2021 Huntington Estate Grenache

Posted on July 7, 2022 by Tony Peters

It’s pretty rare for me not to order an entrée when we go out for dinner.  It kicks off the taste buds in preparation for the main meal.  I try to be good and pick something light knowing the next dish will usually, but not always, be bigger (of course) and richer with sauces and condiments.

I have to confess, I chose this wine to drink before I opened a ‘bigger’ wine to have with dinner.  Yes, it’s lighter than your normal style of Grenache (if there is such a thing) but, let me tell you, it got the wine juices flowing.  I wouldn’t dare call it an entrée style wine.  It is so much better than that.

It’s very pretty and bright in the glass. Youthfulness is definitely shining through aromatically where it’s all fresh red fruits and, I sense, with a dash of fun in there too. Tasting it is all about freshness on the palate too with bright and ripe red berry fruits playing a major role, a red cherry influence and a nice touch of spiciness adding to its palate appeal. It’s a wine that is very easy to like and deserves much more respect than I initially gave it.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $32     Source: Sample thanks to Huntington Estate

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2016 Moorilla Estate Cloth Label White

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Tony Peters

Rainbows have been fairly common in my part of the world.  Just enough rain as the sun shines through a gap in the clouds to produce an arc of bright colours, none of which are as clearly defined as when drawn by a child.  The arc stopping in mid-air, not completing the semi-circle shape we have become so familiar with, preventing the prospect of finding that pot of gold at the end.

This wine is (usually) a blend of varieties that form a rainbow of aromas, flavours, characters and complexities.  There’s an abundance of flavour thanks to peaches, pears and apricots providing the main colours to the rainbow of flavour while a deft touch of citrus fruit like acidity give structure to the arc.  Additions of texture and presence, elegance and length, complete this very interesting, funky and thought-provoking wine.  There may not be a pot at the end of this rainbow but there is definitely ‘gold’ in the glass.

Moorilla Website

Region: Tasmania     Price: $75     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Moorilla Estate

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2018 Matthew Atallah Wines Block a2 Chardonnay

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Tony Peters

Over the last two or so years I’ve been really getting into new grape varieties, regions and producers.  Thanks to some associations/contacts I’ve made, one of the best ‘finds’ for me has been the Orange region of New South Wales. Gee I’ve had some good wines from there and here’s another one, but this time, it’s from another new producer coupled with a favourite variety of mine. 

What a marvellous introduction to this producer.  It reeks of ‘quality everything’ on the nose and palate.  Things get rolling with an immediate aromatic impact on the senses. This continues on the palate where there’s great fruit intensity, subtle texture, a delicate creaminess with fine yet vivacious acidity.  There’s a lovely feel to this wine too which persists to the eminently long finish.  A classy, cool climate Chardonnay.

Atallah Wines Website

Region: Orange, NSW Price: $60 Source: Swap

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2021 Yalumba Y Series Viognier and Riesling

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Tony Peters

I remember the times when visiting a cellar door to try wines and the person behind the counter would start with, “…our entry level wines.”  I have to say, I am not a fan of the words ‘entry level’.  It seems so, I don’t know, derogatory, for want of a better word.  I was saying recently to a wine loving mate of mine that, thankfully, it has been a very long time since I have heard the term used.  These days, wineries are giving all their wines an identity which I applaud.  Take these wines for instance.  Most punters know this particular range of Yalumba wines as the ‘Y’ Series, full stop.

These are two of my all-time favourite wines from the range.  Ones that I purchase regularly.  They consistently offer incredible value for money. 

Yalumba Website

Region: Various, Australia     Price: $15 (regularly discounted)     Source: Retail Purchase

2021 Viognier

Utterly varietal on the nose.  Tropical fruit aromas, a little floral and that pollen/honey blossom like character too.  The palate is fresh with the distinct apricot characters, a little addition of peachy notes, it’s textural with a lovely mouth-feel and just a hint of acidity giving some extra character on the finish.

2021 Riesling

It offers plenty of lemony and limey characters, as you’d expect. However, the difference is, considering it can be found regularly at around $10, you get more than you would regularly expect.  It’s fun and refreshing with great palate presence and a nice little pinch of acid on the finish.  It’s such that, it is so reliable, if it was found in the dictionary, the definition would be, ‘fall back, Riesling’, which it is for me.

