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CARGO ROAD PRIMITIVO LOVE

Winemaker James Sweetapple

Winemaker’s Notes

The colour is vibrant chartreuse. The nose: toffee apple candy, red liquorice rope raspberry; yum yum yum. Sweet fruit and very soft fine tannin structure play the dominant role in the mouth, with a subtle spritzig on the palate a very fine balance of sweet, tannin, acid and spritzig.

Cellar

“Drink now, drink chilled.”

Additional Notes

I bought a bottle of Primitivo Love (Primitivo / Zinfandel) just before Christmas last year and was fascinated by it: levels of flavours, palate weight if that makes sense and a mysterious sweetness that is attractive rather than cloying. After the second night I became more serious about using it for a Dozen. And that is where this group of wines started.

Availability

Cellar Door or please contact me.

Winery Details

Phone: 02 6365 6100

Fax: 02 6365 6001

Open: W/Ends & P/Hols. 11 to 5.

Address: Cargo Road, Orange, NSW, 2800.

Web: www.cargoroadwines.com.au

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CASTILLO DE ENGUERA RESERVA 2006

Winemaker Diego Fernandez Pons

Winemaker’s Notes

This Spanish Reserva is made from 50% Monastrell, 30% Syrah (Shiraz), 10% Merlot and 10% Tempranillo. The wine was aged in new French oak and second year American oak barrels and then in bottle. Fine cherry colour, deep core with some slight shades of development indicative of its age. Its bouquet has an intensity that is rare in wines from the area. There are notes of well ripened fruit in perfect combination with the 'toasted' aromas from the oak. On the palate, black fruit flavours combine with the creamy notes of French oak. The tannins are supple and ripe. The overall impression is of a powerful, full – flavoured wine with great complexity yet one which is slightly nuanced.

Cellar

Drinking superbly now and over the next few years.

Additional Notes

We'd had a couple of the Jed wines, the Malbec and Pinot Grigio, and when Paul from Bacchus first made mention of the Torrentes, I was interested. He proceeded to this wine, the Reserva and I had to try it. An old friend, from a sales career, now retired in Brisbane told me a couple of years ago of his growing fondness away from other European wines to those of Spain. In this wine, I can see just how he is seduced. It is a perfect inclusion for this Dozen, and a prompt to 'read on.'

Availability

Available to Retail.

Sydney Wholesaler: Bacchus Wine Merchant

Phone: 02 9420 0800 or 1300 309 775

Web(Winery - Spanish): www.bodegasenguera.com

Web(Wholesaler): www.bacchuswinemerchant.com.au

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CHRISMONT LA ZONA ARNEIS 2010

Winemaker Warren Proft

Winemaker’s Notes

The fruit was picked at 11.5 to 12.0 Baume with good natural acid levels and zesty green apple flavours. Careful fruit and juice handling is necessary to avoid excessive extraction of tannins which are naturally high in this variety. The juice is fermented cool in stainless steel to preserve fruit flavours before bring fined, filtered and bottled. An exquisite aperitivo or sipping wine, a glass of 2010 Arneis offers apples, peach and just a touch of honey. The pleasant dry palate is complemented by good acid structure and mineral notes, which linger. Match with your favourite antipasti or seafood dish. Drink young, slightly chilled and in good company.

Cellar

“Drink now or age for three years.”

Additional Notes

Also in the Notes: “Arneis is an elegant Italian grape variety, native to Piemonte and commonly found in the hills of Roero. Difficult to grow, 'Arneis' in the regional dialect means “little rascal.” It is a variety that has the potential to produce highly perfumed wines with fantastic aromatics.”

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 03 5729 8220

Fax: 03 5729 8253

Open: Daily 11 to 5.

