2002 LEO BURING EDEN VALLEY RIESLING - FRESH AS A DAISY

At the turn of the millennium, many Australian Riesling producers moved from sealing their wines under cork to screw cap. Anyone who has cellared Australian Riesling (and for that matter Semillon, Chardonnay, Marsanne et al) from the 1990’s for more than 5 or so years would know of the frustration of uneven maturation under cork; some bottles flat and oxidised before their time is due, others pristine and fresh.

2002 was one of the first truly excellent Riesling vintages that followed the wide uptake of screw cap. On evidence of this bottle, the change was well and truly vindicated. On the flipside, lovers of Riesling, specifically mature Riesling, will need to be more patient than ever.

This particular bottle, reviewed previously on these pages (2002 Leo Buring Eden Valley Riesling) is clean as a whistle, mid-development and with many years on the clock. It is open aromatically and has fleshed out on the palate, but there are no signs of it nearing full maturity. Purchased at just under $15 per bottle on release, it is a dead set bargain and a vindication of the use of screw cap closures for aromatic whites such as Riesling.

2002 EDEN VALLEY RIESLING
Producer: Leo Buring
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2002
Region: Eden Valley, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 3 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright lemon yellow with golden glints. Open aromatic nose of kaffir lime leaf, lime/lemon zest, bath salts. Dry, medium bodied, has really filled out on the palate, but there’s a lovely undertow of fine acidity. Right in the slot, but far from fully mature. Excellent length. Should have another decade up its sleeve.
Score: 17/20

2013 BANNOCKBURN SAUVIGNON BLANC - BREAKING THE LAW

When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, many follow the well worn commercial path. Geelong’s Bannockburn does anything but follow the flock. In truth, it is Sauvignon Blanc in name only. It is a blend, predominantly of Sauvignon Blanc, together with Riesling and/or Chardonnay. In the warm 2013 vintage, winemaker Michael Glover opted not to use any Chardonnay, just a touch of Riesling to lend aromatic lift and acidity.

What makes this wine so very different from the ocean of Antipodean Sauvignon Blanc is not only its rather unconventional blending partners, but also the fact that it is barrel fermented in a combination of new and seasoned French oak and Italian acacia. The influence of wood on the final wine is profound, lending texture, spice and oxygenation.

Bannockburn’s 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is a bold and full flavoured wine that pulls no punches. It shows quite a bit of sulphur on the nose at present, and a generous decant is recommended. By Australian standards, it’s not a conventional wine, indeed, it pushes the envelope. However, we shouldn’t be surprised as the reference point for this wine is not Marlborough nor the Loire Valley, but Friuli in Italy’s north-east, the source of some of the planets most innovative and complex white wines.

This is a wine that will have its supporters and detractors in equal number. For that we should be glad, as the very least wine should do is provoke a reaction, positive or negative. This particular imbiber looks forward to the day when Bannockburn no longer have to label the wine Sauvignon Blanc, enabling them to blend the wine as they like, regardless of the 15% rule.

2013 SAUVIGNON BLANC
Producer: Bannockburn
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc (94%), Riesling (6%)
Vintage: 2013
Region: Geelong, Victoria
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $32.00
Date tasted: 10 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Double decanted before serving. Bright golden yellow. Initially slightly reductive, but blows off with air. Bold nose of grilled nuts, nutmeg, clove, grapefruit, pear and yellow plum, freshly chopped green herbs. Dry, full bodied, rich and plush. Plenty of flavour – not a ‘wimps’ wine. Lots on show here, though not one for those seeking subtlety!
Score: 17/20

2009 ASHTON HILLS CHARDONNAY - SAY GOODBYE!

Australian Chardonnay has come a long way in past 10-15 years. From the days of so-called Dolly Parton wines to steely and flinty cool climate Chardonnay, contemporary Australian Chardonnay is barely recognisable from the often overworked caricatures of the 1990’s.

While some producers have taken things too far, mistaking leanness for steeliness, the quantum change in style has by and large been extremely positive. It is fair to say that, dollar for dollar, Australia produces the best premium Chardonnay in the world. Yes, the very best white Burgundy remains the benchmark, but it is expensive and has a poor track record of premature oxidation.

Adelaide Hills stalwart Ashton Hills has for many years been the source of Chardonnay of genuine class and distinction. The 2009 release (which this imbiber understands was the penultimate Ashton Hills Chardonnay, the vines having been grafted over to Pinot Noir) is up to the very high standards of this tiny estate.

By contemporary standards, it is a generous Chardonnay, displaying the traits of high quality Chardonnay – ripe, pristine fruit, high class oak and sensitive winemaking. It is an extremely well balanced wine and certainly doesn’t lack for complexity. Previous vintages suggest that it should develop gracefully in bottle for at least a decade.

2009 CHARDONNAY
Producer: Ashton Hills
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2009
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 2 March 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright silvery lemon with golden glints. Open and inviting nose of honeydew melon, pear and cashew, nutty oak, nutmeg and clove. Complex and attractive. Dry, medium bodied, outstanding depth and volume, intense and powerful. Long finish with all elements in balance. Who needs white Burgundy?!
Score: 18/20