Day Three: Adelaide Hills, part 2

 When I (like others) review wine, I look at criteria such as clarity and depth of colour, purity and intensity of fruit, complexity, power, elegance, texture, drive, tannin structure, balance, finish. But when I look at  'alternative' winemakers, I realize this is not the way they think. They have strong ethical convictions which come first. The wines are a consequence of these convictions, and for them the classical criteria are less important - not irrelevant, but less important. I will still rate the wines along the classical criteria in order to use the same benchmarks, but I will point out the ethical convictions as the cornerstone. The two wineries I visited have two different approaches.

The first is Unico Zelo. I meet with Chief Thinker Brendan Carter. The title sounds overbearing, but during the discussion I started to find it appropriate. His two convictions are sustainability and sharing the spoils. Part of the business is a cooperative, where profits are shared with growers. He identified that in the Riverland, while traditional varieties need a lot of irrigation, Fiano does not. So this is one of his key varieties next to Nero d'Avola. Terroir plays an important role. My tasting consists of three Fianos from different regions, and three Nero d'Avolas.

The Fianos

The 2019 River Sand Fiano comes from sandy soil in the Riverland. It is a textural wine, fresh, with earthy flavours (91 points). The 2020 Slate Farm comes from the Polish River region in Clare Valley. The soils consists mainly of red clay and shale. This wine is quite light and fresh, with good energy. Tropical fruit on the palate starts us off, before minerality takes over. This was my favorite of this trio (92 points). I found the 2020 Alluvium from the Adelaide Hills a bit broad and earthy (88 points).  

No controls are applied to the fermentation process. Therefore it can be hot, which moves the dial from fruit to texture.

The Nero d'Avolas

The 2020 Halcyon Days is the Nero d'Avola from the Riverland. Raspberry flavours dominate in this high acid red. I found the wine a bit too juicy (88 points). The 2020 Mallee Gambit from Clare is similar, but more intense. The sour cherry makes this very typical for Nero. The fruit is very pure, again with high acidity (90 points). The 2020 Pipe Dream from Adelaide Hills has the biggest fruit weight, and also earthy notes to add complexity, but the balance did not quite work for me (88 points).

Overall, these are good wines, quite fresh, slurp-able, and expressing their respective terroirs.

The centre of the natural wine making movement in Australia is the area around Basket Range in the Adelaide Hills. I define 'natural' as not adding any sulfur, apart from no fining and no filtration. Not adding sulfur has two implications. There is a challenge of making these wines stable, and they are for early consumption, generally. The driver of this movement was Taras Ochota, whose untimely death last year rocked the community. I decided not to visit Ochota Barrels, because there was a run on the wines, and the winery is mostly sold out. Also, it did not feel right. In addition, on the one occasion I tasted the wines, I was not too impressed.

Instead, I headed to the Summertown Aristologist. This is a restaurant, natural wine bottle shop and tasting area. The main wines featured are those of Lucy Margaux. This slightly trippy lady showed me some wines.

The first wine was the 2020 Samone, made by Anton von Klopper and a kindred spirit from Portugal, Oriol Artigas. It is a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gamay, and Pinot Noir. The wine was slightly fizzy, as you can see in the picture, and did not have much flavour (84 points).

This was followed by the 2020 Lucy Margaux Gamay Sauvage from Hahndorf. This is a fresh and juicy wine with red cherry flavours. The wine is a little cloudy and has undergone carbonic maceration. It is refreshing, but lacking depth (88 points).

The last two wines were two Chardonnays from the Commune of Buttons. They come from different parts of the same vineyard at Basket Range, as I understand it. The yield was only 2t/acre. The 2019 Clover delivers pineapple fruit. It is quite smooth and nicely balanced with acidity (91 points). The 2019 ABC (I guess this is ironically named?) has a similar flavour, but more intensity. I found it slightly broader (91 points). I found these two wines quite agreeable.

What a whirlwind tour this has been. Old favorites have come through again, but I made some interesting discoveries as well. The wine world never ends to being fascinating.

