Tasting Notes - Farnese 'Opis' Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Riserva 2000

Region: Abruzzo
Appelation: Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

Tried this about about a year ago and thought it was looking quite good in a secondary flavour phase kind of way. This sample didn't show so well unfortunately. The robust tannin structure remains (grainy, savoury, good length) but the fruits are definately starting to 'brown' off and fade. Flavours are certaintly on the stinky, mushroom, savoury side. Drink soon. The 2001 is a better bet right now.

Tasting Notes - Dominique Laurent Gevrey Chambertin 'Les Cazetiers' 2003

Region: Burgundy
Appelation: Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru

From the excellent list at Vin Cellar in Prahran ($175). Decantered for 20 minutes but the wine still came across as very young. Well supported by oak (definately there but not over powering) the fruit was still tight and minerally, unyielding, and gave the impression that this wine needs at least 5 years. Some iron and blood as well. Notwithstanding the class is apparent. A good result for a less than stella vintage.

Tasting Notes - Egly Ouriet (Champagne)

Les Vignes de Vrigny NV $97
100% pinot meunier from 40+ year old vines in Vrigny. The base wine is 2003 (70%) and 20% from 2002 and 10% from 2001.
"Dry, some chalk and smoke. Good presence. No sure about value at near $100."

Grand Cru Tradition NV $121
75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay. 50% 2003.
"Sleeping giant. Very understated and soft, almost to the extent it comes across as underpowered. Dry nutty finish."

Grand Cru Rose NV $161 (Recommended)
60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, mostly from 2004.
"Best of the flight; earthy, grilled nuts, long. Understated but classy. I'll make no comment on the value but a very nice drop."

Also had a quick peak at.......

Agrapart 2002 $138 (Recommended)
"Dry, understated. Faint core of spice and ginger. Subtle but the class and quality is obvious. Classic yeasty and biscuity finish."

Tasting Notes - Larmandier Bernier (Champagne)

Very brief notes and background details on some Larmandier wines recently tasted............all absolute crackers that can be strongly recommended and I was left wondering why people even bother with Moet and its ilk.

Brut Blanc Traditional Premier Cru NV $70 (Recommended)
A blend of 2000, 2001 and 1999. 85% chardonnay and 15% pinot noir.
"Sharp, acidic, but strangely fruity and floral. Flinty, minerally palate. Like a table wine with bubbles."

Grand Cru Crament 2003 $86 (Recommended)
100% chardonnay from old vines.
"Tangy citrus fruits and definite hints of Belgian Wit beer (citrus, spices). Broad palate with chalk and minerals."

Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru NV $70 (Recommended)
100% chardonnay from Vertus (premier cru) and Cramant, Avize and Oger (all grand cru).
"Sharp, dry, smokey. Very well balanced with a biscuit-like finish."

Rose de Saignee Brut Premier Cru $80 (Recommended)
100% pinot noir.
"Dusty, dirty fruits. Lots of obvious pinot on the nose and palate. Dry, old world style, lots in common with typical red Burgundy."

Terre de Vertus non dose Premier Cru NV $86 (Recommended)
100% old vine chardonnay from a single 50yr+ vineyard in Vertus.
"Bizarre! Big fruit cake nose but drys out in the palate. Retains a core of fruit but this is all about tangy chalk and minerals."

New Releases - Late December

Champagne
Larmandier Brut Traditional Vertus Premier Cru NV $70
Larmandier Cramant Grand Cru 2003 $86
Larmandier Brut Blanc de Blancs Vertus Premier Cru NV $70

Chardonnay
Caledonia Reserve 2003 $41 (Gippsland)

Gewurztraminer
Hunters 2007 $25 (Marlborough)

Pinot Grigio / Gris
Bulong Estate Pinot Gris 2007 $17 (Yarra Valley)
Stefano Lubiana Pinot Grigio 2007 $29 (Tasmania)

Pinot Noir
Paringa Estate 'PE' 2006 $25 (Mornington Peninsula)
PHI 2006 $43 (Yarra Valley)

Riesling
Gracebrook Vineyards Late Harvest 2006 $16 (King Valley)
Henty Estate 2007 $22 (Henty)
Winstead 2006 $21 (Tasmania)

Sauvignon Blanc
Highfield Estate 2007 $27 (Marlborough)
Skipjack 2007 $15 (Marlborough)

Semillon
Jasper Hill 2006 $37 (Heathcote)

Shiraz
Hently Farm 'The Beauty' Shiraz $43 (Barossa Valley)
Kaesler 'Old Bastard' Shiraz 2005 $175 (Barossa Valley)
Kaesler 'Old Vine' 2005 $62 (Barossa Valley)
Trevor Jones 'Wild Witch' 2005 $53 (Barossa Valley)

Verduzzo
Pizzini 2006 $23 (King Valley)

Imports - Angel Rodriguez Verdejo 2006

Region: Catalunya (Spain)
Sub-region / Appelation: Priorat DOC

Wine Background
The variety Verdejo is considered one of only a few genuine noble Spanish whites. It was essentially extinct 30 years ago but Angel Rodriguez clung onto a 1 acre 17th century planting called 'Martinsancho'. He has since grafted material from this vineyard onto a much recently planted 25 acre plot which is where this wine is sourced from.

Price
$27 per bottle

Tasting Notes - The Growers Geographe Chardonnay 2004 (Recommended)

Second installment from the Growers 2004 WA chardonnay series.

Basic build and flavours are not far removed from the Pemberton but the oak shows much better integration right through the palate. Crisp grapefruit on the nose as well as a hint of soft vanilla oak. Flavours are similar, some nice grapey tang creeps in, before the fruits broaden nicely in the back palate. The wine is more about structure than outright fruit flavours, and it really is quite smartly done in this respect. I like it.

Tasting Notes - Pin Pin Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

Pin Pin is the second label of Ian Bell's Glenmore outfit. Funky, pongy nose, quite intense and well fruited. Palate is ok; tangy, quite lively, although obvious fruit is a bit hard to come by. Good tannin and oak structure but I can't help feel the fruit is muted (at best) and doesn't travel cleanly through the palate. So...structurally sound but lacking conviction on fruit power.

Tasting Notes - New Releases from Mac Forbes

Strathbogie Ranges Riesling 2007
Plenty of residual sugar (31g - deliberate). Good zingy lift from the acid. 6 barrels made.

Strathbogie Ranges Riesling 2005
Extra grams of the residual show (44g) but it swaps the acid just a fraction. A touch clumsy compared to the 2007. This style just ain't my bag.

Gruner Veltliner 2006 (Recommended)
Austrian sourced and made. Weird at first glance. Nice sweet hints in the nose, gris-like perhaps with a mineral character. Palate is an about face; tart, bitter, plenty of slatey bite. Forces to be noticed at $25. Well worth a look. 3 barrels made.

EB1 Chardonnay 2007
Sourced from Strathbogie fruit. Soft nose, approachable tropical fruits, some power. Palate is dry, zingy, lean and minerally. Surprising given the generosity of the nose. 3 barrels made.

Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2006
Low, old oak style (7yrs old). Fruit comes from the same vineyard as the Woori Yallock. Dirty fruits on the nose, European-like, and a mild sulphur hint. Broad palate, quite anti-fruit, zingy with lemon and acid. Very different from a structural perspective but lacks obvious appeal. 2 barrels made.

Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2006
Very similar to the YV in most facets although the palate contains more obvious forward fruit. Oak is understated. Solid buy doesn't jump out. 6 barrels made.

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Sweetish nose with cherry and a 'sweet' sour overtone. Palate is light and fluffy before a raspy dry spice kicks in. Lacks intensity but not a bad drop. 10 barrels made.

Coldstream Pinot Noir 2006
Single vineyard wine from a warmer site. Mainstream / line & length flavours early with straightforward cherry fruit but the back end picks up with good sour and spice intensity. 12 barrels made.

Woori Yallock Pinot Noir 2006
Same vineyard as the WY chard. Longer hang time given the protected nature of the site. Good depth and again a drying spice note kicks in late. I can see the jump in quality but question the value at $47. 7 cases made.

'Hugh' Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Yarra Valley blend. Light (12.5%), classic with spice, tobacco, black berries. All quite elegant (bravo) but lacks intensity. 15 barrels made.

Blaufrankisch 2006 (Recommended)
My first look at this Austrian red. Dry early with rose-like fruits lurking, and a fraction spicy. Would work very well with food and worth a look at the price ($25). 3 barrels made.

Tasting Notes - The Growers Pemberton Chardonnay 2004

Great concept this: source 6 chardonnays from 6 regions in WA and make them all using near identical wine making inputs. A good way to assess regionality and terrior me thinks.

The Pemberton model is quite a decent wine although it doesn't quite hit the mark. Plenty of toasty oak on the nose and some richness from the fruit is apparent. Sweet and ripe tropical fruits drive the palate but the oak has a dulling, and almost, bittering impact on the flavours. It dominates, to be honest, and masks what could otherwise be quite a smart wine.

Tasting Notes - Kamberra Chardonnay 2004

A pretty ok example of cool climate chard. It was good of BRL to put some focus into the Canberra region via this label but I'm not sure if indeed it's still in existence.

Pale gold in colour; youthful for the age, and an attractive / elegant nose of low key stone fruits and a whisper of vanilla. More of the same to taste although the fruit doesn't really penetrate such that the flavour component doesn't really define itself with any certainty, the exception being some ok stone fruit action on the very back palate. Drink now.

Tasting Notes - Di Gorgio 'Frank' White Blend 2006 (Recommended)

New entry level level for Coonawarra player Di Gorgio. This wine is a blend of semillon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, not particularly unusual in days gone by but relatively rare these days.

I think is will be priced under $12 and I have to say it has stacks of obvious crowd pleaser appeal that should work well at the price point. Lots of tropical fruit, ripe, some heat, and a somewhat dry finish, perhaps a little surprising given the nose and fruit flavours. No a good choice for the geeks but good simple summer drinking.

Tasting Notes - Penfolds Bin 28 1996

Tasted December 2007
Looking back at my notes from 2 years ago I'd say this wine is now an obvious 'drink now' candidate. Colour is still holding very well (dark crimson) and the nose shows red berries with a tinny note, almost acidic like. Palate is a fraction hard and one-dimensional with red fruits and a hot, hard extracted feel that appears to be loaded with an acid-like character. The underlying fruits are clearly strarting to fade. No great, and again the hardness evident in the palate is very consistent with other 1996 Bin series wines that I have tried over the past 3 years.

