2010 Teusner Avatar Grenache Mataro Shiraz

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Tony Peters

Normally I wouldn’t post a review about an ‘older’ wine but this one deserves it.  The down side to opening this wine is, I realise it’s been a while since I bought some of it!

This fella is dressed to the nines now and out to impress because everything is still so clean & pressed, strutting it’s stuff like a peacock.  And so it should!

The dark fruits are still singing from the rooftops, subtle spiciness helping it get there. Hugely generous on the palate, it just seems to keep on going.  Not sure how much of an apex this roof has but this wine does not have a problem reaching it.

Anyway, if you have some, well done to you.  If you don’t, have a hunt around.  It’ll be worth the excursion.

www.teusner.com.au

Region:  Barossa Valley     Price: $40 (for the current release 2014)  Source: Retail Purchase

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2014 Lyons Will Pinot Noir

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Tony Peters

I love discovering new wineries, even more so when they make Pinot Noir and good Pinot Noir at that.

No point in mincing words.  It’s varietal in every way the variety is supposed to be.  Pretty basic I know but that’s how it seems these guys have tackled the making of this wine and it’s the way it should be.

It’s a pretty lively, young little cub.  Showing plenty of youthful aromas straight up and no different when you sip it then,  hello red fruits!  Crowding the palate they dominate but they welcome in sour cherry notes to balance out that red fruit sweetness in a friendly, congenial way.  There’s next to no acid to speak of which tells me this is not for that long haul but, so what!  Drink up and enjoy this as it is right now I reckon.

www.lyonswillestate.com.au

Region: Macedon Ranges     Price: $31     Source: Gift

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2015 Serrat Shiraz Viognier

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Tony Peters

I’ve decided not to tell you about the crew at Serrat.  I would much prefer to tell you about their wines and I’m going to start with this one.  And what a way to start!

This just reeks of quality ‘everything’.  Talk about class in a glass!  I described it on social media as “neat as a pin” and “clean as a whistle”.  There is so much to like about this wine that, initially, it seemed wrong to go into any detail about it and that is because, you really need to taste this wine to be able to know just how good it is.  Any tasting notes you read will not, and do not (in my opinion), do it justice.

The colour and nose are incredibly deep, robust and rich which is no different on the palate but it has an amazing subtle, delicate, balanced palate that it made me wonder how the bloody hell they did this in a wine that is still such a baby!

Black fruits.  Spice/pepper.  Dark cherrys.  (mid palate) Plums.  Silky/Satin tannins.  Long as…

I have tasted and drunk many a wine in my time and I’m sure there’ll be more but, what a pleasure it was to taste and drink this wine.

Region: Yarra Valley     Price: $42     Source: Online Purchase

www.serrat.com.au

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2016 Hentley Farm Rosé

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Tony Peters

This may sound a little harsh but I sometimes wonder what is trying to be achieved with some rosés.  Don’t get me wrong I like rosé but some I have tried were one dimensional, lacking any personality and seemed a bit sad really.  I will admit to gravitating towards those made using grenache, shiraz or cabernet franc.  This one is predominately grenache with 15% shiraz.

Straight up, love the colour (my wife said, “stunning”).  It looks so clean, fresh and lively! Initially it was not as lively on the nose or palate and I take full responsibility for that.  It was way too cold.  When it got going, it was also lively on the nose too.

Red berries come to the fore on the (slightly subdued) palate and again, it just seems so fresh!  The one thing that really impressed me with this wine is it’s finish.  Lovely, a touch spicy and dry.  Yep, dry!  Exactly how I like my rosés.

The warmer weather will soon be upon us and this is going to compliment it perfectly.

www.hentleyfarm.com.au

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $21.50     Source: Sample

 

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2013 Yalumba Triangle Block Shiraz

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Tony Peters

Put ‘Eden Valley’ and ‘Shiraz’ under the same roof and you will get flavour and elegance every single time.  Add a touch of delicate viognier and you get this tidy little gem from Yalumba.

It was a bit of a conundrum of what fruits were trying to sell themselves the best to start with but it soon became apparent the dark fruits were the dominant ones and some subtle cool climate pepperiness slides into the mix too.

Clearly there is scope for ageing too because I tasted this after it had been opened for about 24 hours and the supposed gravelly tannins had smoothed out somewhat.  They were still a tad drying but there was plenty of fruit to guide it into a reasonably long finish.

www.yalumba.com

Region: Eden Valley     Price: $24     Source: Tasting

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2016 Hentley Farms Eden Valley Riesling

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Tony Peters

I am a sucker for Riesling that’s no secret.  You’d be hard pressed to find me bagging out one…ever!  I live in Tasmania so I am lucky to have access to some damn good gear.  That’s not to say I’m not open to trying those from other regions.

Eden Valley is no doubt, unquestionably, a prime Riesling growing region.  Producing some exquisite wines from this variety.  This example deserves to be amongst them too.

