Tessera Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir NV

Tessera Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir NV

  08:42    Stu.

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Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir fizz, made in the Charmat (tank fermented) method. From husband and wife negociant team who source across the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale regions.

You can't call a wine Peggy Sue and not expect a "pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty" reference thrown in! A delicate blush in glass draws the eye, the nose lead-in with a kiss of summer berry.

Creamy mouthfeel, coarser effervescence - lending a cleansing feel to the palate. You'd suspect Peggy Sue would be just the girl to kick off a party - you know the type. 90

Tasted on: Saturday 4th February
Source: Gift
Price: $26.66
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://tesserawines.com.au/

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Chateau Yaldara Moscato NV

Chateau Yaldara Moscato NV

  15:01    Stu.

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Fresh on approach: Subtle rose water, pear and green apple skins. Slight sorbet like zestiness to proceedings. I'd perhaps unfairly - snobbishly - left this in the sample pile.

There's a gentle spritz, a certain mid-palate sweetness, a tickle of citrus. 

The sugar is certainly there, in excess of 50g residual, yet it has a balance to it. Depending on your preference, this could either go as a gentle afternoon cleanser, or as some prefer pair with a contrasting cheese. 89

Tasted on: Thursday 10th September 
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 9$
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.1847wines.com/

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Blue Pyrenees Rosé NV

Blue Pyrenees Rosé NV

  16:30    Stu.

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Pale bronze/ copper skinned wine on pour. Bright in glass, light strawberry wafting. 

Touch of fruit sweetness on taste: strawberry, raspberry - certainly in that red berry spectrum,with red apple skins supplementing. 

Gentle bubbles cascade across the palate. Balanced, but narrow in profile. Decent length about it too, on a dry length. Good Midweek sparkler - as tasted at The Vinsomniac HQ. 89

Tasted on: Thursday 10th September 
Source: Sample
Price: $28
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://bluepyrenees.com.au/

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Cantine D'Alessandro Regio

Cantine D'Alessandro Regio

  22:21    Stu.

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Frizzante white from Puglia (IGT: Indicazione Geografica Tipica) made from a variety - new to me - called Verdeca. Retained with a minor amount of sugar (5%) adding body, not so much sweetness. 

Quite light aromatically, suggestions of citrus and stonefruit. The palate has a stone, minerally quality that seems to expand and grow across the palate. There's a touch of creaminess that builds presence. The light spritz makes this a good candidate for a light aperitif style. 89

Tasted on: Sunday 10th January 
Source: Sample
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: http://www.bonciani.com.au/about/

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Feudo Arancio Accussi Extra Dry NV

Feudo Arancio Accussi Extra Dry NV

  16:30    Stu.

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It's 100% Sparkling Grillo from Sicily. Unsure what that should be like from a varietal perspective, yet it offers a generous serve of Stonefruit with a suggestion of almond paste imbued across the palate.

The palate shows a gentle bead, a delicate apple and pear flavour with a trickle of citrus. Whilst I know it originates from Sicily, I can certainly feel a Mediterranean vibe about it: Gentle waves crashing against a rocky shoreline, sending a fine saline spray into the air. Good aperitif style. 89 

Tasted on: Thursday 14th May
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: TBC
Closure: Cork
Website: https://www.feudoarancio.it/en-gb
Sample courtesy of: www.singlevineyards.com

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Jacquart Mosaique Brut NV

Jacquart Mosaique Brut NV

  08:30    Stu.

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Stonefruit, apricot marmalade, hints of brioche/ Danish pastry; there's an umami - savoury in a sweet spot - like hint lurking in the background - adding depth.

Green apple, grapefruit, citrus and stonefruit. Fine minerally acidity, on the back of a good length. Toast and nuts across the palate too. Good complexity here, with an inherent drinkability. 93 

Tasted on: Friday 24th January
Source: Sample
Price: $70
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: https://www.champagne-jacquart.com/
Sample courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Azahara Sparkling Rosé NV

Azahara Sparkling Rosé NV

  16:30    Stu.

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Bargain bubbles to get the party in your mouth started! Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from the Murray Darling region near Mildura, in Victoria's North-West.

Subtle bready hints, touch of berry. Same on the palate before a very assertive bead that forces its way across the palate. Goes OK as an aperitif style. 86 

Tasted on: Friday 8th November 
Source: Sample
Price: $15
Alcohol: TBC
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://www.wingara.com.au/Our-Brands/Azahara

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DAOSA Natural Reserve NV

DAOSA Natural Reserve NV

  08:30    Stu.

