2013 THICK AS THIEVES PINOTAGE - SHOCKED!

We don’t often see Pinotage in Australia. Many would say, all the better. A crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, at its worst, Pinotage can exemplify all that’s is wrong with wine; volatile with disjointed tannins. Yes, there are good examples of Pinotage in South Africa, both as single varietals, and as ‘Cape blends’. However, it is true to say that Pinotage is rarely associated with fine wine.

Here we have Pinotage from the Upper Yarra Valley given a make-over by one of Australia’s more talented young winemakers, the man behind the ‘Thick as Thieves’ label. This is Pinotage with a difference, made like a Beaujolais using whole bunch fermentation. The resulting wine is elegant, stylish and very attractive. It captures some of the best aspects of the variety, but with more finesse than one would expect from many of the best South African examples. There’s a lot to like here. Bravo ‘Thick as Thieves’!

2013 PINOTAGE
Producer: Thick as Thieves
Variety: Pinotage
Vintage: 2013
Region: Yarra Valley
ABV: 13.7%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 30 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Interesting nose of rhubarb, cherry, cumin, bay leaf and aniseed. Dry, medium bodied and elegant. The bouquet is reflected on the palate which is fine and ‘pretty’. Elegant, stylish and genuinely interesting. Dangerously drinkable! Could give Pinotage a good name!!
Score: 17+/20

2008 SPINIFEX TAUREAU - CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR.....

Spinifex Wines is deservedly recognised for producing some of the region’s finest southern French-inspired red wines. They are sensitively made wines that showcase Barossa Valley terroir. What about when Spinifex turns its hands to things Iberian, in this instance a Rioja inspired Tempranillo blend?

On the nose, the wine is true to style, with typical notes of cola and sarsaparilla. The palate is savoury and medium bodied, but doesn’t quite live up to the bouquet. There’s a fair bit to like here, and one cannot complain of a lack of ambition. All in all, it’s a good representation of the type, perhaps lacking a touch by way of complexity.

2008 TAUREAU
Producer: Spinifex Wines
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2008
Region: Barossa Valley
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 8 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Open nose of black cherry, cola/sarsaparilla, tobacco leaf and roasted spices. Dry, medium bodied, typical Tempranillo profile. Palate follows on from the nose. Elegant and stylish; fruit driven. Moderate complexity. Finishes with a touch of warming alcohol.
Score: 16/20

2012 CIRAMI LAGREIN - I WILL FOLLOW

We have previously seen the Cirami Montepulciano on these pages, a wine from South Australia’s warm Riverland region that over-delivers and promises considerable potential for the future. Cirami’s flirtation with Italian varietals continues with Lagrein, a grape that originates from Italy’s alpine north. How does the variety fair in the Riverland? On the nose, it displays considerable promise, rather complex and true to type. The initial promise doesn’t quite carry through on the palate which is rather straightforward and marked by powdery tannin.

Although not as successful as the Montepulciano, there is a lot to like about the work being done under the Cirami label. It is definitely one to follow over the next few years.

2012 LAGREIN
Producer: Cirami
Variety: Lagrein
Vintage: 2012
Region: Riverland
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $20.00
Date tasted: 21 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Inviting nose of morello cherry, cola, coconut and charcoal. Medium bodied, initially tight on the palate but opens up with air to reveal sour cherry. Noticeable powdery tannin. Quite simple. Perhaps needs a couple of years?
Score: 15/20

2012 ELDRIDGE ESTATE GAMAY - SO SOLID CRU

Eldridge Estate is one of the leading Mornington Peninsula producers. In addition to the typical Peninsula duo of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it also makes a Gamay, as well as a Burgundy-inspired Gamay and Pinot Noir blend, called PTG in homage to Bourgogne Passetoutgrains.

Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais isn’t seen very widely outside of its region of origin and the Loire Valley. This example (together with Beechworth’s Sorrenberg) suggests that there could be a good future for the variety in Australia’s cool climate regions.

