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

2016 MOLINO A VENTO NERELLO MASCALESE - SHE'S LIKE THE WIND

Nerello Mascalese has come to prominence thanks to the renaissance that has taken place on the slopes of Mt Etna over the course of the past decade or so. Conparisons have been drawn between the red wines of Etna and red Burgundy.

One drawback with the wines of Mt Etna is the relatively high price for its entry level wines. If one wants to try Nerello Mascalese at a modest expense, the good news is that there are inexpensive examples of the variety being made elsewhere in Sicily.

This example, from Sicily’s wild west may not possess the finesse Nerello Mascalese grown on Etna, but it does provide an honest representation of the variety. Slightly rustic in feel, it is delivers a combination of berry fruit, dusty herbs and earthy notes.

2016 MOLINO A VENTO NERELLO MASCALESE
Producer: Terre Orestiade
Variety: Nerello Mascalese
Region: Sicily, Italy
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 27 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Clean nose of plum, dark cherry, freshly tilled earth, dried herbs. Medium bodied, savoury, quite rustic in feel. Dark berry fruit, dried thyme and sage. Spice. Earthy notes.
Score: 15/20

2016 STARGAZER RIESLING - APPLE OF MY EYE

While Tasmanian Pinot Noir and sparkling wines get the headlines, Rieslings from the Apple Isle deserve their time in the sun. The latest release from Samanatha Connew’s Stargazer label is a stonkingly good Riesling.

It marries lemon and lime citrus together with green apple fruits. Acidity provides structure and sits well with the fruit. Enjoy it young and fresh or cellar for 10-15 years.

2016 STARGAZER RIESLING
Producer: Stargazer
Variety: Riesling
Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $33.00
Date tasted: 3 December 2017

Tasting Note:
Pale greenish yellow. Attractive aromatics – lime leaf/zest, lemon blossom, green apple – all of which flow through to the palate. Excellent fruit intensity – citrus grove meets apple orchard. Lively and well integrated acidity. Giving lots of pleasure now and should age superbly.
Score: 17+/20

2016 PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO - EASY LOVER

Which is the bigger name? Pieropan the producer or Soave the appellation? Some would suggest the former has more cache as it is the leading producer of Soave. That is not, of course, to say that there aren’t other good exemplars of Soave to be found. However, Pieropan Soave is one of the better known, widely distributed white wines of Italy.

The 2016 vintage rendition of Pieropan Soave Classico does exactly what it says on the label – bright and aromatic, with notes of pear and almond meal. In some respects, it is quite similar to Pinot Gris. It is an easy going wine that is a good entry point to the wonderful world of Italian white varietals.

2016 PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO
Producer: Pieropan
Variety: Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave
Region: Veneto, Italy
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $33.00
Date tasted: 12 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow. Lifted aromatic nose of Beurre Bosc pear, white flowers and marzipan, all of which flow through to the palate. Soft, pillowy and easy to drink. Easy to like, ‘go to’ Soave.
Score: 15.5/20

2014 BADENHORST FAMILY WHITE - MODERN WAY

South African wine has undergone a revolution of sorts over the past decade. Once a country obsessed with outdoing the Bordelaise and Napa Valley and emulating Cote de Beaune Chardonnay, it has turned inward, focussing on old vine plantings of Chenin Blanc as the base for exciting field blends. Mediterranean varieties, specifically Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault have led the way for red wine.

Led by Eben Sadie, Swartland has been the epicentre of this revolution. Adi Badenhorst has also been a key player. Formerly chief winemaker for respected Stellenbosch winery Rustenberg, Badenhorst Family Wines has been responsible for some of the more exciting wines to come out of the Cape in recent years.

Badenhorst Family White 2014 is a multi-varietal blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Verdelho, Clairette Blanc, Viognier, Semillon, Marsanne and Palomino. Stylistically, one could compare it to the white blends from the southern Rhone and Languedoc-Roussillon, though this sort of field blend has emerged as a unique South African style.

It is a wonderfully aromatic and textural wine that combines the best attributes of white Burgundy, Chenin Blanc and exotic Mediterranean whites in one. Given the modest commercial ease of selling wines of this ilk, Adi Badenhorst and his peers should be congratulated for conceiving wines of this ilk.

2014 BADENHORST FAMILY WHITE
Producer: AA Badenhorst
Variety: Chenin Blanc et al
Region: Coastal Region, South Africa
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $60.00
Date tasted: 11 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow. Attractive nose of white flowers, nectarine, white peach, lemon citrus, tropical fruit lurking in the background. Savoury, elegant and very textural, feels and tastes like the bastard child of a good Puligny-Montrachet and Chenin Blanc! Lots going on here, but it feels like there is a lot more to give. Would love to see this wine in 4-5 years.
Score: 17.5/20

2016 DOMAINE VERDIER-LOGEL ‘LA VOLCANIQUE’ COTES DE FOREZ - DANCE ON A VOLCANO

Beaujolais is arguably the most dynamic and interesting region in France at present, showcasing the many faces of the Gamay grape. This wine isn’t from Beaujolais, though after a swirl, a sniff and taste you’d swear it is.

This is Gamay, but from the central Loire, specifically the little known Cotes de Forez appellation. The couple behind Domaine Verdier-Logel produce several Gamays grown on different soil types; granite which is, of course, synonymous with Gamay and in the case of this wine, ‘La Volcanique’, basalt.

The wine is like sucking on grape skins, mouth-puckering and intense. It cries out for fatty terrine, chopped cornichons and a crusty pain rustique. More please!

