August 2014 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Sunday, 31 August 2014

Lowe Nullo Mountain Late Harvest Riesling 2013

08:45 Stu.

Opened this alongside a Gewürztraminer, looking for something to handle a little spice, this was more than up to the task. Lemon peel, a little seville orange, not overt aromatics. Lovely textural entry, sweetness balanced by acid. A little burnt orange...

2013 / Mudgee / riesling

Saturday, 30 August 2014

Rymill Gewurztraminer 2013

11:00 Stu.

Excellent varietal character out of the glass, just lacking a little in the middle for me. Musk, rose, gentle spice, even a suggestion of apricot nectar in the mix. Ticking the right boxes for the variety. Palate shows a wine that's a little flatter in profile, lacking...

2013 / Coonawarra / Gewürztraminer

Topper's Mountain Nebbiolo 2011

09:26 Stu.

Red fruits initially - fading to nuts, herb (I thought some fennel too, but that was the 'Italian' sausages I was pairing this with), green tea and dried leaf matter. Strawberry on entry, light on, good drying tannin, nice pea of acid toward the back end. Came across...

2011 / nebbiolo / New England

Thursday, 28 August 2014

Chapel Hill Chardonnay 2013

21:21 Stu.

Forward, tropical notes of guava and passionfruit with a little gooseberry-esque character in the mix. Chalky, acid is pretty fluid, racing across the palate. Length is OK, but not the one for me this time round. 87 Tasted on: Sunday 23rd August, a Leaf day Source:...

2013 / Chardonnay / McLaren Vale

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Montalto Pennon Hill Chardonnay 2013

12:03 Stu.

From the Montalto website: "The name Pennon Hill comes from the south facing slope on our home vineyard in Red Hill South. The wines are Mornington Peninsula regional blends and we’re aiming for bright, fresh wines with juicy, textured fruit flavours." Wheaty,...

2013 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula

Montalto Chardonnay 2013

11:53 Stu.

The intensity: struck match complexity, cashew and a suggestion of key lime hanging out around the back of the bike-shed. Toasty, flinty mineral, good balance of fruit. Acid a bit chatty but against the other elements it creates a wonderfully balanced drinking proposition....

2013 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Heggies Eden Valley Chardonnay 2012

14:00 Stu.

Stonefruit, sensitive oak inputs, a little citrus, touches of flintiness in there too. Creamy - plenty of battonage here - toastiness, flinty mineral complexity. An all round attractive package, no shouting please. Line and length are admirable. Composed and elegant...

2012 / Chardonnay / Eden Valley

Cook's Lot Chardonnay 2013

07:30 Stu.

Another solid release from Cook's Lot, shares a familiarity to its 2012 sibling, though my preference is - marginally - for that wine. Here the wine veers more towards tropicals with pineapple and a little tangy citrus/ grapefruit in support. Zesty, tangy - a word that...

2013 / Chardonnay / Orange

Monday, 25 August 2014

Mawson's 'The Vickers' Limestone Coast Chardonnay 2013

20:45 Stu.

The third of the releases in the attractively packaged Mawson's range. Aromatics are somewhat pleasing, in a simple, comely way. Citrus, sherbet-esque sweetness and a little underlying caramel in the mix too. Loses its way on the palate a bit, a touch sweet with a flow-on...

2013 / Chardonnay / Limestone Coast

Sunday, 24 August 2014

Bakkheia Aequitas Tempranillo Graciano 2013

07:54 Stu.

Opens with a distinct Mediterranean vibe of green olive, fresh thyme, a bit of dried twig - latterly subsides to allow more fruit coming through, blue fruit and a touch of plum. Of a medium bodied elegance, smooth - segueing to chalky tannin. Doesn't show...

2013 / Geographe / Graciano / Tempranillo

Manners Tempranillo 2013

07:41 Stu.

Not as impressive a release as the Shiraz, but signs are positive. Out of the blocks with a gun metal, burnt orange, cherry, chestnut and cola complex aromatic make-up. Moves to a fresh palate, good fruit presence, flash of vanilla, a nip of acid (surprising), soft tannins....

2013 / Mudgee / Tempranillo

Saturday, 23 August 2014

Bakkheia Cabernet Merlot 2012

08:09 Stu.

Unreleased as yet, I can see why, struck me as being a touch raw initially, green and herbal with some stalkiness against new oak. A 60/40 of the two listed varieties. Day two a different picture, coming together nicely, resolved with generous character of bay with good black fruit character in support. Smooth, polished, squarely medium bodied. Showing mulberry, touch of plum and cedary...

