Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic Spring Dozen | |
| BORAMBOLA MOONLIGHT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012Winemakers Chris Derez and Lucy MaddoxWinemaker’s Notes100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Borambola, Gundagai, NSW. The wine has a lovely red plum colour that will deepen with age. The nose shows ripe varietal characters of blackcurrant with leafy notes. The palate displays an abundance of classic Cabernet Sauvignon flavours and oak characteristics from ageing in French barrels. With a nose and palate dominated by blackcurrant fruit flavour, this wine is well balanced. Cellar“This wine is very enjoyable now and will develop nicely over the next three to five years.” Additional NotesThat's about it for the Notes. I am sure many would know the little bottle shop off the highway near Jugiong. It sells a lot of local wines, many of which I have bought at different times. (Chris Derez of Orange is listed as winemaker on quite a few). The Borambola label caught the eye in a local Portfolio and the Shiraz was included in May. Subsequent to the decision, I saw their Cabernet Sauvignon in the Epping pub and curiosity prompted purchase. Could be vintage conditions, but I felt this was, variety considered, an even better offering from Gundagai. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6928 4210 |
| CHRISMONT'S LA ZONA PINOT GRIGIO 2013Winemaker Warren ProftWinemaker’s NotesThe Pinot Grigio fruit is handled oxidatively to naturally remove any colour and any other unwanted tannins prior to fermentation. Most of the wine is fermented in stainless steel to maintain fruit freshness while a proportion is fermented and aged in old French oak barriques. After three months maturation, individual batches are blended along with a small reserve wine from the previous vintage for extra interest. Rising from the pale straw coloured wine, are the aromas of melon and ripe pear, with subtle quince notes. The refreshing flavours of pear and crisp apples delight the palate, with mouth-watering acid and a powdery dry finish. A delightful aperitif and perfect food wine, recommended with seafood, Thai or creamy pasta. Cellar“Enjoy now to 2016.” Additional NotesAlso in the Notes: “Pinot Grigio is a slightly tinted grape with colours ranging from bluish grey to light pinkish brown. It is widely planted in France, Italy, Germany and Austria where it is also referred to by other names including Pinot Gris, Pinot Beurot and Rulander. Pinot Grigio wine styles can range from light, crisp wines to quite rich, round, full-bodied wines. At Chrismont, we find the 'grey pinot' particularly well suited to our King Valley vineyards.” A wine for summer. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5729 8220 |
 | DANDELION WONDERLAND EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2013Winemaker Elena BrooksWinemaker’s NotesThe nose has a gemlike, pristine almost shimmering, bursting scented bouquet of glittering, glimmering, glistening incandescence, with invigorating and intense smells of lime blossom. The palate has an extraordinary precise and clean fruit spectrum of lemon and other citrus fruit flavours, stone fruit, including apricot as well as classic mandarin citrus on the mid palate, developing into rich lemon meringue tart-like flavour. Cellar“This Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling was bottled directly without fining or filtration to capture the essence of the vineyard and is ready to drink now or to cellar for decades.” Additional NotesThe Colin Kroehn story is on the back label of this wine. “The wine is made entirely from fruit off this Eden Valley vineyard planted in 1912. Whole bunches were hand picked, destemmed and placed into the press. Free run juice was then fermented in small tanks between 11 and 14º C. The wine has a high level of natural acidity at 7.3 grams per litre, is bone dry and an alcohol of only 12.0%.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8556 6099 |
| ENRIQUE FOSTER IQUE MALBEC 2013Winemaker Mauricio LorcaWinemaker’s Notes100% Malbec, hand harvested and controlled fermentation at 24º C for eight days in small stainless steel tanks. The wine was then pressed back into tanks and kept for six months. No oak is used. IQUE is a fresh, young wine with fruity characteristics. The colour is an intense ruby-red with violet hints. It possesses fruity aromas reminiscent of fresh red fruits and white pepper. It has a firm structure, soft lush tannins and a satisfying end. Pairs well with meat, pasta and cheese. Cellar“2013 to 2017.” Additional NotesIt was after another enquiry to Glen and his new Untapped Portfolio that this wine was brought to the pizza meal together with the Tannat. I was keen to include more wines in an Argentinian context, from this most important variety . The fact that the wine is unwooded is of added interest. Of Bodega Enrique Foster vineyards, the Notes say: “elevation is at 950m on the eastern flank of the Andes, where they specialise in Malbec wines. Complementing the traditional methods of vine care, they have adopted the latest procedures of canopy management and green harvesting to reduce production and thus concentrate the flavours and sweet tannins of their densely planted, old vines.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Australian Wholesaler Web: www.untappedwines.com |
