Albino Rocca Nebbiolo d'Alba

The wines of Piedmont are often compared to Burgundy. Yes, Barolos are often single vineyard wines and the nose is aromatic, but on the palate it is very different, much more tannic. When you look at Barbaresco, the similarities are closer. But they get really close, when young Nebbiolo vines from the Barbaresco area are bottled, as in this 2018 Albino Rocca Nebbiolo.

This is a very aromatic wine, with rose petals and other floral notes on the nose. The red cherry flavours on the palate are pure and delicious, delivering an appealing ‘finish me now’ mouthfeel. This is an elegant wine, but it cannot quite sustain the initial sensations along the palate. The tannins are fine grained, the finish a bit short. In all, this wine delivers great drinkability for such a young Nebbiolo.

Score: 92/+++

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Australia's Top 52 Wineries

This was the title of a list published in Sydney's largest newspaper on the weekend. It was published by the well regarded wine critic Huon Hooke based on his recent tastings. Now lists are always there to be debated, and there is obviously no definite answer, but I feel compelled to write this note, as there are some amazing and frankly inexplicable inclusions and omissions.

Starting with Western Australia, there is no Leeuwin Estate and no Moss Wood. Instead included are Swinney, Sittella and Duke's Vineyard, among others. Really?

In Victoria, we have Handpicked, Stonier and Crittenden from the Mornington Peninsula. What about Main Ridge, the pioneer, Paringa, Kooyong or Yabby Lake? In Beechworth, there is Fighting Gully Road and Eldorado Rd, but no Castagna or Sorrenberg. Macedon with leaders Bindi and Curley Flat is not represented. Bass Phillip is not there. The Yarra Valley list has the key producers.

The Hunter is well represented, but Pepper Tree, Silkman and Vinden are picked over Brokenwood. And Robert Stein and Hoosegg are top 52?

The only Clare Valley representative is Taylors. What about Grosset, Wendouree, Jim Barry? From Coonawarra we have Wynn's, but what about Balnaves? Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale have strong producers listed.

Many regard the top producers for four key varieties as follows:
-Chardonnay: Leeuwin Estate
-Riesling: Grosset
-Pinot Noir: Bass Phillip
-Cabernet Sauvignon: Moss Wood (maybe just me)

None of these are in the list. Is this a crazy and misleading list and headline or are there massive changes on foot, all of which I have missed?     

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock

Jasper Hill and its two flagship wines, Emily's Paddock and Georgia's Paddock, named after the two daughters of winemaker Ron Laughton, are real icons of Australian Shiraz. Jasper Hill is the pre-eminent winery in the Heathcote area, and these two vineyards sit on this strip of red gravelly clay, formed from 500 million year old basaltic rock. These two vineyards of 45 year old vines, planted on their own roots, have never seen any chemicals, are not irrigated, and have very low yields, three tonnes per hectare in the case of Georgia's Paddock. Emily's Paddock is the more expensive of the two, which is simply a function of its lower volume. It tends to have a very savoury, leathery character, whereas Georgia's Paddock is driven by its red fruit character.

Is this the old Cambrian soil on the back of the bottle?

The 2010 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock shows the trademark redcurrant fruit, added to by cranberry, black olive flavours, and a hint of eucalypt. As a 10 year old wine, secondary flavours of wet earth are strong. This is a full-bodied wine, powerful, but with some elegance and purity on the palate. The tannins are firm. The wine is slightly hot on the back palate. The finish is smooth and long.

This wine still has a balanced structure. It is drinking at its peak now and is a good example of a well-made full-bodied Australian Shiraz.

Score: 94/++

    

Tenuta di Fessina Etna Rosso 'Erse'

The 2015 Fessina Etna Rosso 'Erse' is grown on volcanic soil on the northern slopes of Mt. Etna. It is a blend of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel.

The colour of the wine is an attractive bright ruby. It suggests a very pure wine, which is born out on the vibrant palate. Red cherry and raspberry fruit is augmented by minerality, smoke and salinity leading to an attractive, finely textured mouthfeel. The wine is medium-bodied, with medium acidity and fine, but firm tannins. The finish is medium at best. The flavour profile is the strength of this wine, more so than its structure. I liked this wine a lot.

