2013 Tahbilk Rousanne Marsanne Viognier

I loved the previous Tahbilk labels and branding - very old school; channelling both 1970s and 1870s (fitting, given the age of some vines at their winery, which are even older).
This new wine sits in between their great value, entry level  Shiraz, Cabernet and Marsanne and their flagship wines, and is a new blend from the winery. A solid addition to the range.

A nose and palate of fresh pear, apricot and green and red apple. Rounded fruit with orange peel and low key acidity. Nice minerality throughout, with, some toasty oak and pleasant phenolics on the savoury finish.

On days 2 and 3 it lost a bit of weight in terms of textural mouthfeel, and freshened/lightened up.

RRP: $25-$28

ABV: 12.8%
Rating:  89 pts

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

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.

Montalto Estate Pinot Noir 2012

Montalto Estate is firing on several cylinders at the moment, the result of some serious investment in their estate winemaking operation and the increasing payoff of 4 years of hard work and strategic planning by winemaker Simon Black and his team.

This wine has class – a varietal nose of red fruits, mixed spice, forest floor and a hint of smoky sweet oak. Juicy dark and red cherry, red plums and mixed spice all integrate harmoniously on the front and mid-palate, with acid and tannins balanced nicely. The savoury, focussed finish is laced with a savoury sappyness and stalkyness. Pleasing length.

Impressed on day two and day three on the tasting bench, and though moreish and in the zone right now will also gain more complexity in the future. An impressive wine from an impressive pinot vintage in the Mornington.

Rating: 93 pts

RRP: $48

ABV: 13.6%

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

2010 Montalto Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula

I am yet to taste a disappointing Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir from the 2010 vintage, and the 2010 Montalto continues that run.

The perfumed nose has sweet raspberry and red cherry fruit merged with all-spice, cloves and a hint of cinnamon sugar. On the palate there are seductive and accessible mixed red fruits (particularly at the front-mid palate) and slight stalkyness throughout. Finishes with a rush of flavour that drops-off somewhat abruptly with some lingering savoury dried mixed herb flavours. Moreish.

A Pinot Noir that should please many with its delicious and approachable  (but restrained) juicy fruit flavours balanced by textbook herbal and stalky notes.

Another impressive wine from a reliable vintage.

Score: 92pts

ABV: 14.5%
RRP: $48
Website: www.montalto.com.au

2008 Clayfield 'Thomas Wills' Shiraz Grampians

A dark purple, blood plum-colured wine, Ripe blackberry, cherry liqueur, plum and liquorice-spice nose. Full-bodied and powerful flavours of bitter dark chocolate, ripe blackberry, plum and salted liquorice on the palate. Does not finish as sweetly as the nose would suggest. The smokey cedary oak is apparent, though not dominant.
Alcohol heat (abv listed at a hefty 15.8%) apparent, in broad balance with the hefty, ripe fruit, liquorice and chocolate flavours. Just.

A wine for those who like their Shiraz turned up to 11, even 12. Pass.

Rating: 86pts
RRP: $28-32
ABV: 15.8%
Website: www.Clayfieldwines.com

Tarrawarra Estate 2010 Reserve Pinot Noir

Tarrawarra are an impressive, well-resourced winery with a long history of making Pinot Noir in the Yarra Valley. Hailing from the much vaunted 2010 Yarra vintage, this wine was on the tasting bench for 4 days and impressed.


Initially decanted for 2 hours, the wine was a bit closed on the first day of tasting.  When it began to open up, it had restrained red fruits, was tight and textured with impressive length and focus. Interestingly, the savoury, slightly stalky finish provided more fruit impact than was evident on the front palate.
By day two, the wine had opened up elegantly with herbs, cherry / raspberry fruit, and an emerging earthiness. Day 3 was lost due to a late finish at work!. By day 4 the wine was singing: richer overall, with dark spice, red cherry, ripe strawberry fruit a bit of chocolate and fine tannins. The standout feature of this wine - structure and length - was still evident till the end. A lovely wine that needs several years or more in the cellar to open up like it was on the fourth day of tasting.


