WOODLANDS

South Australian Woodlands fans rejoice! Thanks to Kane from Landhaus in the Barossa Valley, Woodlands' spectacular wines have found new distribution into our state, where they're literally finding their way into a number of our retailers. Hurrah! One such retailer is Melbourne Street Fine Wine, who recently invited Kane to come in and show off his stuff.

Woodlands' high end cabernet styles display a savoury elegance, perfume and deep, supple, texturally inspired palates which conceal their formidable tannin structures to a tee. Cabernet of such quality is rare in Australia, particularly outside of the Margaret River's Wilyabrup sub-region. If you're living in Adelaide and haven't yet discovered Woodlands reds, now is as good a time as any to do so.

On a duller note, I continue to be uninspired by Woodlands' entry level wines. Yes, for under $20 they're fair value, but the Chardonnay is a bit simplistic, the vintages of Cabernet Franc Merlot I've had appear raw and edgy, and the Cabernet Merlot, which regularly receives high praise from numerous wine critics, has never quite tipped the hat for me. The 2009 Cabernet Merlot looks to have taken a step in my direction though, in more of a ripe and juicy, dark bruiser of a true BBQ style, but conclusively, I feel there's an all too significant gap between the quality of these wines and their more expensive stablemates.

It is here I must mention I absolutely adore what Woodlands does with their premium Bordeaux inspired styles. I continue to believe the Margaret Reserve is the most ethereal sub-$40 cabernet blend in this country. Its quality makes it impossible for me to ever fork out the extra $60 for Woodlands' undeniably spectacular Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The Reserve de la Cave Cabernet Franc and Malbec, although rare, are insanely good Australian wines and well worth seeking out. I couldn't help but ask Kane if he picked up any bottles of either Reserve de la Cave for South Australian distribution - he did - and they all found their way into the wine cellar at the Victory Hotel. It's about time I organised another dinner down at Sellicks Beach methinks. . .

Woodlands tasting notes are posted below

Woodlands Chardonnay 2010 ($17) Made in a simple, barely wooded style and it shows it, and perhaps excessively so. Its fruit focused, fresh melon, lemon citrus and grapefruit characters end with slightly sharp acids. It lacks complexity in all of its elements but might make for a fair enough quaff, if not much else. I'd love to see Woodlands evolve this wine, with more winemaker induced complexity, to compete stronger with the likes of Vasse Felix and Brookland Valley when it comes to cheap Margaret River chardonnay. 87

Woodlands Chloe Chardonnay 2010 ($42) If the standard wine required more winemaker induced complexity this took it too far the other way. Ensconced by nutty, buttery, popcorn-like oak, its peachy fruit barely gets a look in. Likewise, its round and forward palate is controlled by creamy oak nuance, ending short, altogether loose and without necessary brightness or persistence of fruit. It's hard to love and disappointing for the label. Were I Lincoln, I'd be tempted to buy the two Woodlands Chardonnays for the blending bench. Where one fails, the other succeeds. 88

Woodlands Cabernet Franc Merlot 2010 ($17) 51/49 blend. Shows raw edges to its very ripe, dark blackcurrant and cherry fruits with a hint of cinnamon. Its palate also ends raw and hard edged, with its finish of coarse tannins seeming quite out of sync with its ultra-ripe, if fractionally flat, currant fruit fore palate. It's quite disjointed and unbalanced. Another let down from Woodlands' Cab Franc/Merlot, courtesy of the people who make Australia's best straight cabernet franc in my opinion. I'm pretty sure the last disappointment I had from this label was around a 50/50 blend as well. 86

Woodlands Cabernet Merlot 2009 ($17) Very ripe, juicy dark plums and currants, composed in a rich, juicy, crowd pleasing style perfectly set for the BBQ. In some respects, it's almost South Australian like. It has good length of medium-full bodied dark fruits, with a charming balance of vanilla oak to smooth it out and lithe tannins to tighten it up. Tasty. (full review soon) 90

Woodlands Margaret Reserve 2008 ($32) 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 11% Malbec. Beautifully ripened and even, with true perfume and a savoury overlay to blackcurrants, cherries, violets and cedar/mocha oak. Its classy palate exudes exceptional suppleness, depth and silky flavour, finishing bright and savoury with excellent length and fine, dry tannins. It's not the most gang-bustingly brilliant Margaret Reserve I've had, but at $32 each, I had no problems in escorting a couple of these back to my place. (full review soon) 94

Woodlands Nicolas Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($99) Wonderfully deep, with a chocolatey accent to its blackberries, mulberries, game and polished vanilla/cedar oak with maybe a hint of fresh mint leaf. It's rich and luscious, concentrated and medium to medium-full, yet beautifully measured and even. Its palate drives long and precise, with a near wave-like effect of silky, rich, fleshy dark fruit flavour ending with a truly balanced structure. The only problem I have with this wine, which I always have with this wine, is it's hard to buy one when I could have 3 Margaret Reserves for the same price. Excellent wine though. Wonderful Margaret River cabernet. 95

ASHTON HILLS

Probably the biggest news coming out of Ashton Hills in recent times is that of Stephen George grafting all of his white varieties (with the exception of riesling) over to pinot noir (crazy dude!). So, from the 2011 vintage onwards, the only Adelaide Hills based wines coming out of Ashton Hills will be Stephen's pinot noirs, the Salmon Brut (a pinot noir based sparkling rose) and possibly a riesling.

Now, as much as I love Ashton Hills' pinot noir (and I do!), this news saddens me somewhat. Stephen's toils with the Alsatian trio of gewurztraminer, riesling and pinot gris, whether blended in his 'Three' wine or in single varietal form, typically brandished more varietal punch and flavour than most from the Hills, thanks to Stephen's daring winemaking. His 'Three' wine in particular, has become something of an Asian food classic over here in Adelaide. But the saddest news has to be the loss of Ashton Hills Chardonnay. Over the years Stephen's shown a real knack for producing complex, richly textured, brightly fruited and well worked chardonnay (in my opinion the Adelaide Hills' best performing variety and Ashton Hills' best wine outside of pinot noir). I'm sorry to drop names but if you look to James Halliday, recent Ashton Hills' Chardonnays have regularly scored in the 95-96 point range and been included in his 'Best of the Best' lists. Kicking the point home is the excellent quality of Ashton Hills' current 2009 Chardonnay. Sigh.

Clearly, the wonderfully eccentric Stephen George is just another man lured by the impossible to deny sexual attraction of fine pinot noir. There's no problems from me there and honestly, it's actually good to see an Australian winery fine-tune, or perhaps 'varietally cleanse' their range for once, as opposed to constantly padding it with new wines and styles based on market trends.

At first I was under the opinion Stephen's move to a more pinot-centric Ashton Hills might've been a personal one; the man is a pinot freak, but a conversation with an Adelaide Hills retailer took me to the impression it might've been a commercially motivated one. According to said retailer, Stephen is hounded by retailers, restauranteurs, airlines etc for his pinot noir, not his whites - so, if it's Ashton Hills Pinot Noir everyone wants, then it's more Ashton Hills Pinot Noir everyone gets. Fair enough really.

At the end of all this, I wish Stephen George, one of my true winemaking idols, all the best with the transition. Good luck Stephen!

