de Lusso Estate 2009 Passito

Variety: Semillon (treated in an appassimento style)
Region/G.I.: Central Ranges, Mudgee
Vintage: 2009
Closure: Screwcap
Colour:  Rich golden yellow
Alcohol: 7.1%
Bouquet: Strong caramel aromas and hints of candied orange peel
Flavour: Interesting and satisfying oxidated flavours with syrupy honey and candied orange peel the more dominant of the flavours. The candied orange in particular was interesting as it is not sweet. Good length.
Points: 88 (3+7+12+8+8+50)

Notes:  F. was host and provided this to conclude our small tasting. We visited the winery earlier in the year. Unusual and very nice.

Seppelt 1997 Chalambar Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz
Region/G.I.: Central Victoria
Vintage: 1997
Closure: Cork
Colour:  Brown-red
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bouquet: Brine/salty and shrill red-currant
Flavour: Complex. Very well integrated with plum, some dry herbs like rosemary and bay leaf offering something elegant and nuanced flavours for every mouthful. Incredibly smooth and even with lovely length.
Points: 90 (4+7+13+8+8+50)

Notes:  The cork looked a little dodgy but the contents shone through. This was excellent. Bought at auction earlier this year for $19~340 Kc, it was a bit of a gamble but well worth it. The current vintage is 2012 and retails for $22.

Charles Cimicky 1999 Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz
Region/G.I.: Barossa, Barossa Valley
Vintage: 1999
Closure: Cork
Colour:  Brown-red
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Blueberry and dry soil
Flavour: Weight from fruit flavours in line with the nose and with some plum. It had a peppery finish without any tannins at all. Gentle, well integrated and even.
Points: 87 (4+7+11+8+7+50)

Notes:  This was a lovely wine. An overall score of "7" is probably harsh but I was trying to rank it of the three I tasted. It was third best of lovely wines for me.

Grant Burge 2000 Filsell Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz
Region/G.I.: Barossa, Barossa Valley
Vintage: 2000
Closure: Cork
Colour:  Purple with a brown hue
Alcohol: 14.5%
Bouquet: Dehydrated plum, mulberry and dusty aromas
Flavour: Very gentle. plum and possibly raspberry fruit along with some white pepper in the finish. Also interesting a small kick of tannin to round out the taste.
Points: 88 (4+7+12+7+8+50)

Notes:  We tasted 3 aged Australian Shirazes and the others found it hard to choose a winner. I ranked this second. The touch of tannin remaining was a highlight. Bought through an online auction for $31 ~ 575 Kc

Haselgrove Wines 2010 Bella Vigna Grenache

Variety: Grenache
Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Vintage: 2010
Closure:  Screwcap
Colour:  Purple with a reddish/purple hue
Alcohol: 14.5%
Bouquet: Dense blueberry and pressed grape stem
Flavour: Blueberry and blackberry, a dip in the middle and some brambly, leafy flavours to finish with delicate tannins.
Points: 85 (3+7+11+7+7+50)

Notes:  Overall, this was second of the four Grenaches tasted. It showed lovely poise. A cheap bottle I'd picked up recently for $13.90 ~250Kc, comparing very favourably with the other wines tasted.

Tscharke 2009 The Potter Garnacha

Variety: Grenache (Garnacha)
Region/G.I.: Barossa, Barossa Valley, Marananga
Vintage: 2009
Closure: Screwcap
Colour:  Dark purple
Alcohol: 15.0%
Bouquet: Dark plum and a touch of earthy spice
Flavour: Very juicy with piercing acidity. A hint of tannins. A little short.
Points: 82 (3+7+10+6+6+50)

Notes:  The loser of our Grenache tasting held earlier in the month. My biggest problem was its brevity. It's a pity as we visited this producer when in the Barossa a couple of years ago and I am a big fan of their Tempranillo.

