2014 CULLEN AMBER - ORANGE CRUSH

Skin contact or orange wines have exploded in the past decade, so much so that no self respecting wine list at an inner city restaurant would be off-trend if it didn’t have a least a few. Such wines can divide opinion. Aromatically and texturally, they can be challenging, not surprising given that they are white wines made as if they were reds.

Cullen Amber is a skin contact wine that works, thanks to intelligent winemaking and the benefit of a couple of years in bottle. Inspired by the orange wines of Fruili in Italy’s north-east, Vanya Cullen set out to make a skin contact white using estate grown Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

With the benefit of a couple of years in bottle, the wine is drinking beautifully now. Round and rich verging on voluptuous, this is a though provoking wine that needs to be enjoyed with appropriate food an in appropriate company.

2014 CULLEN AMBER
Producer: Cullen
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
ABV: 15.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $40.00
Date tasted: 20 January 2018

Tasting Note:
Md-amber. Interesting nose of grilled nuts, toast, buttered toast. Full bodied, round and pillowy. Real depth of flavour. Quite voluptuous texture. Honey and toasted hazelnuts, oatmeal. Warming alcohol carries the finish. Intriguing wine.
Score: 16.5/20

2015 DOMAINE HUDELOT-BAILLET BOURGOGNE ROUGE - NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The wines of Burgundy have never been as sought after as they are at present. The result has been that the region’s greatest wines are pretty much unobtainable for mere mortals. The good news is that many of the region’s lesser known grower’s have upped their game, though they too are quickly being discovered.

Domaine Hudelot-Baillet is a case in point. A few years back this estate was relatively unknown. However, the current generation has improved quality markedly. The domaine’s entry level Bourgogne Rouge, from the excellent 2015 vintage, is a delicious bottle of red Burgundy.

The practise at Hudelot-Baillet is to destem 100%, reflected in a wine that is pure, linear and laden with red, purple and black fruits. Modern in feel, but far from overblown, it is delivering plenty of pleasure now, but should develop well in bottle for several years.

2015 DOMAINE HUDELOT-BAILLET BOURGOGNE ROUGE
Producer: Domaine Hudelot-Baillet
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Burgundy, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $70.00
Date tasted: 26 December 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright plum red. Alluring nose of black and red fruits, hints of freshly tilled earth, Medium bodied, dry, very elegant and pure. Silkily textured – fine and seamless. Good fruit concentration in the red, purple and black fruit realm. Quite modern in feel. Good line and length. Delicious and very moreish.
Score: 16.5/20

2015 ALTA MORA ETNA BIANCO - ISLAND IN THE SUN

In the trend stakes, there is no region that is ‘hotter’ now than the slopes of Mount Etna. The past two decades have witnessed a revival of viticulture on Etna’s volcanic slopes. The white and red wines of Etna are sometimes liked to Burgundy.

2015 Alta Mora Etna Bianco could be easily enjoyed in the same context as Chablis. While it lacks the mineral complexity of the best Chablis, its has a similar acid structure to Chablis and a lemon citrus laden palate that makes it a perfect wine for simply prepared fish dishes. This isn’t a particularly complex wine, but it is wonderfully fresh, full-flavoured and remarkably drinkable.

2015 ALTA MORA ETNA BIANCO
Producer: Alta Mora
Variety: Carricante, Cataratto
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 13 January 2018

Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow. Bright nose of freshly grated lemon zest/preserved lemon/candied peel. Dry, medium bodied. Linear and direct. Good line of acidity. Quite simple with a strong preserved lemon character. Saline notes.
Score: 16/20

2012 DOMAINE BLAIN-GAGNARD CHASSAGNE MONTRACHET ROUGE 1ER CRU CLOS ST JEAN - THE OTHER WOMAN

Better known for its white wines, the village of Chassagne-Montrachet is also the source of very good red Burgundy, particularly from the likes of Domaine Ramonet. This particular example, from leading grower Domaine Blain-Gagnard, is an honest, relatively uncomplicated red Burgundy that is in the slot for current drinking.

It offers up typical notes of red fruits, earth and spice in an attractive, silky package. It is drinking well now and should develop secondary complexity over the next few years.

2012 DOMAINE BLAIN-GAGNARD CHASSAGNE MONTRACHET ROUGE 1er CRU CLOS ST JEAN
Producer: Domaine Blain-Gagnard
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Burgundy, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 7 January 2018

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet in appearance. Attractive nose of earth, truffle and strawberry. Mid-weight in feel, tannins fully resolved. Very polite, gentle and easy – pretty and pert. Simple delicate red fruits intermingled with earth and spice. Good, affordable easy-drinking red Burgundy.
Score: 16/20

2015 CHARVIN COTES DU RHONE ‘LE POUTET’ - THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

As one of the leading Chateauneuf-du-Pape producers, Domaine Charvin is one an ever-reliable source of high quality Cotes du Rhone. Such is the case with the 2015 vintage release.

Slightly reticent on bottling, the Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone ‘Le Poutet’ 2015 gradually reveals its quality and underlying power over the course of the bottle. On a quick glance, one could sum the wine up as gentle florals and red fruits.

However, with aeration, genuine depth of flavour emerges in the shape of a meaty, savoury core. While relatively elegant for the style, there is a quite a bit of power here, as well as depth and breadth of flavour that belies its modest Cotes du Rhone appellation. A year or two in bottle will serve this wine well.

2015 CHARVIN COTES DU RHONE ‘LE POUTET’
Producer: Domaine Charvin
Variety: Grenache et al
Region: Southern Rhone, France
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 16 December 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Initially reticent on the nose – slightly floral (lavender), hint of spice, red fruits. Dry, medium+ bodied, sweet fruited yet savoury. Opens up over the course of the bottle to reveal meaty depth and substance. Nice interplay of bright florals, sweet red fruit and meaty, gamy, savoury bass notes. Will benefit from another 1-2 years in bottle.
Score: 16+/20

2014 PODERI COLLA NEBBIOLO D’ALBA - PLANET EARTH

Nebbiolo is hyper-trendy, the strength of the 2010 and 2013 vintages in Piedmont lending further ballast to its growing popularity. For Barolo producers, 2014 was a vintage with significant challenges, not the least being rain in the lead up to harvest. The end product has been lighter, typically more savoury wines.

Such is the case with the 2014 Nebbiolo d’Alba from Poderi Colla. This is a ‘purists’ Nebbiolo for those not chasing simple fruit. It is very savoury and earthbound, with prominent (but not severe) tannins making their presence felt. It is a wine that demands food, preferably something rich and fatty to suck up those firm tannins.

2014 PODERI COLLA NEBBIOLO D’ALBA
Producer: Poderi Colla
Variety: Nebbolo
Region: Piedmont, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $40.00
Date tasted: 9 December 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright strawberry nose. Earthy nose, dusty herbs, floral notes. Medium bodied, very savoury. Earthbound, taut, slightly stern, tobacco leaf. Absolutely not fruity and easy. Slightly austere in feel, but works for the style. A wine you have to be in the right mood for, but worth the effort for those prepared to go along for the ride.
Score: 15.5/20