Ashton Hills tasting notes are posted below

Ashton Hills Salmon Brut 2009 ($35) Indistinct nose. Clean, crisp, relatively savoury palate with some dry biscuit and strawberry flavour. Needs more character but will bottle age help? Maybe, but for $35 I'd be investing my money elsewhere. 87

Ashton Hills Pinot Gris 2010 ($30) Oodles of character for pinot gris, helped along by late picking, residual sugar and the use of oak. Poached pears and barrel ferment notes on the nose, with some cheesy/sweet aspects as well. Palate too reflects plenty of flavour, with winemaking and rich texture at the fore and a clear taste of residual sweetness to finish. A real 'standout' gris. 89

Ashton Hills Gewurztraminer 2010 ($30) The winemaking (barrel fermentation and lees ageing) isn't as obvious in Stephen's traminer as it is his gris, which is immediately bright, expressive and proudly varietal. Check cleanly scented lychees, rose petals and spice for fragrant appeal, as well as a punchy, juicy palate marked by some of that deceptively sweet and savoury, pure traminer fruit. It finishes particularly refreshing and dry and would make a smart drink for a bright, sunny day. 90

Ashton Hills Chardonnay 2009 ($40) Outstanding nose, immediately makes me stand up and take notice. It mimics nuts and butter with clean melons, grapefruit and white peach all living in harmony without any component going to excess. The palate is notably mouthfilling in the classic Ashton Hills style, richly textured and flavoured, bright, complex and full of impact from start to finish, yet still cleanly balanced and utterly spotless. A fine combination of assertive fruit and winemaking. (full review soon) 94

Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir 2010 ($30) Has settled down nicely since I first tasted this wine some 5 months ago. Possesses a simple yet correct, ripe red fruit and vanilla oak nose, with a palate whose juicy richness errs towards medium-full bodied territory but remains soft and supple enough to end with balance and a refreshingly clean structure. It's a good all-night quaffing pinot, but I do note the slight increase in price from a few years back moves it slightly further away from 'quaffing' zone for me. 90

Ashton Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2009 ($40) Whereas I noted an improvement in integration of the PV wine from 5 months ago, this I didn't. It still looks a bit baked, ripe and dark fruited with some meaty/raisiny aspects, which effects both the varietal integrity of its perfume and its texture. Finish looks a little rough too. It's a fair enough, lighter weight red, it's just hardly a great pinot in my view. 89

Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 ($60) Has a sweetly fruited punch of red plums and cherries with fresh and fragrant, spicy vanilla oak coming along for the ride. The palate also looks a bit sweeter fruited than the best vintages, and although it similarly lacks the perfume, delicacy and elegance of those wines, it comes into its own on a long, commanding, agreeably meaty finish, opened up and flared out by an expansive extract of dry, grainy, assertive tannins. So if a proudly structured pinot is your thing then this looks pretty smart, otherwise, it's probably best served in the cellar for a while. 92

Ashton Hills Sparkling Shiraz 2005 ($40) Shows the ripeness of its Clare vintage with a sweetish (dosage?), concentrated, dark fruited and fractionally meaty style that sometimes suits sparkling reds, but this time it just doesn't work for me. Has the structure and depth to age for a while yet, so maybe time will help it integrate and gain further savoury complexity. The 2002 (from a much better vintage) was looking pretty good around this time last year. 89

Ashton Hills: the future is clear (if a slightly hazy red colour)

NEPENTHE

Much like regional neighbours Ashton Hills, Nepenthe seems to have undergone some notable changes since my last visit. But unlike Ashton Hills, notable change seems to be part of the scenery at Nepenthe.

Nepenthe's wine quality continues to remain steady in a middle of the road kind of way, but outside of that, things tend to shift around fairly quickly for this assertively marketed brand. They're certainly unlikely to die standing still.

The last five years have seen a change of ownership, change of head winemaker and a handsomely redeveloped cellar door, but today I'm going to concentrate more on what's going on with the wines. So here's a look at what might've gone through the heads of the people at Nepenthe recently.

- Let's get serious with sauvignon blanc

Although I don't have the official figures, I assume the carload after busload after carload of trendy, sharply dressed Gen-Xers who rock up to Nepenthe's cellar door on sunny days has something to do with their sauvignon blanc. Fortunately for more discerning drinkers, Nepenthe's recently adopted a more grown up approach to tackling the variety. 2009 marked the arrival of Nepenthe's 'Petraea' Sauvignon Blanc, a wood aged rendition of the variety (5 months in 2500L barrels for the 2010) which goes to show Nepenthe does have a vested interest in pleasing the more serious consumer. Going off the current release, I believe Nepenthe has a bit more work to do to perfect the style (like many from the Hills in my opinion), but their extra effort to produce a top class wine is highly commendable. $28 isn't too bad either.

- Let's get serious with pinot gris

From 2012 onwards I'm told Nepenthe will be getting 'serious' with pinot gris. Whether or not that means an addition to their reserve 'Pinnacle' range or sprucing up their standard gris I'm not sure, but there will be a change towards a a more worked style. I was recently informed pinot gris/grigio now outsells riesling in Australia, which might validate the move in some respects, as well as compensate for those estate chardonnay vines I saw grafted over to pinot gris (chardonnay has clearly been Nepenthe's best performer over the last 5 years in my opinion). Let's hope the 2012 vintage plays into their hands.

- Let's do something about our reds

Although Nepenthe has traditionally been associated with one of the the more unusual red wine portfolios in the Adelaide Hills, the company now seems to be moving in a slightly more orthodox direction, with some of the red focus shifting from those erratic cabernet styles to the more regionally accepted shiraz. The 'Gate Block' Shiraz now signifies Nepenthe's efforts to create a high quality, regional take on the variety. Nepenthe's tempranillo actually looked quite smart on my visit, but I wonder how long the winery will persist with their much maligned Adelaide Hills zinfandel.

- Let's take a look at the results

Despite the noted transitions surrounding Nepenthe's savvy, gris and fuller reds, it was two of the brand's mainstays; the Ithaca Chardonnay and Good Doctor Pinot Noir, which recently impressed a few of our country's show judges. The 2010 Ithaca having picked up the 'Best White Wine' Trophy at the 2011 Riverina Wine Show and the 2010 Good Doctor winning judge's choice for 'Best Pinot Noir' at the 2011 South Australian Wine of the Year awards. The 2010 Ithaca looks a cleverly made (in both vineyard and winery), very classy wine for its modest price, and although the 2010 Good Doctor was unavailable for tasting, it was available for purchase and I picked up a bottle for full review soon.

Nepenthe tasting notes posted below

Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($19) A very clean and smart looking, typically regional savvy, with good fragrance, brightness and persistence to its ably textured herbal/gooseberry characters. Nepenthe believe the 2011 is one of the best sauvignon blancs they've made in the last 10 years and I'd have to agree. A proud cafe/pub/sitting and sipping-on-Nepenthe's-lawn wine if ever there was one. 90

Nepenthe Petraea Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($28) I was expecting a big jump from the standard wine but it just never really happened. The relatively passive oak and extra bottle age seems to have dumbed down its fruit without really contributing much in the way of complexity. There's some mineral/banana custard notes and a fair push of smooth texture, but it just lacks the vibrancy, shape and structure I ultimately seek. Still, not bad though, and I'll be keeping my eye on it in the future, particularly given the fine 'standard' wine from 2011. 90

Nepenthe Pinot Gris 2010 ($19) Slightly dull, predictable nose reflecting fairly simple, bland white pears. Clean, straight forward palate would make for fair summertime quaffing if not much else. 86

Nepenthe Chardonnay 2010 ($19) 93% unwooded. Once again bit bland, uninspiring, with not a hell of a lot to pick in the way of fruit or winemaking tricks. It is however, cleaner and fresher than the gris, with a finish that spritzes up at the end. 87

Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay 2010 ($25) Outstanding value for a 'reserve' Adelaide Hills chardonnay from a reputed name. It has a very clever, fresh and complex nose with some savoury complexity - touches of mineral, yellow nectarine, flint and matchstick with a buttered popcorn-like oak component, but it's all very refined and in line. The palate begins clean, fresh and tight, before developing flavour and pungency towards the finish. Bright acids. Clean wine. Good stuff. 92

Nepenthe Pinot Noir 2010 ($19) Medicinal, sweet red cherry and herb nose, bit off putting really. I hope it's an aeration issue. The palate's a bit sweet 'n' sour, thin and conclusively lacks stuffing, subsequently revealing an unfortunate edginess. Disappointing. 84

Nepenthe The Good Doctor Pinot Noir 2009 ($38) Immediately more satisfying and varietal than the base range wine, with a nose of dusty, meaty cherry kernels, and although its palate enters with a pleasing silkiness, it quickly drops away towards the finish and that's what's left lingering in my mind. 88

Nepenthe Tempranillo 2008 ($25) A real surprise, particularly fragrantly, with its smooth, musky, mushroomy aromas of varnishy red cherries and well handled oak depicting something of the old world in a convincing manner. The vibrant and well constructed palate's bright and smooth to begin but ends with prickly spices and lithe structure. Good wine. 90

Nepenthe The Sirens Zinfandel 2007 ($35) Thin, green, very herbal nose with some cherry elements. Soupy palate, lacks stuffing and vitality, ends awkward and disjointed. Hard to see what's going on here, especially for $35. 84

Nepenthe Gate Block Shiraz 2008 ($38) Almost anything would look good after that zinfandel, and indeed, the 2008 Gate Block might've benefited. It has a bit of a multi-faceted, ripe Adelaide Hills shiraz nose, with meats, menthol/varnish, red and black plums and blueberries. Although smooth to start, with a creamy oak driven texture, the palate looks a bit baked around the edges and could do with more fruit brightness. 89

AUSTRALIAN WINE JOURNAL TOP DOZEN 2010/11

Before this website gets caught up in the midst of reviewing a whole host of new season's wines, I thought I'd post the first of what will hopefully become an annual Australian Wine Journal Top Dozen.

