2012 CHÂTEAU PEYBONHOMME-LES-TOURS ROUGE - HER NAME IS BIO...

Biodynamics is widely practised in some of France’s major wine region’s, particularly the Loire Valley and Alsace. Even in Champagne, small growers have shifted to biodynamic viticulture as an instrument toward quality improvement and terroir expression.

In the expanses of Bordeaux, biodynamically managed vineyards are a rarity. One prominent example, is high profile Château Pontet Canet in Pauillac. There a few chateau located in the lesser known appellations that have moved to biodynamics. One such property is Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours in the Côtes de Blaye.

As is typical in this part of Bordeaux, Merlot is the dominant varietal in the mix.  While not über-complex, the 2012 vintage release is a highly authentic expression of red Bordeaux at an affordable pricetag. It displays good clarity of flavour and isn’t ‘dressed up’ with new oak, in an attempt to belie its relatively humble origin.

2012 CHÂTEAU PEYBONHOMME-LES-TOURS ROUGE
Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Region: Bordeaux, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $32.00
Date tasted: 7 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Typical nose of plum, cherry, tilled earth and truffle. Medium bodied, dry and savoury; mouthfilling plummy fruit leads the way, followed by earth and bay leaf. A lick of tannin carries the finish. Simple and straightforward, but pure, unfettered and true to its type.
Score: 16/20

2010 LA SPINETTA ‘CA’ DI PIAN’ BARBERA D’ASTI - DEEP

Many will know La Spinetta is one of Piedmont’s leading modernists. In addition to making one of, if not the, region’s best Moscato’s, it has carved out a reputation for producing high quality Barbera.

La Spinetta’s reputation with Barbera has been earned through the development of a house style, marked by ageing in new French oak barrels. ‘Ca’ di Pian’ Barbera d’Asti, from the excellent 2010 vintage, is La Spinetta to a tee. Deep crimson in appearance, it offers up intense aromas of black fruit married with smoky oak, reflected on the palate.

While the oak is to the fore here, it is undeniably high quality wood, and it sits comfortably with the dark, brambly fruit. Whether the result is authentic Barbera, is very much a question of debate and of personal preference. It is a good wine, very much of the modern idiom, regardless of personal bias.

2010 LA SPINETTA ‘CA’ DI PIAN’ BARBERA D’ASTI
Producer: La Spinetta
Variety: Barbera
Vintage: 2010
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 14.0%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: $45.00
Date tasted: 3 May 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson verging on opaque. Brooding nose of tar, smoky oak, dark plum and blackberry. Dry, full bodied, voluptuous and silky texture. Intense black fruit married with assertive but well integrated smoky oak. Clearly plenty of work has gone into this wine – modern and polished. The raw materials are obviously very good, and the final product is very polished, but is it immediately recognisable as Barbera? It is certainly one interpretation of Barbera.
Score: 16.5+/20

2013 COMANDO G ‘LA BRUJA AVERIA’ GARNACHA - LIVIN' LA VIDA LOCA!

Garnacha aka Grenache is only second to Tempranillo in terms of its importance to Spanish red wine. Whether as a blending component in Rioja or in the hillsides of Catalonia (Priorat, Monstant), or as a single varietal, Garnacha seems very home in the Spanish landscape.

Comando G is an exciting project, drawing on fruit from the Sierre Gredos in DO Madrid, that specialises in Garnacha. What makes the wines of Comando G interesting is that the fruit is grown at high elevation, up to 1,000 metres above sea level. Vine age sits at 50-80 years old.

Although this is a young project, conceived in 2008, it has access to exceptional raw materials. Allied with sensitive winemaking, the result is a very stylish expression of Garnacha. Some of the very top wines from Comando G possess almost Pinot Noir-like delicacy and floral aromatics.

‘La Bruja Averia’ is unquestionably Garnacha, with its powerful kirsch/strawberry fruit, up-front sweetness and warming alcohol. It is undeniably an exceptionally good representation of the variety, the match of similarly priced wines from the southern Rhone.

