2017 Chateau Yaldara Foundations Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Tony Peters

It wasnt’ that long ago I thought about installing a ‘Sav Blanc’ sensor at my front door. No one would be harmed when it activated but any Sav Blanc in their possession would automatically be turned into dust while the person would not feel a thing.

That should give you an indication of my thoughts and feelings on the variety. Admittedly, it was simply because of a style from a different country that saturated the market.

Well, thanks, to a different approach by Aussie producers/winemakers, time have changed…well, for me anyway.

Don’t expect ‘cut grass’ or ‘tinned asparagus spears with this one.  The crew at Chateau Yaldara have left the Victa in the shed and the tinned veggies on the shelf.  I’ve no idea if it tastes of gooseberries because I don’t know what they taste like.  What they have done is picked the best tropical fruits, squeezed a lime through that lot and come up with a cleansing Sauvignon Blanc that, I’m happy to admit, I had more than one glass.

1847wines.com

Region: Adelaide Hills     Price: $22     Source: Sample

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2016 Chateau Yaldara Petit Verdot

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Tony Peters

I’ll bet London to a brick that nobody has ever walked into a bar of any description, or even a cellar door and said, “I’d like to try the Petit Verdot”.  I’m not saying this as a blight on the variety.  I’m saying it because, and I think I’m safe in saying, it’s not a variety that springs to the wine drinking punter’s mind…anywhere.

In it’s defense, it’s not a variety that usually finds itself in a bottle on its own.  There is usually a couple of other red varieties in support.  When it gets thrown into that 750 millilitre receptacle called a bottle, you know the winemaker has confidence in it.

On this occasion, so he should.

It’s young, fresh and quite vibrant on the nose. Kinda ‘eyes wide open’ in anticipation aromas and it doesn’t seem to want to go away.  I like that in a wine.

Now for the serious spot. Tasting it.  Okay not that serious, but it has a certain ‘spunk’ about it.  Lively on the palate, blue fruits, dark cherries get in a groove and stay there.  As I said, spunk.  Okay, it may not be complex but it throws plenty at you, spade in hand. Another upside, it gives more than you get back when you open your wallet and that’s what I think should be the case with any wine.  It ticks all of those boxes for me.

1847wines.com

Region: Mount Lofty Ranges     Price: $27     Source: Sample

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2014 Penley Estate Steyning Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Tony Peters

I couldn’t help myself.  I had to google Steyning (pronounced Stenning).  It’s a quaint little town in southern England with a population of less than six thousand.  Photos of the buildings and countryside gave me the impression of a place ‘Escape to the Country’ would visit regularly.  I thought there must be more to this place named on one of Penley’s top notch wines.  With some further scrolling and reading…there it was. Christopher Rawson Penfold, the founder of Penfolds, was born there on the 2nd of August 1811.

Produced by his descendants, he would be pretty damn proud of this wine.

It is typically Coonawarra on the nose and I’d expect nothing less from a wine of this quality and price point.  Blackberries, blackcurrants and a just hint of mint are the tell-tale signs.  And you can’t help but hang in this spot for a while.

I know this is going to sound bad, or good depending on how you look at it, but I couldn’t wait to get stuck into trying this wine.  If I said I tried it five or six times, you’d be well within your rights to think “he’s not trying it he’s drinking it!”

Expect the unexpected with this Coonawarra Cabernet. Those black fruits are there but they are not a dominant force like many from the region.  Softer dark fruits play are considerable part in the presentation of the flavours and the resultant wine is delightful to drink.  They all stick around for a while on the palate too.

If there is one mistake I made with this wine, it was that I didn’t decant it.  It needs it.  It presented a tad disjointed and raw to start with, but thanks to time in a big glass and plenty of swirling this is going to put the tidy little hamlet of Steyning on the ‘must visit’ list of many Australians.

www.penley.com.au

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $45     Source: Sample courtesy of Penley Estate

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2015 Tatachilla Pale Moon Rising Merlot

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Tony Peters

It’s common knowledge that, in Australia, Merlot cops a bad wrap…most of the time. What a lot of people forget is that wine, regardless of the variety, is supposed to be consumed with food.  I don’t care who you are, there should be no argument that this is indeed true.  Merlot is no different.

