Yelland & Papps Devote Roussanne 2012

This wine had me thinking of meadows, of sunlit kissed fields. It smells golden, of early morning light, florals. Walking through a field, flowers gently swaying in a breeze, or at the touch of a hand. 

Up front, it's gently honeyed, some background tropical notes. Key here is delicacy, not overt-smack-you-in-the-face aromatics.

Flaked almond, a slight creamy touch, a suggestion of spice. Drying, a gentle phenolic tug. Finishes well, combination of florals and fruit characteristics. A gentle end to a stroll through a meadow. 93 - Very Good 




Tasted on: Sunday 24th February, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.yellandandpapps.com/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado "Los Arcos" NV

Sherry is Sexy. A learning exercise for me here: basically Amontillado is a Fino Sherry whereby the yeast the wine is fermented under - flor - dies off and the wine is exposed to oxygen.

Resultant wine, in this case, shows a nutty complexity with hints of candied citrus. The palate is somewhat at odds with this aromatic profile. Lighter and drier than I was certainly expecting. Shows a touch spirity towards the finish, provides a second wind and finishes long and nutty. 89 - Good

Tasted on: Sunday 24th February, a Leaf Day
Source:Retail, Stewart's Wine Co
Price: $?
Alcohol: 18.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.lustau.es

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Loved how this morphed over time in the glass. Evolution, its expression changing, frequent refamiliarisation reveals something more. Leaf, dust, a hint of chocolate and a generous portion of fruit by way of damson and plum.

Long, savoury, tannin is evident and backed up with a little coffee-ish hint. The body shows a little depth. Good drinking. 91 - Very Good 

Tasted on: Sunday 17th February, a Fruit Day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol:14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.chapelhillwine.com.au/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Egly-Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny 1er NV

Non-vintage premier cru juice from 100% Pinot Meunier fruit, vines approaching their half-century. Bready, yeasty with a hint of marmite, background stonefruit and meal.

Bold and intense, mineral quality evident, full and rounded with a creamy palate. Dry, only 3g/l dosage, shows the power and depth of Pinot Meunier - and possibly why it is normally a component of a blend. Lacking a little finesse.

Length is moderate to long, pretty bold. 90 - Good

Tasted on: Thursday 14th February, Leaf Day (sadly not a Root Day)
Source: Retail, Champagne Gallery
Price: $85
Alcohol:?
Closure: Cork
Importer Website: http://www.bibendum.com.au/Egly-Ouriet/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

O'Leary Walker Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

I often find Cabernet too austere in youth, preferring examples with a few years under their belt. Here, the Clare Valley - and O'Leary Walker - have produced a fantastic example in youth. If anything, I preferred this on day 2 and yet it was pretty compelling drinkable on day 1. Me likey.

Powerful cassis note, hints of gum, power and elegance. Concentrate, fine tannin present hroughout. Generous, yielding, fruit character in abundance on the palate, glimpses of savoury, a touch of licorice perhaps.

Moderate finish, drying tannin at its conclusion, it builds from the introduction on the palate. Shows a slight twiggy/ spicy note at its termination. Quite happily pop a few of these away. 92 - Very Good

Tasted on: Sunday 10th February, a Root Day
Source: Sample
Price: $22
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://olearywalkerwines.com

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Ballycroft Small Berrys American Oak Shiraz 2010

Charry, sweet, coconutty oak over black fruit compote. Black inky depth with fruit to match, a little chocolate augmenting the fruit and oak profile.

Thick, glycerol mouthfeel, licorice, blueberry. A wedge of oak riven through the wine - it works, supporting the wine and providing a framework to work around. Good length, black fruit and pepper aound, sweet-ish fruit concludes. 90 - Good 

Tasted on: Friday 8th February, a Fruit Day
Source: Sample
Price: $?
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.ballycroft.com/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

William Hunt Light Pass Mataro 2010

Pirate Cru are Negociant team Jennifer Graham and Dirk Pettigrew. A significant Barossa focus, with interests in McLaren Vale and Canbera, their typical crush is around 250 tonnes per vintage. The Light Pass vineyard from which the fruit comes is secured on a viticultural lease.

This, their first Mataro, is naturally of interest to one such as I. One hundred dozen made, off of a single site in the Light Pass district. Plum brandy, damp/ heady moist cake, lick of boot-polish and a touch of spice.

Glycerol feel, tar and licorice, with a hint of chicory bitterness. Slathered on thick on the palate at first, dark chocolate envelopes you. Shows Mataro's familiar depth.

