May 2015 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Alkoomi Blackbutt Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

19:55 Stu.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (63%), Malbec (20%), Merlot (10%), Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc (at 3.5% each). Interestingly released as a six year old. Showing that time in bottle. Dusty, dried leaf matter, blackcurrant leaf. Has a distinct 'purple' feel to it. Sweet...

2009 / Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon / Great Southern / Malbec / Merlot / Petit Verdot

Sunday, 17 May 2015

View Road Wines Chardonnay 2012

08:54 Stu.

Sourced from the Swaby Vineyard - up near the Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills - a vineyard also used as a fruit source by Michael Hall, BK Wines and Yalumba. Oxidative notes on the nose, giving that nuttiness and bruised apple complexity. The palate sees more of...

2012 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

18:35 Stu.

A little sweet grass, ripe stonefruit, and vanilla accented nougat oak. 'Golden' is a sense I found myself being drawn to more than once, a little honey and floral edges here too. Full in the mouth, an impressive wine of weight and substance. Citrus, stonefruit, a phenolic...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Ridgemill Estate WYP Chardonnay 2013

11:55 Stu.

WYP was an internal winery code for a wine that winemaker Pete McGlashan thought showed some promise. Such is the run of success that the Ridgemill Chardonnay is having, WPY has made it onto the label permanently. Beautiful aromatics. Barrel ferment character here, pulled...

2013 / Chardonnay / Granite Belt

Monday, 11 May 2015

Windowrie The Mill Chardonnay 2014

14:42 Stu.

This is extraordinary value at the members price of $12.54 per bottle and still fair drinking at a dollar under twenty. A lovely pale straw on the pour. Stonefruit, a little green melon, residual oak via a little creamy cashew - augments the fruit on intro. Clean...

2014 / Chardonnay / Cowra

Sunday, 10 May 2015

Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz 2012

14:16 Stu.

Caution! Do not approach now. A hard one to call. Premium packaging here: tall, narrow bottle with a long neck housing a pristine plug of cork. Black fruit, a little liquer, touch of prune and oak, A black, dense mass; unashamedly big, brooding. Slick...

2012 / Langhorne Creek / Shiraz

Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris 2014

07:10 Stu.

Spiced, and poached pear; vanilla, mere hints of florals - magnolia perhaps, a little musk and Turkish delight. The spice carries through to the palate, a consistent and pleasing presence throughout. It's textural, yes, but with enough balancing backbone to carry the...

2014 / King Valley / Pinot Gris

Saturday, 9 May 2015

Cooks Lot Allotment 66 Pinot Gris 2014

09:10 Stu.

Touch of bronzing ball applied here. Musky, hints of honeysuckle, pear, and suggestions of stonefruit. Mineral, nippy acid, barely there fruit, short in short. Bit of texture, but nay much else, Length just falls away on this occasion. 86 Tasted on: Sunday 19th April,...

2014 / Orange / Pinot Gris

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Ridgemill Estate Pinot G 2014

08:00 Stu.

The Australian Wine Research Institute developed a scale for the determination of whether a wine was a Grigio (typically crisp, apples, florals etc) or a Gris (poached pears, spice, textural). Ridgemill Estate undertook to see whether this wine, sensorily, sat in which...

2014 / Granite Belt / Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris

Tuesday, 5 May 2015

Angullong Pinot Grigio 2014

14:30 Stu.

I've been impressed with the Angullong wines of late, that good impression is continued here with this appropriately called Pinot Grigio. Pear and green apple - pronounced aromatics here, certainly of its variety. Small presence of some guava-esque tropicals only add...

2014 / Orange / Pinot Grigio

Rusden Driftsand GSM 2012

08:00 Stu.

Good gear from the Rusden label. Winemaker Christian Canute certainly seems one that marches to his own beat, his wines - Barossan for sure, but with his own unique signature. More reviews to follow, but they certainly carry a lightness and freshness to them that's not...

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

Monday, 4 May 2015

Hither & Yon Aglianico 2013

14:30 Stu.

Licorice root, amaro/bitter wood and herb - deliciously savoury with a dark undercurrent. Yet, for that darkness, it squarely fits the H&Y profile of producing deliciously appealing wines. Fruit, by way of cherry and plum, with a moreish tang and juiciness. That...

2013 / Aglianico / McLaren Vale

Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Cabernet Merlot 2012

10:00 Stu.

A price increase on the 2011, and one that - in my mind at least - turns this from a sub-$25 go-to, to a nudging $30 and will require a bit more thought as to its purchase. Classic aromas here: tobacco, chocolate, berry fruit, bay and a dusting of cedar and seasoning....

2012 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Margaret River / Merlot

Sunday, 3 May 2015

Topper's Mountain Pinotage Viognier 2012

14:30 Stu.

Unusual bed-fellows here, but then vigneron Mark Kirby hasn't always played by the rule book and success has often resulted. No quibbles here either, although it did show better on day two for this humble hack. 2009 bottle image Blue-black fruit mix with a sprinkle...

2012 / New England / Pinotage / Viognier

Redbank King Valley Pinot Grigio 2014

12:43 Stu.

Florals - white in particular - touch of mashed green banana, quince and a little grapefruit derived citrus. Shows a bit of texture on the palate, flowing with apple, pear and florals. Fine mineral and textural spread, a little spice by way of cinnamon. Good balance of...

2014 / King Valley / Pinot Grigio

Alkoomi Jarrah Shiraz 2010

08:00 Stu.

Named after a native Eucalypt from the area where the grapes that input into the wine are grown. Sees an increase in price of 46 on the 2009, and now in the 2010 guise released as a five year old. Showing that additional age, with malty-mocha tones, touch of leather...

2010 / Frankland River / Great Southern / Shiraz

Saturday, 2 May 2015

Fox Gordon Eight Uncles Shiraz 2012

08:36 Stu.

Blackberry compote, soft and juicy - a comfort from the off, a wine that has an ability to reassure. Good fruit presence on entry - moving to a fair whack of peppery spice. From comforting to a few select jabs around the palate to awaken the senses, with a little residual...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Voyager Estate Shiraz 2012

08:00 Stu.

Beautiful vibrant colour in the glass. Pine, mint, cedar and a smokey burnish on offer - over time the smokey embers linger. Medium bodied, a wee spike of acid, excellent grain of tannin - but somewhat lacking a bit of fruit stuffing. Reviewed over two days or so,...

2012 / Margaret River / Shiraz

Friday, 1 May 2015

Murray Street Vineyards Gomersal Shiraz 2012

09:42 Stu.

There's been a change at the tiller at Murray Street Vineyards, with Craig Viney taking over the role of Chief Winemaker from Andrew Seppelt. MSV Chief Winemaker - Craig Viney An anticipated release from a regarded vintage. The Gomersal is produced from...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Gomersal / Shiraz / Single Vineyard

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