Address: 251 Upper King River Road, Chestnut, Vic., 3678

Web: www.chrismont.com.au 

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GLAETZER WALLACE SHIRAZ GRENACHE 2010

Winemaker Ben Glaetzer

Winemaker’s Notes

Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a thoroughly modern way. A hint of dark cherry from the Grenache component in Wallace provides an attractive floral note to the nose. The palate is rich and full yet supple and fresh. The Shiraz component gives the wine backbone, flesh and body with the Grenache adding a soft, vibrant juiciness. Textural tannin components are supported by lively notes of plums and hints of cassis. Dark fruits, spice and cigar box characters are the hallmarks of this fuller bodied 2010 Wallace.

Cellar

“Very approachable in its youth and will develop great complexity as it ages, five to eight years.”

Additional Notes

“All fruit for Glaetzer wines is taken from the small sub – region of the Northern Barossa called Ebenezer. Many of the very old vines (80 – 130 years old) have now been trained into a trellis for ease of pruning, harvesting and for disease and frost control. With our experience of old Barossa Valley Grenache we know it doesn't handle oak well. For this reason we ferment and mature the Grenache component in stainless steel to keep the freshness and animation of the fruit. The Shiraz is matured in two to three year old oak barrels. The 2009 and 2010 growing season produced excellent rains which fully recharged the groundwater system that had been parched from almost seven years of drought. All in all, 2010 is one of the vintage highlights of the last few decades. Certainly an enjoyable and memorable year for me as a Barossa Winemaker.”

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 08 8563 0288

Fax: 08 8563 0218

No Cellar Door.

Postal / Address: 34 Barossa Valley Way, Tanunda, S.A., 5352.

Web: www.glaetzer.com

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GOATY HILL RIESLING 2009

Winemaker Francine Austin

Winemaker’s Notes

“The colour is bright straw – green and the nose, a clean, tight bouquet with apple / citrus blossom highlights. The palate is lively, fresh with an excellent juicy character – encouraging you to take and enjoy another mouthful. Enjoy perfectly infused green apple, citrus and slate flavours with intense squeaky lemon acidity on the long finish. Hints of pineapple mid palate add complexity. Excellent balance and great length ensure this is a wine to be either enjoyed now or with cellaring.”

Cellar

Three to five years.

Additional Notes

“It was a wet start to the season, which continued through until flowering. Low crops ensued. Low yielding vines is every winemakers dream. At these lower yields wines display intense aromatics, great elegance and finesse and long acid structures. The vintage made for very upfront fruit flavours with long acid finishes.” As often happens when talking to someone about wines, generally, a sudden thought springs and it takes over the conversation. This is what happened while talking with Paul Sanderson from Bacchus Wines. I was asking about a couple of other unrelated wines when he suddenly fired up with: “you've got to use the Goaty Hill Riesling.” With some people, that's enough really. “Goaty Hill wines is located in the picturesque West Tamar Region north of Launceston.”

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 03 6391 9090

Fax: 03 6391 9094

Open: Daily 10 to 5 September to May.

Address: Auburn Road, Kayena, Tasmania, 7270

Web: www.goatyhill.com

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HUNKY DORY PINOT NOIR 2010

Winemakers Clair and Mike Allen

Winemaker’s Notes

"A sunny warm growing season ripened the grapes and these were hand – picked on the 28th March. The grapes were destemmed to tank for fermentation. Once the fermentation cap starts to fall, the wine is racked off and the grape skins are dug out of the tank and pressed. After settling the lees, the wine is racked off and spends nine months in French oak barrels before being blended and bottled. The bouquet is expressed with dark plum and cherry, spice and some vanilla. The palate has rich dark cherry and berry fruit flavours with some savoury and spice notes. The vanilla pod from the French oak melds well with the grape tannins and the wine has a lovely drinkability."

Cellar

Made for a daily measure on release.

Additional Notes

"The 2010 Hunky Dory Pinot Noir is predominantly sourced from The Strawlodge Vineyard running off the West Coast Road in the upper Wairau Valley area of Marlborough. The grape vines grow in a mixture of glacial outwash – soils exhibiting a mix of clay and stony gravels. The Strawlodge terraced vineyard is planted with the Pinot Noir Dijon Clone 115. the remaining 10% of the blend is a mixture of Dijon and Pommard clones from the Brancott Valley in the Southern Valley sub region." (I love the detail in many of the Kiwi Winemakers Notes). And there are many reasons for this inclusion. The name, perhaps, but it is really to do with good value Pinot Noirs in our summer months.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 03 572 8326

Fax: 03 572 8331

Open: Daily 10 to 4.30

Address: Boyces Road, RD3, Blenheim N.Z.

