Place of Changing Winds Syrah

 Robert Walters' passion is Pinot Noir. But his side kick Shiraz project in Heathcote should not be overlooked. I reviewed the 2020 Place of Changing Winds Syrah positively two years ago, and even found an improvement this time round.

The intellectual label is a bit difficult to decipher

The soil is mentioned on the left, the location on the right

This is a medium-bodied wine, unlike many from Heathcote. Purity and freshness strikes you on the palate. Red and black cherry are the fruit flavours, black olive, licorice, and a hint of black pepper deliver the savoury component, blending very nicely to a surprisingly intense mouthfeel. The tannins are medium, very dry and chalky. Every component has to come together very well. The wine has a long and lingering finish.

This wine is a very good example of a modern rendition of a medium-bodied Shiraz. It is quite complex and serious, but also delicious to drink, and good value. I liked this a lot.

Score: 95/+++

Bindi New Releases

 There are some wineries with exceptional wines which manage to deliver high quality at reasonable prices as well (think Penfolds Bin 28, for example, or Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir). Bindi, unfortunately, is not one of them. However, there are specific reasons for this. As Bindi became better known, wines from their exceptional Estate Vineyard in Macedon sell out in an instant. It was an opportunity too good to pass up, to expand with wines from bought-in fruit. The recent release of these wines (and some estate wines) allows us to assess their quality.

Let's start with the 2023 Bindi Dhillon Macedon Ranges Chardonnay. This wine is made from fruit sourced from the Macedon Ranges. Citrus and white peach are the dominant flavours. The focussed acidity is high, giving the wine a very refreshing finish (88 points). The second wine from the current release is the 2023 Bindi Kostas Rind Chardonnay. This is the standard wine from the Estate. The immediate observation is that this wine is much more concentrated. Otherwise there are similarities to the previous wine in terms of flavour and acidity. In addition, the wine has more energy and drive (92 points).

Then we come to the red wines. The 2023 Bindi Dixon Pinot Noir is the entry level Pinot Noir from the Estate. The colour is pale, but there is a lot going on in the mouth. Strawberry and raspberry flavours reveal themselves first, savoury notes follow, balanced by fine tannins. This wine tastes very young and must be aged to experience better harmony. The Dixon is my pick from the wines reviewed here (92 points).

The second area of focus for Michael Dhillon is Heathcote. The 2023 Bindi Col Mountain Grenache comes from there. This is quite a light red, soft, with typical raspberry flavours - a basic expression of Grenache, somewhat unusual from Heathcote (88 points). The Pyrette Shiraz has been around for longer. This release is the 2022 Bindi Pyrette Shiraz. This is a lighter style, very different from the typical expression from Heathcote. Blackberry, earthy and peppery notes deliver a typical cooler climate style. The wine finishes quite tannic (90 points). 

I was not able to taste the premium wines of this release. They were the 2017 and 2018 Darshan Pinot Noir and the 2019 Block 8 Pinot Noir. I tasted the 2017 Darshan at a visit to the winery last year (see previous blog post), as well as the 2021 Block 8. These wines come from new high density plantings on the Estate. They are exciting wines of small volume, the scarcity matched by high prices. 

 

Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Reserve

 A few days ago, I was given a 2009 Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Reserve. It came with a warning: 17% alcohol. Wild Duck Creek used to be one of the Australian Parker cult producers. How did this wine hold up after 14 years? I was concerned.

The colour was a deep purple-brown - not a good sign. I could smell the alcohol.

On the palate, the wine was overripe, tasting of raisin and alcohol. I was inclined to say this wine was past its best, but did it ever have a best? It was hard to drink one glass.

So here we have a producer who liked to make ripe wine, in a drought year, and an attempt to enjoy this wine after 14 years. This could not work. It was a stark reminder how crazy some Shiraz got in the 90s and 00s. It was so misguided.

