2011 Tarrawarra Viognier, Rousanne, Marsanne

Provided all of the components to this type of blend are made with care, I enjoy a good Australian white Rhone blend. 2011 was a difficult vintage in most regions, including the Yarra Valley, so I was interested to see how this presented on the tasting bench.

The wine has a pretty, slightly sweet bouquet of orange blossom, freshly cut apricots and some citrus fruits. In the mouth the textural qualities of the wine dominate: rounded yet not flabby, the wine spreads across the palate without flooding it. There is a pleasant grassiness on the mid palate, with a savoury, spicy and slightly bitter finish that includes orange peel, some sugared ginger and finely grated fresh ginger.

There are some interesting textural and acidity interplay with this wine that might please or put people off, while the finish is subtly spicy and pleasantly bitter which may also polarize. Regardless, I found this a cleansing, interesting wine from a very difficult vintage.

Rating: 88pts

ABV: 12.5%

RRP: $30

Website:  www.tarrawarra.com.au
 

2011 Tarrawarra Pinot Noir Rose (Yarra Valley)

Rose rarely piques my interest. I like to drink it, but it doesn’t as easily elicit notions of things like terroir and ageability . . . the things that excite me about wine, beyond just how enjoyable it is to drink . I was interested in this wine, however, before I’d even opened it as it had received both glowing and critical reviews. A polarising wine it would appear.

To drink this is a Rose that very much meets the “pale, dry, and textural” mantra that is in vogue at present. To drink there are delicate and appealing flavours of strawberry and cherry, along with a hint of cream, but it is ultimately very dry and without much in the way of fruit generosity. Evidence of the wet and challenging 2011 vintage in the Yarra comes with a bitterness on the finish that will be challenging for some. The result is a wine that will find its fans, but if you are after some generosity in your Rose then this won’t necessarily be the right wine. Decent drink and food friendly.

 

 

 

Rated:

 

 

 

RRP: $22

ABV: 12.5%

Closure: Screwcap

Drink: 2012-2014

Website: www.tarrawarra.com.au

 

 

 

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2010 Tarrawarra K-Block Merlot (Yarra Valley)

From the wonderful 2010 vintage in the Yarra Valley, Clare Halloran has crafted a serious, savoury Australian Merlot. No mean feat. This wine vindicates the decision in 2006 to graft over an old, yet underperforming Pinot block with an Italian Merlot clone.

Put simply, this smells great and tastes even better. The balance of beautiful plummy fruit and a deep, smoky, savouriness keeps you coming back for more. A real spiciness contributes to the sense of texture, and notes of black olive and dried herbs add further interest. Underpinning these great flavours is structure. Fine tannins, nice acidity, and excellent length mark it out as a wine that has an eye to the future. Ultimately it is wonderfully moreish and over two nights was consumed with some gusto.

To my mind Merlot is one of those grapes that eludes cheap and cheerful expressions. You either have to be aiming high, or you may as well not try at all. Tarrawarra have chosen the former, and with the 2010 K-block have joined a very small, but select group of Australian winemakers making memorable Merlot. 4 Stars +

Rated:

+
 
 
RRP: $35
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: 2012-2022
Website: http://www.tarrawarra.com.au/
 
 
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2010 Tarrawarra Chardonnays (Yarra Valley)

I’m a big fan of Tarrawarra Chardonnay and a big fan of the 2010 vintage in the Yarra Valley. I therefore had high expectations with these wines. Happily, they didn’t disappoint.

2010 Estate Chardonnay - $22 - This is a ripe, approachable chardonnay, that’s good to go now but will be better again in another year or two. The nose is expressive with aromas of pineapple, peach and some nuttiness. To drink you’re offered lovely ripe fruit from the get go, that’s then joined by some spicy oak, grilled nuts, and a creamy texture. The finish turns savoury with some nice bitter pith. Nice wine. 3.5 Stars

2010 Reserve Chardonnay - $50 - The Reserve is an altogether more serious wine, and a noticeable step up from the Estate. Refined, long, and poised, this is what a Chardonnay of real class tastes like. Citrus, stonefruits, grilled nuts, and spicy oak. It doesn’t let up through the long, balanced finish. It can be drunk now with a bit of air, but in reality deserves a few years in the cellar first. Greater generosity and complexity will be the result. It may well match the 2005 given time. 4 Stars +

http://www.tarrawarra.com.au/


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2005 Tarrawarra Reserve Chardonnay (Yarra Valley)

This is a superb Chardonnay, and right down my alley stylistically.

It’s a worked Chardonnay of generosity, and yet ultimately one of restraint. It has a classic nose of grilled nuts, melon, spice, and a lovely milkiness. With a bit of air and close to room temperature, it drinks beautifully. It has tremendous length. You can savour the texture and flavour long after you’ve swallowed. It tastes of melon and citrus, has a lovely spice and nuttiness, and is rounded off by a beautiful touch of creaminess. All of this is underpinned by a fine, yet unwavering acidity. Like many great wines it manages to demonstrate power and elegance all at once. Drink anytime from now through the next 5 years. 4.5 Stars.

Rated:

RRP: $50

ABV: 13.5%

Website: http://www.tarrawarra.com.au/

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