- Mornington Peninsula, VIC- $22-$32
- Cork (Diam)
- 13.0%alc
In the past I haven't enjoyed Kooyong's Massale as much as others. For my tastes the early releases were a tad thin, dilute and overly reliant on sour acidity for length. Still, I've kept with the Massale, and I'm glad to announce the 2008 has handsomely repaid my faith in the label.
Powerfully lifted and fragrant, its heady, spicy aromas of clove and cinnamon are underpinned by equally showy notes of dark cherry/kirsch, sweet raspberries and fresh cedar oak. It's much fuller and significantly more sumptuous than previous Massales, with a silken, rather plushly stained palate of liqueur dark cherry and dry earth flavours extending towards a more sour edged yet savoury, ably spiced finish. A harmonious tapestry of brittle tannin and bright, sour acidity frames the wine, which should settle down into a smoother, more sensual pinot with short term cellaring.
ü+ A huge improvement for Massale in terms of texture, depth, balance and focus. A great Mornington pinot at a terrific price. Drink 2011-2014.
91 points
Case In Point Update 22-April-2010
Casey: Instantly noticeable is the darker colour than previous pinots from this range, and this shows with the nose being much fuller and richer. Traditional gamey notes and bright berries burst from the glass. Smooth and well balanced on the palate, there's a slight drying of the mouth with lingering tones of foresty goodness and an acidic finish.
A great wine for a dedicated pinot man like myself. Keep on drinking.
Chris: Now here's a wine I was keen to observe over the shorter term ever since I first reviewed it. This is Casey's first blind (to my original review) note, and jeez, I think he's come up with a pretty accurate evaluation here.
I found the nose not quite as lifted, fragrant or spicy as I remembered, yet more settled and deeper. Although still sourish, its structure has mellowed significantly since December, turning out a much softer finish, and as a result I feel its moved into its ready to drink window quicker than I originally anticipated. Yes, it's already settled down into a much smoother, more sensuous pinot with very short term cellaring. It's still sumptuous and plushly stained but I'm changing its drinking window, due to faster than expected development. Drink to 2013. 91
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