Tasting Notes - Murrindindi

This winery, although a bit quiet in recent years, has over time established itself as the elder stateman of the still developing Yea region. Whilst a good portion of the winery's are sold the best material from now 25 year old vines ends up in the 'Murrindindi Vineyards' label.

Chardonnay 2001
Yellow gold, looks a fraction developed for the style. Developed rich nose, showing some butterscotch and toast notes. Light mouthfeel, quite nervy with lots of citrus and some acid running through the palate. No obvious primary fruit. Tart, perhaps still a little tight, but needs more fruit depth. The winery says 3 to 4 years and I'd say they are right. The winery has produced some great long living chards over the years but I don't think this is one of them.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Nice crimson red, medium 'weight' in colour. Nose is attractive, sweet berry fruits and a little sweet oak rising up. More subdued in the mouth. Fruit seems a little shy right now, and oak does drive the flavour profile, but in a nice even handed fashion. Quite smooth, not at all tannic. Like the chardonnay not enought primary definition, although I have a little more confidence in this wine improving over the next 12 months. Worth a punt if the price is right.

Passing Clouds Shiraz 1996

Another of the winery cellared back vintages that are slowly being released to the retail trade. Nice core of deep red in the glass lightening at the rim. Unspectacular nose, sweet berries but not much else. Quite powerful in the mouth yet the fruit weight is not heavy. Again some berry fruits early but does give way to a little astringency and an almost high acid feel. Good length with some heat. Ok drop but the 1992's are a better bet (see note in a previous post).

Tasting Notes - Gembrook Hill

Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (Recommended)
Considered the leading Yarra Valley sav blanc by some, and today's taste lent some support to that theory. 2 years age has done this wine no harm; subtle primary fruit, more in the gooseberry mould, with some slighly sweaty notes. Very well structured with mild smokey oak and barrel ferment characters. Has a few years left yet.

Chardonnay 2001
Rich looking and smelling. Ripe style with strong peachy notes. Hot finish detracts from the wine, and almost needs some chill to show its best.

Mayer Vineyard Pinot Noir 2002 (Recommended)
I checked the Halliday note in 2005 Wine Companion and he is bang on. Strong style, deep red, lifted fruits on the nose. Powerful palate, deep cherry and sour / spicy notes. Fairly young I would suggest.

Pinot Noir 2002 (Recommended)
Whoaa! Big nose - meaty, deep fruited, some bacon. Shows complexity and power. Compelling aromas. Similar in the mouth but has a sharp sour edge that dominates right now. That said this character drives palate length nicely. This is a good wine.

Tasting Notes - Ashton Hills

Estate Pinot Noir 2002 (Recommended)
Flag ship wine from Stephen Gorge. Great nose, meaty, powerful, sour and maybe slightly stewed fruits. Oozes class. Hits the spot in the mouth with more powerful sour cherry, trucks loads of spice and a long, drying finish with faint bitterness. Reminds of a Drummonds / Bass Philip, but in a more clean style. Excellent wine.

Three White Blend 2004 (Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling) (Recommended)
Elegant floral nose with apple and musk. Shares varietal traits from all 3 grapes in the mouth; mouth apple, floral musk and some chalkiness from the riesling. I called the 2003 a thinking man's white a year ago and the 2004 is very similar. Worth laying down for a couple too.

Riesling 2004
Pale, almost water like in the glass, a mere babe. Chalky, minerally nose, quite intense. More forward in the the palate but not overtly so. Some mid palate sweetness evident but still in the young, dry minerally mould. Still a bit shy and needs some time.

Tasting Notes - Langanook Syrah 2002 (Recommended)

The great thing about the Langanook Syrah is the unashamedly pretty aromatics. The last 3 vintages have showed amazing lift of pure blackberry, spice and violet notes, and in the case of the 2002 you can pick up the nose 2 feet away from the glass. Very deep fruit penetration on the nose. More spice and violets / licorice in the mouth. The floral notes are countered with some slight grainy tannins and a little heat, although to be fair they drive the length nicely. I'd say this wine is still a fraction young and might need another 18 months to show its best. Bloody nice nevertheless.

Tasting Notes - Ten Minutes By Tractor Chardonnay 2002 (Recommended)

Whilst many blow the trumpet of the SA 2002 vintage for reds (and rightly so in most cases) we have found the same year for chardonnay in Mornington to be excellent. We have tasted the 2002 on a few occasions and very time has shown impressively.

Pale gold in the glass, looks relatively young for a 2 year old chardonnay. Sweet, lifted nose, very ripe, with some faint burn from the alcohol? Very mouthfilling, powerful style with a long finish. again some heat from the alochol but it does fill the palate out somewhat. There's a touch of bandaid - brett but acceptable and does add a layer of funkiness. Pretty good wine, but perhaps not for the faint hearted.

Tasting Notes - Ten Minutes By Tractor Pinot Noir 2001

Light cherry red in the glass, almost rose like. The nose follows closely, shows bright cherry fruits, a little candy like, but attractive nevertheless. More seriosly palate structure, the sweetish simple fruits play at the edges but a decent lick of sour fruits and some bitterness kicks in. Good finish. Drinking best over 2004 and early 2005.

Tasting Notes - Sugarloaf Shiraz 2002 (Recommended)

Took a while to open up in the nose and palate. Big nose, lots of vapour and berries, underpinned with spicy, peppery notes. More soft berries in the mouth, some sweetness (not over-done), and some faint licorice. Pepper is much less pronouced. Tannins and some heat drive a long, penetrating finish. Great effort off 6 year old vines.