It tells me it’s from a cooler climate thanks to the lemon/lime nose and palate but there is an extra textural feeling to it that I’m loving!  Yes there is that ‘young Riesling’ acid hit and grapefruity tang on the finish but it is in context with the rest of the wine and that’s how it was treated and tasted.  I feel like I’m committing the crime of Infanticide drinking it so young.  Nonetheless, there is plenty of potential with this young’un.

www.hentleyfarm.com.au

Region: Eden Valley     Price: $24.50     Source: Sample

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2013 Barwang Hilltops Shiraz

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Tony Peters

When I see lots of bling on a cheap wine, there is a couple of things that cross my mind. The first, this could be a bloody good wine at a stupid price.  The other, well, that’s it really because, nobody enters a bad wine in ANY wine show!

To me, this is the type of wine that is like the ‘everybody knows the name but don’t know just how good it is’ individual in the crowd.

To be so intense for the price is mind blowing!  Sooooo much has been stuffed into this wine it’s amazing…seriously!  Juicy black fruits galore with a youthful purplish tinge and some plummy flavours chiming in mid palate.  I have to admit, I expected some sweet fruit characters but there’s more of a savoury note to it which sits parallel with everything else and it is so very smooth on the finish!

This is a WOW factor wine for me, especially for the price and by that I mean the normal RRP!  I bought this at a ridiculously low price of (cone of silence) $10!

Region: Hilltops, N.S.W.     Price: $22     Source: Retail purchase

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2015 Kennedy Vintners Pink Hills Rosé

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Tony Peters

Check out the colour! My wife said, salmon pink but for me it was pale copper but, it doesn’t matter, it looks good!

I’m going to admit to not mucking about with this wine and it was only because we were having Thai food for dinner and it was quite simply a ‘food arrived, wine was poured’ situation.

It’s quite a juicy wine first up and it seems to be most comfortable in this type of skin.  The thing that we liked about it was, even though it had that juicy/berryness to it, it had a bit of body too, finishing dry and moreish.  We like being ‘moreished’.

What also worked for us was, it was only in the fridge for just over 2 hours!  Yep.  Don’t drink this rosé cold-cold.  Cool-cold was spot on with our dinner.

When it’s all said and done, rosé can be made with almost any red grape variety.  This one. Mataro.  The only one I know made from this grape, the first I’ve tried and it is very, very good.

www.kennedyvintners.com.au

Region: Heathcote     Price: $20     Source: Online purchase

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2013 Brand’s Laira Coonawarra Blockers Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Tony Peters

I have a confession to make.  It has come to the point where I am taking for granted Coonawarra Cabernert Sauvignon and always have high expectations.  There, I said it.

But…..

When I open and taste wines of this calibre, I don’t think I can be hanged, drawn and quartered.  This is a beauty.

The colour is deep. Deep as a politician’s pocket when it comes to forking out for ‘personal’ expenses.  The aromas are enticing. Juicy blackberries and blackcurrants aplenty.

There’s more.  Taste it.

Those berries are still there, but with a bit more intensity and with a minty/herbal note that fits in very nicely with hints of oak/cedar/shellac (shellac, now there’s a flavour for the ‘oldies’).

Everything is in tune with this wine already.  That’s not to say it won’t last as long as the full term of the current Liberal Party, it will.  If they get re-elected, it’ll last that long as well.  At least this has a screw cap as it’s ‘leader’ to keep it fresh for that period.  Definitely one with the people in mind.

Region: Coonawarra, South Australia     Price: $22     Source: Retail purchase

www.brandslaira.com.au

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2016 Hently Farm Brass Monkey Vineyards Pinot Grigio

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Tony Peters

I’m going to say straight up I love it when wineries, and winemakers for that matter, treat a grape differently than what is generally expected.  It is almost like there’s an attitude of, “let’s give the punter something different but with something the same”.  That’s what has happened here and it’s been done in a very intriguing, captivating way.

The colour, as expected for a 2016 wine, is clear but with a pale lemon hue.  On the nose there is a hint of that ‘something different’ like a spicy character of some description. Then the palate is where, with this wine, it lets you know about the six degrees of separation between the styles of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris and it is done in such a subtle way.  Confusing I know but that is the intrigue of this wine.

There is the pear character including the smooth texture of it’s skin.  Some stone fruit nuances are flitting about but are soft and complimentary.  It’s lively, crisp and bright with a lovely mouth-feel in a ‘Gris’ sort of way but without the alcohol.

The finish is going to surprise you.  That mouth-feel is back but it has an added dryness which is perfectly balanced out by the fruit.  It is a very good food wine, no doubt.  My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Drink it with Salt & Pepper Calamari and it’s a win/win.

www.hentleyfarm.com.au

Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia     Price: $21.50     Source: Sample

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