David Hook 2011 Barbera

Variety: Barbera
Region/G.I.: Hunter Valley
Vintage: 2011
Closure: Screwcap
Colour: Red-rich purple
Alcohol: 13.0%
Bouquet: Violet and hints of cream
Flavour: Fantastic long finish, with integrated, gentle tannins throughout. There is slatey, savoury flavours in the profile which are almost salty. A brooding, complex wine of pleasure.
Points: 88 (3+7+12+8+8+50)
Notes: When we visited the cellar door in the Hunter last year, this was our first stop and all wines were very good. Their rose was perfect for the almost 40 degree day. This wine was sourced through a wine club for $13.60~245 Kc, which is about half its retail price. This was one of the highlights of last weekend.

Chateau Marceau 2007 Bordeaux

Variety: Merlot 75%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%
Region: Bordeaux
Vintage: 2007
Closure: Cork
Colour: Dark purple
Alcohol: 12.0%
Bouquet: Capsicum
Flavour: Light body, slightly sour, gentle tannin, cassis and wood.
Points: 81 (3+6+10+6+6+50)
Notes: Each person who tried this over the weekend commented the next day about how disappointing it was to drink. It lacked ooomph and was overall, a dull wine. Presumably a poor choice from the region to be distributed through wine clubs. It even had a medal on the label. $15.60~280 Kc

d'Arenberg 2001 The Laughing Magpie

Variety: Shiraz ~93%, Viognier ~7% (mix unknown. based on other vintages)
Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Vintage: 2001
Closure: Cork
Colour: Purple
Alcohol: ~14.5%
Bouquet: Restrained. With some effort, dense plum aromas.
Flavour: Very typical plum and black pepper. A touch of tannin in the tail. Well integrated although I was surprised that it was so old.
Points: 85 (3+6+12+7+7+50)
Notes: I seem to be working my way through the extensive range from this producer, although the Cabernet is my favourite so far. Another of the wines bought by M. at auction. A good drop.

Freycinet Vineyard 2010 Louis Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region/G.I.: Tasmania
Vintage: 2010
Closure: Screwcap
Colour: Browny-purple
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: wet cow and brambly aromas
Flavour: Even in body with some light tannin at the end. Sour cherry the main fruit flavour.
Points: 84 (3+7+10+7+7+50)
Notes: The nose was the highlight of this wine. The flavour didn't follow through. Good but not great. One to start the night last weekend.

Pillastro 2009 Primitivo

Variety: Primitivo
Region: Puglia
Vintage: 2009
Closure:  Screwcap
Colour:  Darker purple
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bouquet: Horse stall, soaked stall aromas
Flavour: Tannin is good and nice length. However, the flavour is rather flat. Plum and raspberry flavours with not much to excite
Points: 82 (3+7+10+6+6+50)

Notes:  This was a big disappointment as I really enjoyed 2 1/2 years ago when I bought my first. The nose was recorded as the same but the overall flavour profile is sadly underwhelming. 

The Little Wine Company 2010 Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo
Region/G.I.: Hunter Valley, Hunter, Pokolbin
Vintage: 2010
Closure:  Screwcap
Colour:  Deep Purple
Alcohol: 13.50%
Bouquet: Young leather, fruity sour cherry and red currant favours
Flavour: Lots of tannins and fruit according to the nose. A younger style of Tempranillo

Points: 82 (3+6+10+6+7+50)

Notes: Another from the weekend. I got this through one of the wine clubs. When tasting at their cellar door, I was more a fan of their Pinot Gris.

  



de Iuliis 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/G.I.: Southern NSW, Hilltops
Vintage: 2010
Closure:  Screwcap
Colour:  Deep Purple
Alcohol: 13.80%
Bouquet: Blackcurrant and a hint of tomato stalk (without being green)
Flavour: Round, mouth filling tannins with plummy and brambly flavours. Excellent  structure and complexity.
Points: 88 (3+7+12+8+8+50)

Notes: One of the best wines enjoyed over the long weekend. This was a great find from the producer's cellar door in the Hunter Valley. Grapes are sourced from the little known Hiltops region. $18 ~ 340 Kc. One more in the cellar...
 

