Pooley Pinot Noir

 Sorry for the long break, but there is not much wine to report from Muslim Indonesia. Now back in Australia, we are faced with what to drink during warm summer nights. I still have a preference for red wine in the evening. And I want it to be more than a quaffer, but not too heavy obviously, and not too complicated. Enters the 2021 Pooley Pinot Noir.

I have been critical about the single vineyard Pinot, and to some extent, the story is repeated here. This is a fruit dominated wine, red and black fruit, quite big in the mouth. The fruit weight does not allow much complexity. There is an underlying structure to the wine, but the lack of drive makes this wine a bit of a fruit bomb, not dissimilar to some Central Otago wines.

Score: 88/0

Delamere Pinot Noir

 I have mentioned a number of times that Tasmanian Pinot Noir is tricky. The marginal climate can be attractive. However, there are many subregions in Tasmania with quite different conditions. What is very suitable in one year may not be ideal in another. It is therefore difficult for Tasmanian wineries to establish a solid track record over a number of years.

I am drinking the 2021 Delamere Pinot Noir  from the Tamar River region. The vines are well established at 40 years of age.

The colour is purple, indicating a savoury Pinot Noir, and it is. The wine is of medium intensity. The complex dark fruit flavours are quite ripe, but are balanced by savoury notes. The wine sits in the mouth a bit, and lacks energy to move forward, but it is appealing when it  finally gets to the finish. The tannins are soft and fine grained, leading to a satisfying medium plus finish.

Score: 93/++  

 

Pooley Cooinda Vineyard Pinot Noir

 Time for a potentially controversial post. Pooley is a Tasmanian winery which has greatly expanded its range and tiered its offerings, including single vineyard wines. So far, so good. 

It is located in the Coal River Valley, an area in Tasmania which gets a lot of sunshine and little rain. It is therefore attractive to many producers, because the disease risk is lower than in other parts. However, a leading expert on Pinot Noir (who will remain nameless) is critical of this location. In his view, Pinot Noir needs rain and needs to struggle. I just tasted the 2021 Pooley Cooinda Vineyard Pinot Noir and am interested to find out if this thesis shows in this wine. 

The Cooinda Vale vineyard is now almost 40 years old, so the vines are quite mature. On the palate, the wine is fruit focused. Red and black cherry flavours open up immediately. There is some elegance and finesse in this medium intensity wine, but the mouthfeel is a bit shallow. The tannins are soft, and  structure is lacking. This is a pretty and quaffable wine, which to me does not hold much interest.

Maybe there is some truth in the Coal River hypothesis mentioned above.

Score: 89/0  

Delamere Pinot Noir

 As I mentioned in previous posts, Tasmanian Pinot Noir is difficult to get a grip on. There are a number of sub-regions with quite different terroir, and, being a marginal wine growing region, depending on the vintage, in one year one sub-region works out well, and in another year another. For the 2021 vintage, Delamere from the Pipers Brook region in the north-east was written up well. This is my first taste of the 2021 Delamere Pinot Noir.

The wine shows a ruby colour, bright and intense. On the palate, black cherry and licorice dominate. This Pinot Noir is very deep and concentrated, surprising for Tasmania, perhaps (although there are other examples). There is fresh acidity and firm tannins, but the fruit flavours outweigh the structure elements. As a result, the strength of the wine is on the front and mid palate. Still, this is a satisfying wine, which drinks well right now. 

The wine clearly benefits from 40 year old vines and the winemaking skills of the Bay of Fires team.

Score: 95/++

Pinot Noir And Other Highlights

 At a recent tasting, I tasted predominantly Pinot Noir, but also some other interesting wines.

Rippon just found out that its Gamay labelled wine is in fact Pinot Noir; a bit embarassing. And do not be afraid if you cannot tell, the winemakers apparently can't either. I tasted the three key Pinot Noirs. The 2020 'Rippon' Estate wine is very perfumed and quite light. It is an easy drink, quite elegant, with strawberry and red cherry flavours (91 points) . 'Emma's Block' sits at the bottom of the vineyard, just above the lake, facing east. This wine has a similar profile, but a bit more intensity (93 points). 'Tinker's Field' sits right next to it, with the oldest vines from 1986, and north facing. This wine is a bit darker, with a piercing drive and a long finish. Elegance is the key here as well (94 points). The Rippon wines are expensive, and while they are well made, they lack power (for me). I would look elsewhere.

