THE WINE FRONT

Regionalism is the key to the future of Australian wine. With that in mind I gathered four Australian wines that wear their region on their sleeves - Seppelt Heathcote Shiraz, Mount Pleasant Hunter Valley Philip Shiraz, Torzi Matthews Eden Valley Schist Rock Shiraz and Gramp's Barossa Shiraz - and tasted them as I discussed their characters and importance. This is a video presentation - the second in the new Wine Front Live segments.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

If YouTube is a problem for you please feel free to use this version.


Welcome to the winehouse from Campbell Mattinson on Vimeo.

There's been a lot of new material added to The Wine Front site over the past week or two - though most of it is available to subscribers only. One thing that is available to everyone though is the terrific new Q & A profile of Wayne Dutschke (pictured above with his family), conducted by Adam Catford. This is arguably the best of these profiles so far ... it's available for all to see by clicking here.

Popular South Australian winemaker Dean Hewitson recently celebrated 10 years out on his own with a set of vertical tastings of just about every wine he's made under the Hewitson label. Two of these verticals particularly caught my eye - the Old Garden Mourvedre vertical, and the Mad Hatter Shiraz vertical (the wine formerly known as the L'Oizeau Shiraz). Full reviews from these two vertical tastings are available to subscribers (only) at:

Old Garden Mourvedre vertical tasting

Mad Hatter Shiraz vertical tasting.

Of course, these aren't the only new reviews added in the past week or two. If you scroll below you'll see links to my video impressions (which have proven remarkably popular) of the new Penfolds Super Premium red wine releases, while the written reviews are now in the (subscriber only) LATEST REVIEWS section of the site.

Of course, you won't just find new Penfolds' reviews in there. The following is a list of wine reviews that have been added across the site recently. I've put an asterisk beside those wines you should pay particular attention to.

Binbilla Hilltops Good Friday Shiraz 2006
Donny Goodmac Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007
Hewitson L’Oizeau Shiraz 1998
Hewitson L’Oizeau Shiraz 1999
Hewitson L’Oizeau Shiraz 2000
Hewitson L’Oizeau Shiraz 2001
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2002
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2003
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2004
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2005
Hewitson The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2006
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 1998
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 1999
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2000
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2001
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2002
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2003
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2004
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2005
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley Mourvedre Grenache Shiraz 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley Reserve Shiraz 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz Mourvedre 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley The Saint Shiraz 2006
Landhaus Estate Barossa Valley The Sinner Grenache Mataro Shiraz 2006
*Majella The Musician Cabernet Shiraz 2007*
Margan Hunter Valley Barbera 2006
Margan Hunter Valley Merlot 2006
Paradise IV Geelong Dardell Shiraz 2006
*Penfolds Adelaide Hills Reserve Bin 06A Chardonnay 2006*
Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay 2005
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (video and note)
Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2003 (video and note)
Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2005 (video and note)
*Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2005 (video and note)*
*Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2004 (video and note)*
*Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot 2005*
Petaluma Picadilly Valley Chardonnay 2006
Savaterre Beechworth Chardonnay 2006
*Savaterre Beechworth Pinot Noir 2006*
*Seppelt Heathcote Shiraz 2006*
St Hallett Barossa Faith Shiraz 2006
Voyager Estate Margaret River Girt By Sea Cabernet Merlot 2006
*Zema Estate Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2005*
Zema Estate Coonawarra Cluny 2004
Zema Estate Coonawarra Shiraz 2005

Get into it!

Landhaus is a Barossan producer making a lot of right moves. It takes grapes from a range of old Barossan vineyards and turns them into honest, fruit-driven, delicious wines, for the main part at reasonable prices. Indeed the only thing it lacks is a killer value, kick-arse $15-$20 red ... though that's my current obsession. I tasted through six Landhaus reds today and there was not a dud among them, and a lot of wines I'd be keen to hook into again later. These are not overly complex wines, but they are good quality wines. Not a single one of them is overoaked either - worthy of particular note.

These notes are available to paid subscribers only. Subscribers click through to the LATEST REVIEWS section. 

