2018 Resolution Vineyard Pinot Noir

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Tony Peters

Boy and girl go to a vineyard in 2011.

Boy and girl love the pinot noir and the views from the vineyard.

Boy and girl decide to get married at said vineyard in 2012.

Boy and girl help out at said vineyard.

Same boy and girl purchase said vineyard in 2017.

The story is not necessarily that simple but, if we are talking “long story short”, this is taking that theory to the enth degree.  The ‘said’ vineyard is of course, Resolution Vineyard, situated about 70 kilometres south of Hobart producing only Pinot Noir.  It’s an idyllic location.  I have been a fan of the wines before the boy, Daniel, and the girl, Caroline (Lamont), purchased the vineyard.  With the very talented Alain Rousseau (of Frogmore Creek) making the wine, it has been a consistent, top quality, pinot noir for as long as I can remember (I think my first try of the wines was the 2010 vintage).

Terrific varietal aromas of dark cherries and savoury characteristics.  That may be brief and sound a little simple but buy a bottle, pour a glass and dive your nose in. You’ll see what I mean.

Taste it and you are greeted with richness, juiciness and plenty of flavour. Those dark cherries appear here too, black currants stride alongside, some mid palate plumminess and svelte tannins lead into a long lingering finish.  This is comes across as a ‘proud as a peacock’ pinot noir, poncing around showing off its delicate finery and beauty…and so it should.  It deserves the attention.

Resolution Vineyard Website

Region: Middleton, Tasmania     Price: $30 (purchase via email: contact@resolutionvineyard.com.au)     Source: Cellar door purchase…sort of.

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2018 Atze’s Corner Wild Rose Vermentino

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Tony Peters

I read an article recently (this one) that suggested Vermentino could be the “next big thing in Australian wine”.  Well, I can understand that.  I’ve tried a few and I don’t mind admitting to being a bit of a fan.  It’s pretty easy to like.  This Barossa Valley version helps shore up this headline.

Just like the rosé the bottle is a pretty good looking thing and will attract attention on bottle shop shelves.

The nose is definitely dominated by fresh citrus notes that gives a first up impression of having quite a skip in its step and that is exactly what you’ll find when tasting it.  Plenty of zippy citrus characters here too with mainly lemons/limes for me,  green apple seems to poke its nose in and a deft touch of texture as it sails into a nice dry grapefruit acidity type finish.  It’s pretty damn nice I gotta say.

Atzes Corner Website

Region: Barossa Valley, SA     Price: $25 (bargain)     Source: Sample thanks to Atze’s Corner & Wine Marketing Hub

2018 Atzes Vermentino

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2010 Clemens Hill Fumé Blanc

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Tony Peters

You read right.  Nine year old Tasmanian Fumé Blanc that belies its age.  I’ve always been a fan of this Clemens Hill style of wine but it has always been the current release that I’ve had the pleasure of trying (or should I have said drinking?).  I was stoked to be gifted this to try from Rob Ware of Clemens Hill.

Still quite youthful in appearance, starting off with a green, but not an under-ripe character, with more of a herbal note.  A touch of citrus, a hint of peaches, nice texture, and sits on the palate very nicely too, and the oak has integrated beautifully.  There is a hint of acid still present on the moderate to good length finish which rounds out a very impressive wine.

This may not be available now but I can certainly recommend the current release (check it out here).

Clemens Hill Website

Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania     Price: N/A     Source: Gift

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2017 Yalumba ‘Samuel’s Collection’ Barossa Shiraz

Posted on April 2, 2019 by Tony Peters

Everyone would know, or heard of, Albert Einstein’s famous equation E = mc2  Well, here’s an equation that would mean a lot more, and is much easier to understand, to many Australian wine drinkers.  Yalumba + Barossa + shiraz = quality drinking.

When you realise the Barossa Valley was founded around 1837, the first shiraz vines planted in the Barossa in 1847 and Yalumba was founded around 1849, there is plenty of history, pedigree and reputation going into quality wines like this, and it does not disappoint.

From top to tail, it is all about the fruit with this wine, but the deep, dark colour is where it all starts.  Dark fruits dominate the nose, absolutely no doubt about that, and it smells delicious!

The palate is the place where the fruit really shines.  Blackberries and black cherries are the stars, blueberries are in support and a hint of licorice shows its hand.  The tannins are soft and smooth, almost reluctant to make an appearance for no other reason than to allow this wine to be what I think it was made to be.  A delicate, very well made, approachable style of Barossa shiraz.

Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Wines

Region: Barossa Valley, SA     Price: $28     Source: A generous friend

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2018 Atze’s Corner ‘Wild Rose’ Rosé

Posted on March 31, 2019 by Tony Peters

It’s less than a week since I last drank a rosé and the quality I’ve been seeing is outstanding.  I can definitely understand why it has made a huge comeback in the wine world.  Winemakers are taking the style very seriously and it has become a very important part of a winery’s portfolio, bottleshop shelves, restaurant wine lists and in people’s fridges!  Keep the Rosé ball rolling…please.

What a delightful rosé.  My wife and I not only loved the bottle but also the attractive colour of the wine through the glass.  Grenache dominant (50%) with some Graciano (25%) and Mataro (25%) making up the remainder.  It has fresh and inviting red fruit aromas, that I must say, you could take in for quite some time (and I may have).

The palate is really quite lush for a rosé.  Plenty of flavour, plenty of character and plenty to like.  Fruit-full for sure, with strawberries the main player for me and my wife (who straight away said strawberries and cream), red cherries have a say and just a hint of delicate spice.   Smooth, soft, textural (thanks to some barrel fermentation) and good palate weight too.  This is a very moreish rosé it must be said.  The best bit of all for us, it  finishes dry; just how we like it.  Give me more please!

Atze’s Corner Website

Region: Barossa Valley, SA     Price: $25     Source: Sample thanks to Atze’s & Wine Marketing Hub

Atzes Corner Rose

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2018 Huntington Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Tony Peters

Chardonnay is not just a white wine.  I mean, it is a white wine but it’s a deserved white wine.  By deserved, I mean treated how it deserves to be treated.  I’m talking the right weather, proper glassware and the appropriate food.  That was all a little bit convoluted but you know what I mean…I hope.

Restrained nose tells me it’s a stubborn thing.  Either that or it’s guile in nature and prefers to give nothing away until it’s ready.  The aroma issue was but a distant memory after I tasted it.

Fresh, generous and textural with peaches, melons, cashew nuts and it’s creamy and buttery to boot.   The acidity is a bit obvious and tends to dominate the finish at this stage of its life but this only tells me it needs time.  This is ticking along pretty well at the moment albeit slowly and is going to be a gem with some years behind it.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $27 (Great value)     Source: Sample thanks to Huntington Estate and Define Wine

2018-Huntington Estate Barrel Fermented Chard

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2018 De Iuliis Rosé

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Tony Peters

Gone are the days when Rosé sat forever and a day on the bottle shop shelf and there may have been one, possibly two, in the fridge.  From conversations with a few bottle shop managers I know, things have certainly changed.  The response now is “I can’t keep up with sales!”

Smells fresh, delightful and inviting like a red berry basket full of fun (if you know what I mean).  The palate is no different, but with added texture, a deft hint of spice, a smooth effortless finish, and you have something bloody delicious to drink.  It was only in our fridge for about two hours and I think it liked this treatment.  Temperaturely massaged to bring out its best.  Yeah, that about sums it up really.

Here in Tassie, you’re not likely to see this one in a bottle shop in your local neighbourhood.  May I suggest you talk to your friends and family, get together and buy some of this wine off the website.  It’s bound to sell out regardless of whether it’s Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter.

De Iuliis Website

Region: Broke, NSW    Price: $20     Source: Generous gift thanks to Mike De Iuliis

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2017 Hastwell & Lightfoot Montepulciano

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Tony Peters

When I was trying this wine, I got to thinking.  Back in the mid 1800’s when vines were starting to be planted in Mclaren Vale, I wonder if John Reynell and/or Thomas Hardy ever thought to plant Montepulciano vines?  I could be wrong but from what I’ve read, when it came to red varieties, it was mainly Shiraz, Cabernet and Grenache that filled the vineyards.  About 100 years after Messers Reynell and Hardy did their bit for the region, Italian immigrants realised varieties from their homeland would thrive in the Mediterranean climate of the ‘Vale’.  After tasting this Italian varietal, I think we have a lot to thank them for.

Beautiful deep dark colour.  Lots of dark fruits on the nose but elements of red fruits, like cranberries or raspberries, that act like a balance buddy when it comes to the aromas.  I love this wine already just on how it looks and smells!

My taste buds relished the opportunity to be used and abused when it came to trying this wine.  Slightly sour dark cherries aplenty, blackcurrants and blueberries have a say, licorice adds to the mix, and dark chocolate (my favourite) completes the nice flavour package of this wine.

There is some acid on the finish and the tannins are a tad grippy, but the beautiful fruit carries both of theses with ease.  It’s rich in a ‘plenty of flavour’ way but medium bodied in a ‘crowd pleaser’ way.