Score: 70/--- 

Place of Changing Winds Syrah

 There have been many new winery developments in Australia in the last ten years. To me, two stand out. One is Alkina in the Barossa Valley, due to the financial investment, the international expertise and the interesting soils. Two is Place of Changing Winds at Macedon. This is because of the immense experience of Robert Walters, in particular with French wine, and the very scientific approach to vineyard establishment. I am not normally excited about winemakers trying to make French wine in Australia - why? Cultural cringe? But with Robert Walters it is a different depth of interest in high density planting and creating a world class portfolio of savoury Pinot Noirs.

Like Bindi before him, he has also ventured to Heathcote to make Shiraz, and different Shiraz from the typical full-bodied, high alcohol wine typical for the region.

It takes a minute to decipher this label

I was therefore interested to taste the 2020 Place of Changing Winds Syrah. It was very closed on opening. My note refers to the second night. The bouquet is very aromatic with black fruit scents.

On the palate, black cherry and blackberry flavours open beautifully in this medium-bodied wine. The mouthfeel is very elegant. I think Waters referred to wanting to make a Northern Rhône wine, and the lightness, but piercing drive can remind one of this. What is different, however, is the fruit sweetness on the mid palate, unavoidable in this climate and on the ancient red Cambrian soils. It is by no means very intense. The alcohol is a pleasant 13%. The soft tannins lead to a satisfying long finish.

This wine is a bit different from Bindi's Pyrette.  Both have early picked fruit, but there is more serious structure in this wine. It would make sense to put this away for another three years or so, and the fruit sweetness will have mellowed somewhat. Good value for money, too. 

Score: 94/++ 

Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock

 Many years ago, I drank some 20 year old Emily's Paddock, which was terrific with its very special leathery and savoury characteristics. Yesterday, I drank a much younger wine, the 2017 Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock.

Emily's Paddock is the higher priced of the two Shirazes, but this is not meant to be a reflection of quality, but rather that there is more volume of the Georgia's Paddock.

This Emily's Paddock is a big, full-bodied wine - and it is nothing like the wines I remember. There is a lot more primary flavours here, not surprising, really. Shiraz Cabernet Franc is an unusual blend, and as both varieties contribute strongly, it is an unusual experience in the glass. The Shiraz contributes blackberry and some sweetness, and the Cabernet Franc redcurrant, raspberry and very pronounced peppery spice. I do not think the integration is as good as it could have been. Oak flavours are also quite noticeable. The finish is very long and a little hot.

Score: 93/0

Jasper Hill Nebbiolo

 Those who have followed my blog for some time will know I am quite partial to Barolo. You would also know that I have been a bit sceptical about the enthusiastic embrace of so called ‘alternative varieties’ in Australia (mainly Italian varieties, white and red). This is not because I don’t think it is a worthwhile pursuit. It is just that it is likely that these efforts will take quite some time to reach the quality levels of the leading overseas examples. Enter the 2017 Jasper Hill Nebbiolo.

This wine opens up with floral and aromatic notes, as expected. It has more open fruit than a Piedmont Nebbiolo. Red cherries, raspberry, and attractive licorice flavours occupy the palate. There are smoky notes as well. The balanced mouthfeel is rounded out by dry, dusty and caressing tannins, before the long and lasting finish.

This Nebbiolo is a prettier wine than its Italian counterparts, but by no means forward. It has a Pinot Noir like finish. This wine is a revelation of what an 'alternative variety' can be in Australia. This wine has the same complex structure of Italian Nebbiolo, but it has an Australian element, which is the more overt fruit. The strength of this wine is that this 'fruitiness' does not come at the expense of varietal typicity. I really enjoy this wine.

Score: 94/+++  

Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock

 I remember 15 years ago or so I attended a vertical tasting of Emily's Paddock, going back a further 20 years. The old wines were beautiful with their noses of leather and savoury flavours. I have not had this brand for a long time, so I was curious when I pulled this 2012 Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock from the cellar, how it would compare to my memories.