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2017 Levantine Hill Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Tony Peters

You can’t have lamb and not have Cabernet Sauvignon as the wine of choice.  They go together, as Forest Gump famously said, “…like peas and carrots” (He meant this in a good way).  Any of the Bordeaux blends too, of course, but that’s where I draw the line.  When lamb shanks are served up for dinner, choosing the right Cabernet, for us anyway, was a no brainer.  This excellent one, from a superb Yarra Valley vintage, was an easy pick.

Berry basket of goodness on the nose with just a hint of leafiness.  The palate is rich with blackcurrant and ripe blueberries, texture, just above medium bodied yet elegant and soft, and there’s a little stemminess to it as well.  There’s no beg-your-pardon on the finish either as it sticks to the taste buds, so the enjoyment lasts and lasts.  It seemed to get better too the longer it was open. A gem.

Levantine Hill has moved on to the 2018 vintage, and I’m sure it will be just as good, but there is still some of this available out there in retail land. It will be well worth the search.

Levantine Hill Website

Region: Yarra Valley, Vic     Price: $80     Source: Online purchase (of sorts)

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Domaine A and Moorilla Pinot Noir Releases

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Tony Peters

When I decided to sit down and have a look at these wines, I said to myself, “I’m going to check out the three pinots.”  I had a little chuckle to myself because it sounded like a movie title, you know, like the Three Amigos or the Three Musketeers (there were actually four, that’s always baffled me).  I envisage these three fine examples of Pinot Noir turning up to a dinner party that was floundering with wine choices, or a food/wine match that was sadly lacking.  Glasses, seemingly appearing from nowhere, being filled with the delights from the bottles bringing relief and pleasure to those imbibing in the feast.  Let’s see what each of these Three Pinots bring to the party.

Moorilla Website

Source: Samples thanks kindly to Domaine A and Moorilla

2019 Moorilla Praxis Pinot Noir

Three words: freshness, flavour and fun(k).  But that’s not all.  Hanging off these words is vibrancy, juiciness, personality and moreishness.  There’s nothing trying to be hidden with this wine from go to woh.  Everything is up-front without being in your face.  You know what you’re getting from the first smell and the first taste, seemingly dragging you into its bright and cheery world and you’re more than happy to stay there. Price: $33

2017 Moorilla Muse Pinot Noir

Two words for this one: Oh yeah!  Nothing is missing from this wine.  It’s brash while having finesse, it’s bold yet maintains elegance.  Plenty of dark fruit flavour on offer (while still sitting beautifully in the Pinot Noir world), a sprinkle of spice, juicy plum palate presence and lovely length.  And all of this seems to be on repeat as it keeps coming back to tantalise your taste buds.  It’s classy and mighty impressive. Price: $56

2016 Domaine A Pinot Noir

I only need one word: terrific! Alluringly aromatic, there’s plenty to like just from what wafts from the glass after pouring it!  The palate is rich, generous, balanced, velvety and long.  The abundant flavours of ripe cherries and dark berries seem to spread across the palate at a snail’s pace and are in no rush to leave. There’s also a delicate savouriness in support and the tannins aren’t shy either…in a good way.  A Pinot with poise, presence and persistence. As I said earlier, terrific! Price: $85

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2021 Serere Wines Whitlands Chardonnay

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Tony Peters

Your face is capable of so many different expressions.  In any one day, I reckon we must show so many emotions and feelings through facial expressions thanks, or not, to what we experience.  It could be something we see, are told, touch, smell or taste.  And when one, or more, of our senses is stimulated, people can generally pick our feelings about something by the raising or furrowing of our eyebrows, the screwing up of your nose or that face-filling smile.  If anyone was watching me as I tasted this chardonnay, they would know I was feeling pretty bloody good about it.

Aromatically, this wine stimulates the senses immediately with its youthful vivaciousness. It’s citrussy, minerally and a touch spicy on the nose, and it warrants some serious attention here.  The palate is quite rich yet so so elegant. The usual stone-fruit suspects to the fore, a creamy macadamia nut textural feel to it, lovely mouth-watering acidity and it lingers beautifully.  Nicely done, again, (winemaker) Joe Warren.

