2015 Hentley Farm Poppy Field Blend

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Tony Peters

My late Nan use to call something that was a mix of allsorts a ‘Heinz Variety’ but you knew it was an endearing term because she’d say it with a smile.  She liked whatever it was.

Considering it has 43% Eden Valley Riesling, 21% Eden Valley Chardonnay, 19% Eden Valley White Frontignac, 9% Barossa Valley Viognier and 8% Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris it fits into the ‘Heinz Variety’ definition.

The Riesling component is the standout.  Lime, citrus and honey blossom aromas tell you that but just wait until you taste this.  There is plenty going on let me tell you.  Put those aromas with apricot, pear and a touch of sweetness (thanks to the frontignac) on the palate and you have a beautifully balanced blend.  The very soft acid coupled with that touch of sweetness gives it a lovely, long finish too.  If I had to find one fault (and it’s not really a fault) with it, it doesn’t come in a magnum.  It is that easy to drink!

www.hentleyfarm.com.au/product/poppy-white-field-blend/

Region: Various South Australian     Price: $24     Source: Sample

poppy-white-field-blend

Posted in White Blends | Leave a comment

2016 LiNO RaMBle Ludo Fiano

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Tony Peters

Straight off the bat, I’m going to say, it is so easy to say how a wine has texture, richness and viscosity and with this wine it’s backed up with substance & truth.  Andy & Angela have nailed it with this wine, that’s for sure.

Strangely enough the vines for this wine have an average age of 2 years.  Yep, 2 years.  But with some deft treatment by the team, including some of the juice being put into barrel, this has come out on the other side shining.

Lots (and I mean plenty) of flavour that seems to hang around for the attention it definitely deserves.  My palate soaked it all in and could not ignore its presence and nor could the others in the room.

A terrific example of this variety that needs to be experienced to be appreciated.  Nice work from the LiNO RaMBLe team.  Very nice work indeed.

linoramble.com.au

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $30     Source: Online purchase (sort of)

img_6170

 

Posted in Other Whites | Leave a comment

2015 Hentley Farm The Rogue Field Blend

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Tony Peters

If you have the time to look up the term ‘Rogue’ you will realise this wine is not really roguish.

Okay, so it doesn’t tell you what the blend is on the bottle making it a little intriguing but that’s about the extent of it’s roguishness.  However, if you go into the Hentley Farm website it will tell you it is a delightful concoction of 45% Grenache, 18% Mataro, 15% Shiraz, 12% Zinfandel and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The colour of this wine is truly amazing.  Considering the high percentage of Grenache it is incredibly deep and dark but hold it up to the light and it has this beautiful translucent garnet colour.

Stick your nose in the glass, and hello grenache characteristics!  Raspberries and cherries contribute the most to the vibrant aromas.  Add these to the spicy/savouriness on the palate and you have yourself one luscious, juicy and lip-smacking blend that keeps you going back for more…and we did!!

www.hentleyfarm.com.au/product/the-rogue-red-field-blend

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $24.50     Source: Sample

the-rogue-red-field-blend

Posted in Red Blends | Leave a comment

2014 Spring Vale Pinot Noir

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Tony Peters

First up, let me tell you, I do not get sick of Tassie Pinot Noir.  If I was going to be a bit bias I’d go to the lengths of saying that nobody (that I know of) gets sick of it either.

There’s no ‘beg your pardon’ with this example. It gives everything Tassie Pinot right from the get-go and is so much so on the nose.  Nothing new there (I don’t mean that in a negative way either).

The palate?  Almost the same but with an added oomph!  Dark fruits are kings with acid and tannins the (almost equal) queen sitting side saddle, not just along for the ride but, in support and, nicely so, like it knows it place (and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way).  Dark cherries bring it to a pretty lengthy close which also show it’s class.

Not for the ‘pinot noir’ faint hearted.  It demands food so, give it duck…or pork…or whatever you damn well like!  You will love IT as much as IT loves your food…and you.  A lovely wine.

www.springvalewines.com

Region: East Coast, Tasmania     Price: $45     Source:  Wine Show purchase

img_6135

Posted in Pinot Noir | 1 Comment

2016 LiNO RaMBLe Pee Wee Nero d’Avola Rosé

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Tony Peters

I found it interesting that, even though I knew what the ‘Pee Wee’ reference meant, my wife immediately thought of ‘Pee Wee’ Wilson of The Delltones (not showing her age much).

The actual reference is to the small marbles of that childhood game that was pretty popular in our house growing up.  But, my wife’s memory got me thinking.

The Delltones were a vocal harmony group of (originally) four fellas.  What I’d like to emphasise is the ‘harmony part.  This wine is that but it is also has so many facets that work well together and is appreciated by many generations.

I must warn you, everything about it is pretty, lively and fresh.  Cranberries (a favourite) on lead vocals backed up nicely by a choir of red fruits.  This may not linger for as long as The Delltones (50+ years!!) but, for a rosé, this gives plenty for the vocal chords to think about and thoroughly appreciate…just like we did!

linoramble.com.au

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $25     Source: Online Purchase

img_6072

Posted in Other Reds | Leave a comment

2015 Hentley Farm Old Legend Grenache

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Tony Peters

“Old Legend” conjures up so many thoughts but I would never had associated it with Grenache.  Attaching the term to this wine is going to etch it into the minds of many I’ve not doubt, especially when you get the opportunity to try it.

The way the wine was made from the parcels of fruit picked is, I think, worth hitting the link and reading about (that’s why on this occasion I’ve included the link to the wine).  It’s like a personality was developed for the wine at the same time and you just want to delve deeper into it.

This may not make sense but, there’s plenty on the nose but it’s light and lingering.  The flavours are the same but (and again it may not make sense) with a subtle richness.

Red fruits, spicy dark cherries and the ‘easy going’ tannins carry it through on the palate very, very nicely.  I must add too, the next night, it was like it was telling me it had the stamina to hang around until I retire (I’ll keep that year to myself for now).

www.hentleyfarm.com.au/product/grenache-2015

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $62.00     Source: Sample

img_6066

 

Posted in Other Reds | Leave a comment

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

img_6044

Posted in Red Blends | Leave a comment

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

img_6038

Posted in Pinot Noir | Leave a comment

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

img_6035

Posted in Red Blends | Leave a comment

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

 

rose

Posted in Other Reds | Leave a comment