TEUSNER ALBERT– QUINTESSENTIAL MODERN BAROSSA SHIRAZ

Teusner is a relatively young Barossa Valley label that has emerged to become a leading player over the course of the past decade. Indeed, it has extended its reach to include an Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wine. However, its base and heart remains very much in the Barossa Valley.

The key characteristics of Teusner wines are purity of fruit and understated oak influence together with very soft, fine tannins. They are reflective of the direction winemaking has taken in the Barossa Valley, with a far more judicious use of new oak.

The 2008 Albert Shiraz is straight from the Teusner hymn sheet, a voluptuous melange of ripe berry fruit enveloped in very fine grained tannins. There’s plenty to enjoy and cellaring potential, at least over the medium term. It is a premium Barossa Valley Shiraz that will please many fans of the style.

2008 ALBERT SHIRAZ
Producer: Teusner
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $40.00
Date tasted: 12 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright plum red. Open nose of plum, kirsch, blackberry and blueberry. Quintessential warm climate Australian Shiraz nose. Rich, full bodied, very smooth and voluptuous. Hallmark Teusner fine grained tannins lead a multi-layered palate of cherry liqueur, blueberry, plum and spice. Slightly warming alcohol on the finish.
Score: 16.5/20

LETHBRIDGE ESTATE – TRADING IN THE LAB COAT FOR THE VINEYARD

Geelong’s Lethbridge Estate evolved over several years thanks to the efforts of three friends. Originally trained in the sciences, they took the decision to pursue viticulture and winemaking full time. It appears to have been a good decision, as Lethbridge Estate is rated by many among the best producers in the relatively cool Geelong region.

The Geelong region is highly regarded for producing top notch Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as some very good Shiraz, notably from Bannockburn Vineyards and Clyde Park. The 2009 Lethbridge Estate is a good effort, but falls slightly short. There is an elegance and savoury quality to the wine, but to this taster it lacks sufficient depth of flavour and genuine character to mark it out above the norm.

2009 SHIRAZ
Producer: Lethbridge Estate
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2009
Region: Geelong, Victoria
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $40.00
Date tasted: 12 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Slightly earthbound nose, raspberry, cherry, graphite. Dry, medium bodied supple and savoury, graphite, charcoal, dark berry fruit. Finishes moderately long, but seems a touch anonymous. Score: 16/20

S.C. PANNELL TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA – SPAIN MEETS PORTUGAL

Freed of the corporate hackles of his role as Hardy’s chief winemaker, Steve Pannell has gone from strength to strength since venturing out and bottling wines under his own label. Mostly made from McLaren Vale fruit, the Pannell portfolio of primarily red wines display a level of sophistication, depth and complexity rarely seen in McLaren Vale.

This interesting blend of Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional is no exception. It is a very savoury animal and very true to type, so much so that it is an ‘Iberian ringer’. We have yet another winner from the talented hands of Steve Pannell.

2010 TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA
Producer: S.C. Pannell
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $25.00
Date tasted: 22 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red in colour. Clean and youthful nose of morello cherry, Satsuma plum and sarsaparilla. Medium bodied, svelte in texture, savoury in profile, prototypical Tempranillo character; cherry and plum. Drinking well now.
Score: 16/20

2005 CHÂTEAU DE FONBEL – ALL WE NEED IS JUST A LITTLE PATIENCE

Thanks to the fact that it has the hands of Ausone winemaker Alain Vaultheir at the till, modestly priced (at least in comparison to Ausone) Château de Fonbel is often referred to as the ‘3rd wine of Ausone’. While that may be a subject of debate, in St Emilion terms, it represents good value for money, especially in great vintages such as 2005 (a case was procured en-primeur in the UK for less than GBP150 in-bond).

On paper, seven years on from vintage seems as good a time as any to check out what is a relatively modest wine in terms of the St Emilion hierarchy. On this showing, it seems that these 2005’s are going to need a good long slumber and plenty of patience. The colour has barely moved since bottling, and both the nose and palate are tight as the proverbial. The wine’s structure is very much carried by the tannin, although there’s clearly enough depth of fruit to ensure that the wine will come around. On this showing, it needs at least another 3-4 years before seeing the light of day.

If a modest St Emilion Grand Cru is so unevolved, one wonders just how long it will be before the Cabernet-dominant Médoc superstars are ready to drink?!

