2014 Eddystone Point Pinot Noir

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Tony Peters

Let me introduce you to a quiet achiever that has won more gold medals than Ian Thorpe. Yep, this little number has won 6 of them compared to Thorpy’s 5.  Then add three trophies to the tally and you have one very talented wine.  Well I suppose the winemaking team deserve to take the credit for it really.

This wine is quite a surprise packet for a second tier wine (Bay of Fires is the primary wine).  Yes, it has all you expect when it comes to the aromas and flavours of pinot noir but there is something, I dunno, extra about it.  If I put my finger on it before I reach the bottom of the bottle, I’ll include it in my notes.

When you pour the wine, it is fairly light in colour which is fine of course because you know that there is going to be some pretty good flavours ready to rise to the surface from beneath that colour, and that is exactly what happened.  Those flavours were even kind enough to hang around for a bloody long time to prolong the pleasure of this wine.

I can easily imagine wine show judges being seduced by the charm that seems to ooze from the glass.  Hang on.  That’s it!!  That’s the something extra this pinot seems to have.

http://www.eddystonepoint.com.au/

Region: Pipers River, Tasmania     Price: $30     Source: Retail purchase

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2010 Yalumba Octavius Old Vine Shiraz

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Tony Peters

It can be so easy to get excited about a wine you rarely get to taste let alone drink with dinner.  It can also be so easy to make reference to the name, in this case Octavius, to the Roman times and just how bold, adventurous and conquering they were.  Well, I’m going to do both.

I have to admit, I have had the luxury of tasting this wine but to be able to sit down, with a superbly cooked meal (which included O’Connor rib eye) I was more than excited.  And when you realise that Gaius Octavius, commonly known as Augustus (I’m guessing because Augustus is easier to say) was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, and when you look at his relatives (thanks Wikipedia) you realise he started something that would go down in history.  This wine may well do the same.

Just like the Roman Empire during it’s time, this wine is powerful, dominating and full of confidence.  Nothing has been spared with giving as many resources to its building and subsequent reign as an influential ruler in it’s caucus.  Thanks to the (Yalumba) family pedigree, it deserves to be so too.

This is indeed an amazing wine.  Yes, it has incredible flavours, is rich and voluptuous but is extremely balanced, approachable and elegant.  It just reeks of grandeur.  No doubt like the first Emperor of the Roman Empire experienced.

Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia    Price: $90    Source: Wine Show purchase

https://www.yalumba.com/

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2014 Apostrophe Possessive Reds’ Shiraz Grenache Mataro

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Tony Peters

There are times where you wonder when the right time is to use an apostrophe but, how cool is it to have an Apostrophe that contains wine, that you can use anytime you damn well like, and you won’t get any complaints or get corrected!

Now, the label’s not exactly flash but that doesn’t matter here.  It’s what is behind it that counts.  The colour is like a blushing ace of spades.  The mouth-watering aromas are pretty intense with a bombardment of berries which is no different when you eventually get around to tasting it (keep smelling it by all means).  Lots going on right about now too.  The berries keep on giving and it seems to drench your mouth with flavours galore.

It sounds pretty full on I know, and it is but, it’s also nicely balanced by some slightly drying tannin, and I mean only slightly.  The richness of the fruit carries these along perfectly.

Sorry but I have no idea where to get this wine and I’d love to get some more.  Larry Cherubino made this and he should stand up and accept the applause.  He has done an amazing job considering the ridiculous price.  Great value indeed!

Region: Frankland River, W.A.     Price: About $20     Source: Wine Show purchase

www.larrycherubino.com.au

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2013 Pooley Pinot Noir

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Tony Peters

I’m not going to go on about how good Tassie Pinot Noir is.  I’m sure I’ve done that before and it’s common knowledge anyway.

The colour belies the nose which in turn belies the flavours on the palate (belies is my favourite word at the moment).  The colour tells you it’s Pinot but get it under your nose and onto your tongue and you will be surprised.

Righto, so, right from the start it’s straight into the dark cherry spectrum for me both aromatically and palatically (that’s my new made-up wine word).  The weird thing is it’s savoury, sorta peppery, yet has a pleasant sweet edge to balance it. As for the finish and length, the tannins and fruit work hand in hand to make this linger for a time that has you wondering if the cellar door crew have charged you enough.

For an entry level Pinot, this is giving plenty for the punter to absorb.  I’m a huge fan if you haven’t already worked it out.

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Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania     Price: $36     Source: Cellar Door purchase

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2012 d’Arenberg Coppermine Road Cabernet

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Tony Peters

I am not scared of monsters.  Monster wines however are a different story.  I expected this to be such a wine and it lived up to that expectation.

Just how Sulley was tamed by the little girl Boo in the movie Monsters Inc, this wine was tamed by two hours in a decanter and, just like Sulley, this became a bit of a softy in that time.

When I say ‘softy’ I don’t mean it lost all its muscle, punch and power.  That was still there that’s for sure but it was all delivered with pure elegance making it so much more approachable at such a young age (fours years of age is very young for these wines).

Fruit was still juicy and concentrated, oak integrated nicely and the tannins were a tad drying but didn’t detract from the obvious quality of this wine (obvious seems such a lame word to use in that context of this wine).  Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Region: McLaren Vale     Price: $65     Source: Wine Show excess purchase

http://www.darenberg.com.au/

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2015 Hentley Farm The Stray Mongrel Grenache Shiraz Zinfandel

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Tony Peters

How many wine producers do you know that have a Grenache/Shiraz/Zinfandel blend? Okay, that was a trick question because there is only one and that is Hentley Farm.  Yep, this blend is unique to them.

