Tasting Notes - Pierre Sparr "Reserve" Riesling 2003 (Recommended)

Not sure what makes this wine a 'reserve' but it's pretty decent. Medium gold hue, perhaps a touch lighter that the 5 years of age would suggest. Nose is soft but shows some class with elegant lemon with an underlay of a harder, almost bitter stonefruit edge. Light touch again in the mouth; not much in the way of obvious citrus, rather the darker, concentrated bitter fruits lurk, a nice character as it keeps the wine firm. Not hints of kero whatsoever.

New Releases - July

Albarino
Sam Miranda 2008 $22 (King Valley)

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Pizzini Il Barone Cabernet Blend 2003 $40 (King Valley)
Roy Kidman 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon $18 (Coonawarra)

Champagne
Henri Goutorbe 2001 Brut $80
Joseph Loriot Pagel 2002 $80

Chardonnay
Dawson's Patch Unwooded Chardonnay 2005 $17 (Yarra Valley)
Olivier Leflaive "Puligny Montrachet" 2005 $92 (France / Burgundy)

Dessert & Fortifieds
Liebich Frontignac NV $24 (Barossa Valley)

Merlot
Chateau Fonroque 2001 $66 (France, Bordeaux, St Emilion)

Nebbiolo
Pizzini 2003 $58 (King Valley)

Pinot Noir
Dog Point 2006 $39 (Marlborough)

Sauvignon Blanc
Deviation Road 2008 $20 (Adelaide Hills)
Limbic Wines 2007 $25 (Gippsland)

Shiraz & Blends
Coliban Valley 2006 $24 (Heathcote)
Pyren "Broken Quartz" 2005 $18 (Pyrenees)
Tom's Drop Shiraz Mourvedre 2005 $24 (Riverlands)

Port
Pfeiffer Wines "Christopher's" Vintage Port 2004 $27 (Rutherglen)

Tasting Notes - BlueStone Lane Pinot Noir 2006

I have a soft spot for these guys as they really do strive to make decent highly drinkable Peninsula wine for under $20. The 2006 started out in shaky fashion: hard edged with a cut of astringency and some ripe simple fruits. Did open up though, revealing softer sweet cherry fruits matched to some tart acid. Needs time perhaps, given the lick of acid doesn't make for the most pleasant of drinking right now. I'll keep the faith however.

Tasting Notes - Wilson Vineyard Riesling 2006 (Recommended)

Pretty good given the Clare was less than stella for the variety in 2006 (but then again Clare riesling is very consistent). Showing perhaps a touch more development than expected, with well defined citrus and lemon and some emerging honey. The latter is faint at this stage but will no doubt grow in prominence. Tart fruits and acid on the finish keeps things in shape for medium term cellaring.

Tasting Notes - Tardieu Laurent "Les Becs Fins" Cotes du Rhone Villages 2005

I've seen this wine show better 6 months ago but regardless at the price (A$25) it will throw a cat among the pidgeons in the Australian GSM market. Big fruited and ripe style although I think the fruit is starting to fade a touch. Darker grenache fruits, a slight pongy character, gravel-like (but soft) tannin and some obvious fruit cake flavours. The latter reminds me very much of zinfandel. Worth hanging onto for 2 - 3 years to let the secondary characters come through.

Tasting Notes - 2000 Di Giorgio Cabernet Sauvignon Francesco Reserve (Recommended)

Real surprise packet. Well fruited and quite aromatic. Lots of blackberry on the nose early. Palate shows a surprisingly amount of sweet fruit but it's done very smartly. Tangy and tingly with plenty of acid running through the palate. Herbal blackberry fruits to finish. Low oak. Really good wine.

Tasting Notes - Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Spatlese Trocken 2005 (Recommended)

Another very good base level German riesling from the 2005 vintage. Started out relatively simple with rich floral fruits but certainly transformed into a complex wine full of spicy minerals, river stones and smoke / flint. Good length and power throughout. You could drink this all day every day. I can still get my hands on this wine thus a couple of bottles will be going into the cellar. (132 views)

New Releases - June Pt.4

Albarino
Condes De Albarei 2006 $29 (Spain)

Chardonnay
Fermoy Estate "John Anderson" 2007 $14 (Margaret River)

Gewurztraminer
Magpie Estate "The Salvation" 2007 $19 (Barossa Valley)

Pinot Noir
Ashton Hills Vineyard "Piccadilly" 2007 $32 (Adelaide Hills)
Cobaw Ridge 2004 $35 (Macedon Ranges)
Stefano Lubiano "Sasso" 2005 $81 (Tasmania)
Ten Minutes by Tractor "10X" 2007 $33 (Mornington Peninsula)

Riesling
Muller Catoir Eiswein 2004 $170 (Germany)
Muller Catoir Rieslaner Auslese 2004 $69 (Germany)
Muller Catoir Spatlese 2006 $69 (Germany)
Muller Catoir Spatlese Trocken 2006 $79 (Germany)

Saperavi
Symphonia 2006 $23 (King Valley)

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends
Pierro Semillon Sauvignon "LTC" 2007 $29 (Margaret River)

Shiraz
Koltz "Wizard" Shiraz 2006 $38 (McLaren Vale)
Stefani Estate 2004 $33 (Heathcote)
Stefani Estate "Vino Rosso" Shiraz Pinot Noir 2006 $18 (Yarra Valley)
The Hedonist 2005 $30 (McLaren Vale)
The Story "Westgate" Shiraz 2006 $40 (Grampians)

Tempranillo
Sam Miranda "Symphonia Las Triadas" 2006 $21 (King Valley)
Sierra Cantabria "Condice" 2004 $20 (Spain)

Other Reds
Freemans Rondinella Corvina 2003 $34 (Hilltops)

Other Whites
Murray Darling Collection Fiano 2007 $19 (Murray River)