February 2014 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Friday, 28 February 2014

Dal Zotto Pucino Prosecco NV

15:44 Stu.

Lemon, quince, florals - frangipani perhaps - with a suggestion of autolysis derived character. In the glass, it's bead is gentle - ultra-fine; a mere suggestion of complexity. On opening its lively, settling down in glass and actually is better for it. For me, a delightful...

King Valley / NV / Prosecco

Chalmers Heathcote Vermentino 2011

13:16 Stu.

The Chalmers family have been producing wines from varieties such as Vermentino before they were collectively and conveniently labelled as alternative. Solid wines, often available with some age on them and without charging the earth. Opens with lemon, chalky, touch of...

2011 / heathcote / Vermentino

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Cake Wines YWMS Shiraz 2011

15:15 Stu.

It was the second time of tasting this wine for me. Opens with a natural-ish feel: open, vibrant, with dark brambly fruit betwixt a touch of hedgerow. In fact , it actually smells a little cakey - my term for the skins and such that's left behind after pressing off post-fermentation. Medium...

2011 / Hunter Valley / Shiraz

Bakkheia 'Cajones Muy Grande' Rose 2013

07:45 Stu.

Image stolen from a lawyer - thanks Grape Observer 'Cajones Muy Grande' translates as "very big drawers" - unsure if this relates to the colloquial word for knickers, or is a reference to where one may keep one's smalls. Strawberry, raspberry - sweeter accents - boiled...

2013 / Geographe / Greache / Mataro et al

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2013

15:51 Stu.

I saw another review of this wine that had me chuckling along at references to some of the marketing 'spin' that accompanied the press release. That aside, as a wine, it's of interest. I was inclined to remark whilst tasting: "think you know NZ Sauvignon Blanc?". Opens...

2013 / Hawkes Bay / Sauvignon Blanc

Monday, 24 February 2014

Teusner The Dog Strangler Mataro 2011

13:52 Stu.

The 2012 is available now of course - such is life. Opens with molasses, coffee essence, old wood - dark and savoury, yet with a ripeness - earthen, spicy and a touch gamey. The palate shows a wine of substance: savoury with supporting blue/black fruit at its heart....

#ProjectMataro / 2011 / Barossa Valley / Mataro et al

Rocland Chocolate Box Mataro 2012

13:44 Stu.

Opens with the dense, dark cherry familiar to the variety, backed up with a blueberry before a savoury edge of leather and earth forms. The palate is a little thin, entry shows a touch of licorice - beyond that it's a little raisined with little substance to back it up....

#ProjectMataro / 2012 / Barossa / Mataro et al

Sunday, 23 February 2014

Eden Road "The Long Road" Shiraz 2012

08:09 Stu.

Sees 15% whole bunch and is made mostly from Gundagai (great word isn't it?) fruit. Opens with brown spice, hints of charred meat with background florals. There's a little blackcurrant pastille and a smokiness - akin to liquid smoke for the BBQ - and again beyond that...

2012 / Canberra District / Shiraz

Rocland Duck Duck Goose Shiraz 2012

07:57 Stu.

Opens with the polish and gloss of oak; plummy with black cherry liquer aromatics. Full, big fruit and oak character - would surely be a winner with the crowd. Clearly a drink now proposition - minimal tannin. Concludes with a touch of chocolate providing a moderate...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Ladybird Red Blend 2012

07:49 Stu.

A wine made by distributor Pete Rogers of Naked Bunch Wines. It was described to me by the chap in the retail store as: "Pete's answer to 1000 Candles". It's mix of Shiraz and Mataro with a dash of Sauvignon Blanc. When tasting it, I remarked that it reminded me of one of Tom Shobbrook's wines - and indeed that is where Pete made it. Juicy, touch of pastille and hedgerow - has that natural...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Mataro et al / Sauvignon Blanc / Shiraz

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Stargazer Derwent Riesling 2013

06:03 Stu.

Stargazer, from Sam Connew former winemaker at both Wirra Wirra and the Hunter's Tower Estate. Stargazer pays tribute to Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, and as Sam puts it: "is about stopping every now and then to look upwards towards the heavens". Wild fermented with some...

2013 / riesling / Tasmania

Monday, 17 February 2014

Andrew Seppelt Wines Esparté 2012

21:53 Stu.

Andrew Seppelt, winemaker at Murray Street Vineyards, also releases wines under his own label. He's a bloke I admire - and yes, a bloke I call a mate - with a fondness for that Barossa stalwart: Mataro. He, in 2000, as the world had its eye on the Olympic gravy...

#ProjectMataro / 2012 / Barossa Valley / Mataro et al

Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2011

12:33 Stu.

'Hell Hole', taken from the Hungarian translation for pokol, as in Pokolbin, a reference to the temperatures that seasonally vary from freezing in Winter to nudging high 40s in Summer. To the wine: powerful, concentrated - depth of fruit rather than hot climate extraction....

2011 / Hunter Valley / Shiraz / Single Vineyard

Sunday, 16 February 2014

Meerea Park XYZ Shiraz 2011

21:08 Stu.

First tasted the 2010 instance of this wine about, this 2011 incarnation sees a touch more whole bunch - although I am unable to confirm the exact percentage. Full of black/ red brambly fruits against a juxtaposition of sweet earthen notes and a touch of spicy stem and...

2011 / Hunter Valley / Shiraz

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Out of Step Wine Co. Lusatia Park Sauvignon Blanc 2013

15:42 Stu.

