2018 Levantine Hill Blanc de Blanc

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Tony Peters

On a recent podcast, I heard it said, “Wine for me is everything in one convenient glass.  It’s history, it’s conviviality, it’s chemistry, it’s art, it’s science, it’s ceremony, it’s spirituality…” 

Now, for me, I’d go as far as to say, wine for me is everything in one convenient BOTTLE especially when it comes to sparkling wine.  There seems to be an extra sense of celebration when the cork makes that ‘pop’ sound, glasses are presented and filled with the fluid of frivolity, then ‘clinked’ together by happy souls in a toast to someone, something, or anything for that matter. 

When I opened, poured, tasted and drank this Blanc de Blanc, I couldn’t help but notice just how fresh, bubbly, generous and full of character it is.  The wine itself boldly offers up a terrific palate presence and weight, with lemony and grapefruity like citrusy notes providing structure for it to live a little longer.  Add to that a lovely mouthfeel, a deft touch of sweetness and good, good length and you soon find yourself at the bottom of the glass with a mile wide smile on your face. Cheers!

Levantine Hill Website

Region: Yarra Valley, Vic     Price: $80     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Levantine Hill

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2018 Grey Sands Pinot Gris

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Tony Peters

I have to admit to being a little, no, a lot, excited about getting to try this wine.  It is an all-time favourite in our home and I am lucky enough to get to try it each year which, ultimately, leads to me buying some.  Oh well.  What do they say?  Life’s too short to drink bad wine, and, on this occasion, we are drinking very good wine.

This is everything I’ve come to expect from Grey Sands Pinot Gris and, maybe on this occasion, a little bit more.  The aromatic introduction is both rich and generous to the olfactory senses which leads into the usual lovely texture, coating the palate, that I’ve come to know and love. There is, as always, the intensity and depth of flavour yet, on top of that, there is a youthfulness like character to it that I can’t seem to put my finger on, but it sits ever presently on the long and fulsome finish. Another delightful release.

Grey Sands Website

Region: Glengarry, Tasmania     Price: $55     Source: Generous gift

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2022 Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a podcast recently where Adam Wadewitz was interviewed.  Right from the time he started his wine journey to landing at Shaw + Smith, it sounds like everything was a seamless, natural progression for him. When he talks about working at Shaw + Smith, he speaks of his team with such reverence.  What a hell of a humble human being! I have been fortunate enough to ‘work’ for Adam as a steward at wine shows in Tasmania. I can say he is an affable, congenial and approachable type and I never felt like ‘just a steward’. He made it a team environment where we all contributed to the best outcome for the show.

For me to request Sauvignon Blanc is, let’s say, rare, especially if there are other wines on offer.  However, I knew Adam had a hand in making this wine and knew it always sets the bar high when it comes to Australian Sav Blanc so, I was not hesitant at all to order a glass of this one and it did not disappoint.

Lemons, herbs and passionfruit on the nose get things started. On the palate the freshness is evident as it exudes tropical fruit-ness with citrusy characters coming through giving it balance and verve. There’s plenty of flavour on offer with this wine and it’s easy to see why it’s popular everywhere, every year with (just about) everyone. Nicely done again team Shaw + Smith and its captain, Adam. Cheers!

https://www.shawandsmith.com/product/2022-Shaw—Smith-Sauvignon-Blanc

Region: Adelaide Hills, SA Price: $25 Source: Interstate flight

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Clandestine Wines 2023 “Break Free” Red Wine Releases

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a podcast recently (of which I can’t remember the subject) that mentioned the 1960’s was all about conformity.  There were certain ‘norms’ that were followed and if you strayed from those ‘standards’ you were deemed a rebel and people would turn their noses up at you.  Now, to me, that sounds particularly boring.  I like a bit of history and I really enjoy looking at old photographs and the 1960’s is a decade that has always interested me.  I can remember seeing photographs from the late 1960’s of people dubbed as ‘hippies’ because of the way they dressed and behaved.  They were certainly not conforming with the ‘norm’ during this decade, and it formed part of a desire for equality and freedom of expressing oneself.

It made me wonder, when did it become ‘hip’ to make wine differently to the ‘norm’?  When ‘no fining or filtration’ became almost common place on a wine label along with terms such as ‘wild ferment’ and ‘carbonic maceration’ allowing wines to ‘express themselves.’  It may well be that these winemaking processes have been about for a while but undertaken in a clandestine way.  I don’t think it matters anyway because these Break Free wines show this winemaking approach at its very best.

Region: Western Australia     Price: $30 each     Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

2022 Break Free ‘Little Wing’ Shiraz Noir

Fresh, juicy, fruity and oh such a beauty! This Shiraz/Pinot Noir blend has plenty going for it.  The nose is a red berry barrage, of the delightful kind, which has you thinking that it would be exactly what it’s going to taste like.  And it is, but the flavours are taken up a notch while remaining a delicious, ‘fun’ style of red wine.  There’s darker fruit influence, there’s a touch of herbs, a smidge of spiciness and a whole bunch of pleasurable drinking in one bottle.

