2012 GLAETZER DIXON ÜBERBLANC RIESLING - GUT JA?!

When it comes to Australian Riesling, one automatically thinks of the Clare and Eden Valleys and Western Australia’s Great Southern. Tasmania gets short shrift for a variety in which it sometimes excels, proof positive that there is more to the ‘Apple Isle’ than a relatively cool place to produce base wines for decent sparkling wine.

The 2012 Überblanc Riesling from Glaetzer-Dixon is a wine that will raise the pulse of any Riesling-lover. The wine is prototypical Australian Riesling lend additional aromatic lift thanks to its cool Tasmanian origin.

Bottled ever so slightly off-dry, the wine delivers a lovely mix of lemon citrus, green apples and clementines, all cut by a marked thread of acidity. It is a style that works extremely well. Although young, there is plenty of pleasure to be had now, and upside potential, at least for the medium term.

2012 ÜBERBLANC RIESLING
Producer: Glaetzer Dixon
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2012
Region: Tasmania
ABV: 11.4%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $24.00
Date tasted: 4 February 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright silvery lemon. Open and aromatic. Prototypical Australian Riesling nose, crisp green apples, lemon zest, sherbet and talc. Most definitely cool climate. Slightly off-dry, marked line of spritzig acidity, green apples, clementines and freshly zested lemons. Excellent fruit intensity. Lovely, vibrant Riesling.
Score: 16.5/20

2010 HOWARD PARK FLINT ROCK SHIRAZ - KNIGHTS IN RED SATIN...

Howard Park is a doyen of the Australian wine industry. Although its roots are in Western Australia’s Great Southern, it also sources fruit from Margaret River. Proprietor Geoff Burch has also enjoyed a foray into Burgundy, working alongside French-Canadian wine consultant and micro-negociant Pascal Marchand.

Howard Park Flint Rock Shiraz takes us to familiar ground. Part of Howard Park’s regional series, it is a blend of Frankland River and Mount Barker fruit matured in a combination of new and used French and American oak barrels.

The overall impression here is one of finesse and elegance. This is not a warm climate smack you around the chops monster, but a relatively delicate Shiraz. There is an almost Pinot Noir-like texture to the wine in the way it glides over the palate. The fruit profile is in the black fruit realm; damson and black cherry. Noticeable powdery tannin suggests that the wine should cellar well and develop further complexity.

2010 FLINT ROCK SHIRAZ
Producer: Howard Park
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2010
Region: Great Southern, Western Australia
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 26 January 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Attractive nose of violets, damsons, black pepper, licorice and tar. Dry, medium bodied, very stylish and elegant – Pinot Noir like in texture. Quite delicate. Powdery tannins emerge with air. Should develop extremely well in bottle.
Score: 16.5/20

EQUIPO NAVAZOS NV LA BOTA DE MANNZANILLA NO. 42 - OH SHERRY......I'M IN LOVE!

Sherry is arguably the most undervalued fine wine in the world. While Classed Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy command four-digit prices, the best Sherries can be procured for well under $100. As the outstanding wines of Equipo Navazos demonstrate, Sherry can happily sit shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the world’s greatest wine when it comes to complexity.

For those not acquainted with Equipo Navazos, they do not make wine per se, but selects and bottles wines from selected bodegas in Jerez and Sanlucar de Barrameda. Thus far, all styles of Sherry have been bottled under the Equipo Navazos label, as well as Brandy de Jerez. In some respects, Equipo Navazos is rather like an independent bottler one sees in the whisky world.

La Bota de Manzanilla displays the traits one has become accustomed to seeing with Equipo Navazos releases. It is at one enormously powerful and concentrated, remarkably complex and refined. It is, by any measure, a ‘fine’ wine; a very adult one at that.

