|
Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2006, Martinborough, NZ |
$25.50: the second tier pinot, the
main one retails for ~$68, obvious notes of red fruit but a bit too light on
the palate for my liking, I thought this could have more pizzaz. 89/100 .
Tasted 12th May 2007. |
|
Catalina Sounds Sauv Blanc 2006, Marlborough, NZ |
Fairly intense
notes of sweet gooseberry, stewed citrus/orange, minerality. medium bodied,
clean acidity and flavour, good length for aftertaste. not too dry nor
tannic. 89/100. Tasted 22nd March 2007. |
|
Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux Chardonny 2005, Hawkes Bay, NZ |
$63.75: Good balance
of acidity and buttery notes. 89/100. Tasted 12th May 2007. |
|
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2005 |
$38-45, 86% merlot, 14% cabernet franc. Very pure and fragrant nose of
violets, some soft oak. Harsh sharp attack of acid, velvet palate, dark
berry flavours but the weight on the mouth feels a tad too light. Aftertaste
fades off rather quickly. 88/100. Tasted 7th July 2007. |
|
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Sophia 2005, Hawkes Bay, NZ |
$59.50: Mainly merlot, generous velvet tannins with notes of sweet red
fruit. 89-91/100. Tasted 12th May 2007.
Retasted 7th July 2007: $60-70, 62% merlot, 34% cabernet franc, 4%
cabernet sauvignon. Dense nose, notes of dark chocolate, but a sense that
it's abit too fat. Velvet palate, oaky and dry, aftertaste is weaker than
initial nose would suggest this drink to be and the overall feel of alcohol
is on the high side. The 2004 was much better. 89?/100. |
|
Craggy Range Syrah Le Sol 2005, Hawkes Bay, NZ |
$72: Firm tannins and good fruit,
finishing with a subtle aftertaste. 91-92/100. Tasted 12th May 2007. |
|
Dolium Malbec Reserva 2003,
Mendoza, Argentina |
$42-50, bright ruby colour, sweet aromas
of mulberry, red fruits and savoury oak spice. Flavours of spice and dark
chocolate, soft tannins, good balance and an aftertaste of great length.
90/100. Tasted August 2007.
Dolium
is one of the newer and modern setups in Argentina, and is one of the
largest exporters of wine out of the country. It's located in the Agrelo
section of Lujan de Cuyo, this multi-level winery is built almost entirely
underground! Founder Mario Giadorou who passed away in 2005 founded this
business in 1997 and it's now in the hands of his son Ricardo Giadorou who
doubles as the resident winemaker. |
|
Dutton Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2005,
Russian River, USA |
Dutton Goldfield
is a 1998 joint venture of two pioneers of the American wine industry -
Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield. $55-65, this is made by blending from over
sixty separate vineyards located primarily in the Green Valley appellation
of the Russian River Valley. The Green Valley is unique in that fog from the
Pacific rolls in during the evening and recedes by the morning, and that
allows for moderate growing conditions which promote the dark intense
flavours in the fruit. Light gold colour, intense nose of rich butter.
Well-structured wine with lemony flavours balanced with good levels of
acidity. But I thought it was a tiny bit bland on the back. 91-92/100.
Tasted August 2007.
|
|
Dutton Range Russian River Zinfandel 2005,
Russian River, USA |
Dutton Goldfield
is a 1998 joint venture of two pioneers of the American wine industry -
Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield. $42-50, nice darkish colour, exotic nose of
figs and sweet dates. 14.3%, well-rounded and full of fruity flavours,
tannins have integrated very well. Good length for a finish. 92-93/100.