2016 DOMAINE VERDIER-LOGEL ‘LA VOLCANIQUE’ COTES DE FOREZ
Producer: Domaine Verdier-Logel
Variety: Gamay
Region: Loire Valley, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 3 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby in appearance. Unmistakably Gamay on the nose – cherry, damson, touch of granitic minerality. Dry and savoury, slightly mouth-puckering – like sucking on grape skins. Cherry and blackcurrant. Lively acidity carries the finish.
Score: 16/20

2017 BINK CABERNET FRANC - UPSIDE DOWN

McLaren Vale has long been associated with producing heavyweight Shiraz and Grenache. However, thanks to exciting producers such as Ochota Barrels and Jauma, as well as stalwart Steve Pannell, there has been a collective move towards wines that are lighter, brighter and fresher while retaining regional character.

All of this said and done, one approached this particular bottle of McLaren Vale Cabernet Franc with a degree of trepidation. There are very few single varietal expressions of Cabernet Franc in Australia of note. We struggle to capture the grape’s lightness of touch, lifted aromatics and slightly herbaceous, savoury character. One also suspects that the Australian palate, often reared on sweet fruited Shiraz isn’t predisposed to the straight-jacketed, slender nature of Cabernet Franc.

Back to the wine in question. If one didn’t know it came from McLaren Vale, one would swear bling that it is a very good Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. Weighing in at under 13%, it is brightness and freshness personified – cherry confit, raspberry, graphite, lead pencil and a gentle herby twist – this is Cabernet Franc as god intended. It mightn’t be particularly complex, but that is not its purpose, this is a wine made to be drunk young, with good food and good company. Bravo!

2017 BINK CABERNET FRANC
Producer: Bink Wines
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
ABV: 12.9%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 2 November 2017

Tasting Note:
Mid-crimson. Super varietal nose of cherry coulis, rhubarb, graphite and lead pencil. Mid-weight, light on its feet, fresh and pulpy. Very Cabernet Franc – rhubarb, notes of freshly chopped herbs – fresh and dangerously moreish. Not particularly complex but uber-gluggable. Scores very high for drinkability.
Score: 16.5+/20

2015 KNOLL LOIBNER GRUNER VELTLINER FEDERSPIEL - THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Austrian wine has come a long way since the anti-freeze crisis. Boasting a plethora of world class producers and, in the case of Gruner Veltliner, an indigenous grape variety capable of producing captivating, ageworthy wines, Austrian wine has never been in a healthier state.

Emmerich Knoll ranks among Austria’s leading producers and with good reason. Its Loibner Gruner Veltliner Federspiel from the 2015 vintage is bang on form. It boasts an enticing nose of stonefruit and citrus interwoven with white flowers. Irresistible now, it should develop in bottle over the next several years.

2015 KNOLL LOIBNER GRUNER VELTLINER FEDERSPIEL
Producer: Emmerich Knoll
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region: Wachau, Austria
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $44.00
Date tasted: 21 October 2017

Tasting Note:
Bright golden yellow with hints of green. Open aromatic nose of nectarine and peach, floral notes, grapefruit zest. Dry, medium bodied, fresh and vibrant. Good line and length. Exotic in feel but very restrained.
Score: 16/20

2016 TONIC WINES GRENACHE - LIGHT YEARS

There once was a time when Australian Grenache was big on alcohol and cordial-like fruit sweetness, but lacked for depth, substance and complexity. That era seems a long time ago, as nowadays Australia is producing world class Grenache, both as a single varietal and as part of southern Rhone-styled blends.

The ascent of natural wines, paralleled by the increased used of whole bunch fermentation has also seen Grenache emerge in a more sprightly, spring-heeled, cool, savoury and urbane form. Such is the case with Tonic Grenache 2016. The name and packaging alone inspire suggestions of minimalist Scandi-cool.

Rather than the usual Grenache suspects Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, the fruit source for this wine is the Clare Valley. It certainly drinks differently to Grenache from those other two big hitter regions, with notes of morello cherry, sarsaparilla and granitic minerality. There’s plenty here to keep one interest and even a touch of intellectual provocation.

2016 TONIC WINES GRENACHE
Producer: Tonic Wines
Variety: Grenache
Region: Clare Valley, South Australia
ABV: 13.3%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $32.00
Date tasted: 20 October 2017

Tasting Note:
Transluscent garnet. Bright nose, notes of maraschino cherry, tilled earth, star anise. Dry, medium bodied, quite mineral in feel, cola, black cherry, strawberry. Slightly earthbound. Compact and elegant.
Score: 16/20

2016 MAC FORBES YARRA VALLEY CHARDONNAY - THE BENDS

Few in the game know and understand the Yarra Valley better than Mac Forbes. Born and raised in the Yarra and trained under Dr John Middleton at Mount Mary, Mac has an intimate understanding of the ins and outs of this sprawling region.

Since the launch of his own label, Mac has established himself as a reference point for terroir driven expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. His understated approach to winemaking and preference to pick earlier rather than later allows the influence of site to communicate itself through the glass.

The generic Yarra Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir serve rather a different purpose, being assemblage of several vineyard sites. As such, they are the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc or Bourgogne Rouge, albeit in a Yarra Valley context.

The 2016 vintage rendition of Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Chardonnay is true to the producer’s philosophy and the warm weather conditions of 2016. Oak influence is subtle and the winemaker’s hand is judicious rather than overt. This is textbook modern Yarra Valley Chardonnay. It’s not a wine that will change your life, but it’s a decent, well-balanced drink that ticks the boxes,

2016 MAC FORBES YARRA VALLEY CHARDONNAY
Producer: Mac Forbes
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $33.00
Date tasted: 19 October 2017