Hewitson's Old Garden Mourvedre is one of the gems of Australian wine. It's made from grapes grown on vines reputed to be the oldest mourvedre vines in the world - over 160 years old - and it's bottled as a single variety, to show its character unbridled and unfettered. In this spirit it was made with only 30 per cent new oak in its early years, though as time went on Dean Hewitson saw that the flavours were so bold and strong that they could cope with, and be enhanced by, a greater per cent of new oak. In the spectacular 2002 vintage Hewitson put the wine in 100 per cent new French oak, and it tasted divine. Ever since then 100 per cent new oak has been the norm.

And it's a beautiful norm. This wine is both unique, and top class - a beautiful marriage. The following notes are from a ten year vertical tasting held in Dean Hewitson's kitchen in Adelaide recently. I've tasted most of these wines over the years, but I have not referred back to previous notes - these are simply my impressions of the wines as of now.

Ten year vertical notes available to subscribers only. Subscribers, CLICK HERE. 

Penfolds Super Premiums reds are released on 1 May each year and to co-incide with this year's releases I've decided to do something different. I've tasted and thought through the wines and then done the almost unimaginable thing of talking my thoughts through on camera. There's a seven minute introduction and then a separate take on each of 2003 Penfolds Grange, 2005 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, 2005 Penfolds RWT Shiraz and 2005 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz. In the subscriber only 'Latest Reviews' section of this website I will of course record written reviews of these wines, but if you want to hear me talk on these wines all you have to do is click on the following links.

Part 1: Penfolds Super Premium Red Wines Introduction (including review of 2005 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon). CLICK HERE.
Part 2: Review of Penfolds Grange 2003. CLICK HERE.
Part 3: Review of Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2005. CLICK HERE.
Part 4: Review of Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2005. CLICK HERE.
Part 5: Review of Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2004. CLICK HERE.
Part 6: Summary of Penfolds Super Premium Red Releases. CLICK HERE.

OVER THE past month or two I've tasted a number of Victorian wines from the 2007 vintage that have minor or significant degrees of bushfire smoke taint. In small doses it can be nicely complexing, while in more significant doses it can make for a wine that tastes downright disgusting. It also tends to change in the wine over time - in some cases getting worse, in others lessening. Many parts of Australia are at massive, annual risk of bushfire and Victoria alone is considered the most bushfire prone region in the world - so the effect of bushfire smoke on grapes and their resultant wine is a crucial issue. It was fantastic to therefore receive the following release from the King Valley Vignerons.

NEWS RELEASE

King Valley Vignerons, together with the Department of Primary Industry (DPI), Department of Sustainability and the Environment (DSE) and Environment Protection Authority are conducting research into the effect of smoke on grapes vines and grapes. King Valley Wine Region was severely affected by the smoke from the wild fires in the Alpine National Park in 2003 and 2006/07 and is observing with great interest the fuel reduction burns currently being conducted by DSE.

It is clear from previous experiences that severe intensity of smoke on vines results in fruit being affected, but there are a lot of unknown issues and it is these that are the focus of the current research. It has been determined that grapes do not absorb the smoke compounds directly. The chemicals are absorbed by the leaves and translocated to the berries. Part of the current research is focussing on this translocation process, as well as other issues such as the affects of varying levels of smoke intensity and hours of contact.

A number of King Valley growers have left significant quantities of grapes on vines so that sampling can be done over the next few weeks following the fuel reduction burns currently being conducted. A caravan containing sophisticated monitoring equipment has been provided by the EPA to measure the intensity and content of the smoke being produced. The results of this monitoring, together with berry, leaf and cane sampling and small lot wine making will all be studied by Dr Mark Downey of DPI.

Growers and DSE will be waiting eagerly for the results of the research. King Valley growers are supporters of DSE’s fuel reduction program, but certainly don’t want there to be any detrimental effects on their grapes. The difficulty is that DSE has a very small window of opportunity in which to conduct these control burns, and this is March and April, when the most grapes are almost ready for harvest. The results of this research will certainly help with planning of burns for the future.

-- ends --
 

If you're not a paid-up subscriber to The Wine Front you don't get to see the reviews that are added to the site on most days. In the past week or two the following wines have been reviewed in the Subscriber Only section of this website.

