September 2016 ~ The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

K1 by Geoff Hardy Grüner Veltliner 2016

12:22 Stu.

Don't serve too cold - a very different wine once it opens up. Initially: hints of barely ripe Packham pear, a delicate seasoning of white pepper; allowed to express itself it suggests hints of the vegetable crisper, a little citrus rind.

Minerally, even spread of texture slowly makes it's way across the palate. A secondary movement of flavour makes its presence felt: green apple, blossom of the same - carried by an acid backbone.

Chalky feel provides further substance. A framework for the flavour to hang off. 91

Tasted on: Monday 8th August, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.winesbygeoffhardy.com.au/

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2016 / Adelaide Hills / Grüner Veltliner

Monday, 12 September 2016

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2013

08:30 Stu.

Barrel ferment clearly evident here: toasty, vanillin and a little creamy cashew. Lots of oak on show - but simply oozes class.

Toast, flinty mineral, lime and honey. A wine of substance and power, and yet at the same time offers restraint. There's spice derived flavour a-plenty here - yet you wouldn't say it's spicy.

Poised, balanced, you feel it's primed, ready to unleash itself onto the unsuspecting. Exemplary. 96

Tasted on: Sunday 7th August, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $93
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: leeuwinestate.com.au

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2013 / Chardonnay / Margaret River

Sunday, 11 September 2016

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Adelaide Hills Fiano 2016

15:30 Stu.

Florals, melon, citrus rind, a little cream patisserie, flaked almond. An aromatic delight.

Lovely textured palate: feel that cascades across, grip to anchor itself in the mouth and a suggestion of crisp acidity that adds extra drive. Seems to really have it all in this release.

Flavour isn’t shy either: the gift that keeps on giving. Lemon, a little stony river pebble. Go on. 92

Tasted on: Saturday 6th August, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.winesbygeoffhardy.com.au/

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2016 / Adelaide Hills / Fiano

Pipers Brook Gewürztraminer 2015

08:30 Stu.

Unequivocally, unmistakably, undoubtedly Gewürztraminer. Carries that beautiful mix of delicate Turkish delight and rose. There's a little musk, but rather it's more about the delicate floral perfume.

Crisp, rather than textural, onset of spice that spreads across the palate. A line of citrus makes itself present, but is wanting for more depth of flavour.

Lingers long, but could benefit from a little more presence for me. 91

Tasted on: Thursday 4th August, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://kreglingerwineestates.com/

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2015 / Gewürztraminer / Tasmania

Saturday, 10 September 2016

Huntington Estate Block 3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

16:30 Stu.

Dusty, stern oak, quite austere in its aromatic profile; dried leaf matter, cut grass and Earth.

Clearly medium bodied: acid threads extend long through the palate. A line about which hangs a little sweet fruit - cassis - tannin is fine. Length is reasonable, gently cascading across the back palate.

Classy Cabernet. 91

Tasted on: Wednesday 3rd August, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $65
Alcohol: 13.6%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://huntingtonestate.com.au/

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2011 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Mudgee

Old Jarvie The Widowmaker Tannat Petit Verdot Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

12:26 Stu.

Not much of real note on the nose here given the constituent parts: tomato leaf, plum, even a little Worcestershire.

Grilled meats, a little mid-palate sweetness; malty, sweet oak. Not much wrong, but little to excite.

Short in length. Misses the mark for me - particularly given the pedigree within the portfolio. 86

Tasted on: Tuesday 2nd August, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldjarvie.com.au/

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2014 / Cabernet Sauvignon / McLaren Vale / Petit Verdot / Tannat

Rock of Wisdom Mataro 2014

08:46 Stu.

Smells lighter than Mataro oft does; shows meatiness, a little cured, fermented meat. Savoury, herbal, the presence of some stem inclusion noted.

It's light, juicy, medium-bodied - possesses that airy, open-weave style that is inviting, and is just deliciously moreish. Offers a touch of depth with some chocolate that courses through the palate.