Mind you, I’m of the view that many Aussie versions, except a few…when it comes to food matching…and easy drinking…and good value, seem to struggle.  I could go on…and use a lot more dots…but I’ll stop now.

This example was not particularly friendly to begin with.  My wife and I thought it was, well, a bit on the one dimensional side.  Hang around the water cooler with this cool ‘Cabernet complimenter’, get to know it better and you’ll see how fresh, friendly and fun it actually is.  Then, park it alongside some spicy/savoury, herbal tucker and you’ll realise it can hold it’s own.

tatachilla.com.au

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $22     Source: Care Package

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2015 Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Tony Peters

I’m pretty sure I’m normal.  I’m saying that because, when the word Phoenix turns up in a sentence, I think of the big city in Arizona, USA.

But then, the word ‘Phoenixing’ is a headline word in an article in the Australian newspaper.  Not in a good way.  I don’t think we need to go there.

I bet you didn’t know it is the name of a French rock band! It is, trust me.

On this occasion, it is a reference to the mythological bird that is “cyclically regenerated and reborn”.  I remember buying this wine a few years ago with their stock standard label.  It was absolutely nothing like this one.  It needed regenerating and that’s what the Penley people have done.  Smart work.

Okay, so, give this wine a chance.  It’s almost like it’s living up to it’s name when you pour it.  Give it an opportunity to ‘regenerate’ because it’s like it went into hibernation after it was bottled and just needed the chance to wake up.  When it did, like most people woken from a decent slumber, did not look its best.  Time in the glass, a few good swirls and it was a bit dizzy but was reasonably steady on it’s feet.  A bit more time and it showed some strength, good strength…and solid frame of black fruits and smooth tannin. Eventually it was “hello, welcome to the Penley Estate great value for money Coonawarra Cabernet show”.  Make sure you get your tickets here penley.com.au

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $20     Source: Sample

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2013 Campbells Bobbie Burns Shiraz

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Tony Peters

I’m probably going to experience the wrath of the Rutherglen Wine Region for this but, I have generally associated Campbells with fortified wines.  Surely I can be forgiven for this because they are in the Rutherglen region of Victoria, renown for it’s fortified wines such as tawny and vintage ports, muscats and topaques.  When it comes to table wines, there has always been some discussion about their durifs but not necessarily any other table wines from the region.  Well wine drinkers, expand your Rutherglen wine experiences.

Sorry, I have no idea who Bobbie Burns is.  I didn’t research him/her mainly because I figured you’re more interested in the wine and so you should be.  It’s worth getting excited about and deserves a bit more attention.

This one is the 46th vintage of this wine and it is built from the ground up mainly using grapes from vines 50 years old!  Yep.  You’d better believe it.

A beautiful colour! Just beautiful.  Still youthful, vibrant and attractive.

Pour it in a big glass and soak up the dark berry aromas.  Go on, it’s a must but don’t stop there (for fear of stating the bleeding obvious).

A ripper wine to drink, you’re going to get a palate hit of a red and dark fruits sandwiched between a slither of licorice top and bottom.  Yep, dark berries are there but throw in some cherries, tongue coating plums, soft tannins and a whole heap of length, and you get a bloody good value wine that, thanks to a screwcap, will last 46 years (okay that’s a bit optimistic but you never know).

I really enjoyed this wine and for the measly $22 I paid for it, it is without doubt a bargain buy.

campbellswines.com.au

Region: Rutherglen, Victoria     Price: $22     Source: Retail purchase

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2017 Raidis Estate The Kid Riesling

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Tony Peters

I have a confession to make.  It’s been 51 days since my last Riesling post.  There, I said it. Thankfully, lightning didn’t strike me down and I can only think that is because that mighty fellow ‘up there’ is a fan of the variety, knows I love the stuff, and felt it necessary to forgive me.

I’ll be the first to admit to craving for the warmer weather to hurry the bloody hell up! Especially when it’s getting closer to summer.  It’s not helped when wines like this fresh, refreshing, bottle of freshness comes along.