To make the list, wines must've been reviewed in the 'full' Australian Wine Journal treatment -that means no samplings, tastings, restaurant/socially consumed wines or wines drunk without a tasting note - and all must've been reviewed within the past 12 months (or close to in one case) on the website.

Additionally, the Australian Wine Journal Top Dozen isn't just a simple compilation of the 12 best, or highest scoring wines I've reviewed in the past year. Of course, to be included in the dozen, wines must've been brilliant in my eyes, but they must've ticked that box at the end of the line as well - inspirational. I was looking for wines that genuinely stirred up inspiration within me at the time of drinking. Wines that made me think to myself; 'f#ck I'm glad I'm an Australian wine drinker!' The sort of wines I wanna passionately stand up for and fight alongside in a bar brawl with. The sort of wines that drag out the type of beverage related inspiration only a wine drinker could understand. Whether it be something original, eye opening, ahead of its time or even something fantastically cheap and unique, the key here is that the wines needed to be a little more than just plain outstanding.

As I look over the list, it appears I've inadvertently selected at least one wine from each of Australia's 5 major wine producing states. It just goes to show, that in the face of some pretty trying recent vintages, it doesn't matter where you look around this outstanding wine producing country - there's exceptional wine to be had everywhere!

AUSTRALIAN WINE JOURNAL TOP DOZEN 2010/11

DAL ZOTTO L'IMMIGRANTE PROSECCO 2008 (King Valley)

I'm sure there might be a few traditionalists out there sneering at the thought of a bottle-fermented Australian prosecco, but if wines like Dal Zotto's 2008 L'Immigrante are the results of such labours - then bring them on I say! It's an elegantly complex, spotlessly clean, nutty and savoury sparkling wine, beautifully sculpted into place by a wonderfully linear, dry, tight backbone. If Australia's on the verge of a prosecco boom, then this is the ready made wine serious drinkers should look to.

KARRA YERTA RIESLING 2010 (Eden Valley)

The first time I tasted Karra Yerta's 2010 Riesling I felt it was like the Eden Valley equivalent of Grosset's Polish Hill - in other words - the dry riesling I've been waiting my entire wine drinking life for! Marie and James Linke's 2010 perfectly marries the stunning purity of regional characters Eden Valley enthusiasts seek, with sumptuous depths of flavour and texture, as well as unrelenting, penetrative structure and length. Alongside any number of spectacular wines emanating from Australia's small winery class at the moment, Karra Yerta's Riesling proves how size of production isn't really that important when it comes to making world class wines.

GROSSET POLISH HILL RIESLING 2010 (Clare Valley)

Okay, so we all know how brilliant Grosset's Polish Hill is, so why the inspiration? It's Jeffrey's relentless pursuit of perfection. Perhaps no other Australian winemaker comes as close to achieving perfection year in, year out, as Grosset does with his Polish Hill. But Grosset is never one to rest on his laurels. He tires away endlessly in the vineyard every year, constantly looking to improve what is already a near flawless Australian wine. The results are there to be seen in the 2010 which is classic Polish Hill - it's all about power, depth and a blisteringly dry finish of spectacular length.

SAVATERRE CHARDONNAY 2008 (Beechworth)

As a lover of Australian chardonnay it saddens me somewhat to see so many makers moving towards an ultimately leaner, perhaps overly refined style in recent years. Australian chardonnay isn't riesling, or semillon (or Chablis for that matter) - it's chardonnay - and ideally, it should be complex, textured, rich and stylish. The best examples in this country exhibit these qualities, alongside refinement and balance, and Beechworth's Savaterre hit the nail on the head with their 2008 release. With bright, genuinely ripened chardonnay fruit complemented seamlessly by superb texture and none-too-shy, complex winemaker inputs, it's precisely the sort of wine I wanna being drinking from chardonnay when I reach for more than a fifty from my wallet.

DOMAINE A PINOT NOIR 2006 (Coal River Valley)

When I first stuck my nose into Domaine A's 2006 Pinot Noir, its combination of herbal scents and dark, meaty fruit aromas actually had me thinking of cabernet sauvignon, but once it entered my mouth, there was no doubt as to what variety I was dealing with. If feel and textural complexity are the keys to exceptional pinot noir, then Domaine A smashed it out of the ballpark with their 2006. It's supple, fragile and delicate, yet its adorably complex, darker pinot noir flavours are backed up by one of the most spectacular, expansive pinot noir structures I've ever encountered from the Island State. If you still believe Tasmania isn't capable of world class pinot noir, then check this beauty out.

TAPANAPPA FOGGY HILL VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2009 (Fleurieu Peninsula)

Brian Croser raised a few eyebrows with his inaugural 2007 Foggy Hill, sourced from a region barely associated with top shelf Australian wine, let alone pinot noir. Then, with his follow up from 2008, Croser showed the capabilities of his special site with a wonderful release. But it's the 2009 which has really declared the winemaking legend's intentions of taking on Australia's very best exponents of the closely followed genre. With the exception of some of Ashton Hills' very best wines, I've never had a South Australian pinot noir so cleanly fruited, savoury, under spoken, beautifully made or astoundingly complex in its youth. Is it the future of South Australian pinot noir? I think so.

CULLEN MANGAN 2009 (Margaret River)

In addition to the use of a new mistral blower on the sorting table and a return to basket press, Vanya Cullen's commitment to bio-dynamic wine production has seen increased levels of subtlety, elegance and feminine charm in her premier reds, which already sat at the more subtle, elegant and feminine side of high end Australian wine anyway. The 2009 Mangan bares these qualities and displays it in a very similar fashion to its much more lauded 2008 Diana Madeline stablemate, but it does it at around half the price and without the use of the Margaret River's primary red grape; cabernet sauvignon (the Mangan is a 63/27/10 blend of malbec, petit verdot and merlot). The attractively complex characters Cullen achieves at modest alcohol levels, is, quite simply, amazing in this country. In terms of both style and varietal composition, I'd love to see more Australian reds like this.

WOODLANDS RESERVE DE LA CAVE MALBEC 2010 (Margaret River)

As Australians scramble to make new wines from new varieties, there remains a number of grapes which have been sitting in our vineyards for some time, which have perhaps been overlooked. Woodlands' Reserve de la Cave Malbec is a benchmark for what can be achieved. It's simultaneously authentically varietal and deliciously Australian, with an undeniably perfumed and plush accent of deep, silky black and purple fruits driven with great direction by an extremely precise structure. Sat next to its cabernet franc sibling it's distinctly different in style, but picking a better wine between the two proved impossible for me. I'm usually a cabernet franc man too.

WOODLANDS RESERVE DE LA CAVE CABERNET FRANC 2010 (Margaret River)

Woodlands' 2010 Reserve de la Cabernet Franc displays a more piercing, pristine varietal expression than the malbec, which doesn't necessarily make it any better a drinking wine on release. The combination of cabernet franc, with its green-edged, herbal perfume, and the Margaret River's Wilyabrup sub-region, which is so well known for perfumed, dark fruited, toasty/smoky, dusty cabernet, seems such a perfect fit, and it's played out to perfection in the 2010 Reserve de la Cave. There's a wonderfully elegant density to the wine as well, which of course, is drawn down the palate to great effect by the typically fine-grained and assertive structure Woodlands has become synonymous for.

FREEMAN AGED RELEASE RONDINELLA CORVINA SECCO 2004 (Hilltops)

There may be any number of technically better reds around Australia at the moment than Dr Brian Freeman's 2004 Secco, but in terms of ingenuity and value for money, this most unique of Australian reds stands out on a limb. It's aromatically lifted, richly textured, deeply flavoured, savoury and rather over the top for a wine of its price, but a few years bottle age have seen all of its elements sink together like a cat on a bean bag. Delicious only starts to explain it. Kudos to Freeman for planting rondinella and corvina in NSW's Hilltops region. Kudos to Freeman for blending them together. Kudos to him for being creative enough to partially dry the grapes in a prune dehydrator. Kudos to him for pulling the whole crazy experiment off, and perhaps most importantly, kudos to him for having the patience and generosity to issue a bottle aged release, without any increase in price. $30!?