Modern interpretation of the variety - and an example that furthers the cause of Mataro as a varietal. A yes from me (I know I know, it's Mataro) 92

Tasted on: Friday 26th August, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $28
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://rock-of-wisdom.myshopify.com/

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#ProjectMataro / 2014 / Barossa Valley / Mataro et al

Friday, 9 September 2016

Old Jarvie 'The Charitable' Nero d'Avola Aglianico Rosé 2016

08:00 Stu.

Interesting colour - almost twilight/dusky pink, veering to garnet red. Striking.

Underlying musk, touch of pomegranate, cherry and raspberry.

Good balance: texture, chalky mouthfeel, perky acid that washes across the palate leaving a trail of flavour to follow up. Gives good length: red fruit derived in its essence. 90

Tasted on: Tuesday 6th September, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 12.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldjarvie.com.au/

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2016 / Aglianico / Nero d'Avola / Rosé

Thursday, 8 September 2016

Pertaringa Lakeside Rosé 2016

15:00 Stu.

I would never had pegged this as being made from Merlot (64%) and Semillon (36%).

Strawberry clearly leads here, a suggestion of coulis - yes, very red berry driven aromatics.

Red fruit, a little tang, Minerality that enlivens - Good balance. Savoury inflection against a little fruit and spice. Good length. Enjoyable. 90

Tasted on: Tuesday 2nd August, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.winesbygeoffhardy.com.au/our-wines/pertaringa/

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2016 / Adelaide Hills / Merlot / Semillon

Gartelmann Joey Merlot 2014

08:30 Stu.

Gartelmann is located in the Hunter Valley, and has taken to looking a little further than that region in order to expand the portfolio. Took me a while to twig but I actually visited the winery for breakfast back in December 2015.

Blue fruit, a little hint of game, earthen, mushroom.

Black fruit, spice, a little tobacco; acid a touch too prominent for my liking. Inherently savoury bent with underlying fruit. Balanced, yes, though personally i found the acid a touch too prominent.

Decent length, certainly indicative of quality. 90

Tasted on: Thursday 28th July, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14.7%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.gartelmann.com.au/

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2014 / Merlot / Orange

Wednesday, 7 September 2016

Singlefile Pinot Gris 2015

15:30 Stu.

Ticks the right boxes aromatically with a cocktail of pear flesh, florals, vanilla and spice. Manages to avoid over expression; a delicate and subtle representation of the variety and style.

Pleasant mid-weight, a suggestion of vanilla and creme with a little almond residue mid-stream. Sweet spice, a lingering presence. Reasonable length. 90

Tasted on: Thursday 28th July, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 12.7%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.singlefilewines.com/

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2015 / Pemberton / Pinot Gris / Western Australia

Huntington Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

08:30 Stu.

Interesting release strategy as a 7 year old.

Leathery, black fruits, residual oak. Has a big nose, more about the aged characteristics than the primary.

Retains a semblance of freshness through acidity but it doesn't have much else to jostle with that: no fruit, and it's really the savoury back end the provides the wine's final conclusion.

Won't offer any improvement. 87

Tasted on: Tuesday 26th July, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $26
Alcohol: 13.8%
Closure: Screwcap
Website:

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2009 / Cabernet Sauvignon / Mudgee

Tuesday, 6 September 2016

Hentley Farm Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

15:30 Stu.

Cassis gives way to Woody aromatics: cigar box, old soaked wood. There's an underlying peaty edge to the wine - gives a savoury point to that fruit that leads.

Sweet black fruit leads, making way for some jangly blackcurrant acidity, that then manifests itself as a bitter edge. Dark cocoa bitterness, powder fine tannin, but I can escape the sharpness of the acidity.

Probably the least accomplished of the releases in this bout of samples - not quite

Cohesive a as the others. 88

Tasted on: Tuesday 26th July, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $28.50
Alcohol: 14.4%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.hentleyfarm.com.au

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2015 / Barossa Valley / Cabernet Sauvignon

Hither & Yon Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

08:30 Stu.