The first impression on taste is this is a full-bodied wine, quite ripe. Blackcurrant flavours hit the front palate, then secondary and tertiary notes take over. There is a hint of leather, but more prominent are barnyard notes. This wine has aged quite quickly, but there is still some elegance to this wine, largely due to the fine tannins and the long finish.

If you own this wine, drink it now.

Score: 92/+ 

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/++

    

Vinosphere 2019

There was an enormous number of wines on tasting at this very large event. I have a principle to report on good and poor wines when I attend such tastings, but I must make an exception this time. I tasted too many wines to report on them all. It would be very laborious. I will, on this occasion, mention the wines that stood out for me across the four brackets I tasted them in.

In white wines, I was impressed by two Tasmanian Chardonnays. One was the 2018 Pooley Butcher's Hill Chardonnay from the Coal River. The fruit used to go into Penfold's Yattarna. This is an elegant wine, quite big flavoured, with peach, cashew, and cream flavours coming to the fore. The wine has enough drive to keep interesting, despite the big mouthfeel. The 2016 Dawson James Chardonnay could not have been more different. From a cool vintage, this wine is Chablis-like, with citrus and apple flavours and a slightly green tinge. The acidity is nicely keeping the fruit in check.

The two best Pinot Noirs were of very high standard. You would not expect anything less from Bass Phillip. The 2017 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir has great depth of cherry fruit, but is a little closed right now. When the fruit wakes up, it will blend with the very silky tannins to an elegant style with a long finish. Less known is Levantine Hill from the Yarra Valley. I was most impressed with the 2015 Levantine Hill Colleen's Paddock Pinot Noir. Mushroom flavours dominate the dark cherry flavours in this brooding and harmonious wine. The finish goes on and on. I was not familiar with this producer, but it is worth seeking out. As an aside, both wines are fastidiously made, and you will have to pay for it.

The third category were Italian varieties. Sangiovese was not well represented, and the Nebbiolos from Piedmont were from what I would call second tier producers. There was one Barolo I liked very much, the 2015 Mauro Molino Barolo Gallinotto. This is the family vineyard in Berri, not far from La Morra. Being in the Northern part of Piedmont, you expect a more fragrant wine, and this is what you get. The fruit intensity is good (2015 was a warm vintage), but the highlight is the generous and expanding mouthfeel, not unlike a very good Burgundy. And I need to put the 2017 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock Nebbiolo in this category. This is the first time I rate an Australian Italian varietal wine on the same level as the outstanding Italian wines, but Ron Laughton has been at this for quite a long time. This is good Nebbiolo. Rose petals and lifted aromas on the nose, an elegant mouthfeel, and a smooth finish. Nothing is out of place here, the tannins not too strong.

In the icon category, I tasted wines from Clonakilla, Castagna and Jasper Hill. Lately, I have  not enjoyed the stylistic development of the Clonakilla flagship wine. The 2017 Clonakilla Shiraz/Viognier is quite soft, with the Viognier coming through quite strongly. The wine has silky tannins and great length, but a bit feminine for me. The 2015 Castagna Genesis Syrah is also quite a soft wine, but it has dark fruit flavours at its core, and a smooth finish. The wine of the night, just edging out the Pinots, was the 2017 Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock Shiraz. The Georgia's Paddock is the more voluptuous wine, and often the favorite. But the Emily's had layers and layers of fruit, and a leathery character on top of it. This made for a mysterious flavour, very elegant and long.   

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock

I have recently been disappointed with high alcohol wines from the Barossa. It seems that Jasper Hill gets full-bodied wines right.

The 2008 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock is a full-bodied, powerful wine. The concentrated redcurrant and earthy flavours are still fresh and have drive down the palate with a bit of lift towards the finish. The tannins are firm and the finish is long. This is a solid winter wine.

Score: 93/+++

100 Rosés

Rosés are probably the flavour of the month, but to attend a tasting of 100 odd Rosés is a seriously bewildering affair for a number of reasons. You would never have heard of most producers. Rosé can be based on pretty much any red grape variety (I encountered Black Muscat), although Grenache, Sangiovese and Pinot Noir are most prominent. There are a number of quite different production methods, and maturation can be in tank or oak. All the major wine countries, like France, Spain and Italy produce Rosé, but I will simply highlight three Australian wines which impressed me.