It’s more limes than lemons, citrusy, some zip and zing, and a ‘snap’ of acidity but juicy and soft on the approach.  Not delicate soft, more adds-character-and-a-nice-dimension soft that also adds to the length of this Rizza (I’m not a fan of the word but it’s what’s used these days).  What a delight!!

www.raidis.com.au

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $20     Source: Online/Cellar door purchase

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2017 Raidis Estate Cheeky Goat Pinot Gris

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Tony Peters

Over the last 10 days I have tasted or drank five different pinot gris’ (is that the plural for gris?).  I realise that does not sound particularly healthy but I will clarify that by saying, tasted three, assisted with the consumption of two…mainly because I was enjoying a glass with my wife but also for research purposes.

Of those five, four of them had various shades of a coppery tone to them.  One of them was almost rosé like in appearance!  This appearance in a Gris can, and does, polarise opinion among wine show judges and punters alike.  Well, I’m more than happy to see Gris left on skins a bit longer to grab some of that colour out of the skins to give it a point of difference compared to other white varieties.  I hope you a-Gris (sorry, couldn’t help myself).

This is Gris from head to toe and unashamedly so.  Pears on the nose, pears on the palate, pears to finish off but juicy and delicious with a lovely textural mouthfeel.  Balanced nicely with a touch of sweetness and spice, it’s pretty obvious that Steve Raidis has paid particular attention to making sure everything has lined up perfectly.  I liked this a lot! No wonder this wine sells out.

www.raidis.com.au

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $24     Source: Cellar door purchase

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2016 Yelland & Papps Shiraz & Vin De Soif

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Tony Peters

I have been reading a series of articles in The Australian newspaper about Captain James Cook.  You know, that bloke who sailed from the mother land and explored the east coast of Australia a couple of hundred years ago.  Anyway, when he set out on his expedition, he didn’t know what he was in for but he knew what he wanted to achieve.  With plenty of confidence, a dash of skill and the best equipment on offer at the time, off he went. The rest is history.

With confidence, skill and the best equipment they could muster up at the beginning of their expedition, Michael and Susan set sail on a journey a few years ago in an Endeavour (did you like that) to provide a range of wines that will have any discerning palate sailing the seven seas to discover the uncharted territory that is Yelland & Papps.

Here are two of their wines that are easy to find via the internet rather than having to climb Jacob’s Ladder and perch in the Crow’s nest to keep a look out.

2016 Barossa Valley Shiraz: Fresh berries on the nose. Plums and dark fruits provide carry on the palate with a nice little hint of spice.  Plenty of flavour doesn’t come as a surprise considering the alluring and spiffy colour.  This is an easy wine to like and one glass just doesn’t seem enough.

2016 Barossa Valley Vin De Soif: A very cool and ever popular blend of Grenache, Mataro and Carignan. Lively on the nose, it smells of fresh red berries.  Medium bodied (as the colour purveys) it still provides plenty of character with savouryness, cherriness (it’s not a word but I like it) and soft tannins. This is juicy, fruity and downright moreish to say the least.

yellandandpapps.com

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $25     Source: Sample courtesy of Yelland & Papps

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Posted in Red Blends, Shiraz | 1 Comment

2014 Di Giorgio Emporium Red Blend

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Tony Peters

They’re a pretty smart lot the Di Giorgio family.  15 years ago they decided to buy the Rouge Homme vineyard in Coonawarra that had been in the terra rossa soils of the region since the 1950’s.  Now, I’m not a young fella and this is before my mum decided it’s best I enter the world.

I’ve visited their cellar door, I’ve experienced their hospitality, I’ve tasted and drank their wines.  They are a lovely bunch of people and visiting Di Giorgio should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Thanks to these guys being part of the Coonawarra Roadshow and sending the lovely Anna to Hobart, I got to try this wine.  It’s predominately Merlot but you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise.  It’s a rich, juicy, flavoursome wine and you know this even from sticking you nose in the glass let alone tasting it.

It gives plenty of flavour but quite gently and in a subtle way so you don’t start retreating and finding a place to hide from the attack of dark and red fruits combining into a smooth, creamy, textured wine with supple tannins.  Oak is ridiculously complimentary that you just feel like telling it to stop being so kind!

A truly enjoyable wine for any red meat dish for sure.  Sit it up alongside some cheese as well.  It enjoys this sort of company too.

digiorgio.com.au

Region:  Coonawarra, South Australia     Price: $26     Source: Tasting

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