2017 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Tuesday, 28 November 2017

Rock of Wisdom Superfly Shiraz 2017

08:30 Stu.

Rock of Wisdom wines each come with their own little guidance note, a pearl of wisdom if you like. This is perhaps the only wine in which I disagree with the said guidance note: "This is a wine that will make you want to strut (you know you want to)". Whilst it's...

2017 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Monday, 27 November 2017

Heartland Spice Trader Shiraz 2014

08:30 Stu.

Classic Shiraz here from the Langhorne Creek, offers up a profile that is sure to please. There's oak in the mix, blended up with a cornucopia of red and black fruit. The palate reveals a wine at once lavish, chewy and riven with spice. A fine coating of tannin...

2014 / Langhorne Creek / Shiraz

Sunday, 26 November 2017

Chateau Yaldara Retro Collection Shiraz 2015

21:12 Stu.

Offers up a mix of stewed fruits, residual (older) oak and a spade full of dried earth. A latent top, spicier hint leaves a lasting presence. Curious. Gentle introduction, given what is quite a substantive wine. Packs a punch with a brown spice core, over a...

2015 / Adelaide Hills / Shiraz

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Rowlee Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2016

08:30 Stu.

Whole-bunch pressed, wild yeast and aged in French oak 30% new for 8 months. Good citrus punch on this one, segues to a little almond and white peach. Clear cut Chardonnay, if at times a tad mute, aromatically. Doesn't hold back on the palate where it has good presence...

2016 / Chardonnay / Orange

Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Gartelmann Petit Verdot 2014

19:41 Stu.

Small berries meets seasoning and Mudgee choc- fudge mud. Offers a full gamut of aromas, from the fruity top notes down to savoury depths. Medium bodied, there's a savoury, leathery, balsamic edge through the middle - not quite in line with the aromatic profile....

2014 / Mudgee / Petit Verdot

Friday, 17 November 2017

Rymill The Yearling Rosé 2017

08:30 Stu.

Lovely intro that offers a hint of fruit with underlying savoury aspects. There's a suggestion of rhubarb, seasoning by way of cracked Coriander seed. It's attractive, light and approachable. More than a savoury mouthful, adroit handling has given a light grip...

2017 / Coonawarra / Rosé

Thursday, 16 November 2017

Shaw Vineyard Estate Riesling 2017

19:47 Stu.

Hints of lime, lime leaf. Background hints that are somewhat more fruitsome: blackcurrant leaf, possibly passionfruit. Good punch of flavour and persistence of acid. It's all about the lime and little else. The juice working in tandem to deliver a Refreshing...

#RieslingRevival / 2017 / Canberra District / riesling

Friday, 3 November 2017

Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigley Grenache Rosé 2017

08:30 Stu.

As usual, nigh LOL-worthy release notes from Wirra Wirra MD Andrew Kay on how one review from 2016 (I checked, it wasn't mine) called out as Mrs Wigley as a sweet Rosé on the basis of its colour alone. So, to 2017, it's a vibrant colour on pour, reminiscent of something...

2017 / grenache / McLaren Vale / Rosé

Thursday, 2 November 2017

Bridge Road Sentio Chardonnay 2106

08:30 Stu.

Here's an interesting one: a wine, made like a beer, by a brewer, deliberately inoculated with a strain of Brettanomyces. Pours with a pronounced turbidity, a peach-ish hue. Certainly a funk to the nose, not that which I'd call out as Brett (deliberate innoculation...

2016 / Chardonnay

Monday, 30 October 2017

Rock of Wisdom Superfly Rosé 2017

08:30 Stu.

Highly perfumed and bone dry Rosé here from the rock of wisdom crew. Walks a line from florals to something spicy like sandalwood, a slice or two of meat and even pencil shavings. Aromatically complex we'll perhaps thus describe it as. Whole bunch pressing and...

2017 / Barossa Valley / Rosé

Sunday, 29 October 2017

Lowe Wines Jodie Wilbetree 2017

08:30 Stu.

Slight dusky pink with a shimmer. Balances a hint of musk with some fruit. A moderate petillence, manifesting itself latterly as a minerally bent. Its that sensation that lends the wine an additional kick, moving the wine on a degree. There's a bit of crunch...

2017 / Petit Verdot / Semillon / Sparkling

Saturday, 28 October 2017

Lowe Wines PF500 Shiraz 2017

08:30 Stu.

No, not a Spartan sequel with Gerard Butler, instead it's an organic Shiraz grown at 500 metres and coming in a rather gluggable 500ml bottle. Organic Shiraz from Mudgee. Unfiltered, unfined (or unrefined as the collar info label states). Smells primary, pretty raw,...

#Biodynamic / #Organic / #Vegan / 2017 / Mudgee / Shiraz

Friday, 27 October 2017

Alkoomi White Label Riesling 2017

12:13 Stu.

Fragrant Riesling on the go here, more than a passing resemblance to flavours one might associate with Thai cuisine: kaffir lime, throw of lemon and indeed lemongrass. Veers more toward the apple and citrus spectrum and gives hints to a sweeter aspect within. Brown...

