2013 CHATEAU GRÉZAN FAUGÈRES ROSÉ - BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

While Languedoc rosé may lack the sexy appeal of Provence, better examples can at least as good as those from its southern French counterpart. This particular wine, from the Faugères appellation, is a class act.

A blend of Cinsault (60%) and Syrah (40%), it delivers attractive aromatics that combine orange zest, apricot pulp and dried herbs allied with typical red fruits. Vibrant and lively, it is a delicious rosé that simply says ‘drink me’. What more can one ask?!

2013 CHATEAU GRÉZAN FAUGÈRES ROSÉ
Producer: Chateau Grézan
Variety: Rosé
Vintage: 2013
Region: Languedoc, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Glass Vinolok
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 18 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Pale coral pink. Interesting nose of orange zest, apricot pulp, floral notes. Dry, medium bodied, delicate red fruits, touch of spice, fresh citrus acidity on the finish. Quite a funky rosé – lively, with plenty of personality. A good drink.
Score: 16.5/20

2013 FIEGL ‘VILLA DUGO’ CABERNET FRANC - DIFFERENT CLASS

North-east Italy is best known for its texture, aromatic and spicy white wines, some of which are among the best white wines made anywhere. While reds generally play a secondary role, there are many good examples made from varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Refosco.

We generally don’t associate Friuli with inexpensive, everyday wines. Fiegl is one producer that defies perceptions. Its ‘Villa Dugo’ Cabernet Franc, with a retail price of around $22 per bottle, is a genuine bargain. It possesses perfectly balanced, ripe Cabernet Franc fruit, with no sign of excess or green herbaceousness.

This is a highly elegant, refined and supple wine. It invites one in with attractive aromatics. No more than medium in body, it is restrained. While unmistakably Cabernet Franc, it avoids its herbaceousness tendencies. For those who enjoy understated wines rather than simple, ‘big fruit’, there is a lot to like here.

2013 FIEGL ‘VILLA DUGO’ CABERNET FRANC
Producer: Soc. Agricole Fiegl
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2013
Region: Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $22.00
Date tasted: 16 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Mid-garnet. Attractive nose of blackcurrant, cherry, freshly tilled earth, truffle, pencil shavings, pine resin. Dry, medium bodied, elegant and stylish. Epitome of restraint. Fine, supple and suave with nothing out of place – immaculately balanced. Soft and silky in a Pinot Noir way, but definitely Cabernet Franc. Drink now. Genuine bargain.
Score: 17.5/20

2013 PALACIOS REMONDO LA VENDIMIA RIOJA - SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

Alvaro Palacios is one of the big names of Spanish wine. His Priorat flagship, l’Ermita is one of Spain’s most expensive and lauded wines. Palacios Remondo is his family estate in Rioja. Stylistically, the wines of Palacios Remondo straddle the line of modern and traditional.

La Vendimia is the estate’s entry level wine, a Rioja Joven that sees a mere kiss of oak. Sweet juicy fruit is the emphasis here, and the wine delivers that in spades. Confit cherry and plum are to the fore, with spice lending complexity on the finish. While it may be relatively uncomplicated, this is a wine that scores very high on the drinkability scale. With its upfront fruit, it is very well suited to lightly spiced cuisine such as Moroccan tagines. Delicious!

2013 PALACIOS REMONDO LA VENDIMIA RIOJA
Producer: Palacios Remondo
Variety: Tempranillo, Grenache
Vintage: 2013
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 17 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Attractive nose of berry fruit, touch of vanilla. Sweet fruited, ripe and juicy. Lots to like here – assortment of summer berry fruits. Modern in style, but self assured and rather delicious. The bottle disappeared all too quickly!
Score: 16.5/20

2014 PAULETT POLISH HILL RIVER RIESLING - LEMON

Paulett is a respected Clare Valley producer. When it comes to Riesling, Paulett is one of the few to release a Riesling when semi-mature, an excellent initiative that gives those without a cellar, or the patience to age their wines, the opportunity to see Clare Valley Riesling in its full glory.

The 2014 vintage rendition of the standard Paulett Polish Hill River Riesling is unmistakeably Clare Riesling. Lemon, lime and talc are writ large over this wine. Flavours are moderate in intensity and the acidity is relatively soft, suggesting that it will be a relatively early maturing wine. While there is little complain about, the wine lacks a touch in terms of excitement and wow factor.

