Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic August Dozen | |
| d'ARENBERG THE DANGER MOUSE NERO d'AVOLA 2018Winemakers Chester Osborne & Jack WaltonWinemaker’s Notes100% Nero d'Avola, a variety described in The Oxford Companion to Wine as “one of the best in Sicily.” Winemaking here is traditional, when fruit is deemed to be picked it is gently crushed in small batches into open fermenters. The wine is basket pressed and transferred to old French oak to complete fermentation and mature for 10 months. The first impression is one of dark purple fruits, plums, mulberry, a twist of spice and an almost ferrous note. With air it becomes more red (if that is possible), beautifully ripe, displaying sweet raspberries. Medium bodied but with a lovely, creamy, almost silky texture. Juicy, luscious, ripe raspberry palate. Strawberries and cream. Milk chocolate. Subtle vanillin oak and well integrated. This wine screams generously but in a medium bodied package. Great length. CellarIts early release would suggest it to be a wine drunk and enjoyed now and in the short term. Additional NotesFrom the Artisan Range by d'Arenberg, the Nero d'Avola, I think is the first release of the variety. That may be the case, but when I poured it into a glass, it was it's stunning colour that straight away gets you in. The tasting experience that follows is as suggested a 'medium bodied' adventure. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8329 4888 |
| ELDORADO ROAD QUASIMODO BLEND 2016Winemakers Paul and Ben DahlenburgWinemaker’s Notes14% Nero d'Avola, 38% Shiraz and 15% Durif. Brought together from many different ferments with a goal of creating an affable blend built on the layers of flavours these three distinct varieties bring. Nero d'Avola is grown in our home vineyard and brings the vitality and bright red fruits. The Shiraz comes from a vineyard a short five minute drive down a dirt track from our winery, perched amongst the boulders of a granite outcrop. This is a painfully low cropping vineyard with resulting depth of flavour not attainable from higher cropping vineyards. This component fleshes out the mid palate. The final piece in the puzzle is Rutherglen Durif, dark and brooding the addition of just 15% gives the wine backbone and a subtle lick of tannin through the back palate without overpowering the medium bodied blend. Lightly filtered and bottles in August 2017. CellarMedium bodied for medium term. Now and up to five years. Additional Notes“To understand Quasimodo you must venture beyond the surface and explore the inner soul. As individual varietal wines they can struggle for love but when blended together they can sing, shine and bring harmony. Quasimodo is a unique Australian blend from the regions of Eldorado and Rutherglen. It's an amalgam of flavour and colour culminating in a complex and rewarding wine.” It's almost including the d'Arenberg wines to read the winemaking and tasting notes. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5725 1698 |
 | HOLM OAK CHARDONNAY 2018Winemaker Rebecca DuffyWinemaker’s NotesThe fruit was harvested at 12°Be to retain high natural acidity, with the fruit was showing strong citrus and grapefruit characters, as well as some floral notes. The fruit was pressed to tank and allowed to settle for 24 hours and then racked to barrel (20% new French and 80% one to four year old). The wine underwent 100% natural fermentation, and 20% malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured in oak for 10 months prior to bottling. This is an elegant, refined cool climate Chardonnay. The nose displays aromas of citrus, apricot kernel and white peach with spicy integrated oak, whilst the palate has lovely textural richness and fine acidity. Cellar“Impressive drinking now and will develop up to five years.” Directly from Rebecca. Additional NotesTime to include a current day Chardonnay interpretation from the Eastern end of the Australian wine scene. Much talk, as noted has been said in recent years about the West's wines. And while talking to Jo Newton from Bacchus on the subject, she suggested this quality Tasmanian Chardonnay. It can speak 'very well' for itself, and I agree with the Notes: 'refined cool climate Chardonnay,' and to add, elegant. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 6394 7577 |
| LS MERCHANTS MARGARET RIVER CHENIN BLANC 2018Winemaker Dylan ArvidsonWinemaker’s NotesHand picked from Marri Wood Park, an organic / biodynamic vineyard in the foothills of Yallingup in the Margaret River Region. Foot stomped and then basket pressed to 25% new French oak. Indigenous yeast ferment with a small amount of malolactic ferment following. A portion was kept sulphur free until bottling, to build layers of texture. Gentle battonage over six months helped build structure. Pina Colada! It has pineapple and coconut notes in abundance, backed up with tropical fruit and a salty / briny finish leaving the palate dry and watering. CellarChenin Blanc does have ageing potential and with a slight use of French oak, there should be a few years in the life of. Additional NotesI included the LS Merchants Red Blend in November last year. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre and Shiraz. The wine was unwooded, a little unusual and I was a little nervous as to the reaction. A recent tasting confirmed my intrigue and interest in this label. And when I saw a Chenin Blanc release, I wasn't so 'nervous.' AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone 0420 307 665No Cellar Door. Address: 4/37Village Green, Margaret River, W.A., 6285. Web: www.lsmerchants.com.au |
