July 2015 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

Yelland & Papps Second Take Grenache 2014

15:44 Stu.

This post represents a significant milestone for this little blog, for it marks the 1,000th published piece of content on the site. I think it fitting that Yelland & Papps' Second Take Grenache takes that accolade, a producer I have come to know well from reviewing...

2014 / Barossa Valley / grenache

Saturday, 25 July 2015

O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling 2014

08:22 Stu.

I've generally considered the Polish Hill River Riesling from O'Leary Walker the more austere of the two (viz the 2014 Watervale Riesling) Clare Rieslings produced. Florals, blossom, a distinct suggestion of lavender. To the palate: tangy lime, cut citrus peel and a...

2014 / Clare Valley / Polish Hill River / riesling

Thursday, 23 July 2015

Hahndorf Hill "The Bluebood" Blaufränkisch 2013

09:45 Stu.

"Blue, I've got a question every time I hold you Yeah, Blue, I've got a question every time I swallow you it's true" ~ 'Blue', The Verve Still blue: blueberries, purple florals and blueberry compote. This Blaufränkisch from leading Adelaide Hills winery, Hahndorf...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Blaufränkisch

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Murray Street Vineyards Greenock Shiraz 2012

16:30 Stu.

This single vineyard Shiraz from Murray Street Vineyards comes from the Greenock sub-region in the Barossa Valley's central North, a region said to give rise to some of the region's longest lived wines. Tight, closed, oak - difficult to get your head around initially...

2012 / Barossa Valley / Greenock / Shiraz

Angullong Fossil Hill Barbera 2013

10:00 Stu.

"Went to a dance Looking for romance Saw Barbera-ann So I thought I'd take a chance..." Savoury intro: woody, herbal, but look deeper to see red fruit, rose florals as this Barbera from Orange opens up. Fruit more prominent on the palate, a little cherry augmented...

2013 / Barbera / Orange

Tuesday, 21 July 2015

Yelland and Papps Divine Grenache 2012

10:00 Stu.

Knowing of the Papps' fondness for a good Chateauneuf-du-Pape, it's easy to start to understand their pursuit of making some of the Barossa's stand-out examples of Grenache. Oak, coffee-grounds, mocha - red fruit slowly provides glimpses, a little blue fruit in the mix...

2012 / Barossa Valley / grenache

Monday, 20 July 2015

Waywood Cabernet Sauvignon Sangiovese 2012

18:11 Stu.

Here Sommelier turned winemaker Andrew Wood provides his own take on a Super Tuscan, with a McLaren Vale twist. Comfortable bedfellows the Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) and Sangiovese (45%); immediately savoury, background cherry, blackcurrant and cedary oak pulling it together. Good...

2012 / Cabernet Sauvignon / McLaren Vale / sangiovese

Voyager Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014

10:00 Stu.

Something about Voyager Estate's Semillon Sauvignon Blanc that evokes images of fish and chips at a coastal locale. Nay a bad thing for a wine to engender mind. Familiar Sauvignon Blanc here, in its herbal, grassy form; citrus butter, and faint tropical notes round out...

2014 / Margaret River / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon

Sunday, 19 July 2015

Ferngrove The King Malbec 2012

09:23 Stu.

Ferngrove produces what is widely regarded as one of Australia's leading examples of Malbec, from its special patch of dirt down in Western Australia's Great Southern wine region. Dusky, dusty, violets and black fruit. A little earthen, suggestive of a little mushroom...

2012 / Frankland River / Great Southern / Malbec

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

K1 by Geoff Hardy Middle Hill Shiraz 2013

16:30 Stu.

Made its debut in 2012 (review here), a wonderfully elegant expression of Syrah from the K1 stable, a bridge between the Pinot Noir and the Shiraz also produced out of the region. Delightful berry driven aromatics: blackcurrant, plum - with savoury twists lurking in the...

2013 / Adelaide Hills / Shiraz

Waywood Wines Montepulciano 2013

10:00 Stu.