Tasted November 2004
Good colour for an 8yr old, very dark crimson with a thinning edge on the rim. Tar like nose, almost meaty yet seems quite fresh. A touch of sweet fruit provides good lift. Palate is tough to read. Upfront fruit seems very fresh but falls away in the middle and back palate. Fruit thins out and becomes disjointed, with a hard extracted streak running through. Plenty of tannic backbone keeps the wine relatively tight, and more tarry notes appear on the finish.

Tastings Notes - Lake Cairn Curran Current Releases

Blanc de Blanc 2006 (Recommended)
Not a bad effort. Simple style with a dash of approachable fruit sweetness, a good combination. Drinks easily and finishes with a firming and almost liqueur-like edge. Will be priced in the low $20s and looks well placed here.

Shiraz 2006
I wanted to like this wine. Unfortunately it’s made in a style that I struggle with, that is, seemingly a deliberate ploy to leave some residual sugar. This wine is quite well made but the grapey, sweet liqueured fruits prove to big a distraction for me. Sweet plum and pepper drive the flavours in the most simple of ways. Very grapey and fruit juice-like across the bouquet and palate. The finish is much dryer than expected with some tang from the acid coming through but the fruit flavours largely drop out.

Lake Cairn Curran ‘Sur Lie’ Chardonnay 2005
A reserve wine of sorts given it is sourced from the pick of the barrels from the 2005 vintage. Medium yellow gold in colour, very clean, but looks to be showing some development. Nose doesn’t give me too much; oldish subtle oak and vague stonefruits. Flavours are quite interesting. Fruits are quite firm and almost bitter very early in the palate, quite ripe, some oak, more harder grapefruit-like flavours. For a fleeting moment one gets the impression this is very serious chardonnay but the palate weight tails off considerably. Notwithstanding it’s not a bad attempt.

Tasting Notes - Diamond Valley Cabernet Cabernet Franc 2000 (Recommended)

This wine is a bit of an oddity to the retail trade as it is available as a 7 year old 'current release'. I tried this wine about 9 months ago and it was very impressive. This sample didn't disappoint, and further underlines just how good 2000 was in the Valley for cabernet.

This wine is a single vineyard job sourced from a 22yr old estate vineyard.

Amazing aromas of fresh blueberry and juicy blackcurrents. Text book stuff and massively appealing. Palate was muted early by some CO2 hanging around in the glass but this dissipated over 30 minutes. Leaner that the aromas suggest with faint berries, blackberry, and a tight structure that still is ever so slightly shackled with some buzzing acid. The primary fruit has certainly softened in recent times and it might be best to drink up over 2008.

Tasting Note - Konrad and Co Noble Two 2004 (recommended)

If you are looking for a stickie which is not too cloying and well franky too stickie you may well enjoy this. A 'noble' blend of Riesling and Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand it displays deep golden colour, rich citrus and honey aromas and a sweet marmalade, zesty palate which is lighter than many botrytis wines and as a result the wine maintains a pleasing freshness. A fabulous match with Roquefort but I found Roaring 40's blue a bit too big for it.

Tasting Notes - La Serre Sauvignon Blanc 2004

Region: Languedoc

Priced ok at $13 but I reckon 4yr el cheapo from France will be hard to flog!

Nice golden hue; dead clear and very clean looking. Nose shows obvious aged notes of soft fruits and faint honey. Has a certain appeal. Palate is interesting; structurally quite ok with a firming tinge of acid and citrus, but the fruit has faded, leaving the aforementioned honey character. To be honest I'd probably prefer to drink this than standard Marlborough savvy but it just won't work in the Australian market place (at least in my humble opinion.)

Tasting Notes - Arrivo Nebbiolo 2004 (Recommended)

One of a handful of high priced local nebs that has serious claims on being a legit Piedmont lookalike. Only 100 cases for this vintage.

Light blood red in colour; a good start. Just a touch of lightening at the rim. Dry herbal notes on the nose along with fruity raspberry. Flavours are also in the 'dry' spectrum with lots of old world tannin. Drives a very long finish. This wine is not at all fruity but rather all about firm structure.

New Releases - Mid December Pt.3

Barbera
Christmont 2004 $20 (King Valley)

Cabernet & Blends
Heartland 'Coast & Creek' Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $16 (Langhorne Creek)

Chardonnay
Scorpo 2005 $35 (Mornington Peninsula)
Serafino 'Goose Island' Chardonnay 2007 $14 (McLaren Vale)

Chenin Blanc
Marc Bredif Vouvray 1988!! $44 (Loire Valley, France)

Gewurztraminer
Trimbach 'Reserve' 2001 $45 (Alsace, France)

Pinot Noir
Frogmore Creek 'Reserve' 2005 $57 (Tasmania)
Paringa Estate 'Estate' 2006 $63 (Mornington Peninsula)

Riesling
Frogmore Creek 2005 $24 (Tasmania)
Trimbach 'Reserve' 2005 $39 (Alsace, France)

Sangiovese
Pizzini 2006 $26 (King Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Dunsborough Hills Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $16 (Margaret River)
Elgo Estate 'Allira' 2007 $14 (Strathbogie Ranges)
Skip Jack $15.00 (Marlborough)

Shiraz
Battle of Bosworth Shiraz 2006 $22 (McLaren Vale)
Langmeil 'Barossa Old Vine Company' 2003 $95 (Barossa Valley)
Paringa Estate 'Estate' 2005 $46 (Mornington Peninsula)

New Releases - Mid December Pt.2

Barbara
Chalk Hill 2006 $23 (McLaren Vale)

Chardonnay
Barringwood Park 2005 $26 (Tasmania)
Delamere Reserve 2005 $31 (Tasmania)

Dessert Wines & Fortifieds
Konrad Sigrun Noble 2 $32 (Marlborough)

Pinot Grigio / Gris
Tar & Roses 2007 $20 (Strathbogie Ranges)

Pinot Noir
Delamere 2005 $22 (Tasmania)
Eastern Peake 1997 $75 (Ballarat)
Eastern Peake 2000 $52 (Ballarat)
Grey Sands 2005 $37 (Tasmania)
Moondarra Conception 2005 $86 (Gippsland)
Moondarra Samba Side 2005 $117 (Gippsland)
Prince Albert 2004 $33 (Geelong)
Winstead 2005 $32 (Tasmania)

Rose
Eastern Peake Pinot Noir 2006 $27 (Ballarat)

Sangiovese
Tar and Roses $21 (Heathcote)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Jinks Creek 2006 $22 (Yarra Valley)
Voice of the Vine 2006 'Acappella' $27 (Mornington Peninsula)

Shiraz
Brown Magpie 2006 $24 (Geelong)
Dinny Goonan 2005 $17 (Geelong)
Jinks Creek 'Longford' Shiraz 2004 $32 (Gippsland)
Schubert Estate 'Gosling' Shiraz 2005 $24 (Barossa Valley)

Sparkling White
Crittenden 'Geppetto' NV Brut $16 (King Valley)

Tempranillo
Tar and Roses $22 (Heathcote)

Tasting Notes - Crittenden 'Geppetto' Sparkling White NV

Gary Crittenden's cheapy white sparkler from entry level label 'Geppetto'. Although not stated I'm sure this would be mostly sourced from King Valley fruit (as is most of the range) although there is a South Australia component. 60% pinot noir. Fairly straight forward and simple style, particularly for the price point (u/ $16). Quite soft, approachable, with citrus and lemon fruits on both nose and palate. Nose is also quite ripe. Medium strength finish. Appears to do a good job of straddling the fine line between punter friendly fruity action and more classic dry notes.

As an asided the level of detail Gary provides at www.crittendenwines.com.au is excellent for all wines produced. Check it out if you get a chance.

New Releases - Mid December

Cabernet & Blends
Schild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $19 (Barossa Valley)
Virgin Block Cabernet Merlot 2004 $27 (Margaret River)

Chardonnay
Cobaw Ridge 1999 $32 (Racedon Ranges)

Pinot Noir
Bass Phillip 2006 21st Anniversary $78 (Gippsland)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Elgo Estate 'Allira' 2006 $14 (Strathbogie Ranges)
Geoff Weaver 2007 $23 (Adelaide Hills)
Virgin Block 2006 $22 (Margaret River)

Shiraz
Ben Schild Premium 2005 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Hennings View Vineyard 2002 $25 (Heathcote)
Scorpo 2005 $37 (Mornington Peninsula)
Torbreck Descendant 2005 $115 (Barossa Valley)
Torbreck The Factor 2004 $115 (Barossa Valley)

Other Reds
Cobaw Ridge Langrein 2005 $48 (Macedon Ranges)

Other Whites
Heartland Viognier Pinot Gris 2006 $19 (Langhorne Creek)
Pierre Sparr Reserve Gewurztraminer 2005 $33 (Alsace, France)

Tasting Notes - San Leonardo Cabernet 2000 (Recommended)

Region: Trentino (Italy)
Sub-Region: Avio

This wine is considered to be Trentino's leading cabernet based wine and not surprisingly has long been awarded '3 glass' status by Gambero Rosso. Based on this tasting I can absolutely see why. Shy very early; violets, green herbal hints, a touch of pepper. Opens up nicely over 45 minutes to reveal layers of classic cabernet fruits, berries, and truckloads of floral characters. Has a high proportion of cab franc, which in theory would add to the aromas and lift. Always strictly medium-bodied, and has at least 3 years ahead of it. Strongly recommended, even at $90.

New Releases - Early December Pt.3

Cabernet & Blends
Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 $63 (Tasmania)
Langanook Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $26 (Bendigo)
Whispering Hills Vineyard "Appassimento" (cabernet-based aramone style) $24 (Yarra Valley)

Chardonnay
Kings Creek 2005 $16 (Mornington Peninsula)

Merlot
Grey Sands 2003 $31 (Tasmania)

Pinot Gris & Grigio
Grey Sands Pinot Gris 2006 $31 (Tasmania)
Huia Pinot Gris 2007 $26 (Marlborough)
JL Wolf 2006 Pinot Gris $20 (Germany)

Riesling
Crawford River Young Vines 2006 $23 (Henty)
Wild Dog Winery 2007 $19 (Gippsland)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
McHenry Hohnen Semillon Sauvignon Blacn 2007 $21 (Margaret River)

Shiraz & Blends
Redhouse Shiraz Grenache 2004 $18 (McLaren Vale)
Trevor Jones Wild Witch 2002 Magnum 2002 $111 (Barossa Valley)

Other Whites
Huia Gewurztraminer 2007 $26 (Marlborough)

Tasting Notes - Amherst 'Daisy Creek' Chardonnay 2006

Another sub $16 wine made from 100% Pyrenees fruit. Medium strength golden hue, seemingly showing some development. Ripe fruits, mostly pineapple, on the nose. A slightly dirty / euro note underpins the aromas. Similar fruits to taste although somewhat dilutive when compared to the aromas. Fruits tighten through the palate and finish with citrus tang. Probably better options in the price range.

