April 2017 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Sunday, 30 April 2017

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Shiraz 2012

14:30 Stu.

Residual oak, dark, creosote, rum 'n' raisin. Thick, sludgy, almost tarry; the oak - even at five years is very obvious. Pretty tough going, not sure it's ever going to break free of its oak shackles. 87 Tasted on: Sunday 5th February, a Fruit to Root day Source:...

2012 / Mudgee / Shiraz

Zonin Ice Prosecco Demi-Sec NV

08:00 Stu.

Recommended to be served over ice. Doing so does seem to embolden the wine.Without, it's soft, delicate, you can almost sense the fuzzy peach skin. Given that, it would perhaps suit a Bellini, its inherent sweet pitch a natural against that. A little...

Saturday, 29 April 2017

Cush & Cush Wine Co. Mataro 300 2016

08:30 Stu.

If this wine an episode of Friends, it would be billed as somethign akin to: "The one that's impossible to resist". A single barrel 'reserve' Mataro, admittedly $65 is a big ask for a relatively new label. Still the wine holds up to it. Brambly fruit, perhaps a little...

#ProjectMataro / 2016 / Mataro et al / McLaren Vale

Friday, 28 April 2017

Cush & Cush Wine Co. Grenache 2016

16:00 Stu.

Essentially a barrel selection: from 3 standout barrels that were kept aside from that which went into the Grenache/Mataro blend. This is McLaren Vale Grenache that carries an inherent red berry charm, in the wrong hands that can manifest as jam or a coulis like sweetness....

2016 / grenache / McLaren Vale

Seville Estate

08:30 Stu.

"So why's it called Seville?" I asked of CEO Grahame Van der Meulen, "it looks nothing like the brown, dusty plains of Spain". You see, the town is actually pronounced Seh-vull, named after the daughter of a long-forgotten Mayor who was taken early in somewhat...

Thursday, 27 April 2017

Cush & Cush Wine Co Chardonnay 2016

14:30 Stu.

Whole bunch pressed Chardonnay here, unfiltered, giving a delightful haze in glass. Citrus, fig paste, barest hints of oak - a small amount of new French used. Oak on entry, stonefruit, grapefruit citrus; has a textural spread, not battonage, the result of bottling...

2016 / Chardonnay / Orange

Hentley Farm Blanc de Noirs 2016

08:00 Stu.

Billed as a BdN but pours a very distinct blush, more Rosé like - that intent flows through the wine, a very fruitsome individual all about strawberry and cherry. It possesses an ease, an elegance and charm if you like. Not necessarily simple, perhaps casual is the...

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

Zontes Footsteps The Hills Are Alive Shiraz 2014

14:30 Stu.

Fruit, oak, spice and alcohol; served correctly: florals, stonefruit (Viognier inclusion?). Jammy, pretty high octane (admittedly at the wrong temp initially); correctly served: medium bodied, lighter in approach, possibly too much so. No shortage of fruit driven flavour,...

2014 / Adelaide Hills / Shiraz

Mount Avoca Old Vine Shiraz 2013

08:30 Stu.

From vines planted in 1971. Two years in oak (25% American, 25% Hungarian, the balance being French) shows on this wine. Less Pyrenees, more rich, sweeter, hedonistic if you like. Incredible depth, both from fruit concentration and frame of oak. Chewy, coffee-caramel,...

2013 / Pyrenees / Shiraz

Tuesday, 25 April 2017

Leeuwin Estate Siblings Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2015

16:30 Stu.

The herbal Sauvignon Blanc clearly leads here, it comes across as unequivocally Margaret River in its presentation. Tinges of citrus, faint passionfruit, like a neighbourhood pet marking its territory. Things step up a level on the palate, a modicum of texture -...

Hentley Farm Brass Monkey Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2016

12:00 Stu.

Beurre Bosc pear over creamy slithered almond and faint spiced hints. Has a touch of body, unusual giving the low alc and 'Grigio' designation. Pear, florals, not wanting for cheek-clenching acidity. Freshness, with bags of citrus bringing up the rear. High...

Monday, 24 April 2017

Alkoomi White Label Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016

14:30 Stu.

Carries the dried grass/straw, citrus of the constituent varieties, 67% and 33% respectively. Citrus, a little slate, feels a little flat, dilute. Not my favourite in the range, freshness goes OK to lift and enliven. 86 Tasted on: Monday 16th January, a...

2016 / Great Southern / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon

Patina Scandalous Riesling 2014

08:24 Stu.

Very pronounced citrus here: lemon, lime, lemon butter. There's even something a touch more tropical: suggestive of pineapple juice The palate thick and broad, the residual sweetness (18 g/l) shining through - albeit lacking some balancing acid. Fruit quality high,...

2014 / Off-Dry / Orange / riesling

Thursday, 20 April 2017

Mount Avoca Shiraz 2013

09:16 Stu.

