Bimbadgen Estate Chardonnay 2011

Bimbadgen Estate Chardonnay 2011

  21:01    Stu.

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Shows a bit of barrel ferment character on the nose with hints of almond and meal. 

Textural and creamy on the palate, fairly neutral flavour profile - shows a little hint of citrus. If you like it clean and linear then this may be for you. 86 - Average

Tasted on: Thursday 21st March, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.bimbadgen.com.au

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Hahndorf Hill 'Zsa Zsa' Zweigelt 2012

Hahndorf Hill 'Zsa Zsa' Zweigelt 2012

  22:28    Stu.

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"Oh, Dahlink, you look absolutely fabulous."

A good pink, nigh fuschia. Musky, rose and florals, hint of lolly and melon here. Touch of texture: dryness and phenolics.

Quite tart, there's some citrus acidity, gives a little length. It's moderate length, backed up by the texture - which I'd quite happily see more of -  and red fruits.

Tasted alongside a little roasted capsicum and goat's cheese pasta. 90 - Good

Tasted on: Thursday 21st March, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au

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Grant Burge Wines: Icon Releases

Grant Burge Wines: Icon Releases

  22:05    Stu.

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Had the pleasure of meeting Grant and Helen Burge at the Brisbane release for their Icon series. In addition, the event marked the unofficial release of the new sparkling from the winery, the Helene.

2004 Helene Sparkling
Named after Grant's Tasmanian born wife Helen, and indeed the Apple Isle is the source of the fruit for the wine. Opens, appropriately, with hints of apple, blossom and citrus. Fairly delicate aromatics given the 9 years on lees. Palate shows complexity, nicely developed autolysis character and finishes long and minerally. (92)

2009 Abednego, $79.95
Made in good years, production is in the 350-500 case territory. Fruit comes off vines 100+ years and all at a maximum yield of 1-2 t/acre. 

Fairly delicate aromatic approach, good perfume of rose, and florals. A little spice up front on the palate, very fine - silken almost - with chalky tannins approaching the mid/ back palate. Backed up with good fruit character, generous length. (93) 

2008 Shadrach, $94.95
Fruit for this Cabernet is sourced from two sites: Corraton Park (75%) at an elevation of about 500m, and the remainder from Cameron Vale, slightly lower elevation with vines around the 40 year mark.

Opens with choc-mint character leading, slight dusty profile backed up with small red berrys. Dusty/ grainy tannin, chocolate, spice and layered texture - backing up with a little mint. Drying finish, gives length and richness.  All French oak here, 60% new and the balance 2 year old. (92)

Meshach
Meshach, of course, along with Shadrach and Abednego are recorded in Daniel and are known for their devotion, and for the fact that they were saved by divine intervention from being burned alive.

Well the Grant Burge Meshach was so named after Grant Burge's Grandfather, Meshach William Burge. The name in the context of the wine serves as a nod to longevity for Meshach Burge was 99 years at the time of his passing. It was good to see this longevity in the glass and not just rely on the word. 

2008 Meshach, $189
Dense, rich, plummy with a hint of licorice in there. Oak shows itself, the power of the fruit holding it, working with it. It's powerful, concentrated and in the mouth a fair gobful of spice builds toward the back palate. Exemplary length, lasting some good 50-60 seconds. Infanticide to even approach now. (95)

2004 Meshach
Still yielding a good deal of primary fruit character, a testament to the fruit's quality. Elegant, finesse - settled into itself a little - opening up. Still shows that drying tannin character, cassis/ black fruits and pepper present. Finish shows chalky tannin, pepper and is rich and mouth filling (94).

2001 Meshach
Included to show where the youth of the '08 may go, if the buyer has the patience to cellar well. Leathery, dried earth - beautiful savoury qualities. Elegant and balanced, stil some florals and a little dried herb present. Menthol and a little choc-mint present too. Still struck me as fresh. Life ahead of it - demonstrating the true value of cellaring. (94)       

Tasted on:Thursday 21st March, a Flower Day
Source: Tasting
Website: http://www.grantburgewines.com.au Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

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Queensland Wine Week: 1st-8th April 2013

Queensland Wine Week: 1st-8th April 2013

  19:24    Stu.

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This is not an official event, but rather a personal initiative I plan to undertake on the above dates. Simply put, for the specified period I plan to drink and blog about Queensland wines. Not a Queenslander by birth, but I do consider it my 'State of Origin' and do enjoy exploring its liquid outputs.

I'll be raiding the cellar, visiting some of Brisbane's fine independent retailers and possibly even using the Easter long weekend as a good excuse to get up to the Granite Belt. I'll be looking to showcase some of the great examples coming out of the state.

For those of you who might want to 'play' along, a quick scout of some of Brisbane's retailers has shown that most stock wines from the fair state. I shall update this as I find more, and feel free to leave a comment for any others you know of.


Grand Central Cellars
Witches Falls
Robert Channon   

Stewart's Wine Co.
Witches Falls
Golden Grove

Wine @ Era
Raven's Croft
Mason Wines

Wine Experience 
Robert Channon
Ravens croft
Pyramid's Road
Hidden Creek
Tobin 
Mason
Summit Estate

In addition to those Brisbane retailers listed above, there's the Clovely Estate City Cellar Door in Red Hill and those in the South Burnett of course have the Taste South Burnett outlet.

Would love to hear from anyone else who may be inspired to follow along at home.


Follow the action on twitter: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac and #QLDWineWeek

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Ducks in a Row Straight Up Mataro 2010

Ducks in a Row Straight Up Mataro 2010

  21:59    Stu.

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"Straight up now tell me do you really want to love me forever oh oh oh..."

I sometimes struggle to recall what I did last week, yet can recall inane lyrics to 80s pop songs with ease...go figure.

Christmas cake, damp and most, flecked with a little spice. Heady, inviting - comforting, a bonus as the night's draw in.

Smooth and silken, juicy, kirsch and plum, a little dark chocolate in the mix too. Fine tannin adds volume, a little width and contributes to a finish of moderate length, a length driven by a combination of that tannin backed up with that inherent juiciness. 91 - Good

Tasted on: Wednesday 20th March, a Flower Day
Source: Retail, Craft Red Hill
Price: $25
Alcohol: 145%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://ducksinarow.com.au/

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Domaine Tournon Mathilda Heathcote Shiraz 2010

Domaine Tournon Mathilda Heathcote Shiraz 2010

  21:48    Stu.

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Australian winery owned in its entirety by Rhone Ranger Michel Chapoutier. 

Damn good value here, hedgerow and bramble interwoven with red fruit. Medium bodied, juicy - a mix of fruit, spice and a little tar. 

Easy going, maybe a little too laid back - if i can really quibble? - finishes clean with a slight gummy character. 89 - Good  

Tasted on: Monday 11th March, a Flower Day
Source: Retail
Price: $15
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.mchapoutieraustralia.com/content/domaine-tournon-0

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The Lane Vineyard Block 1A Chardonnay 2012

The Lane Vineyard Block 1A Chardonnay 2012

  22:02    Stu.

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Composed. It’s how I thought of this wine: meal, faint stonefruit, citrus and a suggestion of apple. Nothing shouts, its words are measured and purposeful. 

In the mouth it’s steely, citrus edged, well structured with some gentle shape to the wine. Good length and intensity on the finish - just felt it could do with speaking up a little louder. 90 – Good 

Tasted on: Thursday 7th March, a Fruit Day

Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.thelane.com.au/

Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac

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