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.

Tasting Notes - Rex Hill Pinot Noir 2005 (Recommended)

Region: Willamette
Sub-Region: Willamette Valley

I've only had a small handful of Oregon pinots and they have all been cracking wines. This 'entry' level pinot from Rex Hill is no acception. Deep ruby coloured, very clean and clear. Aromas are very attractive; cherries with a pongy tangy note (not crazy over the top sour style), heaps of depth and lift. Excellent.

Flavours don't let me down. Sour, frim fruits, a clear bitter edge, very linear, keeps the wine tight and focussed. A fraction hot on the finish but this doesn't detract at all. This wine may well provide a better option for new world pinot than the current crop of $50-somethings from Central Otago and the cheaper end of Martinborough.

Tasting Notes - Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 1999

Region: Burgundy
Appellation: Bourgogne Rouge

Ah Leroy. One of the great Burgundy producers (or so I am told). This wine was of particular interest for 3 reasons: (1) the Bourgogne AC is the region's most basic, (2) it's 8 years old and (3) it ain't cheap at $57 retail.

This is a very solid wine, not spectacular, but if this is the bottom of the pecking order for Leroy I'd love to try a premier or grand cru one day. Unique nose of perfumed, flowery cherry fruits. Aromas are very well structured and are very appealing. Palate does an about face on the nose; firm darker red fruits, plenty of typical minerally zingy acid, mineral and talcum powder flavours (a red coloured riesling perhaps?), wrapped up softly with the fainest of pongy edges. Unyielding in some respects given the lack of 'fruity' fruit but structurally it finishes long and doesn't look tied (to my tastes). Not a wine for the unsuspecting and to be fair doesn't really aspire to any value for the rank and file pinot drinker.

New Releases - Late August Pt.2

Pinot Noir
Barringwood Park 2005 $30 (Tasmania)
Brown Magpie Thompsons Creek 2004 $14 (Geelong)

Full and Plenty 2006 $25 (Yarra Valley)
Narkoojee 2006 $22 (Gippsland)
Silverwood Special Release 2005 $40 (Mornington Peninsula)

Wairau River Pinot Noir 2004 $29 (Marlborough)

Other Reds
Blackjack Chortles Edge Shiraz Cabernet 2005 $19 (Bendigo)

Groom Zinfandel 2006 $28 (Barossa Valley)

Other Whites

Seresin Gewurztraminer 2006 $36 (Marlborough)

Sauvignon Blanc

Bluestone Lane 2006 $15 (Mornington Peninsula)

Shiraz
Marius Simpatico 2005 $24 (McLaren Vale)

Marious Symphoney 2005 $33 (McLaren Vale)

Sparkling Red
Bundaleer Shiraz NV $16 (Flinders Ranges)

Tasting Notes - Lindenton Reserve Shiraz 2003 (Value Recommended)

Lindenton is essentially a one man negociant style operation based in Heathcote. All fruit is sourced from local growers to make a range of whites and reds. We have been selling the standard 2003 shiraz for the past couple of years for a mere $10 and whilst no world beater, a very good wine at the price.

The reserve steps up the fruit selection and oak quality. Rich ripe nose, piercing red berries and just a faint toasty oak hint. More robust palate structure than the nose suggests with more charry oak, berry fruits and tingly acid. The acid distracts the finish somewhat, leading to a slightly hard finish, but this wine will trade at around $13 so in this context a more than acceptable entry level Heathcote wine.

Tasting Notes - Underground Cabernet Merlot 2006

Label looks like a brand / negociant style operation which is actually based in the Mornington Peninsula. Could be a cleanskin by another name but the wines are well presented and this red drank ok.

Ripe nose of blackberry, confectionary-like, simple yet quite effective. Flavours are the same, at least early, but the palate loses it's way as the lolly-like fruit disappears very quickly to leave a flavourless hard edge. Quite a dramatic change actually. Pass.