The 2015 Farr Rising Saignée is a 'serious' wine. Based on Pinot Noir, it has quite a dark colour, as the juice had considerable skin contact. Maturation in oak gives this wine a solid tannin structure.

The 2015 Chalmers Rosato from Heathcote is quite a different wine. The family is committed to Italian varieties and different ones go into the Rosato, depending on the vintage. Aglianico, Sagrantino and Negroamaro have been used. The colour of this wine is salmon pink. The wine is bone dry, with chalky notes.

The 2016 Schmölzer & Brown Prêt-a-Rosé from Beechworth has quite a big mouthfeel. This is an up and coming winery and the Rosé is a good example. It is made from Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. The wine is certainly bigger than the Chalmers, with more obvious fruit, but it finishes dry - a happy compromise.

Overall, the fruity wines were in the minority, and the future seems bright. The three wines above should satisfy serious wine drinkers.

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock

One of the interesting facts I have noticed is that old vines tend to also allow longer term cellaring in the bottle. The 2002 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock is a case in point. The wine comes from mature, organically grown vines, and it gets better with age.

This wine stands out to me, because as a full-bodied Shiraz, it is not dominated by black fruit, but rather redcurrant and red plum. This tends to be the case year by year. The 2002 is now very complex on the palate, with white pepper, mocca and earthy flavours adding to the fruit. The wine is still lively and not overly heavy. It is well balanced with firm tannins and a long finish. Well worth the wait.

Score: 95/+++

Jasper Hill/Chapoutier La Pleiade

La Pleiade is a mysterious wine, maybe as mysterious as the name or label. Yet it deserves much more acclaim. The name refers to the seven stars Pleiades cluster, also depicted on the label, but it also stands for a group of French Renaissance poets. The renaissance might be referring to a new take on Shiraz: full bodied, yet elegant at the same time. The vineyard is a joint venture between Ron Laughton of Jasper Hill fame, and Michel Chapoutier from the Northern Rhone.

The 2006 La Pleiade is a deep purple coloured wine, with an appealing set of fruit characteristics. There is red and black cherry and blackberry, and the fruit tastes fresh (after 9 years!). This is a well balanced wine with a satisfying mouthfeel. The wine delivers a velvety coating of the mouth, with a beautiful and pure fruit core and dry tannins, which take a back seat. This wine has weight, but it is not heavy, if this makes sense. Actually, it is a hard wine to describe. It is perfect for a cold winter night, and you look forward to a second or third glass. The wine drinks very well now and will do so for another 5+ years.

Score: 95/+++

Jasper Hill/Chapoutier La Pleiade

I noticed I haven't uploaded many images lately. I thought this one was worth while. It is unusual, and not many would have seen this label. It depicts the star cluster Pleiades from which this wine gets his name. Must have something to do with the biodynamic regime of the owners.

The 2004 Jasper Hill/Chapoutier La Pleiade is the third in a trilogy of big Australian wines from the 2004 vintage I am reviewing. The colour of this wine is deep purple. It is impenetrable. This is a full-bodied wine with a big mouthfeel and predominantly dark plum flavours. I find the flavour profile a bit one-dimensional. This wine has a good structure. It is balanced, as the fruit stands up to the significant tannins and the 15% alcohol.

This is a big wine, but it is not overripe or alcoholic in comparison with the Torbreck The Descendent. I recommend this wine to people who like the big Australian Shiraz. It will go well for at least another decade.

Score: 93/++

Rootstock Sydney 2014, part 1

Sounds a bit like Woodstock, doesn't it? Well, it was a bit dreamlike and producers were certainly very evangelical about their biodynamic approaches. Rootstock is a wine fair of not organic, but biodynamic winemakers. 70 wineries from around the world were represented. It was certainly great to speak to Vanya Cullen, Julian Castagna and Ron Houghton of Jasper Hill all within 30 minutes.