2005 CHÂTEAU DE FONBEL
Producer: Château de Fonbel
Variety: Merlot
Vintage: 2005
Region: Bordeaux, France
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: N/a
Date tasted: 21 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep (near impenetrable) crimson. Tight on the nose; graphite, woodsmoke, black cherry. Dry, medium bodied, quite elegantly composed, but framed by savoury tannins at present. Quite tight and unyielding, but there’s sufficient depth to suggest a good future lies ahead. The only concern is hat the alcohol is slightly warming on the finish. Leave for 3-4 years.
Score: 16+/20

QUEALY PINOT GRIGIO FRUILANO – AROMATIC TO A TEE

We have already reviewed the northern Italian inspired Pobblebonk white blend from Quealy Wines on these pages, as well as the single varietal Friulano fermented in clay amphorae. In terms of pricing, the Pinot Grigio/Friulano blend sits below the other two wines in the Quealy hierarchy, yet it is an equally attractive wine.

Wonderfully aromatic and with courage to be different, it delivers an enticing mix of apple/pear orchard fruit married with apricot and lemon citrus. It is a vibrant, lively, life affirming wine that will elevate any occasion.

2010 PINOT GRIGIO FRIULANO
Producer: Quealy Wines
Variety: Pinot Grigio blend
Vintage: 2010
Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $20.00
Date tasted: 21 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow. Lifted aromatic nose of apricot, quince, green apples and lemon citrus. Dry, medium bodied, very textured and round, punctuated with lively acidity. The wine displays a lovely balance of the two varieties; pear, apple and apricot. Good length. Very drinkable and extremely good value.
Score: 16.5/20

2009 SCHWARZ THIELE ROAD GRENACHE - YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY

Twenty or so years ago, many Australian Grenaches were sweet and jammy, high in alcohol and lacking structure. However, there has been a dimensional improvement in the quality of Australian Grenache and blends thereof in the past decade or so. Yes, they are at the higher end of the alcohol spectrum. Such is the nature of Grenache, whether it be in the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale or the southern Rhone. The better contemporary examples of Australian Grenache possess lifted aromatics, often with a spicy and floral edge, a savoury palate and a structure that suggests they should develop well in bottle for a decade, perhaps longer.

Boutique Barossa Valley producer Schwarz Wine Company has been fashioning the Thiele Road Grenache for the best part of a decade. The wine boasts a prototypical Grenache bouquet of kirsch, plum, spice and tar. While there is an initial fruit sweetness on the palate, it quickly moves to savoury, with spicy carrying the finish. Although drinking perfectly well now, it should develop well in bottle for the next several years, building complexity in that time.

While this isn’t a match for the famous 100% Grenache Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Château Rayas, it displays considerable poise and refinement.

2009 GRENACHE
Producer: Schwarz Wine Company
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2009
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $32.00
Date tasted: 15 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Inviting nose of kirsch, raspberry, star anise and tar. Dry, at the fuller end of medium bodied, quite savoury in profile, similar fruit characters as on the nose, low acidity. All in all, a well balanced example of modern Barossa Valley Grenache that is in no way jammy or confected. A good effort.
Score: 16+/20

CRAWFORD RIVER - WORLD CLASS RIESLING FROM VICTORIA'S SOUTH-WEST

Any roll call of Australia’s great Riesling producing regions would include the big three – Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Great Southern (Western Australia). Beyond that, it gets rather thin on the ground. Sure, there’s some good Rieslings coming out of Tasmania and the odd good wine from the Adelaide Hills. Then there’s Henty, a little known region not far from the South Australian border in the south-west of Victoria.

Henty is a cool region with a strong maritime influence. Crawford River, founded in 1975, is the region’s pioneer. Riesling aficionados will know the name Crawford River, for it is one of Australia’s ‘grande marques’ when it comes to the Riesling grape, fashioning powerful yet delicate long-lived wines.

The challenging 2011 vintage exemplifies the quality of the site from which Crawford River Riesling is farmed, as well as the skilled hand at work in producing the wine. Although it weighs in at a modest 11.5% ABV, there is considerable restrained power, and a complex array of flavours including lemon peel, mandarin and apple blossom. It is a captivating wine that delivers plenty of pleasure now, but should evolve very well in bottle.

Producer: Crawford River

Variety: Riesling

Vintage: 2011

Region: Henty, Victoria

ABV: 11.5%

Closure: Screw cap

Format: 750ml

Retail price: $39.99

Date tasted: 15 July 2012

Tasting Note:

Pale silvery lemon. Lifted and fragrant nose of Granny Smith apples, lemon peel, fresh grass. Dry, medium bodied, although the palate is quite delicate there is a sense of restrained power, excellent fruit intensity; lemon sherbet, mandarin/tangerine, vibrant mouth tingling acidity. While young, the wine is far from austere. Will develop well, but this is a wine that is already delivering plenty of pleasure, especially for Riesling nuts!

Score: 18/20

HEAD WINES GSM - ONE STEP A-HEAD

Head Wines is one of a large catalogue of younger small producers in the Barossa Valley. The producer draws its inspiration from the Syrahs of the northern Rhône, specifically Côte Rotie. In a relatively short period of time, Head Wines has achieved considerable critical acclaim for its Shiraz.

In this instance, we are having a look at a southern Rhône blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvèdre) from the cool 2011 vintage. Sourced from a single vineyard with 100+ year old vines, the wine pours a transparent ruby red. At this very early stage in its life, the wine is rather four square, with modest complexity. There’s bright red fruit on the nose and palate, and a touch of spicy lift.

While it may not be the best Barossa GSM to have ever been bottled, there is little doubt that this wine will benefit from another 12-18 months in bottle to flesh out. At this stage, it is a solid if unexciting wine, but there is some upside to be had, at least in the short to medium term.

2011 HEAD RED G.S.M.
Producer: Head Wines
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2011
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $23.00
Date tasted: 6 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Straightforward nose of plum and morello cherry. Dry, medium bodied, quite four square on the palate; again plum and cherry with just a touch of spice lending a modicum of complexity. Medium weight and savoury, but rather unexciting at this point in time. Needs another year or so in bottle to flesh out.
Score: 15+/20

DALLA MIA FINESTRA SHIRAZ - A DEAD SET BARGAIN

Dalla Mia Finstra is a small Yarra Valley operation planted in 1989. Until 2002, the vineyard supplied other producers. Since then, wines have been bottled under the Dalla Mia Finestra label. If this particular wine is any indication, it is a label to follow, particularly if bottles can be found at the bargain price of just $12.

The 2006 Dalla Mia Finestra Shiraz is an elegant and refined Shiraz, supple and silky, just medium in body. Thanks to several years bottle age, it reveals modest complexity in the form of fig and leather, with a subtle overlay of spice. Tasted blind, one would expect to pay around $25 or so for a wine of this quality. Other vintages of the same wine sell for just under $20 direct from the winery. At the purchase price of $12, from a specialist wine retailer, it is a dead set bargain. In this day and age, many wines claim to be bargains, but rarely deliver. Dalla Mia Finestra Shiraz is one such wine that overdelivers.

2006 DALLA MIA FINESTRA SHIRAZ
Producer: Yarrandah Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2006
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
ABV: 13.7%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $12.00
Date tasted: 9 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Clean nose of cherry, plum, raspberry, and Asian spices. Dry, medium bodied, elegant and refined, silky polished tannins, characters on the nose carry through to the palate, together with a touch of leather and fig, suggesting development. Good length.
Score: 16/20

2010 DOMAINE RIMBERT ST CHINIAN BLANC - HIGHLY AROMATIC

We have previously looked at one of the outstanding Carignans from Languedoc producer Domaine Rimbert. In this post, we place the spotlight on the domaine’s white blend. It is a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Rolle. In this particular wine, no specific variety is in the driving seat.

What we have is a highly aromatic wine, slightly floral in nature, with distinct notes of pear and apple. Not knowing what this wine is, one could easily place it in Alsace. Indeed, it is a wine that would appeal to those who favour aromatic varieties. As with all wines from Domaine Rimbert, it is a very attractive and engaging wine that has one yearning for more.

2010 ST CHINIAN BLANC
Producer: Domaine Rimbert
Variety: Southern Rhone White blend
Vintage: 2010
Region: Languedoc, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural Cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $29.99
Date tasted: 8 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright lemon yellow. Very open and aromatically expressive bouquet of apple blossom, pear, fresh green apples. Dry, medium bodied and savoury, apple and pear to the fore on the palate which is slightly chalky in texture. Finishes long with balanced acidity.
Score: 16.5/20