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
Showing posts with label Sangiovese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sangiovese. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
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).
Rating: 88 pts
A light-medium bodied wine screaming out for early drinking alongside range of summery dishes (BBQ meats, Pizza, tapas, etc).
Rating: 88 pts
Monday, July 2, 2012
2009 Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico
What Chianti Classico often lacks in wow factor, it normally more than makes up for with its unforced charm and versatility with food. The 2009 Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico (how's that for alliteration) is a good example of this.
It's lovely to smell with notes of ripe cherry and flowers. To drink, it offers just a bit more than a medium-bodied frame, with an unexpected generosity and creaminess for a Chianti Classico, before it reverts to type through the back palate with sour cherry, drying tannin, and a lovely hint of bitterness. It drank increasingly well over 3 days, and while it’s good to go now with some time in the decanter, I’d suggest it will be at its best in another 3-4 years. Lovely wine. 3.5 Stars +
Rated:
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: 2012-2020
Website: http://www.castellare.it/
Red
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
2006 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino
Argiano is one of the oldest estates in Montalcino, with the villa having been established in 1581. From what I can gather there has been wine production in some form or other since that time. Wonderful history.2006 was a good, yet warmish vintage in Montalcino and this is reflected in this wine. It starts with a very seductive nose. Notes of cherry, mocha oak, sweet earth, leather and tobacco all revealed themselves over two days. A lovely bouquet no question. To drink it’s medium to full bodied, and still predominantly primary and tannic. Ripe cherry fruit gives way to notes of spice, liquorice, and earth. I’d of thought it would age well, but there is just a suggestion of alcohol heat on the finish. Barely noticeable, but it’s there. It will be interesting to see where this wine is in 5 years time. I’m hoping the beautiful fruit and inherent complexity wins out, but it might just be that the alcohol does. A very enjoyable wine to drink now regardless.
Rated:
ABV: 14%
RRP: $60
Website: http://www.argiano.net/
Red
Monday, April 4, 2011
The beginnings of a Golden Age in Australian wine? Future Alternative Varietal Icons
This article was originally published on the Wine Communicators of Australia Blog - http://blog.winecommunicators.com.au
For all of the negative press around Australian wine in the past few years, I can’t but help think this is in fact the most exciting time in Australia’s modern wine history. I think there are a number of factors at work at present that are resulting in some genuinely remarkable wine being produced, and that these same factors will lead to an even greater number of world class wines in 5-10 years time. These factors includes -
A greater understanding and exploration of site – with each passing year there is a greater emphasis that wineries and winemakers place on understanding and expressing single sites. There are more and more single vineyard wines coming onto the market each year, and these are some of the most interesting and expressive Australian wines I’ve tasted.
Vine Age – Whether you are looking at exciting, upcoming regions like Macedon, Tumbarumba, and Tasmania, or more established regions like the Yarra Valley and Margaret River, many of the vines and vineyards in Australia are still very young. Generally speaking vignerons talk about vines needing about 20-30 years before producing the kind of concentrated, complex fruit they are after. In many regions around Australia the vines are yet to reach this mature age.
Clones – Australian winemakers have a better understanding of different vine clones than ever before. Put simply, different clones of grape variety perform and taste different. Some of the less than successful experiences with Australian wine can in some part be put down to clone selection (or lack thereof), but this is now beginning to change.
Organics/Biodynamics – regardless of one’s thoughts on the extent to which one should be fully organic or fully biodynamic, what the growth in this type of viticultural practice signals to me is that vignerons care about the health of their vineyard more than ever. In paying this level of attention in the vineyard, the quality of the fruit they produce will undoubtedly continue to improve.
Screwcaps – Kind of like climate change deniers, each passing year further pushes cork advocates further to the margins. Wines that have been 5-10 years under screwcap are ageing consistently and with a very small percentage of closure issues (at least compared to cork). In the next decade we will be drinking many a beautifully aged Australian wine.