2014 PAULETT POLISH HILL RIVER RIESLING
Producer: Paulett Wines
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2014
Region: Clare Valley, South Australia
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $22.00
Date tasted: 15 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Greenish yellow in appearance. Typical Clare Valley Riesling nose of lemon, lime and talc. Dry, medium bodied, moderate concentration. Quite soft acids. Gentle and easy, but lacks wow factor. Likely to be a medium term proposition. Solid.
Score: 15/20

2014 CHATEAU LA GORDONNE COTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ - WHOLE LOTTA ROSÉ

When it comes to rosé, Provence, for many, sets the benchmark. Over 50% of the wine made in Provence is rosé and many drinkers favour Provence rosé over other examples of the style. In recent years, there has been an explosion in the volume of Cotes de Provence rosés imported into Australia, not all of which are particularly compelling examples of the style.

Chateau La Gordonne does pretty much everything one could want of a Provence rosé at $25 per bottle. Pale salmon pink in appearance, it delivers fragrant red-fruited aromatics typical of the genre. On the palate, it is medium in body, with good weight and vibrant acidity which carries the finish.

2014 CHATEAU LA GORDONNE COTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ
Producer: Chateau la Gordonne
Variety: Rosé
Vintage: 2014
Region: Provence, France
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 10 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Pale salmon pink. Typical Provence rosé nose of strawberry and aniseed, floral notes. Medium bodied, dry and savoury. Delicate interplay of light red fruits. Good concentration and palate weight. Better than the 2013 of the same wine.
Score: 16/20

2013 LADERAS DE MONTEJURRA ‘EMILIO VALERIO’ - UNDERDOG

When it comes to Spanish wine, Navarra is not the most fashionable region. It well and truly sits in the shade of established heavyweights Rioja and Ribera del Duero and the uber-trendy north-west.

Hot and dry, Navarra has long been a reliable source of solid table wines of all colours, often employing international varieties, sometimes alongside Tempranillo and Garnacha. Producers such as Laderas de Montejurra fly the flag for Navarra.

‘Emilio Valerio’, a three-way blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha is an exceptionally well balanced wine, one that favours savoury over sweet fruit. Medium weight in build, it is a little tight and backward on this showing, a touch less open for business than on another recent showing. That said, there is plenty to like and, as is often the case with Spanish wines, the value for money proposition is a strong one.


2013 LADERAS DE MONTEJURRA ‘EMILIO VALERIO’
Producer: Laderas de Montejurra
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Garnacha
Vintage: 2013
Region: Navarra, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 4 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Attractive nose of blackberry, plum, dark cherry, truffle, tilled earth, dusty dried herbs (bay, rosemary). Dry, medium bodied, savoury, slightly earthbound, powdery cocoa-like tannins suggest the wine will benefit from a few years bottle age. Solid.
Score: 16/20

2012 TERRAZAS RESERVA MALBEC - BACK IN BLACK

Argentinean Malbec rolls off the tongue with almost the same ease and familiarity as Aussie Shiraz, so established has the style become. Terrazas, owned by luxury goods giant Moet Hennessy, has produced a Mendoza Malbec that is as Argentinen as a Lionel Messi hat-trick.

Deep crimson in appearance, it aboumds with back fruits, typical of the variety. It is sweet fruited and round, almost easy, but that is in keeping with the style. While there is a familial link between Malbec from Mendoza and Malbec from Cahors, the Argentinean example is altogether, richer, sweeter and rounder.

This is not a particularly complex wine, nor is it particularly intellectual. However, it is highly drinkable and it drinks extremely well with a thick rare steak, as it should!

2012 TERRAZAS RESERVA MALBEC
Producer: Terrazas
Variety: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 4 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Brooding nose of blackberry, dark cherry, tar and woodsmoke. Full bodied, sweet fruited up-front, flavour profile much the same as the nose. Round, soft and easy, gentle powdery tannin on the finish. Not particularly complex, but eminently drinkable and true to type. As one would expect, it works very well with a rare steak.
Score: 15.5/20

2011 ESPORAO QUINTA DOS MURCAS ‘ASSOBIO’ - WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY

Dry wines play as important a role in the Douro Valley these days as the great fortified wines that originally made the region famous. Given the quality of wines that can be produced at a competitive price, it should be no surprise.