In a wine blogging world that covets small batch, rare and exotic wines, the Tarrawarra Reserve Pinot stands out proudly like a burgundy-red Bentley in a carpark full of Kombi vans, Holden Commodores and Toyota Prius enviro-cars.

Rating – 94+ Points
Closure: Screwcap

RRP: $60
ABV: $13.5%
Website: www.tarrawarra.com.au

Face-Off: TarraWarra Estate 2004 and 2008 Reserve Chardonnay

The RedtoBrown Wine Review appreciates a nice bottle of Chardonnay. This noble grape is on the upswing, following the Kath and Kim ‘Cardonnay’ backlash and the seemingly irresistible rise of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. Part of this renewed interest in Chardonnay is a result of some very nice leaner (some might say meaner) examples entering the market that have countered the sunshine in a bottle stereotype. Personally, I am just as enthusiastic and excited by what I would term the ‘evolved’ style of chardonnay in Australia that balances robust but controlled fruit flavours with intelligent use of oak (good quality, and a smaller percentage of it new).

In recent years, TarraWarra Estate under winemaker Clare Halloran has produced several examples of this relatively lighter, balanced style of chardonnay. The wines Red and I have tried in the past have been generous, though not overwhelming, flavoursome yet structured.
On 22 June this year we were lucky enough to try two of the TarraWarra Estate Reserve Chardonnays at the TarraWarra Cellar Club Dinner. Tasting notes, Face-Off style are below:

2004 Reserve Chardonnay (13.4% abv, $60 rrp)

Red: A lovely Chardonnay that is drinking at its peak now. It has a generous Chardonnay nose, with some nice nuttiness. Time has seen this wine develop a beautiful richness on the palate and it was perfect with a rich chicken dish. If I’m nitpicking I felt the spicy oak has never quite truly integrated with the fruit, but ultimately this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment that it delivers. 4 stars

Brown: The 2004 is drinking very nicely indeed. There is some evident oak on the finish, though it does not detract from the evolving fruit flavours and developed rich creamy texture. Having enjoyed a magnum of the 1998 Reserve a full 11 years after release, I would not be surprised if the 2004 is still drinking well in several years time. In saying that, it is near its peak (for my tastes), so personally, I would be drinking up.
91Pts/ 4 Stars

2008 Reserve Chardonnay (13.4% abv, $60 rrp)

Red: This is an impressive Chardonnay that I think will rival the great 05 given time. It’s still reasonably tight, but everything is there. Lovely grapefruit. Lovely spicy oak. Just enough creaminess to let you know where it’s going with time. Great structure and length. Everything in balance. It provides plenty of satisfaction right now, but give it a few more years and it will take things up another notch again. A beautiful Yarra Valley Chardonnay. 4 Stars ++

Brown: The 2008 Reserve is made in a familiar TarraWarra Estate style: a style as noted in the introduction that I am a fan of. It has youthful power, balancing grapefruit and lemon pith fruit flavours with cashew nut creaminess, French oak-driven spice and fresh acidity. It is easy to drop the ‘B’ word (balance) in relation to this wine. The wine is not flabby, rather fitting its suit snugly; it is a relatively youthful wine that is drinking well now, but will clearly develop further flavour, complexity and texture. In 2013/14 it will be crying out for some oven roasted chicken to accompany it. 93pts/4 stars

2008 YarraLoch Stephanie's Dream Chardonnay (Yarra Valley)

There have been 96 point scores left, right, and centre for this wine, so I was pretty excited to try it. It’s from the 2008 vintage in the Yarra Valley, which was initially called by some as a bit of a heat affected vintage, but from which I’ve subsequently tasted plenty of fantastic wine.

Straight off the bat it had an expressive, complex nose of smoky, spicy, nutty grapefruit, with a touch of coconut cream. The palate, in contrast, is somewhat understated at present. It presents as refined and balanced with excellent length. There’s a touch of creaminess on the mid-palate and an appealing bit of bitter pith through the long finish. It’s a quality Chardonnay, no question, and yet it left me wanting more of something . . . weight, intensity, grip, not sure but it’s a sense I have with plenty of Oz Chardonnay at present. Is the quest for elegance resulting in a loss of character? The optimist in me hopes that these types of Chardys will blossom at about 5 years and beyond, at which point my quibbles will prove to be ill-founded. 4 Stars for now and “+” for a few years down the track.