Serere Wines Website

Region: Whitlands, Victoria     Price: $45     Source: Online purchase (of sorts)

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Grey Sands Pinot Blanc and Blanc de Noir

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Tony Peters

If you haven’t already done so, do yourself a favour and look up at the sky at night?  So many stars!  Some brighter than others, of course, but all shine and contribute to the wonder that is the Milky Way.  In the galaxy of wine producing stars in Tasmania, some stand out more than others for various reasons, but they all shine equally in Tasmania’s vinous constellation.

True vinous astronomers don’t look for the biggest or brightest.  They seek out the hidden stars, like Grey Sands, who may not shine the brightest but is a star in the Tasmania Wine Galaxy.

2018 Pinot Blanc

The nose is fresh, clean, slightly floral and a little citrus like.  The palate is the same but includes flavours of juicy peaches and pears, there’s texture and elegance, zippy acidity and finishing dry with medium persistence.  This has a lovely mouthfeel to it and seemed to open up more the longer it sat in the glass.  It was an easy decision to indulge in a follow up glass, just to check my notes of course. 😊

2019 Blanc de Noir

It’s hard to describe, but the colour is quite alluring.  It’s quite rich and complex aromatically.  The palate is the place for me though, where the complexity ramps up a notch or two.  Bordering on full bodied and youthful, all sorts of flavours and characteristics poke the palate into life.  Fruitful, thanks to ripe red fruits and cherries, and a pear flesh/juiciness character coming together nicely.  Texture and gentle acidity join the ride to the lengthy dry finish.  This is a lovely wine that just seemed to intrigue me more and more after every taste.

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

Grey Sands Website

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2019 Domaine A Lady A Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Tony Peters

The sea water in Tassie is freezing.  There’s no escaping or denying that.  As a kid, I’d watch as other people would walk slowly into the water so they could get used to it before going for a swim.  Me, I would run and dive in to get it over with because, once you got past that stage, it was so cool and refreshing on a hot Tassie day (yes, we do get those down here).

I’ve learnt to do the same when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc.  No point in procrastinating, no point in easing my way into it, just get in and try it.  With the pedigree and reputation this wine has, those thoughts shouldn’t enter my head in the first place.

Went it comes to this wine, it is more about complexity than freshness.  It shows typical Sauvignon Blanc characters, each in small quantities, such as; grassy notes, snow peas, and asparagus but also stone-fruits and a hint of citrus too.  The palate has flavour richness, elegance, balance and terrific length.  There’s some lovely texture too with delicate acidity playing the perfect supporting role.  With time, it seemed to flesh out and develop even more delicate yet intense richness of flavour and, sat longer on the palate too. 

This is not the first Sauvignon Blanc I have tried but, from memory, it is certainly up there as one of the best I have tried.

Domaine A Website

Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania     Price: $66     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Domaine A

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2019 Mapleton Vineyard Riesling

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Tony Peters

Gospel music. Admittedly not my go to music genre. However, you can’t but appreciate how the whole church congregation gets involved, and it is easy to understand why. The songs are usually catchy, so upbeat and lively, and of course, involves plenty of religious words like, ‘God’, ‘Jesus’ and ‘Hallelujah’.  Those in the choir are usually very good singers too, which helps.  If you are in the congregation and not a good singer, it’s okay, nobody will notice.

The first time I tasted this wine I was with a small group of Riesling loving friends.  I’d like to tell you that we all broke out in song about it, but that was never going to happen.  We did, however, sing its praises with statements that included, “god this is good” and “Jesus!” (with an excited inflection). The second time I tried it, very recently in fact, it was served to me blind, and my thoughts remain the same. This time I will say though is, thank God for Riesling!! 

Please, let me to you about this wine. The citrus aromas are lively, fresh, and juicy.  This continues on to the lovely limey palate, with a touch of lemon and green apple like crispness, and lots of flavour while maintaining poise.  There’s some soft citrusy yet mouth-watering acidity and, to cap things off, it finishes nice and dry with very good length.  Seeing as it is Easter, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jesus served this up at his last supper.

Mapleton Vineyard Riesling

Region: Coal River Valley, Tas Price: $35 Source: Tasting

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