SCOTT FIANO 2010

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $22-$26

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

There are a number of good fiano emerging from South Australia at the moment (think Coriole, Oliver's Taranga, Fox Gordon) but one that really has the local cognoscenti buzzing is Scott's 2010 Fiano, a wine whose name sounds like the product of Anglo-Italian lovemaking.

An air of grigio-like pear breezes its way through Scott's leanly scented 2010 Fiano, with additional notes of lemon zest and minerals raising their heads in what is essentially a tight nose of clarity and restraint. Its palate is also clean and clear, perhaps too clear really, as its dainty flavours of juicy white pears and minerals do show a faint watered down aspect, like grapes soaked in H2O. This leads me to categorise Scott's Fiano in the 'will benefit from further vine age' category, because its human inputs have judged a seamless balance of pleasingly soft texture and uncomplicated yet refreshingly crisp acidity, making it an ideal summer food pairing wine already. A touch of dry spice in the finish adds further interest.

O A clean and clear, easy drinking and food friendly fiano whose expression straddles the line between minerally and water-like. You be the judge. I'm still liking the potential for this variety in both McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills though. Drink to 2011.

89 points

www.scottwinemaking.com.au

DANDELION VINEYARDS WONDERLAND OF THE EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2010

- Eden Valley, SA

- $22 -$30

- Screwcap

- 12.0%alc

Dandelion Vineyards is a spectacular new entrant to the South Australian wine scene. Inspired by old-vine fruit material and guided by the talented Elena Brooks, Dandelion has already turned heads by successfully blending shiraz with riesling, but it was their stunningly pure, dry, chalky and impressively structured 2009 Riesling (95pts) that really grabbed my attention.

Although quite tight and slatey, the 2010 Dandelion seems a bit more juiced up than its ultra-lean predecessor at first, yet its floral, gently spiced limey/citric fragrance remains just as compelling in both regional and varietal senses. There's a strong, gorgeous scent of wet stone that makes a clear statement as well, before its palate of stunning purity, length, shape and structure takes centre stage. A limey undercurrent underlines the wine's spotless progression from start to finish, accompanying its initial burst of mineral and white pear juice flavours into a very taut, dry acidic backbone that'll please any Eden Valley riesling enthusiast. To finish, its lime juice flavours gather momentum and surge to the end, with distinct minerals playing a complementary role yet providing greater interest. Together with its glistening structure, these two departing notes leave the mouth dying for more.

ü+ I'm particularly excited about the number of small, boutique producers making classical Eden Valley riesling at the moment, not the least of which is Dandelion Vineyards. Superb. Drink to 2022.

94 points

www.dandelionvineyards.com.au

IS THIS THE ANSWER?

The International Riesling Federation scale, as found on the back label of Dandelion Vineyard's 'dry' riesling.

LINDEMANS RESERVE PADTHAWAY SHIRAZ 2006

- Padthaway, SA

- $11-$19

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

A couple of fine releases from 2008 might have eased concerns over the immediate fate of Lindemans Coonawarra, but what about little old Padthaway? Although the region has yet to scale the heights once hoped for by some of the larger companies, I've always found pleasure in Padthaway's pungent chardonnays and minty reds. Still, it interested me to see Lindemans' 2005 Reserve Padthaway Shiraz won 'Top Gold' at the '07 National Wine Show.

For a relatively affordable 'Reserve Shiraz', Lindemans' 2006 smells raw, oaky, under-fruited and to put it bluntly; unpolished and jagged. It's been a while since I sat down with a wine like this. Its fruit seems diminished; barren if you will, with fledgling aromas of prunes and varnish showing no signs of the choc-mint/menthol characters I find appealing in Padthaway reds. The palate follows suit with a hard blockiness that envelops its docile, thin, dead fruit character, but rather more surprising is the emanating presence of alcohol given its stated 13.5%, in what is a very thin, altogether vacant conclusion. The words 'vibrancy', 'life' and 'character' are about as relevant here as the word 'under-exposed' is to an Oprah tour of Australia.

X The 2008 of this is already out and given the high praise afforded to Lindemans' 2008 Coonawarra releases, I'd hedge my bets on that instead. That is of course, if this is your kind of thing. 'Yuck', she said. Drink now.

80 points

www.lindemans.com

STEFANO LUBIANA PRIMAVERA CHARDONNAY 2009

- Southern Tasmania

- $25-$33

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Whether it be pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc or sparkling wines, I've never experienced a bad drop from Stefano Lubiana. With yields down in 2009, Lubiana's entry level chardonnay, the Primavera, was the only chardonnay made that year.

The 2009 Primavera Chardonnay rises attractively from the glass with a bright, savoury and grainy fragrance, that conceals both a crystal-clear cool-climate fruit profile of granny smith apples and grapefruit, as well as a tightly hidden influence of dry French oak. Furthermore, its aromatic focal point is quietly bookended by lower, richer notes of toffee and yeast, with a clever touch of spice pleasing the high notes. Slick and refreshing, its palate is powered by a clean, buttery undercarriage that flies through to a nutty finish marked by departing notes of melon and herb, however, with air and warmth a brassier note emerges down the line, denying the wine a little length and definitive freshness, so don't drink it too warm. Regardless of this minor quibble, it's still a very clean, intricately made Tasmanian chardonnay that suits immediate consumption beautifully.

