January 2020 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

Wednesday, 29 January 2020

Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2019

16:00 Stu.

A very good entry level Viognier, from Yalumba - the masters of the variety in Australia. Apricots, subtle citrus (mandarin peel/ segments or such), honeyed aspects and a smattering of ginger spice that is normally only seen in the better examples. A mix of textural...

2019 / South Australia / Viognier

Auld Family Wines William Patrick Shiraz 2016

08:30 Stu.

The flagship of the Auld Family Wines range. Representing the best the Barossa has to offer. It's all manner of black fruit: Blackcurrant, Mulberry; with black olive, hints of Mediterranean herb. Firm, full, fine tannin and backed up with black pepper and nigh clove...

2016 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Tuesday, 28 January 2020

Chignard Fleurie Les Moriers 2018

12:30 Stu.

As I understand it. Les Moriers is a steep vineyard that sweeps down into Moulin-a-Vent territory, so this comes across as something like a hybridisation of those two fine Crus. It certainly opens with conviction, it has an evocative fruit/ savoury mix on intro,...

2018 / Beaujolais / Fleurie / France / Gamay

Sunday, 26 January 2020

Bremerton Special Release Vermentino 2018

15:30 Stu.

Grapefruit and lemon zest carried on the briny tang of an onshore breeze. There's a zippy line of acidity that threads nicely through the wine, holding no prisoners, leaving all in its wake. It's freshness personifies it and calls for beachside calamari,...

2018 / Langhorne Creek / Vermentino

Auld Family Wines Strawbridge Shiraz 2017

08:30 Stu.

Can't fault this really, typically dark and dense fruited Shiraz, all manner of blackcurrant, Plum and mulberry. There's just a hint of oak to frame things up. The palate, for all its heft and weight of fruit, is actually quite fleet of fruit. Smattering of coffeed...

2017 / Barossa Valley / Shiraz

Saturday, 25 January 2020

Yalumba Wild Ferment Pinot Grigio 2019

15:30 Stu.

Spiced pears, white florals, faint rock melon notes in the frame too. Delicate Crispness through the middle, spiced and with acidity adding drive and thrust. Well executed on the style and true to name 90 Tasted on: Sunday 17th November, a Flower to...

2019 / Limestone Coast / Pinot Grigio

the dilettantes Sangiovese 2017

08:30 Stu.

Single vineyard Sangiovese. Picked and left covered in the chiller for 2-3w; all 3+ year old oak. Intent being to make something in the easy going style of a vino di tavola (table wine). Black cherry, Plum, spiced. Light, delicate and powdery crunch; Smashable...

2017 / Clare Valley / sangiovese

Tuesday, 21 January 2020

La Maschera Rosé 2019

16:00 Stu.

Grenache with a dash of Sangiovese. My kind of Rosé from the get-go. It invites, has an aromatic prettiness. There's a range of berry driven aromatics - unsurprising given its comprised of Grenache and dash of Sangiovese. Possesses a Crispness and punch of...

2019 / Barossa Valley / grenache / Rosé

Anim Field Blend 2019

08:30 Stu.

A wickedly juicy and delicious all-sorts field blend - in the true sense, being a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Muscat; picked on a single day and co-fermented - that comes across as a riot of red...

2019 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Chardonnay / Merlot / Muscat / pinot noir / Sauvignon Blanc / Tasmania / Tempranillo

Monday, 20 January 2020

Yalumba Y Series Rosé 2019

16:00 Stu.

Made from Sangiovese IIRC, a bit of a go to in The Vinsomniac household, particularly when found on a 2 for $20 deal at the local large format boozeatorium. Wild strawberry, subtle musk and Turkish Delight aromatics. Crisp and clipped, dry and savoury, yet...

2019 / Rosé / sangiovese

Auld Family Wines Wilberforce Cabernet Shiraz 2015

08:30 Stu.

The classic Aussie red blend. Blackcurrant meets a hint of kirsch, there’s a suggestion of oak in the frame, squaring things up. Coffee grounds, mocha notes, all up a solid blend of the leading players. Slightly fuller, sweet and succulent accented fruit, latterly...

2015 / Barossa Valley / Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz

Sunday, 19 January 2020

Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2019

16:00 Stu.

Decent entry level Rizza from a broader South Australian GI. Offers what is great and good about the variety, an attractive bouquet - floral, hints of Passionfruit even, yes lime in the frame too. Crispness, good drive of acidity that gives length. Yes, perhaps it's...

2019 / riesling / South Australia

Wirra Wirra Woodhenge Shiraz 2017

08:30 Stu.

Deep set, Mulberry touch of cedary oak, with earth and dark chocolate. Fruits of the forest compote in profile, fruit and yet wrapped up with a smattering of oak. Concentrated, deep plum hints, bittering dark chocolate, oak. It softens a touch, veering to red fruit....

2017 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Saturday, 18 January 2020

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2018

16:00 Stu.

Mezzacorona is the largest grower of Pinot Grigio in the world. Slight leesy cheesy vibe over poached pear. Fleshy, honeyed, hints of stonefruit, semblance of texture and a gentle line of acidity run through the palate. The Italians will throttle...