NV LA BOTA DE MANZANILLA NO. 42
Producer: Equipo Navazos
Variety: Fortified Wine - Sherry
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Andalucia, Spain
ABV: 15%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $60.00
Date tasted: 24 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Golden yellow. Powerful and complex nose; freshly baked sourdough, grilled hazelnuts, lemon zest, bruised apples. Very dry on the palate, with excellent follow through. A wine to sip and contemplate. Improves with air. Outstanding.
Score: 19/20

2008 MARTINBOROUGH VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR - SETTING THE STANDARD

Martinborough Vineyards is one of the original players in what many would argue is New Zealand’s finest Pinot Noir producing region (though some Otagans may beg to differ).

With the benefit of several years bottle age, the 2008 Pinot Noir from Martinborough Vineyards is looking in good shape. While it is unmistakably New World with generous up-front fruit, there is excellent all round balance and a good amount of complexity to boot.

This is a wine with considerable depth of flavour, rich and plush in texture, yet there is no sense of excess or over-extraction. All in all, it is a good example of just what can be achieved with Pinot Noir in Martinborough.

2008 PINOT NOIR
Producer: Martinborough Vineyards
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2008
Region: Martinborough, New Zealand
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 12 January 2013

Tasting Note:
Mid-garnet. Lifted nose of plums, dark cherry, spice, touch of leathery complexity. Dry, medium bodied, silky texture, unmistakably New World Pinot Noir. Quite rich, but well balanced. Plush and velvety. Good length. Will develop further.
Score: 17.5/20

2012 SANTOLIN PINOT NOIR - LOOK WHO'S STALKING......

Santolin is a new name in Australian wine. 2012 was the first vintage for this Pinot Noir. Drawing on fruit sourced from the Thousand Candles vineyard, it showcases a la mode whole bunch fermentation.

Being bottled without filtration, the wine is slightly cloudy in appearance, not necessarily a bad thing for Pinot Noir. There is definite whole bunch character on both the nose and palate, lending a slightly (but not excessive or unpleasant) stemmy character and aromatic lift.

All said, it’s an attractive package; a delicate Pinot Noir that is light on its feet and pleasantly savoury. There’s not a huge amount of complexity at this point in time, but perhaps that will develop with a few years bottle age.

2012 PINOT NOIR
Producer: Santolin
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2010
Region: Yarra Valley
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $40.00
Date tasted: 11 January 2013

Tasting Note:
Slightly cloudy in appearance. Mid-cherry red. Stalky, rhubarb, rosehip, cherry, strawberry, stems. Delicate, medium bodied, needs time to open up; dry and savoury. Cranberry, redcurrant. Moderate complexity but good drinkability.
Score: 16/20

2011 SIRO PACENTI ROSSO DI MONTALCINO - LOVE LIKE BLOOD

One could argue that the wines made around the medieval town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany represent the best of what can be achieved with the Sangiovese grape. This is reflected in pricing, with top examples of Brunello di Montalcino ranking among Italy’s most expensive wines.

For those seeking value and authenticity, Rosso di Montalcino is a good alternative. This particular wine, from respected Brunello producer, Siro Pacenti, is full bodied, fleshy and powerful. It possesses an attractive nose of red fruit, damson and hung meat, all of which are reflected on the palate. There’s a good lick of tannin here as well as Sangiovese’s hallmark acidity. It is a wine that can be enjoyed now, but will develop in bottle for 3-4 years. As with many Italian wines, it calls out for food; in this case something meaty and substantial would be ideal.

2011 ROSSO DI MONTALCINO
Producer: Siro Pacenti
Variety: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2011
Region: Tuscany, Italy
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $65.00
Date tasted: 13 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Mid-garnet, fading to the rim. Attractive nose of hung meat, damson, cherry and stewed rhubarb. Dry, savoury, medium bodied, plenty of extract – not a timid wine. Noticeable tannins on the finish – needs food. True to type.
Score: 16.5/20

2010 DOMAINE DES ESPIERS CÔTES DU RHÔNE - ALIVE AND KICKING

The Côtes du Rhône is one of France’s largest appellations. It is also highly variable in terms of quality. This particular wine, from small organic producer Domaine des Espiers, resides toward the upper end of the quality hierarchy.

