Stoney Rise Grüner Veltliner 2012

Stoney Rise Grüner Veltliner 2012

  21:23    Stu.

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Stoney Rise had the first commercial plantings of Grüner Veltliner in Australia, and whilst Lark Hill were first to market with their own release in 2009, the Stoney Grüner holds a special position viz the history of the variety in this country.

Opens musky with tropical hints - think lychee with some green banana - there's white pepper and a parsnip/ rooty note. Extra points for a hint of mineral - wet river pebbles.

Slightly fleshy palate, white pepper showing too. Textural, the wine is wild fermented on lees and stirred once a week to build just that. Clean and pure too - nigh crystalline.

Length is excellent, acid driven and of generous proportions.  92 - Very Good

Tasted on: Wednesday 26th December, a Root Day
Source: Winery Purchase
Price: $33 p/b (delivered)
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.stoneyrise.com/

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Schloss Schönborn Feinherb Riesling 2010

Schloss Schönborn Feinherb Riesling 2010

  12:06    Stu.

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An off-dry Riesling, the term Feinherb has been permitted on wine labels in Germany since 2000 as an acceptable alternative to Halbtrocken. Halbtrocken wines are permitted to have 10-18 g/l residual sugar (subject to total acid - but that's a discussion for elsewhere).

I purposely sought this style out to work with a Thai dish, the additional sugar working well with the spice of the cuisine. Aromatically showing honeysuckle, orange blossom, lemon sherbet all intermingled with some over-ripe pear. Tropical edged - all up it smells a little sweeter too.

The palate is open, loose and very generous; citrus driven with hints of honeydew melon. Shows its swetness well - and the thing to point out here is that it is not overtly sweet, it just isn't totally dry compared to the more familiar Australian styles.

Fine finish, good quality - gentle persistent length, lingering honey notes.  90 - Good
  
Source: Retail, Grand Central Cellars
Price: $23
Alcohol: 9%
Closure: Screwcap
Importers Website: http://purefinewines.com.au/

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d'Arenberg Galvo Garage 2008

d'Arenberg Galvo Garage 2008

  08:36    Stu.

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A nod to the garagistes of Bordeaux, with a 'Bordeaux' blend made in that most Australian of man-caves: the galvo shed.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (13%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (6%), predominantly from McLaren Vale, with some supporting fruit from the Adelaide Hills.

Aromatic cues are there to the blend: leafy, cassis, cedar and hints of tapenade. Alluring, inviting - not aggressive or overt - with a feint hint of eucalypt.

Shows an acidic brightness early on, savoury and tarry. Feels a little hollow - dried out from the hot year - but with tapenade and earthen character present on the palate. Medium-firm tannin with moderate length. 

Pulls together a little better over 2-3 days, indicative of some cellaring potential, certainly requires a good decant.  89+ - Good  



Tasted on: Saturday 22nd December, a Leaf Day
Source: Sample
Price: $32
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.darenberg.com.au/

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Atze's Corner The Renegade Mataro Grenache Graciano 2009

Atze's Corner The Renegade Mataro Grenache Graciano 2009

  21:38    Stu.

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Earthen notes greet you, offering up some black cherry too - an appropriate welcome to this Mataro dominant blend.  

The palate shows licorice, szechuan spice - but really only gives mere glimpses as to what it could be without ever fully convincing.  The palate is rich and lush up front, yet seems to skip a beat before the finish.

Good length, the Graciano here no doubt giving the 'grace' to the wine as likely intended.  90 - Good 

Tasted on: Fridat 21st December, a Leaf Day
Source: Prize
Price: $22
Alcohol: 15%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.atzescornerwines.com.au/

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Mitchell Harris MGS 2011

Mitchell Harris MGS 2011

  21:42    Stu.

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I've enjoyed a fair few of the reds that have come out of that vintage.  Stylistically, there's more often than not a definite nod toward the Cotes du Rhone.  This cannot be seen as a universal statement, fruit ripeness still had to be there, along with the guiding hand of a winemaker who knew what to do with same.

Here the aromatic profile shows soft, squishy red fruits - pastille-esque if you will - with background spice of pepper and clove.  Of note was a sweeter element, demerara coated old barrel if you will.

Medium-full bodied, spicey with a hint of fruit on the palate.  Tannin is moderate - aiding a little length - and a little drying, however it is the acid structure here that provides the defining feature, again aiding length.

Simply structured - not a bad wine - lacking the complexity to age anything beyond the immediate short term.  Such a wine I found highly quaffable.  89 - Good    

Source: Sample
Price: $27
Alcohol:13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://mitchellharris.com.au/

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Ballycroft Small Berrys Shiraz 2009

Ballycroft Small Berrys Shiraz 2009

  22:46    Stu.

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Rich, oak, choc and plum - reminded me a little of Plum Brandy - and that's a good thing.  Ably assisted by an assortment of black fruits, rich choc and christmas pudding, with a layered quality to the aromatics.

Early onset of peppery spice, smooth and full bodied.  Nicely weighted and dense, shows choc-mint-cum-spice too - quality.  The spice is an ever present aspect of the wine, tingling, teasing and testing the lips.  Good balance, staying power, persistence of flavour.  Immensely drinkable.   91 - Very Good

Tasted on: Monday 17th December, a Root Day
Source: Sample
Price: $?
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.ballycroft.com/ (requires flash - ahah...)

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Cook's Lot Lot #689 Sauvignion Blanc 2012

Cook's Lot Lot #689 Sauvignion Blanc 2012

  22:21    Stu.

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Herb, nettle and citrus waft out of the glass here, supported by a little oak character.  And there you start to see the difference between this and this and those that went before it.

Shows texture on the palate - for winemaker Duncan Cook has opted to employ techniques such as battonage, stirring of the wine on its lees, and partial barrel fermentation, to add this extra dimension to the wine.

Technique alone does not make the wine, and cooler conditions of 2012 has resulted in cooler character showing itself.  Good length, lingering length and lasting flavour.  Citrus and herbaceous not conclude matters.  90 - Good

Source: Sample
Price: $20
Alcohol: 12.9%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.cookslot.com.au

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