The Vinsomniac - Stuart Robinson

An Australian Wine Blog

This Wine Blog

This Australian wine blog was formerly known as thewinewankers.com

I'm a wine drinker, and this blog is about wine, not just Australian wine.

If you wish to contact me, please do so here.
All content of this Australian Wine Blog © Stuart Robinson - The Vinsomniac. Powered by Blogger.

Wednesday, 4 June 2014

Patina Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2008

  20:53    

Tasted blind in a bracket of eight Chardonnays, all Australian, a mix of vintages and regions represented. The bracket largely showing anaemic, skinny Chardonnays - as seems the current vogue with the variety.

 In such a bracket, a wine with 5+ years on it stood out like the sore thumb. 

 The colour shows a wine that is developed. Aromatically showing toasty character, stonefruit and suggestion of lime brûlée.

 The palate is fuller (comparatively), toasty oak and yet demonstrating good balance. Melon and lime show on the palate adding some subtlety to the power. Good length, a pleasure to drink. 91

 Tasted on: Sunday 1st June, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 11.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.patinawines.com.au/

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

   / /

  No Comments

Lerida Estate Lake George Chardonnay 2012

  20:43    

Tasted blind in a bracket of eight Chardonnays, all Australian, a mix of vintages and regions represented. The bracket largely showing anaemic, skinny Chardonnays - as seems the current vogue with the variety.

 Very pale straw in colour, more Sauvignon Blanc-esque in appearance than Chardonnay. Citrus, flashes of oak, wheatgerm. Insipid on the palate - touches of grapefruit/ citrus acidity. Short in length and largely devoid of flavour. Picked early - too early one suspects. 83

 Tasted on: Sunday 1st June, a Flower day
Source: Sample
Price: $24.50
Alcohol: 11%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.leridaestate.com.au/

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

   / /

  No Comments

Wirra Wirra The 12th Man Chardonnay 2013

  11:14    


Tasted blind in a bracket of eight Chardonnays, all Australian, a mix of vintages and regions represented. The bracket largely showing anaemic, skinny Chardonnays - as seems the current vogue with the variety.

 Pale, with tinges of green 'n' gold. Citrus, touches of cheesecake base/ toasty oak.

 A bit of texture and weight, no obvious alcohol, acid a touch nippy. Citrus at the core, mineral on the finish, moderate length - flavour starts to to reveal further with a bit of time. 89

 Tasted on: Sunday 1st June, a Flower day

Source: Sample
Price: $31.50
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://wirrawirra.com/

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

   / /

  No Comments

Eden Road The Long Road Pinot Gris 2013

  10:31    


Interesting wine this, quality obvious and inherent, varietal character clear. Classic poached pear with a little spice, suggestions of under-ripe mandarin.

 Lavishly textural, spice and mineral that give way to a little pickled ginger and phenolic bitterness. The wine spends time on skins, some 6 months, accounting for the blush - or paleish bronze - hue. Good quality, but finish dominated by the phenolics. 90

 Tasted on: Saturday 31st May, a Flower Day
Source: Sample
Price: $27
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://edenroadwines.com.au/

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

   / /

  No Comments

Wirra Wirra Woodhenge Shiraz 2012

  06:10    

The inky blackness within is what is first noticed, the aromatics of blue fruit, cherry, chocolate and florals next. Cedary spice and a little toasty oak - it sees 17 months in wood, 35% of which is new.

Smooth, lithe and medium-full in body - a surprise at its lightness, for a 'Woodhenge' carries a certain, expectation perhaps, of a weighty wine - with blueberry, black fruit and cherry. There's latent spice, a touch of fruitcake, and cedar rounding out the palate.

Tanning is fine, wrapping up a wine of substance, persistence. Will go well in the cellar too, 8-10 years easily. 93


Tasted on: Monday 26th May, a Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14.55
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://wirrawirra.com/

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

   / /

  No Comments

Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Wirra Wirra 'Catapult' Shiraz 2012

  12:02    


The late Gregg Trott succumbed to cancer in March 2005, but his legacy lives on in many of the (oft hairbrained) ideas and pipedreams that he set about turning from vision to reality. Many now adorn the the labels of Wirra Wirra wines, the winery he founded with cousin Roger in 1969.

 A visit to the Wirra Wirra cellar door, a pretty special place in my opinion, is like stepping into the over-active imagination of R.G.Trott - the visitor greeted by the rather large redgum carved cricket ball on arrival. Turn right into the tasting room, make your way over to the counter on the left and start tasting your way through the range of wines that now themselves bear witness to Trott's lust for life and sense of fun.

 The 'Catapult' was so named for the 'siege engine' that Trott wanted to build, ostensibly to 'bomb' neighbouring wineries with wine in the hope they would return the 'favour'.

 In the past, this wine also bore the variety Viognier, that white grape is still present in this wine (1%), noticeable for a little 'prettiness' brought to the party and by way of the vibrant rim of the wine in glass.

 Vanilla, plum, black fruit initially - before a little savoury meatiness. Smooth, polished; pepper anis and five-spice. The wine has a slippery feel, a velvet-textured delight, fine-tannin wine with good intensity of flavour.

 Persistent, possessing depth with dutch licorice forming the spine of flavour here. It's a wine for now, a pleasure to drink from the off, but no harm will come for a short stay in the cellar if you're so inclined. 91

 Tasted on: Monday 26th May,  a Fruit day 
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://wirrawirra.com/

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

   / / /

  No Comments

Sunday, 1 June 2014

Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva 2008

  14:25    

Rioja when on song truly enthrals. A silken slip of a wine with a curious combination of savoury elements and primary fruit. You've got to have pretty deep pockets to make it, for a Reserva - as this - has to be aged for three years prior to release and at least a year of that is in oak. So three years before you see any return.

That's pretty serious investment. Good job it tastes so good.

Enticing perfume: vanilla, cherry, blueberry, touches of cola before segueing into woody spice. Secondary notes of black fruit, red cherry and a little polish.

Enticing, yes. Intoxicating, enveloping - I could happily give myself  up to it. Beautifully weighted, glass like feel, fine tannin - carries flavour: cherry, suggestions of almond, blue fruits and coffee grounds. Finishes well, good carry of flavour - length, if not necessarily of intensity. Then subtlety here seems the calling card, guile and grace over aggression. 92


Tasted on: Sunday 25th May 
Source: Retail, Cru Bar & Cellars
Price: $50ish
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Website: http://www.bodegasmuga.com/

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

   / / / / / /

  No Comments

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)