WENDOUREE CABERNET MALBEC 2008 (Clare Valley)

With an early March heatwave spanning 15 straight days of 35+ degree heat, 2008 was hardly a classic year for Clare cabernet, but Wendouree's fine effort with their deep, beautifully ripened, supple and savoury 2008 Cabernet Malbec (achieved at under 14% alc) shows us just how important well managed old vineyards are in the most trying of circumstances. It's probably not the most sensational Wendouree of all time, but the 2008 Cabernet Malbec remains testament to what an irreplaceable resource that spectacular vineyard is.

JOSEPH MODA CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOT 2008 (McLaren Vale)

Like the Wendouree, Joseph's 2008 Moda was hardly born out of a wonderful year for McLaren Vale cabernet, but this time, I feel Joe Grilli's freakish winemaking abilities have helped carve out a magnificent wine every bit as much as the choice of his vineyard site and its management. In fact, McLaren Vale's suffered through a few less than perfect cabernet vintages lately, but Grilli's time proven ability to make deliciously rich, hedonistically smooth, ripe and dusty cabernet merlots using the Italian Amarone method of drying grapes on racks after harvest, has once again produced a stunning take on McLaren Vale cabernet. As with Wendouree's 2008 Cabernet Malbec, I don't actually feel the 2008 Moda is one of Jospeh's very best vintages, but it still serves as a benchmark as to what can be achieved in unbelievably hot, dry seasons.

BAROSSA VALLEY TASTING NOTES

Here's a couple of tasting notes depicting some of the more interesting wines I encountered during a recent weekend stay in the Barossa Valley. I came across plenty of wines still baring the scars of difficult years in the region, but fortunately, the modern Barossa winemaker, whose versatility with grapes other than shiraz and cabernet seems to get better every year, was still able to produce a number of high points. The more observant of you will notice a couple of Burge Family wines on the list I couldn't keep my mitts off...

From left to right: Burge Family Winemakers, Artisans of Barossa and Torbreck

mesh Riesling 2010 ($25) Quite a typical mesh really, which is a bloody good thing if you love dry Australian riesling! The nose shows a pleasing steely tightness with scents of classic white pear, apples and lime. The palate follows on with a beautifully pure expression of its regional flavour, defined by a classically dry, assertive and racy structure that pulls the wine with great length and tightness. 94

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Autumn Riesling 2010 ($18) A very interesting wine with near equal parts of Barossa and Eden Valley riesling, as well as a dab of gewurztraminer. The traminer isn't so obvious on the nose, which is tight, steely, slatey and scented with lemon/mineral notes, but on the palate it makes its presence felt through an extending, slightly sweet and juicy taste of lychees, which flows from mid-palate to back, before it's all back-ended by a lingering steely dryness and razor sharp acids. It's beautifully composed and paired magnificently with Kingfish. Chalk another one up for Penfolds' winemaking team! 91

Burge Family Winemakers Olive Hill Semillon 2010 ($22) A brilliant unoaked Barossa semillon, of the more forward, sumptuous and flavoursome style. Its toasty lemon and melon characters are right on the style cue for semillon, as is its beautifully bright, penetrative acidity and length. 92

Burge Family Winemakers Olive Hill Semillon 2011 ($22) Unreleased. A stark contrast to the 2010. Its scent mirrors tropical fruits, with a note of banana in there, whilst its palate is quite juicy, fruit salad-like, round and up front, lacking the extension of the 2010. If it's a semillon that looks like a sauvignon blanc you're after, then this could be the wine for you. It'll be interesting to see how it looks when released. 87

Torbreck Viognier 2010 ($48.50) Perfumed, floral, mineral and savoury, with more melons than stonefruit on the nose. It's pumped by a richly flavoured mid-palate and enlivened by a bright, lingering, mineral finish. It's possibly as good a white wine as I've ever had from Torbreck, but at $48.50, I'm not sure it really compares to the Clonakilla or Virgilius Viogniers, yet. 92

Heggies Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 ($28) Classy, spicy, nutty vanilla oak dominates the nose somewhat, slightly obscuring very lean, clean lemon and white fruit aromas. The palate shows similarly restrained, clean white fruit flavours that become more pungent and melon-like with progression. There's an initial oomph provided by creamy texture and a sparkling structure of citric acids to follow, but it just gets lost along the way somewhere, as it seemingly lacks great length, shape and balance. 89

Gramps Grenache 2009 ($18) Dark fruited with currants, plums and a bit of spicy fruitcake. It seems a little less than ideal at first, but with time it comes together quite nicely, displaying a regional plum and cherry fruit palate that tightens tidily down the line with brisk acids and tannins in a cone-like, prickly 'reverse-fan' finish. There's a pleasing tickle of cinnamon spice too. 89

Torbreck Les Amis Grenache 2009 ($187.50) Its nose is perhaps a bit closed yet deep and even, suggesting a near perfect ripeness of patiently subsiding Barossa grenache beneath. It's equally elegant and deeply, richly fruited, with compacted blue and black berry flavours straddling along medium weight, extravagant layers of silky texture and great length. For a wine that spent 24 months in new French oak, its fruit speaks with incredible clarity and definition, having soaked up the wood with ease. It seems exactly the type of wine that needs a bottle, not a sample, to be truly appreciated, but at that price. . . not for me. Fairly inspiring stuff though. 95

Sons of Eden Kennedy GSM 2009 ($22) Here's a wine that sings the upsides of 2009 Barossa grenache at a very good price. It has an excellent, even, dark/fruity nose that also sprays off the cinnamon and clove notes I adore in beautifully ripened impressions of the style. The palate is just so plush, chocolatey, rich and downright delicious, with a cleansing, refreshing structure that complements the wine without dominating it. Admittedly, it reminded me a bit of Penfolds' fantastic 2009 Bin 138, which isn't a bad thing in my eyes. A great, moreish drinking wine. 92

Burge Family Winemakers Olive Hill SGM 2008 ($28) Very rich and smoothly fruited with the ultra-ripeness expected of the vintage, but it's not as savoury or complex as the best years. It drinks very well, in a big, mouthfilling fashion with good, clean structure, but there is a hint of alcohol/menthol evident in the aftertaste (15.5%). I just expected a touch more from one of my favourite Barossa blend labels. Still pretty good value though. 90

Burge Family Winemakers Olive Hill MGS 2008 ($25) With mourvedre in the driver's seat, this instantly smells more even and interesting than the previous wine. It's heady and floral, with deep, dark, rich chocolatey fruits residing beneath. The palate drinks an absolute treat, revealing a wonderfully generous persistence of classically Barossan bright and silky dark fruits from start to finish. Top value and interest here. 92

Torbreck The Pict Mataro 2007 ($187.50) Small red berry fruits with earthy, muddy tones and mocha oak woven throughout. It's medium-full and muscular in body, and flush with explosive berry flavours and leathery tones. There's quite a classy, rustic finish, but overall it just lacks the wow factor essential for a wine of its price. 93

BVE Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($35) A very well pitched, regional and somewhat savoury Barossa cabernet devoid of the variety's greener aspects. It's powered by dry cedar tones, complementing its dark plum and earth characters well. It has a juicy and generously flavoured palate, with a good backbone of dry and dusty structure. At $10 less (retail) it would be brilliant. 91

Burge Family Winemakers Draycott Shiraz 2008 ($32) Takes a while to open up what is essentially a fairly muted nose by the label's standards, but when it does it reveals sweetly fruited plums, cherries and raspberries with controlled oak and nothing over-ripe or dead. Its palate is smooth but it just needs more freshness, vitality and flesh. It should be a better drink with time. 88

BVE E+E Black Pepper Shiraz 2006 ($90) Unusually fruity, sweet and compote-like for what was a pretty good year for Barossa shiraz. It's very condensed on the palate, to the point of almost being flattened, whereby it needs more vitality, structure, fruit brightness and complexity. Disappointing to say the least - perhaps a poorly presented bottle? 88

John Duval Eligo Shiraz 2008 ($100) From one of Australia's true winemaking legends, comes this wine which highlights the man's ability to craft top wine in a difficult vintage. It has plenty of 08 character, but it presents it to near perfection. It's very controlled and astoundingly deep, with almost elegant scents of plums, berries and cherries earmarking beautiful regional character alongside a smooth note of rich vanilla/chocolate oak. Its palate is ripe in a deliciously Barossan style, with a wonderful caress of silky tannins, but the real highlight is its length of powerful fruit, which just goes on and on with sumptuous impact. 94