Tasted August 2007. |
|
Escarpment Pinot Noir 2005,
Central Otago, NZ |
Dense
garnet colour, earthy undertones with light beef stock nose. young tannic
structure which lingers but falls off quite quickly into an agreeable level
(can this wine really last for 10 years as suggested?? doubt it). length of
aftertaste a little too short for my liking. 88/100. Tasted 22nd March 2007. |
|
 |
Laurel Glen Terra Rosa Malbec 2004,
Mendoza, Argentina
$21-25, a blend from the Perdriel,
San Carlos, La Consulta and Tupungato vineyards. 10% old vine Tempranillo
also from San Carlos for the spicy component. Average age of vineyards is 80
years old, cropped at under 2 tonnes/acre. Beautiful earthy light red in
colour. Nice gentle nose, spicy flavours with firm tannins that aren't
overwhelming, and an aftertaste that lingers on the back palate. 91/100.
Tasted August 2007.
The
winemaker is Patrick Campbell, owner and winemaker of Laurel Glen located in
the Sonoma region. Grapes are sourced off 50 - 80 year old vines from 5
separate vineyards sited at 800 - 1200 metres above sea level with the Andes
ranges as a backdrop. |
|
Laurel Glen Vale La Pena Malbec 2004,
Mendoza, Argentina |
$42-50, a single vineyard wine,
site located at an elevation of 1050m at the foot of the Andes. The
southernmost vineyard of all Mendoza is on rocky, sparse plains with winds
sweeping in from the dry, cool Patagonian scrub bush, carrying minerals
picked up by the breeze from the Patagonian desert. Deep organic dark
colour, clean flavours of black fruit and molasses. Very well-rounded wine,
with soft tannins. It left me wanting more for a finish, but I haven't had
enough malbec to offer the best opinion on this style of wine. 90-91/100.
Tasted August 2007.
The
winemaker is Patrick Campbell, owner and winemaker of Laurel Glen located in
the Sonoma region. Grapes are sourced off 50 - 80 year old vines from 5
separate vineyards sited at 800 - 1200 metres above sea level with the Andes
ranges as a backdrop. |
|
Laurel Glen Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Sonoma, CA, USA |
Laurel Glen
is headed by Patrick Campbell, and already got a mention here as I tasted
their Argentinean offerings earlier this month. This is their main
production, doing what Sonoma is good for - Cabernet Sauvignon, offered in
their only two labels, the Laurel Glen Cab Sauv and the Counterpoint Cab
Sauv. The Laurel Glen Cab Sauv (retail $80-95) is the top wine produced from
only the best grapes, and production numbers vary yearly. $42-50, darkish
red colour, with notes of fleshy black currants and tobacco. 13.5%, very
satisfying palate of frank fruit that very balanced and not over whelming.
Tannin levels are clear and present, but again, not offensive. This
delicious one can easily last beyond 5 years and could be a long-term
keeper. 92-93/100. Tasted August 2007. |
|
Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2006, Malborough, NZ |
$19.55: Rich nose of rose
petals, sweet white peach, lychee?, with a hint of spice to top. 92/100.
Tasted 22nd March 2007. |
|
Lawson's Dry Hills Pinot Gris 2006, Malborough, NZ |
$19.55: made as a firm dry style,
notes of poached pear, baked apple crumble, clove?. 92/100. Tasted
22nd March 2007. |
|
Lazy Creek Gewurztraminer 2005,
Mendocino, CA, USA |
Lazy Creek Vineyards
is located just outside the town of Philo in the Anderson Valley of
Mendocino County. The main crop is pinot noir, but also offer a
Gewurztraminer. $34-40, rich nose of lychee, good dryish feel on the palate, but flat on the back. 87/100.