Dave Chatfield and Nathan Reeves, two mates who work their day jobs for some pretty high profile Yarra wineries (Oakridge and Sticks respectively) have a little side project going under the Out of Step Wine Co label. This 2013 SB - their second release I believe - is on...

2013 / Sauvignon Blanc / Single Vineyard / Yarra Valley

Ferngrove Frankland River Sauvignon Blanc 2013

12:44 Stu.

Tasted in a small bracket of Sauvignon Blanc one Saturday afternoon. Shows hints of tropicals (passionfruit/ guava) on initial introduction - smells fleshy, quite pleasing. On the palate it follows suit: textural, fuller - the flesh of mango accompanied with the zip of...

2013 / Frankland River / Sauvignon Blanc

Mawson's Cape Denison Sauvignon Blanc 2013

07:29 Stu.

Attractively packaged new release from the Hill Smith Family Vineyards. Hints of nettle, herb - touch bitter and astringent. Redeemed a little with some chalky texture. Little by way of excitement to get the heart racing. It's not a 'bad' wine, I see it as...

2013 / Limestone Coast / Sauvignon Blanc

Sunday, 9 February 2014

Montalto Hawkins Hill Chardonnay 2012

10:16 Stu.

The Montalto Single Vineyard wines are the sort that would apply to Chardonnay lovers, for their quality, along with wine nerds - like myself - for the detail provided on the reverse label. The Montalto 'Hawkins Hill' Chardonnay comes off a vineyard sitting at around 120...

2012 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula / Single Vineyard

Montalto The Eleven Chardonnay 2012

09:59 Stu.

The Montalto Single Vineyard wines are the sort that would apply to Chardonnay lovers, for their quality, along with wine nerds - like myself - for the detail provided on the reverse label. The Montalto 'The Eleven' Chardonnay comes off a vineyard sitting at around 100...

2012 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula / Single Vineyard

Montalto Estate Chardonnay 2012

09:33 Stu.

Montalto's Estate Chardonnay (the Estate compromises some 50 Acres of vineyard) possesses a mix of fresh aromas from the go. Melon, stonefruit and citrus are all offered up to entice the drinker. Bickfords lime flows onto the palate, hints of toastiness and...

2012 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula

Friday, 7 February 2014

Eden Road The Long Road Chardonnay 2012

13:04 Stu.

Exquisite Chardonnay here from the Eden Road team of Nick Spencer and Hamish Young. Aromatic complexity on first approach: flinty, grilled stonefruit - all overlaid with with a mix of florals and creamy hints. Entry shows a wine with a stoney, mineral edge; the wine has...

2012 / Chardonnay / Tumbarumba

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Lark Hill Grüner Veltliner 2013

15:30 Stu.

Tasted in a bracket of Australian Grüner Veltliner from the 2013 vintage, with food (schnitzel, creamy potatoes and sauerkraut - in the hope of tasting something appropriate to the origin of the variety). Golden/ honeyed, florals; a little creamed celeriac and...

2013 / Canberra District / Grüner Veltliner

Hahndorf Hill Grüner Veltliner 2013

15:29 Stu.

Tasted in a bracket of Australian Grüner Veltliner from the 2013 vintage, with food (schnitzel, creamy potatoes and sauerkraut - in the hope of tasting something appropriate to the origin of the variety). Florals, a creaminess, hints of root veg from the crisper,...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Grüner Veltliner

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Grüner Veltliner 2013

15:28 Stu.

Tasted in a bracket of Australian Grüner Veltliner from the 2013 vintage, with food (schnitzel, creamy potatoes and sauerkraut - in the hope of tasting something appropriate to the origin of the variety). The second of two Grüner from the K1/ Geoff Hardy...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Grüner Veltliner

K1 by the Hardys Grüner Veltliner 2013

15:27 Stu.

Tasted in a bracket of Australian Grüner Veltliner from the 2013 vintage, with food (schnitzel, creamy potatoes and sauerkraut - in the hope of tasting something appropriate to the origin of the variety). The first of two Grüner from the K1/ Geoff Hardy...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Grüner Veltliner

Alkoomi Frankland River Shiraz Viognier 2011

12:02 Stu.

The Viognier here is pretty evident, with a vibrant purple rim and aromatic 'prettiness' - stonefruit, florals and blossom. Many may find it distracting. Look beyond it to find a cool Syrah, a little meat, smokiness and touch of almond. Entry shows a wine with a graphite...

2011 / Frankland River / Great Southern / Shiraz / Viognier

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Notes from Swirl Sniff Spit's 'Australian Small Winemakers Show Tasting'

20:21 Stu.

Brisbane wine tasting group Swirl Sniff Spit (disclosure: in case you aren't aware, I am one part of the duo that facilitates the Swirl Sniff Spit tastings) was joined by Queensland Winemaker Andy Williams to taste through some Queensland wines from the recent...

Chardonnay / Colombard / Jacquez / Merlot / Pinot Gris / Sagrantino / Tempranillo / Verdelho / Viognier

Yelland & Papps Vin de Soif 2012

12:41 Stu.

I've been re-reading Alice Feiring's 'Naked Wine', in which she mentions that: "Vins de Soifare thirst quenchers, and some of us feel that the leave terroir behind...". There's room for both the thirst quenchers, and those wines of place, a point Ms Feiring does concede....

2012 / Barossa Valley / Carignan / grenache / Mataro et al / Shiraz

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