2015 Serafino McLaren Vale Shiraz

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Tony Peters

Let’s be honest.  Shiraz is common when it comes to wine in Australia.  Very common.  So much so, when I go into a bottle shop, I’m sometimes tempted to put on an Akubra style hat with corks from bottles of Chablis to stop shiraz getting in my face.  Okay, that might be stretching the truth a little bit.  I actually don’t mind shiraz in my face…I’d even bathe in it when it is this good!

It hits the ground running with the colour and aromas.  When it was poured, my mate could smell the ripe black fruits and he was a couple of metres away!  Just gorgeous.  It doesn’t lose its stride when you taste it either.  It’s the upper end of medium bodied, a plumminess seems to fill out the palate and the fruit is so good, the tannins jut get a look in sharing the last bit of attention with the oak.

One for the quaffers, collectors and everyone in between, you really need to, at the very least, try this wine.  Mark my words, you’ll be going back for more.

P.S. James Halliday liked it so much he included it in his 2017 Top 100, one of only 8 Shiraz that made the list.  Says a lot I reckon.

serafinowines.com.au

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $28 (bargain!)     Source: Friends

Serafino Shiraz

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2013 Thistledown The Basket Case Old Vine Shiraz

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Tony Peters

I went to a wine tasting recently.  I know, I know, so what’s new?  Well for me, it’s these guys and their wines.  Unfortunately I didn’t try them all (and what I tried was mighty impressive) but I’m so so glad I tried this one.

I’ve no idea how long the bottle had been open but boy did it have a great nose!  I’m not talking Klinger from M*A*S*H ‘nose’, I’m talking ‘dive your nose into a basket of fresh dark berries’ nose.  I reckon you could pour this in a vegemite jar (clean of course) and it would shine.  Love a good start to a new wine.

It’s all black fruits, a bit of aniseed, savoury, soft flowing tannins and good length…but…a good ‘but’ though.  Here’s the ‘but’ bit;  it comes across as a big wine yet, dare I say it, iron-ish fist in a velvet glove (cliché, sorry).

I remember trying a Cabernet and two of their shiraz.  Impressive.  This one is very well priced and I reckon if you are patient, it’ll sit quietly until it scratches at your cellar door to be  let out and opened.  It has that personality about it.

thistledownwines.com

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $43     Source: Tasting

Thistledown Shiraz

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2017 Lowe Wines ‘Jodie Wilbertree’ Sparkling Rosé

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Tony Peters

I’m not boasting when I say this.  I’m only saying it to make a point.  I’ve had quite a lot of sparkling rosé in my time and not one of them has tasted or presented like this one.

I reckon the ‘packaging’ is so cool and so attractive.  If this was in a fridge at my local bottle shop, it would sell out.  Absolutely no doubt whatsoever.

It’s pretty lively when you pour it, smell and taste it.  Plenty of fizz but it settles in very nicely after it tickles your nose hairs.  Then it spritzes all over your palate, deliberately too I reckon.  It’s crunchy apple, it’s mellow strawberry, it’s crisp acidity and full on refreshing.  This is your summertime ‘stinking hot weather’ salvation.  Please do not let my glass become empty.

lowewine.com.au

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $22     Source: Sample courtesy of Define Wine

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2017 Chateau Yaldara Pinot Gris

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Tony Peters

This variety is becoming popular.  Simple.  Some styles are simple. Expected.  Some styles are expected to be simple.  Not this one.

It didn’t get off to a good start I must say.  It seemed a bit, well, lazy.  Yeah, that seems the appropriate word.  I had to do a bit of work to lure some aromas from it but when I did it was quite aromatic and Gris specific.

No surprises when drinking this either.  Pears of course,  hint of spice a nice touch and dimension, and even though it sits at a very stylish 12% alcohol, there’s enough palate weight for it to sit proudly in the Gris spectrum even if it doesn’t give a normal Gris length.

This is a good wine and proved to be popular with our unexpected visitors the afternoon I opened it.  They, like me, were impressed and pleasantly surprised with the price too.

1847wines.com

Region: Adelaide Hills     Price: $22     Source: Sample courtesy of Chateau Yaldara

CY-Pinot-Gris-WEB

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2015 Tatachilla Sangiovese

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Tony Peters

Here’s an Aussie Sangio (that’s slang for Sangiovese just so you know) that sits pretty comfortably in its skin.

When my wife said she was going to build a bolognese, this just seemed the perfect ‘grab’.  Italian bolognese, Sangiovese wine.  They work well together, we work well together…and still do.  Perfetto!

I get frustrated when a wine is dubbed a ‘pizza’ wine.  I think we punters should be the judge of that especially when any wine could be a pizza wine.  This is so much better than that.

This is going to impress in a big way.  Freshness, juiciness and loads of appeal.  I’d give two thumbs up only I need one of them to help hold the glass.

Red fruits, bright fruits, juicy fruits and fun fruits.  Uncomplicated but uncompromising when it comes to flavour too.

The price is always going to be a cause for concern when it comes to quality versus dollars.  Breathe in, relax, breathe out, click, grab your wallet and proceed to checkout.

tatachilla.com.au

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $25     Source: Sample courtesy of Tatachilla

Tatachilla Sangiovese

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2015 Penley Estate Gryphon Red Blend

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Tony Peters

If you studied Greek mythology you would know what Gryphon is or means.  If you didn’t, you’re not alone.  I’m with you on that.