2013 COMANDO G ‘LA BRUJA AVERIA’ GARNACHA
Producer: Comando G
Variety: Grenache
Vintage: 2013
Region: Madrid, Spain
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $40.00
Date tasted: 26 April 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Lifted and attractive nose of macerated red fruits (cherry, strawberry, plum), aniseed, floral notes. Dry, medium bodied, excellent fruit intensity, similar in profile to the nose. Lovely balance of sweet and savoury. Top quality Grenache! Just a hint of alcohol heat on the finish.
Score: 17/20

2012 TELLURIAN GSM - EASY

In Australia, we tend to think that Grenache-based blends are the preserve of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Yet there are some respectable offerings from central Victoria. This particular wine from Heathcoate’s Tellurian is a sound effort.

It displays the hallmarks of the GSM blend, a melange of sweet red fruits and spice. In the mouth it is soft, smooth and savoury. If a criticism is to be made against this wine, it is that it is rather too polite and genteel. One wouldn’t mind seeing a more expressive and flamboyant wine, that captures the essence of the style.

On the plus side, it is well balanced and easy drinking. On the negative, $30 is perhaps a wee bit much to ask given the relatively limited complexity and interest on show.

2012 TELLURIAN GSM
Producer: Tellurian
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2012
Region: Heathcote, Victoria
Alcohol: 14.4%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 1 May 2015

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby in appearance. Slightly subdued nose. Touch of roasted spice, ground peppercorn, brambly fruit. Medium bodied, dry, round and easy. Becomes more savoury with air. Gentle. Ultimately, lacks genuine depth, intensity and interest. Well balanced and perfectly drinkable, but a bit too polite.
Score: 14.5/20

2010 MAIN RIDGE ESTATE CHARDONNAY - GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'

The Mornington Peninsula is a relatively young region, even by Australian terms. Established in the 1970’s, Main Ridge Estate was the region’s first commercial winery. It has established a reputation for producing some of Australia’s best Pinot Noir.

The estate’s Chardonnay has resisted the drive toward steelier, leaner expressions of the variety and is unashamedly a fully worked wine that undergoes 100% malolcatic fermentation. The 2010 vintage release of Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay illustrates, in no uncertain terms, that there is room for richer styles of Chardonnay.

Thanks to the estate’s high elevation and resulting natural acidity, the Chardonnay carries its ‘fully worked’ badge with ease. This is not a clumsy, overworked, in your face Chardonnay, but a stylishly assembled, full bodied, superbly balanced wine.

2010 MAIN RIDGE ESTATE CHARDONNAY
Producer: Main Ridge Estate
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2010
Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $60.00
Date tasted: 11 March 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright greenish yellow with golden glints. Alluring nose of nectarine, white peach, roasted hazelnuts, melon and oak spice. Full bodied, dry and round. Plenty of ‘old school’ fully worked richness, held in check by a fine line of balancing acidity. Bold Chardonnay, that works a treat!
Score: 18/20

2012 VINS SANS FRONTIÈRES ‘LA POULE BLANCHE’ - PSYCHO CHICKEN

Former Bordeaux chateau owner Sacha Lichine has created a highly successful premium Provence rosé label in the shape of Château d’Ésclans. From the entry level Whispering Angel to the flagship Garrus (which sits at $200 per bottle!), the Château d’Ésclans rosés marry intelligent Bungundian winemaking with luxury packaging.

Lichine’s Vins Sans Frontières label, sourced from the Languedoc, is less aspirational in its positioning, and pricing. ‘La Pole Blanche’ is a well considered blend of Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Rolle, only one of which we generally associate with southern France.

The wine itself is a tidy offering, with some aromatic complexity on offer. It is made for white meats; in this instance a veal schnitzel, though chicken would also work well. At $28, it is fully priced, but there is plenty to enjoy.

2012 VINS SANS FRONTIÈRES ‘LA POULE BLANCHE’
Producer: Vins Sans Frontières
Variety: Southern French white blend (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Rolle)
Vintage: 2012
Region: Languedoc, France
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 10 April 2015

Tasting Note:
Greenish yellow. Interesting nose of hay, grapefruit zest, lemon blossom and toasted pine nuts. Dry, medium bodied, honeydew melon meets lemon/grapefruit citrus with a nutty overlay. Very decent, though perhaps a touch expensive for what it is?
Score: 15.5/20

2012 CORTINO DOLCETTO DIANO D’ALBA - THE SWEETEST THING

For many top Barolo and Barbaresco producers, Dolcetto is very much the first rung on the ladder, the variety planted on sites not suited to or good enough for either Nebbiolo or Barbera. The ‘little sweet one’ is often talked of as the wine the ‘locals drink’ or ‘our everyday wine’.