Slowly gaining in popularity is Montepulciano, and finding a home - amongst a raft of other varieties of Italian origin (invariably ending in the letter o) - in McLaren Vale. Andrew Wood of Waywood Wines was one of the early adopters of the variety in Australia,...

2013 / McLaren Vale / Montepulciano

Tuesday, 14 July 2015

Yelland and Papps Vin de Soif 2013

20:19 Stu.

This is the third consecutive release of Yelland and Papps' Vin de Soif' (literally: 'thirst for wine') - previous vintages reviewed here. The blend may be tweaked somewhat in each vintage - in this guise its a mix of Grenache, Mataro and Carignan - but for this scribe,...

2013 / Carignan / grenache / Mataro et al

Redbank Ellora Chardonnay Pinot Noir Sparkling 2012

10:00 Stu.

Delicate, bready notes - bread and butter pudding even - red fruits and a twist of citrus. Clean, a little leesy complexity, brisk and bristling acidity that cleanses. Possesses a length that surprises - at the expense of depth. Happy to go here as a Sunday...

2012 / Chardonnay / King Valley / pinot noir / Sparkling

Monday, 13 July 2015

Christobel's Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014

20:00 Stu.

Herb more prominent on this 2014 (compared to its 2013 sibling reviewed earlier). Grassier, more chinese gooseberry, a light tropical edge, light brush strokes of honeyed florals. More life, texture and energy here - still with that slightly green edge. Drying phenolics...

2014 / Barossa / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon

Christobel's Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2013

19:57 Stu.

Citrus, chinese gooseberry, florals and fresh green herb. Fleshy tropicals butt up against a harder, astringent mid-range; over-riding thought of it is a little unripe honeydew/cantaloupe melon. Finishes clean and fresh - OK. 85 Tasted on: Saturday 9th May, a Fruit...

2013 / Barossa / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon

Yalumba Christobel's Moscato 2014

19:52 Stu.

The Australian wine industry does rather well in honouring its matriarchs, this named after Christobel Hill-Smith, the wife of former Managing Director Sidney Hill-Smith, who sadly perished in a plane crash in 1938. Smells fresh, crushed candies - as Moscato often does...

2014 / Moscato / South Australia

Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Aglianico 2013

20:35 Stu.

Geoff Hardy uses fruit from across a number of regions in Australia to craft this Aglianico. On opening, it took me back to the Northern Hemisphere, specifically an aroma redolent of conkers, that autumnal seed, beloved of children. Woody, herbal notes, sweeter...

2013 / Aglianico / South Australia

Wirra Wirra Original Blend 2014

10:40 Stu.

In 1972, the original Wirra Wirra Church Block (review of 2013 here) was a blend of Grenache and Shiraz, over time becoming the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot it is today. As a tribute to that 'original blend', Wirra Wirra now releases the Original Blend...

2014 / grenache / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Wirra Wirra Church Block 2013

10:40 Stu.

Wirra Wirra's Church Block remains a go-to wine that has delighted legions of wine drinkers over the decades it has been produced. Of course, over its life its composition has morphed to settle on the blend of Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot that it is today. The Cabernet...

2013 / Cabernet / McLaren Vale / Merlot / Shiraz

Monday, 6 July 2015

Cook's Lot Rosé 2014

20:07 Stu.

Shiraz based Rosé from Mudgee winemaker Duncan Cook, who has drawn on fruit from the Orange wine region to craft a Rosé of some character. Pale rhubarb in appearance - an allure, prettiness aromatically: strawberry and Turkish Delight. Zip, mineral about the palate initially,...

2014 / Orange / Rosé / Shiraz

Redbank King Valley Prosecco 2014

07:16 Stu.

Redbank's King Valley Prosecco has now moved to a crown seal with this 2014 release (see the 2012 here), a smart move in my opinion. Fresh baked pastry, white florals, pear and green apple. Seems there's a little custard apple and vanilla in the mix too. Mineral, quite...

2014 / King Valley / Prosecco

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