2018 / Italy / Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris / Trentino

Aylesbury Estate Waterfall Gully Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

08:36 Stu.

There's more background to the Estate here. The Waterfall Gully range being a more go-now, approachable and fruit driven offering: cassis in the main, subtle savoury driven elements backing it up in support. Touches of tapenade, herb, cola. Succulent, yet with powdery...

2018 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Ferguson Valley / Geographe

Friday, 17 January 2020

Taylor's Pinot Noir Rosé 2019

15:30 Stu.

Well this is certainly a very aromatic expression of Rosé, pretty in bottle and the same in glass. Nice and light - on alcohol - at a stated 12.5%. It’s all strawberries and creamy, expressly berry notes - like i say, very aromatic. More of the same on the palate, a...

2019 / Adelaide Hills / Rosé

Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2018

08:30 Stu.

Unusually it seems exotically aromatic, Indian sandalwood and spice; touches of stonefruit and citrus, more traditionally, sit in the background. Generous thrust of grapefruit like acidity, oft stated as a hallmark of Piccadilly, with an almost chalk like phenolic veneer...

2018 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay

Thursday, 16 January 2020

Pig in the House Chardonnay 2019

16:00 Stu.

Organic Chardonnay from Cowra in the Central Highlands of New South Wales. Pig in the House have been following organic farming practices for over ten years now. Clean and inviting Chardonnay here, a mix of citrus and ripe stone fruit that express themselves in a pure...

2019 / Chardonnay / Cowra

Ridgemill Estate Pinot Noir 2018

08:00 Stu.

It's not the variety that springs to first association with the region, but here this example leads with a varietal expression of sour cherry, backed up with a deeper earthen aspect. The palate is succulent, juicy, more by way of wild strawberry here, raspberry in the...

2018 / Granite Belt / pinot noir

Wednesday, 15 January 2020

Azahara Sparkling Rosé NV

16:30 Stu.

Bargain bubbles to get the party in your mouth started! Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from the Murray Darling region near Mildura, in Victoria's North-West. Subtle bready hints, touch of berry. Same on the palate before a very assertive bead that forces its way across the palate. Goes OK as an aperitif style. 86 Tasted on: Friday 8th November Source: Sample Price: $15 Alcohol:...

Chardonnay / Murray Darling / NV / pinot noir / Sparkling

Yalumba Hand Picked Shiraz Viognier 2016

08:00 Stu.

Dense Plum and Mulberry, oak; in the glass the tell-tale vibrant rim, alluding to the Viognier. Oak latterly manifests itself in that mocha, vanilla manner - never quite throwing off the dense and succulent black fruit. The palate is energetically driven by a line of...

2016 / Shiraz / Viognier

Tuesday, 14 January 2020

Juniper Small Batch Tempranillo 2018

16:30 Stu.

Inclusion of 5% Shiraz; spends 15m in oak, no new. A darker manifestation of inky blue fruit: blueberries, cassis, smattering of violets. Feels light on entry, fleet of foot, before powder fine sweeps across the palate. Nigh chalky in feel, it feels as though it morphs...

2018 / Margaret River / Single Vineyard / Tempranillo

Katnook Estate Chardonnay 2018

08:30 Stu.

Delightful, invitational mix; of ripe stonefruit, melon and vanilla oak, the latter framing things up nicely. Moderate palate, nicely balanced mix of the oak, adding some bite and spice; suggestion of phenolics, textural spread and a creamy aspect. Decent length, perhaps...

2018 / Chardonnay / Coonawarra

Monday, 13 January 2020

Hill-Smith Estate Chardonnay Double Header: Adelaide Hills vs Eden Valley

20:00 Stu.

Hill-Smith Estate of course being from the broader Yalumba portfolio. Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2018 Classic Hills Chardonnay, with a subtle oak, stonefruit and citrus aromatic lead. Where it stands out is on the palate, and with a generous intent it exhibits...

2018 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay / Eden Valley

Wirra Wirra Catapult Shiraz 2018

08:30 Stu.

I got myself into a bit of a tizz over this wine. I was sure this was always billed/labelled as a Shiraz Viognier. Nope, I was wrong, have only reviewed one previous vintage, the 2012. That said a release relating to the 2017 does indicate the inclusion of a small percentage. So,...

2018 / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Sunday, 12 January 2020

Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard 1.5m Chardonnay 2018

11:37 Stu.

2018 was a warm Adelaide Hills vintage, consequently the decision was made to not put any of the Tiers 1.5m Chardonnay through malolactic fermentation due to additional fruit ripeness. It's a generous mix of ripe stonefruit, over hints of Nashi pear and fig; framed...

2018 / Adelaide Hills / Chardonnay

Saturday, 11 January 2020

Auld Family Wines Wilberforce Riesling 2019

08:08 Stu.

The Auld family have deep connections to the Australian wine industry, spanning a history some 150 years in the making. It doesn't stop there, with current generation Jock and Sam Auld continuing the families rich legacy through a winery bearing the family name. Classic...

2019 / Eden Valley / riesling

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