Tasted August 2007. |
|
Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 43, Sonoma, CA, USA |
Marietta Cellars
is located in Geyserville in Sonoma County. Known for producing arguably the
most value for money low budget red, one can do little wrong with USD$10 per
bottle that receives nod after nod from Mr Parker himself. Run by Chris
Bilbro, this 1979 established family business also involves Chris' four
sons. With fruit sourced from old vineyards in Sonoma, Napa and Anderson
valleys, the wines are in a rustic style, so nothing classy refined but more
representative of homely style warmth. $17-20, a non-vintage blend of
Zinfandel, Petit syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Gamay and others that is
released as a Lot series, described by RP as 'unquestionably one of the
finest bargains in the red wine marketplace'. Light red colour, floral
nose of redcurrants and light oak. 13.5%, light and refreshing, lots of
forward fruit backed by soft tannins. Very good drink! 89-90/100. Tasted
August 2007. |
|
 |
2004 Muddy Water
Chardonnay, Waipara, NZ
$28 from Cloudwine. Screwcap, 14.0%, matured in barrel on yeast lees for a
year before bottling. Rich ripe-lemon canola colour, didn't throw up the
robust nuances of confectionary butter that I'd associate with great
chardonny. Primarily citrus notes with subtle butter undertones, quite like
a citrus tart. Light-styled, not overly flabby, good balanced levels of
acidity and aftertaste. 89/100 |
|
Neal Family Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004,
CA, USA |
$70-80, this blend
of nine vineyards weighs in at a hefty 15.8%. All nine lots of fruit were
fermented separately before blending, then matured for 22 months in French
oak (80% new) before bottling. Medium red colour, rich notes of black
currants and cedar wood. Medium bodied wine, just on the border of becoming
full throttle, good flavours of dark, spicy fruit with fine tannins. But the
finish was somehow not as satisfying as the drink was for me. 90-91/100.
Tasted August 2007.
Neal Family Vineyards
was established in 1998 by Mark Neal based on a wealth of experience
accumulated over 40 years and 600 vineyard blocks between Mark and his
father. Gove Celio is the winemaker with fruit sourced from various
sub-appellations including Rutherford, St Helena, Howell Mountain and Mt
Veeder. This organic setup (certification still in process) has fermentation
caves carved into the side of a hill along Howell Mountain. They produced a
lot of single vineyard Cab Sauvs, but of limited numbers 200-500 cases. The
only non-Cab wine is a Zinfandel (retail $40-45). |
|
 |
Ojai 1996 Syrah Bien
Nacido, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
The Ojai
vineyard is located in Santa Barbara, CA and run by Adam Tolmach. They
also release whites and pinot noir. Blackish-purple in colour, a compact nose of cassis and bacon fat.
Satisfyingly rich and opulent in the mouth, smooth flowing with no
jarring edges to it. Considering it already has 11 years of age to it,
it's no wonder that this is elegantly balanced and drinking very well
right now. Can this go any further? I don't know.. I sense it's already
peaking and now's the time to drink up! 92-93/100.
Tasted July 2007, courtesy of Joe Czerwinski who
is tasting director and senior editor with
Wine Enthusiast Magazine
|
|
Pegasus Bay
'Aria' Late Picked Riesling 2006, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Est retail AUD$40. The late harvest to bring about the heightened
concentrated flavours is done over several trips down the rows and picking
bunches with some (30%) botrytis. Made in an Auslese style, only 7.5%
alcohol. Vibrant nose of honey-suckle and melon. Light and pleasant in the
mouth. Sweet, but not overly so. Good. 88-89/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
'Encore' Late Harvest Reisling 2004, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Est retail AUD$40. Grapes 'suffering' from the full extent of botrytis are
picked in a single trip down through the vines, berry by berry. Comes in at
9% with the colour of clarified light butter. Rich nose of petroleum. Very
full on the mouth, it maintains a high level of sweetness yet stays balanced
with some lean acidity. It's supposed to be made in a TBA style, but
although this is good, the german TBAs still own the world. 92-93/100.
Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
'Finale' Noble Chardaonnay 2004, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Est retail AUD$40. Another bottling that is vintage dependent, noble rot
affected chardonnay concentrate is barrel fermented and spends two years in
aged to add that extra element to this sweet wine. 13.0%, deep gold yellow
colour, an incredible nose of chinese double-boiled chicken broth with hints
of walnut. The savoury and sweet flavours meld very well without being too
rich. A soft aftertaste, leaves me wondering whether I should be expecting
more. 91/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
'Maestro' Merlot Malbec 2003, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Produced solely in the warmer years and only if not compromising the estate
merlot cabernet. The 2003 was only the 4th time this bottling was offered
and is a classic Bordeaux blend with 20% malbec, although previous vintages
have had some cab sauv and cab franc. Spends 3 years in barrels. Carpeted
nose of purple flowers, this is a ripe and savoury wine, medium bodied, and
rich in tannins. Broad and generous aftertaste. 91/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay Pinot
Noir 2005, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Est.