Alternative Varietals
The factors discussed above all deserve an article in themselves, but one final factor that I think is very exciting, and what I wanted to focus on, is the explosion of alternative varietals in Australia in the past decade. By “alternative” varietals I am simply referring to grape varieties that have not been a mainstay in Australian wine production. There are some doubters, who would argue that many of these varietals can only be truly successful in their native environments in Europe. However, to my mind, when I cast forward 10 years, I’ve no doubt we will be able to talk about a number of iconic Australian wines that are made from such grapes.
Whether it’s Gruner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Fiano, or Sangiovese, there are an ever increasing number of alternative varieties in Australia. Many wineries, both old and new, have at least one alternative varietal in their wine range. Some wineries may be doing this as much to meet trendy consumer demand as anything, but many, if not most, however, seem to be approaching their foray into alternative varietals with intent and ambition. Without wishing anyone ill, I think many of these attempts will be unsuccessful, at least in so far as producing truly great wine. Many regions will ultimately show themselves to be unsuitable or at least limited for a certain grape variety, and mistakes will inevitably be made with varietals that vignerons are less familiar with. However, for all these potential issues, some attempts will be successful, and there’s every chance that in a decade’s time we will have world class alternative wines coming from particular sites or regions, and indeed at that point we will stop referring to them as “alternative’.
Nebbiolo
In particular I have high hopes for Australian Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. In terms of Nebbiolo, many have made the case that the terroir in and around Barolo in Piemonte, Italy, is so unique, and that Nebbiolo is such a finicky a grape variety, that somewhere like Australia will never produce great Nebbiolo. My personal experience suggests otherwise. There are seemingly 3 regions really striving to produce great Nebbiolo in Australia – the Adelaide Hills, Heathcote, and the King Valley. The most impressive I’ve yet had from these regions is the 2007 SC Pannell Nebbiolo. It’s a wine that could hold its own amongst many a Barolo. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice with this wine, beyond its inherent qualities, was that it is only the 3rd vintage of this wine off 10 year old vines in the Adelaide Hills. Where might future vintages of this wine be in another decade, when the vines are 20 years old, and the viticulturist and winemaker have another 10 years of understanding the vineyard under their belts? I think it’s safe to say there’s a bright future for this wine. Indeed the same type of story could be told for other producers of Australian Nebbiolo like Pizzini, Arrivo, and Luke Lambert. All up, there is more than enough promise being shown at a very early stage of development to suggest we will be talking about a great Australian Nebbiolo in 10 years time.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese has been more widely planted than Nebbiolo thus far, and there is plenty of decent Oz Sangiovese out there. Is there an iconic, world class Australian Sangiovese yet? I’d argue not, though we’re perhaps not far off either. Castagna Sangiovese from Beechworth, and from all reports the Coriole Vita Reserve Sangiovese (a wine I’ve not tried), are certainly starting to make a case. One Sangiovese, however, that I think we may all be talking about in 10 years is the Greenstone Sangiovese. From a vineyard in Heathcote planted in 2005, the 2007 Greenstone Sangiovese is a superb first up effort. When I tasted it last year, there is no way I would have assumed it was such a young wine in all respects. It managed to be beautifully balanced between tasting like a Sangiovese as well as expressing a sense of place. It’s amazing to think where this wine might be with some more vine age.
As with Nebbiolo, there will be some failures, and some sites that are ultimately limited in the Sangiovese they can produce. But such is the promise of a number of these wines, that it’s hard not to envisage an iconic Australian Sangiovese in the not too distant future.
There’s many an exciting Australian wine being made at the moment, and the greater exploration and understanding of terroir, increasing vine age, better clone selection, and more organic/biodynamic practices, all point to the emergence of a golden age in Australian wine during the next decade. These very same factors will see alternative varietals occupy an increasingly prominent position. In the same way that we saw the arrival of world class Australian Pinot Noir during the noughties, I believe we will see iconic Nebbiolo and Sangiovese emerge over the next decade.