Fine tannin to conclude, palate flavour flows through to the finish, concluding with a touch of warmth.  Of a style that certainly has appeal. 89 - Good

Tasted on: Wednesday 23rd January, a Root Day
Source: Sample
Price: $?
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.piratecru.com/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

[This blog was edited on 07/04/2013 at 21:30 to reflect additional information that Dirk Pettigrew kindly supplied in relation to the holdings of Pirate Cru]

Terres Dorées Morgon 2010

Fresh, hints of cassis and violets, background stone-fruit and citrus tones present too. Morgon is one of the ten Crus of Beaujolais and J-P Brun’s example – natural yeasts, minimal additions - shows a lovely contrast between aromatic freshness and palate depth. 

In the mouth we see the common charcuterie, here with flecks of spice. There’s vibrant spice throughout, backed up with a little drying rub of fine tannin. 92 - Very Good 

Tasted on: Tuesday 5th February, a Leaf Day 
Source: Purchase from Importer
Price: $33
Alcohol:12%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.livingwines.com.au

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Eldridge Estate PTG 2012

--> Nod to the Passe-Tout-Grains of Burgundy where the cohabitation of Gamay and Pinot Noir are permitted.  Here the 51/49 split respectively, results in a tangy red compote with some background pot pourri florals.   

Juicy and vibrant, the wine possesses a delightful core of enlivening acid, with a touch of tartness that has you yearning for more. Good fruit definition enables light chilling - eminently drinkable.  90 Good 


Tasted on: Monday 28th February, a Leaf Day
Source: Winery purchase
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://eldridge-estate.com.au/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Sorrenberg Gamay 2011

Flag-bearer for the variety in Australia, classic packaging too depicting the Beechworth clock tower. Iconic in some respects, and the quality of the booze within backs it up.

Gamay (90%) with a little Pinot Noir (10%) provides a charcuterie and peppercorn nose, supported by black cherry and savoury character.  

Tangy, sour, meat and black pepper palate, a magnificent penetrating line of acid delivering savoury length. 

Shows Gamay in a slightly darker, sullen, moodier guise – yet still with a generosity and liveliness – a magnificent example. 93 - Very Good

Tasted on: Tuesday 29th January, a Fruit Day
Source:Retail, Grand Central Cellars  
Price: $47
Alcohol:12.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.sorrenberg.com/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Vinoque Gamay 2012

The 2011 version of this wine was a classic case of the maxim: "judge the wine, not the vintage". 

This version carries its own calling card from 2012, along with the winemaking techniques employed - stemmy and sappy with a hint of mushroom and earth, along with slightly higher-toned fruit character than the earlier release. 

Shows good depth on the palate, slightly sullen, with a hint of mineral and cured meat. More of the same on the finish, accompanied by a slight hint of pastille – some spritz evident. Touch of peppery spice to conclude. 90 – Good 

Tasted on: Saturday 2nd February, a Root Day

Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol:12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.debortoli.com.au/our-wines/our-brands/vinoque/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Bird on a Wire Marsanne 2011

Texture, texture, texture. Not overlooking the aromatic department, which itself shows a creamy mix of white flowers, a soap-nut-toffee note with a fresh herb and honeyed edge. 

A roll call of descriptors could be peeled off, but in some respects that would detract from where, for me, its true interest lies.

Creamy, savoury, a sharp pinprick of acidity that provides focus and conclusion on the palate. There's a mineral edged dance, a tango across the tongue. 

 It's too clever to be outright smashable, but by jove it commands to be savoured. 95 - Excellent

Tasted on: Sunday 3rd February, a Flower Day
Source:Retail, Grand Central Cellars
Price: $37
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.birdonawirewines.com.au/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

Dandelion Vineyard Lion's Tooth Shiraz 2008

 "It might just save us from the jam..."

~ Philip White, Drinkster

Co-fermentation of Shiraz and Riesling are not a new technique, apparently Peter Lehmann started using the technique back in the 60s.  It's a way of adding natural acidity to a wine, where it's not present in the fruit forming the basis of the wine, saves over-acidification with commercial additives.

This at 4-5 years still shows sweet fruit, toasty oak character and regional thumbprint of dense, sweet chocolate.  However, the palate shows the greater influence of the addition of the Riesling.

There's hazelnut, chocolate, licorice here - yet it's not so full, the Riesling seems to keep it a little trim, adding a fresh citrus tinged aspect to the wine.  Has the impression of giving length and legs.  Drinkability plus.  91 - Very Good   



Tasted on: Thursday 31st January, a Root Day
Source:retail, Wine Experience
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.dandelionvineyards.com.au

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac