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This Australian wine blog was formerly known as thewinewankers.com

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Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Oxford Landing Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2012


Pungent aromatics, heavy tropicals and gooseberry tones clearly mark it out as sauvignon Blanc. 

Simple, clean, but showing balance. There's varietal character here - chalky, citrus, lychee notes, hints of green apple.

Tropical hints remain on the finish.  Not complex, but if you're seeking complexity at $9 then I'd question why you're reading a wine blog.   
85 - Average




Tasted on: 9th October, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $8.99
Alcohol: 11%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oxfordlanding.com/

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Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Taylors Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut Cuvée NV


A first for Taylors (I never know whether to add an apostrophe or not, they don't, but to me it seems kind of wrong) in their 40+ year history, a traditional method aka bottle fermented fizzer, produced under both screwcap and cork/ cage.

Chalky lemon, brioche, a bread and butter pudding note here.  Lemon zest and stone fruit on entry - quite a hard/ mineral character to contend with, rounded out by a litle toasty complexity.

Mineral hints on the finish, good lingering quality. Lacks a little finesse, but drinks well. An aperitif style.  88 - Good

Tasted on: 9th October, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $18.95
Alcohol:12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.taylorswines.com.au/

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Sunday, 7 October 2012

Terra Felix La Vie En Rose 2011


A 100% Mataro Rosé made from both the skin contact and saignee methods, with each portion being brought together for the final wine.

Good red/ black fruit aromatics with cherry, rose, blackberry supported by some herbal tinges.   Palate shows more of the same, a bit of fruit sweetness add a touch of palate weight - it did spend 3 months on lees for a little texture, a touch more wouldn't go amiss in my opinion.  It's fresh and juicy, good citrus hints - acid pops up a little toward the back end before a truncated finish.  

All up, juicy and easy going.  Well priced given where it is at.  88/ 89 - Good

Tasted on: 7th October, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $17.50 (Approx)
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.terrafelix.com.au/

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Thursday, 4 October 2012

K1 by the Hardys Grüner Veltliner 2012


Tasted this second release from K1 alongside the 2012 Hahndorf Hill.  For me this showed the more intense aromatics.  Hints of Hill's Sav Blanc character were present - topical hints - alongside varietal character by virtue of apple, tart pear, citrus and notes of white pepper.

The wine seemed tighter, coiled, stony - more mineral present on the palate; acid was featured but took more of a back step than that it was tasted alongside.  The finish showed zest with white peppery length.  Good length, it wasn't a wine in a hurry.

An interesting wine, one I'd subsequently seen a variance in reviews for.  As ever, be your own man, make up your own mind.  I did.  90/ 91 - Good/ Very Good

Tasted: 1st October, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $28
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.k1.com.au

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Wednesday, 3 October 2012

d'Arenberg Derelict Vineyard Grenache 2009


Chester Osborn is a Grenache nut.  A love for, and understanding of, the variety is strong in the man, and evident in this wine.

Earthen and leathery notes, distinctly savoury marked with tapenade and elements of prune.  Savoury - a word I kept coming back to - and here with this wine a significant point of difference from the many sweet, overly-confected examples you see.

Assertive acid that sweeps forward in a singular movement, delivering complex waves of flavour.  Good drying tannin, facilitating excellent spice-tinged length.  93 - Very Good

Source: Prize
Price: $ 30
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://darenberg.com.au

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Yelland & Papps Delight Rosé 2012


A mix of Grenache (71%) for aromatics, spice and all round gluggability; Mataro (29%) for depth and body.  Simply fruited, light-on aromatics with strawberry, cranberry and hints of bubblegum fruit character.

Clean entry, more hints of strawberry filling out the palate.  Boiled lolly character, essentially dry but fruit sweetness enlivens the palate along with some citrus juiciness.  Easy drinking, one for chilling and supping around the pool. 

Misses the mark for me with a lack of texture - one thing the revolution has given me a feel for.  88 - Good


Source: Sample
Price: $ 19.95
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://yellandandpapps.com

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Monday, 1 October 2012

Preston Peak Sagrantino 2008



Preston Peak’s Cellar Door is a leisurely 90-minute drive from Brisbane.  On the outskirts of Toowoomba, it sits majestically atop the Great Dividing Range, with fantastic views looking back East across the plain.
The fruit for this wine is sourced from estate plantings at their Devil’s Elbow vineyard on the Granite Belt.  Rustic aromatics: earthen and woody, with a furtive plummy depth trying to bring itself out.
In the mouth it’s immediately savoury, the tannin that is a signature of the variety is noticeable, here intertwined with hints of woody spice and dark cherry fruit character.  Falls away a little to leave acid and good drying tannin.  88 - Good
Postscript
The above note is as it apears in Gram Magazine, where the review first appeared.  After tasting over 2 days I placed the wine back on the shelf, two days later I just happened to give myself another pour and noted that the wine had opened a little further.  Subsequently I would actually score this closer to 90/91 (should you concern yourself with such matters).
 
Source: Cellar Door
Price: $32
Alcohol:14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.prestonpeak.com/

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