2021 Break Free Enfant De Lune Shiraz

Aromatically attractive, blackcurrants and plums shine on the nose.  A nice and juicy fruitful palate of black berries and currants, some plummy goodness, a hint of that cool climate like pepper character, finishing smooth and moreish, carrying the 14.5% alcohol easily.  This is another very good wine in the Break Free range and an excellent partner to the previous wine.  If I had to pick one over the other, I don’t reckon I could!  They both deserve a place on your wine rack, in your wine cellar or on your wine list. 

Posted in Red Blends, Shiraz | Leave a comment

Levantine Hill – A Complete Dining Experience

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Tony Peters

My wife and I very much enjoy celebrating milestones in our life together.  When it comes to celebrating anniversaries, we always celebrate them with something we both enjoy and, dare I say, it usually involves travel, food and wine…all together!

This year we celebrated 25 years of married bliss (my wife may think differently due to my wine ‘hobby’) and the planning of the way we intended celebrating this milestone commenced around October 2022.  Lunch at Levantine Hill was our choice, first and foremost.

The experience starts pretty much as soon as you sit down.  The cellar door and restaurant team clearly know what they are doing and do it so very well.  The menu options are clearly explained prompting involuntary smiles, wide eyes and eyebrow lifts.

To start, a plate appeared with Beluga caviar (pictured left) in the centre and decorated with an array of perfectly quenelled condiments, each of which paired deliciously with a topping of caviar, so much so that the saltiness of the caviar was barely noticeable.  The delightful Levantine Hill Estate Sparkling Rosé was the ideal wine match.

Because of the more than adequate serving of our first course, my wife and I opted for two main courses to share rather than the 5 or 6 degustation course options. A perfectly cooked Yarra Valley Gin pork belly with smoked date, Ras el hanout piccalilli ($49) and, the juicy and tender 120gm Sher Wagyu (9+ score) sirloin with local exotic mushrooms, burnt onion, pine needle, horseradish and bone marrow bordelaise ($99).

The pork belly (pictured right) and 2019 Estate Chardonnay were a match made in heaven while the 2017 Optume Cabernet, paired with the Sher Wagyu, is something everyone needs to experience.

We selected two of the desserts to finish off our lunch.  An amazing hazelnut semifreddo (pictured below) with baklava crisp, white chocolate, local strawberries and rosewater syrup ($25), and a delectable bittersweet chocolate tart with estate citrus gelato, blueberry honey and cocoa nib dukka ($26).

Now, this doesn’t sound like much food for two people but, it is.  The servings are perfectly proportioned and brought out at such intervals allowing plenty of ‘breathing space’ to prepare for each course.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the people who made our experience such a memorable one.  The hospitality team is so welcoming you don’t feel like just another diner. They are engaging without being intrusive, and are genuinely interested, and go all out to make the visit to the restaurant about you.

If the restaurant is not on your bucket list, your must-visit list, your to-do list, not-to-be-missed list or even your shopping list, put it on there immediately!

Virgina Woolf is quoted as saying, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Let’s just say, thanks to dining well at Levantine Hill, the rest came naturally.

Disclaimer: My wife and I dined with the compliments of Levantine Hill.

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2022 Clandestine Wines Pinot Grigio

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Tony Peters

I am never one to say “no” to Pinot Grigio. What so many knockers don’t realise is, there are quality ones out there just needing to be tried. There are always going to be Pinot Grigios that don’t float your boat, but nowadays, those sent out into the market are, on the whole, going to have what you are most likely looking for.  Plenty of flavour, refreshing, relaxing and easy to drink.  This one has each one of those characters in spades, and at a pretty good price too!

Varietally aromatic with pear characters on the nose and a slight herbal note.  Juicy pear characters continue in abundance on the palate where it shows good texture and a richness or depth-like feel to it while maintaining its Grigio persona.  There’s some citrus fruit influence providing a lovely touch of acidity giving it liveliness on the nice, long finish.  This is really good!

Region: Swan Valley, SA     Price: $25     Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

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2019 Nightfall Wines ‘Draco’ Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Tony Peters

The word ‘courage’ gets used these days mostly to describe somebody’s actions in a positive way where they have shown “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” (Merriam-Webster) but the original meaning was, “to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” 

The basis for the word ‘courage’ comes from ‘cor’, the latin word for ‘heart’.  Upon reading this, I couldn’t help but think that winemaker, Sam Brand, has shown courage by releasing a luxurious Coonawarra Cabernet at a high end price.  I also feel, after tasting this wine he has put his ‘cor’, his whole heart, into the crafting of this wine from the vineyard to the bottle. 

An intensely concentrated wine with immense appeal to three of the five senses.  Sight, smell and taste.  And during the exploration of this captivating wine, I couldn’t help but use these three senses over and over again, and in a different order each time.  A deep, dark, ‘primary’ purple colour in the glass that seems to expel the dark fruit aromas into the atmosphere for all to experience. The palate is a complex array of generous flavours that stimulate the taste receptors. Black fruits, dried herbs, a hint of mint, smooth quality dark chocolate, lovely integrated oak, smooth tannins and terrific length.

