09:50 Stu.
The subject of Sulphur in wine is an interesting one. Some consumers seek wine with minimal, or no, Sulphur additions for health reasons. Sulphur exists naturally and is present to some degree in all wines. Some producers seek to minimise the amount of additional Sulphur added – it’s a preservative for the wine – from a philosophical view point. Whatever your stance, here are a few wines that sit in the low/ no Sulphur camp.
Shobbrok Mourvedre 2010
If you’re looking for this in the shelf, seek those wines with a black wax seal which had zero sulphur additions. This wine shows a slight medicinal note with earthen, brambly plum character. Purple fruits and spicy tinges round it out. Juicy and easy-going with a good line of flavour. One of those dangerously drinkable wines. 89 – Good | $35, Cork, 14.5%
Battle of Bosworth Puritan Shiraz 2012
Zero additional sulphur here. It’s all about freshness and purity of fruit flavour. Lovely grapey aromatics with a supporting mix of black and red fruits. Soft and juicy, a generous black fruited mass – but I saw its appeal in its easy going nature rather than a dictionary of flavour profiles. There’s a hint of blackcurrant pastille on the finish; youth and style deny all but the faintest line of tannin. 90 – Good | $20, Screwcap, 14%
Salo Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2011
A little Sulphur is added during the pressing stage and at bottling. An exquisite wine showing lemon curd, pastry and sourdough crust on approach. A zesty body, fresh citrus flavours abound, but it is the textural feel in the mouth that wins out here. Precision, piercing focus – a demonstrative wine in the mouth with a little ‘grip’ providing further substance to the line and length of finish. 94 – Excellent | $45, Screwcap, 13%
Domaine Lucci Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2011
A still wine, and despite the presence of Pinot Noir, is a translucent off-gold colour, the colour coming from winemaking techniques to control the extraction from the grape skins. Aromatically it shows a light honeyed note with florals. Hints of baked goods, raw cashews and flaked almond – the Pinot provides the faintest hint of baked strawberry. Green apples in the mouth with a puckering sharpness of acid, feels a little green and fresh. 87 - Average | $30, Diam, 12.8%
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This is a wine that will appeal to many, either on the basis of a natural-ish approach to production, the cost-conscious for it delivers very well at its price, or those who just appreciate a bloody good wine for what it offers.
