August 2013 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Friday, 30 August 2013

Down to Earth Sauvignon Blanc 2013

21:31 Stu.

The Down to Earth Sauvignon Blanc is made from fruit drawn off the same, close planted, vineyard as the Terre à Terre Sauvignon Blanc. The distinct difference is that this wine is fermented in stainless steel, with a small portion - 5% - fermented in a new...

2013 / Sauvignon Blanc / Wrattonbully

William Hardy Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2012

21:20 Stu.

Good Hills savvy here. Lemon, touches of banana, underlying tropicals with hints of grass/ herb. Soft and lush in the mouth, quite a rounded palate feel. Acid has been softened too - comparatively so for other Sauvignon Blanc tasted. Tropical hints represented...

2012 / Adelaide Hills / Sauvignon Blanc

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Torzi Matthews 2012 Old Vines Shiraz 1903 Single Vineyard of Domenico Martino

21:03 Stu.

Long name, and with it comes a wine more than equal to the longevity of its title. I'm going to say it: I think it is under priced. That's not hyperbole. Given the age and provenance of the source material, the resultant quality of wine, compare that price to other wines...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Yalumba Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

21:46 Stu.

Soft, squishy red fruits sit atop an underlying woody, slightly mulchy undercurrent. Touch of herbal character, augmenting rather than detracting. A little flat on the palate, touch of bitter tea tannin. Quibbles at the price I might add. Short and a little astringent....

2011 / Cabernet Sauvignon / South Australia

Yalumba Y Series Unwooded Chardonnay 2012

21:39 Stu.

One that somehow slipped through the net, worth writing up. Aromatics initially muted, showing a little citrus, tropicals and stonefruit. Fruit more pronounced on the palate: grapefruit and pineapple most noticeably, puckering acidity and even some spicy character. touch...

2012 / Chardonnay / South Australia

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Teusner Dog Strangler Mataro 2010

21:11 Stu.

At the conclusion of a beautiful Sunday in Brisbane, having been hard at work in the garden, coming off the back of a bout of sickness - only one thing for it: strangle the dog. I first looked at this wine nigh on two years ago to the day, two years on its worth a revisit. Plum,...

#ProjectMataro / 2010 / Barossa Valley / Mataro et al

Monday, 26 August 2013

Matison Estate 'The Kirk' Pinot Noir 2010

21:43 Stu.

Simon Curkovic is one of a number of Sommeliers who's turned his hand to making wine, formerly plying his trade at Catalina Rose Bay, former Gourmet Traveller Sommelier of the Year. Fruit for this wine is drawn from a well regarded vineyard - the Forest Edge Vineyard -...

2010 / Orange / pinot noir

Sunday, 25 August 2013

Vincent Paris Granit 30 Cornas 2010

21:03 Stu.

'Entry' level Cornas from rising star Vincent Paris. Made from fruit off of the lower part of the slope, thirty year old-ish vines, seeing 12 months in old oak. Give this a little time to appreciate it, to be rewarded. Ripe fruit, brambly and berry driven; rounded out...

2010 / Cornas / Syrah

Saturday, 24 August 2013

Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Shiraz 2012

09:35 Stu.

This wine marks the tenth successive vintage of this remarkable wine for Dom Torzi and Tracey Matthews. Remarkable for, as its name suggests, it grows with the threat of frosts present at a time when the vines are at their most tender, remarkable for it is made...

2012 / Eden Valley / Shiraz

Alkoomi Frankland River Riesling 2012

08:58 Stu.

The familiar lemon sherbet over bath salt aromatics are present, yet the wine seems a little forward compared to recent vintages tasted. Seems more open, embracing - getting itself out there earlier. Palate shows a touch of broader citrus flavour, a lemon butter-esque...

2012 / Frankland River / Great Southern / riesling

Monday, 19 August 2013

Cooks Lot Lot #589 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2013

21:58 Stu.

I've been impressed by the wines from Cooks Lot and this is no exception. A little slow out of the blocks initially then, unfurling like a bud at Spring, we get the fresh aromatics of the constituent parts. Grapefruit, hints of tropicals, melon. To me it showed...

2013 / Cowra / Orange / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon

Redbank The Long Paddock Sauvignon Blanc 2012

21:45 Stu.

If you like Sauvignon Blanc that is presented in this style, you'll be happy with this wine, especially at a mere $12.95. Pungent - fighting it's way out of glass and bottle, shows tropicals and citrus with a strong nettle character. Prickly acid sits front and square,...

2012 / Sauvignon Blanc / Victoria

Sunday, 18 August 2013

Redbank Prosecco 2012

20:52 Stu.

Fresh and delicate: stonefruit, hints of melon and a touch of apple blossom. Lively in the mouth, prominent hints of green apple, a little stony/ pebble touch. Quite a freshening wine, easy drinking if lacking in a little finesse. Crunch and grip add to the wine's character....

2012 / King Valley / Prosecco

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

Port Phillip Estate Salasso Rosé 2012

15:05 Stu.

The colour of the bottle shot is no guide to the contents within, the green bottle somewhat masking the vivacity of this 'salasso' (bleeding the juice) Rosé made from Mornington Peninsula Shiraz. Fresh on approach, strawberries, cherry and cream and touches of florals....