The wine possesses a lovely bouquet of tilled earth, truffle and lilac. The palate is dry, savoury and elegant, a lick of cool tannin suggesting that there is upside cellaring potential. Anyone acquainted with the sturdier Beaujolais Crus (Morgon and Moulin-a-Vent come to mind) would find a lot to like here. This is a serious example of a much under-rated variety, in quality terms more than an equal to the growing number of ambitious wines from Beaujolais.

2012 GAMAY
Producer: Eldridge Estate
Variety: Gamay
Vintage: 2012
Region: Mornington Peninsula
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $38.00
Date tasted: 23 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Medium garnet. Intriguing nose of lilac, freshly tilled earth and truffle. Medium bodied, dry and savoury, earthy, red fruits, nice lick of tannin, bright balanced acidity. Serious Gamay! Top drawer material that is the match for any Cru Beaujolais.
Score: 17/20

2013 WILD DUCK CREEK 'LITTLE WHITE DUCK' VIOGNIER - IN YOUR FACE!

To some, Viognier can be a ‘take it or leave it’ variety. With its exotic apricot kernel character and relatively low acidity, food is most certainly a must. The best examples of Condrieu manage to walk the tightrope of flamboyant aromatics and finesse, as has Yalumba with it’s barrel fermented Virgilius Viognier.

What happens when David ‘Duck’ Anderson at Heathcote’s Wild Duck Creek plies his wares with Viognier? For the uninitiated, Wild Duck Creek has built a name for producing high octane yet immaculately balanced Heathcote Shiraz. Altough alcohol levels for ‘Duck Muck’ and the Reserve Shiraz often exceed 16%, rarely does one detect alcohol heat. At 15% ABV, Wild Duck Creek’s ‘Little White Duck’ Viognier is very much in the house style. Indeed, it’s bottled at 15% ABV with noticeable residual sugar; one wonders what it could have hit if fermented fully dry!

It should come as no surprises that ‘Little White Duck’ Viognier is not a shy and retiring chap. Viognier on steroids is an apt descriptor. Yet, with context, the wine works. As alluded to in the first paragraph, food is a must. In this instance, moderately spiced dishes from the sub-continent and northern Africa would be the perfect match.

2013 'LITTLE WHITE DUCK' VIOGNIER
Producer: Wild Duck Creek
Variety: Viognier
Vintage: 2013
Region: Heathcote
ABV: 15%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 23 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright golden yellow. Bold nose of pineapple, apricot and peach, background spice. Off-dry, rich, thick and glycerolic. Flavour profile is much the same as the nose. Opulent and hedonistic. Not for the faint hearted!
Score: 16/20

2011 YABBY LAKE SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY - TRIM, TAUT AND TERRIFIC

In the past decade or so there has been a quantum shift in Australian Chardonnay. While heavy winemaking intervention (lees stirring, 100% malolactic fermentation, significant use of new oak) once ruled the day, many have now chosen to adopt a ‘less is more’ approach. In some cases, this has included blocking malolactic fermentation altogether, as well as substantially scaling back the use of new oak.

By and large, this stylistic shift (together with the emergence of cool climate regions) has been for the good, resulting in more sophisticated wines that are better balanced and, in theory, should be capable of ageing longer. However, in some instances, taut and steely has been confused with lean, hard and malic.

While stylistic changes are there to be assessed and perhaps embraced, one should never divorce oneself from the tenet that great winemaking is about providing the best expression of site. With that it mind, we should also be cognisant of the fact that two of Australia’s greatest Chardonnays, Giaconda and Main Ridge, both undergo near enough to 100% malolactic fermentation. However, thanks to the great sites from which they are grown, they lack nothing for freshness, balance and the ability to age.