 | MOUNT VERNON MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2018Winemaker Marcus WrightWinemaker’s NotesThe winemaking here is simple. Our goal is to capture the delicious flavours we see in the grapes and translate them into the bottle. This is done by fermenting the juice in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures with specially selected yeast. The wine is then left to rest on lees for several months before bottling. Ripe apple and stone fruit characters burst from the glass and the same are seen with the flavours on the palate. The wine is easy to enjoy – fresh, juicy and moreish. Cellar“Two to three years.” Additional Notes“This wine is made from grapes from several of our vineyards the Wairu Valley. We work hard to ensure the crops are kept at a moderate level including leaf plucking the vines to ensure the fruit has good exposure to the sun. The grapes were picked quite early in the season to retain the fresh fruit characters and bright acidity.” “Wines produced under the Mount Vernon label are accessible, approachable and rewarding with a focus on fruit purity. The Mount Vernon wines also represent outstanding value for money, in fact they over deliver in every way.” This last quote is from the Vinsight Portfolio and not a 'Winemaker's' comment. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. |
 | PATRITTI GSM 2016Winemakers James Mungall and Ben HeideWinemaker’s NotesGrenache 60%, Shiraz 30% and Mourvedre 10%. Medium deep brick red with a bright ruby hue. Aromas of raspberry, cherry and plum are warmed by toasty French oak. The palate is medium to full bodied with a generous juicy mouth feel from the Grenache, tightened and structured from the Shiraz. Flavours of raspberry and cherry freshen the palate whilst silky smooth tannins continue for a long finish. CellarMedium Term five to eight years. Additional Notes“Fruit selection, harvesting and wine blending decisions were aimed at achieving overall balance in the finished wine – fruit intensity, structure and feel without excessive alcohol. Individual parcels were processed and matured separately in 20% new French oak puncheons and 600 litre demi-muids (also oak barrel) with a small component (10%) in stainless steel for freshness. A warm spring brought flowering and fruit set on early. The sunshine persisted through a mild summer with cool nights helping the fruit produce strong varietal flavours balanced by natural acidity. Ripening conditions were ideal before a cold snap in February brought things to a standstill. When the sun returned a few weeks later the vines picked up where they left off, delivering fruit with strong varietal characteristics and acid balance.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8296 8261 |
 | SANTUARIO MENDOZA MALBEC 2018Winemaker 'In House'Winemaker’s NotesClassic Malbec. Plum, blueberry and blackcurrant with plenty of complexity and a harmonious finish. The wine is unwooded, fresh and delightful. Fabulous and ready to drink. Cellar“Fill your glass, drink on release and best young - over the next couple of years.” Additional Notes“66% of the Malbec is from Vistalba and trained in a vertical training system and is drip irrigated over alluvial soil. 34% of the Malbec is from Medrano, also in a vertical training system and drip irrigated over a medium texture soil. The terroir and climate is desert like with a Tropical influence. The yield is around 10 tonnes per ha. Harvested at the end of March. Fermented in stainless steel and concrete vats. Traditional red wine fermentation with commercial yeasts, open tank pump over and the fermentation is conducted at 28°C. Food Matching suggestions is for all barbequed and grilled red meats.” This is an impressive and great value wine, great fun. It would have been included last year but it soon ran out of stock. Nicholas Gibson, back then called it enthusiastically, as a 'great pizza wine.' And that is how I remembered it, as the reference point, asking him when the next vintage was due. And I liked the line in the notes: “In Argentina the Malbec grape is the vinous equivalent of Maradonna.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail.Distribution: For information on availability contact Vinsight Phone: 1300 048 114 Web: www.vinsight-vms.com.au |
 | STONY BANK MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2016Winemaker John ForrestWinemaker’s Notes100% grown in the famous Wairu Valley of Marlborough. Here, in ancient riverbed stones and gravels the vines struggle to survive, producing only a handful of deeply coloured, intensely flavoured grapes with soft tannins. An elegant soft rounded wine with aromas of strawberries, red cherries and a touch of oak. Red fruits coming through on the palate, delicate spice, clove and nutmeg with nice savoury oak, lingering morerish finish. CellarEnjoy now and over the next three to five years. Additional Notes“Vintage 2016 in Marlborough proved both kindly and abundant for the grape grower. Ideal growing conditions throughout the summer were followed by a dry, sunny and temperate Autumn, through to an early harvest. This was indeed fortunate, as Marlborough, somewhat surprisingly, experienced a very abundant vintage. What surprised us was that the final crop weights (ton/Ha) were up not because of excess of berries per bunch; but rather the final size, each berry grew too. The ideal Autumn conditions allowed for a leisurely harvest, and the ideal picking time of the fruit.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 572 9084 (Local) |