retail AUD$55. Fermented in small vats before 18 months maturation in French
oak barriques. Light earthy red colour. Forward and direct nose of velvety
red fruit with a touch of spice and oak. Dry style with velvety tannins
which are very much up front at the moment but should settle in 3-4 years. A
spicy sumptuous finish. 88/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
'Prima Donna' Pinot Noir 2004, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
AUD$85-90, the top wine that is only produced in the right years, and by
selecting the best barrels without compromising the quality of the estate
pinot. Bold nose of perfumed sugar, white pepper and salted plum. A sharp
finish, should be better but I expected more. 91/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
Riesling 2006, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Light
hay-yellow colour. Citrus nose of blooming orange blossom with a subtle hint
of petroleum. Sweet, simple style with a slight touch of spritz. Well
structured, bone dry style with an orangey finish, but overall abit dull.
88/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Pegasus Bay
Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006, Waipara, South Island, NZ |
Est.
retail AUD$32. The sauv blanc was fermented in stainless steel tanks and the
semillon in oak barriques for 9 - 10 months on lees. Light in colour with a
tinge of pink, notes of lychee, passion fruit and gooseberry. Crispy fruity
flavours on the mid palate with a touch of minerality and a satisfying
aftertaste. 90/100. Tasted 28 Aug 07. |
|
Philip Togni Tanbark Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2002,
CA, USA |
$90-110. The 2002
vintage wasn't too impressive according to Togni standards, and certains
lots were declassified and added to the Tanbark blend. This only served to
enhance the value and showiness of this wine. Dark ruby, purple colour, it
only contains 13.7% alcohol which is lower than the big Californian cabs.
Sweet nose of cedar wood, herbs and black currants. Good fruitiness
accompanied by velvety tannins. 94+/100. Tasted August 2007.
Philip Togni
receives a mention in Robert Parker's 'The World's Greatest Wine Estates'
and not surprisingly, the mailing list is almost impossible to get onto.
Applying his from Chateau Lascombes into blending Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, Togni wines are very similar to the
Margaux products. Juice off the initial press goes towards a younger second
bottling - Tanbark Hill. |
|
Ramey Napa Valley Claret 2004,
Napa Valley, CA, USA |
$60-70. At 14.5%, has a nose of black
fruits, white chocolate and light green herb. Soft and round on the palate
with young tannins lingering on the finish. The optimal drinking window for
this should easily be in 5 years time, and could keep for 10 years.
91-92/100. Tasted August 2007.
David Ramey
boasts credentials that include having worked with Christian Moueix,
Dominus, and Rudd and Chalk Hill in Sonoma. This is his own operation based
in Healdsburg, and focuses on producing Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon as
a great series of single vineyard wines. His wines are currently exclusive
to PWS and retail for $70-250. Not cheap stuff indeed. |
|
Richter Brauneberger
Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 2006, Mosel |
Light nose with sweet flowing spice. But this simple drink lacks character.
Good finish though. 90/100. Tasted Feb 2008.