Score: 92/+++ 

Cullen vs. Moss Wood Mini Vertical

For some time, I wanted to pitch the two leading Margaret River Cabernets against each other. The time was right after socialization became possible again in NSW. The rules were simple; 4 pairs of one Moss Wood vs. one Cullen, going from 2015 to 2007. Some friends had to identify the producer.

 Cullen Diana Madeline 2015, 2010, 2009, 2007

MossWood 2014,2010,2008,2007

The four major overall conclusions were:

1) These two wines have distinctive styles. The Cullen wines were very pure and pretty, red fruits and capsicum were dominant flavours. The Moss Wood wines had firmer tannins and a more robust structure. Black fruits characterized these wines. As a result of these distinctive features, 90% of the voting was correct.

2) Cullen is the feminine wine, Moss Wood the masculine. Interestingly, the older Cullen wines were not that far from Moss Wood, structurally. But then the tannins became quite fine and soft, and the wine more feminine. The Moss Wood profile did not vary much over this time.

3) Moss Wood won the wine of the night convincingly, with the 2007, 2010 and 2008 in the top three spots. All wines showed really well.

4) It was felt the 15 and 14 wines were not ready to drink yet, in particular the Moss Wood, whereas the older wines showed excellent integration. This goes to show that top Margaret River Cabernets should be cellared for 10 years at least. The 07s had many good years in front of them.

In more detail: 2015 Diana Madeline: ruby colour, very pretty and elegant, feminine, red fruit, cassis and dried leaves (95 points)

2014 Moss Wood: more violet colour, bigger, more sumptuous, more acidic, stronger tannins, longer finish, good potential (95 points)

2010 Diana Madeline: colour more purple, a little cloudy, perfumed, elegant, capsicum notes, slight dip on the mid palate, but lovely overall, lacking a bit of bite (95 points)

2010 Moss Wood: glorious nose, very aromatic, blackcurrant, cassis, liquor, concentrated, a little sweetness, but great mouthfeel, complex (98 points)

2009 Diana Madeline: firmer tannins than the previous two Cullens, interesting flavour profile of red berries, pomegranate, and capsicum, stem influence?, good acidity (96 points)

2008 Moss Wood: quite dark, blackcurrant, plum, and bramble, multi-dimensional and complex (96 points)

2007 Diana Madeline: a brighter colour than 2010, red berries and capsicum, more generous in the mouth (95 points)

2007 Moss Wood: a big wine, yet velvety, dark fruit, cedar, mocca, a musky flavour, high tannins, tannins and oak well integrated (97 points)    

Kosta Browne Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir

There is often skepticism about the ageability of Californian wine, in particular so called cult wines with high alcohol level. Kosta Browne is a cult producer of Pinot Noir. How does this 2012 Kosta Browne Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir stand up today?

Well, it passes the test with flying colours. The wine colour is a translucent red, bright, with medium intensity. 

On the palate, red and black cherry, and wild berry flavours are really fresh. Surprisingly, there are hardly any secondary flavours I can taste. The fruit is dominant in this elegant wine, oak and high alcohol (14.6%) take a back seat. The wine is dry and smooth, on the back of finely grained tannins.

This is not the most complex wine, but it is simply delicious.

Score: 94/+++

Muga Rosé

The story of Rosé is rapidly developing. At first, we had wines which were confected, and with some residual sugar. Then we had the wave of pale, savoury and dry Rosé, which currently rules the world, lead by a plethora of producers from Provence and Bandol. Now comes along Muga. Muga is a leading Rioja producer, sometimes described as a grand cru or first growth of Rioja. I visited the winery last year, and was very impressed with their high end wines. The Rosé is not aiming quite as high, but is an interesting wine, as we shall see.

This wine is obviously made from Tempranillo, not the more popular Grenache, Pinot Noir or Shiraz. It is hard to see from the image because of some reflection, but the colour of this 2018 Muga Rosé is still pale, but not as pale as the typical French style.