As much as this wine is named after the constellation, Draco, I can’t help but think ‘Cor Meum’ (‘My Heart’) would also have been appropriate as a testament to Sam’s dedication and commitment to showcasing the heart of Coonawarra and the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon to the wine loving world.

Website: nightfallwines.com.au

Region: Coonawarra, SA     Price: $250     Source: Thanks kindly to Sam Brand and Nightfall Wines

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2021 Grey Sands Rosé

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Tony Peters

Straight up, I have to say, when I saw the colour of this Rosé I thought, this is going to have some attitude.  I mean, it has a serious yet lovely, deep-ish copper colour (the photo doesn’t do it justice).  When I tasted it and discovered that, yes, there was intent, boldness, and body, it proved to be in the ‘good attitude’ realm thanks to an overarching freshness across the palate.  There’s generosity of flavour from a bundle of red berries, a nice soft spiciness and texture, and good ‘weight’ to it too while finishing long and dry.  This is not a ‘shrinking violet’ of a Rosé but it maintains its appeal as a refreshing, year-round, chillaxing style of wine.

Grey Sands Website

Region: Glengarry, Tasmania     Price: $45     Source: Generous gift

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2019 Nightfall Wines ‘The Balance’ Dry Red

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Tony Peters

Work life balance, a balanced diet, team balance, balance the books.  We tend to hear all about ‘balance’ these days and don’t get me wrong, it is an important aspect of our lives. For me, it is just as important when it comes to wine, and by that I don’t just mean balance between fruit and tannin and acid and all the technical things used to make wine. 

For example, when it comes to bringing particular varieties together with the intention of making red wine blend.  Each variety brings a different nuance to a wine, so they need to complement each other and to be able to get that ‘team balance’ if you like.  I think this is more of the type of ‘balance’ people need in their lives.

This has quite a pretty nose, a little perfumed, and red berries come through nicely indeed.  Plenty to like on the rich, fruitful palate.  Soft yet concentrated black fruit flavours are front and centre for me when tasting it and then other characters come in supporting this lovely fruit.  There’s a little herbal/leafy note, nicely played oak, and the tannins are nice and fine on the lengthy finish.  After tasting this wine, I think Sam Brand has got ‘The Balance’ just right. 

nightfallwines.com.au

Region: Coonawarra, SA     Price: $80     Source: Thanks kindly to Sam Brand and Nightfall Wines

Posted in Red Blends | Leave a comment

2022 Mayfield Vineyard White Wine Releases

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Tony Peters

“A bottle of wine begs to be shared: I have never met a miserly wine lover.” – Clifton Fadiman (American intellectual, author, editor, radio and television personality).

As much as Clifton Fadiman is not familiar to me, this quote sums up two things perfectly, relative to me.  Firstly, a bottle of wine should, where possible, be shared.  Secondly, and for fear of sounding conceited, I am not a miserly wine lover.  I have always enjoyed sharing wine, especially with those who appreciate it, even with those whose knowledge isn’t great but are keen to learn.

When these wines arrived and I tried them, I made my notes and realised there was still quite a bit in each of the bottles.  For those who don’t know, I live and work in a wine producing area of Tasmania.  I know a few of the producers and thought I would offer to share them with a winemaker and a viticulturist at one of the vineyards, not knowing if they had tried wines from Orange.  It was well worth it, and all three wines were well received.

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Mayfield Vineyard and Define Wine

2022 Backyard Riesling

This Riesling had me excited right from the moment the aromas lifted from the glass when I poured it!  And those aromas continued on the vibrant palate where it was limey and a little passion-fruity and a mouth-watering apple like acidity was beautifully balanced by nicely played residual sugar.  It had a really good ‘feel’ to it across the palate as well which had me smiling broadly as it lingered for some time after swallowing it.  A lovely Riesling indeed. Price: $34 (bargain!)

2022 Sophie’s Godmother Sauvignon Blanc

It takes a fair bit for a Sauvignon Blanc to get me interested and this one did after I’d taken in the aromas that were definitely varietal.  Green peas, asparagus and a little herbal note were present on the nose and continue on the fresh, flavoursome palate where they coalesce with tropical fruit notes, then a little texture and a citrusy hit on the finish for good measure.  All in all, it’s a pretty good wine that doesn’t let team Sauvignon Blanc down that’s for sure. Price: $28

2022 Eighteen Fifteen Chardonnay

The nose was a little shy to start with but soon opened up with a little coaxing after a good swirl in the glass. Good stonefruit characters coming through with a touch of oak too.  The palate has great balance of peach, melon and oatmeal like flavours with good citrus characters providing a lovely freshness.  Add to this some creamy, textural feels, pretty good length, and you have an impressive, young chardonnay. Price: $37

Posted in Chardonnay, Other Whites, Riesling | Leave a comment