From Tasmania I tasted the 2023 Dr Edge Tasmania Pinot Noir. This is a bright and fruity wine with red cherry and some undergrowth flavours. It fills the mouth nicely, but is a bit forward (92 points).  The 2018 Moorilla 'Muse' is a different proposition. This is a much more complex wine, dominated by red cherry fruit and vanilla from the oak. This is an elegant wine with good length, but too much oak, which is a concern after six years (92 points). Ossa made quite a splash with its new Pinot Noirs from fairly young vines. The 2022 Pinot Noir has red and black cherry flavours, intense on the front palate. The wine is quite fruity, but is helped with elegant tannins and a minor oak influence (93 points).

The wine of the tasting, however, was the 2022 Bondar Clarendon Shiraz. The wine comes from one of Australia's best Shiraz vineyards, the Hickinbotham vineyard in Clarendon, McLaren Vale. The wine is surprisingly blue fruited, fresh, but with good intensity, silky tannins, and a long, satisfying finish (95 points). 

The real surprise (as I expected) were the Dão wines from António Madeira. These wines taste like nothing we have in Australia, and they have personality. The 2020 DãoVinhas Velhas Branco is an interesting white wine, quite full-flavoured (there is some skin contact), tasting of tropical fruit and kumquat (I have never seen this as a descriptor; it is meant to describe complex citrus). The light touch oak is well integrated, and the finish is firm (92 points). The 2019 Dão Vinhas Velhas Tinto is quite a light red, tasting of raspberry and pomegranate; some dark fruits as well. It also has pleasant earthy flavour, spice, and a soft mouthfeel (92 points). The 2019 Dão Vinha da Serra is a step up. It is António Madeira's top vineyard at 600m of altitude based on granite. The raspberry and cranberry flavours are delicate, fresh and elegant, yet quite intense and powerful. Dry tannins lead to a long finish (95 points).

 

Chatto Isle Pinot Noir

 Chatto's Huon Valley vineyard, a warm site facing north in a cool region, was first planted in 2007. A small part of the vineyard was first bottled separately in 2014 as the Isle Pinot Noir. While the whole vineyard is planted with nine Pinot Noir clones, only three go into the Isle Pinot Noir, with clone 777 dominant. Limestone, calcareous mudstone and a lot of fossils form the soil. The wine is made with a significant proportion of whole bunches.

Vintages vary a lot in Tasmania's marginal climate leading to great variability in wine quality. It is clear that the 2018 Chatto Isle Pinot Noir is very special. 

The wine is complex and layered with dark cherry, cranberry and soft spices on the palate. Earthy and underbrush flavours add to the intense mouthfeel. Fine tannins drive these flavours across the palate to a harmonious finish. This is how Australian Pinot Noir should taste.

The volumes of the Isle Pinot Noir are small. I came across this wine for the first time now. I encourage you to seek it out.

Score: 96/+++ 

Lowestoft Best Barrels Chardonnay

 Following on from the impressive first release Lowestoft Pinot Noir reviewed a few posts below, I am now reporting on the 2019 Lowestoft Best Barrels Chardonnay.

Tasmania has become a hot bed for Chardonnay. And like the Pinot Noir, this is a blended wine of the best barrels from Tamar Valley, Coal River Valley and Tasman Peninsula. This wine was matured in large format oak (I think French), 35% new.

The flavours are complex, with citrus, grapefruit, and a hint of pineapple, added to by the cashew nut of the oak. This is a fresh wine with a balanced texture, and a firm line to the finish.

I would characterize this Chardonnay as occupying the middle ground between the lean types, currently so popular, and the full-blown Chardonnays, say California style.

Score: 94/++ 

Lowestoft Pinot Noir

 The 2018 Lowestoft Pinot Noir is the first wine of this new Tasmanian label, put together by the Fogarty Wine Group, owners of Dalwhinnie, Deep Woods, Evans & Tate, amongst others.