  

Day Three: Adelaide Hills, part 1

 There is now a plethora of wineries in the Adelaide Hills. It is cooler than McLaren Vale or the Barossa and it attracts also some innovative approaches, mainly in the northern part. I have never visited there before. So I decided to split the day between more conventional wineries and some more adventurous ones. The first winery is The Lane Vineyard. It wants to be especially known for its Champagne.

The bottles are sweating. I had not noticed.

The first is the Lois. This is quite a find; a very refreshing, forward champagne, yet with very fine beads. I liked this a lot. It compares favorably with Croser or Chandon, in my view, for less cost (91 points). The second is the Estate Blanc de Blanc which has been on lees for five years. It is darker in colour and more textural, but I did not find it entirely convincing for this kind of approach (90 points). The third champagne is very rare; the Heritage, a champagne 2010 late disgorged. This wine is darker again, with brioche notes, and very long in the mouth (95 points).

I then participated in the Gathering tasting. This is a tasting of four wines, matched with canapés. This was very well done, and is supported by detailed information.

Skipping the Sauvignon/Semillon (you have to have some principles), let us start with the 2019 Beginning Chardonnay. There is flinty citrus and pineapple on the palate. The oak influence (30% new) is noticeable, but the wine is balanced - a good food wine (92 points). The 2016 Reunion Shiraz is quite a delight. This is a lighter style, very pretty. Red berries feature on the palate, lightly peppered. This is an elegant wine, finishing with soft tannins (93 points). I found the 2017 19th Meeting Cabernet Sauvignon a bit herbaceous. It is a clean wine, but the fruit weight is too light (89 points).

My second stop is at Murdoch Hill, increasingly known for its Chardonnay. The first wine I taste is the 2019 Sulky Riesling. The wine is fruity, a little sweet, with not much definition (88 points). Then come three Chardonnays. The 2020 standard Chardonnay delivers intense apple and pineapple flavours. 35% new oak adds vanilla on the palate. Overall, the wine is a little broad (90 points). the 2019 Tilbury Chardonnay is the premium wine. It consists of 100% Piccadilly fruit (think Petaluma). The flavours are quite intense and powerful. There is good length in this wine (93 points). The 2020 Tilbury Chardonnay has less new oak (15%), but more drive and intensity, as the apple and pineapple flavours are well supported by acidity (94 points).

The red wines are also worth a try. The 2018 Phaeton Pinot Noir comes from higher altitude at Piccadilly. The wine has a slightly earthy colour.  It is strawberry based with earthy undertones. There is 40% wholebunch in this wine, and the tannins are soft and silky - not your standard Pinot, but I quite liked it (93 points). The 2018 Landau Syrah is also a bit unusual. It is medium-bodied. Game and savoury notes dominate the palate. The wine is elegant, but slightly herbaceous (92 points).

Day Two: McLaren Vale, part 2

 What on earth is happening at SC Pannell? Apparently, Stephen Pannell is over Shiraz (I did not have a chance to talk to him). A Shiraz vineyard next to the tasting room has been ripped out, and is being replaced by Grenache. Ok. In front of the winery, alternative varieties have been planted, and the resulting wines come from very young vines. I was interested to try some of these. 

The 2019 Nero d'Avola is very broad and fruity, tasting of dark cherry (86 points). The 2018 Aglianico delivers plum fruit and earthy notes on the back of strong acidity(87 points). The 2019 Touriga from Langhorne has a more interesting profile, with violets on opening, moving to dark fruit and plum pudding. There are spices and licorice (88 points).

The two best wines from the 'new breed' were the 2019 Montepulciano, a fruit forward and juicy wine, boysenberry flavours sit on the front palate of this not very tannic wine. The balance is good (90 points). The 2018 Nebbiolo shows restrained cherry character and some leather. Again the structure is good (91 points).