Rated:
+

RRP:$45
ABV: 13%
Website: http://www.yarraloch.com.au/





Red

2007 Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Shiraz (Grampians)

The Hunter Valley, the Barossa Valley, and the Grampians sit at the top of my personal Shiraz tree. All three regions produce quite different styles of Shiraz, and yet all hold immense appeal for me. Grampians Shiraz generally displays a wonderful balance between the generosity and plush fruit of a warm climate Shiraz on the one hand, and the savouriness and spiciness of a cool-climate Shiraz on the other. This 07 Billi Billi fits right into this mould.

It’s great value and the kind of mid-week Shiraz I want to drink on a regular basis. It straddles the line nicely between being eminently gluggable, while also having enough grip and complexity to make it worth contemplating. It has a nice line and length of beautiful, regional plummy flavour, along with some spiciness and a touch of eucalypt in support. Really enjoyed drinking this and it should continue drink well for the next few years. 3.5 Stars.

Rated:


RRP: $15
ABV: 14.5%
Website: www.langi.com.au


Red

Wickhams Road Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010

When you are relaxing on a lazy Saturday you can sometimes have lapses of concentration - like opening your one and only Wickhams Road Mornington Peninsula Pinot instead of one of the two Wickhams Road Gippsland Pinot Noirs you have at home. Nevermind, another order may have to be on the cards :-)

The 2010 Gippsland Pinot was reviewed (and enjoyed) by Red here, and the Mornington Peninsula version is also on the money (a bargain price of $16 at that). This is an accessible wine that is not a shameless sweet populist. Varietal juicy red fruits (including strawberry, some rasberry) are nicely balanced with a sappy element that is pleasantly bitter without straying into vegetal territory. There is minimal/no residual sweetness nor excess alcohol heat. The mouthfeel is soft and generous, though not flabby. It finishes with surprising persistence. This is still probably in its developmental stages, and I can see it settling further in the bottle and gaining more focus and zing. At the moment it is a relatively generous yet still restrained, highly enjoyable Pinot that should please many. For $16 how could it not?

Rating:

/ 90 pts



RRP: $16
ABV: 13.2%
Website: http://www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au/

2010 Wickhams Road Gippsland Pinot Noir

I tasted this out of barrel when I visited Hoddles Creek Estate back in June (http://tinyurl.com/24osofq) . At the time it was the highlight of the Wickhams range of Pinots (Yarra, Mornington, Gippsland), with its beautifully fragrant nose. Now in bottle, its living up to the potential it showed back then.

Indeed, if you are looking for a cheap Pinot to drink over the next couple of years then you need look no further. At $16 a bottle, it’s about as cheap as Pinot of any quality gets, and yet it’s a step up from many similar priced wines. The colour of this wine is very inviting with its beautiful clear crimson hue. Moving from a beautiful colour you’re straight into a fragrant and floral nose. Strawberries and cherries are evident along with a positive contribution from the oak. The beautiful fruit that is apparent from the colour and nose is confirmed by the palate. Light and supple to drink, there’s a nice touch of sapiness and spice. The floral component that was there on the nose is also there through the mid-palate and in some ways reminds me of a Cru Beaujolais. Finally, sour cherry comes through in the long finish. All of which is supported by fine tannins and a gentle acidity.

With some air it’s drinking remarkably well now for such a young wine, though it will also undoubtedly be better with another year or so in the bottle. 3.5 Stars for now and a “+” for another year or two in the bottle.

Ripper of a Pinot for the price.


Rated:
+

RRP: $16
ABV: 12.5%
Website: http://www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au/


Red

2006 Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay (Cellar Door)

Not a hard job reviewing this wine - I enjoyed the 2006 Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay at the cellar door a few years ago (purchasing a few while I was there) and after a couple of years developing in the bottle it has lost nothing.  The Reserve has a flavour profile I love when done well – subtle melon, just-ripe grapefruit and freshly cut white nectarine fruit flavours, nice acidity that adds freshness, all backed by toasty, cloves/spicy oak. A round creamy texture in the mid and back palate that doesn't go into malolactic overdose adds to the enjoyment. To top it all off, the wines persistence is also noteworthy (flavours lingering long enough for the next mouthful of roast chicken, oven baked fish or whatever other rich dish you chose to pair with this).
A few Sundays ago this was matched very nicely with a seasoned organic roast chicken and herb dusted vegetables roasted in goose fat.
The Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay should continue to evolve for several more years (hense the +), though drinking very nicely right now.

