2012 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Sunday, 30 December 2012

Stoney Rise Grüner Veltliner 2012

21:23 Stu.

Stoney Rise had the first commercial plantings of Grüner Veltliner in Australia, and whilst Lark Hill were first to market with their own release in 2009, the Stoney Grüner holds a special position viz the history of the variety in this country. Opens musky with tropical...

#Vegan / 2012 / Grüner Veltliner / Tamar Valley / Tasmania

Schloss Schönborn Feinherb Riesling 2010

12:06 Stu.

An off-dry Riesling, the term Feinherb has been permitted on wine labels in Germany since 2000 as an acceptable alternative to Halbtrocken. Halbtrocken wines are permitted to have 10-18 g/l residual sugar (subject to total acid - but that's a discussion for elsewhere). I...

2010 / Germany / Rheingau / riesling

d'Arenberg Galvo Garage 2008

08:36 Stu.

A nod to the garagistes of Bordeaux, with a 'Bordeaux' blend made in that most Australian of man-caves: the galvo shed. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (13%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (6%), predominantly from McLaren Vale, with some supporting...

2008 / Adelaide Hills / Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon / McLaren Vale / Merlot / Petit Verdot

Friday, 28 December 2012

Atze's Corner The Renegade Mataro Grenache Graciano 2009

21:38 Stu.

Earthen notes greet you, offering up some black cherry too - an appropriate welcome to this Mataro dominant blend. The palate shows licorice, szechuan spice - but really only gives mere glimpses as to what it could be without ever fully convincing. The palate...

2009 / Barossa Valley / Graciano / grenache / Mataro et al

Sunday, 23 December 2012

Mitchell Harris MGS 2011

21:42 Stu.

I've enjoyed a fair few of the reds that have come out of that vintage. Stylistically, there's more often than not a definite nod toward the Cotes du Rhone. This cannot be seen as a universal statement, fruit ripeness still had to be there, along with the...

2011 / grenache / Mataro et al / Pyrenees / Shiraz

Friday, 21 December 2012

Ballycroft Small Berrys Shiraz 2009

22:46 Stu.

Rich, oak, choc and plum - reminded me a little of Plum Brandy - and that's a good thing. Ably assisted by an assortment of black fruits, rich choc and christmas pudding, with a layered quality to the aromatics. Early onset of peppery spice, smooth and full bodied. ...

2009 / Barossa Valley / Greenock / Shiraz

Cook's Lot Lot #689 Sauvignion Blanc 2012

22:21 Stu.

Herb, nettle and citrus waft out of the glass here, supported by a little oak character. And there you start to see the difference between this and this and those that went before it. Shows texture on the palate - for winemaker Duncan Cook has opted to employ techniques...

2012 / Orange / Sauvignon Blanc

Yalumba Y Series Sauvignon Blanc 2012

22:12 Stu.

Second of 4 SB's opened up and tasted. Less overt than the first - good integrity of the variety: gooseberry and grass, subdued topicals, hints of lemon sherbet in the background. Tropicals and citrus through the palate, slightly harsher acidic note presenting...

2012 / Sauvignon Blanc / South Australia

Taylors Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012

22:05 Stu.

Strong aromatics: nettle, grass, hints of tropical fruit by way of guava and lychee. Drying in the mouth - phenolics and feel - with little else discernible. Hard green apple character toward the finish. Not particularly enjoyable for this individual. ...

2012 / Adelaide Hills / Sauvignon Blanc

Monday, 17 December 2012

Mitchell Harris Sauvignon Blanc Fumé 2012

21:44 Stu.

Opened a swag of Sauvignon Blanc, and this was by far the best of the bunch - quite possibly as it is so far removed from what the general representation of the variety is. Key lime with waxy hints, toasty and smoky on the palate. It's lie in a combination of restraint...

2012 / Pyrenees / Sauvignon Blanc

Thursday, 13 December 2012

Terres Dorées Moulin a Vent 2010

21:13 Stu.

Moulin a Vent is one of Beaujolais's ten named crus, and Terres Dorées is the Estate of Jean-Paul Brun, a winemaker focussed on more traditional methods of wine production, against the prevailing use of cultured yeasts and chaptalization. Wines from the cru are generally...

2010 / Beaujolais / France / Gamay / Moulin a Vent

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Shiraz 2010

20:58 Stu.

Blacker than black, a layered texture, progressive feel and movement on the palate. Initially showed - to me - choc and hazelnut, a hint of chicory, latterly a good core of black and red fruits coming through. The palate, in addition to that vin de mille-feuilles...

2010 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Tscharke Only Son Tempranillo 2011

20:48 Stu.

Dark and brooding, hints of molasses and coffee, black fruits, cola and spicy old wood. Good entry into the mouth, showing depth and a dark fruited core. Smooth with licorice, sarsparilla, a little hint of bitterness and tart towards the back end. Falls a...

2011 / Barossa Valley / Tempranillo

Monday, 10 December 2012

Dandelion Vineyards Legacy of the Barossa Pedro Ximenez

21:29 Stu.

Fabulous wine, on approach there’s almond biscotti, candied peel along with hints of toffee and caramel. Fresh on the palate, honeyed with intensity from citrus rind. Hints of orange liqueur, nutty and unctuous, a quality of both age...

Barossa Valley / NV / Pedro Ximenez

Sunday, 9 December 2012

d’Arenberg DADD Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir Pinot Meunier NV

22:20 Stu.

d’Arenberg’s first sparkling wine, released to coincide with their centenary celebrations and so named to honour the Osborn family pioneers who established the winery all those years ago. Shows bready, leesy characters, with hints of...

Chardonnay / NV / Pinot Meunier / pinot noir / Sparkling

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Yalumba The Scribbler 2010

11:10 Stu.