Web: www.huia.net.nz

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JED TORRONTES 2010

Winemakers Rob Bates-Smith, Tom Egan & Blair Poynton

Winemaker’s Notes

The colour is vivid straw with green hints. Torrentos wines are known for their aromatic intensity and this wine is no exception, showing expressive varietal aromas of jasmine and rose. The palate is built around a firm steely acid core with fleshy fruit on the front palate and spicy texture on the finish.

Cellar

No recommendations uncovered, but it appears to be a drink now and over the next year or two proposition.

Additional Notes

“Torrontes is Argentina’s most celebrated white grape and one that is gaining the attention of wine critics around the world. Torrentes wines are known for their aromatic intensity; smooth texture and fine cleansing acidity. The best examples are grown in the alpine desert of Salta Province (high up in the Andes Mountains in Argentina's north). Salta is home to the highest vineyards in the world. Jasmine aromas and zingy acidity make Torrentes almost seem custom made for contemporary Asian cuisine.” Again it was Paul Sanderson from Bacchus made me aware of this wine. With two Jed wines in previous Dozens it was a good idea, and it adds greatly to variety.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Sydney Wholesaler: Bacchus Wine Merchant

Phone: 02 9420 0800 or 1300 309 775

Web: www.bacchuswinemerchant.com.au

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PIZZINI ARNEIS 2011

Winemakers Alfred and Joel Pizzini

Winemaker’s Notes

The 2011 Arneis was machine harvested at night. The fruit was then crushed, destemmed and pressed lightly so as to minimise the extraction of harsh tannins. The juice was then inoculated with an Alsation yeast and fermented at a cool temperature of 14 – 15°C to allow for the extraction of varietal expression and aromatics. A small parcel of fruit went through a wild ferment to add some complexity to the wine. Light in colour with a slight olive hue. The wine has an elegant bouquet of pear, lime, green apple and white petal flowers. As the wine opens up, there are hints of spice and floral notes. The palate has fresh pear and green apple flavours, its finish is crisp, rich and persistent.

Cellar

Drink young and fresh.

Additional Notes

"Along with the 2007 bushfires, vintage 2011 was one of the most difficult vintages the King Valley has experienced. The constant rain throughout the growing season caused high disease pressures. Realising we were in for a wet season, we managed our crop levels to average two tonne per acre. This, coupled with the summer's cooler temperatures allowed the fruit to physically mature earlier. As a result the wines will be lower in alcohol with strong flavours and intensity. Young whites will be restrained, tight, fresh and zingy." The Pizzinis have been producing terrific Arneis wines for years, even in difficult years. It seemed like a good idea to put two wines of this variety in a Dozen. I think it still does, and I hope you agree.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 03 5729 8278

Fax: 03 5729 8495

Open: Daily 10 to 5.

Address: 175 King Valley Road, Whitfield, Victoria, 3678.

Web: www.pizzini.com.au

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SPRING VALE MELROSE PINOT NOIR 2011

Winemakers Kristen and Dave Cush

Winemaker’s Notes

97.6% Pinot Noir and 2.4% Pinot Meunier, the Melrose is comprised of many little batches. Mostly machine harvested and fermented in stainless steel with no oak influence or ageing. There is also a significant amount of hand – plunged material which did not quite have the intensity to make the cut for the Estate Pinot. Medium garnet in colour. The nose is packed with red berries and confectionery, but there is also an earth undertone with hints of mushroom and funk. A juicy, soft, silky palate seals the deal in this early – drinking, well – priced Pinot. Bright, young and fresh.

Cellar

Made to drink young.

