Tahbilk Marsanne 2013

Opened this pair with 'Summer Pasta' (creme fraiche, garlic and lemon zest sauce; zucchini, yellow squash and some frozen peas) as I thought so many of the flavours and aromas would be complimentary. Winner.

Suggestions of honey and honeydew melon, florals and citrus zest. Fresh, fragrant and fulfilling. Price listed here is the full-tote price, get yourself signed up to the mailing list and avail of excellent discounts.

Entry shows a continuation of the aromatics, that freshness acting with excellent textural mouth feel and a lovely clip of acid acting as guide. It is that acid that provides a indication as to cellar-worthiness, plus also allows the wine to cut through the creamy sauce I paired it up with.

The texture just adds another level of enjoyment to the wine. Bravo. 91/92 - your choice.

Tasted on: Tuesday 26th November, a Fruit Day 
Source: Sample
Price: $ 18.80
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.tahbilk.com.au

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Meerea Park Terracotta Syrah 2011

The Meerea Park 'Terracotta' wines are so named for the red basalt/ clay soils of Pokolbin the fruit is nurtured on. That said, there is a highly-suggestive feel to the tannin in the wine, like drawing your tongue over a slightly coarse planter. Forgive me my proclivities.

Labelled as Syrah to denote a stylistic interpretation, the inclusion of 1.5% Viognier is handled exquisitely, the white partner is seen and not heard. Earthen with delightful brambly black fruits, oak is noticeable, not domineering.

Excellent intensity of fruit, the wine is medium -veering to full - bodied; the friut is backed up with judicious use of quality oak. Sandy/ fine-grained tannin, it's persistent and will cellar well over the medium term, 10-12 years my call. 92

Tasted on: Monday 18th November, a Root Day 
Source: Sample
Price: $65
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.meereapark.com.au

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Grant Burge Moscato Rosa Frizzante 2013

A few years back, I was in my local bottle-o when in walked a young lass, off to the races the next day, she requested of the store attendant: "what do you have that's good for drinking in the morning?". 

In the spirit of the responsible service of alcohol, he dutifully recommended some Moscato. This would have been perfect for her I reckon, a mere 7.5% and a little light and fragrant number.

Rose petal, turkish delight, touches of red fruits on opening. Frizzante: a mere tickle, rather than a sparkle; red berries through the palate, sweet and syrupy. Suggestions of being somewhat cordial like, or a least marginally diluted.

Aimed at a particular demographic this would work. A little too sweet and simple for me, but if fun, fruity and fresh is yours: Go! 86

Tasted on: Monday 25th November, a Fruit Day 
Source: Sample
Price: $15.95
Alcohol: 7.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.grantburgewines.com.au

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Chapel Hill Parson's Nose Shiraz 2012

Regional and varietal for $16 - happy days. Shows a bit beefy and oxo/ stock cube on opening, loosens up a little to give black fruit, chocolate and dried earth.

Full bodied, minerality in the body, oodles of dark fruit and raspy tannin to boot. Generous persistence of flavour. Delivers very well at the price point. I wrote 89-90 and having written the note up I'll happily opt for the higher of that small band. 90

Tasted on: Monday 18th November, a Root Day 
Source: Sample
Price: $16
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.chapelhillwine.com.au/

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Teusner Righteous Mataro 2011

In a bottle that could double as a dumb-bell and with a punt so deep it'd no doubt have the cool kids scurrying to sup something orange from it.

Drawn from an old 'fruit-salad' vineyard planted in the 30's towards the northern end of the Barossa. Sits on red brown loam over clay. Handled pretty minimally: hand picked, open-fermenters, sees 2 years in wood of which 30% is new (50/50 French/ American).

Opens initially with a herbal, dried tea twang; give it some time reveal itself and Mataro's true colours. Savoury initially: soy, mushroom, leather; sweeter elements backing up with plum/ plum liqueur. Over a couple of days it settles into a liquid earth with sweet accents groove.

On the palate it's pretty thick, oak and fruit intertwined. Shows a little herbal tinge, tannin is good, settling over a day or two to a lovely fine grained sort.

Good-ish length, it seemed to grow in stature over the couple of days it was open. Settles into itself nicely with a savoury earthen and old leather body - indicative of its future. Ten years tops in the cellar. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 17th November, a Fruit Day 

Source: Sample

Price: $95

Alcohol: 15%

Closure: Cork

Website: http://www.teusner.com.au/

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Yalumba The Strapper GSM 2012

Bloody delicious is how I'd characterise this. Joyous, juicy with bright bubbly aromatics. Full of red fruit - think raspberry and boysenberry - with a little savoury undercarriage.

Medium bodied, soft and juicy with red fruit in abundance. Some gentle spice only adds to its character, good fine weave of tannin enables it to spread through your palate. Bloody smashable. There, I said it. 90

Tasted on: Thursday 14th November, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $21.95
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.yalumba.com/

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Yalumba Eden Valley Roussanne 2012

Quite subtle on introduction: florals, a little citrus, white peach and honeyed pear. Nicely textured, a little width that grabs your attention. Thread of acid through the wine guides you, for what it's worth I wrote "food friendly" - whatever the hell that means (but see above for a suggestion).

It's looking good now, it'll be better down the line and as the vines put down roots with age. It's difficult to call, in the sense that it has much going for it without any one factor making a dominant play - that in itself marks it out as a good wine. It's damn drinkable, yet has you pausing to consider it, not just smash it down. Loved it. 91

Tasted on: Wednesday 13th November, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $24.95
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.yalumba.com

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