New Releases - Late August

Cabernet
Balnaves The Blend Cabernet Merlot 2005 $20 (Coonawarra)
Chalk Hill The Procrastinator Cabernet Franc 2006 $14 (McLaren Vale)
Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $21 (McLaren Vale)
Langanook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $26 (Bendigo)
Norton Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $22 (Grampians)
Pondalowie Cabernet Malbec 2003 $29 (Bendigo)
Pondalowie Special Release Cabernet Sauvignon $29 (Bendigo)
Woodlands Cabernet Merlot 2006 $20 (Margaret River)

Pinot Noir
Bellbrae Addiscott 2005 $28 (Geelong)
Paringa Estate 2006 $62 (Mornington Peninsula)

Riesling
Forest Hill 2006 $19 (Great Southern)

Shiraz
Bellbrae Longboard 2005 $22 (Geelong)
Gomersal 2005 $18 (Barossa Valley)
Liebich The Darkie 2003 $37 (Barossa Valley)
Pondalowie Vineyards 2005 $24 (Bendigo)

Spanish Varietal Reds
Pondalowie Tempranillo MT 2006 $24 (Bendigo)

Sparkling Reds
Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon NV $29 (Coonawarra)

Tasting Notes - Peter Seppelt Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Not to be confused with the Seppelts brand, the Seppelt family has been making wines from their base in Springton for some time now. Springton is at the very south eastern end of Eden Valley. New labels for 2004 onwards by the look of things.

I can't quite work this wine out. I'd like to say it's gamey, savoury (in the best cool climate traditions) but instead I think some slightly unripe flavours win out in the end. No green notes on the nose, rather some oaky character. Some ok stinky notes too. Palate is tight with zingy acid, some pepper and spice, but hangs together in a slightly hard fashion. Unforgiving is another way of looking at it. Needs more sweeter fruit to really shine.

New Releases - Mid August

Cabernet
Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $25 (Margaret River)
Xabregas Cabernet Merlot 2005 $17 (Great Southern)

Grenache & Blends
Jeanneret Grenache Shiraz 2004 $17 (Clare Valley)

Merlot
Christmont 2004 $19 (King Valley)
Jeanneret 2005 $20 (Clare Valley)

Pinot Noir
Milkwood 2004 $20 (Yarra Valley)
Principia 2005 $29 (Mornington Peninsula)
Scorpo 2005 $36 (Mornington Peninsula)
Wignalls 2005 (Great Southern)

Red Blends
Creed The Pretty Miss Shiraz Viognier Cab Franc 2004 $15 (Barossa Valley)

Riesling
Jeanneret 2007 $18 (Clare Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc
Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $29 (Adelaide Hills)
Xabregas Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $12 (Great Southern)

Shiraz
Heartland Coast & Creek 2006 $16 (Langhorne Creek)
Koltz Dog Day 2006 $16 (McLaren Vale)
Wanted Man 2006 $30 (Heathcote)

White Blends
Wanted Man Marsanne Viognier 2006 (Heathcote)

Tasting Notes - Holly's Garden Pinot Gris 2007

There was a time when I thought this wine was arguably Australia's best gris / grigio effort, driven largely off the back of Neil Prentice's ability to craft an outrageously over-the-top style that crammed an incrediable amount of ripe fruit (and plenty of alcohol) into a bottle. Whilst that was true of the 2004 and 2005, the 2006 stepped back a gear and became a better balanced and elegant wine in the process.

The 2007, at least in this sitting, is tighter and leaner again, relatively speaking (ie more Italian or grigio in style) and in doing so has perhaps lost some (but not much) the immediate appeal of the super-ripe structure of previous years. Classic pale gold in colour with obvious rose-petal hues. Ripe nose, tangy, minerals, talcum powder. Palate was seemingly lean when the wine was chilled but progressively opened up as the temperature rose. Ripe, powerful drying musk fruits with some raspy acid to finish, but all a bit too one-dimensional as the fruit is quite straight forward and doesn't offer a lot of complexity.

New Releases - Early August

Cabernet
Fermoy Estate John Anderson Cabernet Merlot 2005 $14 (Margaret River)
Hutton Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $28 (Eden Valley)

Chardonnay
Principia 2005 $27 (Mornington Peninsula)
Wild Dog Chardonnay 2006 (Gippsland)

Grenache & Blends
Hutton Vale GSM 2004 $26 (Eden Valley)

Pinot Noir
Bream Creek Pinot Noir 2004 $27 (Tasmania)
Bream Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2005 $37 (Tasmania)
Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg 2006 (Central Otago)
Silverwood Special Release 2005 (Mornington Peninsula)

Sauvignon Blanc & Related
Tassell Park Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $22 (Margaret River)

Shiraz
Brini Estate Limited Release 2004 $49 (McLaren Vale)
Brini Estate Blewitt Springs 2004 $18 (McLaren Vale)
Molly Dooker The Boxer Shiraz 2006 $24 (McLaren Vale)
Turner's Crossing Shiraz Viognier 2005 $22 (Bendigo)

Tasting Notes - Tallis Viognier 2005

Not bad for a cheapy viognier (well, under $20 qualifies as cheap for the variety). Ripe nose with musk and apricots, perhaps a touch hot. Thickish palate with more musk, tropical fruits, ripe apricots and a nice but weird pongy note. medium length finish. Quite simple but effective, but just not quite my bag.