Torbreck RunRig Shiraz Viognier 2007 ($225) A rather typical yet practically ideal expression of the ultra-ripe, rich, in-your-face modern Torbreck style. It's meaty, spicy, raisiny and dark fruited, extravagantly concentrated, dense, smooth, rich and sumptuous, with assertive, grainy tannins pulling out a long, tight finish that plays its part well, balancing the whole package effectively. Elegant it isn't, but it's great if over-the-top Australian reds are your thing. Harnessing ripeness and structure, it's really well pulled off for the 07 vintage. 94

Torbreck The Laird Shiraz 2006 ($700) I'll admit I didn't approach this, now Australia's most expensive dry wine, with a lot of enthusiasm, but when I heard its fruit was pulled from the same vineyard that ran into the infamous Three Rivers Shiraz, at the cost of a whopping $25,000/ton to Torbreck, things starting making a little more sense. . . and then I drunk it and it all came together beautifully. It displays an incredibly bright, vivid fruit expression, covering a variety of colours, and it actually smells, tastes and feels like a very un-Torbreck-like wine in my opinion, as the dark, ultra-ripe, meaty and currant-like characters I encountered in Torbreck's other top shirazes that day weren't present (admittedly this was the only 2006 in the line up, but I find those characters in most of Torbreck's top shirazes, almost irrespective of season). Its palate was surprisingly elegant in a rich, velvety Barossa style, controlled in both weight and particularly structure, as it took a long time to unfold and grow with great patience and restraint into the mouth, with powdery, dry tannins revealing an extra degree of character every step of the way. Best of all, it's neither Grange-like nor Hill of Grace-like, so it makes a welcomed addition to the top-tier of Australia's wine family tree. Definitely worth a look if you're contemplating what to do with the left over money after you sell your Lamborghini for a Maserati. 96

Spinifex D.R.S. Vineyard Durif 2009 ($48) It wasn't that long ago I was deeply pondering why there isn't more durif in the Barossa, and this wine, made from vines planted as early as 2002, only raises the question even more. It's surprisingly elegant, silky, medium in weight and savoury-edged, contrasting the Rutherglen style yet nailing the Spinifex style, and it's easily the pick of their current releases for me. It possesses bright plums and red berries, with a beautifully fine-grained finish highlighted by its precision, freshness, vitality and length. It's a bit of a surprise stylistically, but it provided great drinking enjoyment nonetheless. More please! 94

BVE E+E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz 2005 ($50) Currants, meats and juicy red plum fruits, expressed in the buoyantly ripened, fruity style typical of its vintage, with rather generous, if straight forward flavours on the palate. Unfortunately, it seems a bit simple and syrupy, and really, it appears more of a 'friendly consumer style' sold at the wrong price right now. 89

The new cellar door on everyone's lips in the Barossa at the moment is Artisans of Barossa, who have taken the extra step of naming their spittoons after popular Australian wine personalities.

Artisans is the shared accommodation of 7 boutique Barossa wineries; Hobbs, John Duval, Massena, Schwarz Wine Company, Sons of Eden, Spinifex and Teusner. The wines available for tasting work on a rotating schedule, with each producer typically offering 2 of their wines in addition to a chosen, 'featured' brand offering more (I was fortunate to be there on a Spinifex day!). Samples are arranged and presented in pairs, in an interesting, comparative format, where similar wine styles from different producers are pitted next to each other. For example, we tasted Hobbs' 2009 'With Freckles' Viognier next to Massena's 2010 'The Surly Muse' Viognier, then John Duval's 2008 Plexus SGM with Sons of Eden's 2009 Kennedy GSM and so on. Of course, this option can be passed if you wish, but I was happy to take part.

Personally I'd love to see an 'Artisans of [insert region here]', housing small winemakers without cellar doors, open up in every major Australian wine region. And the little regions too of course... :) . It's a great concept, bringing some of Australia's most interesting modern wines within closer reach of the everyday consumer.

PENFOLDS 2011 ICON AND LUXURY RELEASE

If you're ever around Adelaide come Grange release day, I'd wholeheartedly recommend a trip to Magill Estate. There's an air of festivity and excitement around Penfolds on Grange release day, like a child (or the next king?) has just been born. Everyone's happy and everyone has something to say.

Sure, Penfolds charge $25 for a tasting of Grange, when the major retailers offer free samplings to mark the occasion, but the samples offered by the retailers look rather pathetic compared to what you get at Magill - I swear I almost accidentally inhaled one of those store issued Grange samples once. Up at Penfolds, 'half a glass' might be doing an injustice to the generous pours dished out by their ever friendly cellar door staff. It's $25 well spent if you ask me, and I look forward to it lightening my wallet every year.

Additionally, if you get to Penfolds later in the day, you'll find no crowds, no lines, a relaxed atmosphere, wines served in Riedels and service with a smile. It's much better than fighting 150 people for 100 pours, all at once.

Oh yeah, there's also another $790 worth of wine, across 6 bottles, available to taste on the day, completely free of charge. Just keep an eye on the cellar door prices here though, because RRP isn't exactly 'recommended' for Penfolds. You might have heard of these other labels...

Penfolds tasting notes are posted below

Penfolds Reserve Bin 09A Chardonnay 2009 ($90) Adelaide Hills. Wow! Toasty, toasty, toasty nose! Smoky popcorn-like oak and touches of spice dominate the nose, with a minimal fruit profile. It's an ultimately lean, restrained and texture driven palate, with touches of citrus, minerals and spice, with a tightening finish. Given the spectacular results of the previous two vintages, I just expected something a little more sumptuously fruited. 92

Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2008 ($130) Tasmania/Adelaide Hills. Simultaneously pungent and restrained on the nose, seemingly the result of some beautifully clean, cool climate fruit - minerals, grapefruit and light spice. The palate however, can't be mistaken, it's rich, round, full, creamy and sumptuous to drink, with delicious creamed hazelnut and white peach flavours marked by a notably tangy finish. 94

Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2007 ($90) From a low yielding vintage, a veritable who's who of South Australian regions went into this one; check - Robe (30%), McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Padthaway, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills. Bright, sour-edged red plums, cherries, blueberries and white pepper on the nose, in St Henri's typically fruit expressive style, but it just seems a bit simple, lacking the depth and complexity of the top vintages. Its palate is also slightly unusual, young and elemental perhaps? It's brightly flavoured and sour-edged, but it's also a bit jammy, without being over ripe. It drinks alright in a simpler fashion, but at this price, I can't say I'm totally convinced. 90

Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2008 ($115) Adelaide Metro - $15 price hike. Although not particularly lively on the nose, there appears to be a concentration of good fruit - condensed cassis, cherries and dark plums with nutty/mocha oak adding a savoury edge. Its palate is medium-bodied, very silky, ripe and long, with plenty of finesse to its dark fruit flavours. It's a good '08, which edges ripeness but stays within the lines. 93

Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2008 ($175) Barossa Valley. Smoky, savoury oak most evident on the nose, with plump plums and roast meats beneath. It's deep, rich and ultimately satisfying, in that truest Barossan sense. It's a smooth, juicy '08, with the red and black fruits common to the vintage's better wines, finished off by great length of fruit, tidy tannins and a general even balance throughout. Penfolds have done well here, and this should age particularly well. 94

Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($190) Coonawarra, Barossa Valley and Wrattonbully. The news of a Special Bin 620 Cabernet Shiraz from Coonawarra's 2008 vintage had me particularly anxious to try this wine, usually my favourite from Penfolds top end. There's a fresh, perfectly pitched and certainly not overdone touch of mint on the nose (Wrattonbully maybe?), siding with a bright, rich core of blackberries and dark plums, given a further lift by a floral note. Spicy cedar/mocha oak too. The palate is true Bin 707 yet again. Dark, brooding, powerful, typically rich and flavoursome, it thrusts through the mouth with true intensity and a massive bone structure, imparting incredible dryness and spectacular length. 96

Penfolds Grange 2006 ($600) Barossa Valley shiraz with a touch of Magill shiraz. 2% cabernet. Probably not as gang-bustingly brilliant as the 2004, but certainly comparable to the excellent 2002, albeit within the context of its own vintage. In fact, it's everything you'd expect from the label and the season really - a fine match. Another long term classic in the making. (reviewed separate post). 97

AN ENOMATIC TASTING

I recently had the opportunity to sample wines from The Ed's Enomatic wine tasting machine, or, the Wine Taster 2000 as it could also be called. :)

For those unfamiliar with the machine, The Enomatic is a wine dispenser, capable of rationing out single tastings, double tastings or full glasses of wine, via 3 separate buttons aligned to each bottle in the display. Prices go up in accordance with the size of the pour, as well as the wine in question. Additionally, and on this day, some pours can be free of charge, however, it's intended for commercial use and not the home (although...).

