Pinot Meuniere is to Pinot Noir what Merlot is to Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a softer, less tannic grape with fleshy flavours. I am drinking the 2006 Main Ridge Pinot Meuniere. This grape is rare in Australia, it is even rarer to find a dedicated bottling from it. Usually it is a small component in some bubblies.
This wine is well suited to be drunk in summer. It is delicious. Not as serious as the good Pinots from this estate, it smells of fresh red cherries, it is very clean and has enough forest floor in the flavour spectrum to avoid the 'fruit bomb' problem. Hard to stop after a glass or two.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Room Temperature
I can't believe when in the Australian context advice is given to serve red wine at room temperature. In summer, this means usually 25 degrees or more. This is particularly bad for South Australian wines many of which recently have been very ripe and high in alcohol.
If these wines are served at 18 degrees or so, the structure and texture of the wine becomes much more apparent, the wine tastes less cooked and the flavours are more differentiated.
Therefore, I suggest that if a Shiraz or Cabernet comes from a cooled cellar, it doesn't need too long on the kitchen bench before it is right (decanting and airing for an hour is even better). If the wine is room temperature to start with, half an hour in the fridge and then airing improves your red wine drinking pleasure significantly - and allows to drink full bodied wines in summer.
If these wines are served at 18 degrees or so, the structure and texture of the wine becomes much more apparent, the wine tastes less cooked and the flavours are more differentiated.
Therefore, I suggest that if a Shiraz or Cabernet comes from a cooled cellar, it doesn't need too long on the kitchen bench before it is right (decanting and airing for an hour is even better). If the wine is room temperature to start with, half an hour in the fridge and then airing improves your red wine drinking pleasure significantly - and allows to drink full bodied wines in summer.
Henschke Mt. Edelstone
I was looking forward to settle into last night with an excellent steak and the Federer Roddick match. So I thought I needed to pick a special wine, too. I chose the 2002 Mt. Edelstone Shiraz. This is the first bottle of this wine I opened. It had had excellent reviews and after some disappointments of the late 90s I was looking forward to this.
I decanted the wine and couldn't believe the aroma. I was smelling the fruit from a metre away! There were a number of surprises in this wine. The first was how young it was. It felt I was drinking from barrel. The fruit was very young and raw. At 15%, the wine felt slightly alcoholic. I couldn't detect much of the usual mocca and chocolate flavours and oak was very much in the background.
Obviously, this is a big wine. It will need quite a bit more time before it comes together, but once it has mellowed a bit, it should be a very good drink. I will put my remaining bottles away for at least five years.
I decanted the wine and couldn't believe the aroma. I was smelling the fruit from a metre away! There were a number of surprises in this wine. The first was how young it was. It felt I was drinking from barrel. The fruit was very young and raw. At 15%, the wine felt slightly alcoholic. I couldn't detect much of the usual mocca and chocolate flavours and oak was very much in the background.
Obviously, this is a big wine. It will need quite a bit more time before it comes together, but once it has mellowed a bit, it should be a very good drink. I will put my remaining bottles away for at least five years.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Petaluma Coonawarra
On the same night, I drank the 1999 Petaluma Coonawarra. This wine is less big than the Entity and has obviously mellowed by now. It has good length and a soft finish.
But a strange thing happened. The wine shows the famous hole in the mid palate, Cabernet is known for, and I started thinking why not more Cabernet producers blend their Cabernets with other Bordeaux varieties or Shiraz, particularly in the Coonawarra. Now the funny thing is, this is a blend of 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot. However, the Merlot component seems to have fallen by the wayside other than for the soft finish - quite weird.
Drinking this on the same night as the Entity demonstrates why wine lovers overseas go for our Shiraz: the power and fruit concentration is not normally matched by Cabernet. And if it is well done and not too ripe and alcoholic, a Barossa Shiraz is very satisfying.
But a strange thing happened. The wine shows the famous hole in the mid palate, Cabernet is known for, and I started thinking why not more Cabernet producers blend their Cabernets with other Bordeaux varieties or Shiraz, particularly in the Coonawarra. Now the funny thing is, this is a blend of 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot. However, the Merlot component seems to have fallen by the wayside other than for the soft finish - quite weird.
Drinking this on the same night as the Entity demonstrates why wine lovers overseas go for our Shiraz: the power and fruit concentration is not normally matched by Cabernet. And if it is well done and not too ripe and alcoholic, a Barossa Shiraz is very satisfying.
John Duval Entity Shiraz
The 2005 John Duval Entity Shiraz has outstanding flavour. It consists of deep dark blackcurrant, luscious plum and black cherries and has tremendous vibrancy. The firm tannins are well integrated, as the wine comes to a long finish.
