossible to ignore. Yet, as with many things extrovert, it can tire just a touch, particularly if taken in excess. This particular taster is no great fan of Gewürz, finding it lacks the subtlety one tend to seek. Yet, every wine has a place, and for this imbiber, a half decent bottle of Gewürztraminer is a good accompaniment to Thai cuisine, in this instance, a rather fiery Thai Green Curry.

Marlborough’s Lawson Dry Hills may not be the world’s most exciting wine producer. It is fair to say that they are unashamedly commercial. However, the entire Lawson’s portfolio is undeniably well made and over-delivers in terms of value for money.

The 2010 Gewürztraminer is no exception. It displays bold aromatics one expects of the variety, a slightly off-dry palate balanced by just enough acidity. It’s not the sort of wine one would tread over hot coals to taste, but its clean, fresh and well made. What more can one ask?

2010 GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Producer: Lawson Dry Hills
Variety: Gewürztraminer
Vintage: 2010
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $23.00
Date tasted: 3 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery green. Open aromatic nose of lychee, pear and pineapple. Off-dry, medium bodied, quite tropical in fruit profile. Good fruit intensity and just enough acidity to provide balance. Unashamedly commercial in style, but well made and a good foil for Thai food.
Score: 15/20