Red
For all of the negative press around Australian wine in the past few years, I can’t but help think this is in fact the most exciting time in Australia’s modern wine history. I think there are a number of factors at work at present that are resulting in some genuinely remarkable wine being produced, and that these same factors will lead to an even greater number of world class wines in 5-10 years time. These factors includes -
A greater understanding and exploration of site – with each passing year there is a greater emphasis that wineries and winemakers place on understanding and expressing single sites. There are more and more single vineyard wines coming onto the market each year, and these are some of the most interesting and expressive Australian wines I’ve tasted.
Vine Age – Whether you are looking at exciting, upcoming regions like Macedon, Tumbarumba, and Tasmania, or more established regions like the Yarra Valley and Margaret River, many of the vines and vineyards in Australia are still very young. Generally speaking vignerons talk about vines needing about 20-30 years before producing the kind of concentrated, complex fruit they are after. In many regions around Australia the vines are yet to reach this mature age.
Clones – Australian winemakers have a better understanding of different vine clones than ever before. Put simply, different clones of grape variety perform and taste different. Some of the less than successful experiences with Australian wine can in some part be put down to clone selection (or lack thereof), but this is now beginning to change.
Organics/Biodynamics – regardless of one’s thoughts on the extent to which one should be fully organic or fully biodynamic, what the growth in this type of viticultural practice signals to me is that vignerons care about the health of their vineyard more than ever. In paying this level of attention in the vineyard, the quality of the fruit they produce will undoubtedly continue to improve.
Screwcaps – Kind of like climate change deniers, each passing year further pushes cork advocates further to the margins. Wines that have been 5-10 years under screwcap are ageing consistently and with a very small percentage of closure issues (at least compared to cork). In the next decade we will be drinking many a beautifully aged Australian wine.
Alternative Varietals
The factors discussed above all deserve an article in themselves, but one final factor that I think is very exciting, and what I wanted to focus on, is the explosion of alternative varietals in Australia in the past decade. By “alternative” varietals I am simply referring to grape varieties that have not been a mainstay in Australian wine production. There are some doubters, who would argue that many of these varietals can only be truly successful in their native environments in Europe. However, to my mind, when I cast forward 10 years, I’ve no doubt we will be able to talk about a number of iconic Australian wines that are made from such grapes.
Whether it’s Gruner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Fiano, or Sangiovese, there are an ever increasing number of alternative varieties in Australia. Many wineries, both old and new, have at least one alternative varietal in their wine range. Some wineries may be doing this as much to meet trendy consumer demand as anything, but many, if not most, however, seem to be approaching their foray into alternative varietals with intent and ambition. Without wishing anyone ill, I think many of these attempts will be unsuccessful, at least in so far as producing truly great wine. Many regions will ultimately show themselves to be unsuitable or at least limited for a certain grape variety, and mistakes will inevitably be made with varietals that vignerons are less familiar with. However, for all these potential issues, some attempts will be successful, and there’s every chance that in a decade’s time we will have world class alternative wines coming from particular sites or regions, and indeed at that point we will stop referring to them as “alternative’.