This is not a single vineyard wine, but a best barrels selection from vineyards across Tasmania. The wine has been matured in large format French oak, 35% new. It is positioned as an ultra premium wine.

And the wine is impressive. It is a delicate wine of great purity, initially quite understated. Red cherry fruit and some darker and earthy flavours, backed by firm acidity, deliver quite a piercing mouthfeel. The fine grained tannins linger long on the palate.

Score: 94/+++ 

Australia vs. New Zealand Pinot Noir Tasting

 A couple of days ago, I tasted six premium Australian and six premium New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Who came out ahead? Perhaps surprising, I scored the Australian Pinot Noirs slightly higher. Why? There were clearly country differences. The Australian wines were quite savoury and often with good energy. The New Zealand wines were fruitier and often a little round with not enough to show on the finish.

My top wine, unexpected, was the 2019 Picardy Tête de Cuvée from Pemberton. This is Picardy's best Pinot Noir of the vintage. Some of the fruit is densely planted, and the yields are low. The wine opens quite light on the palate, as the red and dark cherry fruit emerges. This is quite a complex and earthy wine with cigar box flavours underneath. The tannins are fine, supported by 30% whole bunch, and the finish is long (96/+++ points). Just behind was the 2020 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir, quite an intense, dark fruited wine. The mouthfeel is plush and smooth, and very textural. The wine has good persistence and a long finish (96/+++ points). 

In the next level came the highly acclaimed 2022 Ossa Pinot Noir from the Belrose vineyard near Swansea. The fruit is quite young and vibrant, and the wine has good intensity, but feels slightly blocky in the mouth. The 2022 Giant Steps Wombat Creek tasted of red cherry, with medium intensity and fine tannins - overall a more balanced wine. Also impressive was the 2018 Moondarra Sambaside Pinot Noir, a new label to me. This wine was on the lighter side with savoury notes, not dissimilar to the Picardy (93/94 points for these wines).

The next group included three wines from New Zealand, the 2022 Two Paddocks Estate Pinot Noir, the 2021 Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir, and the 2022 High Garden Vineyard Pinot Noir. As mentioned, these wines have a strong fruit profile, but were not as well structured as the wines above (92 points).

The final group included the 2021 Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir, the 2021 Shaw & Smith Lenswood Pinot Noir, the 2020 Neudorf Home Block, and the 2016 Fromm Cuvee H Pinot Noir - all 90 points.

Pooley Pinot Noir

I would like to see some Tasmanian winemakers producing excellent Pinot Noir year in year out. Yes, the vintages variations are more challenging than on the Mainland, but leading Burgundy producers manage to do just that. 

Last night, I enjoyed the 2021 Pooley Pinot Noir.

This wine has very strong red fruit aromas. On the palate, red cherry and licorice deliver quite intense and pure flavours. There is a good line in this not too complex, fruit dominant wine. It strikes a nice balance between freshness and structure built on firm, and also silky tannins, and encompassing fresh acidity.

There are not many secondary flavours, such as mushroom or forest floor in this wine. This could be because the wine is still very young or, more likely, because it comes from the Coal River Valley. Why? This is the sunniest part of Tasmania. Some experts I regard highly argue great Pinot Noir needs rainy conditions. The jury is out. There is also a single vineyard wine from Pooley, which I will review in a little while.

Score: 92/++

  

Barossa, Part 1

 

I spent the following two days in the Barossa. And what better way to start than at a private Penfolds tasting at the Kalimna Homestead. It is of course surrounded by the famous Kalimna vineyard, first planted around 1890 by the Fowler family. Vineyard and homestead was bought by Penfolds in 1945. Red winemaker Steph Dutton, who is likely to succeed Peter Gago when he retires (you read it here first), took me through the tasting, which consisted mostly of a mix from the 2021 and 2022 Penfolds Collection.

We started with the 2022 Bin 51 Riesling from Eden Valley. This was the first of a number of very positive surprises. Lime rind was the dominant flavour component. The wine has good volume and a fine texture. Minerality develops on the back palate before a long finish (95 points).