Brokenwood Beechworth Indigo Vineyard Viognier 2006
Brokenwood McLaren Vale Wade Block 2 Vineyard Shiraz 2006
Brothers in Arms Formby and Adams Cutting Edge Langhorne Creek Cabernet Shiraz 2006
Brothers in Arms Formby and Adams Leading Horse Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Casa Freschi Langhorne Creek La Signora 2004
Cockfighter's Ghost Hunter Valley Semillon 2007
Cockfighter's Ghost McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet 2006
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Chardonnay 2005
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz 2006
Dalwhinnie South-West Rocks Shiraz 2005
Domaine Bachey Legros Bourgogne Chardonnay 2004
Domaine Bachey Legros Santenay Sous La Roche 2004
Holm Oak Vineyards Tasmania Pinot Noir 2006
Juniper Crossing Margaret River (Geographe) Chardonnay 2006
Ninth Island Tasmania Pinot Noir 2007
Penny's Hill McLaren Vale Footprint Shiraz 2005
Penny's Hill McLaren Vale Grenache 2006
Penny's Hill McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006
Pirathon Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006
Pirramimma McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Robert Oatley Shiraz Viognier 2006
St Huberts Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
St Huberts Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007
St Huberts Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2007
Sylvan Springs Cyril's Reserve Shiraz 2006
The Black Chook Shiraz Viognier 2007
Turkey Flat Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Willow Creek Vineyard Tulum Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2005
Willow Creek Vineyard WCV Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2005
Yering Station Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2006
Zilzie Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

For subscription details to The Wine Front click here. 

Both the chardonnay and the shiraz have reached a high point of sophistication. This is the promise of Dalwhinnie delivered on. I like the cabernet too and in a fascinating twist the Southwest Rocks Shiraz has undergone a transformation. The wines reviewed here are the Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz, Dalwhinnie Moonambel Chardonnay, Dalwhinnie Southwest Rocks Shiraz and Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet. These reviews are available to subscribers to The Wine Front only - see the Latest Reviews section for the reviews.

If you're not a subscriber to The Wine Front you don't get to see the reviews that are added to the site on most days. In the past seven days the following wines have been reviewed in the Subscriber Only section of this website.

Amon Ra Barossa Valley Unfiltered Shiraz 2006
Barking Owl Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005
Barking Owl Shiraz Viognier 2005
Calulu Park Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Clonakilla Canberra District Ballinderry 2006
Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007
Clonakilla Murrumbateman Syrah 2006
Fools Bay Beached Barossa Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Fools Bay Dusty's Desire Shiraz 2006
Giant Steps Yarra Valley Tarraford Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
Gipsie Jack Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2006
Gralyn Margaret River Cabernet Shiraz 2005
Gralyn Margaret River Racy Red 2007
Gralyn Margaret River Reserve Shiraz 2005
Gralyn Unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Hollick Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Hollick Coonawarra Sparkling Merlot 2006
Hollick Wrattonbully Hollaia Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Hollick Wrattonbully Shiraz 2004
Hollick Wrattonbully Tempranillo 2006
Massena The Moonlight Run 2006
Massena The Eleventh Hour 2006
Massena Howling Dog 2006
Mr Riggs Viognier 2007
Mr Riggs Yacca Paddock Tempranillo 2006
Mr Riggs Shiraz Viognier 2006
Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006
Ravensworth Hunter Valley Shiraz 2007
Ravensworth Murrumbateman Marsanne 2007
Ravensworth Murrumbateman Sangiovese 2007
Ravensworth Murrumbateman Viognier 2007
Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2007
Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Sauvignon 2007
Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz 2005
Tyrrell's Wines Double Barrel McLaren Vale Shiraz 2005
Wickhams Road Gippsland Chardonnay 2007
Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2007
Yering Station Yarra Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 2006
Yering Station Yarra Valley Reserve Shiraz Viognier 2006

For subscription details to The Wine Front click here.

I've just finished going through a clutch of Hollick reds. I always think of them as one of Coonawarra's better producers, though clearly in recent years they've invested more and more in the nearby Wrattonbully region. I tasted through the following wines:

• Hollick Wrattonbully Shiraz 2004
• Hollick Coonawarra Sparkling Merlot 2006
• Hollick Wratonbully Hollaia Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
• Hollick Wrattonbully Tempranillo 2006
• Hollick Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 

... and I was expecting that the Hollick Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 would come out clearly on top. It didn't. Indeed it wasn't even a Coonawarra wine that I preferred the most.

Reviews are in the Latest Reviews section of this website. The Latest reviews section is available to paid Subscribers only.