Nebbiolo
In particular I have high hopes for Australian Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. In terms of Nebbiolo, many have made the case that the terroir in and around Barolo in Piemonte, Italy, is so unique, and that Nebbiolo is such a finicky a grape variety, that somewhere like Australia will never produce great Nebbiolo. My personal experience suggests otherwise. There are seemingly 3 regions really striving to produce great Nebbiolo in Australia – the Adelaide Hills, Heathcote, and the King Valley. The most impressive I’ve yet had from these regions is the 2007 SC Pannell Nebbiolo. It’s a wine that could hold its own amongst many a Barolo. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice with this wine, beyond its inherent qualities, was that it is only the 3rd vintage of this wine off 10 year old vines in the Adelaide Hills. Where might future vintages of this wine be in another decade, when the vines are 20 years old, and the viticulturist and winemaker have another 10 years of understanding the vineyard under their belts? I think it’s safe to say there’s a bright future for this wine. Indeed the same type of story could be told for other producers of Australian Nebbiolo like Pizzini, Arrivo, and Luke Lambert. All up, there is more than enough promise being shown at a very early stage of development to suggest we will be talking about a great Australian Nebbiolo in 10 years time.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese has been more widely planted than Nebbiolo thus far, and there is plenty of decent Oz Sangiovese out there. Is there an iconic, world class Australian Sangiovese yet? I’d argue not, though we’re perhaps not far off either. Castagna Sangiovese from Beechworth, and from all reports the Coriole Vita Reserve Sangiovese (a wine I’ve not tried), are certainly starting to make a case. One Sangiovese, however, that I think we may all be talking about in 10 years is the Greenstone Sangiovese. From a vineyard in Heathcote planted in 2005, the 2007 Greenstone Sangiovese is a superb first up effort. When I tasted it last year, there is no way I would have assumed it was such a young wine in all respects. It managed to be beautifully balanced between tasting like a Sangiovese as well as expressing a sense of place. It’s amazing to think where this wine might be with some more vine age.
As with Nebbiolo, there will be some failures, and some sites that are ultimately limited in the Sangiovese they can produce. But such is the promise of a number of these wines, that it’s hard not to envisage an iconic Australian Sangiovese in the not too distant future.
There’s many an exciting Australian wine being made at the moment, and the greater exploration and understanding of terroir, increasing vine age, better clone selection, and more organic/biodynamic practices, all point to the emergence of a golden age in Australian wine during the next decade. These very same factors will see alternative varietals occupy an increasingly prominent position. In the same way that we saw the arrival of world class Australian Pinot Noir during the noughties, I believe we will see iconic Nebbiolo and Sangiovese emerge over the next decade.
Red
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Coriole Masterclass – Moncur Cellars Tasting Room 3 June 2010
Coriole is a well regarded winery with decades of experience making wine based on Italian grape varieties. Given the current trend towards alternative varieties, Coriole are well-placed to take advantage of the Australian public’s increasing love of something other than the more common Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and (dare I say it) Sauvignon Blanc.
Back in June, Red to Brown was treated to a ‘Masterclass’ with Coriole wine maker/owner Mark Lloyd (go here for a review of their 2009 Sangiovese (Link)
Below are some notes brief notes on some of the other Coriole wines we tried on the evening:
2009 Fiano
Floral nose of Honeysuckle and subtle lemon/grapefruit. On the palate some more lemon/grapefruit, bees wax/honey along with a touch oiliness and spice. Nice wine that is a great point of difference to the more common whites out there (and a consistent performer for Coriole).
2007 Coriole Sagrantino
This wine was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise on the night and a variety that we are keeping a close eye on. A nice herbal nose with a bit of plum, liquorice and leather. On the palate, the Sagrantino has robust, but not overpowering tannins, black, slightly liqueur fruit and more herbs (cloves), leather and earth. Good acidity as well. A very promising muscular wine with nice tannins.
2007 Barbera
Bit of a forest floor smell on the nose, some nice macerated red berry fruit and spice supported by fine tannins. Mouth filling and juicy. A versatile food style of wine.
2007 Coriole Nebbiolo
Has the Nebbiolo light red brick colour (never judge a Neb by its colour!), and a nice spicy, floral nose. In the mouth, some liqueur cherries and some spices, framed by robust tannins.
2007 Coriole Reserve Sangiovese
Darker than the standard Sangiovese, with a nice spicy strawberry and cherry nose. In the mouth there was lovely savoury red fruit, substantial tannin and acid, and some nice earthiness. However, it is balanced nicely, finishes with good persistence and is the perfect match for numerous Italian dishes (making me hungry thinking about it).
2007 Coriole Mary Kathleen Cabernet Merlot
Deep crimson colour (a clear contrast from the Italian wines we had been tasting). Black fruits, herbs and a hint of menthol on the nose. Some dusty blackberry fruit flavours in the mouth, ripe powerful fruit but not over-sweet. Tannins were surprisingly restrained. Surprisingly elegant given the tough vintage, and a very nice wine.