2012 / Mornington Peninsula / Rosé / Shiraz

James Estate Rosé 2012

14:53 Stu.

Pretty, floral - hints of musk, rose a touch of violet and a little black fruit lurking there in the background, betraying its source. Colour is quite a vivid pink, no shrinking violet, pasty-faced Rosé here. Of a bracket of Roses opened, this showed the touch weightier,...

2012 / Cabernet Franc / Hunter Valley

Pepperilly Rose 2011

14:44 Stu.

Free run juice and a composition of 70% Cabernet and 30% Shiraz. Hints of red fruits waft out immediately, primarily currants with a little raspberry and cherry. Hint of boiled lolly with a creamy/ custard/ vanilla note in the mix too. Textural, has a bit of crunch,...

2011 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Geographe / Rosé / Shiraz

House of Morande 2006

09:23 Stu.

From the Maipo valley, near to Chile's capital Santiago. Takes its influence from Bordeaux, both in terms of composition (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 9% Carignan - ignore the Carignan component for the purpose of this note, it is not permitted in Bordeaux)...

2006 / Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon / Carignan / Chile / Maipo Valley

Sunday, 11 August 2013

Redbank Gargenega 2011

07:55 Stu.

Delightfully fresh intro with just a little savoury undertow. Opens with fresh pear, a little almond skin, fresh herb and a citrus current. There's a touch of chalkiness and some latent spice in the mix too. The palate continues the theme: a hint of salinity, good...

2011 / Gargenega / King Valley

Friday, 9 August 2013

Taylors Estate Chardonnay 2012

21:37 Stu.

Fairly pleasant aromatics of a little green papaya, citrus and a touch of stonefruit. Palate shows meal, worked texture and barrel ferment character atop full toasty oak. Good texture, rescues the wine I would suggest given the less than enticing aromatics. The...

2012 / Chardonnay / Clare Valley

Thursday, 8 August 2013

Teusner Family Shiraz 2012

22:02 Stu.

A new offering in the Teusner line-up, smartly packaged with a proprietary bottle and adorned with artwork from a member of the family that the wine honours. Got to respect Kym Teusner and Michael Page, they've been showing the love to, and recognising the contribution...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Chapel Hill Mourvèdre 2011

21:43 Stu.

Third vintage of Chapel Hill's Mataro tasted (after the 2009 and 2010). Has that familiar damp and heady, plum and black cherry, spice-tinged nose. Shows a little oak too, just in support. Touch of herbal, woody character that has been evidenced in cooler vintages. Lighter...

#ProjectMataro / 2011 / Mataro et al

Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Running With the Bulls Barossa Tempranillo 2012

22:40 Stu.

My relationship with Australian Tempranillo is uneasy to say the least. Yet, here we have a wine that, for me, is at least varietal. Hints of choc-coffe-blueberries meets subtle violets too. A delightful aromatic expression of Tempranillo supported by a touch of...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Tempranillo

Monday, 5 August 2013

Redbank The Anvil Shiraz 2009

21:08 Stu.

I thought this kind of like someone had taken my berry compote and seen fit to serve it in some expensive French oak. It's all about Mulberries, blackcurrant and a little black cherry wafting out of the glass. Medium bodied, and it's like the aromatic on repeat through...

2009 / Beechworth / Shiraz

Sunday, 4 August 2013

Ridgemill Estate Riesling 2013

21:50 Stu.

You don't see much Riesling in the Granite Belt, I know only of Felsberg, Witches Falls producing it, and now can add Ridgemill Estate to that list. Riesling is quite possibly the white variety that best reflects terroir. It is said that Riesling on Granite tends to be...

2013 / Granite Belt / riesling

Friday, 2 August 2013

Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Shiraz 2011

21:57 Stu.

Cool peppery twist over liquorice shows plum and damson over choc-nut oak. It's medium bodied, lighter than McLaren Vale Shiraz you may be used too. Nicely pitched acid against the balance of fruit and oak. Brambly with good length of flavour. Persistent:...

2011 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Galli Estate Adele Syrah 2011

21:43 Stu.

Sees a fair portion (30%) of whole bunch, wild yeast fermented and bottled unfiltered. Gives a little insight into the inputs into the wine. Initially opens quite closed, smoky with a little pepper, red fruits and charred capsicum. Given time, the whole bunch becomes...

2011 / Sunbury / Syrah

Taylors Jarraman Riesling 2012

21:25 Stu.

Fruit for this wine is drawn from both the Clare and Eden Valleys Apple blossom over lime with lemon balm riding shotgun underneath, a little 'grassy' note present too. Tangy lime, moderate acid, a little textural crunch. Flavour holds through the finish...

2012 / Clare Valley / Eden Valley / riesling

Thursday, 1 August 2013

Ballycroft Small Berry Mataro Fortified 2008

21:08 Stu.

Unique in a modern context. Have not seen, or heard, of anything of its kind currently in either a local or international markets. Please chime-in if I'm wrong. Of course, if memory serves, Mataro was a major component of fortifieds in the early history of fortified...

#ProjectMataro / 2008 / Barossa Valley / Fortified / Mataro et al

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