The 2010 release, now fully mature, delivers an attractive bouquet of red fruits and white pepper lent complexity in the form of hung game and spice. The palate is supple, savoury and stylish. Although not particularly complex, this is a very satisfying Côtes du Rhône that delivers in terms of drinkability and value for money.

2010 CÔTES DU RHÔNE
Producer: Domaine des Espiers
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Southern Rhône, France
ABV: 14%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 5 January 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Attractive bouquet of damson, cherry liqueur, white pepper, hung game, lifted spice. Dry, savoury, medium bodied, quite meaty, damson fruit intermingled with roasted spices. Stylish if not particularly complex.
Score: 16/20

2012 BEST'S BIN 1 SHIRAZ - SIMPLY THE .......!!

Best’s 2012 Bin 1 Shiraz follows hot on the heels of the Jimmy Watson Trophy winning 2011 release. It manages to combine the best of Australian ripeness and northern Rhone elegance.

A distinct note of freshly cracked black pepper confirms that this is cool climate Shiraz. There is good depth on show here, and sufficient structure to suggest that the wine should improve with cellaring for at least a decade, perhaps longer.

Best’s Great Western is one of Australia’s vinous jewels, and the modestly priced Bin 1 Shiraz is a wine that most of us can afford.

2012 BIN 1 SHIRAZ
Producer: Best’s Great Western
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2012
Region: Great Western
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 1 January 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Brooding nose of cracked black pepper, cherry coulis, raspberry, smoked charcuterie. Dry, medium bodied and savoury, sandy fine grained tannins, wood smoke, bitter cherry, hung game. Can be enjoyed now, but shows plenty of promise for the future. Seemlessly marries the best of the Rhône and Australia.
Score: 17+/20

1989 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE - (ALMOST) PERFECT!

Much is said and written of Bordeaux pricing in this day and age. It is fair to say that the greatest wines of Bordeaux have become pretty much the exclusive privy of the rich. To some extent that is a great pity, as a mature example of a fine red Bordeaux is a pleasure that should be experienced many, not just a privileged few.

This particular wine is the essence of what is special about Bordeaux. Although a modest 12% ABV it possesses considerable flavour, tremendous complexity and outstanding length. It seamlessly glides over and caresses the palate.

While this wasn’t a perfect bottle (perhaps ever so slightly oxidised), it was eminently drinkable. It will be interesting to see how more recent vintages of this wine and its peers develop in bottle.

1989 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
Producer: Domaine de Chevalier
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 1989
Region: Pessac-Leognan – Bordeaux, France
ABV: 12%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 27 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Evolved mid-garnet, bricking at the rim. Complex nose of leather, game, woodsmoke, fig, slightly acetic. Pleasant core of sweet plummy fruit, creamy texture, tannins completely resolved. Very elegant and stylish. Plenty of flesh on the bones even if not a completely perfect bottle. Delicious. Fully mature.
Score: 17.5/20

2010 CURLY FLAT PINOT NOIR - READY FOR TAKE-OFF.....

Macedon is undoubtedly one of the best regions on the Australian mainland for stylish examples of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Thanks to it’s elevation and southerly latitude, the region enjoys cool conditions ideal for the Burgundy varieties.

Curly Flat is one of the regions celebrated producers. The 2010 Curly Flat Chardonnay is a cracker, not a lean new wave Chardonnay, but a generously flavoured and structured wine lent complexity thanks to the judicious use of French oak.

The Pinot Noir from the same vintage doesn’t quite have the same pedigree, but it is a good wine nevertheless. The wine is most definitely varietal, with textbook notes of cherry, plum and lifted florals, but it doesn’t ignite. There’s plenty to like here, and a higher rating may well follow with a few more years in bottle.

2010 PINOT NOIR
Producer: Curly Flat
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2010
Region: Macedon Ranges
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $50.00
Date tasted: 24 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Cherry red. Bright nose of cherry, plum, hint of subtle oak spice, floral notes. Dry, medium bodied, slightly sandy tannins, moderate fruit intensity. Good overall balance but doesn’t quite fire. ‘Nice’ rather than exciting. Perhaps needs a couple of years?
Score: 16/20