2006 Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz
A rich and interesting nose with bit of a barnyard smell and a slight hint of what I would say smells like cooked salmon skin (even RedtoBrown can come up with some questionable descriptors, but that is what came to mind). The wine is a powerful one, but it is not a bruising fruit bomb – the fruit is relatively restrained and elegant though intense. The usual suspect of dark chocolate has a support role. The wine has nice intensity and persistence. A great way to end the tasting.
Summary
Many thanks to Mark Lloyd and to the Moncur Cellars crew. It was a shame we could not keep talking with Mark about the wines as the evening was very informative and enjoyable. Based on the wines on display, Coriole delivers at all price points, and even in tough vintages.
Back in June, Red to Brown was treated to a ‘Masterclass’ with Coriole wine maker/owner Mark Lloyd (go here for a review of their 2009 Sangiovese (Link)
Below are some notes brief notes on some of the other Coriole wines we tried on the evening:
2009 Fiano
Floral nose of Honeysuckle and subtle lemon/grapefruit. On the palate some more lemon/grapefruit, bees wax/honey along with a touch oiliness and spice. Nice wine that is a great point of difference to the more common whites out there (and a consistent performer for Coriole).
2007 Coriole Sagrantino
This wine was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise on the night and a variety that we are keeping a close eye on. A nice herbal nose with a bit of plum, liquorice and leather. On the palate, the Sagrantino has robust, but not overpowering tannins, black, slightly liqueur fruit and more herbs (cloves), leather and earth. Good acidity as well. A very promising muscular wine with nice tannins.
2007 Barbera
Bit of a forest floor smell on the nose, some nice macerated red berry fruit and spice supported by fine tannins. Mouth filling and juicy. A versatile food style of wine.
2007 Coriole Nebbiolo
Has the Nebbiolo light red brick colour (never judge a Neb by its colour!), and a nice spicy, floral nose. In the mouth, some liqueur cherries and some spices, framed by robust tannins.
2007 Coriole Reserve Sangiovese
Darker than the standard Sangiovese, with a nice spicy strawberry and cherry nose. In the mouth there was lovely savoury red fruit, substantial tannin and acid, and some nice earthiness. However, it is balanced nicely, finishes with good persistence and is the perfect match for numerous Italian dishes (making me hungry thinking about it).
2007 Coriole Mary Kathleen Cabernet Merlot
Deep crimson colour (a clear contrast from the Italian wines we had been tasting). Black fruits, herbs and a hint of menthol on the nose. Some dusty blackberry fruit flavours in the mouth, ripe powerful fruit but not over-sweet. Tannins were surprisingly restrained. Surprisingly elegant given the tough vintage, and a very nice wine.
2006 Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz
A rich and interesting nose with bit of a barnyard smell and a slight hint of what I would say smells like cooked salmon skin (even RedtoBrown can come up with some questionable descriptors, but that is what came to mind). The wine is a powerful one, but it is not a bruising fruit bomb – the fruit is relatively restrained and elegant though intense. The usual suspect of dark chocolate has a support role. The wine has nice intensity and persistence. A great way to end the tasting.
Summary
Many thanks to Mark Lloyd and to the Moncur Cellars crew. It was a shame we could not keep talking with Mark about the wines as the evening was very informative and enjoyable. Based on the wines on display, Coriole delivers at all price points, and even in tough vintages.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Face-Off: 2009 Coriole Sangiovese (McLaren Vale)
Last Thursday, RedtoBrown braved the torrential rain in Sydney to attend a Coriole ‘Masterclass’ at the Moncur Cellars Tasting Room. The tasting was hosted by Coriole winemaker/owner Mark Lloyd. A more detailed note will be posted in upcoming days, including our impressions of the new Coriole Sagrantino.
