Hewitson Ned and Henry’s Shiraz 2006
By Gary Walsh
I have been quite busy tasting stuff recently. Lots of good wines too, but here’s the trick, here’s one that I really wanted to drink. So I did. It’s a drinking wine. A wine for drinking. Easy to lose sight of this sometimes. And while I have you I’d suggest that both 2006 and 2004 are (generally) looking like better red vintages in both the Barossa and McLaren Vale than 2005.
It’s all black fruits, warm earth, dark chocolate and brazil nut with just a little floral lift. On the palate full bodied with a mix of red and black fruits, some earthiness and again dark chocolate with nuts. Smooth but still chewy and satisfying with fine grained tannins and lovely balance throughout. Rich but not heavy or Porty. Long dark chocolate and nut finish. Beautifully done. An irresistible wine.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $25
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2012+
Source : Winery Sample
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Olssen Bass Hill Vineyard Carmenère 2006
This is thought to be the first commercial release of Carmenère in Australia with a production of 150 dozen. It tastes like Carmenère too although better than some of the Chilean examples I have had recently - a little cleaner and fruitier. I also admired the bottle for an unusually long time too. Very nice packaging.
A typical mix of dried herb, spice, ash and volcanic rocks with bright red fruit and some vanilla oak. On the palate medium bodied with fresh red cherry, spiced red jelly, dried herb and subtle oak in support. It has fine light dry tannins, clean acidity and feels nice and airy in the mouth. Good juicy finish. No heat or heaviness. I think this is a really good drink.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $35
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2012
Source : Winery Sample
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De Bortoli Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier 2006
By Gary Walsh
Better than the 2005 I think.
Very fragrant offering a mix of sweet small berries, pepper, grilled meat and an aniseed perfume. On the palate medium bodied and a little more serious than first impressions suggest. It’s meaty, spicy and peppery with tangy red berries, stalks and a little dollop of vanilla oak. Dry and lightly grippy tannins coupled with sappy acid give this real vigour and energy in the mouth. Finishes dry and long with a redcurrant and dried herb aftertaste. How do they do it at the price?
Other vintages : 2005
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 14%
Price : $18
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2012
Source : Winery Sample
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Plantagenet Omrah Shiraz 2005
I was tasting this alongside a Shiraz Viognier and thought ’stuff me if this does not have a bit of Viognier in it too’ ..and so it does. I looked it up. Only three percent mind you..but that’s enough to swing an election (and don’t try saying that if you have a lisp).
Ripe juicy and sweet berries, licorice, pepper, spice, vanilla and some BBQ meat. A heady mix of sweet and spicy. On the palate medium bodied with flavours of cherry jam, berries, pepper and a little stalkiness to straighten things out. It has a slippery glycerine texture with fine powdery tannins that move along real nice and easy. Closes with a sweet cherry and dried herb aftertaste and a little dustpan of tannins to clean up the finish. Pretty delicious and pretty good value too.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $18
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2011+
Source : Winery Sample
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Orlando Gramp’s Grenache 2006
I like Australian Grenache a fair bit and sometimes prefer it to Shiraz. This style of wine makes for a very jolly BBQ drink in my opinion. Goes well with a sausage sandwich (slice of white bread folded in half enfolding slightly burnt sausage squirted with sauce - BBQ, HP, Chilli or Tomato - I am not fussy) which is one of my very favourite foods.
A bit cosmetic but offers juicy red fruit, red licorice, pepper and a floral lift. On the palate medium bodied with sweet red fruit and more meaty peppery flavours. It has good shape courtesy of light dry raspy tannins and clean acidity. Finishes with a bit of grip and a red fruit and dried herb aftertaste. Good quaffing with a bit of character.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 15%
Price : $16.99
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2011
Source : Winery Sample
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d’Arenberg “The Custodian” Grenache 2005
I’d normally let this one go through to the keeper but think I’ll try knocking out a note in record time.
Colour looks a bit developed. Smells of ripe red fruits, raw meat, some licorice and earth. On the palate medium bodied with flavours of sweet red fruits, earth and a little spice. It has light but dry tannin and some slightly intrusive spirity alcohol. Finishes up a little metallic but fairly fresh. A nice enough drink but based on this bottle probably not one of the best vintages of Custodian.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $20
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2007 - 2010
Source : Winery Sample
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Helen’s Hill Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2006 ($26) screwcap:
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T’Gallant Juliet Moscato 2007
It’s an interesting and unexpected trend this sudden rush of Moscato style wine. Everyone seems to be getting in on the act and putting one out. Naturally some are better than others and I particularly like this one. Really pretty bottle too…one of those things that make you go..oooohhhh.
Smells peachy and grapey with a very attractive fresh kaffir lime leaf top note. On the palate sweet and spritzy with flavours similar to stuffing your mouth full of ice cold sultana grapes drizzled with a squirt of lemon juice. It has a refreshing acidity providing vital cut and a clean but sticky ending. It’s tart fuel all right but can be enjoyed equally by tarts of both sexes…. at any time of day. How do you logically rate such wines? I don’t know, I just give the ones I like a 90!
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 6%
Price : $18.99
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2008
Source : Winery Sample
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Mount Pleasant Philip Shiraz 2005
By Gary Walsh
Now then, I have tasted this thrice now, the first blind in amongst a raft of 2005 Huntervas, the second from a whole bottle and the last benchmarking it against the previous vintage (also under screwcap which is 2004 if you can’t subtract) with both of the bottle tastings looking better the next day. A sub twenty dollar (often sub $15) wine that requires decanting or cellaring? Well well. This is a very rich chocolatey wine by Hunter standards, as much like Barossa as anything else, but is still medium weight and I suspect that more regional character will emerge with careful cellaring. Best of all is no longer having to play that tense and scary game of ‘Mount Pleasant roulette’ with your case load of twelve (licorice) bullets; the screwcap ensuring a long and untroubled life.
Rich and tarry with blackberry, licorice and chocolate dominating, a little black pepper and some brighter raspberry fruit peering up through the darkness. On the palate medium to full bodied with blackberry and raspberry, licorice and earthy leathery flavours. It is dry (almost porty) and savoury with fairly strong but appropriate tannin and a good dry finish. It freshened, brightened and sweetened up after being left for a day and I’d really suggest leaving this alone for a couple of years yet at which stage I suspect it could rate a little higher. Certainly I think there is a bit of X-Factor at play here. A big wine by Hunter standards but it’s authentic and honest and I chose to drink it over several (some considerably) more expensive bottles I had open at the time.
Other vintages reviewed : 2004,2003, 2002, 2000
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $15.99
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2011 - 2016+
Source : Winery Sample
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De Bortoli Gulf Station Chardonnay 2006
I’m looking at (and for) some of the better quality wine to be had at around (or under) twenty dollars at the moment. Of course, De Bortoli has been delivering more bang per buck (or less if you consider that sometimes less is more..) than just about any other winery via its Windy Peak and Gulf Station labels.
Attractive and approachable displaying bold melon and peach fruit with a little cream and spice in support. On the palate a mix of fruits including melon, pear and peach backed with subtle spicy oak. Clean, fresh and well balanced with soft acidity and a good crisp finish. A good wine that offers both refreshment and excellent value.
Tasted : Jan08Alcohol : 13%
Price : $18
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2008 - 2010
Source : Winery Sample
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