Next came the 2019 Yattarna. The fruit is 56% Tasmania, 34% Tumbarumba, 11% Adelaide Hills. The Tasmanian component has been increasing due to climate change and style refinement, while Tumbarumba fruit adds nerve, and Adelaide Hills generosity according to Steph. The wine is matured in 50% new oak barriques. Concentrated citrus fruit, nectarine, pear and smoky oak deliver a complex flavour profile. This is a stylish wine with some fruit weight, but matched with mineral acidity. The Yattarna is getting better with every release. This is a stunning wine (97 points).

The first red is the 2019 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz. This wine sees 100% French hogsheads, 20% new. Peppercorn and spice are the key features of this well structured wine. I detect a bit of alcoholic warmth on the finish (93 points). 

Then comes a special release wine, the 2018 Century Vines Barossa Valley Shiraz. Blending is in the DNA of Penfolds. This could have come from a single vineyard of 100 year old vines, but no, this is a blend from a number of grower owned old vineyards. What this does, it gives a certain layering of fruit flavours (more so in Grange). This wine is matured in old French hogsheads. This is a ripe wine. Mulberry, blackberry, figs and bacon on the palate, anchored by savoury, gravelly tannins - classic Barossa, classic Penfolds (96 points).

Then comes one of the big surprises of this tasting: the 2019 Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz. This wine always has more than just 50% Cabernet fruit. This one has 53%. Quite a bit comes from Langhorne Creek. The wine is matured in 100% American oak, 30% new. This wine has great complexity. The herbal notes of the Cabernet start you off, sweet plum from the Shiraz takes over, and it all ends in a mix of meatiness and mocca. The big surprise here is the sheer drinkability of the wine. I remember tasting older vintages at young age, and this was often not a pleasant experience. Oak and tannins were too strong. According to Steph, the introduction of cross-flow filtration has given this wine much more polish. I will in the summary talk about some other developments at Penfolds which make the young wines so exciting (96 points). 

The 2019 Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon is from the yet to be released 2022 Collection. The wine is aged in French hogsheads, 56% new. There is the expected blackcurrant, mulberry, tobacco leaf, and dark chocolate. I have always struggled a bit with Coonawarra Cabernet, often because of eucalypt flavours. There is a bit in this wine, but it is in the background. The structure of this wine is very tight. This wine needs time (94 points). 

Now we come to the star of the tasting, the 2018 St. Henri. The wine is aged in old French vats, which gives the fruit prime place. The wine is multi-regional, but predominantly Barossa Valley. This wine is so polished and elegant. Blackberry, plum and chocolate lead to an overall creamy like praline flavour. The tannins are super fine and silky (98 points).

Similarly to the  Bin 389, the main feature of the 2017 Grange for me is the sheer drinkability of this wine. The layering of the fruit comes from the blend of 14 blocks in this wine. It is a very dark and voluminous wine, a typical Grange in this way. Aromatic and meaty, big and drink now. How do they do it (97 points)?

The big revelation in this tasting was how approachable the wines were. Also, French oak is becoming ever more prominent, without giving up on the house style of the flagship American oak wines. This lead to a general discussion of what has changed at Penfolds. It turns out a lot. 

- Many trials with different oak barrels have been carried out over the years. The sourcing is now much smarter than it used to be. 

- The tannin management is much more detailed.

- In the vineyard, there is a lot of detailed mapping and technology is used for profiling moisture and ripeness. Grapes get picked by rows now, rather than vineyards.

- There is also an emphasis on root stock and clones management.

I was very impressed with these wines, and by early accounts, this will carry over into the 2022 Collection. I will have an opportunity to taste many of these in 10 days. 

Dr Edge Wines

 He is not a doctor. The winemaker is Peter Dredge (get it?). He has worked at a number of prestigious wineries in the Adelaide Hills and Tasmania before starting his own label. It is the one with the clown faces.

I just tasted his two current releases. The 2021 Dr Edge Tasmania Chardonnay is a blend of Tamar Valley (Joe Holyman vineyard) and Derwent Valley (Meadowbank vineyard) fruit, blending from gravel soils of the former and sandy soils of the latter.

This is a lively wine, tasting of citrus and white peach, with a good body. It has flint and salinity, and a fresh finish, maybe like a good Chablis.