In summary: An impressive weighty expression of Yarra Valley Chardonnay. Complexity matched with drinkability: Delicious.

Rated

+*

RRP: $50
ABV:14%
Website: http://www.coldstreamhills.com.au/

PS .The star (*) is for this wine being an oaked, creamy chardonnay done very well. The Yarra Valley often makes top quality chardonnay and this is an example.

Brown Brothers Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier NV (Victoria)

In Australia we’re in the habit of comparing our wines against what France has to offer. In a lot of these benchmark type tastings it seems we do very well, however, one area in which i think there is generally a big difference is Champagne vs Aussie Sparkling. Notwithstanding some pretty impressive sparkling coming out of Tasmania, Aussie sparkling often seems a touch harsh after a Champagne. That said, each wine deserves to be considered on its own terms, and when one considers that this Brown Brothers NV has an RRP of $20, it’s an impressive wine.

The thing that sets this sparkling apart from its similarly priced alternatives is balance and length. Nothing sticks out and the length of finish really is fantastic for a wine of this price. It’s dry with citrus flavours and some lovely creaminess. Not especially complex but entirely enjoyable. I ummed and ahhed between giving this 3.5 and 4 stars, but given that fantastic length, and given I'm in a parochial mood, I’m going to give it a nudge . . .

Rated:


RRP: $20
ABV: 12.5%
Website: www.brownbrothers.com.au


Red

2008 Willow Creek Tulum Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula)

The Mornington Peninsula possibly makes my favourite Oz Pinot Noir, though both the Yarra Valley and Macedon could well challenge that favouritism given what I’ve tasted of late. This wine is certainly a credit on the Mornington Peninsula side of the ledger.

There is a lovely balance between cherry and savoury flavours with this wine.

It becomes increasingly fragrant with air and has aromas of cherry, spice, some floral notes, and lovely oak. On the palate it is beautifully structured with a tight line and length of flavour. It tastes of sour cherry, dried herbs, some earthiness and hint of chocolate. There's a nice spiciness throughout as well as an attractive sea salt note. The finish is long and very dry. With a good decant this drinks well now, though i reckon it will continue to get better over the next 5 years at least. A quality Pinot.


Red


Rated:
+

RRP: $40
ABV: 14.0%
Website: www.willow-creek.com.au

2008 Tar & Roses Tempranillo (Heathcote, Alpine Valleys)

I’m yet to have a Tempranillo moment.

In the past few years, as my tastes have really expanded beyond the Aussie staples of Cabernet and Shiraz, I’ve invariably had a moment with other red varietals that have grabbed me, excited me, and made me want to go out and drink and purchase as much of the wine that my budget allows. Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo are all examples of where this has happened.

My Tempranillo moment may well come as I try more Spanish examples, as well as an increasing number of good quality Australian examples, but for whatever reason Tempranillo has thus far failed to grab my imagination.

This wine is good drinking and worked well while watching footy finals the other week with a pizza. Nice nose of red fruits, five spice and maybe a touch of tobacco. Oak is there but not unpleasant. To drink it’s a bit overripe but nevertheless has some enjoyable flavours of sour cherry, sarsaparilla, and liquorice. Medium-full bodied. Good wine and fairly priced. My score might be considered a bit miserly for those who have more of a taste for Tempranillo.

Rated:


RRP: $25
ABV: 14.0%
Website: www.tarandroses.com.au

High Alcohol Shiraz

Lower alcohol levels in Shiraz are an increasing focus of many winemakers, and a regular discussion point when it comes to Australian wine. The general premise behind this trend is that the closer a wine gets to 15% ABV (and beyond), the less likely it is to age well. While they may be powerful, rich and voluptuous in youth, these wines will start falling over after the 5 year mark. Wines of 14% and less are seen as generally more desirable in order to deliver balance and cellarability. Indeed I have read about some wine retailers and restaurants in the States that have banned the sale of wines in excess of 14.5%

So are wines of 14.5% and more only short-term wines? Like a lot of these assertions I believe there is a large degree of truth to this, but that it is not a given, and that there are wines approaching the 15% mark that age/will age well.