Tasting Notes - Amherst 'Daisy Creek' Shiraz Cabernet 2006

The 2005 was a very good wine at $15 but this vintage is probably not at the same standard. Simple nose of red berry fruits and a toasty oak note. Perhaps not quite seamless. Flavours and palate structure largely repeat the nose. The red fruits are very generic and unremarkable (yet satisfactory), and not at all heavy. Lightish finish with an earthy, iron-like character coming through. Ok wine, and maybe hard to be critical given the price point and region.

New Releases - Early December Pt.2

Cabernet & Blends
Tallis Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $19 (Central Victoria)
Ulithorne 'Paternus' Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $33 (McLaren Vale)
Woodlands Estate 'Rachel' Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $92 (Margaret River)

Grenache & Blends
Torbreck 'Juveniles' GSm 2007 $26 (Barossa Valley)

Merlot
Irvine 'Grand' 2002 $90 (Eden Valley)

Pinot Gris / Grigio
Wairau Pinot Grigio 2007 $21 (Marlborough)

Pinot Noir

Van Ash 2001 $46 (Central Otago)

Riesling

Claymore 'Joshua Tree' 2007 $20 (Clare Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc

Herzog 'Hans' 2006 $26 (Marlborough)

Shiraz

Balnaves 2005 $26 (Coonawarra)

Claymore 'Dark Side of the Moon' 2005 $22 (Clare Valley)

Longview 'Yakka' 2006 $29 (Adelaide Hills)

Silesian 'Clancy Fuller' 3 Hogshead Shiraz 2002 $23 (Barossa Valley)

Tallis 2004 $19 (Central Victoria)

Sparkling White

LaCache 2002 $34 (margaret River)

Other Whites

Chestnut Grove Verdelho 2007 $20 (Manjimup)

Lindenton Verdelho 2005 $ (Heathcote)

Tallis Viognier 2005 $19 (Central Victoria)

Tasting Notes - La Serre Croix Chardonnay Vermentino 2004

Region: Languedoc

This Languedoc wine is an unlikely blend of what we might typically see in Australia. Pale in gold in colour; looking good for 3+ years of age. Ripe pineapple and tropical fruits on the nose. Ripe flavours pop up again in the palate, sweet fruits are very prounced in the simple, dumb tropical fruit style. Some hints of a more savoury component in the back palate, perhaps giving the wine its 'euro' feel. Drying finish.

Tasting Notes Harvey River Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Kiwi look-a-like from Geographe, south of Perth. Plenty of textbook flavours (grass and gooseberry) but I can't get comfortable with the level of sweetness in the wine. It's not approaching the level of off-dry but there may be a relatively high of residual left in this wine. No dount the style will have it's fans but I'm not one of them.

Specials and Case Discounts - December

Silesian Clancy Fuller 'Scribblers' GSM 2002 $23 (was $26)
As per our comments below...a rare opportunity to purchase 5 year grenache based wine from a stella vintage.

Trevor Jones Sixth Sense Grenache 2001 $20 (was $33)
We were selling this wine for $33 sixth months ago! A very solid example of nicely aged Barossa grenache from old vines in the Barossa.

New Releases - Early December

Cabernet & Blends
Cullen Cabernet Merlot 2005 $32 (Margaret River)
Mount Mary Quintet 2005 $129 (Yarra Valley)
Wantirna Estate 'Hannah' Cabernet Franc merlot 2005 $119 (Yarra Valley)

Champagne
Agrapart Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut Grand Cru 2002 $138

Chardonnay
Toolangi 'Estate' 2005 $37 (Yarra Valley)
Toolangi 'Reserve' 2005 $68 (Yarra Valley)

Grenache & Blends
Trevor Jones Sixth Sense 2001 $20 (Barossa Valley)

Italian Varietals
Arrivo Nebbiolo 2005 $56 (Adelaide Hills)
Arrivo Nebbiolo 'Rosato di Nebbiolo' 2007 $25 (Adelaide Hills)
Herzog Montepulciano 2004 $70 (Marlborough)

Pinot Noir
Herzog 2005 $60 (Marlborough)
Waratah Hills 2005 $24 (Gippsland)

Riesling
Trevor Jones 'Reserve' 2005 $24 (Eden Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Bress Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $19 (Margaret River)

Shiraz
Biscay Wines 'John Hongell' 2004 $21 (Barossa Valley)
Lazy Bellarina 2006 $23 (McLaren Vale)
Pizzini Sangiovese Shiraz 2006 $18 (King Valley)
Spinifex 'Indigene' Shiraz Mataro 2005 $45 (Barossa Valley)
Trevor Jones 'Boots' 2006 $16 (Barossa Valley)

Tasting Notes - La Croix Merlot Carigan 2003

Region: Languedoc

La Croix is part of Cave de Foncalieu, a Union of co-operatives established in 1990 in the Languedoc, in the South of France.

Very contempory labelling in the French context; all written in English and makes the varietal make-up clear. I assume this is an export only job. Region is defined as 'Southern France'. Fairly new worldy in appearance and aromas with a deep plum red colour and ripe plummy nose. Actually the aromas are pretty good; quite lifted and have good penetration. Flavours are more subdued as the bright fruits from the nose disappear. Palate is very balanced in a secondary, structural kind of way. No obvious 'fruity' fruit, rather dark berries, a mild pongy note, and some old leather and tar. Seems quite young actually and this wine may have benefited from some decanting. Just not friendly enough to appeal to the sub $20 market. But, to be fair, this is a $13 wine.

Tasting Notes - Mezzanine Trade Tasting (brief)

Very brief notes from a small showing of selected wines from the Mezzanine portfolio......

Moorooduc Estate 'Devil Bend Creek' Chardonnay 2006 (Recommended)
Mornington Penisula. Lighter, elegant style but really quite classy. Good value at $24.

Moorooduc Estate Chardonnay 2005 (Recommended)
Mornington Peninsula. Again a classy wine, but stacks of class here. Seriously dry and good spicy from the oak. Good length and presence. About $30.

Moorooduc Estate 'The Moorooduc' Chardonnay 2005
Mornington Peninsula. Lots of work right through the palate and plenty of oak on the nose. Some sweetness from high powered fruit. Full palate weight. Sourced from 25yr old vines but more than fully priced at $54.

Moorooduc Estate 'Devil Bend Creek' Pinot Noir 2005
Mornington Peninsula. Light, fragrant with a spicy sour finish. A little boring and perhaps dilutive?

Nanny Goat Pinot Noir 2006
Central Otago. Classic regional style but quite light in terms of fruit depth. Nice tangy finish but overall lacks intensity. Not in the league of previous vintages.

Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio 2007 (Recommended)
Strathbogie Ranges. Very fresh aromatic style. Class / text book nose and good palate weight. Looks the goods at $21.

Tar & Roses Heathcote Shiraz 2006 (Recommended)
Perfumed nose of fresh plums. Lighter weight, very dry, but done nicely. Might be setting a new benchmark for $20 Heathcote shiraz.

Tar & Roses Tempranillo 2006
Heathcote. Nearly gave this one the tick of approval. Dry structure, some tannin, quite firm. Not enough obvious fruit to provide character.

Tar & Roses Sangiovese 2006 (Recommended)
Heathcote. Really good wine. Dry, raspy fruits, serious. Very good length and very good value at $22.

Tar & Roses Nebbiolo 2006
Heathcote. Picked up Gold at the recent Alternative Varieties show. Forward fruit early was a slight turn-off but the structure ramped up in the second half with furry tannins and tar. Might be worth a look but fully priced at $40.

Tar & Roses Priorate DO 'Miro' 2004 (Recommended)
Wine is bottled on site in Spain. Nose is full of sweet tar, almost bordering on porty. Very friendly, soft mouth; tar, ripe, broad. Big drying tannins to finish.

Tar & Roses Priorate DO 'Miro' 2006 (Recommended)
Same again, mostly, although clearly a fresher style that needs time. Plenty of tannin, and will certainly be long lived.

Katnook Merlot 2005 (Recommended)
Huge, beautifully perfumed nose of plum and rose petals. Lighter palate but shows a lot in a floral friendly style. Really good....best merlot I've had in a while.

New Releases - Late November

Champagne
Jacquesson Cuvee No.732 NV $73 (Champagne)
Jacquesson Grand Cru Avize 1997 $125 (Champagne)

Pinot Noir
Cannibal Creek 2005 $29 (Gippsland)
Curlewis Reserve 2004 $64 (Geelong)
Wantirna Lily 2006 $61 (Yarra Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Crittenden 2007 $19 (Mornington Peninsula)

Sparkling Red
Ulithorne 'Flamma' Sparkling Shiraz 2006 $32 (McLaren Vale)

Other Reds
Majella 'The Musician' Cabernet Shiraz 2006 $20 (Coonawarra)

Other Whites
Lost Valley Cortese 2006 $30 (Strathbogie Ranges)

Specials and Case Discounts - Mid November

Reds
Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz Grenache: $18 per single bottle or $17 per bottle by the case.
Pizzini Nebbiolo 2002: $56 per single bottle or $51 per bottle by the case.

Whites
Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc: was $21, now $19

Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food and Wine 2007
"We are privileged to be the first people in the world to receive a sample of Jackson’s 2006 Sauvignon Blanc. What a wine! A very different ball game to Wither Hills, this is the definition of Marlborough SB. You’re tasting the history, the originality, the minerality and flavour of aged vineyards with deep roots. Young winemaker Mike Paterson has been entrusted with capturing this in the glass, and he’s nailed it again in ’06. Jackson has always been one of the finest producers of Sauvignon in New Zealand and this vintage is setting the mood for years to come.

Mike has rejuvenated this brand and John “Stitch” Stichbury (the founder and inspirational leader of this small, but vital team) is beaming from ear to ear these days. He knows that Jackson is justly treasured by its loyal fans, and now that the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also up to racing speed, this estate is a true force to be reckoned with."

Wine Industry News - Pizzini Takes Top Gong @ Alternative Varieties Show

As reported in the Saturday "Age" newspaper (17/11/07) Pizzini had a very successful Alternative Varieties show with the 2002 Nebbiolo picking up 3 awards, including Best Wine of Show.