Alpha Box & Dice 2008 Tarot

Variety: Grenache
Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Vintage: 2008
Closure:  Screwcap
Colour:  Purple leading to a lighter, copper hue
Alcohol: 15.0%
Bouquet: Blueberry and milk chocolate
Flavour: Grainy tannins, blueberry and dusty wood, black olive. Smooth and very even with solid flavour
Points: 88 (3+8+12+7+8+50)

Notes:  My favourite of our four Grenaches. Interestingly, I tried the 2011 Tarot, which is blended, last year. This producer also provided us with an enjoyable Sangiovese blend last year. Overall, this finished 3rd of 4 in our tasting.

d'Arenberg 2000 The Custodian

Variety: Grenache
Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Vintage: 2000
Closure: Cork
Colour: Dark copper with light copper hue
Alcohol: 14.5%
Bouquet: Complex aromas of raspberry, pine needles and cardamom
Flavour: Dense, forest berries conserve (povidla). Very nice, soft tannins rounding out nice length and tingle at the end of the tongue. (Note that this was the first of four blind samples so on re-tasting about an hour later, the wine, which had been decanted, had become rather bland).
Points: 85 (4+8+11+6+6+50 but on first tasting 89=4+8+12+7+8+50)

Notes: This wine was marked down heavily by F. and I on restasting as it had not really been that long since the bottle was opened and we expected it to last longer. Regardless, we were outnumbered and this was the winner of our 100% Grenache tasting based on aggregate scrore.

Tenuta Lamiata 2008 Brunello di Montalcino

Variety: Sangiovese

Region: Brunello di Montalcino

Vintage: 2008

Colour: Red to purple
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Crushed sea shell, wet stones, some brambly aromas and damp earth
Flavour: Amazing length that goes on and on. Coffee, cherry and tobacco leaf flavours that is full and even. Full mouth coating tannins accentuate the finish. Incredible.
Points: 91 (3+8+13+8+9+50)
Notes: This is a special occasion wine and one that I enjoyed last night with friends and had a glass left over for today. Amazing still today and I avoided tasting it again this morning and forced myself to wait all day. I got this from one of the wine clubs on special for $40 (~720 Kc). Two more in the cellar.....

Grove Estate 2010 The Italian

Varieties: Sangiovese, Primitivo (split undefined)

Region/G.I.: Southern New South Wales, Hilltops

Vintage: 2010
Colour: Dark red to purple
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Bay and tobacco leaf
Flavour: Strong sour cherry and gripping tannins. Excellent length. Less complexity than the Zonte's tasted just prior to it
Points: 85 (3+6+12+7+7+50)
Notes: At $13.60 (~240 Kc), an interesting wine. The estate is known for its Barbera but this is good stuff.

Zonte's Footstep 2008 Canto di Lago

Varieties: Sangiovese 80%, Barbera 20%

Region/G.I.: Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek
Vintage: 2008
Colour: Garnet
Alcohol: 14.0%
Bouquet: Tar, licorice and raspberry
Flavour: Excellent length. Strong raspberry licorice, tobacco/cigar and dry herbs. A touch of tannin at the end and all held together very well.
Points: 86 (3+7+12+7+7+50)
Notes: I last tasted this over two years ago and was less impressed at that time (and described it as a completely different wine). A big fan now. It was $13.32 (~240 Kc).

Hardys 2009 Siegersdorf Riesling

Variety: Riesling
Region/G.I.: Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
Vintage: 2009
Colour: Yellow
Alcohol: 12.0%
Bouquet: Already some petroleum in the nose, although not overpowering
Flavour: Balanced, mainly lemon flavours with good acidity still present, with a nice finish. 
Points: 85 (3+7+11+7+7)

Notes: Great example of a good riesling and a bargain too at $10 (~180 Kc)

Quinta do Espirito Santo 2011

Enjoyed another bottle of this beauty tasted a couple of weeks ago and confirmed the description.

Thistle Ridge 201 Pinot Gris (Block 2)

Variety: Pinot Gris
Region: Waipara, NZ
Vintage: 2012
Closure: Screwtop
Colour: Almost green/grey
Alcohol: 13.0%
Bouquet: White flowers and ripe pears
Flavour: What sticks out is the residual sugar which is high and a surprise as there is no indication on the label that this is the case. The flavour is ripe pear flavours with good length. A little gluggy and sweet for my taste.
Points: 84 (3+8+10+6+7+50)

Notes: Rather too sweet for my taste but there is always someone at a dinner party who appreciates this style. $16 ~ 288 Kc.