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The 2017 tirage by numbers: Pinot Noir (82%) and Chardonnay (18%), from 2017 (81%) and older reserve wines (19%), so MV or non-vintage wine by technical definition. Here's the 2016 by comparison.

Citrus, baked Quince, subtle oak remnants. Suggestions of something blackcurrant leaf (unusually), rather more likely the berry driven goodness from the Pinot Noir.

Biscuity oak hints, minerally, acidity casts long and glacier like. Fine, beautifully poised, exquisite Hills fizz. 94 

Tasted on: Thursday 31st October, a Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $45
Alcohol: 12.8%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://terreaterre.com.au/

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Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva NV

Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva NV

  16:00    Stu.

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Reserva Cava (meaning ageing for a minimum of 15 months on lees) and Brut (maximum 12g/l residual). Unsure of specific varieties, typically though made from Chardonnay, Macabeo, Paralleda, Xarello - all listed for indexing purposes).

Green apple, hints of peach skin; soft and sensuous, textural with a depth and lusciousness of flavour. Perhaps lacking acidic drive and minerality, nonetheless a generous wine. Impressive for $20 suggested retail. 90 

Tasted on: Saturday 28th September, a Fruit to Root day 
Source: Sample
Price: $25.99
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: https://www.campoviejo.com/

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Wills Domain Cuvée d'Elevage Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV

Wills Domain Cuvée d'Elevage Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV

  17:30    Stu.

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Brioche hints with red apple and macerated strawberry. Subtle stonefruit adds to the profile. 

Citrus and zest, a liveliness across the palate. Semblance of texture and weight, after the initial verve and swagger. Loses some urgency, but makes for a subtle style of fizz. On this showing, the least impressive of the Wills Domain sparklers. 88 

Tasted on: Sunday 25th August, a Root to Flower day 
Source: Sample
Price: $39
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://willsdomain.com.au

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Wills Domain Cuvée d'Elevage Blanc de Blanc NV

Wills Domain Cuvée d'Elevage Blanc de Blanc NV

  12:30    Stu.

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Biscuit notes, citrus, a touch of pepper perhaps. Citrus, more by way of a lemony tang, green apple acidity, tickle of mineral. Quite assertive across the palate, reasonable generosity of intent and persistent flavour here. 89

Tasted on: Wednesday 21st August, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $39
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://willsdomain.com.au

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Morris of Rutherglen Classic Liqueur Topaque NV

Morris of Rutherglen Classic Liqueur Topaque NV

  12:30    Stu.

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Topaque - the artist formerly known (in Australia) as Tokay (a name now verboten outside of Hungary). Made from Muscadelle - a white grape variety.  

Here manifesting itself as a deep, rich, toffeed wine - molasses like in aroma.

Unctuous, multi-layered, hints of coffee and toffee. Caramelisation, perhaps hints of cinder toffee in the frame too. Finishing dry and generous, with a length of nuts and raisins. 91

Tasted on: Saturday 24th August, a Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $22
Alcohol: 17.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.morriswines.com/

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A Couple of Ideas for Father's Day

A Couple of Ideas for Father's Day

  08:30    Stu.

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The good folks at Sauce Communications and De Bortoli wines were kind enough to send a few samples to tie in with Father's Day (1st Sunday in September in Australia), so here's a few options for what to buy Dad (or the person you call Dad, or who acts as your Dad but may actually be your Mum).

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2011

For those of you unfamiliar with the term Botrytis, it is essentially a fungus that attacks the grapes, dehyradating them and leaving behind concentrated sugars.  In the right conditions and with good winemaking, that is an excellent conditional set to make sweet and concentrated wines, as with De Bortoli’s Noble One.

Aromatically it’s all honeyed, honeysuckle with touches of quince. Whilst those descriptors may have you immediately thinking dessert, the Noble One is also more than a match with some selected cheese. Go on, treat Dad and splash out on some deliciously ripe blue such as Milawa (a friend way back convinced me to match mould and botrytis with mould in cheese - a winner!). Equally, if Dad is sweet tooth inclined, knock up a batch of these Souffle l’Orange. 93 

De Bortoli Old Boys 21 Barrel Aged Tawny NV

If Dad prefers something a touch darker after dinner, then this non-vintage Tawny will be sure to appeal. With its boozy Christmas cake like aromas - I could be describing Nanna there - in a good way I add, it's certainly rich and luscious.  