This is a well deserved result for Joel, Fred and family. Pizzini are clearly the leading player in Italian varietals in Australia and we at Cloudwine reckon they have been responsible for perhaps the most exciting releases over the past 18 months. Wines like the Il Barone prove the King Valley can make highly structured and long living European styles whilst the Nebbiolo (from 18 year old wines) and Sangiovese (particularly the super-delux reserve versions) are fair-dinkum world class styles that would not be embarrassed on the global stage.

The 2002 Nebbiolo can be purchased at Cloudwine for $56 per bottle or $51 per bottle in dozern purchases.

Tasting Notes - Farnese 'Opis' Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Riserva 2001

Region: Abruzzo
Appelation: Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

To my uneducated palate this montepulciano shares a lot in common, flavour-wise, with traditional sangiovese from Chianti. Robust structure with plenty of graint tannin, and no doubt 30 minutes in the decanter would have helped. Started out a bit one-dimension with the tannin and hard / minerally berry fruits but gradually opened up over time to reveal softening berries and even hints of chocolate. Tannins remained forceful throughout but this did drive a long powerful finish. Looking pretty good as a 6 year old and has 3 or 4 years to go. Not really compelling value at $38 but it won't disappoint.

New Releases - Mid November Pt.2

Chardonnay
Dawson's Patch 2004 $24 (Yarra Valley)

Merlot
Narkoojee Athelstan 2004 $27 (Gippsland)

Pinot Gris / Grigio
Barringwood Park Pinot Gris 2006 $26 (Tasmania)
Logan 'Weemala' Pinot Gris 2007 $18 (Mudgee)

Pinot Noir
Couta 2006 $15 (Mornington Peninsula)
Palliser 'Pencarrow' 2006 $21 (Martinborough)
Sherwood Estate 2007 $25 (Waipara)

Riesling
Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge 2007 $25 (Great Southern)
Frankland Estate Poison Hill 2007 $25 (Great Southern)
Frankland Estate Cooladerra 2007 $25 (Great Southern)

Rose
Bass Phillip 2006 $21 (Gippsland)
Bass Phillip Reserve 2004 $23 (Gippsland)
Teusner 'Salsa' 2007 $19 (Barossa Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Saint Clair Block 3 2007 $29 (Marlborough)

Semillon
Capercaillie 'Creel' 2007 $20 (Hunter Valley)

Shiraz
Adelina 2006 $33 (Clare Valley)
Berrys Bridge 2004 $36 (Pyrenees)
Deisen Winter Sun Shiraz Mataro 2003/04 Blend $43 (Barossa Valley)
Narkoojee Myrtle Point 2005 $21 (Gippsland)

Sparkling Wines
Langanook Shiraz 2006 $26 (Bendigo)

Other Reds
Serafino Tempranillo 2003 $22 (McLaren Vale)

Tasting Notes - Montgomery's Hill Cabernet Franc 2000

Bit of a health check tasting note. One can't reasonably expect Oz cab franc to last for every so I thought it might be interesting to see how a 7 year old from Great Southern was travelling.

Medium blood red in colour, quite robust given the age, and no fade to speak of. Aromas showed some interesting character; aged berries, old oak, some porty smells...well settled and quite good. Not surprisingly the palate didn't really hold up as well. Firm, one dimensional red fruits, some astrigency, and a blocky somewhat hard finish. The bitter, firm finish was evident a couple of years ago but the wine is certainly looking better now, albeit hardly something I recommend you run out and buy.

New Releases - Mid November

Chardonnay
Caledonia Australis Estate 2003 $22 (Gippsland)
Leayton Estate 2005 $22 (Yarra Valley)
Wantirna Estate 2006 $55 (Yarra Valley)

Pinot Grigio / Gris
Crittenden Estate 2007 $26 (Mornington Peninsula)

Pinot Noir
Picardy Pinot Noir 2005 $36 (Pemberton)
Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Rouge AC 1998 $52 (Burgundy)

Sauvignon Blanc
Groom 2007 $24 (Adelaide Hills)
Rockfield Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $15 (Marlborough)
Saint Claire Reserve 2007 $32 (Marlborough)
Saint Claire Pioneer Block 6 2007 $29 (Marlborough)

Shiraz
Craiglee 2005 $44 (Sunbury)
Hobreck 2006 $15 (Barossa Valley)
Samuel's Gorge 2005 $35 (McLaren Vale)
Yelland & Papps 2005 $33 (Barossa Valley)

Sparkling Red & White
Dominique Portet Brut Rose LD NV $22 (Yarra Valley)
Larmandier Bernier Brut Blanc de Blancs Vertus Premier Cru $68 (Champagne)
Philipponnat Royal Reserve Brut NV $70 (Champagne)

Other Reds
Bass Phillip Gamay 2006 $28 (Gippsland)
Old Mill Estate Touriga Rose 2007 $16 (Langhorne Creek)
Pirramimma Tannat 2004 $26 (McLaren Vale)
Samuel's Gorge Tempranillo 2006 $35 (McLaren Vale)
Tscharke The Master Montepulciano 2006 $35 (Barossa Valley)

New Releases - Early November Pt.2

Chardonnay
Domaine Epis 2006 $46 (Macedon)
Shadowfax 2006 $27 (Geelong)

Warrabilla Reserve 2006 $18 (Rutherglen)

Grenache & Blends
Laughing Jack Old Vine Moppa 2005 $41 (Barossa Valley)

Te Aro GSM 2005 $21 (Barossa Valley)
Te Aro DG Grenache 2004 $21 (Barossa Valley)

Pinot Noir
Ashton Hills Reserve 2005 $53 (Adelaide Hills)
Domaine Epis 2006 $59 (Macedon)
Portsea Estate 2005 & 2006 $32 (Mornington Peninsula)
Voice of the Vine 2006 $27 (Mornington Peninsula)

Riesling
Main Divide 2006 $20 (Marlborough)

Rose
Battle of Bosworth 2007 $16 (McLaren Vale)
SC Pannell 2007 $25 (McLaren Vale)

Sauvignon Blanc
Wairau River 2007 $20 (Marlborough)

Shiraz
Killibinbin 2004 $22 (Langhorne Creek)
Nicholson River 2004 $38 (Gippsland)
Te Aro Estate 2005 $20 (Barossa Valley)
Trevor Jones Dry Grown 2005 $33 (Barossa Valley)

Sparkling Wines
Foggo Road 'Myriah' Sparkling Shiraz NV $30 (McLaren Vale)

Other Reds
Tscharke 'Only Son' Tempranillo 2005 $27 (Barossa Valley)

Tasting Notes - Ross Estate CD Visit

More tardy notes from mid-year..............

Chardonnay 2005 (Recommended)
Low key style; lemon and citrus, low oak impact. Slightly old fashion perhaps yet well made in a tight crisp style.

Lyndoch Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot 2004
Balanced and settled. Mustry cabernet fruits and hints of blackberry. Very smooth but lacks some obvious fruit punch.

Reserve Shiraz 2004
Very similar palate structure to the 2004 Lyndoch. Very smooth with low tannin and oak impact. Standard varietal fruits. Note sure what to make of it - are the fruits really soft or under-powered?

Tasting Notes - Liebich Cellar Door Visit

Long overdue notes from a Barossa visit in June. Janet and Ron pulled out a bunch of old wines and as per usual showed incredible generosity. Some of the nicest folk in the Valley.....

Riesling 2006 (Value Recommendation)

A cellar door 'special', perhaps one for the tire kickers at $10. Soft old fashion style which has broad appeal. Sourced from estate fruit on the Valley floor.

Tempranillo Rose 2006

$19 at CD. Very pale in colour. Authentic tempranillo nose with some fruity hints. Dry finish.

Pinot Noir 2003

Ambitious perhaps but hard to be (too) critical at $10. Made up of 90% unwooded pinot and 10% oaked merlot. Stinky, porty, obvious volatile acidity to my nose. Finishes raspy and dry.

Tempt 2004 (Tempranillo Merlot Petit Verdot)

$23 at CD. Tempranillo makes up ~70% with the other varieties filling out the remainder in equal portions. Again a slight pongy and porty nose, whilst the palate seemed dull. I tried this wine 2 years ago and it was an absolute cracker, so it may have lost the appeal of its youth. Of course, the bottle may have been open for a couple of days?

Merlot 2003

Big mouthfilling style. Some tannin and heat but to my taste acceptable for the style. Pretty good actually.

Potters Merlot 1998 (Recommended)

Gamey, spicy, tannic fruits. Drying finish. Holding very well.

Lofty Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (Recommended)

Tastes like a 5 year old wine in the nicest possible way; cold tea flavours and old tannin, overlayed with super old-fashion herbal notes. Old world structure. Really good.

Lofy Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 (Recommended)

Beautifully balanced drink with great herbal touches, old broken down cabernet fruits and a firm tannic finish. Old fashion but really appealing.

Rovalley Cabernet Shiraz 1973

I think Rovally is the label Ron's father used in the 70's (happy to be corrected). Dirty blood red in colour, some fading, but in reality looking a million bucks for a 34 year old. Some herbal notes on the nose. Palate is tied but has character; musty red berries and old green fruits. A great opportunity to drink a seriously old Australian wine.

Leveret Shiraz 2004

Medium fruit strength but backbone is quite tannic and firm. Fruits become better pronounced through the palate and end up showing quite decent penetration.

Darkie Unfiltered Shiraz 1999 (Recommended)

Sweet ripe fruits are a real highlight; spice and bright berries. Again a tannic backbone demonstrates considerable aging potential.

Tasting Notes - Semprevino Nebbiolo 2005 (Recommended)

Another sample bottle, another new label. It's amazing how many new producers are still trying to enter the market. Neb might be finding a natural home in the Adelaide Hills and this is another quite solid example. Clearly 'new world' in style with plenty of ripe red berry fruits across both the nose and palate. Nose also shows a nice earthy licorice note. Palate flavours start out in a simple fashion, and quite ripe, but some nice varietal complexity builds with a very attractive combination of pongy red fruits and a drying, tannic, leathery structure. Has very good length. A fairly serious wine.

Tasting Notes - Current Mahi Releases

The following notes were maded from a cellar door visit (in Blenheim) in mid-October 2007............

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007
New entry level wine for the house that will trade at ~$20. Sourced from 7 growers right through the full span of the Marlborough region. Fresh pineapple and tropical fruits; not dumb, but an ultra friendly style that will work for the mainstream.