Score: 94/++

The 2021 Dr Edge Tasmania Pinot Noir is a blend from the same vineyards, this time with the Meadowbank vineyard the dominant component, and a bit of East Coast fruit as well. There is some carbonic maceration. 

This is a very pretty wine, quite floral with bright red cherry and orange rind fruit. Not often does one describe a wine as light-bodied, but this one is. This is a delicate wine with a smooth finish.

Score: 93/++

These two wines are crisp and light footed. They speak of the Tasmanian climate. They are not trying to be something unsuitable. They are well made and will suit people who like a more subtle style.  

 

Frogmore Creek Chardonnay

 There is no doubt that Tasmania can deliver top shelf Chardonnay. Is the 2021 Frogmore Creek Chardonnay in the same league as Tolpuddle, Penfolds and a couple of others?

Floral notes will start you off, followed by pineapple and white peach. There is good purity of the fruit. The oak, through vanilla and nutty flavours, is quite present. The wine is a little sweet, which I did not find appealing, but might suit some. The wine has medium length and low acidity. This should be drunk young.

Clearly, this wine is not top shelf, but the attractive pricing reflects this.

Score: 89/0

Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir

 Giant Steps has been producing successful single vineyard wines from the Yarra Valley for a number of years. The 2018 Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir is their first Pinot Noir from a different region, in this case from the Coal River Valley in Tasmania.

Rose and forest floor aromas rise from the glass. This is a medium-bodied wine with dark cherry fruit flavours, but more prominent savoury notes, mushroom and forest floor. The 100% whole bunch treatment is working its charm. This is a very seductive wine. The oak is noticeable and nicely integrated. The tannins are pretty, and the silky texture is more prominent than the intensity of this wine; a triumph.

Apart from typical food combinations, this wine also works well with white fish.

Score: 96/+++

What Have We Been Drinking This Christmas?

 Christmas gatherings this year have been much smaller in many countries, as we are still in the grip of covid-19. However, I am sure this community has still been enjoying their wine. My drinkings are shown below.

The Arras Sparkling was sadly disappointing. It was fresh, but had little complexity and no biscuit flavours. The Nimbostratus Chardonnay is an unusual wine, which I will report on separately. I enjoyed the Derthona again, which I have reviewed previously. It is a bigger white wine without having buttery flavours. It went well with the prawns. But the wine of the day was the Georges Noëllat Burgundy. Again, I will review it separately.

What have you been drinking? Please comment. I am also interested in comments from the Northern Hemisphere, where different temperatures no doubt lead to different choices. 

Southern Highlands Wines

The wineries of the Southern Highlands are the closest to Sydney. Yet I must admit I had not visited there before. I am sure the same is true for many Sydney wine lovers. And there are some valid reasons. It is a relatively new region, started in the 1990s, I think. Many original vineyards were managed by hobby farmers with a focus on selling as many grapes as possible. And the volumes are small. Yet, the attraction is cool climate and an elevation of 500m plus. In the meantime, some wineries have become serious about quality. I visited two; Artemis and Tertini.

The focus of Artemis is on Pinot Noir with a sloped 3ha home vineyard started in 1996 on sandstone and clay soil. However, there are many different wines on offer, based on purchased fruit. The Sparkling Riesling, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc were all quite attractive with typical varietal character. These wines had good drive and well-known acidity for the area. The 20% oak fermented portion in the Sauvignon Blanc added additional interest.

The 2018 Pinot Noir from purchased fruit had a slightly brown tinge. It is fruit forward with licorice and earthy notes being quite prominent - a strange, I would say slightly faulty wine. The tasting highlight was the 2016 Artemis Close Vine Pinot Noir from the home vineyard, planted from 760 to 710m elevation. The yield is 800g per vine, half of the other Pinot Noir. There are pretty red cherry flavours, some creaminess and excellent acidity in this wine. It was matured in used 350 l french barrels (92 points).  

Artemis produces a number of full bodied reds. The 2017 Petit Verdot is blue fruited and quite tannic. The Southern Highlands are not ideally suited for these varieties. Maybe in 2100?

Tertini produces an even wider range of wines, but some are from Tasmania and Tumbarumba.

