2011 SAN ESTEBAN ‘LA PERRA GORDA’ - GIVIN' THE DOG A BONE!

Of all of Spain’s region’s, none is more ‘of the moment’ than the north-west. Ribera Sacra, Valdeorras and Bierzo have emerged on the global wine scene in the past 5-10 years and now occupy prized places on restaurant wine lists and merchant’s shelves.

Spain’s north-west enjoys a maritime climate verging to continental as one moves further inland. Rainfall is relatively high. In terms of grape varieties, Godello and Albarino dominate for white and Mencia for red.

Mencia is sometimes compared to Cabernet Franc; both share a relatively deep colour and lifted pencil shaving aromatics. This particular example is a modest Vina de la Tierra (table wine) and therefore carries no vintage designation on the label. Stylistically, it sits at the modern end of the spectrum, with no lack of extract.

It is a wine that desperately needs food, marked sandy tannins making it a rather edgy wine to drink on its own. With grilled lamb cutlets, it would come into its own. Although not particularly complex, there is plenty to enjoy here. ‘La Perra Gorda’ is a welcome diversion from the well trodden road of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.

2011 SAN ESTEBAN ‘LA PERRA GORDA’
Producer: Altos de San Esteban
Variety: Mencia
Vintage: N/a
Region: Castilla y León, Spain
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Synthetic cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 16 January 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Open nose of blackberry/cherry coulis, stewed plums, graphite, charcoal, wet earth. Medium bodied, intensely flavoured (no lack of extract), sour dark berry fruit. Quite direct and simple. Sandy tannins carry the finish. Needs food, ideally fatty protein such as lamb.
Score: 15.5/20

2013 DOMAINE VACHERON SANCERRE BLANC - EVERYTHING IN ITS RIGHT PLACE

Sancerre Blanc comes in various guises, from the Chablis-eque mineral-laden wines of Chavignol, to racy, citrusSy examples such as this wine from Domaine Vacheron. It is fair to say that at least 50% of the wine made in Sancerre would not merit appellation status were quality a primary consideration. Vacheron, of course, sits very much in the upper tier when it comes to quality.

In contrast to the 2006 Pascal Cotat Sancerre ‘Les Monts Damnés’ tasted several weeks ago, this wine sits very much in the fruit-driven style, albeit very much Sancerre rather than Marlborough. Brisk and racy, it delivers a combination of citrus and white stonefruit overlaid by a nettley berbaceousness.

This is a benchmark example of Sancerre that will please many who are fans of the style. Given its structure and level of fruit intensity, it should be capable of developing in bottle for several years.

2013 DOMAINE VACHERON SANCERRE BLANC
Producer: Domaine Vacheron
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2013
Region: Loire Valley, France
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $50.00
Date tasted: 10 January 2015

Tasting Note:
Pale silvery white with green tinges. Clean nose of white peach, pear and elderberry, herbaceous notes. Dry, medium bodied and savoury, racy acidity. Grapefruit pith and lemon citrus, stem ginger. Good carry on the finish. Should flesh out in the medium term.
Score: 16/20

2013 JEAN-MARC BURGAUD BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES ‘LES VIGNES DE THULON’ - CHOOSE LIFE

Beaujolais has well and truly re-emerged on the wine map. Thanks to the efforts of a collective of quality-driven producers, Beaujolais is more exciting than it has ever been. From entry level through the great crus of Morgon and Moulin-a-Vent to wines bottled from specific lieux-dits, Beaujolais offers interesting drinking at all steps of the appellation and pricing ladder.

One such quality-minded producer is Jean-Marc Burgaud. Based in Morgon, he produces wines from the famous Côte de Py in Morgon, as well as Regnié. Beaujolais Villages ‘Les Vignes de Thulon’ is effectively his entry level wine.

As a general rule, Burgaud’s wines have a sinewy nature and no shortage of tannin (particularly his Morgons), a trait that can present a challenge for those who prefer their Beaujolais to be more feminine and silky. This modest Beaujolais Villages fits with the house style, but has a disarming and rather delicious fresh out of the oven cherry pie quality to it.

Complex it is not, but there is something wonderfully life affirming about the wine; moderate alcohol and great drinkability. If there is such a thing as ‘comfort wine’ then this is it, a wine to snuggle up to, ideally alongside appropriate comfort food such as a cottage pie.

2013 JEAN-MARC BURGAUD BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES ‘LES VIGNES DE THULON’
Producer: Jean-Marc Burgaud
Variety: Gamay
Vintage: 2013
Region: Beaujolais, France
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 9 January 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Clean and open nose of freshly baked cherry pie, cherry blossom and marzipan. Dry, medium bodied, light, fresh and fun; sour cherry and pomegranate. Vibrant acidity carries the finish. Not particularly complex, but lively and life affirming.
Score: 16/20

2013 BYRNE CHARDONNAY - BYRNE FOR YOU

This imbiber has often argued that, dollar for dollar, Australia is producing some of the world’s finest Chardonnay at present. Yes, the very best Burgundy does represent the zenith of this noble grape, but it comes at no small price. There is a proliferation of high quality Australian Chardonnay to be found between $30 and $60 per bottle, ranging in style from the ‘of the moment’ steely and flinty to richer, fully worked examples.