As it turns out it is a mythical creature made up of two not so mythical creatures.  Now, depending on which image you look at, the Gryphon can be both elegant and, dare I say it, an ugly looking beast.

Being only two years old, from Coonawarra, and a blend of varieties that tend to do well in that popular Aussie wine zone, you know it is always going to be a fresh, vibrant, fleshy, initially dark fruit forward wine.  Tannins stump up at the finish.  Maybe a little chalky/powdery but the fruit helped out here too.

There’s nothing mythical about this beautiful beast.  It’s genuine, it’s real and it’s easy to catch and keep.

penley.com.au

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $20     Source: Sample courtesy of Penley Estate

PenleyGryphon_product1

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2014 The Blok Estate Coonawarra Riesling

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Tony Peters

It’s no secret that Riesling is one of my favourite white wines.  Generally speaking, they are released pretty much the year they are grown, made and bottled.  Nothing wrong with that.  Who doesn’t like a fresh, spritely, limey, lemony youngster of a wine?  As much as I do, I also enjoy Riesling that has been given the opportunity to age.

I’m going to use the word, aromaticity.  I don’t know if that’s a word (the squiggly red line appeared underneath it so, not a good sign) but I think this wine has it.  Sitting on a nice citrusy base, texture filling out the middle, finishing off with a smooth acidic icing that allows you to have your ‘cellar it’ but also ‘drink it now’ Riesling ‘cake’.

blok.com.au

Region: Coonawarra, South Australia     Price: $19.50 (bargain!)    Source: Gift

Blok-Coonawarra-Riesling-2014

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2014 Grey Sands The Mattock

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Tony Peters

As much as the world news gives us much to scratch our heads about, there is also much to make us, well me anyway, realise there is also much to be thankful for.

In Spain at the moment they are protesting about stuff that I have a slight understanding about but I can’t fully appreciate.  If it was wine related, well, that would be a different story.

I reckon the French, for instance, would be marching the streets if they knew a winery in little Tasmania, a far off place in Australia, could come up with a Merlot based blend that could get so close as to poke them in the eye, colloquially speaking of course.

A lovely deep, youthful red colour.  Stick your nose in the fresh berry trough and that’s exactly what you’ll smell for ages.  Deeeee-lightful!  The drinking bit was easy thanks to those berries again providing plenty of flavour plus a hint of black/white pepper.  Plum fruit characteristics doing the job expected giving that mid palate coating and considerable length too.  Another successful Mattock release.  Great news indeed.

www.greysands.com.au

Region: Glengarry, Tasmania     Price: $40     Source: Sample courtesy of Grey Sands

 

Grey Sands14

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2017 Penley Estate Spring Release Cabernet Franc

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Tony Peters

Cabernet Franc is a grape variety that, sort of, gets treated like the poor cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon.  They are related but one is viewed as the King, the other…not so.

On this occasion, good ol’ Cab Franc has been treated very well, with respect and individualistically and boy does it shine in this role.

Straight up it’s as fresh as a spring morning after it’s rained on the raspberry canes while you’re still picking the fruit.  On the way back you stop off and pick some blackberries, add them to the mix and indulge in the aromas…because you can…and you take your time.

There’s no beg your pardons on the palate.  It’s up front about its fruit characters but it gives you some savouriness to support all that fruit.  Don’t go looking for any wood, timber or stack of kindling.  I doubt this was even walked past oak barrels or even the timber floor of a nearby homestead.

This has been put together oh so very well.

I checked the website but it’s not up there at the moment.  Do yourself a favour and give them a ring and get some of this…now!  It will, most certainly, sell out.

penley.com.au

Region: Coonawarra, South Australia     Price: $35     Source: Courtesy of Penley Estate

Coonawarra-Spring-Release-Cabernet-Franc-147x300

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2017 Lowe Wines PF500 Organic Shiraz

Posted on October 14, 2017 by Tony Peters

The PF is pretty obvious; preservative Free.  But, it is also organically and biodynamically produced.  Vegan friendly too.  Maybe they could put VF on the label as well.

500?  That needs a little explaining.  The vineyard is 500 metres above sea level and some of the wine was put into 500ml bottles (great idea).  The other reference takes a little bit more to get your head around if you are not familiar with it.  500 is also the preparation used in biodynamic winemaking.  It involves putting cow droppings in a cow horn to ferment then burying it.  After that, it is sprayed on the vines.  Yep, it works.

I know this is going to sound obvious because of it being a 2017 wine but it’s primary in every way possible.  Fresh blackberry and blackcurrant fruit basket in a bottle.  Don’t panic, it’s not like drinking alcoholic Ultra C.  There’s a bit more to it than that.  It has more palate weight with some added herbal/spice/savoury dimension.  That’ll get you thinking when you try it.

Tannins are a no show here.  My opinion only of course but I don’t think they have a place with a wine like this anyway.

Put together a charcuterie plate, serve up spaghetti bolognese, give your guests some lamb koftas.  It’ll welcome them all.

lowewine.com.au

Region: Mudgee  Price: $17 (500ml) $22 (750ml)  Source: Sample (thanks to Define Wine )

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