On to the Grenaches. The 2018 Old McDonald Grenache includes whole bunch and is matured in large oak barrells. The wine has a rusty colour. There is fruit confectionary on the palate and earthy notes (89 points). The star of the tasting is the 2018 Smart Grenache from the highly regarded sandy Smart vineyard. The colour of this wine is much darker. The purity of the fruit stands out. Aromatic and lifted characters linger on (93 points).

The jewel in the crown of SC Pannell is the Koomilya vineyard. The labels of these wines are very different. These are more serious wines suitable for ageing.

Tempranillo(also Tinta Roriz)/Touriga is a common blend in Portugal, the 2017 version from Koomilya is attractive. Black cherry and plum flavours sit on firm tannins. The wine finishes dry (93 points). This blend may become a larger part of the vineyard output. The 2017 Shiraz is surprisingly red fruited, a bit confected, with firm dry tannins and a long finish (91 points). The 2015 Cabernet/Shiraz delivers the typical Cabernet capsicum. There are also eucalypt flavours on the palate, and yes, the vineyard is surrounded by eucalypt trees. There is a strange mix of freshness and development in the mouth (92 points). The most exclusive wine is the 2015 DC Block Shiraz. This wine is still fresh. Eucalypt flavours are here as well, the fruit core has sweetness, and the wine finishes dry. I found this pleasant to drink (93 points).

Overall, I am not sure what to make of this tasting. It felt like 'tired' winemaking, but maybe it is a new beginning. In any case, maybe not the winery to focus on in the next few years. Some of the new wines are attractively priced, but I would rather drink similarly priced wines from Yangarra any day.

The final stop was at super boutique winery Bekkers. It only makes three McLaren Vale wines in small volume. They were all superb. The 2018 Grenache is a bit riper and broader than the 2017. Still the fruit is elegant. The wine runs down the palate seamlessly (95 points). The 2018 Shiraz/Grenache, a 65/35 blend, has more backbone. Forest berries and blackberry deliver an elegant mouthfeel and good intensity (96 points). The 2018 Shiraz is the star. It is very pure, with layered flavours of dark fruit, forest berries, also raspberry and some leafy notes. This wine is so harmonious, while also complex (97 points).

The other exciting news is that Toby and Emmanuelle Bekkers bought the Clarendon vineyard. It was originally established in the 1840s, and became the most important vineyard in McLaren Vale

This vineyard is a large steep hill, consisting of rocky soil. It fell into disrepair. The Bekkers family, with a strong viticulture background, is now restoring it.

I will be very interested to follow this development. According to Toby Bekkers, wine from this hill will already be available in a couple of years.

Day Two: McLaren Vale, part 1

 Yangarra is a very fortunate winery. It has great terroir, its winemaker, Peter Fraser, is very talented, and the owner, the Jackson Family, has very deep pockets. It is a curious ownership situation. The mothership, Kendall-Jackson, is a mass producer, in particular of Chardonnay. But then, the family has many other winery projects around the world where the pursuit of top quality is the number one priority. Some examples of the deep pockets can be seen here.

Concrete amphorae, made in Australia 

                                                      Terracotta amphorae from Italy

New foudre barrels

Another advantage of deep pockets is that Yangarra managed to hold back quite a bit as museum stock. In order to balance demand with the low yields of 2019 and 2020, some of it will be released over the next couple of years. My tasting reflects this strategy.

A straight Roussane can sometimes be a bit fat, but the 2016 Roussane is a clean and very fresh wine. True to the variety, it is not fruit oriented, but textural. The 2019 Noir is the absolute value for money wine. Rather than a standard GSM, this Grenache dominated blend includes also Cinsault and Carignan. It is a fairly light wine, juicy, round, and soft, with fine tannins. This is a delicious blend (92 points).

The hero variety of Yangarra is Grenache. The 2019 Old Vine Grenache is fragrant, with dark fruit and savoury notes. The tannins are quite firm - another very attractive wine and a step up from previous vintages (94 points). I could compare this with the 2011 Old Vine Grenache. The colour of this wine is still good, and the flavours quite intense. The wine has developed some earthy flavours (93 points).