Ballarat isn’t the first region that rolls of the tongue when it comes to Australian Chardonnay (or any Australian wine for that matter). However, the 2013 Byrne Chardonnay confirms just how well Chardonnay is suited to Australia’s cooler regions, including Ballarat.

Stylistically, it eschews the extremes of modern Australian Chardonnay – this is not a lean and mean Chardonnay, but a well honed, generous style that displays an excellent balance of creamy texture, citrusy acidity and oak-driven complexity. Although only 15% new oak is used, it lends its presence in the form of grilled nuts, subtle vanilla and spice.

2013 BYRNE CHARDONNAY
Producer: Byrne Wines
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2013
Region: Ballarat, Victoria
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $38.00
Date tasted: 3 January 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright greenish yellow. Open nose of honeydew melon, candied apples, grapefruit zest, roasted hazelnuts and subtle vanilla. Medium bodied, slightly creamy in texture but balanced by fine, delicate acidity. Stonefruit and melon intermingled with well judged classy oak. Grapefruit acidity carries the finish. Immaculately balanced.
Score: 17/20

2013 CHÂTEAU PETIT ROUBIÉ PICPOUL DE PINET

Picpoul de Pinet is affectionately known as the ‘Muscadet of the South’, presumably due to its natural affinity with oysters, and slightly saline quality.

This organically grown example delivers plenty by way of fruit intensity and possesses the pleasantly saline edge one associates with the style. Rather than oysters, the wine’s brightness of fruit is perhaps be better suited to raw and lightly cured seafood, specifically sashimi and ceviche.

2013 CHÂTEAU PETIT ROUBIÉ PICPOUL DE PINET
Producer: Château Petit Roubié
Variety: Picpoul
Vintage: 2013
Region: Languedoc, France
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $24.00
Date tasted: 2 January 2015

Tasting Note:
Pale greenish yellow. Open nose of pear, apple and aniseed/iodine. Delicate, medium bodied. Simple and direct, but with good fruit intensity; fresh green apples and lemon citrus. Slightly saline on the finish.
Score: 15.5/20

2004 VALLANA GATTINARA - ORANGE CRUSH

Nebbiolo is justifiably seen as one of the wine world’s great grape varieties. At its best it is capable of producing wines with ethereal aromatics, rich texture, restrained power and proven ageing ability.

As we know, the very best examples of Nebbiolo from the best sites in Barolo and Barbaresco, do not come cheaply. One alternative is to seek out better value appellations such as Roero, Nebbiolo Langhe, Valtellina and Gattinara.

Being based in the north of Piedmont, Gattinara tends to produce slightly lighter wines than is the case in Barolo and Barbaresco. While Barolo from great vintages can weigh in at up to 15% ABV, this Gattinara from traditional producer Vallana is a mere 12.5%.

This is a very appealing and slightly rustic example of Nebbiolo that gives no ground to modernity. It is aromatically alluring; at one earthy and slightly floral, red fruits lending a touch of lift. On the palate, it is dry and savoury, gravelly tannins making their presence felt on the finish. While it may lack a touch in pure class, it is unquestionably authentic, true to its origin and brilliant with food.

2004 VALLANA GATTINARA
Producer: Cantine Vallana
Variety: Nebbiolo
Vintage: 2004
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 12/5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $65.00
Date tasted: 24 December 2014

Tasting Note:
Mid-garnet verging to orange/amber on the rim. Evolved nose of forest floor, tilled earth, truffle, touch of cherry. Dry, medium bodied, very savoury in character, meaty/gamey, touch of spice. Finishes dry with slightly rustic gravelly tannins.
Score: 17/20

1997 TYRELL’S VAT 1 SEMILLON - PERFECT!

Hunter Valley Semillon is one of Australia’s great contributions to the wine world. Picked early when acid levels are still high, light in alcohol and with the need to be aged in bottle, it counters the Australian stereotype of high alcohol fruit bombs.

Until the wide adoption of the screw cap as the preferred closure in the 1990’s, ageing premium Hunter Valley Semillon was somewhat of a lottery. Perfect mature bottles of Tyrell’s Vat 1 and McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale could be truly ethereal, yet bottle variation was considerable given the vagaries of cork.

It was with some degree of trepidation that this 1997 Vat 1 Semillon was broached over the festive period. The fill level suggested a touch of ullage, not a brilliant sign. Open pouring, the wine appeared relatively youthful, just a twist of gold to confirm that it is 17 years post-vintage.

Aromatically and in the mouth, it comes over as a wine approaching maturity, but retaining brilliant freshness, vibrancy and vitality. This is a near perfect bottle of an Australian icon, with many years in the tank (at least a decade, cork permitting). What a pleasure to enjoy such a distinctive and iconic wine in pristine condition. One wonders how long we’ll have to wait for bottles sealed under screw cap to reach full maturity!

1997 TYRELL’S VAT 1 SEMILLON
Producer: Tyrell’s Wines
Variety: Semillon
Vintage: 1997
Region: Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Alcohol: 10.8%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 25 December 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright greenish yellow with golden glints. Relatively youthful in appearance. Delicate nose of lemon blossom, honey and candied citrus peel. Remarkably fresh, primary and vibrant for a 17 year old wine (especially one sealed under cork). Medium bodied, elegant, round on the palate; lemon pith/juice. Very pretty, delicate and extremely fine. Testimony to the quality of Hunter Valley Semillon.
Score: 18.5/20