Tasting Notes - Penfolds Bin 389 1996

Tasted August 2007 (Recommended)
I have been quite disappointed with this wine, generally, but on this sitting some promise was definately shown. Still quite robust in structure and on this factor alone would have at least 5 years ahead of it. Nose is mature with 'broken down' red berries, old oak and stinky fruits. Palate similar, although some grainy tannin is present, as is the presence of heat / acid that disjoints the flavours (a trait consistent with previous notes). Notwithstanding, this is starting to look pretty good.

Tasted December 2006
Looking better integrated than 14 months ago but still doesn't impress. Dull blood red with some lightening at the rim. Deep, powerful berry fruits show good penetration and strong vapours. More dark fruits to taste, quite primary but probably fading. Style quite tannic and powerfully structured, and possibly disjointed. Still not convinced that this wine is worth the hype.

Tasted September 2005
Dark blood red, quite youthful for a 9 year old. Ripe nose, reasonable lift, but no clear defining fruit character. Palate is a bit hard to read; not obviously fruity or oaky, seems quite tight for a 1996 with some tannin and what seems to be quite tingly acid. Structually sound but tight, hard for the fruit to push through. Not sure what furter cellaring will do but I've got 7 to go so will make for an interesting experiment over the next 7 - 10 years. To be honest this bottle didn't live up to the hype.

Tasting Notes - Serafino Sorrento Cab Sav Cab Franc Merlot 2004 (Recommended)

A hugely rated 'value wine' in the 2008 Halliday guide. Silky smooth palate with classic herbal cabernet and medium weight cassis flavours. Low tannin impact and oak is held well in check, although the latter has a noticable presence. You could do a fair bit worse at the price of $15.

Tasting Notes - Epsilom Coal Sack Shiraz 2006

Made by the very capable folk from Massena, possibly the Barossa's best producer of sub $40 reds. Aromatic nose of plums with a confectionary edge. Quite zingy. Sweet uncomplicated fruits upfront, underpinned by a darker berry component. Medium length and strength finish. Not a mindblower but ok value at $20.

Tasting Notes - Creed The Pretty Miss Shiraz Cab Franc Viognier 2004

Unusual blend with the cab franc component. Aromas don't really get me off to a good start; burnt rubber smells being quite dominant. Wine redeems itself on the palate with sweet floral berry notes - the impact of the cab franc perhaps? Hints of burnt rubber lurk but for most part doesn't detract. A pleasant drop but not really distinguished, but saying that worth a look given the unorthodox blend.

Tasting Notes - Wignalls Pinot Noir 2005 (Recommended)

Haven't seen these dudes in a while. Richly scented nose; earthy, dusty rhubarb, maybe even a touch of olive and salt. Quite similar to taste (very actually) and a great palate structure - very broad flavours hit all corners of the mouth. Really impressive, albeit fully priced for the region at ~$32.

Tasting Notes - Enfield Pinot Noir 2005

Although made under the Enfield label this wine is in fact a Kellybrook, a veteren of the Yarra Valley. Lightish blood red, maybe raspberry. Strawberry notes early but a dustry, dirty fruit note is also evident. Palate is a bit tough to read. Not obviously fruity, rather subdued minerals (I mean this in the nicest possible way), good acid presence, and quite good length. European style in some respects and somewhat unusally for a YV offering.

Tasting Notes - Seresin Gewurztraminer 2006 (Recommended)

Another very fine example of Kiwi gewurzt. Drank over 2 nights, this wine showed a heap of varietal definition, powerful musky sweet fruits, and a classic thick and long palate structure. Shows a hint of serious with a firm and bitter finish, which does a great job of preventing the wine from showing any flabby edges. I though the wine showed some oak notes on the nose on the second night but this only added to the complexity. Realy very good and yet again demonstrates how far Australia is behind NZ on this variety. Minor quibble on the price (mid $30s) but it is of very good quality.