Over the weekend, both Red and I could not resist cracking open the 2009 Sangiovese that was handed out to attendees as part of the tasting. As a result we decided to hold an impromptu ‘Face Off’.
Brown: Firstly, for anyone wondering why the 2009 Sangiovese has come out early, Mark informed the Masterclass on the night that it was due to the 2008 vintage selling out very quickly. Demand is high, and Coriole are meeting that demand!
The 2009 Sangiovese has a nose of raspberry, slight hints of strawberry and subtle vanilla that gives way to robust savoury tannins and red fruit on the palate (at the front and on the finish), chocolate and spice. There is a taught natural citric acidity that calls for food to accompany it at this stage.
I was lucky to have tasted this over three days, and by the third day, the wine was more integrated; the acid was more stable, the tannins had softened a bit and it was drinking very nicely. I would wait a few more months for it to integrate further before cracking the wine open without food, though it shines best when accompanied with a nice Italian meal anyway.
Red: This is a wine that is faithful to both the variety and the region it is from. It has quite a fragrant nose of cherry and musk, with hints of earth, spice, and vanilla. On the palate it delivers a wine that is enjoyable to drink now, and yet has the acidity and structure to be worth putting in the cellar for a few years. It tastes of sour cherry, aniseed, earth, and a bit of chocolate. It also has citrus taste that is not unappealing. It finishes savoury and sour with some nice drying tannin. Stands well on its own two feet, but was even better when complimented with some Saltimbocca Alla Romana.
PS: For an alternative take on this wine from a fan of Sangiovese, see the review on Wine Will Eat Itself run by Jeremy Pringle (and check the blog out generally – RedtoBrown are fans).
Details:
RRP: $27
ABV: 14%
Website: http://www.coriole.com/
Over the weekend, both Red and I could not resist cracking open the 2009 Sangiovese that was handed out to attendees as part of the tasting. As a result we decided to hold an impromptu ‘Face Off’.
Brown: Firstly, for anyone wondering why the 2009 Sangiovese has come out early, Mark informed the Masterclass on the night that it was due to the 2008 vintage selling out very quickly. Demand is high, and Coriole are meeting that demand!
The 2009 Sangiovese has a nose of raspberry, slight hints of strawberry and subtle vanilla that gives way to robust savoury tannins and red fruit on the palate (at the front and on the finish), chocolate and spice. There is a taught natural citric acidity that calls for food to accompany it at this stage.
I was lucky to have tasted this over three days, and by the third day, the wine was more integrated; the acid was more stable, the tannins had softened a bit and it was drinking very nicely. I would wait a few more months for it to integrate further before cracking the wine open without food, though it shines best when accompanied with a nice Italian meal anyway.
Red: This is a wine that is faithful to both the variety and the region it is from. It has quite a fragrant nose of cherry and musk, with hints of earth, spice, and vanilla. On the palate it delivers a wine that is enjoyable to drink now, and yet has the acidity and structure to be worth putting in the cellar for a few years. It tastes of sour cherry, aniseed, earth, and a bit of chocolate. It also has citrus taste that is not unappealing. It finishes savoury and sour with some nice drying tannin. Stands well on its own two feet, but was even better when complimented with some Saltimbocca Alla Romana.
PS: For an alternative take on this wine from a fan of Sangiovese, see the review on Wine Will Eat Itself run by Jeremy Pringle (and check the blog out generally – RedtoBrown are fans).
Details:
RRP: $27
ABV: 14%
Website: http://www.coriole.com/
Monday, March 29, 2010
2007 Quealy Rageous Sangiovese Shiraz Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula) $30
It is not every day you come across a Sangiovese, Shiraz and Pinot Noir blend. I am familiar with the Hunter Valley Shiraz Pinot style from the bottles of Mountain X I have had in the last few years, and have consumed the odd Fox Gordon Shiraz Tempranillo, but have not seen this unique trinity in the bottle shops (at least the ones I frequent!). A few weeks ago I was in transit on my way home from a holiday, and the flight lounge I was in was stocking this wine - the adventurer inside of me felt compelled to try it.