The 2016 Ovitelli Grenache, from a special block of 75 year old vines, saw cool fermentation and maturation in amphora. As a result, there has been no oxygen exposure (the newer terracotta ones allow for some oxygen exchange). This is an elegant and very polished wine. It is savoury and fresh, and at peace with itself. The finish is very long (96 points).

On to the Shiraz. The 2018 Estate Shiraz is quite ripe, with dark fruit and mocca flavours. Peat and iodine add complexity to the elegant palate. The 2019 Kings Wood Shiraz, in its third vintage, has been matured in 2500 litre foudres, 50% new. It includes 20% wholebunch. Plum and blueberry flavours dominate. The tannins are fine, but also grippy. 

The 2017 Ironheart Shiraz comes from a north facing block, and according to Peter works really well in a cooler vintage.  The intensity of the blackberry fruit delivers a powerful wine, which is not sweet, quite an achievement. Again, the tannins are firm, and the finish very long (97 points).

There are some characteristics which cut across all these wines. Elegance is present in all of them. There is an emphasis on savoury flavours, without overdoing this, and as one moves up the 'pyramid', elegance is paired with power. 

 

The Standish Wine Company (Another Must Read)

 The drought vintage of 2019 followed 'the 'normal' 2018 vintage. In the case of Standish, it meant that low yields of 500kg/acre dropped to 250kg/acre. For those who prefer hectare, this is less than 1t/ha! It is then very tempting to press hard, to get as much juice out of the berries as possible. In a drought year, the berries are small, and the skin to pulp ratio is high. The tannins are pronounced. Hard pressing accentuates this outcome. This is what I found in some of the 2019 wines described during this trip. Dan Standish did the opposite. He pressed gently - a tough thing to do, as it further reduces output, but the results are astonishing.

You may remember this picture from last year. This year, I am the first to review the four 2019 wines.

The 2019 Relic (2nd from left) from a 100 year old rocky vineyard was the first cab of the rank. This is a beautiful wine. The blackberry fruit is elegant and the overall impression is of layered fruit on a mocca base. The tannins are strong, but the small Viognier component (1-2%), lifts the wine and delivers a velvety finish. This is a masculine wine which will mature beautifully (98 points).

The 2019 Standish from an ironstone vineyard in Greenock has a very attractive profile of blue fruits, blueberry and plum. The tannins are deep and long. The wine is quite linear despite the big mouthfeel. It moves along the palate with elegance and poise. It finishes long. Power and elegance: perfect (98 points).

The 2019 Schubert Theorem is perhaps the most complex wine. This Marananga vineyard is divided into six parcels, as the conditions, in particular aspect and elevation vary so much. As a consequence, this is a very layered wine, with fruits moving from black to blue to red - very interesting. It attacks the palate on a broad front. This is no doubt the biggest of the wines (97 points).

Then we have the 2019 Lamella from Eden Valley. This wine is lifted, with a very pretty fruit feel. The fruit is concentrated, maybe a little singular in comparison with the other three wines. There is some eucalypt on the palate, common in this area. The vineyard is located between the Mt. Edelstone and Hill of Grace vineyards, more or less as the crow flies. The tannins lead to a dry and long finish (97 points).

Overall, these wines share the profile of the previous year, each wine in its own way. The different terroirs deliver these distinctive features. Sophisticated wine making has meant that elegance, power, and persistence of these wines has been maintained, while the harsher tannins, often found in 2019, have been avoided.

These are most likely the wines of the vintage. They filled the big shoes of 2018. I cannot recommend them highly enough.  

   

Elderton

Elderton is known for its classic Barossa Shiraz. It seems it has fallen on harder times. Volume has halved in the last ten years despite having increased its product range. I had an opportunity to taste most of its current wines.

                                 

The 2017 Shiraz is quite a lively drink, matured in 20% new oak. The vanilla sweetness is noticeable on the palate. The 2019 Western Ridge Grenache/Carignan is equally light and fresh, whereas the 2020 version has more depth. This wine includes Mataro. It is very pretty and nicely balanced, although the tannins are a bit coarse.