There are some areas in Piedmont where Dolcetto prevails, one of those being Diano d’Alba, which has DOCG status for Dolcetto and Dolcetto alone. Situated to the south of the city of Alba and just north of some of the most famous communes of Barolo (namly Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba) it is well suited to the production of quality Dolcetto.

This particular example from Azienda Agricola Cortino captures the essence of Dolcetto with its bright cherry/damson fruit and noticeable lick of tannin. ‘Little sweet one’ it may be, but it is very much a wine intended for the dinner table or even, perhaps, medium term ageing.

2012 CORTINO DOLCETTO DIANO D’ALBA
Producer: Azienda Agricola Cortino
Variety: Dolcetto
Vintage: 2012
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Composite cork
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 27 March 2014

2014 DELINQUENTE ‘THE BULLET DODGER’ MONTEPULCIANO - DEGENERATE BOY

Italian varieties continue to illustrate that the warm Riverland/Riverina inland regions may offer more than being a sourced for generic branded wine of indifferent quality.

Delinquente ‘The Bullet Dodger’ is a sold example of Montepulciano. As befits the variety, it is deeply coloured, with up-front dark cherry and plum. Complex it is not, but it is yet another well executed example of an interesting Italian varietal in grown in warm inland Australia.

Dry and savoury, ‘The Bullet Dodger’ is well suited to Italian dishes of many shapes and sizes; pizza, tomato-based past a dishes and rich ragus. At under $20, it constitutes good value for money.

2014 DELINQUENTE ‘THE BULLET DODGER’ MONTEPULCIANO
Producer: Australian Wine Company
Variety: Montepulciano
Vintage: 2014
Region: Riverland, South Australia
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $18.00
Date tasted: 18 March 2015

2012 VINICOLA PALAMÀ ‘KALÁ’ SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO - THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

The red wines of southern Italy often tend to be full in flavour, with moderate alcohol and baked fruit characters. Although rarely subtle or delicate, they are well suited to robust cuisine. In this respect, the Salice Salentino Rosso ‘Kala’ from Vinicola Palamà ticks the boxes.

In three simple words, it is deep, dark and savoury. There’s not a huge amount of complexity on offer, but sufficient interest to carry one through the bottle. With it’s dark fruit profile, it is well suited to simply grilled red meats and hearty braises.

There’s a good amount of Puglian authenticity to enjoy here, if not a huge amount of complexity. Those seeking complexity from southern Italy would be well served to head for Campania or Basilicata and hunt for the best examples of Aglianico.

2012 VINICOLA PALAMÀ ‘KALÁ’ SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO
Producer: Vinicola Palamà
Variety: Negroamaro 70%/Malvasia Nero 30%
Vintage: 2012
Region: Puglia, Italy
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $22.00
Date tasted: 20 March 2015

Tasting Note:
Crimson in appearance. Cherry, tar/bitumen and baked earth on the nose. Dry, medium bodied, bitter cherry, damson, prune. Dark and brooding. Savoury in profile. Powdery tannins carry the finish. Solid, but not particularly complex.
Score: 15/20

2013 MOUNT ABORA ‘SAFFRAAN’ CINSAUT - TRUE

We tend to encounter Cinsua(l)t primarily as a blending partner with Grenache, Syrah, Moruvèdre etc in southern French red wines. Infrequently do we see it as a single varietal, and rarely as an impressive wine in its own right.

Although rarely seen in Australia, Cinsault is widely planted in South Africa. As many will know, it is a parent of Pinotage (for better or worse, one might say!).

This particular wine, from the very hip region of Swartland, is a very impressive rendition of the variety. There is considerable aromatic complexity on display, and a lovely savoury, restrained palate. Best of all, it weighs in at a mere 12% ABV.

Although it is slightly rustic, there is plenty to enjoy with ‘Safraan’ Cinsaut. This is an unadulterated, unpretentious wine that provides exceptional drinkability.

2013 MOUNT ABORA ‘SAFFRAAN’ CINSAUT
Producer: Mount Abora
Variety: Cinsault
Vintage: 2013
Region: Swartland, South Africa
Alcohol: 12.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 15 March 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright garnet. Attractive nose of cherry, plum, tar, dusty herbs, leather and charcuterie. Dry, medium bodied, savoury, very restrained. Flavour profile on the palate is similar to the nose, albeit less complex. A model of savoury restraint – in a good way!
Score: 16/20