d'Arenberg Sticks n Stones 2014

d'Arenberg Sticks n Stones 2014

  20:40    Stu.

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An odd blend, fusing some of the best the Iberian Peninsula has to offer, being formed of Tempranillo (37%), Grenache (36%), Souzao (25%), Tinta Cao (2%).

Has on offer a curious combination of the dark sullen nature that Tempranillo and Grenache sometimes bring to the party, yet elevated by the floral elements that Tinta Cao and Souzao (better known as Port varieties) themselves bring. 

Light on entry, fine-grained tannins, on a decent length. 89 

Tasted on: Sunday 24th June, a Flower day

Source: Sample
Price: $29
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://darenberg.com.au/

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d'Arenberg Sticks n Stones 2011

d'Arenberg Sticks n Stones 2011

  08:00    Stu.

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Blueberry and vanilla, some violets, woody spice.

Medium bodied, blue fruits, savoury, vanilla and some residual oak. Spice, a little clove. Waxy, smooth and rounded. 

Good length, generous, savoury - little spike of red fruit. 91 

Tasted on: Wednesday 2nd March: Leaf day
Source: Sample
Price: $29
Alcohol: 14.4
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.darenberg.com.au/

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Old Plains Mistura Touriga Amarelo Cão 2014

Old Plains Mistura Touriga Amarelo Cão 2014

  07:22    Stu.

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As a child, family summer holidays were often taken in Portugal, a delightful little town called Sesmarias, some way outside of the package holiday hotspot of Albufeira.

One of the restaurants we used to dine at was called Torre Velha (literally Old Tower) where - as part of a cover charge - they used to bring a small ceramic pig to your table. 

This little pig had a flattened back, with bars across the top from each side to the other, forming a grill. The 'belly' of the pig was part filled with some spirit and there, at the table, they grilled these delightfully smoky, spicy sausage - a linguiça - a Portuguese form of Chorizo. In my early teens, I loved the 'theatre' of those little sausages being grilled on my table, the occasional flame dancing above the grill of the pig's back.

Those linguiça were often my favourite part of the meal, and I recall the disappointment I felt that they weren't available as a menu option. I mention that little story for, I just wanted to have my own little ceramic pig with some grilling sausage and this wine to smash down with it.

Beautiful smelling wine - really fresh, get yourself a handful of plums and cherry and squish them between your palms - then you might get the idea. It's just so attractive, enticing.

Joven in style, a juicy little sucker, light of body and a touch tangy. Spice, fruit - blue and black - sufficient to hold its own with a bit of a chill, how I preferred it actually.

Dom Torzi, you've done it again. And thank you for that brief return to a time gone by. 91

Tasted on: Tuesday 30th December, a Leaf to Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $18
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldplains.com/

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d'Arenberg Sticks and Stones 2009

d'Arenberg Sticks and Stones 2009

  21:48    Stu.

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Dark, brooding and heady. Tasted over three days, it improved over time - if you intend on drinking young, do yourself a favour and please give it a good decant.

Speaks of a mix of dark berries imbued with a herbal edge, and floral notes of violet. There's a graphite/ mineral streak running through the wine, a master of ceremonies presenting the fine and drying mouth tannin. 

Such a wine I suggest needs food, and with its Iberian based constituent parts would consider that peninsula a good guide.

It's leathery, meaty - a hint of spice and sticks and stones. Finished fine and dry. Liked it more as time went on.  90 - Good 

Tasted on: Friday 18th January, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $32
Alcohol: 14.1%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.darenberg.com.au

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Quattro Mano Duende 2009

Quattro Mano Duende 2009

  08:55    Stu.

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Beautiful label.  Reminds me of Portuguese tiling, a country where I spent many a summer as a youth.  Sadly I wasn't quite into wine in the manner which I am now, so I never got the opportunity to sample some of its vinous goodnesss.

The wine is a blend of what I would consider Iberian grapes: Touriga (37%), Tinta Amarela (22%), Tinta Cão (22%) and Cinsault (19%).  It is borne of the Barossa, but you wouldn't really know it.

The aroma has a slight plummy note that gives a hint of the medium bodied wine within.  The palate sees more of the same, good mixed fruit, it gave me the impression of a baked fruit pudding.  It really didn't strike me as Barossan at all.

The wine concludes with more of the same, it is just a really consistent fruit driven wine with a touch of spice in there somewhere, minimal, not borne of oak.

It isn't a complex wine that will blow you away, or a cerebral wine that will challenge, rather it is a fairly simple wine whose fruit driven charms are likely to delight.  For me, its good to see something like this coming out of the Barossa, an effective blend from some lesser known varietals.

Source: Retail, Spiros Toowong

Price: $22

Closure: Screwcap

Website: http://www.quattromano.com.au/

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