John Duval was the chief wine maker for Penfolds for about a couple of decades and he fashioned such iconic wines as 1990 Grange. There is the firm grip in the Entity Shiraz, which Duval is known for, but this wine is more about fruit than earthy undertones, as many Penfolds wines have been.
In contrast to the Dutschke wine I described before, this one seems more three dimensional. The Dutschke went from the front of the tongue to the finish in one go. A lot of sensations and taste changes happen with the Entity, as the wine moves through the mouth.
John Duval was the chief wine maker for Penfolds for about a couple of decades and he fashioned such iconic wines as 1990 Grange. There is the firm grip in the Entity Shiraz, which Duval is known for, but this wine is more about fruit than earthy undertones, as many Penfolds wines have been.
In contrast to the Dutschke wine I described before, this one seems more three dimensional. The Dutschke went from the front of the tongue to the finish in one go. A lot of sensations and taste changes happen with the Entity, as the wine moves through the mouth.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dutschke St. Jakobi Shiraz
Dutschke is a winery which I discovered a number of years ago during a trip to the Barossa. It was virtually unknown then and the wine maker suggested to meet at Saltram over lunch. He brought 4 bottles of his wines, and I remember this occasion very fondly.
Since then, its profile has grown, although the name is somewhat unfortunate, given it is the same as the leader of the revolutionary Red Army Faction in Germany in the 70s.
As with a number of Barossa wineries, my favorite wine from Dutschke is the second tier Shiraz St. Jakobi, which is less extracted than the top shelf Oskar Semmler. Last night I had a bottle of the 2003 Dutschke St. Jakobi Shiraz. The wine consists of dark, ripe fruit, quite dry, bordering on some dead fruit, which is not surprising for this hot vintage. The wine has good length and strong tannins, but the mouthfeel is not quite right. It is lacking some interest and complexity on the palate. Overall a bit one-dimensional in contrast to the wine I am going to review next.
Since then, its profile has grown, although the name is somewhat unfortunate, given it is the same as the leader of the revolutionary Red Army Faction in Germany in the 70s.
As with a number of Barossa wineries, my favorite wine from Dutschke is the second tier Shiraz St. Jakobi, which is less extracted than the top shelf Oskar Semmler. Last night I had a bottle of the 2003 Dutschke St. Jakobi Shiraz. The wine consists of dark, ripe fruit, quite dry, bordering on some dead fruit, which is not surprising for this hot vintage. The wine has good length and strong tannins, but the mouthfeel is not quite right. It is lacking some interest and complexity on the palate. Overall a bit one-dimensional in contrast to the wine I am going to review next.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Mauro Molino Vigna Gancia Barolo
While I mainly collect and drink Australian wines, my true love is Barolo. High prices and lack of availability limit my Barolo collection.
I brought the 1997 Mauro Molino Vigna Gancia Barolo back from a trip to Piedmont. Mauro Molino is a new kid on the block who produces a number of single vineyard Barolos. 1997 was a watershed in Piedmont. It was a warmer vintage than usual with a perfect ripening profile. As a result, the usually very savoury and dry wines had a much stronger fruit component than usual.
This wine has incredible complexity. I am lost for words to describe it. Blackcurrant and cherry fruit, forest floor and leathery flavours combine. Tim White would give you three lines of descriptors you have never heard of.
The fruit is balanced by substantial, but well integrated tannins. Despite all this going on, the finish is very clean and long. It is a heady wine, and the glass on its own, after having finished the pasta meal, is spinning me slightly out of control.
If you have an interest in wine, and don't know Barolo, I would urge you to get your hand on a 1997, or a Mauro Molino for that matter.
I brought the 1997 Mauro Molino Vigna Gancia Barolo back from a trip to Piedmont. Mauro Molino is a new kid on the block who produces a number of single vineyard Barolos. 1997 was a watershed in Piedmont. It was a warmer vintage than usual with a perfect ripening profile. As a result, the usually very savoury and dry wines had a much stronger fruit component than usual.
This wine has incredible complexity. I am lost for words to describe it. Blackcurrant and cherry fruit, forest floor and leathery flavours combine. Tim White would give you three lines of descriptors you have never heard of.
The fruit is balanced by substantial, but well integrated tannins. Despite all this going on, the finish is very clean and long. It is a heady wine, and the glass on its own, after having finished the pasta meal, is spinning me slightly out of control.
If you have an interest in wine, and don't know Barolo, I would urge you to get your hand on a 1997, or a Mauro Molino for that matter.
