Campo Vieja Rioja Reserva 2014

Campo Vieja Rioja Reserva 2014

  20:24    Stu.

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Reserva classification, meaning it must be aged for a total of three years, with at least one year in oak barrels and at least six months in bottles.

Slightly reductive, meaty; neither of fruit or particularly savoury bent - at least aromatically.

Light of body - certainly in an Aussie context - yields to Blueberry with vanilla accents. Fine grained, almost silty tannins, mouth coating and carrying generosity. Good quality wine, particularly the $20 ask. 91 

Tasted on: Thursday 26th September, a Leaf to Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $19.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: DIAM
Website: www.campoviejo.com

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Margan Tempranillo Graciano Shiraz 2016

Margan Tempranillo Graciano Shiraz 2016

  14:30    Stu.

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Dark and perhaps a little dank. Wood and woody spice, a suggestion of forest floor.

Palate at odds to this, softer and rather more sensuous. Fruit accents, lending a rounder profile through the middle. Lacks a little definition, not altogether unsurprising given the unusual cepage. 

Good as a, something fruitier, mid-week offering. Though perhaps I personally consider $40 is rather an ask. 89

Tasted on: Monday 16th April, Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.margan.com.au

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Margan Tempranillo Graciano Shiraz 2015

Margan Tempranillo Graciano Shiraz 2015

  08:33    Stu.

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A field blend, so the exact quantities of each constituent part are somewhat unknown. 

Oak, plum, mulberry - more like the Shiraz - there's a little suggestion of the blue fruits, some earth and coffee. Bold and bright on aroma.  

Medium bodied, soft, juicy. There's some fine coca tannin immediately mid-palate, before this tangy acidification that casts flavour wide and long across the palate. Flavour per se non-specific, requisite black fruits in the mix. 

Touch of spirited warmth at the wine's conclusion, warming on a cooling night. 90

Tasted on: Monday 24th April, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.margan.com.au/

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Bremerton Tempranillo Graciano 2014

Bremerton Tempranillo Graciano 2014

  12:30    Stu.

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Since sold out ex-Cellar Door. Woody, oak, vanilla; some glimpses of blue fruit, mainly toasty oak with a little herbal inflection. 

Dark, dusty, bitter chocolate; berries and toastiness. Nicely pitched - a little sharp red fruit towards the end. 90 

Tasted on: Friday 15th April, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $24
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.bremerton.com.au/

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Bremerton Special Release Graciano 2013

Bremerton Special Release Graciano 2013

  17:09    Stu.

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Woody, herbal, hints of almond and cherry - in fact there's more than a suggestion of cherry bakewell about it.

Lightness, assumed elegance - soft, woody, cherry with spice and anise. Touch of texture present too, lots going on, much appeal. 90

Tasted on: Tuesday 14th July, a Root to Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $24
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.bremerton.com.au/

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Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Graciano 2014

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Graciano 2014

  02:19    Stu.

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Often used as a blending component alongside Tempranillo, increasingly Graciano is being seen as a varietal in its own regard. This example from Langhorne Creek shows floral top notes with a darker underbelly of ink, licorice, spice and a little beetroot earthiness.

Light-medium of body, it possesses an elegance, a slippery-glide-around-the-palate experience, like a teenager's first forays into kissing.

Sour cherry and victoria plum provide a restoration of normality after that. Effortless, fine tannins, flow and length. 92

Tasted on: Tuesday 14th July, a Root to Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.handcraftedbygeoffhardy.com.au/

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Bakkheia Aequitas Tempranillo Graciano 2013

Bakkheia Aequitas Tempranillo Graciano 2013

  07:54    Stu.

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Opens with a distinct Mediterranean vibe of green olive, fresh thyme, a bit of dried twig - latterly subsides to allow more fruit coming through, blue fruit and a touch of plum.

Of a medium bodied elegance, smooth - segueing to chalky tannin. Doesn't show much fruit, the palate is ably supported by the 'grace' of Graciano. Finishes on a good length, giving, sustaining. 91

Tasted on: Friday 22nd August, a Flower transitioning to Leaf day 
Source: Sample
Price: $18
Alcohol:14.2%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.bakkheia.com.au/

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Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva 2008

Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva 2008

  14:25    Stu.

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Rioja when on song truly enthrals. A silken slip of a wine with a curious combination of savoury elements and primary fruit. You've got to have pretty deep pockets to make it, for a Reserva - as this - has to be aged for three years prior to release and at least a year of that is in oak. So three years before you see any return.

That's pretty serious investment. Good job it tastes so good.

Enticing perfume: vanilla, cherry, blueberry, touches of cola before segueing into woody spice. Secondary notes of black fruit, red cherry and a little polish.

Enticing, yes. Intoxicating, enveloping - I could happily give myself  up to it. Beautifully weighted, glass like feel, fine tannin - carries flavour: cherry, suggestions of almond, blue fruits and coffee grounds. Finishes well, good carry of flavour - length, if not necessarily of intensity. Then subtlety here seems the calling card, guile and grace over aggression. 92

Tasted on: Sunday 25th May 
Source: Retail, Cru Bar & Cellars
Price: $50ish
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.bodegasmuga.com/

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Vinteloper UWP Red #1 2013

Vinteloper UWP Red #1 2013

  12:35    Stu.

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The next installation from the David Bowley curated Urban Winery Project, and as Bowley puts it: "hundreds of people have helped foot stomp, basket press and tranfer this wine to oak for maturation, tasting it along the way. Now complete, a wine by the people, for the people".

Quite possibly one of the most drinkable wines I have come across. A curious mix of Aglianico, Shiraz, Barbera, Graciano, Sangiovese and Pinot Noir - it opens with an eclectic mix of strawberry, raspberry, Mediterranean herbs before segueing to a little black olive - exhibiting savoury depth juxtaposed against a juicy personality.

Schizophrenic in some respects, on entry it reveals itself to soft and spicy: juicy, gummy, touches of whole berry/ carbonic effects; a little bucolic on the middle - licorice, touches of woody tannin, cinnamon sticks with fresh and more-ish acid.

Whether I've called this correctly is in many regards neither here nor there. There is so much going on that I would hazard we'd all see this differently. 91 - a bloody drinkable proposition but probably lacks formal structure and the true length that would be sought to make it a higher scorer. 

Tasted on: 23rd April, a Root Day 
Source: Winery Purchase
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.vinteloper.com.au/

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Atze's Corner The Renegade Mataro Grenache Graciano 2009

Atze's Corner The Renegade Mataro Grenache Graciano 2009

  21:38    Stu.

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Earthen notes greet you, offering up some black cherry too - an appropriate welcome to this Mataro dominant blend.  

The palate shows licorice, szechuan spice - but really only gives mere glimpses as to what it could be without ever fully convincing.  The palate is rich and lush up front, yet seems to skip a beat before the finish.

Good length, the Graciano here no doubt giving the 'grace' to the wine as likely intended.  90 - Good 

Tasted on: Fridat 21st December, a Leaf Day
Source: Prize
Price: $22
Alcohol: 15%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.atzescornerwines.com.au/

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