My overall conclusion about the wines was that there is quite a big divide: many wines showed vibrant fruit, but lacked structure, and I don't give them much aging potential. Then there are those who display solid winemaking technique and experience. Their wines were quite exceptional. In my experience, biodynamic soil treatment improves the freshness and vitality of the fruit, but I am less convinced about the more 'atmospheric' aspects of biodynamics. Yes the moon has a big influence on tides, but noticeable differences in the wine in the glass? Really? Be that as it may, this is what I found:

Jasper Hill was impressive with Georgia's and Emily's Paddock from 2012. The alcohol is now peared to about 13.5% and the fruit comes to the fore. In particular the Emily's Paddock is a great wine, with incredible complexity: dark fruits, leather and savoury characteristics. The meaty flavours are gone. Power is now balanced by elegance (95 points).

The 2011 Cullen Diana Madeline has beautifully lifted aromas. This wine is light and intense at the same time, with silky tannins and a long finish (95 points).

A winery not so well known, but doing great things is Ferdinando Principiano from Piedmont. This is a relatively new winery (20 years), and the move to biodynamics more recent. His 2012 Barbera d'Alba Laura is fresh, and the acids are beautifully balanced, which cannot be said about every Barbera (93 points). The 2009 Barolo Serralunga is a blend from several plots of limestone soil. This brings out the fragrance and minerality of the wine, almost like a Burgundy (93 points). The flagship 2009 Barolo Ravera is from  old grapes grown on sandy soil. This wine is more intense and powerful, but I found it had a 'smelly' aftertaste.

A big discovery was Cloudburst Wine for me. It is based in Margaret River, just south of Woodlands. This means the golden mile for Cabernet. They started in 2005 and are really boutique with a production of 400 cases. The 2012 Chardonnay emphasizes texture over fruit, but did not do much for me (88 points). However, the 2011 Cabernet was a revelation. Intensity and purity of the fruit made this wine stand out. The wine had good length, too. It remains to be seen, how well it will hold up (95 points). Its predecessor won several trophies at the Margaret River wine show last year. Now the bad news: this wine is $250 per bottle. Not bad for a new producer. The wines are aimed at flashy US restaurants. Scarcity rules, I guess.      

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock

Jasper Hill's Shiraz wines are usually long lived. So I was optimistic when I opened a bottle of the 2001 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock. The redcurrant fruit, typical for this vineyard, dominated on the front palate. Then on the mid palate it started to feel quite hollow, before the wine finished a bit burnt  and harsh. This is a typical example of what happens to an overripe and alcoholic wine. In a number of other years, the fruit managed to carry the high alcohol, but not in 2001. Quite disappointing. This wine is nearing the end of its drinking window. If you have it in your cellar, drink it now. Maybe your bottle will be better.

Score: 87/--

Heathcote Shiraz

Well, I am back now, with a couple of interesting reviews coming up in the next few days. This blogpost is about a tasting of most of the current Heathcote Shiraz releases which were reviewed by the Gourmet Wine Traveller Magazine. I have not had any exposure to Heathcote Shiraz in the last couple of years. Therefore it was timely to get an overview. Heathcote has a special soil, the dark red Cambrian soil. And the Shiraz is very different from its South Australian counterparts. This wine tastes predominantly of red fruit, an intense kirsch flavour.

I tasted 17 wines and in my assessment, they fall into two groups. But before I get to this, I want to highlight two producers: The 2012 Windy Peak Shiraz is $14 per bottle. This is quite a vibrant and juicy wine and great value at this price (89 points). The other, better known producer is Tar & Roses, who  produce a very serious Shiraz at $20 per bottle. Their 2010 Shiraz had excellent depth in their fruit and a finely balanced structure (91 points).