 | THE WILLOWS BAROSSA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015Winemakers Peter and Michael ScholzWinemaker’s NotesDeep crimson red in the glass, the wine shows lifted aromatics of both red and blackcurrant fruits, mint and a touch of eucalypt. Further aromatics of dark chocolate and savoury spice add depth and complexity on the nose. The palate displays generous dark berry flavours. Rich notes of dark chocolate feature again, while subtle, savoury hints of French oak add some style and length. The soft, silky tannin structure gives the wine a great framework on which to age. Cellar“The wine's generosity of primary fruit give it immediate drinking appeal, while its complexity and depth in structure will also reward those with patience. 10+ years.” Additional Notes“100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Single Block. 2015 had above average early winter rain. Cool January and a rain event in the second week kept vines healthy and grapes ripening. Vintage started early and steady ripening saw vintage done by the end of March.” As mentioned elsewhere, as one wine was included (the Nero d'Vola), with opportunity, so was the blend (Eldorado Road); a Cool Climate Chardonnay and all of a sudden it 'felt like' a Summer Dozen. More medium bodied wines, which will please some, but I thought there needed to be a 'fixer.' And so, what better than a serious Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon! AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8562 1080 |
 | 3 DROPS GREAT SOUTHERN CABERNETS 2017Winemaker Rob Diletti (Contract)Winemaker’s NotesA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc. Vibrant and deep red colour. The nose is blackberry and redcurrant fruits backed by savoury tobacco notes and cedary characters from the high quality French oak. Rich front palate showing blackberry fruit characters, which are framed by dusty, fine grained tannins. The palate is balanced and structured with rich and full palate weight enhanced by the well integrated French oak. The finish is rounded and long thanks to a harmonious balance between the fine tannin structure and soft and balanced acidity.” Cellar“Enjoy with pasta and red meats over the next six to eight years.” Additional NotesI confirmed with Jo Newton whether the Cabernets was a blend of the two listed above, which is pretty obvious, but 40% Cabernet Franc was attractive for starters, and the recent memory of their lovely Riesling in the last Dozen had the decision to include this wine here, all but done. However, before trying it I asked Jo what she thought of it. A sales person? “Delicious” was her answer, and I always believe her. What its inclusion did do was add to the Summer 'feel' of this Dozen. No problem, but a balance was needed to complete the lot. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9315 4721 |
 | VICKERY EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2018Winemakers John Vickery & Phil LehmanWinemaker’s NotesFruit for the 2018 vintage was sourced from the Mason and Zander family blocks in the Eden Valley. After harvest the grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for approximately 40 days. The majority of the blend is free run juice but some pressings are used for flavour during the blending stage. The ferment was kept cool to retain delicate aromatics and low extraction rates on the juices avoiding excessive phenolic retention. Malolactic fermentation was avoided to maintain a vibrant and crisp finish. Colour is pale green to gold straw. Fragrant and floral nose, lemon blossom, pear, orchard fruits with hints of lime and herbs. A powerful and well balanced palate, zesty lemon lime citrus, regional minerality, with a touch of sherbet. A long crisp finish. Cellar“A Riesling with beautiful purity and prettiness in youth, promises to be a wonderful wine to age. 10+years.” Additional Notes“The 2018 growing season in Eden Valley was successful as per previous years, with Riesling being a stand out variety due to surprisingly high natural acids. Winter rainfall was higher than average, with spring and December rainfalls only slightly below average. Higher temperatures in October and November meant that the canopy growth was vigorous, flowering occurred without problems and bunches set well. Very warm temperatures in February slowed ripening with the grapes being picked in mid March.” All good news. Nicholas Gibson, who supplied the wine reckons it's 'a matter of opinion' whether the Eden Valley is preferable now to the Clare Valley Riesling 2018. My 'reckons' it doesn't matter, we'll get the Clare in November. Enjoy. A creative food match of 'lemon and garlic herb steamed mussels' comes with the Notes. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8362 8622 |
1 | VIGNOLE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG ANNATA 2016Winemaker In HouseWinemaker’s Notes85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot grapes hand picked (Merlot late September and Sangiovese early October). The grapes were fermented separately in concrete vats, with maceration on the skins for 15 days. The wines are then aged separately for 12 months, the Sangiovese in medium sized oak casks and the Merlot in smaller French barrels. After blending the wine undergoes an additional 12 months bottle ageing before release. The colour is a deep red, and the nose bursts through with intense wild berries, gladiolas and violets. It is full bodied and warm. The palate follows the aromas, with supple and well integrated tannins. It has a long satisfying finish. CellarDrink and enjoy on release and over the next five or so years. Again, this wine really did react well to an hour's airing in a decanter. Additional NotesThe Vignole Chianti Classico DOCG is owned and operated since 1970 by the Nistri family who made the Fratelli Nistri Chianti that was in the previous Dozen. So as Jacki said to me, this is the next step up in quality rating of their overall production. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. For information on Retail Availability please contact me or Inglewood Wine Merchants on 02 9958 0466. |
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