2010 Scarborough White Label Semillon (Hunter Valley, Sample)

The White Label is Scarborough's premium Semillon, though at $25, it gives you an idea of what a bargain Hunter Semillon generally is.

Everything is in place for this Semillon to age well, and yet as I’ve found with a number of 2010 Hunter Semillons, it has a touch more generosity than you might typically expect as this stage of youth. It has a lovely line of citrus flavour that’s underpinned by a clean, yet unobtrusive acidity. Excellent length and persistence of flavour, along with a beautiful streak of minerality.

The first half of this bottle I shared with Brown at a boozy Friday lunch at a Teppanyaki restaurant, and it was lovely with some seared tuna. The remainder of the bottle I had at home a couple of days later, at which point it had developed some nice oily, lanolin notes that point to where it will confidently head under screwcap over the next 10 years.

Quality Hunter Semillon. 4 Stars.


Rated:


RRP: $25
ABV: 10.5%
Website: www.scarboroughwine.com.au


Red

2009 Kalleske Clarry's Red - Grenache Shiraz Mataro (Barossa Valley)

Similar to many of the old vines they tend, the Kalleske family have deep roots in the Barossa. They have been growing grapes in the Greenock sub-region of the Barossa since 1853. Current grape growers and winemakers, Troy and Tony Kalleske, are the 7th generation of Kalleskes to tend their vineyards, but the 1st generation to retain Estate fruit for wine under the "Kalleske" label, as opposed to selling it off to other winemakers. Brown and I visited the winery last year, and it was a highlight amongst a week of many great experiences.

This GSM (Grenache Shiraz Mataro) is aged entirely in old oak and provides interest and complexity in a drink-now style.

It has a lovely floral nose along with red fruits and spice. When drinking it goes down very easily, perhaps dangerously so, but interest and the desire to savour the wine slowly is maintained by a nice balance between sweet and savoury flavours. It has a core of lovely rich fruit, along with aniseed and dried herbs. Good length, very good drinking, and could even be better in a couple of years time.

Rated:
+

RRP: $18
ABV: 14.5%
Website: www.kalleske.com


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.

2008 Fire Gully Shiraz Viognier (Margaret River, Sample)

The frustrating thing about this Shiraz Viognier is that it could have been a really nice wine. The 9% co fermented Viognier is actually in no way overpowering (as I actually find with much Australian Shiraz Viognier), and provides the wine with nice lifted aromas. The wine however, is ultimately marred by alcohol heat and bitterness.

The nose presents some lifted aromas of plum, cherry, chocolate oak and a touch of meatiness, however there is also a hint of the issues that are to come. If you rest the wine just on the front palate you get a sense of what a nice wine it could have been with many of the same tasty flavours presenting themselves very nicely. From the mid palate however, bitterness and a sense of heat becomes distracting and dominant. I gave the wine a couple of days to try and sort itself out, but it never did. I don’t mind bitterness in some wines and I’m certainly no alcohol wuss, but in both instances they are too dominant in this wine.

Rated:


RRP: $24
ABV: 14.5%
Website: www.firegully.com.au


Red