Bodega Rejadorado 2009 Bravo

Variety: Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo)
Region: Toro
Vintage: 2009
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.0%?
Colour: Dark purple
Bouquet: Concentrated sour cherry, clove and freshly pealed bark

Flavour: Big, bold, spectacular. Full rich, plum, mulberry fruit with excellent acidity and extended, grainy tannins. Secondary flavours of other spices like cinnamon and bay leaf. So much complexity and flavour without being overpowering.

Points: 92 (4+7+13+9+9+50)
Notes: Yes, a huge score. This wine really was spectacular and it is relatively young. Would be interesting to retaste (and retaste). V. picked it up on a recent trip to Spain for Eur36.

 

Baron de Ley 2007 Gran Reserva

Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja 
Vintage: 2007
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Colour: Purple to almost brown
Bouquet: Sour cherry, wet bark and earthy aromas

Flavour: Excellent mouthfeel lining the mouth with equal measure of gentle tannin, fruit and vanilla flavours. Some might criticise this as old fashioned oaky but I am a fan and this is done very elegantly.

Points: 89 (4+7+12+8+8+50)
Notes: Something that M. bought at auction.

 

Goundrey Wines 1999 Riesling

Variety: Riesling
Region/GI: South West Australia, Great Southern, Mount Barker
Vintage: 1999
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 12.5%
Colour: Golden yellow (almost light orange)
Bouquet: Aged bottle tones, benzene and hard lemon lollies (sweets)

Flavour: Thick texture of lemon flavour in the medium body with an very good mineral finish

Points: 87 (4+7+12+7+7+50)
Notes: A lovely bottle provided by F for an impromptu bbq giving us something to savour at the start. Most likely beyond its peak so best to drink now.

 

Gibson 2009 Discovery Road Zinfandel

Variety: Zinfandel (Primitivo)
Region/GI: Barossa 
Vintage: 2009
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.8%
Colour: dark purple
Bouquet: Plum and dark chocolate in equal measure

Flavour: A very fruity wine of medium length. It has clearly seen some oak as well and this comes through gently.

Points: 84 (3+7+10+7+7+50)
Notes: Zinfandel is relatively unknown here and where available, relatively expensive. F.'s comment on this wine "Tasting this blind, I would not have an idea what I was drinking". $24 ~ 450 Kc.

 

Leconfield Wines 2009 Hamilton Hut Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/GI: Fleurieu, McLaren Value 
Vintage: 2009
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.0%
Colour: Chocolately/dark brown/purple
Bouquet: Chocolate, blackcurrant

Flavour: Dense blackcurrant fruit with consistency of jam, big fruity start which fades to a little tannin in the finish. The flavour does not stretch far but what one can taste is very pleasant

Points: 84 (3+7+11+6+7+50)
Notes: A final red before hitting some roses and white wines for the summer

 

De Bortoli Wines 2007 Durif

Variety: Durif (aka Petit Sirah)
Region: Big Rivers, Riverina
Vintage: 2007
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.0%
Colour: Inky purple
Bouquet: This is more like it. A strong nose of liquorice and sweet, vanillan, plum conserve

Flavour: Wonderful tannin that covers the entire mouth. More to cherry in fruit flavour and some woody oak as well. A little short.

Points: 85 (3+8+11+6+7+50)
Notes: This was more like it. This is one of the wines I tasted when I first returned in 2009 tasted here. Very nice development with my only criticism being that it is too short.

 

De Bortoli Wines 2011 Durif

Variety: Durif (aka Petit Sirah)
Region: Big Rivers, Riverina
Vintage: 2011
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 13.5%
Colour: Inky purple
Bouquet: Cedary, cigar box and some spicey tense fruit (plum?)

Flavour: Good length and straightforward although the fruit is not really discernible. It doesn't have much oomph and is not memorable/typical of anything.

Points: 79 (3+6+9+6+5+50)
Notes: F and I were tasting Durif as the rest of the group were not keen. We only tried two from the same producer and this was disappointing. We expected more. This series from this big producer is $10-$13.

Bodegas Martin Codax 2008 Albarino

Variety: Albarino
Region: Rias Baixas
Vintage: 2008
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 12.5%
Colour: Dark golden/yellow
Bouquet: pineapple pulp, boiled lime lollies (sweets)

Flavour: Something like Granny Smith apple skins at the start levels out to a delicate, lemon finish. Surprisingly long with some mineral as well. Not much in the way of acidity so best to drink up now.

Points: 85 (3+7+11+7+7+50)
Notes: I tasted this four years ago and kept a bottle to see how this thing ages (as an affliction of my time in Prague and wondering how white wine ages). While a lovely accompaniment to my lunch today it is probably best drunk younger, although it is very level and gentle now. A nice start to the summer.

 

Villa Cafaggio 2010 Chianti Classico

Varieties: Shiraz, Vioginer
Region: Chianti Classico DOCG
Vintage: 2010 (image shows 2005)
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 13.0%
Colour: dark purple/brown
Bouquet: Cocktail (sour) cherry, dry, autumnal leaves

Flavour: Excellent balance of sour cherry, woody spiciness and lively acidity. Hints of earthy spice as well. Solid, medium body with good length. Seriously very good.

Points: 89 (3+8+12+8+8+50)
Notes: Truth be told, I am tasting this the day after the bottle was opened and it is excellent. It was not even the best wine we tasted yesterday at the Italian wine fair. Details from the importer here and only 25.8km from where we will stay...

 

Whitebox 2005 Shiraz Viognier

 

Varieties: Shiraz, Vioginer
Region: Central Victoria, Heathcote
Vintage: 2005
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.8%
Colour: dark purple/brown
Bouquet: Plummy with a hint of wet cow

Flavour: Elegant, dense tatsuma plum, hint of tobacco leaf, woody flavours with some tannin. Medium bodied. Good length.

Points: 85 (3+7+11+7+7+50)
Notes: A great wine for a random Thursday night. Bigger than I expected and very enjoyable.

  

 

Rubin 2011 Vranac

Variety: Vranac
Region: Krusevac, Serbia
Vintage: 2011
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 11.5%
Colour: Dark red to almost brown
Bouquet: Some dried raisin and plum skins

Flavour: Simple, light to medium bay leaf, stewed beef flavoured wine with pleasant, slightly chunky tannins to finish

Points: 82 (3+6+11+6+6+50)
Notes: Novelty value to buy Serbian table wine here and it's surprisingly good for the price $12 ~ 210 Kc