Being a very unscientific person, I decided to conduct a bit of a quasi scientific experiment with two high alcohol Shiraz that are at the 5 year mark.


2004 Fireblock Old Vine Shiraz (Clare Valley, ABV: 15.5%, RRP: $20) – Lovely fragrant nose of berry and hints of chocolate. The palate drinks well with still plenty of nice primary fruit, liquorice, and chocolate, along with a hint of spice, before delivering a dry, savoury finish. Carries its alcohol well. Not a lot of complexity but its drinking nicely, and should continue to age for the next five years. 3.5 Stars.

2005 Carlei Estate Green Vineyards Shiraz (Heathcote, ABV: 14.9%, $RRP: $26) - Interesting, complex nose of menthol, liquorice, malt, and rose. It’s ripe and plush in one sense and yet still maintains quite a light mouth feel. While arguably a more complex and interesting wine than the Fireblock, there is a bit of alcohol heat. Despite having the notionally lower ABV, this wine does appear a touch unbalanced in this regard. It's good drinking but it might have issues as it approaches the decade mark. 3.5 Stars.

As sub-$30 Shiraz I think both wines deliver, and will almost certainly provide good drinking for the next couple of years. If I had to pick one of these wines to reach its 10th birthday and beyond, it would actually be the Fireblock at 15.5% ABV. It’s a wine of balance and no noticeable alcohol heat. Ultimately though the proof will be in the drinking, and it would be interesting to see where both these wines are at in 2015.

I think the trend towards lower alcohol Shiraz is a positive one, and will broadly lead to wines of better balance and cellarability. With a wine of say 14.5% or 15%, alcohol heat is always something to be on the lookout for, especially if you are considering cellaring the wine. But if such a wine has no noticeable heat and provides a sense of balance, then the fact it’s at 15% ABV is not by default going to prevent it from ageing well.


Red

2007 Seville Estate Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley)

Smoke taint has affected what would have otherwise been a very nice Pinot Noir. It has a lovely aromatic nose of cherry, cinnamon, and sap, along with just a hint of smokiness.

On the palate it drinks well, until you get right to the finish. There’s some sweet cherry on the front palate, before it turns largely savoury and sappy, supported by some fine tannins. Where there would have been a persistence of enjoyable flavour on the finish, there is instead an element of ashtray smokiness. It certainly doesn’t make it undrinkable, and indeed I largely enjoyed drinking this wine. However, the smoke taint is noticeable, and you’d think that this is a trait that will become more dominant with age. With this in mind I’d be drinking it now if you have some of this.

Detail
Rated:


RRP: $30
ABV: 14.0%
Website: www.sevilleestate.com.au

Red

Otto Ristorante, a Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay, and a Yarra Valley Syrah

I had a work lunch at Otto in Woolloomooloo, Sydney last week. Otto is a One Chef’s Hat restaurant at the beautiful location of Woolloomooloo Wharf. It’s an area and a restaurant where you can see some of the “beautiful’ people on a Friday afternoon. Given all this, I feared this might be the type of restaurant that rests a bit on its reputation and location. Happily I can say it exceeded my expectations. The food was superb, with everyone at the lunch commenting on how wonderful their respective dishes were. My highlight was an entree of twice baked pecorino and truffle soufflé with hazelnut and eschalot sauce. In fact it’s the best dish I’ve had at a restaurant all year. It sounds amazing when you read it on the menu, and it was even better to eat. Make sure you order it if you happen to go there.

Anyway, along with the food we had some pretty smart wine . . .



2008 Ocean Eight Verve Chardonnay (Mornington Peninsula, RRP: $35)

This is a tasty chardonnay. It’s in a leaner, almost Chablis style, and has great intensity and acidity. Aged all in old oak.