To prevent oxidation, the Enomatic disperses gas into the bottle as it pours out the wine. In this case, The Ed were using argon, which can apparently keep open wine bottles fresh for around a month, but to play it safe, bottles at The Ed are presently changed over after two weeks. Seeing as single bottles actually last two weeks, indicates to me there might not be too much consumer interest in the Enomatic around Adelaide, just yet.

I tasted my way through the wines available on the day, which included a couple of Australian icons. Leeuwin Estate's 2008 Art Series Chardonnay, Clonakilla's 2009 Shiraz Viognier and Peter Lehmann's 2006 Stonewell were all on hand, but alas, they were also at the end of their two week cycle, as they were getting replaced by a predominantly European selection of off-dry rieslings the next day.

To be honest, I felt some of the wines presented well and some not so well, so no tasting notes were taken. I believe the level of wine in the bottle may have had some effect, as some of the cheaper wines (including Rymill's 'free of charge' 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon) appeared fresher and livelier through the palate. Interestingly, a staff member agreed some of the wines may have been a bit 'flat'. To possibly improve the situation, the next selection of wines are going to be 'prolonged' by a mixture of argon and CO2. It's still a trial and error thing at the moment, as well as the only one in Adelaide if I'm correct. If anyone out there has any experience using these machines, any insight would be appreciated.

To purchase from the Enomatic, The Ed provides the customer/taster with a 'credit card', where credits can be purchased and topped up from the register as you see fit. Knowing the place, I can guarantee there will always be something interesting in their Enomatic, but whether you're willing to pay for it is up to you.

As a rough guideline of pricing, I think the Art Series was $4 a pour, $8 a double and $18 a glass. Clonakilla $4.50 a pour, $9 a double and $20 a glass. You be the judge. Most days I'd be happy to pay $18 for a glass of Art Series or $20 for Clonakilla, but with Enomatic, I just wasn't convinced about the state of the wine's freshness, or the environment in which it's presented (does anyone really want to pay $20 for a glass of wine in a bottle shop?) I'd want to get there early on the rotation next time, although I was told the Art Series was drinking better after two weeks.

The Ed's Enomatic credit card

So there we have it. More innovation from my favourite fine wine retailer. Is it the future of wine drinking? I hope not. But I don't have a problem with Enomatic playing its role at fine wine retailers or wine bars. Sure, the prolonged freshness is a plus and allowing customers to taste wines they otherwise might not buy is good (the first set of wines included Hill of Grace, Grange and Chateau d'Yquem - too many credits for me!), but the Enomatic experience is just too sterile for me, and as a consumer, it also takes away one of my most loved aspects of wine tasting; human to human contact.

For more information check out:-

http://www.enomatic.co.nz/home/

Is there no Australian site?

D'ARENBERG

Just a few notes here from my mid-week trip to what could be McLaren Vale's most popular cellar door, d'Arenberg.

Two things stood out to me on the visit. Firstly, the level of service seems to get better and better every time I return to d'Arenberg, so kudos to the cellar door staff. The second thing that really caught my attention, was the presence of d'Arenberg labelled underwear, hung from the rafters above the tasting bench. The last time I tasted wine to look up and see men's jocks, I can't recall.

Essentially, the underwear is black Bonds underpants, for him and her, with d'Arenberg wine labels printed onto them (the square labels from the 'cheaper' wines, not the long ones from the icon wines). Underwear labels included 'Love Grass Shiraz' for women, as well as 'Lucky Lizard Chardonnay' (selling well I hear) for men and 'Dry Dam Riesling' (not selling so well) also for men. Really, the possibilities for underpants paired with d'Arenberg labels are near endless; Feral Fox, Derelict Vineyard, Hermit Crab and Last Ditch are just some, but our favourite suggestion was The Noble Wrinkled. We were told to keep our mouths shut before the marketing team got any more ideas....... ;)

The underwear is clearly another idea from a winery that must never run out of things to do. My apologies for failing to take any photos.

d'Arenberg tasting notes are posted below

d'Arenberg The Money Spider Roussanne 2009 ($20) Light, yet appropriately varietal nose of honeysuckle, rose petals and stonefruit kernel. The palate is packed with ripe fruit flavour, making it smooth but also a bit short and simple. 87

d'Arenberg The Money Spider Roussanne 2003 Toast and mango aromas, showing fruit, development and life. Its palate has gained much in the way of richness, as well as a honeyed stonefruit-like character, but despite the stylistic alterations gained through bottle age, I didn't really consider it much better than the 2009. 88

d'Arenberg The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay 2008 ($25) Adelaide Hills. Rather bold, with big lashings of toasty popcorn oak and ripe nectarine present in both nose and the palate. There's a finish marked by tangy acids, but it needs to to be longer and more refreshing for what it is. Challenging year really. 87

d'Arenberg The Last Ditch Viognier 2008 ($20) Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale. I first tasted this wine over a year ago (no 2009 was made, all blended away)and have had it several times since then, loving it every time. Beck calls it; "the viognier that tastes like good chardonnay". The youthful gleam of its fruit has settled down a bit since my last encounter, as it seems to be a bit more oaky, with restrained, leaner viognier fruit apparent, but it altogether seems more savoury and enticing. The palate is showing some real elegance now (within the viognier spectrum of course), with a wonderful integration of fruit, oak and texture. For the third time in as many visits to d'Arenberg, I came home with one of these. It's probably the best white wine I can recall having from d'Arenberg. (possible re-review soon, although I might give it a few more years for interest) 92

d'Arenberg The Feral Fox Pinot Noir 2009 ($30) Adelaide Hills. I actually like where d'Arenberg went with this the last two years, particularly in 2007, but I'm not sure about this. It's feral by name and feral by nature; manky and funky, with a confectionery-like fruit nose and an unusually medicinal palate. Not for me. 84

d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache 2007 ($18) Interesting to see this under cork at the cellar door, since my cellar-log tells me I have a 2004 and 2006, both under screwcap. The wine shows the dark-fruited meaty ripeness expected of the season, with abundant plums and what smells more like softer American, or older oak. The smooth and simple palate tastes significantly more shiraz like than grenache, with a peppering of sour-edged fruits and acid rounding out the finish in agreeable style. An easy quaffer, although the 2008 is already out now. 88

d'Arenberg The Cadenzia Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2009 ($25) Its beautiful nose smells bright yet perfectly measured and controlled, with a right procession of evenly ripened berry fruits playing across the colour wheel. Likewise, the palate was wonderful; bright, smooth, seamless and long, expressed with effortless style and fruit focus. Alongside another GSM, this was definitely one of the standouts of the day. (full review soon) 92

d'Arenberg The Wild Pixie Shiraz Roussanne 2008 ($29) I didn't mind this a year ago, but was a little less impressed on this occasion. It seemed to be the results of either a dash too much roussanne, or a little too much hang time on the shiraz. It shows ripe, dark and gamy shiraz fruit given a bright, almost viognier-like floral note on the nose, as well as a similarly composed fuzzy apricot skin-like feel to the palate. It's relatively bright, ripe, rich and soft, making for an agreeable BBQ wine if anything, which is probably its intention. 89

d'Arenberg The Galvo Garage Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc 2007 ($29) Usually one of my favourite wines in d'Arenberg's portfolio, but I think the tricky vintage has played its toll here, in the way of some ripe, jujube-like fruit aromas paired with lashings of mint, but it doesn't seem even or harmonious really. The palate shows more ripeness than I'd like from the label, and although it's concentrated, essence-like and pleasing in the medium/medium-full weight range, it seems a bit soupy. It is long though, but the finish ends once again; ripe. Essentially it's very drinkable, but it could be better (2004 was great - 92pts). 88

d'Arenberg The Sticks and Stones Tempranillo Grenache Shiraz 2005 ($29) Showing some varnishy, gamy-like notes to the nose, in what could be signs of age, but it also could signify a typically rustic d'Arenberg approach to an intrinsic blend. The palate however, looks surprisingly good and youthful, thanks to a medium-bodied elegance and leanness brought out by a rather firm acid/tannin structure considering its age, season and varietal make-up. 89