Byrne Sauvignon 2006 (Recommended)
Markedly different to the Marlborough. Racey, tight. Smoke and flint on the nose, and plenty of acid right through the palate. Quite serious yet unmistakenly Kiwi.

Twin Valleys Chardonnay 2006 (Recommended)
Beautifully weighted style. Tight and linear on the front and back palate but has a plush, creamy mid-palate that is mega attractive.

Tasting Notes - Herzog Cellar Door Visit

We were in the New Zealand South Island recently for a wedding and managed to devote a few days to the very beautiful Marlborough region. Herzog is a winery we have tasted on a few occasions in the past and have always been very impressed. They aren't particularly cheap in Australia (say $70 for the reds) but the ability of the winery to provide fully ripe merlot, cabernet and sangiovese on a very regular basis is quite amazing. In fact, the sangiovese would rival any produced in this country.

The following notes were made from a cellar door visit in mid October (3 generous samples for $10). As a quick aside the cellar door is ultra classy and we understand has one of the best (if not the best) restaurant wine cellar list in the country:

Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Recommended)

Ripe, broad, powerfully structured. Thick palate, but not over the top. Quite dry and European like with anti-fruit flavours. Very different - best SB I've had in 3 years.

Pinot Noir 2005

Strong and intense black cherries on nose; good presence. Similar flavours to taste, has length, but some burn on the finish. Not really in the mix at $50.

Merlot Cabernet 2001 (Recommended)

Merlot dominant. A burnt kero, VA whiff was off-putting early but this soon disappeared. Palate opened right up to reveal classy aged merlot notes and cassis fruits. Looks very good as a 7yr old.

Tasting Notes - Crittenden Pinot Grigio 2007

Didn't really get going. Aromas were quite pleasant showing soft musky fruit but the flavours didn't really develop. More broad oily musk early but these characters faded away to leave a one dimensional 'dry white' palate that wasn't particularly varietal. Bad bottle perhaps? The PG's from this house are normally very reliable.

Tasting Notes - Crittenden Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007

Striking aromas leap out of the glass; it's all about fresh green herbs, tangy fruits, perhaps even a touch smokey and flinty. Shares a lot with Margaret River semillon (which I love). Softens and broadens in the mouth as the flavours head towards, at least initially, a brighter tropical fruit style but never gets flabby. Plenty of acid keeps things racy and tight. Almost unyielding upon reflection, and could probably do with a few months more bottle age. Not convinced just now but I reckon it will look good with time.

New Releases - Early November

Cabernet & Blends

Golden Ball Cab Merlot Malbec 2005 $43 (Beechworth)

Chardonnay
Tomboy Hill 'The Tomboy' 2004 $41 (Ballarat)

Pinot Gris & Grigio
Mount Majura Pinot Gris 2007 $19 (Canberra)

Pinot Noir
Hurley Vineyard 'Homage' 2005 $43 (Mornington Peninsula)

Tomboy Hill 'The Tomboy' 2006 $68 (Ballarat)

Tomboy Hill 'Rebellion' 2005 $32 (Ballarat)

Riesling
Dr Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Kabinett 2006 $32 (Germany)
Clonakilla 2007 $27 (Canberra)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Clonakilla 2007 $21 (Canberra)
Green Point 2007 $18 (Marlborough)

Icely Road 2007 $15 (Orange)
Te Whare Ra 2007 $26 (Marlborough)

Shiraz
Barfold Estate 'Senator' 2005 $19 (Heathcote)
Batterly Syrah 2005 $62 (Beechworth)
Golden Ball 2005 $43 (Beechworth)
Izway 'Bruce' 2005 $40 (Barossa Valley)
Meerea Park 'Hell Hole' 2005 $51 (Hunter Valley)

Radford Dale Eden Valley Shiraz 2005 $29 (Eden Valley)

Rusden 'Black Guts' 2005 $88 (Barossa Valley)

Sparkling Wines
Sheer Drop Shiraz 2004 $22 (Bendigo)

Spanish Varietals
Tscharke Albarino 'Girl Talk' 2007 $ (Barossa Valley)

Other Reds
Rusden 'Full Circle' Mourvedre 2005 $44 (Barossa Valley)

Sam Miranda 'Symphonia' Saperavi 2006 $22 (King Valley)

Other Whites
Te Whare Ra Gewurztraminer 2006 $27 (Marlborough)

New Releases - Late October Pt.2

Cabernet & Blends
Arlewood Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $36 (Margaret River)
Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $27 (Margaret River)
Serafino 2005 $25 (McLaren Vale)

Chardonnay
Fermoy Estate 2005 $27 (Margaret River)
Ngeringa 2006 $28 (Adelaided Hills)
Stumpy Gully 2006 $22 (Mornington Peninsula)
Train Trak 2005 $24 (Yarra Valley)

Italian Varietals
Fermoy Estate Nebbiolo $26 (Margaret River)

Merlot
Fermoy Estate 2004 $31 (Margaret River)

Pinot Gris / Grigio
Nazaaray Estate Pinot Gris 2007 $22 (Mornington Peninsula)

Pinot Noir
Stoney Rise 2006 $25 (Tasmania)

Rhone Valley Varietals
Hewitson Baby Bush Mourvedre 2006 $29 (Barossa Valley)
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2005 $47 (Barossa Valley)

Shiraz
Heartland Director's Cut 2006 $26 (Langhorne Creek)

Mayer Vineyard 'Big Betty' 2006 $28 (Yarra Valley)

Ngeringa Shiraz 2005 $44 (Adelaide Hills)

Spanish Varietals
Hewitson Private Cellar Tempranillo $66 (Fleurieu)

Sparkling Wines
Devaux Grand Reserve NV $59 (Champagne)

New Releases - Late October

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Minot Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $25 (Margaret River)
Odd Fellows Cabernet 2004 $24 (Langhorne Creek)
Witchmount Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $26 (Sunbury)

Chardonnay
Seresin 2006 $30 (Marlborough)

Dessert Wines
Flaxman Cane Cut Semillon 2007 375ml $21 (Eden Valley)

Italian Varietals
Luke Lambert Nebbiolo 2006 $30 (Heathcote)

Merlot
Mike Press 2005 $13 (Adelaide Hills)

Pinot Gris / Grigio
Holly's Garden Pinot Gris 2007 $24 (King Valley)
Paracombe Pinot Gris 2007 $19 (Adelaide Hills)

Pinot Noir
Craggy Range Te Muna Road 2006 $64 (Martinborough)

Riesling
Karra Yerta 2006 $20 (Eden Valley)
Huia 2004 $25 (Marlborough)

Sauvignon Blanc
Astrolabe 2007 $22 (Marlborough)
Dog Point 2007 $25 (Marlborough)
Seifried Old Coach Road 2007 $15 (Nelson)

Shiraz
Laughing Jack 2004 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Luke Lambert Syrah 2006 $30 (Yarra Valley)

Sparkling White
Thompson Estate Pinot Chardonnay 2003 $35 (Margaret River)

Tasting Notes - Woodside Valley Estate 'Le Bas' Chardonnay 2006 (Recommended)

Looks pretty good but again value is under a cloud given the cellar door price of $42. Looks a touch older than a 2006 given the medium gold hue. Nose is quite classy with a well moulded combination of obvious citrus fruits, oak and faint burnt match. Actually, a bit more than 'quite' classy. Citrus fruits hit the palate early in a tangy, almost acidic fashion, and keep the flavours quite tight right through the palate. Quite unyielding, perhaps unusual for Australian chardonnay. I reckon this is very young and would like to see how it will progress over the next 5 years.

Tasting Notes - Lost Valley Cortese 2006

I'm thinking this is the only planting of this Italian variety in Australia. This is the grape that the famous 'Gavi' is made from. It certainly is quite unique and definitely worth a look at. A hay bail, nutty aroma with a touch of sweet tropical fruit leads on to a light to medium bodied palate, low acidity levels but still clean, fresh flavours of pear, kiwi fruit and vanilla. The makers think the wine has cellaring potential for up to ten years - would be interesting to try.

Tasting Notes - Holly's Garden Pinot Gris 2007 (Recommended)

No wonder we sell so much of this wine. This Pinot Gris really grows on you. The aroma is of sweet honey and pear with a slightly vegetative undertone to it. The palate is weighty and oily, lower acidity level with a syrupy baked pear flavour and a kick of ginger at the back of the mouth. At first I thought the wine was a little 'hot' but as it warmed up a little the honey and spices really came out to produce a very flavoursome wine with just the right touch of sweetness.

Tasting Notes - Serafino Shiraz 2005 (Recommended)

This producer seems to consistently supply us with McLaren Vale classics. This a rich Shiraz and for once the wine is how it is described on the bottle; vanilla and bitter chocolate mix with berries to give a pronounced aroma made to make your mouth water. On the palate it is a powerful Shiraz with ripe red berry fruit, bitter chocolate and sweet spices. It has a smooth, velvety mouth feel and finishes with a flood of vanilla and fruit flavour. Delicious!

Tasting Notes - Voice of the Vine Riesling 2006

If you are not a fan of the weightier, tangy Claire Valley Rieslings this cool climate Riesling should appeal to you. It has a mineral and floral aroma, it is light and fresh with lively, racy acidity plenty of flavour from the slate / mineral spectrum through to a long lemony finish (without any bitterness) Would be fantastic with Oysters.

New Releases - Early October Pt.3

Chardonnay
Elgee Park 2005 $29 (Mornington Peninsula)
Morgan Simpson 2004 $15 (McLaren Vale)
Narkoojee Lily Grace 2005 $21 (Gippsland)

Dessert & Fortified
Bullers Botrytis Semillon 2006 $16 (Rutherglen)

Italian Varietals
Boggy Creek Sangiovese 2006 $18 (King Valley)

Pinot Noir
38 South 2005 $20 (Mornington Peninsula)
Baillieu Vineyard 2005 $16 (Mornington Peninsula)
Bress 2006 $19 (Yarra Valley)
Montalto Pinot Noir 2006 $36 (Mornington Peninsula)
Mount Difficulty 2006 $52 (Central Otago)

Riesling
Castle Rock Riesling 2003 $23 (Great Southern)
Crawford River 2006 $33 (Henty)
Georg Breuer GB Sauvage 2005 $29 (Germany)
George Breuer Rudesheim Estate 2005 $33 (Germany)
Gunderloch Jean Baptiste 2005 $28 (Germany)

Rhone Valley Varietals
Maxime Graillot GSM 2006 'Equinoxe' $33 (Rhone Valley)
Scorpiiion GSM 2006 $22 (Barossa Valley)

Rose
Charles Melton 2007 $21 (Barossa Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Bird in Hand 2006 $21 (Adelaide Hills)
Huia 2007 $24 (Marlborough)
Te Mania 2006 $20 (Nelson)

Semillon
Ashbrook Estate Semillon 2006 $21 (Margaret River)
Grove Estate 2007 $17 (Hilltops)
Kaesler Old Vine 2005 $18 (Barossa Valley)

Shiraz
38 South 2005 $25 (Heathcote)
Bullers Calliope 2004 $36 (Rutherglen)
Flynns MC Shiraz 2005 $30 (Heathcote)
Kaesler Stonehorse 2005 $31 (Barossa Valley)
Kay Brothers Hillside 2005 $41 (McLaren Vale)
Morgan Simpson 2005 $23 (McLaren Vale)
Scorpiiion 2005 $28 (Barossa Valley)
Winter Creek 2004 $29 (Barossa Valley)

Tasting Notes - Galli Estate Shiraz 2004 (Value Recommendation)

I love finding cheap and very decent booze. Although not stated on the label this wine is in fact sourced from estate vines planted in Heathcote in 1998. Remarkable pricing at first glance.

