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

RaidisEstateTheKidRiesling2015

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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

DiGiorgio Emporio

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2015 Penley Estate Atlas Coonawarra Shiraz

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Tony Peters

Some things frustrate me when it comes to Coonawarra shiraz.  The main one is that it seems to continually take second place behind Cabernet as the favoured red wine of the region.  I’m not saying it should be first place but people forget that Coonawarra was planted with predominately Shiraz before Cabernet.

Colour has never been an issue with shiraz from this region and it’s no different here. Plenty to lure you in.

The nose is where you start to question the price tag and I mean that in a good way.  This is where I moved on to the good bit.  Tasting it.  Sorry, I mean drinking it!

Lots of (expected) youthful characters straight up.  Black fruits and dark cherries that sit briefly on the mid palate but they hang longer and perfectly on the back palate.  Tannins are kind enough to support the fruit so as not to compromise the finish and enjoyment of this wine.

I realise I haven’t mentioned the impressive new labels and, when it comes to the contents, I don’t think it matters.  The wine is what people are interested in and this will generate a lot of interest, especially at the price.

penley.com.au

Region: Coonawarra, South Australia     Price: $20     Source: Sample

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2016 Bailey Wine Co Grampians Shiraz

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Tony Peters

I’m not going to mince words here.  The only reason I decided to buy this wine is because I saw it posted on Instagram by the winemaker himself Tim Bailey (@bazwine).  I knew he made wine at Leconfield and I was lucky enough to meet him back in 2014.  Tim is a terrific fellow, he knows his stuff and this is a bloody good wine.

It’s an attractive, beautiful, deep, youthful colour.  Vivacious dark fruit aromas will bring you into its Grampians grasp and you’re hooked.  It offers a heap more on the palate too with rich juicy plums, blackberries and a smooth creamy oak finish that doesn’t seem to let go.

The guys that I gave a (blind) taste were mighty impressed and one was a wine rep for a well know group, another has been around booze for a heap of years.  I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that anyone who tries this wine is going to like this wine.

baileywineco.com

Region: Grampians, Victoria     Price: $30     Source: Online Purchase

Bailey Grampians shiraz

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Penley Estate Echo Sparkling Pinot Noir

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Tony Peters

Living in a place known for its Pinot Noir and sparkling wine has, unfortunately, made me a bit skeptical about mainland versions, more so when it’s Sparkling Pinot Noir!  It appears I may have wasted my ‘skeptical’ time and energy on this one.

There’s a bit to like right from when you pour this into the glass.  It’s all Pinot Noir with the colour but the soft pink bubbles hovering over the top of the juicy looking red cherry liquid just added to the romance of Pinot Noir fizz for me.

I found it a bit shy on the nose to start with but things changed pretty quickly.  No point asking me why because I’ve no idea but hello red fruits!  This is echoed on the palate but in comes some darker fruits and a touch of savouriness.  I said to others who were also trying it how I reckon it would be “multi culinary compatible”.  I hope that is a ‘thing’.

Easy on the wallet, easy to open, easy to pour, easy to drink…on any day of the week with anything you want to serve up.

penley.com.au/product/Echo

Region: Coonawarra     Price: $20 (seriously)     Source: Sample

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2017 Coriole Picpoul

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Tony Peters

This is going to make me sound so stupid but, when I saw the name Picpoul, I thought it was a reference to sewing or knitting or something similar.  Thankfully, we were at Coriole cellar door at the time and the lovely Velvet pulled out a bottle of this and set me straight.

It shows youth from the outset with a very pale straw colour.  Great aromatics!  If you didn’t know, you’d swear you were smelling a blended white.  Gewurztraminer’s rose water mixed with Riesling’s lemon citrus.  The palate is similar, but add some of Chardonnay’s stone fruit texture and you have a very nice, delicious wine that apparently partners well with oysters.  I don’t do oysters but I can see this going very well with Thai food easily!  It is truly a delightful little wine.

We thoroughly enjoyed this wine and it will easily invoke fun and frivolity with family and friends alike, I guarantee it.

coriole.com

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $27     Source: Swap

Coriole Picpoul

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