Words from a Wine Glass

Everyone knows the members of the Beatles.  Well certainly everyone from my era.  How many of you know they all had solo careers?  Yep, even the little drummer boy Ringo.  Even though they branched out on their own, they never got back together to produce that magic again.

How many of you know the general make up of the troupe, the Bordeaux Blends?  Not as many I suspect.  Front and centre is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc with back up support from Malbec and Petit Verdot.  All of these have been given the opportunity to try their luck on their own, some more successful than others, but know they will always reunite on a stage again somewhere.

Cabernet Franc is one of the members that I rarely see performing solo (unless I’m not looking in the right places).  I can’t remember how many straight Cabernet Francs I’ve tasted and I was surprised how many Australian producers have one in their team.

After the obligatory greetings it’s down to business with this wine.  Not that it’s a stuffy suit and tie kind of thing, it just doesn’t like to waste time.  That’s quite obvious from the start because the colour (inky), the aromas (dark fruits) and the flavours (plums, blackberries, slight fennel) are bolt upright, methodical and a well presented lineup.

This one is a thumper of a version that needs red meat and it got it!

1847wines.com

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $35     Source: Sample

I tried the 2016 vintage of this wine recently and it was wine that intrigued me so much I had to check out this one.  For me, it was a year older and a year wiser.  Take from that what you will, but my advice, if you get the chance to try the two of them together, do so.  It’s a bit like meeting two brothers.  As much as you like them both, there is one who has that extra appeal.

It’s a terrific colour.  So attractive. The funkiness is there on the nose but this seems more clean…bit like the palate too.

On the palate there is plenty to stimulate the senses.  Pears soaked and poached in Pinot Noir.  That’s what sprung to mind.  Textured and layered too with stone fruit-like characteristics, it seems to constantly present something to your taste buds.  It’s like Siamese twins of pinot noir and pinot gris doing the waltz with a Chardonnay partner as it dances around your taste buds.  It’s not showing off.  It is just showcasing its talent and sophistication.  I liked the routine a lot.

domainedawnelle.com

Region: Southern Tasmania     Price: $60     Source: Sample (photo is of the current release 2016)

You may have noticed that we here in the Peters household have been indulging in a few Rosé wines of late.  And why wouldn’t we?!  There are so many quality versions out there and with the weather so summer-sational of late,  it just needs to be done.

The quality of the Rosés continue for us with this snappy and surprising one from Pig in the House.

Let me clarify the word ‘surprising’.  The colour did not present particularly well for me.  I thought, light in colour, light in flavour, light in interest.  When I smelt it, tasted it and shared it, it was like it slapped me across the cheeks in disgust…and rightly so.  It deserved to be treated with respect.

It’s all about the lovely fruit here.  Even on the nose it comes up smiling strawberries and nice ripe watermelon.  Similar when tasting it too, and even though it’s Sangiovese dominant, there is almost a ‘Pinot Noir Rosé’ cherry spiciness to it that adds a pretty cool savoury dimension.  Some of it was fermented in old oak barrels which adds a nice bit of texture and interest but I reckon the fruit has performed pretty well regardless of these ‘co-habitants’ of the wine.

A delicious wine that is very easy to drink whenever you feel like it.  With food, with friends, with family, with fun.  It’s that versatile really.

piginthehouse.com.au

Region: Cowra, NSW     Price: $25     Source: Sample courtesy of Define Wine

Recently I was lucky enough to steward at a capital city wine show.  I was blown away by the amount of Rosés entered.  If my memory serves me correctly there were 75 wines.  Think of a red grape variety and it was probably right there, as a Rosé.  The quality was such that there was consideration given to having a Rosé trophy!

This one wasn’t one of the wines in the line-up but I can say for certain, it would’ve matched it with the best of them.

Made up of Pinot Noir and Merlot grapes from Woodside in the Adelaide Hills picked specifically for this wine and, as Michael Sexton put it, “not just bled off from a bigger ferment”.

It has some lovely aromatics which seem to me to be influenced by the Pinot.  Strawberries play the main role here.  On the palate is where it impressed the crowd I served it up to.  Everyone commented on the freshness and full flavour it had.  Strawberries again but lovely and juicy and plump and delicious.  The is a nice texture to it as well thanks to some time on lees which may explain how nicely it fills out the palate (Merlot doing it’s bit I’d say and doing it very well).  The finish is dry and perfectly balanced.  Just how we like them in our home.  Great stuff!!

mainandcherry.com.au

Region: Adelaide Hills, SA     Price: $25     Source: Online Purchase