 | HAMELIN BAY MARGARET RIVER CHARDONNAY 2012Winemaker Julian ScottWinemaker’s Notes100% Chardonnay from Five Ashes Vineyard, Margaret River. Barrel fermented and then matured with fortnightly battonage (lees stirring) for nine months in 35% new and one year old French barriques. Pale straw tinged with green. A beautiful meld of citrus, peach and white flowers, with honeyed cedar in the background. The wine is elegant, medium in weight and a moderate to long length, with fresh acidity affording a dry mineral finish. Cellar“Suggested best 2014 to 2017.” Additional NotesI happened upon this wine most happily. I had bracketed a few Chardonnays in the 'economical' sense to support the average overall cost as there are a few wines here that exert pressure the other way. The E-mail In box was a buzz a couple of weeks ago with the release of James Halliday's new Wine Companion. Suppliers were passing on his ratings of wines they, the wholesalers handle. This wine outshone, I think, those already in consideration. For interest sake it posted 93. More importantly, there are more to check out in the mean time. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone/Fax: 08 9758 6779 |
 | MITCHELTON MARSANNE 2012Winemaker Toby BarlowWinemaker’s NotesCareful monitoring of fruit ripening ensures harvest occurs at optimum maturity. The juice is cold settled and racked directly to barrels before inoculation with selected yeasts. A portion of the creamy juice lees is retained at racking with the aim of providing complexity and depth to the final wine. The wine is matured on lees for nine months before blending and bottling. The wine displays a pale lifted straw colour in the glass. Bright citrus and stone fruit characters are balanced with a mineral acidity. The typically ethereal Marsanne texture unfolds on the palate with lemon pith and floral characters. Cellar“Drinking well in its youth this wine will develop well into the medium to long term.” Additional Notes“With origins in the Rhone Valley region of France, Marsanne has found an adopted second home in the Nagambie Lakes region, home to the largest plantings outside of France.” After the “Airstrip' (Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier blend) in the February Dozen, I was keen, at least get to the Marsanne, especially after gauging the positive reaction by local supplier, Jo Newton from Bacchus Wines. I thought this was a 'goodie,' and will be great to see in a few years. The parts are very good but the union is still in its early days, and a long road of development will see a fabulous reward. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5736 2222 |
 | PHAEDRUS MORNINGTON PENINSULA SHIRAZ 2012Winemakers Ewan Campbell and Maitena ZantvoortWinemaker’s NotesIntense aromas of cool climate spice and blackcurrant, with a hint of cedar oak. Similar flavours persist through the palate which is full-bodied with dense fruit weight and a silky tannin background. Cellar“Decanting is recommended even if drinking now or leave inn the cellar for five to ten years. Additional NotesMichael from Tendril Liquor sent an E-mail recently to say he had a couple of 'Limited Release' wines from a couple of people he handles locally, in Sydney. Of the two wines, I went eventually for the Phaedrus mainly because a previous wine from the maker, their Pinot Noir 2010 was in the February Dozen last year. Again, for interest sake this wine received 96 in the new James Halliday Wine Companion. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5978 8134 |
 | NARBONA PUERTO CARMELO TANNAT 2010Winemakers Valeria Chiola and Michel RollandWinemaker’s NotesHand picked from 16yo vines, the must was fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature between 26 – 28º C. Meanwhile, daily and careful remontage (pumping over) was conducted to extract mature tannins. After fermentation the wine was immediately separated from skins. It was kept on lees for three months to generate 'volume' and structure. Very good purple colour. Aromas of ripe red fruit and raisin grapes. Completely envelopes the mouth on the mid-palate and leaves light traces of mild tannins. It has a terrific balance and even finish. The wine is unoaked. Perfect with pasta, red meat and lamb. Cellar“Peak drinking 2013 – 2014, now.” Additional NotesI was introduced to this variety, Tannat, by a friend who used to make wine in Cumnock, NSW. Bob is a keen Cabernet Franc follower, but has a keen interest in lesser known varieties. On one occasion I purchased half a dozen (3 by 2) mixed Tannat wines from Madiran in south west France, vintage 2000. Bob said they take an age to develop, citing the tannins need that time to soften. I opened one in 2012 and it felt like a wine that had just been pressed, hard. They are all well buried in a dark place. I noticed Glen from Untapped Wines had a couple Tannat wines listed, and he was quick to say they're not like the French version. That is, they develop much earlier. Recently, I picked up a book that I think I bought from the 'Book Grocer,' a wonderful bookshop in Canberra, titled, “Is This Bottle Corked?” It looked like fun, and among many wines it suggested to accompany 'the read,' was a South American Tannat. And that's how it was included, generally, but also after another pizza with Glen. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Australian Wholesaler Web: www.untappedwines.com |