Blackcurrant, gum, cedary and some nougat. Complex, yet puts you at ease.

Cherry, blackcurrant, making way to a herbal bitterness. Fruit doesn't seem to quite hold up and the mid-palate gives way to some sharpness of acid. Feels somewhat of balance - a bit arms and legs.

There's some decent length, indicative of the underlying quality, yet it does seem at odds with itself. An uncertain 87

Tasted on: Monday 18th July, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $24
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.hitherandyon.com.au/

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2014 / Cabernet Sauvignon / McLaren Vale

Monday, 5 September 2016

Shaw Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

15:30 Stu.

Highly perfumed, black and purple fruits, minty eucalypt. Attractive proposition.

Medium bodied, what flows out of the glass in aroma, follows on to the palate. Black fruit and mint in abundance - checked, in balance.

More fruit than savoury character - moderate tannin. Not the most compelling Cabernet, but it works as a fruity, forward red that slips down. Easy drinker - reasonable length. 88

Tasted on: Thursday 14th July, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.shawvineyards.com.au/

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O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling 2016

08:30 Stu.

Lemongrass, lemon thyme, lime, hints of talc, florals and blossom. It's inviting: makes me want to get a Tom yum on the go and commission a gathering.

Woah there Nekky! Fair crackles across the palate. It has this turbo charged, palate assaulting, lime-tinged acidity that races (raves?) it's way. Line, lime, like.

Beyond that it tenses, showing its taut cut; chalky tinged, superb. 94

Tasted on: Sunday 7th August, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://olearywalkerwines.com/

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2016 / Clare Valley / Polish Hill River / riesling

Sunday, 4 September 2016

Hentley Farm Zinfandel 2015

15:00 Stu.

Rich, chocolatey, suggestion of vanilla, malt (oak), toffee, flowers - complex, lots on, inviting.

Rounded, soft and cushioned mouthfeel; Has the cacao richness and plushness from the aromatics, segueing to spice for depth.

Pretty lavishly textured, a Mille-feuille of layers cascading over the back palate. Savoury nuances that gently fade with time. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 10th July, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $39.50
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.hentleyfarm.com.au

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2015 / Barossa Valley / Zinfandel

Old Jarvie 'Even Hand' GSM 2015

10:55 Stu.

Stalwart blend of Grenache (57%), Shiraz (22%) and Mataro (21%).

Dark fruit, spice, a splash of Brandy over Grandma's Christmas cake. There's a meaty undertow, some dark pan juices to boot.

Lightness, a spicy edge, fine tannin - coffee and coffee essence. Spice and a freshness of acidity. Good boozing. 90

Tasted on: Sunday 10th July, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldjarvie.com.au/

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2015 / grenache / Mataro et al / McLaren Vale / Shiraz

Thursday, 1 September 2016

Huntington Estate Methode Traditionelle NV

22:06 Stu.

A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (60/40 respectively). A glorious deep golden hue, light bead. Strawberry, stonefruit and baked goods on offer - like something from one of those utterly delicious, visual feasts of a patisserie you see in any French town of substance.

A little autolysis derived complexity, minerally depths, more red fruit here. Not the most profound in terms of complexity of flavour but has enough assertive length to bring it up. 88

Tasted on: Sunday 10th July, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $29
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://huntingtonestate.com.au/

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Chardonnay / Mudgee / NV / pinot noir / Sparkling

Hently Farm 'The Old Legend' Grenache 2015

12:38 Stu.

Red fruits a-leaping (10 ladies dancing, 9 pipers piping), red currant and cranberry. Certainly conveys the colour red, of bright and vibrant juice.

A lightness, an ease, vibrant and juicy. An underlying darker edge, the dark core of the wine, yielding a savoury mien against that initial fruit. Fifty days on skins - said to bind up and polymerise the tannin - has given the wine long silken threads of flavour and tannin.

Excellent wine - allow it to linger if you can. 93

Tasted on:Saturday 9th July, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $62
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.hentleyfarm.com.au

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2015 / Barossa Valley / grenache

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