2012 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Geographe / Merlot

Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot 2012

07:50 Stu.

Fruit here is drawn from the wider 'Adelaide' super region, meaning it could from the Hills, McLaren Vale itself and the wider Fleurieu. Simplicity in approach, the allure of a vibrant fruit laden profile. Lacks the savoury aromatics one commonly sees in Merlot, what...

2012 / Adelaide / Merlot

Grant Burge Hillcot Merlot 2012

07:43 Stu.

Attractively packaged the Vineyard series from Grant Burge. Full tote price is approaching $25, can be found at large format retailers considerably cheaper. Black fruit, obvious veneer of oak - simple aromatics. Palate shows that fruit profile carrying forward, a welcome...

2012 / Barossa / Merlot

Friday, 22 August 2014

Notes From a Big Country...

11:56 Stu.

I love the ironic nicknames that are often given in Australia: Shorty for the individual who’s not exactly vertically challenged; Blue for the redhead; Curly for the chap that is a little challenged in the follicle department; Chuckles for an individual with a serious demeanour. Which provides me with a contrived way to segue to the host for Swirl, Sniff, Spit’s ‘American’ wine tasting - Brad Hickey,...

#SwirlSniffSpit / Cabernet Sauvignon / California / Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc / Cinsault / grenache / Grenache Gris / Nacional / New York / Petite Sirah / pinot noir / riesling / Tinta Roriz / Touriga / Trincadeira

Monday, 18 August 2014

Yelland & Papps Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc 2013

20:20 Stu.

Long since sold out ex-winery, it's been lurking in the fridge for a while and I reached for it, looking for something to pair with a house favourite - the broccoli cheese soup (damn convenient way of getting some greens into the nippers I tell thee). Opens with florals,...

2013 / Barossa Valley / Pinot Blanc / Pinot Gris

Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010

12:52 Stu.

Comes in a lovely embossed regional bottle. From there my love diminished. Opens well: hedgerow, herb/garrigue, lovely savoury-woody spice with dusty earthen notes over a little red fruit. Medium bodied, hints of mineral, licorice - fruit a little lacking on the palate. Medium...

2010 / Chateauneuf-de-Pape / France / grenache

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Grant Burge Cameron Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

14:19 Stu.

I was hunting around for the remote control when I opened this - it was rather mute, taking a good hour to start displaying any character. Cedar, spice, wafery oak. Muted - lacking in fruit or anything in substance. Nothing particularly stands out, nothing seems particularly...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Cabernet Sauvignon

Torzi Matthews Prosecco 2014

06:46 Stu.

A new addition to both the Torzi Matthews portfolio and the Eden Valley. Made in the traditional (Charmat) method, where the wine is both barrel fermented, then transferred to tank for a secondary fermentation under pressure. Vines are youngsters at three years old. 4300...

2014 / Eden Valley / Prosecco

Saturday, 16 August 2014

Ferngrove 'Majestic' Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

05:29 Stu.

A touch arboreal initially, then the core of black fruit, cedary spice and chocolatey oak hits you. Medium bodied, brambley black fruit, exquisitely powdered tannin and acid that provides great reach into the palate. Fruit gives way to a savoury bent on a great length....

2011 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Frankland River / Great Southern

K1 Middle Hill Shiraz 2012

05:15 Stu.

A deliciously elegant expression of Adelaide Hills Shiraz, a new addition to the K1 portfolio. Beautiful aromas invite you: bright, juicy cherry, strawberry with some plum and mulberry augmenting that brightness with a little black fruit. Nicely wighted, medium bodied,...

2012 / Adelaide Hills / Shiraz

Yelland & Papps Devote Old Vine Grenache 2012

05:08 Stu.

Black cherry, kirsch, spiced oak wafts out. A comforting familiarity. Red and black fruits back this up on the palate, s touch of liqueur - but, more than that it's medium-full bodied, spiced...moreish. Quenching, tangy acid, fine threads of tannin...

2012 / Barossa Valley / grenache

Sunday, 10 August 2014

Terre à Terre Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

13:10 Stu.

A magnificent example from Wrattonbully. Powerful blue/black fruit aromatics reel you in, supplemented with cedary spice, dried herb a little char and black olive. Power and reach with an elegant framework, excellent structure that will provide for a long road ahead....

2012 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Wrattonbully

Friday, 8 August 2014

Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2013

12:46 Stu.