It has an understated, yet varietal nose, but it’s on the palate that this wine shines. With flavours of lemon and grapefruit it has great drive through the mid-palate, and has a long, somewhat nutty finish. A nice hint of spicy oak. Fruit purity and intensity, lovely texture, and great acidity. Should age very well.



2008 Jamsheed Gruyere Syrah (Yarra Valley, RRP: $40)

I’ve read a lot of great stuff about Jamsheed’s Syrahs, so when i saw it on the wine list it was an easy choice. Interestingly if RedtoBrown employed a scoring system this is the kind of wine I would give a high score to and yet would not be raving about. It’s a quality wine, and I can see why plenty of people have talked it up, but it’s in a cool-climate Syrah style that’s not always my thing.

It has a lifted, fragrant nose, with aromas of cherry pie and pepper, along with some gamey notes. On the palate there is some lovely ripe berry fruit, along with pepper, spice, and some stalkiness. Balanced with excellent length. Very good wine it its style, and if you like this type of Syrah then buy up.


Red

Hoddles Creek Estate & the 2010 Vintage

Hoddles Creek Estate is a winery that has received a lot of fantastic press over the past couple of years, and personally I think it is all entirely justified. My first experience with Hoddles Creek was when I bought a mixed case of their 08 Pinot Noir and 08 Chardonnay last year. Upon drinking a bottle of each, I quickly popped the rest in the cellar. Their quality was evident, but they definitely need to be aged for a few years before they start to show their best.

While in the Yarra Valley, I met with winemaker Franco D’Anna for a look at the winery and their 2010 vintage.

Hoddles Creek vineyards range over a few consecutive hills in the Southern Yarra, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir the main grape varieties, along with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Blanc. Most of the older vines go into Hoddles Creek Estate wines, while some of the most recently planted grapes go into the second label, Wickhams Road. Franco reckons that some of the grapes going into the Yarra Wickhams wines are more or less too good for a second label. Upon trying the Yarra Wickhams samples I’d have to agree with him. Other Wickhams wines come from non-estate grapes, including Gippsland, Macedon, and the Mornington Peninsula.

I was given a comprehensive tasting through all the 2010 barrel samples for both ranges of wines. Across the board they are looking excellent. They are characterised by even ripeness, excellent structure, and most noticeably, great natural acidity. The 2010 Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir and Chardonnay should both end up being superb wines, and at $20 a bottle will be absolute no-brainers as purchases. The Chardonnay samples all had a beautiful texture and acidity, while the couple of Pinot samples that will go into Hoddles should produce a wine of complexity and structure.

If the Hoddles Creek wines are no-brainers, then the Wickhams wines are nothing short of ridiculous. At $15 a bottle, i think they will end up being the kind of wines you would happily pay double the price for. I was particularly impressed with the 2010 Gippsland Pinot Noir, which was was beautifully aromatic. They are also producing a new Wickhams Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula, which was immediately identifiable as a Mornington Pinot, and once again should put many more expensive Mornington Pinots to shame.

The first of some of the 2010 wines will come out later this year. Franco happily admits that the wines are released too early, however, this is the only way he can keep the prices down at these low levels. He has no plans of significantly upping his prices, so as long we the consumer are happy to hold onto these wines for a couple of years upon purchase, we’re all onto a winner.

Website: www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au


Red

2009 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay (Yarra Valley, Cellar Door)

With the heat and smoke taint associated with the tragic Black Saturday bushfires, the 2009 vintage is generally going to be one to avoid in the Yarra. As such, the 09 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay is a bit of a revelation. At only 12.0% ABV and with not a hint of smoke taint that I could detect, Coldstream Hills have not only seemingly beaten the ravages of the vintage, but also produced a lovely modern expression of Australian Chardonnay

Lovely nose of peach, understated oak, and a sweet note of something akin to palm dates. On the palate it provides enjoyable, smooth drinking with flavours of peach and grapefruit supported by spicy oak and good acidity. There’s just a touch of nice buttery texture to the wine as well. The smooth, long finish is excellent. It went beautifully with a Moroccan chicken dish. Fantastic wine given the vintage.

Details
Rated:


RRP: $28
ABV: 12%
Website: www.coldstreamhills.com.au


Red