#RieslingRevival / 2017 / Great Southern / riesling

Tim Adams Aberfeldy Shiraz 2013

08:30 Stu.

Woah, bring on the toast. I've not had the pleasure of the Aberfeldy before, and 24m in American hogsheads has sure left its mark and certainly harks back - for me - to a different time and place. Certainly a wine of its style. Weaves toasty coconut oak in with...

2013 / Clare Valley / Shiraz

Thursday, 26 October 2017

Chateau Yaldara Foundations Grenache 2016

15:17 Stu.

Muskiness that sits under a rose and berry aromatic core. Sweet spices add another dimension, subtle - not always the Yaldara watchword - further evidence of its evolution in progress. A lightness on entry, easy going in its approach. Soft, almost squishy, berry...

2016 / Barossa Valley / grenache

Wednesday, 25 October 2017

Spinifex Luxe Rosé 2017

14:27 Stu.

Exceptional Rosé here a blend of Mataro (51%), Grenache (38%) and Cinsault (11%). Winemaker Peter Schell explains, "Luxe is selected from only those (rosé) parcels that have particular aromatic and textural complexity - we are drawn to sections that display what we...

2017 / Barossa Valley / Cinsault / grenache / Mataro et al / Rosé

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

Delinquente Wine Co. Weeping Juan Pet' Nat' 2017

08:30 Stu.

Not sure who Juan is in the context of this wine, but i'd suggest there's no need for the waterworks. Scant detail on the actual composition of this pretty number from the Riverland's Delinquente Wine Co. I'd hazard that there's perhaps at least a splash of Nero d'Avola...

2017 / Pet Nat / Petillant Naturel / Riverland

Monday, 23 October 2017

Rock of Wisdom Superfly Grenache Mataro 2017

08:30 Stu.

"To be Superfly is to be overtly confident and that's the drive behind this wine. We couldn't wait and we didn't want you to either." Superfly is Pete (Rock) and Sof's (Wisdom) playful side to their main Rock of Wisdom label. The Mrs could be in for a treat with this...

2017 / Barossa Valley / grenache / Mataro et al

Sunday, 22 October 2017

Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2015

08:30 Stu.

Wirra Wirra's flagship Shiraz is in fine form with this release from 2015. Deep, dark, nigh on impenetrable at first. Blends a whiff tobacco with the blue/black fruit mix so present in McLaren Vale Shiraz. A glorious combination. Full bodied and the fruit presence is...

2015 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Saturday, 21 October 2017

Mitchell McNicol Shiraz 2007

12:10 Stu.

Winemaker Andrew Mitchell honours his Father Peter McNicol Mitchell with this impressive cellar aged Shiraz from the Clare Valley. Showing the colour of a wine with a bit of age on it, the bright vibrant reddish hues giving way to the more subdued, losing their brightness...

2007 / Clare Valley / Shiraz

Thursday, 19 October 2017

Wirra Wirra The Absconder Grenache 2016

08:30 Stu.

Insightful release notes from (Wirra Wirra MD) Andrew Kay accompanying this, even if the AFL references were somewhat lost on this import. Strong aromatic game on this premium Grenache from the Wirra Wirra team. Florals abound, red fruits-a-plenty and redolent...

2106 / grenache / McLaren Vale

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Out of Step Wine Co. Malakoff Estate Vineyard Shiraz 2016

12:34 Stu.

Jeez this site produces some good booze from its dirt, all the more impressive given the vines are barely a touch over ten years old. I think Malakoff is a vineyard that will be spoken of in reverent terms in the not so distant future, if it isn't already so. It goes without...

2016 / Pyrenees / Shiraz

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Margan Semillon 2017

15:33 Stu.

Semillon's ability to awaken the senses and positively enliven the palate is second to none, well perhaps Riesling may have some skin in that game - I digress. This cracking example from Andrew Margan and a cracking 2017 vintage carries itself and is redolent with lime,...

2017 / Broke Fordwich / Hunter Valley / Semillon

Saturday, 23 September 2017

Terre a Terre Crayeres Vineyard Wrattonbully Shiraz 2015

10:06 Stu.

Smokey, meaty manifestation of the Shiraz here. Black cherry and pepper, even hints of juniper perhaps. A complex offering - one that delights at every turn. At odds to - perhaps in spite of - that complexity, it's deliciously medium bodied, elegant even. And...

2015 / Shiraz / Wrattonbully

Friday, 22 September 2017

Yelland & Papps Shiraz 2016

12:00 Stu.

Boy it smells juicy. Its a riot of fruit: blackcurrant, raspberry and redcurrants, very expressive and inviting. Deliciously medium bodied, juice and fresh up and about you acidity. There's a tangy presence, my take on judicious picking, and enough tannin to carry...

2016 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Yelland & Papps Vin de Soif 2016

14:30 Stu.

A blend of Grenache/ Mataro/ Carignan on this one. Soif by name, Soif by nature A wee touch of the lift here, sitting over the Grenache that leads the charge on this year's 'Soif'. Macerated strawberry, herbal twists and tinges and perhaps a little cream of tomato...

2016 / Carignan / grenache / Mataro et al

BK Wines Pet' Nat' Chardonnay 2017

08:30 Stu.