Now, the first group disappointed me, as these wines all lacked elegance. I gave these wines 88 to 91 points, they were 2010 Shadowfax One Eye, 2010 Wanted Man White Label,  2011Sanguine Estate Progeny, 2010 Ellis Wines, 2012 Windy Peak, 2010 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard, 2010 Tar & Roses, 2009 Heathcote Winery Curagee, 2010 Bress Gold Chook, 2010 PHI Single Vineyard Syrah Grenache. The Heathcote Estate Shiraz was the best in this group.

The wines in the second group were enjoyable to drink. The 2008 Vinea Marson Syrah is an unusual wine in this group (and I have experienced this previously as well). This wine is lighter bodied, with floral flavours and very fine tannins. It would be a Burgundy drinker's favourite (93 points). The 2010 Tellurian Tranter Shiraz was more typical for the region: intense fruit characters, but not juicy, and a harmonious package (92 points). The two Sanguine wines in this bracket were jockeying for wine of the night. The 2010 Sanguine Estate Shiraz was very vibrant, and had quite a strong tannin structure, which I enjoyed more on my second tasting (93 points). The 2008 Sanguine D'Orsa Reserve Shiraz, their flagship wine, was immediately appealing. It was smooth and elegant with a long finish, but a little sweet for my taste. The 15% alcohol level would make it difficult to drink more than a glass (93 points). And finally there was the 2010 Mitchelton Shiraz, which topped the Gourmet Wine Traveller tasting. It had a good balance between sweet and savoury flavours - a harmonious wine with fine tannins, but to me it did not have enough mouthfeel and had a somewhat short finish (92 points).

Overall, I was a little disappointed. There were some strong producers missing from this tasting (Jasper Hill, Wild Duck Creek, Seppelt Mt. Ida), but if this is the best the region can offer, it cannot compare with the icons of McLaren Vale or the Barossa.       

 

Occam's Razor Shiraz

Emily Laughton has to be one of the nicest and most generous wine makers alive. I was scheduled for a tasting at Jasper Hill several years ago, but at the last minute, Ron and his wife could not make it. They asked daughter Emily to do it in their place. She had to drive back from Melbourne to Heathcote after she had attended a pop festival and had two hours sleep. So there she was, on a Sunday, slightly hung over, going through the wines with great enthusiasm. She gave us all the opened bottles "nobody else coming today" and then asked where we would have dinner. This was not a silly question for Heathcote in those years and on a Sunday. We were not sure. She then offered us lamb chops from the freezer. This was too much, we had to decline, and yes we did manage to find some food. Also, I had to buy a few bottles of her own wine.

Occam's Razor is not such a bad name -  it means in layman terms: if in doubt keep it simple. The 2005 Occam's Razor Shiraz is a full bodied wine, showing concentrated plum and blackberry flavours. The fruit is not as pristine and concentrated as the Georgia's Paddock or as complex as Emily's Paddock (get it?), but it is an agreeable wine. Earthy flavours have developed, and the 15% alcohol are carried by fruit and firm tannins. The structure is good and while not overly elegant, the wine is not hot.

Score: 91/+

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock

Onto another wine from 2002. This time it is the 2002 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock. This wine is from a mature, organically grown and low yielding vineyard. It is dominated by redcurrant flavours, supported by white pepper and earthy notes. The wine is complex and lively, with firm tannins and good length.

This is how I expect a first class Shiraz to taste after ten years. It  still shows vibrant fruit, but mellow characters have increased the complexity. The wine has good weight, but is not heavy. As you finish your first glass, you are looking forward to the second.

Score: 94/++

McIvor Petit Verdot

It is not often that Petit Verdot is bottled separately as a varietal wine. This 2004 McIvor Petit Verdot is from Heathcote. It displays the typical inky, deep purple colour. The palate is dominated by plum and blackberry flavours. This is quite a full bodied wine with a big mouthfeel, yet it is elegant at the same time. It is a pleasant wine, with underlying soft tannins. It certainly justifies a separate bottling. The only drawback is its plump finish.
 
Score: 92/+