2011 AJ ADAM DHRONER RIESLING - SHARP DRESSED MAN

In decades past, the Mosel was often seen to be marginal for producing dry wines. ‘Too austere’ was often the catchphrase for dry wines made from the steep slate-rich slopes of the Mosel. Global warming has by and large put paid to austerity. Producers along the Mosel have the luxury to make a full spectrum of wines from bone dry through delicate off-dry Kabinetts, rich Spätlese and Auslese and, when conditions permit, Beerenauslese, TBA and Eiswein.

AJ Adam is a producer whose star is very much on the rise. The estate is small, a mere 3.7 hectares in the middle Mosel. This particular wine is a dry ‘village’ level Riesling from the vllage of Dhron. In its youth, it displays plenty of structure by way of acidity, coupled with a complex citrus-laden palate. There is sufficient depth and intensity on show here to suggest that the wine will flesh out with medium term cellaring.

This is a Riesling for Riesling lovers, relatively delicate yet with plenty of ‘cut and thrust’. Enjoy it on a warm day or alongside mildly spiced food.

2011 AJ ADAM DHRONER RIESLING
Producer: Weingut AJ Adam
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Region: Mosel, Germany
Alcohol: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $42.00
Date tasted: 8 November 2014

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery yellow with green tinges. Open aromatic nose of apricot blossom, fresh apples, tangerine zest. Slightly off-dry, quite delicate, zesty tangy citrus, quince. Grapefruit and bitter lemon emerge as the wine warms up in the glass. Lively acidity. Should improve with medium term cellaring.
Score: 16.5/20

2013 CALABRIA WINES AGLIANICO - MAMA MIA....!

Calabria Wines (formerly known as Westend Estate) is the source of some of Australia’s best (and certainly best value) Aglianico. The 2009 and 2010 vintages of Calabria Aglianico have both been reviewed positively on these pages.

The 2013 vintage release follows in similar style, delivering excellent varietal definition and authentic southern Italian character. As with previous offerings from this address, the wine offers upside for development in bottle over the medium term.

Kudos to Calabria Wines for being prepared to invest in Aglianico and to produce an expression of the variety at a very modest price that benefits from cellaring. Those seeking an authentic southern-Italian inspired wine could do a lot worse than grab a few bottles of Calabria Wines Aglianico.

2013 CALABRIA WINES AGLIANICO
Producer: Calabria Wines
Variety: Aglianico
Vintage: 2013
Region: Riverina, New South Wales
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $17.00
Date tasted: 6 November 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Varietal nose of plum, cherry, roasted spice, earthy notes. Dry, medium bodied, initially fruit forward. Acidity is fine and well balanced. Tannins become more forthright over time. Needs food and will benefit from a couple of years in bottle.
Score: 16/20

2009 CRITTENDEN ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 'LES ADIEUX' - GOOD IN GOODBYE

With many of its vineyards now fully mature, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula has emerged as one of the key regions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (and Pinot Gris, if you must) outside of Burgundy. While best suited to varieties from the Burgundian family, a number of producers on the Peninsula have experimented and indeed persisted with varieties from further afield.

Gary Crittenden is an old timer when it comes to the grape growing on the Mornington Peninsula. As a peninsula pioneer, Crittenden played with a wide palette of grape varieties, among them Cabernet Sauvignon. To many, the notion of growing late-ripening Cabernet adjacent to Pinot Noir seems fanciful. One can only wonder how green and herbaceous Cabernet grown on the outskirts of Beaune would taste! But this is southern Australia, not cold continental France. Shiraz certainly ripens on certain sites on Mornington Peninsula (Paringa Estate, Paradigm Hill), so why not Cabernet Sauvignon?

2009 marked the death knell for Crittenden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (hence the ‘Les Adieux’) but it certainly went out on a high. It is a stylish, svelte cool climate Cabernet that displays excellent varietal character with no suggestion of herbaceous. While there is an a clear affinity between Mornignton Peninsula and Burgundian varieties, the swansong vintage of Crittenden Estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon is proof positive that warmer sites are perhaps better suited to varieties that enjoy a long growing season under southern skies.

2009 CRITTENDEN ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON ‘LES ADIUEX’
Producer: Crittenden Estate
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 2009
Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $40.00
Date tasted: 31 October 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby in appearance. Attractive nose of cherry coulis/Morello cherry, cassis, licorice, cedar and smoky oak. Medium bodied, satin-like in texture. Sweet cherry/damson fruit up-front leading to crème de cassis on the mid-palate. Fine powdery tannins carry the finish which is long and fine.
Score: 16.5/20

2013 CHAPOUTIER TOURNON 'MATHILDA' BLANC - FRENCH KISS

Michel Chapoutier has a number of interests in Victoria, both as a joint venture partner (notably with Jasper Hill’s Ron Laughton) and in his own right under the Tournon label. As with Alain Graillot in Heathcote, Chapoutier’s Tournon wines provide an interesting Francophile interpretation of Australian terroir.

Chapoutier fashions two entry wines under the Tournon ‘Mathilda’ label, the red being an excellent value Syrah (previously reviewed on these pages) and the white being a Rhône-inspired blend of Viognier and Marsanne. As is the case with the Syrah, at $20 per bottle or just under, it delivers a huge amount of flavour and character for a modest outlay.

Viognier can be a tricky variety, but this example captures its exotic honeysuckle an apricot blossom aromatics to a tee. The judicious use of Marsanne lends a savoury quality to the palate and fresh acidity. All in all, Chapoutier Tournon ‘Mathilda’ Blanc is a very attractive, dinner table friendly Rhône-styled white.

2013 CHAPOUTIER TOURNON ‘MATHILDA’ BLANC
Producer: Chapoutier
Variety: White Rhône blend
Vintage: 2013
Region: Victoria
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 24 October 2014

Tasting Note:
Greenish yellow in appearance. Aromatic nose of fresh green apples, apricot blossom and honeysuckle. Quite delicate and elegant; assertive Voignier-led palate of apricot kernel and candied apple. Moves to savoury on the mid-palate. Moderate length.
Score: 16/20

2009 GIACONDA NANTUA - HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY BROTHER

Few Australian producers occupy a more venerated position when it comes to Chardonnay than Beechworth’s Giaconda. Giaconda Estate Chardonnay is arguably Australia’s greatest white wine. For those wanting to experience Giaconda without the $100 plus price tag, Nantua provides an excellent insight into the house style.

Sourced from estate grown fruit and grapes sourced from neighbouring vineyards, Nantua is principally Chardonnay, with a touch of Roussanne thrown in for good measure. Like the Giaconda Estate Chardonnay, it is a wine that is generous in flavour. In some respects, it is a slightly traditional Australian Chardonnay, with generous stonefruit and pear intermingled with forward nutty oak.

Nantua is a powerful and full flavoured wine well suited to richer seafood and white meat dishes. While it may lack some of the finesse and structure of its more prestigious sibling, it is nonetheless a very good quality Australian Chardonnay.

2009 GIACONDA NANTUA
Producer: Giaconda
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2009
Region: Beechworth, Victoria
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $50.00
Date tasted: 26 October 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright lemon yellow with golden hints. Inviting nose of white peach, nectarine, fig, honey and nutty oak. At the fuller end of medium bodied, round and moutfilling, lots of flavour; nougat, cashew, pear and stonefruit. Classy oak is very well integrated and lends complexity. Generous depth of flavour and lovely complexity. Slightly ‘old school’ in feel, but that’s no bad thing.
Score: 17/20