Hastwell & Lightfoot Website (currently undergoing maintenance)

Region: McLaren Vale, SA     Price: $25     Source: Sample thanks to Hastwell & Lightfoot and Define Wine

 

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2017 Windowrie Family Reserve Chardonnay

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Tony Peters

Here we are half way through March and the weather is still being very kind to us.  Even here in Hobart we are having glorious sunny days and warm evenings, extending the use of our outdoor dining area into the Autumn months.  Not that this scenario deters me from opening a bottle of red wine but it tends to have me reaching for a good bottle of white wine in the first instance.  In this situation, Chardonnay tends to be the ‘go to’ for us and it’s always great to be introduced to one from a region I didn’t know had Chardonnay vines.  That shows my ignorance a little, because from what I’ve read, it is their most famous variety.  I hang my head in shame as I type this.

In case you were wondering, grape vines were planted in the Cowra district in the early 1970’s with Chardonnay being the main variety.  The Windowrie family have been putting one into bottle for nearly 30 years and, if this one is anything to go by, I hope there isn’t a 30 year gap before I get to try another one of theirs!

Now, I’m going to go out on a limb a little here; not so far that the limb breaks and I suffer the consequences by saying this, but if I was served this blind, on first taste I wouldn’t have picked this as a Chardonnay.  The reason being, it has a lovely citrus dominant nose although has a touch of peach in there too (which is a good indicator it is a Chardy, I know).  I was immediately hooked.  My palate certainly welcomed the mouth watering lemon and stone-fruit characters it presented.  A smooth, creamy texture provided some good palate weight as it eased its way to a persistent, dry finish.  There’s a delicate touch of acid that suggests it won’t hurt to let it cellar for a little while either.  This is a very well made, nicely balanced Chardonnay that I could drink a lot of…easily!

Windowrie Wines Website

Region: Cowra, NSW     Price: $35     Source: Sample thanks to Windowrie & Define Wine

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Clemens Hill Vineyard & Wines

Posted on March 17, 2019 by Tony Peters

My wife and I are ‘view’ people.  By that I mean we like a view of most things, whether it be the ocean, rivers, mountains, valleys or vineyards.  Speaking of views, valleys and vineyards, you need to make an appointment (by clicking here) and visit Clemens Hill vineyard in the picturesque Coal River Valley, about a 20 minute drive east of Hobart.

They don’t have an actual cellar door, but they have a lovely courtyard, a terrace area and an amazing room where you’ll not only get to experience some of the best views in the valley, but also a more personal tasting of their award winning wines.  As you drive up to the home of owners Rob Ware and Maria D’Ettorre, past the vineyards to your right, you’ll see the valley open up and welcome you to all its majesty.

The north-east facing vineyard at the property was established over twenty years ago, plus the Tashinga Vineyard at Mt Rumney, produce exceptional fruit which is evident in the resultant wines.  I read on their website where the wines are made to express the ‘place’ ahead of the desire to win awards.  Now, when you see the amount of medals and awards the wines have won, it speaks very highly of  ‘place’.

My wife and I have visited on two occasions, both as part of the Southern and Eastern Vineyards Open Weekend.  Rob and Maria have been most welcoming and not because they have to be, it’s just how they are.  Down to earth, affable, genuine and generous people.  Their wines have two of these traits;  genuine and generous.  You can read about the 2013 Pinot Chardonnay bubbles here, the 2013 Aurelia Chardonnay here, the 2015 777 Clone Pinot Noir here, and the 2015 Old Clones Pinot Noir here.  Let me tell you about some of the others.

The 2016 fume blanc is lovely and rich with citrus characters, plenty of flavour and very good length.  The 2018 Riesling (new addition and loved this) smells divine with some floral notes and definite lemon/lime influence, but it shines on the palate where it’s vibrant, fresh and citrusy with a perfect soft acid finish.  The 2018 Rosé (another new addition) has a great cherry and strawberry nose and palate with a hint of spice and a nice dry finish.  Lastly, the 2016 Pinot Noir had a lot to live up to after the multi awarded 2015.  Bright crimson in colour, quite perfumed and aromatic red cherries and a bit of spice leads to a light to medium bodied fruity and savoury palate, gentle tannins and pretty good length.

To use a Molly Meldrum cliche, do yourself a favour.  Make an appointment to visit Clemens Hill and try their wines.  I guarantee you won’t leave empty handed.

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Clemens Hill Website

Region: Coal Valley, Tasmania     Price: Wines range from $20-$55

Posted in Cellar Door, Chardonnay, Other Whites, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sparkling Wine | Leave a comment