The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

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This Australian wine blog was formerly known as thewinewankers.com

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Friday, 10 February 2012

Domaine La Sarabande Faugéres 2010

  12:37    

Faugéres is an AOC in the Languedoc appellation, in France's South West corner, inland and roughly equidistant between Montpellier and Carcassone.  The majority of its 2,100 hectares are at relative altitude (often greater than 250m/ 800 feet) and planted on Schist rock - excellent for moisture and heat retention, indeed winemakers in the region say that ripening occurs overnight.

A review of the 2009 of this wine over at Dave Brookes' excellent Vinofreakism piqued my interest in the wine.  Turns out it's made by an Aussie - Paul Gordon and his wife Isla.  Big props to Smashing Bottles for importing it and to the Wine Experience for stocking it.

Pronounced red fruit aromatics from the Grenache: distinct cherry, moving towards plum.  New world it certainly isn't, there's a lovely savoury herbal edge to the wine with a nod to a charcuterie plate.  The palate has this lovely fulsomeness to it - entry is smooth - some structure from the Syrah.  The savoury edge is carried through the core of the wine: earthen, forest floor a hint of mushroom.  Damn fine finish, of good length.  91 - Very Good

Source: Retail, The Wine Experience
Price: $38
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: DIAM

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[This blog was edited at 07:35 on  12/02/2012 to reflect that Faugéres is an AOC within the Languedoc appellation]

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Thursday, 9 February 2012

Golden Grove Mourvédre 2009

  17:42    

On 2nd February, I had the pleasure of joining James McIlwain of Southern Cross Wines on 4BCs Wine Time segment.  Wine Time is a fortnightly segment on 4BC Commercial Radio that James hosts.  On this particular show, James and I spoke about Project Mataro and the Swirl, Sniff, Spit tasting group I am part of.  We tasted two wines on air that evening, the Flaxman Wines 2009 Mataro and this, the Golden Grove Mourvédre 2009 from Queensland's Granite Belt.  This is a guest post from James.

My recent introduction to the joy of a good Mourvèdre via Project Mataro was coupled with a very impressive visit to the Granite Belt recently. The joys of the Strange Bird varieties produced by a passionate number of wineries in our own backyard cool climate region has really opened up some new experiences for me.

One such winery is the 4.5 James Halliday rated Golden Grove. With vines planted in the 1970’s, the Italian heritage of the Costanzo family shines through with a range of European favourites (e.g. Durif, Barbera, Vermentino et al).  But I was out to track down the 2009 Mourvedre. 

In a recent tasting with another Australian example (labelled Mataro,) this wine held true to it flavour profile. Lighter in style than its Barossa cousin it still displayed deep purple in the glass with a fine dark rim, the earthy nose reminded me of the funkiness I like in good French Pinots (and miss in some Australian ones).
Savoury black fruit, spice and pepper were backed up by strong tannins that had been subtly tamed by the new French oak.  A hint of molasses in the finish.
This wine could only improve with a few years in the cellar.

Source: Cellar Door
Price: $28
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap

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Taylor's Jaraman Margaret River and Clare Valley Chardonnay 2011

  05:55    

More expensive wine of the 3 Taylor's Chardonnay reviewed (the 80 Acres and Estate Chardonnay can be found before this).  The better 'made' wine. Grapefruit and peach on show; mealy with some oak that pops it's head up. Shows some length, with a decent driving line of citrus. Good clip of acid in there too.  88 - Good

Source Sample
Price: $24.95
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap

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Taylor's Clare Valley Chardonnay 2010

  05:51    

More up my street, and of the three Taylor's Chardonnay reviewed - the one I went back to (the 80 Acres and Jaraman follow).  Toasty, nutty, marzipan aromatics. Some work in the form of battonage provides a creamy feel.  Stone fruit and melon support the wine on the palate. Nutty, showing some complexity. Good finish, some length. 87 - Average

Source: Sample
Price: $18.95
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap

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Taylor's 80 Acres Chardonnay 2011

  05:46    

Taylor's 80 Acres range is 100% Carbon Neutral.  This is the first of three Taylor's Chardonnays reviewed.  (The 2010 Estate Clare Valley and 2011 Jaraman Chardonnay follow).  Of non-regional definition, this wine offers simple lemon and grapefruit aromatics afore some sharp acids. In the mouth pithy grapefruit; the finish somewhat short, sharp and rather bitter. 85 - Average

Source: Sample
Price: $13.95
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap

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Sunday, 5 February 2012

Flaxman Wines 2009 Mataro

  21:23    

Project Mataro and this wine share a common link in their source of inspiration.  Col Sheppard and his wife Fiona purchased a small vineyard overlooking Flaxman's Valley.  Vintage experience with Murray Street led to Col making his own wines.  This Mataro of Col's was inspired by Andrew Seppelt's own efforts and Project Mataro was spurred on by Andrew's own love of Mataro (subscription required).

From vines approximately 30 years old off of the Bethany Road, in the Bethany sub-region.  Just 60 dozen made, all in old French oak, some 3-4 years old.  Dense colour with a vibrant purple rim.  Black fruit, furtive kirsch and secondarily some vanilla and latent coffee.

Smooth entry before a hit of sausage,spice and black pepper commence building up on the tongue.  tannin is present: fine grained, building in the mouth, the pitch reaching a crescendo to the roof of the mouth.  A fitting finale, with a final flourish of liquorice.  93 - Very Good

Source: GFWS
Price: $30
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.flaxmanwines.com.au/

flaxman mataro 2009 reviews, Flaxman Valley Mataro, Barossa Mataro, Barossa Valley Mataro

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Nepenthe Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2011

  14:15    

Pretty polarising varietal is Sauvignon Blanc.  Rather maligned amongst the wine-erati, but guzzled by the gallon with a certain type of consumer group.  The latter would certainly like this effort from the 2011 vintage.

Regional hallmarks of goosebery, lychee and passion fruit.  General troppo-fruit and sweet as.  Entry shows some furtive mineral, a hard edge to the wine.  Glimpses of stonefruit, a background floral note - but still the sweetness was rather overt for my - and that is the thing here - liking.  Its conclusion shows some pronounced acid afore a rather truncated finish.  85 - Average



Source: Sample
Price: $19.99 RRP
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap

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