The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

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This Australian wine blog was formerly known as thewinewankers.com

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Monday, 31 October 2016

Murray Street Vineyards White Label Viognier Marsanne 2016

  08:30    

A 70/30 split of the two varieties. MSV have long been producing using the 'other' Rhone white varieties. Long may it continue.

Honey and honeysuckle initially, with time - and warming a little in glass - it's more about a vanilla creme, perhaps a stonefruit pana cotta

The palate is rounded, textural, a little spiced nuance enters the mid - a savoury entrant to what has otherwise been more about fruit. 


Punctuated by a little pineapple acidity, good length, somewhat moreish with its refreshment . 92 

 Tasted on: Wednesday 12th October, a Root to Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $23
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.murraystreet.com.au/

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Sunday, 30 October 2016

Alkoomi White Label Sauvignon Blanc 2016

  13:30    

Certainly of its variety, with citrus leading ahead of tropical undertows.

Hints of Chinese Gooseberry, citrus, grapefruit acidity. Loses a little in the final third - I wouldn't be quibbling at the price. Such an impressive range for $15. 


FBit of lingering presence about it too, albeit something of a watercolour wash. Still. 88 

 Tasted on: Wednesday 12th October, a Root to Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $15
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.alkoomiwines.com.au/

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Wirra Wirra The Lost Watch Riesling 2016

  09:15    

Lime, lemon sherbet - all about the citrus. Lively bath salt aromatics. Bit of apple skin about it too. 

Fresh, refreshing - penetrating acid that shakes the palate up. Kinda finishes with an apple pie creaminess. Enjoy. 91 

 Tasted on: Thursday 6th October, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $24
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.wirrawirra.com

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Friday, 28 October 2016

Murray Street Vineyards Black Label Mataro 2015

  16:11    

Blood plum, dark bitter chocolate, fresh tea leaves, a bit of beef/bonox perhaps. 

Medium to full, thick and chewy, something to roll and roll around the palate. More of that plummy character, spirited towards the back palate. Mahogany/chestnut/dark wood.

 Decent length. A liquid hug. 90

 Tasted on: Monday 17th October, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.murraystreet.com.au/

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Sunday, 16 October 2016

Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2015

  08:30    

Drawn from across a range of sites from Brian Croser's beloved Piccadilly Valley.

Sees 30% new oak, with just over 300 dozen made. Citrus, lemon curds, honeydew, touches of meal, spicy oak.

The sour tang of lemon, a racy, almost nervy energy to it; acid that verily reaches into the far recesses of the palate, secreting itself into the cheeks, before the slow withdrawal. 


Intensity of finish, a bold slap of flavour, lingering long. 92 

 Tasted on: Tuesday 11th October, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $39
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://tapanappa.com.au/

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Saturday, 15 October 2016

Mr Riggs Scarce Earth Shiraz 2013

  08:30    

A Scarce Earth - a McLaren Vale initiative exploring and celebrating the geological climatic and soil diversity of the region - Shiraz. 

Hailing from up in Clarendon off of winemaker Ben Riggs' own Piebald gully Vineyard, itself on North and South Maslin sand. Some geological insight for you there.

Rich, hedonistic, tarry, fudgey, of molasses. 

At constraint to that: light, elegant, Redcurrant, sharp and focal red fruit, acid - no oak (as is the Scarce Earth mantra), little artifice. Shows nothing of thee 15% alcohol. Citrus edged carrying through the finish. Light and shade for sure. 93 

 Tasted on: Thursday 6th October, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $50
Alcohol: 15%
Closure: DIAM
Website: http://www.mrriggs.com.au/

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Friday, 14 October 2016

Terre a Terre Blanc 2015

  08:30    

A first release, a somewhat unusual off-dry style. Creamed corn, milky, hints of onion

Thick, somewhat lavish: tropical fruit (tinned pineapple, stonefruit). Almost syrupy in its manifestation, certainly no shortage of flavour. 


Plenty about it. 89 

 Tasted on: Sunday 9th October, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $32
Alcohol: 13.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://terreaterre.com.au

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Thursday, 13 October 2016

Singlefile Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2015

  08:30    

Nettle, grass, herbal, citrus - that reads like one of those on trend menus at a swanky eatery.

Tropical fruit hints open, making way to lemon and a little lime; spice presents itself before a harder bitter citrus punctuation. Minerally conclusion, long on flavour. 91 

 Tasted on: Sunday 9th October, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.singlefilewines.com/

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Wednesday, 12 October 2016

Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigley Rosé 2016

  17:22    

One that Donald Trump would love to grab - being named after a cat of course. Smells sweet, of boiled lolly, red berry in base foundation.