d'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings Grenahce Shiraz Mourvedre 2007 ($60) Wonderful, almost floral nose that has a complex combination of sweet and savoury, the bright and the rustic, with notes of game, blueberry and very restrained, well handled, smooth vanilla oak. It smells great and evenly ripened for a 2007, and just goes to show grenache may have handled the conditions as well as any variety in McLaren Vale that year. The palate is savoury but deep, with delicious juicy fruit flavour framed by more than enough firm, powdery tannins to suggest a good stint in the cellar would be more than beneficial. Could be better than the 2006. 94

d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($60) Big cabernet nose. Big black fruit. It's ripe but deep with a touch of vanilla/cedar oak almost adding fragrant freshness. It's a big, mouthfilling McLaren Vale cabernet with the region's expected mid-palate depth and the season's anticipated ripeness, but it certainly contains the length and structure to pull it off. Very well made for the season. 91

d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 A real contrast to the '07. It smells more elegant yet thinner and leaner, with leaves scattered throughout red plums and maybe a touch of spicy cedar oak. There's relatively savoury red fruits woven throughout its medium-bodied palate, which is more elegant and framed by dusty tannins, but it seems stuck in a bad place perhaps, and in need of another 3-5 years for my tastes. 90

d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2007 ($60) Currants, chocolate/vanilla oak and plums; it's ripe and a bit of a bruiser but it's ok. In the mouth however, it seems classic Dead Arm, in a riper sense, with a medium/medium-full bodied expression of deep, rustic dark fruits finished off by very firm tannins and true length. Although lacking the polish of the top years, it would appear d'Arenberg's done quite well with their premier reds from 2007. 92

d'Arenberg The Sump Jump Sticky Chardonnay 2008 ($11) Simple in every sense, yet effective for what it is. It's perhaps a bit thin in its sweet stonefruit character, but it's light and fresh enough. It would be interesting to see how this would hold up over a glass, but I don't really want to find out myself. The sample will do just fine thanks. 87

d'Arenberg The Noble Wrinkled Riesling 2010 ($20) Following the very successful 2008 comes this wine smelling of sweet freshness in a glass. It's floral, light and musky, with citrus and lychees, altogether showing more character than many Australian dessert rieslings, albeit at a very early stage of development. There's good, tangy and lively acidity to frame and refresh the palate, which might be a bit thin at the moment, but time in the bottle could see it flesh out. 90

d'Arenberg The Noble Prankster Chardonnay Semillon 2010 ($20) Burnt toffee, creme brulee and stonefruits on the nose, with a relatively soft, sweet palate blessed by enough lemon tart-like acids to make it a refreshing, easy drinking style. 89

d'Arenberg The Noble Mud Pie Viognier Pinot Gris Marsanne 2008 ($20) Weird nose, which I couldn't quite put my finger on, but the best I could come up with was herbal. Similarly, the palate also seems unusual and is fractionally disjointed. 85

JACOB'S CREEK

Australia's most recognised wine brand globally?

Maybe.

South Australian winery where you're most likely to see busload after busload of Asian tourists arrive to circle the surrounds for about an hour or so, taste a single sample of shiraz and then leave?

Definitely.

I also noticed they have a play area in the corner of the tasting room for kiddies now. They do think of everything, don't they?

For all the hoopla, Jacob's Creek actually makes some pretty sound wines throughout their portfolio, whether you love 'em or hate 'em. From low-end to the high-end, you generally know what you're gonna get with Jacob's Creek. Consistent, cleanly made, ably balanced and flavoursome expressions of variety are what I've come to expect from Jacob's Creek, not to mention reliable value for money.

Like many large producers, Jacob's Creek are evolving and bolstering their range at present. In addition to their 'Sparkling/Moscato' range (9 wines), 'Classic' range (15 wines), 'Three Vines' range (3 wines), 'Reserve' range (6 wines) and 'Heritage' range (5 wines), Jacob's Creek has introduced a 'Limited Release' range of 7 wines, which is basically where the brand's toying around with new varieties that haven't surfaced under their previous labels. Langhorne Creek tannat, Adelaide Hills sangiovese, lagrein/dolcetto, Langhorne Creek graciano and vermentino are some of the new varieties available in this range. The 'Limited Release' wines sit slightly above the 'Reserve' wines in price, with a retail tag of $20 for the whites and $25 for reds.

Additionally, Jacob's Creek are looking to better the reputation of their 'Reserve' wines, by moving them in a more (single) regional direction. Due to time constraints I bypassed tasting the Reserve wines on this day, but in hindsight I wish I hadn't. The thought of Jacob's Creek made Barossa shiraz, Coonawarra cabernet or Adelaide Hills chardonnay stirs up optimistic ideals in my mind, especially within the $12-$16 price range.

On the subject of regionality, there is a bone I wish to pick with Jacob's Creek; Reeve's Point Chardonnay. On my last visit to the cellar door in 2008 I was told Reeves Point would be moving away from Padthaway towards the Adelaide Hills. Now, with the current 2005 vintage available, the Reeves Point bares no region of origin on its label, although I'm told it's still predominantly Padthaway based, with a smaller portion of Adelaide Hills fruit in the mix.

I understand Padthaway chardonnay isn't as fashionable as Adelaide Hills chardonnay (which is becoming a competitive little market in its own right), but the Reeves Point, just like St Hilary, has shown itself to be a good wine over the years, with a unique, pungent regional character. These two wines have been regional benchmarks of Padthaway whites for many years. By jumping on board the Adelaide Hills bandwagon the brand is essentially abandoning Padthaway (which has been championed by Orlando for years). I only hope someone else picks up the fruit source and makes some pretty smart chardonnay out of it as well, because losing these Padthaway chardonnays would put a kink in the armor of one of Australian wine's greatest strengths; diversity.

Anyway, enough of that.

The tidy little Gramp's wines are also available for tasting and purchase at the cellar door, but I thought I'd focus my attention solely on Jacob's Creek.

Jacob's Creek tasting notes are posted below

Jacob's Creek Reserve Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2008 ($18) Yep. 100% Adelaide Hills now. Its lemony/bready fragrance is quite atypical, but there's also a charming note of spice that really appeals to me. The palate is cleanly flavoured, with its grapefruit/white apple notes finished off in the classically tingly, effervescent Jacob's Creek style, which is given a lift by the same spice note I picked on the nose. Not quite as good as the 2007 wine though. 88

Jacob's Creek Limited Release Vermentino 2010 ($20) Like Yalumba's tasty little vermentino, this is predominantly sourced from Langhorne Creek. It shows a big, tropical fruit punch nose that immediately has me thinking; 'savvy drinker special', but its palate is much zestier and livelier than most savvy, with clean and clear guava fruit flavours driven to a limey finish loaded with plenty of zing. I'm liking what I've had of this variety so far, but this one might be a fraction dear; better on discount. 88

Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling 2010 ($35) The Eden Valley classic. At the youthful and tight end of the Eden's 2010s, with a mineral, slatey fragrance of lime juice. Its very fresh palate is juicy on entry but lively to progress, announcing an almost zesty citric sherbet like accent to what is otherwise a steely climax. It's good, but I don't think it's quite as good as some of the label's recent efforts, which could be a combination of it being very young, or just served too cold on the day.....93

Jacob's Creek Reeves Point Chardonnay 2005 ($35) Mostly Padthaway with some Adelaide Hills now. Pungent, open Padthaway style nose with juicy melon fruits, butterscotch and tightly wound clean oak. It seems well poised within its context. Its medium-bodied palate has pungent fruit flavours inside, but ample framework outside. It's driven and formed. Not a shy man's chardonnay, but it just might be peaking now. 91

Jacob's Creek Three Vines Shiraz Grenache Tempranillo 2009 ($14) I've always enjoyed this wine in its short existence, and with the 2009, the streak continues. Musky, exotic spice driven fragrance with sweet, small red fruits and little if any oak evident. It's light-medium in weight, with a good line of refreshing structure that holds its red fruits nicely in place, until finishing in an agreeably spicy fashion. Certainly at the more 'modern' and 'cutting edge' of Jacob's Creek's reds. I like it. Smartly priced too. 89

Jacob's Creek Limited Release Lagrein Dolcetto 2007 ($25) Pongy nose. It's muddy, with plummy ripe fruit, chocolate raisins and smooth oak. Its palate is quite flat and tarry, lacking brightness and vitality throughout. Unconvincing. 84