 | STRAWHOUSE ORANGE RED 2013Winemaker Charlie SvensonWinemaker’s Notes100% Shiraz. The growing season at Strawhouse was warm and dry with some late season rain to freshen up the vines and replenish the soil. The crop was quite small with the best of the fruit coming from the centre of the slope at the southern end of the block. Medium red with dark hue, this is a supple young wine that is still growing into its shoes. Matured for eleven months in French oak (1/3 new), it has charm and style with fine integrated tannins. The subtle cool climate spice characters are held in check by raspberry and plum flavours from the warm growing season. Cellar“This first release is thoroughly charming already and should develop nicely over the next three to five years.” Additional Notes“Justin Byrne and Meg Simpson, the names behind Strawhouse, followed their passion to Orange. After spending some years in Orange in the '80s when the first vineyards were established in the region, they built a strawbale house and planted the Strawhouse Vineyard in 1997. The vineyard borders Canobolas-Smith and shares its north facing slope on the famed basalt soils of the slopes of Mt Canobolas. Over the years fruit from the block has gone to Canobolas-Smith, Margan, Orange Mountain and Faisan. Now with a mature vineyard they are making small amounts of wine under the Strawhouse label.” Many of you will remember Justin from Canobolas-Smith Cellar Door where he spent many years charming 'us punters,' in his unique and personable way. AvailabilityStrawhouse Wines, Boree Lane, Lidster, NSW, 2800. |
 | THE LITTLE WINE COMPANY SANGIOVESE 2012Winemakers Suzanne Little and Ian LittleWinemaker’s NotesIn 2012 the grapes were harvested in the last week of February. The fruit was crushed to open fermenters and approximately 30% was removed to produce our Sangiovese Rose. The remaining juice was fermented on skins for ten days. The wine was then pressed and transferred to one and two year old French barriques. The wine was racked frequently to aerate and soften tannins. Our 2012 Sangiovese is imbued with sweet cherry and leather tones and loaded with fabulous smoky, chocolate and mushroom characters. The savoury tannins and complex fruit characters make this an ideal food wine. Great with any tomato based dishes. CellarWith a little air this wine opens up brilliantly to enjoy now, but will cellar and develop further over the next three to five years. Additional NotesFrom the Notes: “The wonderful Italian grape, Sangiovese, is one of the oldest known varieties in the world. Its beauty lies in its ability to produce wines that are highly concentrated in flavour yet have a lighter, more approachable structure than Cabernet or Shiraz. The grapes used in our Sangiovese were on a south-west facing slope in the Broke Fordwich subregion of the Hunter Valley. The vineyard lies at the foot of the sandstone cliffs on free draining 'mountain wash' soil. An open canopy and an excellent aspect created perfect conditions for steady ripening and splendid colour development.” Its been a long time for a Little wine (Aug. 1999), and this is a wonderful Hunter reminder. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 4998 7668 |
 | WOOSTOCK 'The OCTOgenarian' GRENACHE TEMPRANILLO 2012Winemakers Scott Collett and Ben GlaetzerWinemaker’s Notes“85% Grenache and 15% Tempranillo. Bright ruby red in colour with vibrant purple hues. A lifted nose displaying enticing aromatics of rhubarb, raspberries, plums, with hints of caraway seed, anise and subtle white pepper spice. Contrasting on the palate with rich flavoursome red cherries balanced by a bright acid structure and soft yet crunchy tannins. Medium bodied in style with a long lingering and classic Grenache texture.” Cellar“Cellaring will also be rewarded for four to five years as the secondary characters evolve in the bottle.” Additional Notes“With good winter and spring rain, steady ripening summer days and excellent harvest conditions, 2012 resulted in one of the best vintages over the last decade. Both Grenache and Tempranillo developed bright and intense fruit characters in the vineyard. As per tradition, after fermentation, we add 15% Tempranillo to our old vine Grenache for savoury tannins, spice and complexity. The attractive berry flavours of Grenache are lengthened and enhanced by this variety, without imparting any strong oak influence. Long live OCTO.” AvailabilityCellar Door only. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8383 0156 |
 | ZEMA ESTATE CLUNY 2009Winemaker Greg ClayfieldWinemaker’s NotesCabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 25%, Cabernet Franc 5% and Malbec 5%. Good dark medium colour with a hint of purple. The wine has an attractive ripe red berry and mint aroma with traces of underlying toasty oak. The palate has bold dark cherry and red berry flavours supported by generous but approachable tannins. The oak flavours are well integrated from 12 months in French and American hogsheads. The wine has a medium bodied structure contributing to an attractive overall appeal. Cellar“This wine is well structured with an outstanding depth of fruit. It is drinking well now, however will gain more complexity with careful cellaring, five to eight years.” Additional Notes“The Zema family is proudly traditional in its approach to vineyard practices, favouring hand pruning and limited irrigation to maximise fruit quality. These practices are enhanced by the family's three strategically selected prime vineyard locations, capitalising on subtle climactic variations. The 2009 vintage was highlighted by a sustained warm and dry ripening period which favoured the production of grapes with generous varietal characteristics.” As said in the Notes, this is a 'medium bodied' wine, and although not 'shy' at 14% alcohol, it is an elegant wine also, one that is 'a delightful drink on its own' as the back label points out. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8736 3219 |
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