Sweet - cordial like in its representation: strawberry, touches of cherry. 


Made for a particular market one suspects, eschewing the pale and dry vogue. Too sweet for me, but it sure hits the mark 87 

 Tasted on: Sunday 9th October, a Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 11%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.wirrawirra.com

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Thursday, 6 October 2016

Rob Hall Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2015

  08:32    


A blend of three vineyards from across the Yarra Valley: Willowlake (the cooler, southern end of the valley), Daniel’s Hill (the warmer northern end) and a family vineyard just south of Healesville. 

 Creamy, curds, wheat, grilled stonefruit - all redolent of some barrel ferment character. 

Onset of spice, lemony; has a tang, like a citrus pickle. Whips through the finish, long and generous. Secondary resurgence of spice. Another excellent wine Mr Hall. 92 

 Tasted on: Friday 12th August, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $26
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.robhallwine.com.au/

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Sunday, 2 October 2016

Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2016

  13:20    

It's quite amazing that a village with a population of less than 250 gives its name to a sub-region that is simply synonymous with Riesling.

 Summer in a glass, of sunshine and freshness. This wine simply packs into its $20 form, a punch of lemon sherbert, orange peel and musky aromatics that simply delight.

 Sitting on my back deck on a glorious Spring day in Brisbane, this afforded a vision of my Summer ahead. I could feel the sand between my toes, a little salinity hanging in the air, prawns smashed by the dozen.

 You could almost forget about how it smells tastes and simply understand that to chill bottles of this, share with loved ones would leave you in a happy place.

 Except I feel the need to convey the intense lemon sherbet flavour that cuts and thrusts, drives and refreshes; there's nashi pear (or papples AKA Pear Apples as they are referred round these parts) with an energetic cary towards the finish. 92

 Tasted on: Sunday 2nd October
Source: Retail
Price: $20
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://jimbarry.com/

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Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé 2016

  12:00    

We've reached a peak brose moment Ladies and Gentleman. Bills itself as "dry and crisp", certainly looks the part, a fetching dusky pink in the glass. 

Berry aromatics exhibited here: strawberry, raspberry, tangy cranberry - a little musky, savoury edge. 

Doesn't quite carry that initial promise off with any form of conviction - yes it's dry, but that also comes with a bitterness, a hard edge. A little crisp acidity toward the back end, with little else to support it. Shame, offered promise. 86

 Tasted on: Friday 12th August, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $16.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.jacobscreek.com/

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Longhop Pinot Gris 2015

  02:00    

Honeydew melon, fresh pear, floral hints. 

More of the same across the palate, crisp acids a little phenolic grip. Not full textured, more like a Gris/gio. OK - but the first of this label's wines that haven't quite gelled for me. 88 

 Tasted on: Wednesday 10th August, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $18
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldplains.com/Wines.htm

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Saturday, 1 October 2016

Shaw & Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz 2014

  13:21    

With about 70% whole bunch, their inclusion is quite noticeable, I asked (Shaw + Smith's Trade Sales and Education lead) Dan Coward whether this was an Adam (Wadewitz, Senior Winemaker) 'thing', for it's certainly an element of his metier.

Savoury, gamey, kalamata olive. Almost a suggestion of leather, Earth. 

Medium bodied, with a depth and intensity that sees it almost cranked up to 11. It's savoury, intense, with a fair grind of the pepper mill towards the back end. 

Length, and some at that. It gives, keeps on giving and is seemingly perpetual in nature. Celebrate the site. 94 

 Tasted on: Monday 8th August, a Flower day
Source: Tasting
Price: $85
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.shawandsmith.com/

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Lowe Wines Nullo Mountain Riesling 2013

  08:30    

Wine-making in the margins.

 Good aromatics, strong, all about the citrus: lime, grapefruit and even a little preserved lemon/rind. Fresh, intensive - quite steely, hard - reflecting the 1000+ meters at which it's grown. 

More of the same on the palate, with added acid. Like sucking on an ultra-sharp lemon sherbet. It fair pulls your cheeks in as it races across the palate, symbolic of that intense acid. Yet it's all balanced, coming with a good line of fruit that then gently casts itself off into the distance. Good stuff. 91 

 Tasted on: Thursday 11th August, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $50
Alcohol: 12.8%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.lowewine.com.au/

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