Medium blood red in colour with the faintest of lightening at the rim. Simple nose of sweetish red berries, nice zingy lift, violets, perhaps a touch of development. Sweet and simple to taste, reflects the nose. Ok plummy fruits and a bitter streak (rustic?) to finish. Ends a bit short but hard to complain at the price.

Tasting Notes - Soul Growers GSM 2005 (Recommended)

Full bodied style with excellent balance. Ripe, a touch spirity, but well within the bounds of acceptability. Genuine fruit balance between the grenache, shiraz and mourvedre (tought 1.3rd each). Clean fruits, excellent mouthfeel, very complete.

Tasting Notes - Ad Hoc Riesling 2006

This riesling, sourced from Mt Barker fruit, is probably the pick of the current Ad Hoc releases. Nose is very pretty with lifted and perfumed sweet talcum powder. Very upfront, perhaps indicating some bottle development over and above a typical 2yr old riesling (particularly from this region). A pink tinge in the faint gold colour also indicates some development (at least to me). Flavours don't really kick on as expected; subdued dry fruits and the fainest of kero hints. Smells great but the flavours are confused; certainly not primary in nature and instead look aged, but this is a one year old?

Tasting Notes - Ad Hoc Chardonnay 2005

Sourced from Pemberton fruit. Simple ripe style with nice sweet malo notes that are lightly worked. A powerful core of sweet fruit drives the flavours early but the wine falls away in 'the second half' as the fruit gets flabby and falls away. A shame - it promised much early.

Tasting Notes - Ad Hoc Shiraz 2005

Dead simple nose with plenty of sweet red berries and oak. Kinda dumb but has obvious (& immediate) appeal. Drys out in the palate. No sweet fruity character, as expected, instead faint pepper and drying oak. Palate is actually very disappointing given the lack of any typical fruit character. Perhaps early days for the wine but if this appears to be pitched at every day drinking and thus does miss the mark.

Tasting Notes - Ad Hoc Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Our first look at Ex-Houghton's maker Larry Cherubino's new venture. Sourced from Margaret River fruit.

Very, very pale gold in colour; very youthful. Settled nose; some obvious tropical fruits but well matched to a zingy citrus note. Citrus pops up early in the palate but gives way to more mellow liquered fruits. Certainly undertstated but has some class.

Tasting Notes - Scorpiiian Shiraz 2005

Attractive nose of plummy fruits and sweet toasty oak. Good presence. Very similar flavours in the mouth - oak is quite noticeable but I can't really fault and the palate has good length. Perhaps a touch one-dimensional but I suspect the fruit will come good in time.

Tasting Notes - Underground Chardonnay 2006

Dead simple style. Sweet, cheapish fruits; simple pineapple and not much else. Little to zero oak impact. Pretty hard to get interested here.

Tasting Notes - Underground Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay 2006

Unusual blend in the current market that doesn't really serve a strong commercial purpose. Harmless dry white style with decent melon and citrus flavours. Quite interesting for the style. Will trade at around $12 some probably worth a look as a mid-week quaffer.

Tasting Notes - Minot Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Recommended)

Classical style that will live a long time. Plenty of text book blackberry and pencil shavings on the nose, not quite fruity but certainly has good lift. Palate is seriously and firmly structured with bright fruits early before a wall of furry tannin and darker and bitter fruits. Old fashion style that holds quite a bit of appeal because the wine has not been tarted up at all, instead classic varietal flavours and structure are on display. Hard to love right now but I'd love to see it in a decade.

Tasting Notes - Karra Yerta Riesling 2006

The 2005 was an excellent wine so I was looking forward to the follow-up. Youthful pale gold, perhaps just the fainest touch of a richer yellow coming through. Nose certainly a bit more advanced that expected; well defined lemon, very settled, but also a mild honey hint. The latter character gives the development hint. The aromas are almost old-fashioned in some respects. Palate is ripe with more lemon and honey. Flavours are quite assertive and the palate depth is much greater that the aromas implied. Finish tightens with harder mineral notes, chalky almost, and a vein of acid kicks in late. Won't disappoint at the price ($20).

New Releases - Early October Pt.2

Italian Varietals
Grove Estate Reserve Nebbiolo 2006 $30 (Hilltops)
Pizzini Barbera 2005 $36 (King Valley)

Other Reds
Rhona Valley Pinot Meunier 2005 $22 (Mornington Peninsula)
Some Young Punks Nebbiolo Shiraz 2006 $20 (Barossa & Clare Valley)

Pinot Noir
Muddy Water 2005 $49 (Central Otago)
Rhona Valley Pinot Noir 2005 $22 (Mornington Peninsula)
Two Paddocks Picnic 2005 $29 (Central Otago)

Rhone Valley Varietals
Galli Estate Viognier 2006 $20 (Sunbury)
Deisen Grenache 2006 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Deisen Mataro 2005 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Glaymond Landrace GSM 2005 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Teusner Joshua GSM 2006 $25 (Barossa Valley)

Shiraz
Galli Estate Shiraz 2004 $10 (Sunbury)
Galli estate Shiraz Viognier 2006 $15 (Sunbury)
Grove Estate Shiraz Viognier 2006 $37 (Hilltops)
Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock 2006 $69 (Heathcote)
Jeanneret 2004 $20 (Clare Valley)
Glaymond The Distance Shiraz 2005 $34 (Barossa Valley)
Teusner Albert 2005 $43 (Barossa Valley)
Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger 2005 $30 (Eden Valley)

Tempranillo
El Coto De Rioja Reserva ('Coto de Imaz') 2001 $29

Tasting Notes - The Wanderer Shiraz 2006 (Recommended)

How good is this wine?

Ripe Yarra Valley shiraz that nimbly threads the fine line b/w cool climate and super friendly ripe shiraz. Medium blood red in colour, looks about right for the region. Nose is lively, zingy, with some nice minerally lift along with sweet generic red berries. Flavours are ripe, but not overly so, and the fruit positively dances across the tongue. More plush sweet berry fruit drives the palate early before some mild tannin and aniseed kick in late. A safe buy at ~$32.

Tasting Notes - McLarens on the Lake Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Recommended)

I understand that this label is in fact the entry level for Serafino. And if indeed this is the case then this wine is quite a stunner in the sub $13 market. Ripe aromas, very balanced and complete, with hints of berry fruit and licorice. Absolutely more of the same to taste with truckloads and well balanced fruits, sympathetic tannins and a soft finish. The cool berry fruits and licorice is a real highlight.

New Releases - Early October

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Mike Press Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $13 (Adelaide Hills)
Windance Cabernet Merlot 2005 $20 (Margaret River)

Chardonnay
Ashbrook Estate 2005 $26 (Margaret River)
Savaterre 2005 $66 (Beechworth)

Pinot Grigio /Gris
Astrolabe Pinot Gris 2007 $25 (Marlborough)

Pinot Noir
Bass Phillip Estate 2005 $66 (Gippsland)
Bellbrae Pinot Noir Longboard 2005 $21 (Geelong)
Derwent Estate 2006 $24 (Tasmania)
St Regis Wild Reserve 2006 $29 (Geleong)

Other Reds
Centennial Vineyards Tempranillo 2006 $16 (Souther Highlands)
Sorrenberg Gamay 2006 $35 (Beechworth)
Trevor Jones Tempranillo 2005 $17 (Barossa Valley)

Riesling
Mesh 2007 $26 (Eden Valley)
Radford Dale 2006 $20 (Eden Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Cullen Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Mangan Vineyard 2007 $32 (Margaret River)
Mansion House Bay 2006 $16 (Marlborough)
Mike Press 2007 $12 (Adelaide Hills)
Sabotage 2006 $21 (Mornington Peninsula)
Seresin Momo 2007 $20 (Marlborough)

Semillon
Thomas Braemore 2007 $23 (Hunter Valley)

Shiraz
Cooper Burns 2005 $27 (Barossa Valley)
Linke 2005 $24 (Barossa Valley)
Mike Press 2006 $11 (Adelaide Hills)
Trevor Jones (Kellermeister) Black Sash 2004 $33 (Barossa Valley)
Wild Duck Creek Estate Yellow Hammer Hill Shiraz 2004 $24 (Heathcote)

Spanish Wines
Romate Fino 'Marismeno' NV $29
Romate Pedro Ximenez 'Cardenal Cisneros' NV $48
Romate Amontillado 'NPU' NV $37
Romate Olorosa 'Don Jose' NV $34

Tasting Notes - D'Angelo Lady Chardonnay 2004 (Recommended)

Sourced from estate vineyards located in Officer / Gippsland. Middle of the road style but done well. Sweet varietal fruits with a hint of match stick and oak. Elegant in the mouth, again showing nice ripe fruits (melon) although the oak is tough to pick. Very pleasant, friendly style.

Tasting Notes - Glaymond Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Yeah I know...probably not meant to champion the cause of Barossa Valley cabernet (hardly classical and all that) but this effort had a certain friendly appeal that I couldn't quite ignore. Densely coloured, almost black with some blood red lightening at the rim. Ripeness is very evident in the aromas with rich berries and aniseed. Mouthfeel is very rich and thick, more ripe aniseed, some plums and tannin to finish. Some shiraz-like notes but that's ok. Just a bit too over-the-top for my tastes but no doubt this has plenty of appeal.