Leo Buring Leonay Eden Valley Riesling
Leo Buring has a proud history of producing some of Australia's greatest Rieslings. It owns outstanding vineyards in the Eden Valley and the best grapes are bottled under the Leonay label. These wines tend to age very well.
Today, I opened the 2003 Leo Buring Leonay Riesling. The wine displays fine citrus and lime flavours, backed by floral overtones and is backed up by quite gentle acidity.
I realise I am opening this bottle at a bad point in its development. I am starting to detect some mellowing, but it is currently dulling the wine, before more honeyed flavours will develop. Equally the crispness of the earlier years is no longer there.
It is clear that this wine should either be drunk in the first three years or after seven years. In other wines, this interim period where secondary flavours develop is often quite interesting and intriguing, but as far as this wine is concerned, and often in Pinot Noir, it is best to leave it alone during this development period. I haven't really worked out for which wines the 3-6 year period is attractive and for which it isn't. Any thoughts?
Today, I opened the 2003 Leo Buring Leonay Riesling. The wine displays fine citrus and lime flavours, backed by floral overtones and is backed up by quite gentle acidity.
I realise I am opening this bottle at a bad point in its development. I am starting to detect some mellowing, but it is currently dulling the wine, before more honeyed flavours will develop. Equally the crispness of the earlier years is no longer there.
It is clear that this wine should either be drunk in the first three years or after seven years. In other wines, this interim period where secondary flavours develop is often quite interesting and intriguing, but as far as this wine is concerned, and often in Pinot Noir, it is best to leave it alone during this development period. I haven't really worked out for which wines the 3-6 year period is attractive and for which it isn't. Any thoughts?
Friday, January 23, 2009
Isabel Sauvignon Blanc
I don't usually drink a lot of Sauvignon Blanc, but there is certainly a place for it in this hot weather. Many Sauvignon Blancs are pretty average, so what characteristics does a good one have?
As I ventured into the cellar, I found this 2005 Isabel Sauvignon Blanc. I was a bit worried about the age, as you are supposed to drink these straight away, more about this in a minute.
The Isabel has three features I like: the gooseberry flavour is ripe, not green. The wine tingles along the tongue to the back palate, and is not sharp. It has good length and the acidity is there, but not overwhelming everything else.
I only noticed a hint of mellowing in this wine, but it was still perfectly fresh. This wine has good structure and handles a bit of age very well.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Spinifex Rose
As the temperature keeps climbing, Rose is often the wine of choice. One of my favorites is the Spinifex Rose. The 2007 Spinifex Rose is a blend based on Grenache. The colour is a light pink/orange, but the wine is actually quite big for a Rose. This is a serious wine.
The palate is quite savoury, very dry, smooth and long. It would go very well with seafood, salads and any chicken dish.
Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz
The Woodcutter's Shiraz is Torbreck's entry wine. It is interesting to compare it with the Struie I described in the last post. The 2006 Woodcutter's is not as big, but still a substantial and well crafted wine. It tastes predominantly of redcurrant fruit and is not as smooth as the Struie. However, it has excellent length for its price point and finishes with well integrated tannins.
Torbreck has the ability to produce Shiraz at vastly different price points which can all be satisfying, mainly due to the policy of buying a very high standard of grapes and David Powell's ability to combine power and elegance.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Torbreck 'The Struie' Shiraz
The 2002 Struie is certainly a big, meaty wine.
Since David Powell of Torbreck appeared on the scene, he has split the wine world. He is loved in America, where they like our Shiraz big, alcoholic and sweet, and is criticised by some of our influencial wine writers for producing wine which will not age, lack structure and is not very grape specific.
The facts are that it is not that simple. He purchases top class fruit, and while the wines are big, they are elegant and carry velvet tannins. In this way, he has no doubt moved the Barossa forward.
This Struie has good mouthfeel and carries the significant fruit volume through to the back palate. It has good length and finishes with smooth tannins. To me, the wine combines great strength and fruit concentration with great elegance. You would want a substantial meal with this substantial wine.
For the record: this wine will last many more years
Since David Powell of Torbreck appeared on the scene, he has split the wine world. He is loved in America, where they like our Shiraz big, alcoholic and sweet, and is criticised by some of our influencial wine writers for producing wine which will not age, lack structure and is not very grape specific.
The facts are that it is not that simple. He purchases top class fruit, and while the wines are big, they are elegant and carry velvet tannins. In this way, he has no doubt moved the Barossa forward.
This Struie has good mouthfeel and carries the significant fruit volume through to the back palate. It has good length and finishes with smooth tannins. To me, the wine combines great strength and fruit concentration with great elegance. You would want a substantial meal with this substantial wine.
For the record: this wine will last many more years
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