Although Esporao’s base is in the south of Portugal, it has a presence in the Douro Valley in the form of Quinta dos Murcas. ‘Assobio’, a blend of varieties based on Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) showcaases the region to a tee.

2011 was an exceptional vintage in the Douro Valley, so good that it was widely declared. The dry wines also deliver. The 2011 vintage rendition of Esporao has excellent fruit intensity and good structure matched by ripe but savoury black fruits. It should develop in bottle, gaining complexity, for several years.

2011 ESPORAO QUINTA DOS MURCAS ‘ASSOBIO’ 
Producer: Esporao
Variety: Tempranilo et al
Vintage: 2011
Region: Douro Valley, Portugal
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 3 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Brooding nose of dark cherry, blackberry, star anise, oak char. Dry, medium bodied, excellent fruit intensity – real drive. Black fruit shrouded by a cloak of fine powdery tannin. Savoury on the mid-palate. Should improve in bottle over 5-6 years.
Score: 16.5/20

2011 TALTARNI BLANC DE BLANCS - SPARKLE OF MY EYES

As a category, Australian sparkling wine is more challenging ever. It lacks the sexy appeal of Champagne (yet wines made using the traditional method are just as expensive to make) and the light, frothy ease of Prosecco. Moreover, there are many sweet, commercial examples that do the style few favours.

In this context, the team at Taltarni should be congratulated for not only persevering, but continue to develop and improve the range. Taltarni Blanc de Blancs, from the 2011 vintage, is an example of how to get Australian sparkling wine right.

It starts with the raw materials, sourced from several cool climate regions in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. 2011 was a challenging year for dry table wines, but exactly what the doctor ordered for producing quality fruit for sparking wine.

The result is a wine that showcases pristine Chardonnay fruit – green apple, lemon zest and grapefruit pith. There’s little autolysis to speak of, but fruit takes centre stage here, admirably so. At just $23 per bottle, there are few better value sparkling wines in the market today particularly for single vintage, traditional method bubbles.

2011 TALTARNI BLANC DE BLANCS
Producer: Taltarni
Variety: Sparkling wine – Blanc de Blancs
Vintage: 2011
Region: Multi-regional, Australia
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $23.00
Date tasted: 3 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Silvery lemon in appearance. Clean nose of crisp green apples, lemon and grapefruit pith. Dry and fresh, pristine in feel; green apple and lemon pith. No autolysis to speak of, but very clean, fresh, well balanced and, most importantly, dry. Excellent value for money.
Score: 16/20

2014 MURDOCH HILL ‘THE CRONBERRY’ SHIRAZ - I FOUND MY THRILLS...

Murdoch Hill is a relatively new player based in Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills.  On evidence thus far, it stands as one of the region’s best producers. The 2014 vintage release of ‘The Cronberry’ Shiraz follows hot on the heels on the excellent 2013 offering.

Together with the likes of Shaw & Smith and SC Pannell, Murdoch Hill presents a highly compelling case for Adelaide Hills Shiraz. No more than medium in body, it combines bright red berry fruit with a twist of pepper. It is neither northern Rhone nor traditional ‘Aussie Shiraz’, but a delicious well composed example of cool climate Adelaide Hills Shiraz.

Given the relatively modest price-tag, there’s a lot to like here, though the wine would benefit from another couple of years in bottle. Although Australia has been stereotyped for producing powerful, high alcohol Shiraz, the emergence of the Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley and Beechworth as serious sources of Shiraz puts pay to preconceptions. For those seeking Australian ripeness meets European elegance, there’s plenty to like with wines of this ilk.

2014 MURDOCH HILL ‘THE CRONBERRY’ SHIRAZ
Producer: Murdoch Hill
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2014
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 2 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Attractive nose of cherry, damson and freshly ground black pepper. Medium bodied, fine and elegant. Restraint is the operative word here. Tightly coiled at present. Needs another couple of years in bottle to reveal its full potential. Good example of modern cool climate Australian Shiraz and excellent value to boot.
Score: 16.5/20