We haven’t had time to write up our tasting notes from the WA trip – they’ll follow next week.
Heirloom Vineyards Eden Valley Riesling 2013 – $24 at the winery. We bought this wine for about half that price at Winedirect but there’s none left there. It’s a typical Eden Valley Riesling, tight and restrained in the 2013 style, the tart limes and crunchy acidity suggesting a long life. Another option is the 2012, which is a bit more forward and costs $22 at Winestreet. Great Riesling.
Shottesbrooke Shiraz 2012, Single Vineyard – $47 at Dan M’s. A gift from friends, this was a big disappointment given Halliday’s 97 point score. It was hot on the back palate and finish, which spoilt it for us. Jeremy P gives it 92+ but we’d be hard pushed to give it 90. That makes it an AVOID given the price.
Yilgarnia Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – $18 at Winedirect. Yilgarnia is small winery near Denmark in the great Southern region of Western Australia, with 30 acres under vines and producing about 3000 dozen bottles a year. This is a gentle Cabernet, perhaps a touch too gentle but not lacking finesse. Perhaps we’re just drinking too many big reds … 90 points. BUY if you like your wines genteel.
Robert Stein Semillon Riesling 2011 – $15 at the winery. Robert Stein is a winery in Mudgee rated at 5 red stars by James Halliday. We can only assume that this simple, sweet wine is made for the passing parade of tourists. AVOID.
Masseria Altemura Sasseo Primitivo Salento 2012 – $16 at Dan M’s. A terrific red with layers of flavour – olives and dried herbs and sundried tomatoes – great food wine, great value. 92 points. BUY. Cork!
Château Tanunda Matthews Road Shiraz 2011 – $14 at Dan M’s. Alighter red form a single site in the Eden Valley that reflects the 2011 vintage. That said, it’s ready to enjoy and offers lovely sweet fruit for the money. 89 points. BUY.
Robert Stein Semillon 2011 – $15 at the winery. The wine starts well, with fresh apples and ripe lemons leaping out of the glass. It finishes short and sweet though, and that spoiled it for us. 88 points. Not convinced.
Robert Stein Third Generation Chardonnay 2014 – $25 at the winery. Really perfumed nose, which carries on to the palate – fancy oak perhaps. Young but lots of goodies waiting to get out. Flat, dull spot on the finish spoils it at the moment but it may just need more time. 89 points – not convinced at this time.
Robert Stein Mudgee Shiraz 2011 – $25 at the winery. The nose shouts cool climate shiraz with dark cherries and plums, and the fruit-driven palate is fresh and full of life. Not the most complex wine and it finishes short. 89 points – not convinced at this price.
Chateau Tanunda Chorus Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2011 – $14 at Dan M’s. One of our favolurite blends so we liked this just a little more than the Shiraz. Similar medium weight and sweet fruit, just a bit more going on here. 90 points. BUY.
Richard Hamiltion Hut Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – $15 at Winedirect. A 2013 red that’s drinking well already. The guys here produce refined McLaren Vale reds as if to prove a point, and they do it forcefully. Almost elegant but certainly more refined than most reds from the vale, this is a joy to drink with ripe fruit and fine tannins. Wouldn’t keep it for too long though. 90 points. BUY.
Pago de Cirsus Vendimia Seleccionada 2010 – $17 at Dan M’s. Another great red import from Spain – tons of character, layers of rich, ripe flavour, some development with earthy leathery overtones, hints of liquorice, great food wine. Great value. 92 points. BUY.
West Cape Howe Old School Chardonnay 2013 – $16 at Winedirect. Not quite old school in the sense that it not all peaches and butter. Still, it’s a lot richer and more satisfying than the fashionable Twiggy style grapefruit concoctions the wine judges are so fond of. 92 points. BUY.
West Cape Howe Riesling 2014 – $18 at Cracka. An austere, steely Great Southern Riesling that needs time to come together and put on some weight. This is a keeper. 92+ points. BUY. The 2013 is still around and is more approachable – $17 at MyCellars.
West Cape Howe Pinot Grigio 2013 – $17 at the winery. Made from Mount Barker and Pemberton fruit, this is the drier style of PG with mere hints of pear and ginger and a clean acid backbone. Will improve for a year or 2 but good now with rich, oily foods. 91 points. BUY.
Red Knot by Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz 2013 – $11.50 at the Dan M’s. This hits the bull’s eye for drinkability – ripe, rich but balanced with good depth and length. Your friends at the next Barbie will think you’re a genius. When you tell them the price, they won’t believe you.
McWilliams Mt Pleasant Philip Shiraz 2011 – $13 at Dan M’s. Haven’t tasted one of these for some time, and the first thing you notice is how clean and well-made it is. A medium bodied, pleasant drinking red, on the light side as befits a Hunter red and lacking distinctive Hunter character and complexity. Still, it’s a good, elegant drinking red and good value. 90 points. BUY.
Thorn-Clarke Morello Barossa Valley Nebbiolo 2012 – even TC don’t list the 2012 on their website yet, and it’s no great loss – the wine has good varietal character but is simply too light (11.5%). It comes as a surprise that the 2011 from a much wetter vintage is 13% but the price seems a bit steep for what you get here – $19 at Dan M’s.