2013 Lark Hill Sangiovese

I always associate Lark Hill with top quality Gruner Veltliner and my personal favourite of theirs, Viognier (amongst others). However, this Sangiovese is a pleasant surprise. A proudly biodynamic winery, Chris Carpenter and family at Lark Hill manage to deliver consistently high quality wines across their diverse range.

The 2013 Sangiovese has an initial herbal, tobacco nose that blows off with air, with a palate of juicy black fruit, sweet at the front, transitioning to savoury on the finish. Loose knit structurally, light-medium bodied and texturally slippery. Minimal tannin. Finishes savoury and refreshing.  
A light-medium bodied wine screaming out for early drinking alongside range of summery dishes (BBQ meats, Pizza, tapas, etc).

RRP: $30

ABV: 13.0%
Rating: 88 pts

2013 Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner (Canberra District)

In the past few years I have tried a number of promising, even exciting Australian Gruner Veltliners, but none that I would necessarily unreservedly recommend. The 2013 Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner, however, brings home the bacon. It is the best Oz Gruner I’ve had.

It’s a generous, almost viscous white wine, but is beautifully balanced by insistent acidity. Highly aromatic. Florals, lots of spices, and melons. There are some green veggie notes that actually really work, adding interest and complexity. Finishes nice and long. It has the balance to age well, though I think it’s the kind of wine that will deliver the most enjoyment in the next few years.

Rated:

RRP: $45
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink:2014-2016
Website: www.larkhillwine.com.au



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Gruner Veltliner Face-Off: 2012 Hahndorf Hill (Adelaide Hills) vs 2012 Lark Hill (Canberra District)

A lovely dinner at the Brown household last month proved a great opportunity to try some interesting wines both single and double blind. With the recent emergence of Gruner Veltliner, and having received samples from Hahndorf Hill and Lark Hill, we thought a good way to kick off the evening would be with a Gruner Face-Off. Below are our notes and thoughts

2012 Hahndorf Hill Gruner Veltliner - $28 (Tasted Single Blind)

Red: Quite a mute nose. On the palate there is some generous citrus fruit with hints of more tropical fruits. Some nice spice and interesting herbal notes as well. Good acidity balances the fruit nicely and it finishes with decent length. Good drinking over the next few summers, and fair value at $28. 90/91pts

Postscript: I got to drink this over subsequent days and it drank very well. Lovely aromas of apple emerged, as well as an interesting rocket lettuce note. Good wine. 91 pts

Brown: Subtle tropical, floral, pear and mixed spice nose, texturally fine boned or even dilute. Nice, crisp acidity. Spiced pear and a touch of lemon/citrus on the palate. Not an intense wine, more light and fragrant when tasted. Not much discernible white pepper, though some mixed spice. More in the citrus/pear spectrum than vegetal. 90pts

Postscript: Lean but not mean. Struck me as a little closed when opened, and happy to hear it evolved in subsequent days.


2012 Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner - $40 (Tasted Single Blind)

Red: Immediately reveals a nose of pears and some more tropical fruits. The palate follows this up with some nice richness, including notes of apricot. It’s a touch oily and has some nice spice. What’s missing though is the acidity to provide balance and restraint. Finishes with ok length, and is decent drinking, but a touch too broad for mine. 87/88 pts

Postscript: Was surprised to see it revealed as the Lark Hill as it bears little resemblance to previous impressive vintages. For those that talk about embracing all the vagaries of vintage variation this wine represents an opportunity to walk the walk.

Brown: A nose of ripe pear and lycee, preserved lemon with some florals, more spice and less pepper than previous vintages. Pear, lemon and a trace of lycee once again show up on the palate, the texture is nectar-like (I jotted down mango nectar as one of my initial textural references).  The acidity is fresh and clean, but not as prominent as previous vintages, and is rounded in step with the fruit.  The minerality is calcium-like. Finishes with some spice and a bit of oiliness. 88pts

Postscript: The wine held up well over 2 days, and developed a more nuanced nose. Still, texturally different to previous Lark Hill GV's. I personally preferred the Lark Hill Viognier from the same vintage (to be reviewed soon), though given the wet vintage, this is still a solid effort. It is promising to see our Austrian new arrival can handle tough Australian conditions..

2011 Lark Hill Pinot Noir (Canberra)

What a difference a day can make. On opening this was a challenging Pinot Noir, that only a real Pinotphile might appreciate, being all sap, spice, and undergrowth. On day 2 however, some lovely strawberry/cherry fruit and sweet oak had come through to balance those savoury, spicy characters. Day 3 continued the trend, and it ended up being a joy to drink. It’s a nicely balanced Pinot that's delivers much drinking pleasure. Gives this another year or so and then enjoy.

Rated:

RRP: $30

ABV: 13.5%
Drink: 2013-2016

Closure: Screwcap

Website: www.larkhillwine.com.au

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