Real burst of mixed berry goodness. A little oak, pepppery spice. Nothing's dominating, or jockeying for prime position. Balanced. Medium bodied, a wine incredibly at ease with it itself. Balanced. It comes up again. Red, black fruited - savoury edges: leafy,...

2013 / Pyrenees / Shiraz

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Alkoomi White Label Shiraz 2014

15:18 Stu.

Black fruit, fudge, licorice and spice. Fairly non-descript; medium - and perhaps veering to full - a touch of earth in the middle. It's a line it straddles well, if a little monotonously. You'd be happy to drink this with ease, more so when it remember it checks...

2014 / Great Southern / Shiraz

Alkoomi Black Label Chardonnay 2016

08:30 Stu.

Has an old school feel to it: less of the funk and more of the oaky hunk. There's citrus, stone fruit and more oak present on the palate via spice and cedar. In addition: creamy citrus, stonefruit. Excellent value wine for those seeking something deliciously...

2016 / Chardonnay / Frankland River / Great Southern

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Gartelmann Philip Alexander 2013

19:55 Stu.

A little right bank blend thing going on here (Merlot, Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot) that sings of its constituent parts: plum, leaf, tobacco hints Herb and earth add an extra edge to what is a medium bodied blend. There's more of that delicious and juicy plum character...

2013 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Mudgee / Petit Verdot

Pertaringa Undercover Shiraz 2015

09:31 Stu.

Ripe blackcurant sits proudly on the nose of this one. A little violet floral. Smooth, almost black currant pastille like. Richness, ripeness, hints of mintiness. A little chocolate underneath, but it's really about freshness of fruit. Go now. 90 Tasted...

2015 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Monday, 17 April 2017

d'Arenberg The Money Spider Roussanne 2016

14:30 Stu.

Stone fruit, more peach than anything, nicely spiced with woody hints - celeriac, fennel perhaps. Has plenty of body, the textural feel you'd expect from a variety as this. Spice resurgent on the mid to back palate, on a good length to boot. Good release....

2016 / McLaren Vale / Roussanne

Skinner Vineyards Roussanne 2013

08:30 Stu.

Preddominantly Roussanne with a few other varieties of Southern French origin thrown in (85% Roussanne | 8% Grenache Blanc | 5% Marsanne | 1% Viognier | 1% Picpoul Blanc). Softly imbued with a little honey, there's a little nuttiness at the core, florals. It...

2013 / California / El Dorado / Fair Play / Roussanne / Sierra Foothills / USA

Sunday, 16 April 2017

Terre á Terre Sauvignon Blanc 2015

14:30 Stu.

Lychee, citrus, barley, faint pineapple juice, black currant leaf. Balance of fruit presence, texturally nuanced, acid. Tickle of spice brings up the rear. Fades to a gentle finish. Assured. Composed. Doesn't quite excite in the way it has before. 91 Tasted...

2015 / Sauvignon Blanc / Wrattonbully

Robert Stein Half Dry Riesling 2016

08:30 Stu.

I do like a little off-dry Riesling, something with just a little retained sugar (here 10g residual), just works wonders at cutting through some devilish spice. Lime, florals, a suggestion of fennel pollen. Immediately it marries both acidity balanced against...

2016 / Mudgee / Off-Dry / riesling

Saturday, 15 April 2017

d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2015

14:30 Stu.

Blend of Viognier (58%) and Viognier (42%). Carries an interesting herbal edge on opening, kinda like a cold Jasmine tea perhaps. Requisite florals, a little apricot nectar. More stonefruit on the palate, more defined this time. Sweeter, more of that nectar seen earlier. Not...

2015 / Marsanne / McLaren Vale / Viognier

Topper's Mountain Barrel Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2013

08:30 Stu.

Unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc, yet with more twists and turns than a Riviera hairpin. Your senses are greeted with preserved citrus, lime brûlée, stonefruit. Medium bodied, part-textural with remnants of acid, albeit softened with fermentation in oak. Great...

2013 / New England / Sauvignon Blanc

Friday, 14 April 2017

Gartelmann Jesse Shiraz 2013

14:30 Stu.

Greets you with a grilled nut, meaty vibe that sits over a little red fruit. Medium weight, nice sweet fruit at juxtaposition to that primarily savoury nose. There's cherry, plum, a little gummy/mintiness. Pleasant drinking. Falls a little short,...

2013 / Hunter Valley / Shiraz

d'Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz 2014

08:30 Stu.

Choc-fudge, berry fruit, smidge of oak. A fine Footbolt, regional and varietal in composition. Smooth, thick, glossy and spiced. Rough tannin can be overlooked for a wine that packs a punch. Serve with something oozing with a little blood, or a generous rich...

2014 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Thursday, 13 April 2017

Bremerton Special Release Fiano 2016

14:30 Stu.