The 2017 Ode to Lorraine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. The capsicum flavour of the Cabernet stands out, and the wine is a bit short on the finish (91 points). The 2018 Grand Tourer is a 100% Shiraz from 70 year old vines of the home block and 40 year old vines from the Greenock vineyard. It sees 60% new French oak. It expresses the blackberry fruit in an elegant fashion, with a slightly light finish (92 points). The 2017 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the home block of 75-80 year old vines. This block is struggling, but still produces good fruit, though at ever reducing volumes. I enjoyed the fresh drive from the 2017 vintage and the linear profile of this wine. There is no hole in the mid palate. Blackberry and cassis is supported by tobacco infused tannins (93 points). 

 

The top Elderton wine has always been the Command Shiraz. I could compare the 2016 and 2017 editions. The 2016 from the low yielding home block (1t per acre) is matured mostly in new oak lightly toasted puncheons, 2/3 American. Attractive blue fruit dominates the palate. The wine has good energy, and the acidity is well balanced (94 points). By comparison, the 2017 is lighter and fresher, but has enough fruit weight and attractive chocolate notes (94 points).

The 2018 Helbig 1915 wine is a hedonistic expression of Barossa Shiraz. From a low yielding (1/2t per acre) 100 year old block in Greenock, this is a big wine. The 15.5% alcohol gets soaked up by the blackberry and plum fruit and does not stand out on its own. This is a rich wine with layers of fruit and a surprisingly smooth mouthfeel.This wine is not for everybody, but it is well made, and I would happily drink a glass any day (95 points).  

A Whirlwind Tour Through South Australia

This is my first interstate trip in a year. It is brief: three South Australian wine regions in three days.

Day 1: Barossa Valley 

 

On the first day, I visited the Artisans of Barossa to taste Spinifex and John Duval wines, the Standish Wine Company, and Elderton.

Something unusual seems to go on at Spinifex. Peter Schell did not respond to my emails. More importantly, there seems to be quite a change in strategy. He used to be the master blender of the Barossa, identifying small plots of the less common Rhone varieties and creating beautiful fresh wines. Now, there is a marked shift to single varieties wines. I am not sure why.

The 2019 Esprit is still 'old school'. It is a fresh, elegant wine, although a little sweet (91 points). Then I am confronted with the drought vintages of 2019 and 2020. The 2020 Garcon is a robust Grenache, with macerated strawberry flavours and a bit confectionary (89 points). Similarly, the 2020 Syrah is broader than usual and a little harsh (88 points).

In moving away from the blends, Peter Schell has also decided to bottle varieties which arguably are better suited to warmer climate. The labels are different, to maybe indicate a more experimental character of these wines. The 2019 Aglianico has relatively weak fruit weight, certainly in comparison to the firm and very dry tannins (87 points). In contrast, the 2019 Tannat is a revelation. Tannat tends to be very robust in France and Uruguay, but here, this red fruited wine has a lifted character, with an elegant palate and a smooth finish. Who would detect this variety in a blind tasting? (93 points).

Finally, I taste the 2018 La Maline. This Shiraz comes from the northeastern slopes of the Barossa Valley, where winds have a cooling effect and temperatures drop at night. There is 4% Viognier in this wine. The wine is fragrant and perfumed, but not overly so. It has a beautiful core of Shiraz fruit and finishes in an elegant style (95 points).

I tasted the three classical wines of John Duval. The 2018 Plexus, a GSM, shows the Grenache component in particular. It is an entry wine, but shows good harmony and intensity (90 points). The 2019 Entity is another example of the drought vintage. In previous years, this Shiraz was exceptional, but in 2019 it is not balanced. The core is quite sweet, and the finish a bit harsh (89 points). This contrasts with the 2017 Eligo, a best of fruit wine, from a cooler vintage. This wine has a big mouthfeel, but remains elegant with great length (95 points).  

        

to be continued...

Chateau Lagrange

 Buying an upper range value Bordeaux from the generous 2009 vintage; what can go wrong?

