Preston Peak Sagrantino 2008

Preston Peak Sagrantino 2008

  10:30    Stu.

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Preston Peak’s Cellar Door is a leisurely 90-minute drive from Brisbane.  On the outskirts of Toowoomba, it sits majestically atop the Great Dividing Range, with fantastic views looking back East across the plain.

The fruit for this wine is sourced from estate plantings at their Devil’s Elbow vineyard on the Granite Belt.  Rustic aromatics: earthen and woody, with a furtive plummy depth trying to bring itself out.

In the mouth it’s immediately savoury, the tannin that is a signature of the variety is noticeable, here intertwined with hints of woody spice and dark cherry fruit character.  Falls away a little to leave acid and good drying tannin.  88 - Good

Postscript
The above note is as it apears in Gram Magazine, where the review first appeared.  After tasting over 2 days I placed the wine back on the shelf, two days later I just happened to give myself another pour and noted that the wine had opened a little further.  Subsequently I would actually score this closer to 90/91 (should you concern yourself with such matters).
 
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $32
Alcohol:14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.prestonpeak.com/

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Thymiopoulos Vineyards Young Vines Xinomavro 2011

Thymiopoulos Vineyards Young Vines Xinomavro 2011

  11:00    Stu.

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Xinomavro – fancy playing that on a triple word score in Scrabble.  Hailing from Macedonia on Greece’s north, its name means ‘acidic and black’ and by jove it is.

Has a lovely radiance in the glass, and seemingly aids in the delivery of forward, upfront fruit character in the form of juniper and cherry.

Smooth and clean in the mouth with good fruit character, cherry and plums in the main.  The acid and tannin here combine to propel the wine forward further.  Finishes drying, with the tannin most evident.   

However it is testament to the quality of the wine that the fruit steps forward again for one last word.  91 – Very Good

Source: Retail, Grand Central Cellars
Price: $26
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Importer: http://www.douglaslambwines.com.au/

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Golden Grove Vermentino 2012

Golden Grove Vermentino 2012

  10:30    Stu.

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Vermentino in Australia has been largely typecast as a clean, refreshing style, suited to warmer climes and perfectly matched with seafood.  That’s largely how it is.

Then something like this comes along where the winemakers have sought to play with the variety a little, in this case using partial fermentation in barrel, to fly in the face of this prevailing type. 

Spice, florals and creamy lemon/ citrus provide the typical aromatic intro, the lead-in to a clean, fresh palate.  There it starts to deviate from the typical path, with hints of mineral providing revealing glimpses.   

Further, texture, via a fuller, richer, almost waxy feel to proceedings brings you home, carried by a good acid backbone.  A good match with seafood, yes; a clean, refreshing simple whitewash of flavour - it doesn’t have to be so. 92 – Very Good

Source: Gift
Price: $22
Alcohol: 13.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://goldengroveestate.com.au

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Down to Earth Wrattonbully Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Down to Earth Wrattonbully Sauvignon Blanc 2012

  21:00    Stu.

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Down to Earth represents a more modern style of Sauvignon Blanc for the Terre à Terre team and the resultant wine shows typically Sauvignon Blanc aromatics with fresh tropical, bright, fruit coupled with notes of citrus and zest.

More than just aroma, further interest has been added through the employment of time on lees and the stirring thereof, building texture, resulting in good shape and feel in the mouth.  Hints of spice and mineral at its core; concludes with good length, line and fair persistence of flavour.  90 - Good

Source: Sample
Price: $26
Alcohol:13.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://terreaterre.com.au/

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