New Releases - Late September

Cabernet
Chalk Hill The Procrastinator Cabernet Franc 2007 $16 (McLaren Vale)
Windance Cabernet Merlot 2005 $20 (Margaret River)

Chardonnay
Hoddles Creek 2006 $18 (Yarra Valley)
Manna Gum 2005 $16 (Mornington Peninsula)
Milkwood 2003 $16 (Central Victoria & Yarra Valley)

Dessert Wines & Fortifieds
Lillypilly Estate Noble Blend (80% Sauvignon Blanc) 2002 $37 (Griffith)

Merlot
Banks Road 2003 $21 (Bendigo)
Cannibal Creek 2005 $29 (Gippsland)

Pinot Noir
Barringwood Park 2006 $31 (Tasmania)
Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 2006 $18 (Yarra Valley)
Rex Hill 2005 $46 (Oregon, USA)
William Downie 2006 $44 (Yarra Valley)
William Downie 2006 $44 (Mornington Peninsula)

Riesling
Hutton Vale 2006 $25 (Eden Valley)
Kanta 2006 $25 (Adelaide Hills)

Rose
Scorpiion 2006 $14 (Barossa Valley)

Sangiovese
Chalk Hill 2006 $19 (McLaren Vale)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Cullen Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 'Mangan Vineyard' 2007 $32 (Margaret River)
Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $21 (Margaret River)
Edwards Semillon Sauvignon Blacn 2007 $21 (Margaret River)
Mike Press 2007 $12 (Adelaide Hills)

Shiraz
Mike Press 2006 $12 (Adelaide Hills)
Munari Lady's Pass Shiraz $45 (Heathcote)
Some Young Punks Cabernet Shiraz 'Passion Has Red Lips' 2006 $20 (Clare Valley)

Other Reds
Centennial Vineyards Woodside Tempranillo 2006 $16 (Southern Highlands)
Kalleske Clarry's Red Grenache Shiraz 2006 $19 (Barossa Valley)
Ross Estate Tempranillo 2006 $16 (Barossa Valley)
Some Young Punks Dolcetto Cabernet 'The Fire In Her Eyes' 2006 $20 (Clare Valley)

Other Whites
Tim Smith Viognier 2007 $26 (Adelaide Hills)

Tasting Notes - Brief Chardy Notes from Lunch

Ok, a couple of very brief thoughts on a couple of decent chards................

Tyrells Vat 47 2004 (Recommended)
A brief stray into large producer world. Elegant, very balanced, touches of daggy old worldy chardonnay fruit. Low oak impact. Lacks obvious excitement but is classically built and will go another 3 years with ease.

William Fevre Petit Chablis 2005 (Recommended)
If this is representative of budget chablis then show me where to sign up for the fan club. Tight, youthful style. Flavours mostly in the citrus camp; settled lemon, surprisingly weighty, and plenty of drive right through the palate. Daggy old fruits and wood work really well. Ripe year perhaps.

Tasting Notes - Montalto Pennon Hill Chardonnay 2005

A second label of sorts for well regarded chardonnay marker Montalto. At first glance this wine came across as a real tart - big lifted ripe fruits, some oak, grilled nuts, a sweet kick on the finish. However some appeal was lost over time as the flavour profile got progressively simple (er more simple I mean!) and I sense the wine structure didn't really hold up to the initial rush of heady tastes. Still, nice enough.

Tasting Notes - Sabotage Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Recommended)

These guys are building a good track record for worked savvy on the Peninsula and I think the 2006 is another good example. Very euro nose with slightly stinky fruits and old daggy wood, and perhaps just the faintest hint of tropical fruits (pineapple). Palate shows heaps of seriousness with dry fruits, minerals, good acidity, more old oaky notes. I may well have picked this as a Sancerre or perhaps a low level petit Chablis. Full marks to local winemakers for trying a style that will have its challenges from a pure retail aspect. Top stuff.

Tasting Notes - Latitude Pinot Gris 2006

Fruit for this wine is sourced from selected sites around New Zealand's South Island. A sunshine yellow colour, the aroma is somewhat closed with a little tropical fruit coming through. The palate is quite mouth filling and viscous to the extent the wine has a cloying feel to it. A sugary, sweet palate of melon and mango fruit with a bitter grapefruit finish and an astringent aftertaste. A touch of sweetness can be pleasing in a pinot gris but too much and the wine becomes sickly and flabby especially with the lack of acidity to balance it out.

Tasting Notes - Latitude Merlot 2004 (Recommended)

There is no jaminess or sweet fruit in this merlot. It is a much more serious, food wine. Port red in colour, stewed summer berry aroma with a hint of licorice. Medium to full bodied with sour cherry and raspberry flavours balanced with savoury chewing tobacco and fine dusty tannins. A quirky Merlot, worth a look at and would compliment a lamb dish perfectly.

Tasting Notes - The Growers Verdelho 2004

This wine just didn't stack up for me, yellow with a lime green hue, a smokey, hay and wood chip aroma led onto a bitter palate, light in body with racy acidity, the new french oak influence masked any fruit and left a slightly unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth. Perhaps this kind of wine just isn't my thing as it has won a number of medals at reputable wine shows but in my view any oak influence in a wine should be integrated and in balance with the fruit character and in this wine the oak was completely overpowering.

Tasting Notes - Paracombe Pinot Gris 2007 (Recommended)

Transparent with a tinge of salmon pink this wine has the best of both wine styles made from this grape; it has the rich palate depth and slight oiliness of a pinot gris but the light, crisp acidity of a pinot grigio. Fresh powder puff aroma with flavours of soft apple and pear with a light cinnamon spice on the finish. Dry, flavoursome and refreshing. Recommended

Tastings Notes - Minot Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007 (Recommended)

I've never had a bad SSB from these guys over the past 3 years and the 2007 is bang on target. Very appealing nose of forward and ripe grassy fruits with a strong tropical underlay. Not unlike a ripe Kiwi in this respect although less overtly herbal. Seeming not a heap of semillon fruit on the bouquet. Palate continues in this vein; ripe, a touch tangy, a clear citrus streak keeps things tight, and rolls up nicely into a long finish. I can't believe we can 'import' the wine into Vic and still only charge $15.

New Releases - Punch Close Planted Pinot Noir 2005

There were around 100 cases of this wine produced and Cloudwine has managed to snap up a few cases for our customers. Punch is the new winery from James and Clare Lance. They began leasing Lance’s Vineyard and Winery at Yarra Valley, from David and Catherine Lance (of Diamond Valley fame). The resultant fruit will be shared between the new label Punch, and Diamond Valley White Label. As you can see, the results so far have been extraordinary. This wine is available at $80 per bottle and orders will be delivered over the next 2 weeks.

James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion - 97pts
"Slightly denser colour and more purple than the standard Pinot; flows and fills the mouth with perfect varietal character; has an extra dimension of structure. Screwcap. Rating 97 Drinking to 2017."

New Releases - Mid September

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Serafino Goose Island Cabernet Merlot 2004 $14 (McLaren Vale)
Wilson Vineyard Stonecraft Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $22 (Clare Valley)

Chardonnay
Cannibal Creek Hardiker 2005 $17 (Gippsland)
Leabrook Estate 2005 $29 (Adelaide Hills)
Woodlands Unwooded 2004 $21 (Margaret River)
Woodlands Chloe 2006 $50 (Margaret River)

Grenache & Blends
Kalleske Old Vine Grenache 2005 $48 (Barossa Valley)

Italian Reds
Crittenden Pinocchio Barbera 2005 $20 (King Valley)
Crittenden Pinocchio Sangiovese 2005 $20 (King Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Cannibal Creek 2007 $23 (Gippsland)
Leabrook Estate 2007 $22 (Adelaide Hills)

Shiraz & Blends
Aramis The Governor Shiraz 2004 $53 (McLaren Vale)
Glaetzer Amon Ra Shiraz 2006 $76 (Barossa Valley)
Glaetzer Anaperenna Shiraz Cabernet 2006 $47 (Barossa Valley)
Serafino Goose Island Shiraz 2005 $14 (McLaren Vale)
Tallis Shiraz Viognier 2004 $25 (Central Victoria)
Wedgetail Estate Single Vineyard 2005 $34 (Yarra Valley)
Witchmount Estate 2004 $23 (Sunbury)

Other Whites
Leabrook Estate Gewurtztraminer 2007 $25 (Adelaide Hills)

New Releases - Early September Part 2

Cabernet
Blackjack Cabernet Merlot 2005 $26 (Bendigo)

Chardonnay
Ross Estate 2005 $16 (Barossa Valley)

Dessert & Fortifieds
Keith Tulloch Botrytis Semillon 2005 $27 (Hunter Valley)

Italian Varietals
SC Pannell Nebbiolo 2005 $51 (McLaren Vale)

Pinot Grigio / Gris
Henley Hill Pinot Grigio 2007 $15 (Yarra Valley)

Pinot Noir
Dog Point 2005 $36 (Marlborough)
Rippon Vineyard 2005 $56 (Central Otago)

Riesling
Dr Loosen Urziger Wurtzgarten Auslese 2005 $38.00 (375ml) (Germany)
Ross Estate 2006 $16 (Barossa Valley)

Rose
Dominque Portet 2007 Fontaine $20 (Yarra Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Crowded House 2007 $19 (Marlborough)
Dog Point Section 94 2005 $29 (Marlborough)
Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $21 (Margaret River)
Henley Hill 2006 $15 (Yarra Valley)

Shiraz
Blackjack 2005 $36 (Bendigo)
Cigale 2005 $24 (Barossa Valley)
SC Pannell 2005 $63 (McLaren Vale)
SC Pannell Grenache Shiraz 2005 $51 (McLarern Vale)

Tasting Notes - Centennial Tempranillo 2006

Rich garnet red in colour, a sweet berry nose with a hint of confectionery. A medium to full palate weight with an array of flavours, from sweet, juicy ripe berries through to prune, raisiny notes, a touch of licorice and a savoury finish. This is thought provoking wine. - Recommended depending on retail price.

Tasting Notes - Barratt Sauvignon Blanc 2007

I was looking forward to tasting the 2007 vintage as the 2006 got such a good write up in Halliday's latest. Pale golden yellow, a sweet, tropical fruit and bubblegum aroma, very pronounced. Nice silky texture on the palate with quite intense apple and pineapple flavours. My initial impression was that of a bitter finish but I actually think it finished a bit hot from the 14.5 % alcohol which is just too high for this variety.

Imports - Domaine Henri Germain 2003 Meursault

Unfortunately good white burg don't come cheap but this is a pretty good example of a entry level Meursault, price notwithstanding!!

