2013 Montalto Estate SingleVineyard releases

Simon Black and the team at Montalto Estate are in the middle of an ambitious expansion process. In the last few years, Simon and the Montalto crew have released a series of single site wines to reflect the different types of terroir in their Mornington Peninsula vineyards. Following a tour of the winery and an intimate barrel tasting of earlier vintages back in 2013, it was clear that the team at Montalto were on the right track, and after a few days on the tasting bench, their new release 2013 single vineyard wines confirm this assessment.

2013 Montalto Estate Tuerong Block Pinot Noir
Some fresh red and black fruits on the nose, mixed with fruit cake spice and vanilla.

Initially shows juicy, primary red/black cherry and a bit of strawberry fruit, opening up with darker blackberry and sour cherry with some more air.

Over the course of 3 days on the tasting bench, the Tuerong became more brooding and complex, developing earthier and stalky flavours in the mid palate, and increased savouriness on the finish.

Should develop along these lines in the next 2-3 years, but is drinking well now

ABV:13.8%

RRP: $65
Rating: 93pts+ nice journey ahead

2013 Montalto Estate Merricks Block Pinot Noir
Juicy fresh red fruit, varietal; strawberry and red cherry, backed by vanilla. Fresh black cherry and plum on the palate, brooding yet light on its feet. A flavoursome Pinot Noir that has nice intensity and power, yet is well structured, with nicely balanced acidity.

ABV: 13.7% 

RRP: $65

Rating: 92pts 

2013 Montalto Estate Main Ridge Pinot Noir
Fresh and flavoursome dark cherry and blue plum, supported by a decent amount of vanilla oak on the nose. A bit of stalkyness and liqueur cherry on the mid palate. Overall, on opening a ripe, fresh and juicy Pinot, enriched by some seductive oak.

ABV: 13.7%

RRP: $65
Rating: 91pts (did not taste on subsequent days)

2013 Montalto Estate The Eleven Chardonnay
On opening (double decanted) the wine was quite lean and clean in texture, yet with a powerful smoky, toasty oak, cashew and citrus nose.

On day two the wine was in a great groove – elegantly integrated oak, cashew, grapefruit, white and yellow nectarine, enlivened by unobtrusive acidity.
The Eleven is not going to blow you away with overplayed flavour (in a good way), nor is it a chardonnay in need of a figurative big square meal. Happy medium and a win-win. Given how this evolved on opening, give it a good decant to draw the best out of it, or put it down for a few years as it is an elegant yet sumptuous chardonnay.

ABV: 12.9% 
RRP: $55
Rating: 93+ (91 on opening, though improved markedly on the tasting bench over the next few days)

Overall, a premium range of wines from a winemaker and high quality winery hitting their straps.

2009 Rosby Cabernet Sauvignon (Mudgee)

There is great value to be had here.

Gerald Norton-Knight tends a small but quite unique vineyard in Mudgee. I have written about it previously in more detail here. The wines are as such subject to the vagaries of the vintage, and the lesser vintages tend to produce enjoyable quaffers. The good vintages, however, result in lovely medium bodied Cabernet that is fantastic value.

2009 was a pretty good Mudgee vintage and the wine speaks to this. It delivers lovely ripe, plummy fruit with some liquorice notes, all, however, within a medium bodied frame. Where the interest comes in through is in the earthy rusticity it displays, something on show with many a Mudgee red. I had it at 3.5 Stars on day 1, but as it continued to integrate and lengthen on the finish over a few days I nudged it up to 4 stars. Superb value at $13.30 a bottle in a case and still available from the cellar door.

Rated: 4 Stars
RRP: $160 per case from cellar door
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: 2015-2019+
Website: www.rosby.com.au


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