The 2015 Riesling from the Southern Highlands is excellent. The citrus flavours are flanked by subtle acidity. There is enticing minerality on the back palate, overall a complex mouthfeel (93 points). The 2018 Chardonnay is equally good. This wine is fresh and pure, with  white peach the dominant flavour. It delivers a well-rounded mouthfeel (93 points). 

The highlight was the comparison of the Southern Highland Pinot Noir and the Tasmanian Pinot Noir. The 2018 Southern Highlands Pinot Noir has a surprisingly dark colour. It includes 20% whole bunch. It is a fruit driven wine with red and black cherry flavours, and quite a firm structure (92 points). The wine of the day (maybe unfortunate?) goes to the 2017 Tertini Tasmanian Pinot Noir. It won a trophy there against Tolpuddle and all others. It is a very elegant wine, with a slightly orange colour. On the palate, cherry, strawberry and raspberry flavours seek your attention. Some creaminess rounds out the complex flavour profile (94 points).  

Overall, there is great potential, already partly realized, in the Southern Highlands for Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The production of full-bodied reds is a distraction. It is part insurance policy, part to satisfy stranded Shiraz drinkers, but in the end, these wineries need to focus on those varieties that do best in the region.

Shaw & Smith Tolpuddle Chardonnay

The 2016 Tolpuddle Chardonnay has come together really well now. It has three distinctive flavours: white peach, grapefruit and almond. This is a sophisticated wine with an intense mouthfeel. 80% malolactic fermentation and new oak add cream to the palate. It all integrates well and does not feel heavy or overworked. The style is different from the citrus dominated Chardonnays on the market, more French. This wine is serious with great length.

Score: 96/+++

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.   

Two Classic Tasmanian Chardonnays

Chardonnay from Tasmania does not grab the headlines quite as much as Pinot Noir, but recently I tasted two Chardonnays which are very good, indeed. They are made in quite different ways.

Derwent Estate make quite a big deal of their Chardonnay release dates, and the 2016 Derwent Estate Chardonnay deserves this. This wine is made in a fresh style, with lime and pear flavours. There is malolactic fermentation, but you would not know it. Lemony acidity glides down the palate, not aggressive, but always present. This wine has power and elegance at the same time (94+ points).

The 2016 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay is made in quite a different style. There is more new oak, more cream (80% malolactic fermentation), and more complexity on the palate. There is grapefruit and white peach, hazelnut and spicy oak. Acidity is strong, and the flavours are very long. Everything comes together in a balanced fashion (94+ points).

Tasmanian Pinot Noir

I recently tasted a number of leading Tasmanian Pinot Noirs. A number of conclusions stood out:

1) There is now a lot more consistency in these wines
2) Prices have crept up a lot. We are now talking $50-$100 per bottle, driven by small volumes and increased demand.
3) Vintage variations are significant. 2016 produced light and perfumed wines across the board, whereas 2015 and 2017 Pinot Noirs are much more intense.
4) Almost all producers have settled on a regime of 10-30% whole bunch inclusion, and 20-40% new French oak for the premium wines.

Two Pinot Noirs stood out for their barnyard flavours: the 2016 Barringwood Mill Block (89 points), and the 2015 Delamere Block 8 (90 points).

Other brief notes:
- 2017 Holm Oak 'The Wizzard': dark cherry, savoury, dry (93 points)
- 2015 Tamar Ridge Reserve: medium-bodied, red cherry focussed on front palate (91 points)
- 2015 Tamar Ridge Single Block: more intense and tannic (93 points)
- 2016 Bay of Fires: light, pretty and delicious, red fruited (90 points)
- 2014 Dalrymple Cottage Block: smooth, earthy and spicy, lacks structure (91 points)
- 2014 Dalrymple Coal River Valley: bigger fruited and quite fruity, soft tannins, lacks structure (89 points)
- 2017 Pipers Brook 'New Certan': pretty fruit, savoury, dry,  lacks finish (92 points)
- 2015 Derwent Estate Çalcaire': dark fruited, intense and savoury (94 points)
- 2016 Glaetzer Dixon Mon Père: black cherry, savoury, great for the year (93 points)
- 2016 Tolpuddle Vineyard: quite light, strawberry flavours, elegant (92 points)