It's fresh, lemon balm over a bready, yeasty character. Not the strongest aromatic game. But the fun happens on the palate. It's a lively, big bubbled mouthful of fun - to me therein lies the charm of the Pet Nat style. It enlivens, encourages and has you yearning for...

2017 / Adelaide Hills / Pet Nat / Petillant Naturel

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Noir 2017

14:30 Stu.

For a wine that tops out at sub-$15 (if you want, this can be picked up for $11 at Liquorland) this smells like reasonable Pinot. Carries a little meat, briar, seasoning. Not particularly, or expressly, aromatic - yet certainly varietal. Squarely medium of body,...

2017 / King Valley / pinot noir / Victoria / Yarra Valley

Tim Adams Riesling 2017

08:30 Stu.

Classic Clare aromatics: lime, apple blossom, bath salt lift. It's vibrant, energetic if you will. Zippy, zesty, lively acid with a little crunch and phenolic grip. Clare chalky profile, exquisite freshness to boot. Great line and length and exquisite freshness....

Monday, 11 September 2017

Terre à Terre Cabernet Franc 2015

14:30 Stu.

Good to see more varietal Cab Franc on the market. Typically a pretty thing, light and airy. Here bright, crunchy and pippy blackcurrant, even a little blueberry. It's very evocative in the blue spectrum. Wickedly medium bodied. Lovely crunchy tannin and a slick...

2015 / Cabernet Franc / Wrattonbully

d'Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling 2017

08:30 Stu.

Sub-11% Riesling with fruit sourced from across McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Bath salt aromatics with hints of citrus. Sure tantalises the nasal cavity. Palate is cleansing, a mineral tickle on entry. Profile is somewhat broader, use of a bit of residual sugar to...

#RieslingRevival / 2017 / Adelaide Hills / McLaren Vale / riesling

Sunday, 10 September 2017

Mr Mick Rosé 2017

16:00 Stu.

Gentle berry intro, strawberry, cranberry and a little muskiness thrown in for good measure. It's a dusky pink in glass too, with something akin to a metallic hue. The palate is soft and sensuous, the faintest of chalky pucker giving some body. Clean and dry for sure,...

Out of Step Wine Co CatBird 2017

12:00 Stu.

I wasn't entirely sure what this was prior to opening. A good approach, take no pre-conceived ideas with you. Pouring with a slight turbidity, the winemaker's hand evident before you've taken a sip. On approach, the variety itself shows itself: unequivocally Sauvignon...

2017 / Sauvignon Blanc / Yarra Valley

Thursday, 7 September 2017

Rymill The Yearling Shiraz 2016

14:30 Stu.

Great nose here, carries all that lovely black fruit - think of plum, blackcurrant with a sprinkle of seasoning. There's almost a fudgey aspect to proceedings. One that invites. The black fruit is present on the palate - not to the same degree as yet aromatics...

2016 / Coonawarra / Shiraz

d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2016

08:30 Stu.

Apricots sing clear on this one. It's a pretty thing, that stonefruit in tandem with florals offering an attractive intro. Sadly the palate comes across a little odd, missing definition and shape, in fact comes across initially as quite sweet followed by a dryness....

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

Deakin Estate Shiraz 2016

14:30 Stu.

Fruit drawn from the broader 'Victoria' regional designation. You really cannot go wrong here for ten bucks. Berries on display that naturally flow onto the palate. It's smooth, rounded, even a little plumpness. Vanilla in the mix - at the price you can't be asking...

2016 / Shiraz / Victoria

Seville Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2016

08:30 Stu.

I'm pretty rubbish at remembering which melon is which, especially as they have different names betwixt the UK and Aus. All of which is somewhat of a contrived way of saying this smells of melon. Melon with a lemon barley overlaid. Lends it an incredible freshness, a springlike...

2016 / Chardonnay / Yarra Valley

Tuesday, 5 September 2017

Ballycroft Small Berry Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

14:30 Stu.

1972 plantings; just over a tonne harvested (1082kg); pumped over four ties a day, basket pressed; 36m in shaved out French oak. Hefty alcohol on this one Joe! Smells like turbo-charged Cabernet, but Cabernet it is nonetheless. Carries the cedar and bay with doughy hints from the time spent out in the shaved out oak. It’s oaky, there are hints of fruit peeking through, but oak leaves a big...

2013 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Langhorne Creek

Heggies Vineyard >500m Chardonnay 2016

08:30 Stu.

Made by Teresa Heuzenroeder, the winemaker of one of my favourite Yalumba Whites, the FDW Chardonnay. Captures the imagination with its mix of stonefruit and quince framed up with some nougaty oak. Fair tickles the nostrils Stonefruit freshness with something approaching...

2016 / Chardonnay / Eden Valley

Monday, 4 September 2017

d'Arenberg Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

14:30 Stu.

The icon on song. The richness: the cedar and bay hints; the fruit: all blackcurrant and a little mulberry; it’s varietal and also offers up chocolatey elements bound up with that fruit. Immediately noticeable is the tannin, the grain is fine and also substantial,...

2014 / Cabernet Sauvignon / McLaren Vale

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