Importer Notes
"Clive Coates observes that Germain is always happy to let nature take its course. The Germain's are orientated towards natural viticulture and minimal intervention elevage, which explains the purity of the wines and their ability to age gracefully."

Price is $82 per bottle.

Imports - Domaine Georges Vernay 2004 Cote Rotie 'Blonde Du Seigneur'

Probably the best French wine we currently stock.

Vernay is best known as a viognier / Condrieu specialist but they release some very handy reds as well from 3 hectares in Cote Rotie and 1.5 hectares in Saint Joseph.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90pts
"Floral, peppery aromas of raspberry and wild strawberry perked up by a zesty mineral tone. Elegant flavours of sweet red berries, apricot and subtle smoked meat are supported by silky tannins. Finishes racy, sweet and long. This is from the lieu-dit Lancement and includes 8% viognier."

Price is $101 per bottle.

Tasting Notes - Barringwood Park Pinot Noir 2006

This wine won the Trophy for best Pinot Noir at the Australian Boutique Wine Awards 2007 so my expectations on tasting were substantially increased! Dark Raspberry red, a lifted aroma of aniseed and Kirsch with a touch of pinewood. A silky smooth palate with dense, mouth filling flavours of raspberry and black cherry with a spicy finish, a lick of tannin suggests longevity. I can see why this Pinot would stick out amongst others at a wine show as it is packed full of flavour.

Tasting Notes - Ross Estate Sparkling Chardonnay / Pinot Noir (Recommended)

Unlike so many Aussie sparklers - this wine doesn't taste like cheap Champagne and it doesn't rip the roof of your mouth with harsh acidity and it has no astringent, unpleasant aftertaste. So for me it is a definite stand out. Golden yellow colour with fine, very persistent bead, aromas reminiscent of fresh bread and Summer meadows. The mousse was a little bit lacking but the rich flavours of peach, nectarine and walnut combined with a fresh crispness makes for balanced wine with a lingering soft finish which is extremely pleasing. With this wine there is depth of flavour and good structure that is subtle and refreshing. - Recommended

Tasting Notes - Montalto Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006

Very pale and youthful in appearance with a weak pale straw colour. I love the aromas; masses of herbaceous grassy, tangy semillon mated with an underlay of tropical sauvignon blanc. Very Margaret River - nice. It's a shame the flavours don't deliver - the dustry herbal notes are there but very faint and somewhat dilutive. Finish is dry, almost to the point of being tart. Buggar! This could have been a cracker.

Tastings Notes - Underground Rose 2006

Another non-descript wine from this negociant house. Can't pick the grape input; thick palate; relatively dry early but then gets progressively thicker. Unfortunately tough vintages cough up plenty of crap rose as producers are desparate to get a product into the market place and this may be one such example.

Cloudwine Imports Portfolio

Most of our customer's would be well aware that we largely focus on domestic producers together with a hand picked selection of kiwis. However a good portion of the customer base already has a strong interest in European wines and we figured we might dip the toe into this market.

Don't get us wrong, we would never profess to have the knowledge of this segment that perhaps Prince Wine Store (gasp!) or Ultimo does but nevertheless we deal with a number of importers that can be relied upon to consistently deliver high quality wines AND good value for money (yep - even in the Australian market context).

I suspect the portfolio will never exceed 100 wines but rest assured all bottles will show plenty of character at a very fair price. Our founding portfolio can be viewed below.....

France - Champagne
- Alfred Gratien NV Brut $70

- Drappier NV Carte 'd Or 375ml / 750ml $31 / $58

- Egly Ouriet Grand Cru Blanc De Noirs NV $186

- Gosset Brut Excellence Nv $59

- Jacquesson Cuvee No.731 NV $73

- Larmandier Bernier Brut Traditional Premier Cru NV $82

- Larmandier Bernier Brut Blanc De Blancs Premier Cru NV $67

France - Burgundy
- Domaine Bernard Defaix Chardonnay Chablis AC 2005 $30
- Domaine Paul Pillot Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc 2005 $29
- Leroy 1999 Bourgogne Pinot Noir $57
- Verget & Domaine Guffens-Heynen 2005 Marcon Villages Chardonnay $30

France - Other Regions
- Chateau de Mattes Sabran Shiraz Grenache 2004 $23 (Corbieres, Midi)
- Domaine Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Shiraz Viognier 2004 $101 (Rhone Valley)
- Tardieu Laurent 2003 Costieres de Nimes Shiraz $29 (Costieres du Gard, Languedoc)
- Tardieu Laurent 2005 Cotes Du Rhone GSM 'Les Becs Fins' $25 (Rhone Valley)

Germany
- Donnhoff Riesling 2003 $27 (Nahe)
- Georg Bruer Riesling 'Sauvage' 2003 $25 (Rheingau)
- Von Buhl Estate Riesling QbA dry 2005 $20 (Pfalz)

Italy
- Cecchi Di Teuzzo Chianti Classico 2004 $34 (Tuscany)
- Conte Loredan Gasparini Prosecco NV Colli Asolani DOC $24 (Veneto)
- Farnese Montepulciano Opis 2000 $38 (Abruzzo)

Spain
- Bodegas Breton Lorinon Rioja Tinto Crianza 2003 $23 (Rioja)
- Bodegas Valdeorra Godello 'Val de Sil' 2003 $28 (Valdeorras)
- El Coto De Rioja Crianza Tempranillo 2003 $23 (Rioja)
- Luque Amontillado $13 (Jerez)
- Luque Pedro Ximinez $13 (Jerez)

USA
- Rex Hill Pinot Noir 2005 $46 (Oregon)

New Releases - Early September

Chardonnay
Lindenton 2005 $11 (Heathcote)

Merlot
Fernfield Juuso 2004 $16 (Eden Valley)

Pinot Gris / Grigio / Italian Whites
Feathertop Pinot Gris 2007 $22 (Alpine Valley)
Yarra Loch Arneis 2006 $25 (Yarra Valley)

Pinot Noir
Golding 2002 $40 (Adelaide Hills)
Hillcrest Premium 2005 $50 (Yarra Valley)
Holm Oak 2006 $27 (Tasmania)
Mount Rosa 2004 $31 (Central Otago)
Three Wishes 2005 $35 (Tasmania)
Wignalls 2005 $32 (Great Southern)

Rhone Varietals
Longhop Old Vine Grenache 2006 $22 (Adelaide Plains)

Riesling
Holm Oak 2006 $22 (Tasmania)

Shiraz
Fernfield Eden Valley 2004 $16 (Eden Valley)
Hochkirch 2005 $37 (Henty)
Standish The Relic 2003 $93 (Barossa)

Other Red Blends
Pindarie Tempranillo Sangiovese Shiraz 2006 $19 (Barossa)

Tasting Notes - Ross Estate Lyndoch Cabernet 2004 (Recommended)

A good example of plush Barossa cabernet. 40% cab sav, 40% cab franc and 20% merlot. I would have picked this as merlot dominant given the soft plummy notes although the franc provides terrific lift on the nose. Fruits are simple; plums, juicy, fresh, but work so well. Some faint tingling acid provides good backbone and soft oak rounds out the palate.

Tasting Notes - Hackersley Verdelho 2005 (Recommended)

A big improvement on the 2004 vintage, the 2005 Hackersley Verdelho has a highly perfumed nose of musk, vanilla, apple and peach. The palate is slightly viscous, medium bodied and loaded with sweet tropical fruit balanced by a crisp, dry finish. A very pleasant quaffing wine with great depth of flavour for $16. Recommended.

Specials and Case Discounts - Late August

Sugarloaf Shiraz 2003 (4 gold medals)
Was $27, now $16. We bought the last 250 cases and 70% has already been sold in just 2 days. Needless to say be quick to avoid disappointment!!

The vineyard is located in Broadford (Goulburn Valley region) and the wine is made by Heathcote's Adrian Munari.

Tasting Notes - Scorpiiion GSM 2006 (Recommended)

These guys have been a real revalation of the past 18 months. The 2005 was a fantastic wine and I think the 2006 is a big step up. Back label indicates the Sons of Eden crew made this wine so it stands to reason that it's very decent.

Firm structure and serious fruits. Nose shows dark berries, prunes, and a hint of sweetness. High quality palate, again showing friendly pruney flavours early before being straightened up with bitter red fruits. Mild oak at best. Really good wine. Apparently sourced from a high quality old vine vineyard and it clearly shows here.

Tasting Notes - Tallis Rose 2006

Early picked shiraz style. Could be the product of a tough vintage, volume wise, given 2006 was hard work through much of Victoria. Very clean and clear medium cherry hue. Nose is simple; touches of sweet and light berry fruit. Palate is fairly pedestrian with simple red fruits and a minerally zingy edge. Not dry, but certainly not Turkey Flat full powered either. Not at all remarkable but not poor either.

New Releases - Late August Pt.3

Cabernet
Ferngrove Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $25 (Great Southern)

Chardonnay
Wantirna Estate 2005 $55 (Yarra Valley)

Merlot
Di Fabio 2000 $29 (McLaren Vale)

Other Reds
Ferngrove King Malbec 2005 $25 (Great Southern)

Riesling
Poonawatta The Eden 2006 $25 (Eden Valley)

Shiraz
Buckshot 2005 $28 (Heathcote)
Poonawatta The 1880 2005 $83 (Barossa Valley)
St John's Road Blood & Courage 2006 $19 (Barossa Valley)

Tasting Notes - Woongarra Park Shiraz 2004

The vineyard / winery is located in Narre Warren so technically this is a Gippsland wine but in reality shares more with the climate of the nearby Yarra Valley.

Medium bodied style and clearly appropriate for the region and climate. Aromas are distinctive with plenty of white pepper, red berries and what I read to be some charry oak. The pepper flows through the flavours, together with some lively minerally acids, mild gamey notes, and some underlying spice. Not a bad coolish climate take on the shiraz grape but doesn't quite grab me. Will be interesting to see the retail price.

Tasting Notes - Ross Estate Riesling 2006 (Recommended)

A standout of a recent trip to the Barossa recently was the quality of the 2006 Eden Valley rieslings. This wine, however, is valley floor material in Lyndoch. What it offers is good old fashion up front, drink now fruit and flavour. Surprisingly, we haven't really seen the glut hit riesling, so to be able to quaff very decent riesling at $16 is less than common.

Simple nose of citrus fruits and sweet lemon. Palate shows great balance between mild acid / tart fruits and soft lemon and sherbet characters. Really does show impeccable balance at the price point. Riesling from this area might be slighty daggy but I have a huge soft spot for them and wines like this prove my point.