Layered, silken and velvety in its approach across the palate. It's a mix of dried fruit and nut, with hints of dark chocolate. Toffee is in the frame too. Sit Dad down in his favourite chair, some dark chocolate in hand, a glass of this and allow him to enjoy the moment. 93 

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Wills Domain Cuvee d'Elevage NV

Wills Domain Cuvee d'Elevage NV

  12:30    Stu.

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Darker salmon hued sparkler here, from Wills Domain in Margaret River. Somewhat unusually made from 100% Merlot.

Fine mousse, light bead, subtle strawberry, giving way to something akin to a more confected Berry aromatics. Slight bready hint accompanies warmed through stonefruit notes.

Kiss of fruit sweetness on entry, drawing the same long across the palate. It's light, vibrant, a youthful energy shuffling across to a generous finish. 89

Tasted on: Sunday 18th August, a Flower to Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $39
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Website: https://willsdomain.com.au

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Highgate Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV

Highgate Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV

  08:30    Stu.

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Pours a delightful golden hue, offers bready brioche hints, sweeter stonefruit accents - reminds of an apricot Danish, or such. 

Mousse and bead not so much to comment on. The palate lively, generous, toast and an acidic citrus presence cutting a line across the same. Hints of green apple a subtle conclusion to the wine. 

A good toast, a way to start proceedings. Happy to go here. 89 

Tasted on: Monday 5th August, a Root day 

Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: DIAM
Sample Courtesy Of: www.singlevineyards.com

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Yellow Tail Rosé NV

Yellow Tail Rosé NV

  08:30    Stu.

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Fairly neutral aromatic profile. The palate delivers: Strawberry and stonefruit liqueur profile, carries that sweetness too. 

The petilence whilst initially coarse and vibrant, is actually moderated, yet subsides rather quickly. 85 

Tasted on: Saturday 8th June, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $7.95
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: Pink Bubbles

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Zonte's Footstep Bolle Felici Prosecco

Zonte's Footstep Bolle Felici Prosecco

  12:30    Stu.

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Pithy citrus aromatics, conveys freshness.

It's certainly fresh and lively, with a curl of citrus acidity, coarse and broad in presentation. Pithiness and zest, softer back palate. 

Reasonable length, in that citrus derived manner. Refreshment factor high. 88 

Tasted on: Saturday 8th June, a Leaf to Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $22
Alcohol: 11%
Closure: Cork
Website: www.zontesfootstep.com.au

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Lana Prosecco NV

Lana Prosecco NV

  17:18    Stu.

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A subsidiary label for Pizzini, named after the town that bears the same name, located in the Trentino Alto-Adige region of North East Italy. Looking to showcase more old world techniques.

Light bead, sitting pretty and golden in glass. Apple skins, pear, yeasty autolysis and a touch of citrus. 

Spring fresh, it opens up with a large volume of wine. Dry with citrus hints, gently tugging along. 88 

Tasted on: Sunday 25th November 
Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 11.5%
Closure: Crown Seal
Website: https://www.pizzini.com.au

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Daosa Natural Reserve NV

Daosa Natural Reserve NV

  16:30    Stu.

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Badged as an NV wine, yet with 85% base wine from 2016 it could equally be declared as a vintage. It's also 85% Pinot Noir, the balance being Chardonnay. 

The Natural part refers - I think - to the addition of zero sulphur.

Delicate: quince, stonefruit, with a suggestion of brioche, buttery and sweet. It has the appearance of being softer in its presentation.

Biscuit, with a caramelised edge. A fine mousse and textural softness, more like an apricot Danish with respect to its flavour profile. Gentle length, ebbing along - sustained in its presence. 93 

Tasted on: Saturday 29th September

Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 12.1%
Closure: Cork
Website: https://terreaterre.com.au

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De Bortoli Black Noble Ten Year

De Bortoli Black Noble Ten Year

  14:30    Stu.

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Barrel aged Semillon using the Solera system, where the average wine age is approximately ten years.

Has the deep, dark caramel notes of a wine borne of magnificent stocks of barrel aged (solera) reserves. There's softer, rose petal, notes sitting quietly in the background.

Sweet, unctuous, Silken - has more of a roasted (barrel?) quality to it. I paired this with some high quality - Valrhona - chocolate, the sweetness matches the wine beautifully. 92

Tasted on: Friday 31st August, a Leaf to Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $38 (500ml)
Alcohol: 17.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.debortoli.com.au/

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