A stray mongrel conjures up images of a scraggly looking mix breed dog that has no home or owner and essentially is not wanted.  Well, I can tell you right now, this clean & tidy ‘Stray Mongrel’ is a mixed breed (of varieties) but has definitely found a home at Hentley Farm and, after tasting it, they would be very proud owners.

It’s all about red fruits with this wine which has to be the 57% Grenache (and the touch of 4% Zinfandel) influence but the 39% Shiraz is giving it some black cherry/berry notes too.  It’s a bit pinot-esque in that respect but with marginally more body to it.

A young wine can either be pretty harsh, a bit disjointed and difficult to drink or fresh, fruity, juicy and approachable.  This would be lucky to have been in bottle for 12 months, yet it is very balanced and drinkable already.  In fact, it is so balanced, you could walk a tightrope, without a safety net, holding a glass of this in one hand and the bottle, with the remaining wine in it, in the other.

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $28.50     Source: Gift

https://www.hentleyfarm.com.au/

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2015 Yelland and Papps Vermentino

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Tony Peters

You know how sometimes on a warm day there’s a bit of dark storm cloud about and rain is threatening?  Eventually, when it does rain, it freshens everything up, you are comfortable again and feel a sense of relief.

Okay, so it wasn’t a warm day and there was no rain to freshen everything up, but after a day of tasting a few wines, Yelland and Papps Vermentino sure did freshen things up!! Generally I head for a beer or a Riesling but this made for a great palate cleanser.  The glasses came out and before I knew it, everybody wanted more (but 750mls can only go so far).

It was our ‘first up’ wine for the night and actually played the aperitif role particularly well even though that was not the plan for it.  There was plenty of aromas, flavours and interest in this rather under-rated member of the Yelland and Papps family of wines.

There was a very nice texture to it too that (surprisingly) paired nicely with a pork/veal/pistachio nut terrine (and a couple of cheeses too).

A (good) word of warning; this is an extremely more-ish wine.  Love your work guys!

Region: Barossa Valley     Price: $25     Source: Swap

yellandandpapps.com

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2014 Seraphim Heathcote Shiraz

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Tony Peters

Sam Scapari may not be the most widely known of winemakers in Australia but you really need to find his wines and try them.  He knows what he’s doing and he knows how to treat good fruit.

I have tried his 2012 Cabernet and that was enough for me to keep in contact with the man himself so I know when he is releasing his new wines.  This was one I had to get my mitts on.

As we all know Heathcote shiraz is certainly making it’s mark on the Australian shiraz scene and there are a few of the big players of the industry buying fruit and proudly displaying ‘Heathcote’ on the label.  This wine makes a considerable contribution to the regions reputation.

I liked how it has the Heathcote white pepper character but it didn’t dominate the (plenty of) black fruit characters in this medium body wine.  There was blue fruit on the mid palate as well (my wife’s description and I have to agree) that adds some length.  The tannins, soft and a bit juicy.  It’s a “more-of-that-please” type of wine and, with the winter season officially starting today, I may have to get some “more-of-that-please Sam”.

To purchase this wine, email Sam at seraphim wines@gmail.com

Region: Heathcote     Price: $25     Source: Direct from Seraphim

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2014 Bream Creek Pinot Grigio

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Tony Peters

I’ve got to tell you, this is quite a different version of this style.  I was going to say, expect the unexpected but everybody says that.  I’m going to say, don’t expect the expected.

I like how there is a producer or two using the term ‘Pinot G’ so they can make a wine depending on the fruit they bring into the winery resulting in the final product.  From that I mean, it’s made to what the vines have provided not what the winemaker wants to serve up.  These guys say ‘Grigio’ because it is more in that spectrum than ‘Gris’.

Loved the colour.  Very much gris I reckon with it’s slightly pink/greyish tinge.  Light and fresh tells you it’s a grigio but wait until you get into the taste and flavours of it. A delicate richness, texture and length will make you wonder if it is creeping into the Gris-o-sphere.

The thing that is common with this wine is the pear characteristic (I know, not unexpected) but more like the skin is still on the pear.  It seems to have a svelte palate feeling about it, that textural feel…which is a good thing.  Even the alcohol content, at 13%, is like it’s a fence sitter when it comes to this style…again in a good way.

Region: Bream Creek, South East Tasmania     Price: $26     Source:  Wine Show Purchase

https://www.breamcreekvineyard.com.au/

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2014 Main and Cherry Shiraz

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Tony Peters

 

I’m not quite sure how to put this.  Picking this wine was a great idea but difficult at the same time.

A great idea because it is a damn good wine.  Difficult because, and only because, it was my only bottle and it has time on it’s side.

The lovely ripe raspberries showed their class among the plum (ish) mid palate notes, all of which combine to form a delicious mouth-filling wine.

Tannins.  They deserve a mention for their cameo role so…tannins.

This wine speaks Adelaide Hills Shiraz and speaks it so succinctly but so eloquently at the same time.  It is vivacious but so poised.  Brash but refined.  As I said before, damn good!

Region: Adelaide Hills     Cost: $25     Source: Swap

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