The Rageous is 51% Sangiovese, 30% Shiraz and 9% Pinot Noir, and has a slightly cloudy deep crimson colour. On the nose there is sour cherry, thanks in part to the Sangiovese and Pinot; though a distinctive Pinot-style stalkyness is also present, along with hints of spice and subtle coconut ice.
On the front palate the Pinot is more obvious, the wine fleshing out with some herbal notes and ripe red fruit on the mid to back palate as the shiraz component kicks in, finishing juicy though not over-sweet with more cherry, dark red berries and fine tannins in support. The wine is medium bodied and could be served chilled - more of a spring-summer quaffer than a winter warmer.
Winemaker Kathleen Quealy makes wine with pizzazz. I like the marketing, the labels on the bottles and the philosophy and approach (which in the bottle and on the website suggest a slightly leftfield, 'think outside the box' philosophy, combined with mature vineyards and well honed winemaking skills). I like the fact the Rageous encapsulates this approach, and did so without me being familiar with the winery prior to tasting it (I have since done some snooping and made enquiries about where to find these in Sydney).
The combination may on paper appear to be a little Frankenstein's bride but its uniqueness and personality finds me strangely attracted.
The Rageous is 51% Sangiovese, 30% Shiraz and 9% Pinot Noir, and has a slightly cloudy deep crimson colour. On the nose there is sour cherry, thanks in part to the Sangiovese and Pinot; though a distinctive Pinot-style stalkyness is also present, along with hints of spice and subtle coconut ice.
On the front palate the Pinot is more obvious, the wine fleshing out with some herbal notes and ripe red fruit on the mid to back palate as the shiraz component kicks in, finishing juicy though not over-sweet with more cherry, dark red berries and fine tannins in support. The wine is medium bodied and could be served chilled - more of a spring-summer quaffer than a winter warmer.
Winemaker Kathleen Quealy makes wine with pizzazz. I like the marketing, the labels on the bottles and the philosophy and approach (which in the bottle and on the website suggest a slightly leftfield, 'think outside the box' philosophy, combined with mature vineyards and well honed winemaking skills). I like the fact the Rageous encapsulates this approach, and did so without me being familiar with the winery prior to tasting it (I have since done some snooping and made enquiries about where to find these in Sydney).
The combination may on paper appear to be a little Frankenstein's bride but its uniqueness and personality finds me strangely attracted.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Decade Old Wine – 2000 San Vincenti “Stignano”, 1999 Koppamurra Cabernet Merlot Cabernet Franc
These two wines were both gifts that I’d had in the cellar for a while. I’ve found it hard to find much information on either wine, so didn’t really know what to expect or whether they’d be past their best . . . happily they were both in fine fettle.
2000 San Vincenti “Stignano” – Super Tuscan - Merlot Sangiovese blend – Very enjoyable and surprisingly powerful. The colour was darker than I would have expected from a 10 year old red from Tuscany and it had a nose of dark fruits, earthiness and well integrated oak. It was on the palate, however, that it was most impressive. Round, plum flavours came across with drive, power, and some impressive tannins. Plenty of yum factor with this wine and it has at least another 5 years left, if not a lot longer.
1999 Koppamurra Cabernet Merlot Cabernet Franc – Wrattonbully – This wine received minimum filtration, and this was evident in the slightly murky, faded crimson colour. Some people might find this a bit unappealing, but a lot of “murky” wines are actually wines of character and taste (exactly because of the lack of filtration), which turned out to be the case with this wine. Reminded me of a Coonawarra Cabernet with a lovely smelling nose of blackcurrant, a hint of mint, and an appealing touch of musk (I've not had much Wrattonbully, and given that it is only 20kms from Coonawarra and also has terra rossa soils it was interesting to see the connection). Plum, blackcurrant, and some earthy flavours on the palate are supported by a nicely structured palate, that has reasonable length and some gentle tannins. Could be aged for a few more years but I would be drinking it now.
Red
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