Additional Notes

I came across this wine in Paul Stenmark's Winestock Portfolio and was immediately curious. Curiosity was aroused for a number of reasons. Pinot Noir wines are by now embedded in the psyche of wine drinkers. I have said a number of times lately, there have been positive comments at two Pinots in the last couple of Dozens. One trick is to get economically priced ones. I asked Paul what he thought of this wine, and he was enthusiastic in what it had to offer for the price. My suspicion or hope is that the eliteness or 'seriousness' of this elevated varietal wine 'may' be cracking a bit which would be good news. For some wines you have to pay big money and that's the choice we make. This wine and it's like, allows as all to enjoy the variety, which is part of the news.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 03 6257 8205

Fax: 03 6257 8598

Open: Daily 10 to 4.

Address: 130 Spring Vale Road, Cranbrook, Tasmania, 7190.

Web: www.springvalewines.com

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TERRACE EDGE WAIPARA RIESLING 2010

Winemaker Dom Maxwell

Winemaker’s Notes

Harvested grapes were whole cluster pressed to minimise extraction of phenolics. After over night settling the juice was racked off gross lees. Fermentation was with native yeast in stainless  steel. The wine was then cold stabilised before bottling on 16th August 2010. Cool fermentation of optimally ripened grapes fills this wine with beautiful aromas of honey and lime while the palate is refreshing and crisp.

Cellar

Drink early, perhaps as an aperitif, while fresh and vibrant as it sings its bright song.

Additional Notes

“The Waipara Valley has a great climate for Riesling. Lying 40 minutes north of Christchurch in New Zealand, the valley is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a range of hills (Teviotdale Hills) which protect it from the cold easterly sea breezes. To the west lie the Southern Alps which create the hot north – west winds. This Waipara micro – climate  has warm days, cool nights and dry autumns. This allows fruit to ripen slowly during a long growing season promoting intense flavours.” I spoke to Glen Brereton between Dozens to see if he had anything interesting this time around. “Only the Terrace Edge Riesling.” Only....a word from Sales? He has the Dozens at heart!  Anyway, to continue: “Its not in the dry style of Riesling, but it has fantastic fruit and was my favourite wine in a recent N.Z. Wine show.” As a casual comparison maybe, with the Goaty Hill Riesling here, is one thought, but I was happy with it mainly as a reminder, although in small way of the tremendous versatility of this wonderful variety.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: +64 3 3584205

Mobile: +64 27 4878570

Address: 328 Georges Road, RD2, Amberley, New Zealand.

Web: www.terraceedge.co.nz

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TIM ADAMS SHIRAZ 2008

Winemaker Tim Adams

Winemaker’s Notes

All components of this blend were fermented on skins to dryness before being pressed, with all pressings being returned to the wine. The wine spent 24 months in a mix of one and two year old American oak barrels in our cool room before blending, fining, filtering and bottling in November 2010. This blend of local vineyards has produced a wine with both regional and varietal definition. The wine has bright magenta colour with aromas of flavours of violet, blackberry and mulberry and complexity given its time in oak. The palate is full and soft in front and middle, with flavour of small berry fruit and again the oak complementing the fruit. The finish is medium firm with tannins coming from both the fruit and oak. The wine has not been cold stabilised and so may form a harmless crystalline deposit in the bottle necessitating decanting before serving.

Cellar

“This wine has power and finesse which makes it both approachable now and worth  keeping, in good conditions, for up to 10 years.”

Additional Notes

With all the variety in this Dozen, there was a need for 'tradition.' There were a few straight Shiraz wines in mind including the new release of the Yabtree (Gundagai). I thought the 'up coming' had arrived...next time! Another, a Hunter wine that I will chase up. Right in the mix of choice was this classic Tim Adams' wine. I had some very positive comments in reference to his Cabernet Malbec last May and with 'tradition' in mind, a Clare Valley Shiraz completes the task in style.

Availability

Available to Retail.

Winery Details

Phone: 08 8842 2429

Fax: 08 8842 3550

Open: Daily 11 to 5.

Address: Warenda Road, Clare, S.A., 5453.

Web: www.timadamswines.com.au

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