Jacob's Creek Limited Release Tannat 2008 ($25) Langhorne Creek. Good nose. Black, typically sinister tannat nose with ripe, tarry dark fruit quality, but it is considerably even and deep. The palate has good length, with drying yet well contained tannat tannins, but it just seems to be a touch riper than what was promised on the nose, with a profoundly meaty mid-back section that also reveals dates/prunes. It's not without potential though, and I'll be watching the label in the future. 88

Jacob's Creek St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($45) The Coonawarra classic, of course. Big, typically minty St Hugo nose, with cassis, red plums and vanilla oak, expressed in a style which is relatively soft, bright and even for the season. Concentrated and smooth, its dark palate holds its ripe fruit in check, although there is a suggestion of ripeness evident in what seems to be some fairly polished tannins. Although not too bad really, it clearly lacks the finesse of the better years. 91

Jacob's Creek Johann Shiraz Cabernet 2005 ($75) Classic Johann mint on the nose. It's deeply fruited and beautifully ripe for the season, with red fruits and plums met by an equally strong, if not more prominent note of fresh vanilla/cedar oak. It's smooth and rich, with a touch of meaty ripeness that is actually quite agreeable, but it really comes through on the back palate, which grows with great intensity. It's a very well made wine, with cellaring potential aplenty. Much like Penfolds did with their 2005 Bin 389, Jacob's Creek has delivered a real winner here. 94

GRANT BURGE

Last Sunday was estimated at a magical 25 degrees in Adelaide, so what better way to spend a mild summer's afternoon than a trip to South Australia's most famous red wine region, sampling warm, hearty reds, which might otherwise have been a little too gutsy for a more typical Adelaide summer's day.

There are few Australian winery buildings with more grandeur than Grant Burge. So grandeur is the setting, my girlfriend has flirted with the idea of one day seeing Grant Burge as the backdrop for our wedding vows (I said one day...). She envisions walking from behind the fountain (pictured), down the terrace of long stemmed white roses (also pictured), to culminate in the semi-outdoor function area at the end, whose ceiling constitutes nothing but vines. Although it is Valentine's Day, I am here to talk wine....

As seems to be the norm with large Barossa wineries these days, the range at Grant Burge is spreading its wings, with more fruit coming in from the Eden Valley and the cooler Corryton Park vineyard in the Barossa's far south-east, as well as the Adelaide Hills for whites and sparkling wines.

Although Grant's range has almost as many still whites as it does still reds now, I still consider his brand a red specialist first and foremost. Traditionally I've considered Grant Burge whites to be sound, if not great wines, and the wines tasted on this day haven't shifted my opinion. The current reds, however, do reflect the difficulties of recent Barossa vintages, with a good amount of the range being rather ripe, smooth and quaffable 2008s, but fortunately, its two highlights came from that same vintage, in the way of the Filsell Shiraz and a shiraz mourvedre blend labelled under the name of Daly Road.

2005 Meshach was for sale ($130!) although unavailable for tasting, while a current vintage Shadrach was not to be seen. No Shadrach will be made from 2007 (nor Meshach I think?), while the 2006, which has been available for some time, was unsighted at the cellar door.

Interesting to note Grant Burge's Icon wines and Wines of Distinction (basically those $34.95rrp and up) still all sport corks, a trend which I'm told is going to continue.

Grant Burge tasting notes are posted below

Grant Burge Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay ($24.95) Almost essential in your wine list, if you happen to own a pub in Adelaide. A nose of sweet, baked apples had me thinking residual sugar, and on query I was told it's definitely in there. The faint sweetness adds a richness to the palate without being detrimental to its dryness, line or effervescence, while it finishes agreeably ticklish and fizzy. A real consumer friendly style. $10 off would be great though. 88

Grant Burge Sparkling Blanc de Noirs ($27.95) Almost 100% pinot noir, 2% chardonnay? White, maybe faint blush sparkling. Immediately has more character on the nose than its cheaper sibling. It's somewhat meaty and honeyed, with a pleasing touch of pinot-esque cherries, but there's still a suggestion of RS. The palate shows enough classy balance and effervescence to make it a relatively agreeable aperitif style. I don't mind this at all. 89

Grant Burge Thorn Eden Valley Riesling 2010 ($18.95) Good lime fruits to the nose, in more of a lime pith and green apple style. It's a touch simple and not as expressive or refined as some from the season, but it's undeniably Eden. Its palate presents pure citrus fruits, in a fractionally broad manner, yet it's still very fresh, thanks to a clean, drying acid balance that cuts and strengthens the whole package. 90

Grant Burge Zerk Semillon Viognier 2009 ($18.95) 70/30 blend. It's a shame Barossa semillon is a bit of a hard sell these days (unless your brand name is Peter Lehmann), because I'd almost always prefer to see it in single varietal, dry white wine form than in some of the interpretations I've seen lately. Interestingly, the semillon owns the nose here, with a clean restraint of lemon fruits graced by a touch of viognier's stonefruit and spice, but the viognier speaks much clearer on the palate, which is somewhat rubbery in feel with a finish marked by viognier's unmistakable acid. It's a clean, easy enough drink though. 88

Grant Burge Daly Road Shiraz Mourvedre 2008 ($18.95) 81/19 blend. Looks like this style of blend could become more popular. Fortunately, it seems to work in challenging seasons, while wines like this and Coriole's Dancing Fig are more than reasonably priced. The Daly Road reveals a nose loaded with bright fruits, in a rather plummy sense, with a touch of licorice for further interest. The palate is a shade soft and round on entry, but its dark fruit and licorice flavours are balanced and even enough to carry the wine to good finish, where mourvedre's delightfully rustic attributes make a much welcomed statement. 90

Grant Burge Cameron Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($21.95) Mint, vanilla and black plum nose, expressed with some rather bruising fruit in a style typical of both label and vintage. The palate however, is a bit softish, ripe and simple, making for a rather easy going Barossa cabernet that is a result of its hot season. 87

Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz 2009 ($21.95) Oooooooh. Ultra-ripe, porty nose - similar palate. All of my companions were searching for the spit bucket on this one (not common!) and I'd definitely give it a miss too. 84

Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2005 ($34.95) An interesting chain of events saw 2007 Holy Trinitys sent out to stores, before a supply of 2005 and 2006s were found in Grant Burge's large storage facility. Hence, 2005 and 2006 are available to purchase at cellar door, with 2005 on tasting. Developing nose with sweet, leathery/meaty red fruits and choc-coconut oak. Seems a bit uneven. The palate's a bit unconvincing as well, with a collection of raisin, leather and earth flavours, which altogether suggest it might be at a rough stage of development. 87

Grant Burge Balthasar Shiraz Viognier 2007 ($34.95) 3% viognier. Pleasing cola-like plum fruits and a touch of cinnamon to the nose, with viognier adding a smoothness and warmth without any apricot nuance. On the palate though, the viognier is a bit more noticeable, adding smoothness and warmth through the finish, to quite frankly, create more of a quaffing style wine. 87

Grant Burge Corryton Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($34.95) Made from a 12 year old vineyard planted in the Barossa's coolish, far south-east, almost halfway between the Eden Valley and Williamstown. It is hoped this vineyard will one day make up the dominant portion of the Shadrach. Although still showing a minty nose of blackberries and cherries, the Corryton smells much more even and deeper than the 2008 Cameron Vale. It's medium weight and quite ripe, with a strong whack of tannins at the finish that don't quite seem in tune at the moment. Give it some time maybe? 89

Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2008 ($34.95) Typically one of my favourite 'second' shiraz labels from the Barossa. From a fairly disappointing vintage, the 2008 didn't disappoint! Settled, deep nose, adequately reflects its old vine fruit source. Abundant and rich black plums, cherries and of course, American vanilla oak, are all expressed in a classically Barossan style. There's wonderful concentration and surprising elegance to the palate, which seems a very unforced, natural Barossa shiraz drawn down the line by good length of fruit and very tidy structural elements. There's much to like here. It's perhaps a 'drink now or later' style. Delicious. 93

Grant Burge Abednego Mourvedre Grenache Shiraz 2003 ($59.95) Perfumed, fresh nose for its age and season, although it is decidedly meaty and gamey with some prune fruits present as well. It possesses a leathery, gamey palate, with a fistful of mourvedre's charmingly assertive tannins imparted through the finish and a length that goes on and on. Just goes to show that in warmer Barossa seasons, mourvedre and grenache aren't bad varieties to seek. 90