Yabby Lake is one of the leading lights of ‘new wave’ of Australian Chardonnay. The 2011 (a vintage that increasingly appears to have produced some truly outstanding Chardonnays) was bottled at a modest 12% ABV, low by contemporary standards. The first thing one notices about this wine is the nose; forget primary fruit or spicy oak, it’s all about struck match. In this instance, it adds complexity and interest. Structurally, the wine is driven by a noticeable line of acidity, though not at the expense of fruit. There is excellent balance here and while steely and taut, there is nothing mean or underdone about the wine. All in all, it is a very intelligently composed representation of modern Australian Chardonnay, one that will appeal to those who don’t mind a wine with a bit of attitude.

2011 SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY
Producer: Yabby Lake
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2011
Region: Mornington Peninsula
ABV: 12%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $39.99
Date tasted: 8 November 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright silvery yellow. Open nose, struck match sulphides, grapefruit pith, lemon and crab apple, white flowers. Dry, savoury, medium bodied, marked by fine acidity which provides the backbone of the wine, green apple, lemon and grapefruit citrus. Steely and taut. Classy of its type and should develop well.
Score: 17.5/20

2011 CH. PIERRE BISE SAVENNIERES ROCHE-AUX-MOINES - SOMETHING TO SAVOUR

We have previously reviewed the 2009 rendition of the Savennieres Roche-Aux-Moines from Chateau Pierre Bise on these pages. The 2011 vintage follows in similarly fine form, albeit as a more delicate and slightly reticent incarnation of the 2009.

Loire Chenin Blanc, whether it be Vouvray, Anjou, Montlouis or Savennieres, has never quite gone mainstream. It tends to be very much a food style, often mineral rather than fruit driven, and dare I say, a rather ‘adult’ style of wine. It can, however, be highly rewarding, and prices are generally reasonably, especially when compared with white Burgundy and the best examples of dry white Bordeaux.

This release is true to style. Decanted before drinking, it only started to open up after a good hour to an hour and a half, revealing typical notes of green apple and crushed rock minerality. It is a savoury white wine, one that drinks a bit like a red wine. It should benefit from cellaring for 6-8 years.

2011 SAVENNIERES ROCHE-AUX-MOINES
Producer: Chateau Pierre Bise
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Vintage: 2011
Region: Loire Valley, France
ABV: 14%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 27 October 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright golden yellow. With decanting, opens up to reveal notes of green apples, cider?!, pear, crushed rocks. Dry, medium bodied, savoury and ‘serious’, but not austere in any way. Fleshy and with good palate weight. Like licking wet stones, slightly fermented apples. Lovely stuff in its context.
Score: 17/20

2004 CARPINETO CHIANTI CLASSICO - IN THE SLOT!

Although it sits (alongside Barolo) as Italy’s most famous wine, Chianti is enormously variable in terms of quality. While considerable gains have been made in the past two to three decades, most particularly in terms of increasing the percentage of Sangiovese in the final blend and reducing the use of white grapes, Chianti styles vary considerably.

Chianti Classico, for many the standard bearer of quality Chianti (though producers of Chianti Rufina would beg to differ) is a far from homogenous appellation. The styles of wines produced are as diverse as the rolling hills of central Tuscany from which they originate. Blending partners such as Canaiolo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot all lend their own personality to the final wine, as do the different oak maturation regimes employed by the region’s many producers.

With that in mind, it is refreshing to come across a benchmark example of ‘classic’ Chianti from the excellent 2004 vintage. Almost a decade on, it is drinking at the peak of its powers, a lovely blend of fading primary fruit and secondary complexity. This particular bottle illustrates the importance of timing, as the cork was drawn at pretty much the perfect point in its evolution.