Floral, honeyed, snow pea and a little sea spray overlaid. Texture + with acid. Good balance, food friendly. Generous in nature. Very pleasant. Good length from that generosity. 90 Tasted on: Wednesday 4th January, a Flower to Leaf day Source:...

2016 / Fiano / Langhorne Creek

Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot 2015

08:30 Stu.

Somewhat generic in its aromatic profile: plummy, damson. You get the drill. Medium-full bodied, ripe, herbal, palate warmth - showing its 14.5%. Back palate mintiness and a rich dose of choc-salinity. Seen better from the label. 88 Tasted on: Tuesday 3rd...

2015 / Adelaide / Merlot

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Bremerton Racy Rosé 2016

14:30 Stu.

Ripe, red, berry fruit - cranberry primarily. Hints of wild strawberry. Thick, almost textural in nature. Sugar adds body and provides a chewy, substantive feel. Finishes well, fruit laden and a hint of spice. Consistent. 89 Tasted on: Monday 2nd...

2016 / Langhorne Creek / Rosé

Patina NV Rosé

08:30 Stu.

"Back in 2008 I co-fermented Pinot Noir and Chardonnay destined to become a sparkling wine. This wine would have made great bubbles but I just couldn’t get my heart into it. So in 2013 I decided to change direction and added it to the juice of 2013 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon...

NV / Orange / Rosé

Tuesday, 11 April 2017

d'Arenberg The Anthropocene Epoch Mencia 2016

14:30 Stu.

Anthropocene ˈanθrəpəˌsiːn/ adjective relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. At the time of writing, only the fourth producer of...

2016 / McLaren Vale / Mencia

d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2012

08:30 Stu.

The "laughing Magpie' was an old favourite back in the UK, the familiar red stripe (or sash as I think of it) with the beautiful lilac denoting this wine. All changed now, of course, with the re-imaging some 3 years or so back. One thing that hasn't changed mind is the...

2012 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz / Viognier

Monday, 10 April 2017

Ballycroft Small Berry Shiraz 2014

14:30 Stu.

Just over one and a half tonne of fruit picked in Feb 2014 (1.675 tonne from 5 acres on 13/2/13, that's only 335kg to the acre) pumped over 4 times a day for 10 days. Just under 100 dozen made. Spends 24 months in shaved out American Oak. Sent to bottle...

2014 / Barossa Valley / Greenock / Shiraz / Single Vineyard

Ballycroft Small Berry Shiraz 2013

08:30 Stu.

Just over a tonne of fruit was picked from Joe and Susan Evans' dry grown vineyard on Feb 2013 (1.3 tonne from 5 acres on 17/2/13, a mere 260kg to the acre). It was pumped over 4 times a day for 15 days. Only 93 dozen made, spends 36m in shaved out American Oak....

2013 / Barossa Valley / Greenock / Shiraz / Single Vineyard

Sunday, 9 April 2017

Edmunds St. John Bone-Jolly Gamay Noir 2014

14:30 Stu.

Essential research prior to a visit to California's Sierra Foothills was undertaken by way of Jon Bonné's "The New California Wine". You see, the Sierra Foothills, and particularly the area around Fair Play AVA are the original gold rush country, and Fair Play sits atop...

2014 / California / El Dorado / Fair Play / Gamay / Sierra Foothills

Bremerton Special Release Malbec 2015

08:30 Stu.

Malbec from Langhorne Creek and those wily Willson sisters, Rebecca and Lucy. Fruits of the forest, a little creamy vanillin from oak use. Medium bodied, moderate acidity, good raspy tannin. A real mouthful of ripe black fruit - present on both the nose and backed...

2105 / Langhorne Creek / Malbec

Saturday, 8 April 2017

Robert Stein Reserve Riesling 2016

14:30 Stu.

Long history of winemaking down at Robert Stein, marking 40 years. This superb Reserve Riesling comes off vines just shy of that milestone. Marvellous vinous heritage. Lemon rings strong here, bit of lemongrass, soap. Very strong aromatic profile. Tang, sweet/sour...

2016 / Mudgee / riesling

Robert Stein Mudgee Riesling 2016

08:30 Stu.

Lemon, bath salts, lemongrass perhaps. Tangy freshness, ease and flow. Good acid, without being too tart. Only quibble is a somewhat truncated finish, but it does gently lead the drinker 91 Tasted on: Sunday 18th December, a Leaf to Fruit day Source: Sample Price:...

2016 / Mudgee / riesling

Friday, 7 April 2017

Barambah First Grid Verdelho 2016

14:30 Stu.

Winemaker Peter Scudamore-Smith MW: "I used my experience of making Riesling with this wine, that in conjunction with use of phenolics from skin contact wines". It shows. From Queensland's South Burnett region, some three hours Nort-West of its capital Brisbane. A...

2016 / South Burnett / Verdelho

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)