I arrived home later than normal. The children were already in bed. "Dinner's in the kitchen" stated the Mrs, "it's yummy". Basically 'flaky' fish pie, a Delia Smith special - with a few mods to try and get some vegetables of note into the kids. They're not daft those...

2013 / Chardonnay / Mornington Peninsula

Thursday, 7 August 2014

K1 Adelaide Hills Vintage Sparkling 2010

17:11 Stu.

K1's second successive vintage sparkling wine produced. It's Pinot Noir dominant (80%), with a residual amount of Chardonnay. Price wise it's pitching itself in pretty serious territory, it is a quality offering, but one wonders how it's viewed by consumers against...

2010 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay / pinot noir / Sparkling

Tuesday, 5 August 2014

Alkoomi Frankland River Riesling 2013

14:05 Stu.

The 2013 release of Alkoomi's Frankland River Riesling is looking better than I have ever seen it. Wet pebbles, citrus, zest, blossom and bath minerals. Aromatics are spot on and further enhanced with a suggestion of green tropicals hanging around the back. Acid punches...

2013 / Frankland River / Great Southern / riesling

A special relationship...

12:13 Stu.

This post marks the beginning of a special non-commercial partnership between thevinsomniac.com, wineries and independent retailers. From today, as they have in the past, readers will be able to buy wine directly from wineries and retailers. I am excited that readers might seek out wines that appear on these pages and hope that they are too. {This post is written slightly tongue in cheek, and as...

Monday, 4 August 2014

Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2014

13:47 Stu.

A release that further cements Shaw & Smith's reputation as one of Australia's leading producers and of this much maligned varietal. Tropicals, grass and nettle undertow with a little fresh herb and citrus. Citrus, mineral, a citrus twang gives the palate life and...

2014 / Adelaide Hills / Sauvignon Blanc

Sunday, 3 August 2014

Meerea Park Alexander Munro Semillon 2009

08:19 Stu.

At five years of age, this 2009 release of Meerea Park's Alexander Munro Semillon is starting to take on the colour of its advancing year, a glorious honeyed gold with pale green hints. That this wine can be bought, ex-winery and under screwcap for $36 is a boon for the...

2009 / Hunter Valley / Semillon

Oakvale Abington Vineyard Semillon 2014

08:03 Stu.

Some interesting inputs here: fermented in a mix of stainless steel (40%), concrete eggs (40%) and old french oak (20%). Wild yeast fermented, obviously aiming for a less-is-more approach, but I don't think it necessarily carries for what I seek in a Hunter Semillon in...

2014 / Hunter Valley / Semillon

Meerea Park Hell Hole Semillon 2013

07:03 Stu.

Hints of green on appearance. Aromatically of hay, citrus and with suggestions of tropicals wafting out of the glass. Acid is prominent, provides an experience in the mouth that's alive, dancing around the tongue. Gives great length too and longevity. Will age well. 91 Tasted...

2013 / Hunter Valley / Semillon

Saturday, 2 August 2014

James Estate 2013 Reserve Semillon

12:57 Stu.

2011 bottle image An excellent opener in a bracket of 5 Hunter Valley Semillon. Lemon, sherbet, a briny/ oyster shell/ saline hanging in the breeze aroma. Fresh, one that invites, tickles the nasal cavity. The palate shows a wine in glorious youth: racy, zesty and...

2013 / Hunter Valley / Semillon

Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz 2012

09:04 Stu.

From the Grant Burge 'Vineyard' range, with fruit drawn from the vineyard of the same name. Vivid, meaty, savoury - of wood, earth and black fruit. Smooth, slippery feel in the mouth, nice strands of tannin. Liquorice, woody spice, with a latent bitterness. Lacks...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Friday, 1 August 2014

Well Mannered Wine Co Hilltops Shiraz 2013

18:59 Stu.

"I love you, yes i do 'cos i know that you love me too I love you, yes i do gonna spend all my money on you" ~ Bad Manners, Special Brew Dense, heady - plum, cherry and blueberry. Black fruit, white pepper. Lovely contrast there. Full, florals (violets), black...

2013 / Hilltops / Shiraz

Cook's Lot Shiraz 2013

13:04 Stu.

I've had the opportunity to taste across a range of wines from Duncan and Amber Cooks 'Cook's Lot' wines now and from a range of - different - vintages. I've always found the wines approachable, honest and of their place. This Shiraz, from the warm and dry 2013 vintage,...

2013 / Orange / Shiraz

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