2004 CHIANTI CLASSICO
Producer: Carpineto
Variety: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2004
Region: Tuscany, Italy
ABV: 13%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 13 October 2013

Tasting Note:
Mid garnet, starting to brown on the rim. Mature nose of leather, fig, sandalwood, cherry lurking in the background. Round, soft and inviting on the palate, lovely balance of faded primary fruit and secondary complexity. Tannins have completely resolved and the acidity is fine and well balanced. Excellent example of mature Chianti Classico. Top marks for typicity!
Score: 17/20

2011 WESTEND ESTATE THREE BRIDGES CABERNET SAUVIGNON - WINNERS ARE GRINNERS

Much is said and written of the Australian Show system. On the plus side, one can argue that it elevates the overall quality of wine made in this country and helps eliminate or at least reduce the incidence of faulty wines. Some suggest that it can lead to a homogenisation of wine, and a ‘bigger is better’ approach, arguing that more elegant, backward wines don’t show well when assessed en masse. Then there is the point that many of the very best producers don’t enter their wines in competition.

With this in mind, what does it mean to be the Stodart Trophy winner? Second in importance to the Jimmy Watson Trophy (from a commercial stand-point), the Stodart Trophy is awarded to the best one-year old dry red wine submitted for judging at the Royal Queensland Wine Show. Winner of the Stodart Trophy in 2012 was the 2011 Three Bridges Cabernet Sauvignon from Riverina-based producer Westend Estate.

As to the wine, it is no blockbuster, rather an elegant and very classic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. A blend of Riverina (60%) and Hilltops (40%) fruit, it is archetypal Cabernet Sauvignon. At this early stage in its life it displays at best moderate complexity, but there is upside for further development. All in all, it’s a well made, stylish wine.

What does this say of the show system? For one, it’s clear that wines are being judged on more than just raw power; consideration is being given to varietal integrity, elegance, purity and how the wines perform on the dinner table. If that reflects an overall shift in the consciousness of the Australian wine industry, then it is no bad thing.

2011 THREE BRIDGES CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Producer: Westend Estate
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 2011
Region: Multi-regional (Riverina and Hilltops)
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $26.00
Date tasted: 24 October 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Nose is initially driven by cassis and blackberry coulis, opening with air up to reveal classical Cabernet Sauvignon dusty and earthy notes as well as menthol and charcoal. Dry, medium bodied, a model of elegance, very varietal and ‘classical’, sweet fruited up-front. Not overly complex at present, but there is genuine varietal integrity and excellence balance here. Should develop well over the medium term.
Score: 16+/20

2011 WILD DUCK CREEK YELLOW HAMMER HILL - GENTLE GIANT

Over the years, Heathcote producer Wild Duck Creek has built up a cult following for its rather idiosyncratic wines. The estate’s wines are picked very ripe, and often ferment through to over 16% alcohol buy volume. Yet, unlike some of their peers, the wines of Wild Duck Creek manage to retain a sense of balance. Indeed, some of its wines even come over as being rather elegant (of their type).

As has been well documented, 2011 was a cool wet vintage across much of southern Australia. In this imbiber’s view, it has produced some very attractive wines in warmer regions such as Heathcote, checking the tendency toward excess. Volumes were significantly reduced at Wild Duck Creek in 2011, and neither ‘Duck Muck’ or the Reserve Shiraz were bottled.

The 2011 Yellow Hammer Hill, a blend of Shiraz and Malbec weighs in 15% alcohol. However, the wine is not a boisterous heavyweight. Yes, the nose screams warm climate Shiraz, the Malbec lending black fruits. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied, an attractive blend of sweet and sour, the alcohol extremely well balanced and barely discernible. Those who like their wines with plenty of up-front fruit should find plenty to enjoy.

2011 YELLOW HAMMER HILL
Producer: Wild Duck Creek
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz blend (blended with 25% Malbec)
Vintage: 2011
Region: Heathcote
ABV: 15%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 20 October 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Brooding nose of liqueur cherries, blackberry, liquorice, tar. At the fuller end of medium bodied, soft and approachable, nice balance of sweet and sour, melange of red and black fruits, tar on the finish. Alcohol is, by and large, held in check.
Score: 16/20