This hint carries over to the palate. There is more flavour and a bigger mouthfeel in this wine. Raspberry and red cherry fruit dominate in this wine. The sensation is of dried, not ripe fruit, as the wine itself is bone dry. Acidity keeps it fresh and vibrant, and the finish is balanced. Overall, this Rosé carries more interest than many others. While it is basically a food wine, I am happy to drink it on its own as well.

Score: 92/++ 

Lethbridge Between Five Bells Pinot Noir

In my last post I talked about the narrowing between premium and value Chardonnay. The same is happening in Pinot Noir. An excellent example for high quality, good value Pinot Noir is the 2018 Lethbridge Between Five Bells Pinot Noir. The Geelong area is known for high quality Pinot Noir from Bannockburn and By Farr. Lethbridge is another producer who does innovative and effective things. This wine is such an example (the fruit is from Drumborg, though). First, the label wraps around three quarters of the bottle. It is lively, illustrating key flavour components of the wine. This wine is clearly aimed at people who just want to enjoy the wine and not overthink it. Having said this, the wine is far from simple.

 

Secondly, there is some Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris included. And finally the fermentation method is carbonic maceration, which means the fermentation is not initiated by yeast, but the grapes ferment from the inside out in an oxygen-free environment. The result are fresh and juicy wines. So, onto this wine!

It has a translucent ruby colour of medium intensity. There is predominantly red cherry on the nose.

On the palate, one experiences medium fruit weight of red cherry and strawberry. The wine is smooth and very silky in the mouth, almost sexy. The finish is not long, but the overall feel is elegant and satisfying. And there is enough complexity to keep your interest.

Score: 91/++

Woodlands Wilyabrup Valley Chardonnay

Compared with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and even Shiraz, there is no variety where the gap between high premium and value wine is narrower than Chardonnay. A good example is the 2018 Woodlands Wilyabrup Valley Chardonnay.

This wine shows a translucent golden colour in the glass. On the palate, I experience citrus, green apple and white nectarine. There is some honey and creaminess as well. This wine fills the mouth nicely and the gentle acidity delivers a balanced feel. While not as differentiated as the best from the west, this wine is much more than a quaffer at a quaffer price.

Score: 93/++

Devil's Lair 9th Chamber Cabernet Sauvignon

In the same way in which many South Australian wineries are trying to reach the pinnacle occupied by Grange and Hill of Grace, Western Australian wineries are trying to match Cullen and Moss Wood. Some are trying this by issuing ultra premium, low volume wines of their best barrels. One such attempt was made in 2011 by Devil's Lair, when this winery released for the first time the 2011 Devil's Lair 9th Chamber Cabernet Sauvignon. Yesterday, I tried it.

This wine has been matured in new French barriques for 18 months. The fruit better be strong!

The bouquet is intense. Dark fruited notes of blackberry and mulberry jump out of the glass. This translates onto the palate. This is a full-bodied wine with an elegant mouthfeel. Black olive and mocca flavours add to the complexity. The oak only plays a support role. There are no green flavours in this Cabernet, for sure. On the contrary, the core has some sweetness, a bit much for my liking in a Cabernet. This is a very pretty wine, with fine grained tannins and a soft finish. 

This is an impressive effort, but not quite at Moss Wood or Cullen level yet. I am interested to get my hands on some later editions. The wine is only released in exceptional years.

Score: 95/++ 

Best's Bin '0' Shiraz

There are a number of things that come to my mind when Best's comes up:
- This winery has an almost perfect website address (www.bestswines.com.au), if only the 's' would not follow the 't'.
- Age plays a big role at this winery. You can still see the original concrete vats from the 19th century dug into the floor. And the original Concongella vineyard from 1866 has an amazing array of obscure grape varieties still planted there.
- In a corresponding way, their premium wines age for decades, as I discovered in a vertical tasting many, many years ago.

I was therefore not worried to open a 2006 Best's Bin '0' Shiraz. In fact, I opened two bottles, both under screw cap, and they showed astonishing bottle variation.

The first bottle tasted of very concentrated blackberry and dark plum fruit, dominated by a massive dose of black pepper. The firm tannins were also quite present. These elements destroyed the balance in my mouth and lead to a somewhat harsh finish.

The second bottle showed much riper, even overripe fruit. Would it have come from a different barrel?

This is not a bad wine, but could have been much better.

Score: 90/0