Drinking the 2009 Chateau Lagrange, I find out. The fruit flavours are concentrated. The wine is dark fruited, with blackberry and mulberry notes. Then it hits you. The wine is very developed already, with overripe and confected fruit. The mouthfeel is rustic, and the tannins coarse. The finish is quite long and the aftertaste actually more pleasant than the taste itself.

This wine is an example of how things can go wrong in Bordeaux when producers try to please the American 'Napa' market. I remember drinking this wine on release. It was fine then, but good Bordeaux should improve for 10 years at least, not deteriorate.

Score: 86/- 

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir

Not much of a label, the Ata Rangi, yet it is iconic by now. I have written about Ata Rangi a fair bit, so let us go straight to the wine. The 2013 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir has all the key elements of a perfect Pinot Noir. Forest berries, Asian spices and forest floor flavours provide a predominant savoury impression without losing the firm dark cherry fruit core. This is quite a rich and powerful, yet elegant wine. The structure is perfect. The silky tannins caress the mouth before an expanding finish delivers a long and delicious finish. This is one of the best Pinot Noirs from the Southern Hemisphere I have ever tasted.

What would make it perfect? A bit more precision, a bit more drive, even more of a peacock's tail. But this is splitting hairs. I love this wine. It drinks perfectly now and will continue to do so for the next three years.

Score: 97/+++   

 

Lake's Folly Chardonnay

 The folly was to focus on Chardonnay and Cabernet in a region known for Semillon and Shiraz. It has worked well for Lake's Folly. The wines are not very visible, because they sell largely through the mailing list and the cellar door is closed most times. And it has gone off my radar a bit as a result. However, I have the 2015 Lake's Folly Chardonnay in my cellar. The bottle I opened gave me moderate pleasure.

This Lake's Folly Chardonnay is quite an intense wine. Lemon peel and yellow peach flavours are matched by good quality oak and resultant vanilla notes. This is a fuller bodied Chardonnay than most. It is not buttery, but delivers a full mouthfeel of the mentioned flavours. Acidity keeps the wine lively on the palate. While the 14.3% alcohol is not obvious in isolation, it is clear this is a big wine, maybe not ideal for lunch.

Score: 92/+ 

Soul Growers Mourvédre

 When three winemakers with experience from Penfolds, Barossa Valley Estate, Hentley Farm, and Murray Street get together to make wine, when the plot is some of the oldest Mataro grapes in the world, and when the vintage is 2012, my expectation is high.

Therefore I am slightly shocked when I taste the 2012 Soul Growers Mourvédre. Blackberry, mulberry fruit and black pepper could have delivered an attractive profile, but this full-bodied wine is overripe. Why would you, in a vintage which almost made itself, overextend the hang time of the fruit? Firm tannins bring this syrupy wine to an alcoholic finish.

Score: 86/--  

  

Thévenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes

I remain interested in exploring the cru Beaujolais, in particular from Morgon. This is where wine is made for ageing and where one may be able to find a wine similar in quality to a good Burgundy at 25% of the price. I thought maybe the 2018 Thévenet Morgon Vielles Vignes could be such a wine.

Jean-Paul Thévenet was named one of the 'Gang of Four' in the 1980s. The aim was to produce meaningful and complex wines by farming old vines and apply organic and biodynamic principles. There is no fining and filtration, and possibly no sulphur treatment. His wines come close to what some people call 'natural' wine.

And this shows immediately after opening the bottle and pouring a glass. The colour of the wine is ruby, quite intense, and a little cloudy. Red cherry is the dominant flavour, added to by some spice, earth and saltiness. The winemaking approach delivers a big mouthfeel and quite a ripe wine for Gamay. The tannins are quite smooth, and the finish medium to long.

I find it hard to rate this wine. The last paragraph suggests this is a very good wine, but I did not enjoy it that much. The cloudiness made the wine a bit clunky, lacking finesse. I assume the purpose here was to make a serious Gamay with good fruit weight, but this came at a cost, in my view.

Score: 89/-