There's something inherently comforting about a "Great Aussie Red", and this example from Yalumba shows its Cabernet (57%) dominant composition with plum, mulberry and spice on approach. Good Cabernet structure on its medium bodied frame, charry oak and Shiraz...

2010 / Barossa / Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz

Chapel Hill Parson's Nose Shiraz 2011

08:43 Stu.

Parson's Nose always reminds me of growing up on London's District Line and the station Parson's Green. There you go, an insight into my youth. Dry leaf matter, hints of wood and spice over black-fruited goodness, add a smattering of regional chocolate into the...

2011 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Monday, 3 December 2012

Clos Clare Watervale Riesling 2012

12:52 Stu.

The Barry boys, Tom and Sam, have excellent familial heritage when it comes to making regarded Clare Valley Riesling. They've set up shop in the corner of the renowned Florita Vineyard, and there they've crafted this stellar Riesling that I've gone long on as a...

2012 / Clare Valley / riesling / Watervale

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Mitchell Harris Rosé 2012

13:58 Stu.

Opened this up as one of a trio of Rosé and gave the remains of the open bottles to some friends. This was the one they opted to drink, on the basis that it was the bottle that was least full. Good taste those two. Strawberry and cherry, with a creamy dried...

#RoseRev / 2012 / macedon / pinot noir / Pyrenees / Rosé / sangiovese

Saturday, 1 December 2012

Yalumba 2012 Y Series Sangiovese Rosé

14:40 Stu.

Not the palest, not the most textural, nor savoury - it's dry and, for this author, a pleasure to drink. That's what counts right? You'll find it on shelves for anywhere between a tenner and its $15 RRP. Good red fruit aromatics: cherry and strawberry in...

#RoseRev / 2012 / Rosé / sangiovese / South Australia

Friday, 30 November 2012

Citadine Gruyere Syrah 2010

14:34 Stu.

I'm sure many have developed a fondness for the good stuff after a stint at that renowned seat of learning Cambridge University, but I am unsure as to how many have entered the wine industry after sequencing yeast genomes. Kirby Simering fits this pattern, and cites winemakers...

2010 / Syrah / Yarra Valley

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Reviews: Low and Zero Sulphur Wines

09:50 Stu.

The subject of Sulphur in wine is an interesting one. Some consumers seek wine with minimal, or no, Sulphur additions for health reasons. Sulphur exists naturally and is present to some degree in all wines. Some producers seek to minimise the amount of additional Sulphur added – it’s a preservative for the wine – from a philosophical view point. Whatever your stance, here are a few wines that sit...

#Gram9 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / Adelaide Hills / Barossa Valley / Chardonnay / Mataro et al / McLaren Vale / pinot noir / Shiraz / Sulphur / Yarra Valley

Monday, 19 November 2012

Mandalay Road Shiraz 2009

11:24 Stu.

Forty-eight hours later and I am still a little clueless. Each time I go back to the wine I see something else. For that reason alone, it's thoroughly enchanting. It's in balance, drinks well - very well - if a little schizophrenic in appearance. Initially...

2009 / Geographe / Shiraz / Single Vineyard

Sunday, 18 November 2012

A.Retief Gundagai Shiraz 2009

21:33 Stu.

Aromatically alluring from the off. Pepper, florals, choc-mint - complexity, further enhanced by peppery Hunter Stew, all interwoven with fruit character. Smooth and fluid, a generous medium bodied version of the variety. Blackcurrant and spice with...

2009 / Biodynamic / Gundagai / Shiraz

Meerea Park XYZ Shiraz 2010

10:57 Stu.

XYZ is a sub-brand of Hunter winemakers par excellence Meerea Park. The brand is intended to represent a more modern take on the Hunter style. 10% of the Shiraz portion was left as whole bunches, the wine also saw inclusion of 4% Viognier co-fermented. Spends...

2010 / Hunter Valley / Shiraz

Friday, 16 November 2012

Taylors Estate Clare Valley Riesling 2012

13:18 Stu.

Fresh. lemon and lime sorbet. Not much to shout about aromatically but things liven up where it counts. A richer palate, fuller, zesty with pithy lemon. Full - again that word - rather than racy and linear like many a Riesling. Citrus moves toward...

2012 / Clare Valley / riesling

Thursday, 15 November 2012

Cook's Lot Mudgee Riesling 2010

08:30 Stu.

Aromatically showing some signs of development with toasty, petrol hints - background citrus and light tropicals add to the picture. On the palate there's honeysuckle and zesty, lively, zippy acid - together with good mineral resolve it adds an extra dimension to the...

2010 / Mudgee / riesling

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Yarran Pinot Grigio 2012

21:13 Stu.

The fresh crunch of green apple, hints of florals, a little hint of banana lollies and gentle tropical fruits serve as the aromatic introduction. There's a touch of palate weight here, mineral and (perceived) fruit sweetness. A little cloying, hints of texture...

2012 / Pinot Grigio / Riverina

Monday, 12 November 2012

Best's Bin 0 Shiraz 2000

12:49 Stu.

It had sat in the fridge for a while, each time I looked in there it whispered a gentle reminder for us to get together. A birthday - mine - seemed an appropriate occasion to open it, to entrust in the cork gods, and hopefully revel in its beauty. I decanted...

2000 / grampians / Great Western / Shiraz

Friday, 9 November 2012

Chapel Hill Bush Vine Grenache 2010

05:43 Stu.

Sometimes it's easier to describe something by virtue of what it isn't, than what it is. Too often Grenache in Australia can be a confected, sweet mass of raspberry jam. This isn't like those Grenache. Savoury and sweet edges. Black and red fruits,...

2010 / grenache / McLaren Vale

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