|
|
Richter Brauneberger
Juffer-Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2006, Mosel |
Sparkling with hint of pale, straw yellow. Subtle nose of necterine and
blackcurrants. Rich tropical fruit flavours, primarily pineapple and some
canned peach syrup, but this doesn't explode in your mouth, it's kept well
in-check. Low acidity. Good persistent finish. 91-92/100. Tasted Feb 2008. |
|
Richter Wehlener-Sonnenuhr
Riesling Spatlese 2006, Mosel |
Clear with yellow tinge. Light nose of sweet fruit. Sweet on the palate, but
simple fruit sugars, one-dimensional. Nice finish though. 88-89/100. Tasted
Feb 2008. |
|
Richter Veldenzer Elisenberg
Auslese cask 83 2006, Mosel |
Pale golden yellow. Uplifting nose of flowery, sweet stone fruit and
tangerine. Clean flavours, woody mellow, almost papaya-ish. Not overtly
sweet. Finish is a little lacking though. 90-100. Tasted Feb 2008. |
 |
Saint
Clair Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Reserve 2006, NZ
$32
from Cloudwine (South Melbourne). Great clear nose and fresh straight
forward passionfruit and gooseberry flavours. Almost perfect balance between
fruit and acidity. Saint Clair is the NZ wine producer of the year according
to the London International wine and Spirit Competition. I'm not a white
person, but this was nice. 92-93/100
Note:
supplies of this have been snapped up rather quickly so start hunting now or
live in regret! |
|
Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc
Wairau Reserve 2007, NZ |
$33. Clean, light golden colour. Vibrant notes of gooseberry, passionfruit
and hint of blackcurrants. Rich sweet fruity flavours and ends with a good
lingering feel. Good with seared salmon and grilled scallops with a side of
sweet pea, yellow capsicum and baby carrot salad tossed in a generous
portion of olive oil. This isn't a wine to knock your socks off, but the
depth in flavours that you are getting for this price, absolutely worth it!
I've bought a case of this already. 93/100. Tasted Feb 2008. |
|
 |
Siduri Gary's
Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000 , Monterey, CA, USA
Siduri is one
from Diana Krall's winelist, located in the Santa Lucia Highlands of
Monterey, CA. They apparently have a broad range but with limited
production.
Dark coloured, with notes of earthy cherry. Stocked with fruit flavours
that linger in the mid-back palate. However, a blunted finish with a
touch of unfavourable tannins that disrupts the smoothness one should
expect in pinot noir. 88/100
Tasted July 2007, courtesy of Joe Czerwinski who
is tasting director and senior editor with
Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
|
|
Te Mata, Elston Chardonnay 2005, Hawkes Bay, NZ |
Notes
of oak, bit too warm hence rich overly buttery nose, fruit based, balanced
acidity, grapefruit flavour. good moderate length aftertaste. 89/100. Tasted
22nd March 2007. |
|
 |
Te Whare Ta Gewürztraminer 2005, Marlborough, NZ
Multi-gold medal winner in some of this season's early Aus/NZ wineshows, great drink for $25 (could be $20 i
reckon) if you like aromatic whites with a substantially flavoursome body.
90/100 |
 |
Tokaji Aszu 6
Puttonyos 1993 , Hungary
A
brilliant concentration of tokay that isn't overwhelming in sweetness, is
well-balanced and doesn't leave a sick feeling in your mouth. The thick,
dark, syrupy appearance masks the elegance bottled up. Have this
well-chilled to fully appreciate greatness in traditional wine-making. Lasts
well over a week if stored properly and promptly. |
|
 |
Peller Estates Founder's Series Icewine
1998, Niagara Peninsula, Canada |
 |
Peller Estates Founder's Series Late
Harvest 1997, Ontario, Canada |
|
Stratus Riesling 2000,
Niagara, Ontario
|
Nose of sweet, light but yet intense wafts of a potpourri store.
Light flowing juice reminiscent of peach juice/syrup. But the flavours
are quite different from what you'd expect from the nose, finish lingers
but is soft. 89/100. Tasted Dec 2007 in Toronto. |
Lakeview Cellars
Gewurtztraminer 2002, Ontario
|
Sweet, juicy with a touch of walnut. However, this is a simple
drink, concentrated sweet mandarin flavours but the light, soft
lingering aftertaste is let down by the tame finish. 89-90/100. Tasted
Dec 2007 in Toronto. |
Quails Gate Botrytis Affected
Optimal 2004, British Columbia
|
Almost like a light, young, fresh Sauternes. Soft nose of candied,
ginger pear. Rich, sweet flavours that linger. Good aftertaste.
91-92/100. Tasted Dec 2007 in Toronto. |
|
 |
Chateau Musar
2000 Hochar, Lebanon
($25) Negotiants Australia |
 |
Chateau Musar
1998, Lebanon ($46)
Negotiants Australia |