ü My view remains the same; I've yet to have a Stefano Lubiana wine I wouldn't buy twice. Drink to 2013.

91 points

www.slw.com.au

A CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA PUT TO THE TEST: WINE SHIELD

A few months ago I was given two 6-packs of Wine Preserva's Wine Shield, a device used to help prolong the freshness of opened bottles of wine, for up to 5 days. It works by placing the Wine Shield (pictured bottom left) onto the surface of the wine with a twisting device (also pictured), thus floating the shield on the wine's surface via bubble wrap-like air pockets, which provides a barrier between the wine and air, slowing the oxidation process. It's all quite simple really.

To put Wine Shield to the test I simultaneously opened two bottles of Wynns' 2008 Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Shiraz Merlot, a wine I consider reasonably reflective of the type of wine usually left open for a couple of days, whether it be at a consumer's house or a restaurant. I placed a Wine Shield in one of them but not the other, and took separate notes on each of the wines, side by side, once a day for a week.

My original review of Wynns' 2008 Cabernet Shiraz Merlot can be found here.

Here's the results:

Day 1 (opening)

Control Wine: I bought this wine on the day, from a retail outlet, and it presented warmer, richer scents on the nose when first opened.

Wine Shield Wine: This wine had been sitting on my wine rack since September and it was colder and more closed initially than the other wine, but after sitting in the glass for 45mins its aroma essentially matched that of the Control Wine. Kudos to Wynns winemaking team for consistency between these two, mass-produced wines.

Day 2

Control Wine: On opening, considering this wine was never decanted/aerated, it actually smells awkward, like cardboard/bran flakes with blackcurrants. After sitting with a glass out of it for a day, it smells a bit flat. In contrast to the nose, its palate is rich and juicy, not too far removed from my original note.

Wine Shield Wine: Smells much better, richer and more profound than the Control Wine. The same 3 elements I originally observed; rich fruit, oak and spice, are all apparent on the nose. It's much softer aromatically. The palate seems more saturated with dark fruit flavour than the Control Wine, and if anything, it's possibly filled out a bit since day 1. Length looks good too.

Day 3

Control Wine: Alcohol/warmth seems to stick out more. Fruit resembles more dates (which was originally noted) with some oak evident, but any spice/eucalyptus seems fleeting, looking more like menthol. The cardboard/bran notes are still there. As with the previous day, the palate better matches my original note than the nose. Drinks fine really, with its core of luscious dark berry fruit flavours still in tact.

Wine Shield Wine: Once again richer, smoother and softer on the nose. Palate still drinks fresh and rich, although I detect hints of menthol at the finish as opposed to my original 'eucalypt'. The tannins seem to show more grip than the Control Wine.

Day 4

Control Wine: Really starting to drop away on the nose (prune juice now?), with freshness of fruit and aromatic character giving way to first signs of vinegar. Palate still drinks okay but there's a warmth emanating at the finish.

Wine Shield Wine: No vinegar characters but its freshness doesn't seem quite as lively as on previous days. For the first time the cardboard/bran note I recognised in the Control Wine on day 2 is now evident here. More date and menthol on the nose. Palate drinks reasonable but may be on the wane. It shows dark, ripe and rich fruit flavours upfront, but it's a bit flat to finish (still softer than the Control Wine) and its brightness isn't exactly A1. If I were to score this tasting I'd say 87 points, maybe 88 at best.

Day 5

(After having a big day I didn't assess either wine during the day, but woke up in the middle of the night and took notes on their aromas)

Control Wine: Nose really becoming a bit indistinct and flat.

Wine Shield Wine: Retains more fragrant lift and dark fruit aromas than the Control Wine, but likewise, it isn't as inviting as it once was.

Day 6

Control Wine: Nose staring to show volatility; varnish, vinegar, alcohol, little or no richness of fruit, but there is a touch of blackberry left, maybe. Although still relatively luscious upfront, its palate thins to finish.

Wine Shield Wine: Softer fragrance, black fruit and yes, perhaps even spice. Palate is soft and still rises through the finish, unlike the control wine. Admittedly it's looking good.

(This was as far as I had initially intended the taste testing to go, but the Wine Shield Wine was drinking so well I thought I'd push it out another 2 days)

Day 7

Control Wine: Fruit is really dying away now. Just smells flat and slightly porty, nothing like day 1 at all really. Flavour definition is getting lost, seriously (just tastes like generic cask red really) whilst textural interest is non-existent. It's downright simple but still inoffensive really. I'd be content with this in a cask, although it's a struggle to drink, even for me...

Wine Shield Wine: Immediately softer and livelier, but there's certainly a hint of fruit breakdown around the aroma's edges (if that makes sense). Softness of texture is still apparent, but depth of flavour is wading. Likewise, its character is simplifying, yet it still finishes agreeably long. Now definitely a real quaffing wine, yet not cask quality like the Control Wine. 86 points maybe?

Day 8

Control Wine: Well gone now. Nothing smooth or rich about the palate at all, and its finish is getting harsh. Its fruit profile now resembles dark grape juice at best.

Wine Shield Wine: We have a problem! The level of wine has become so low in the bottle, that the bung is sticking through, which has lifted the Wine Shield to stick to the bottle's side, leaving the wine exposed to air. Keep in mind, Wine Shield's packaging does say 5 days....

Fittingly, the wine has lost a lot of quality with this overnight foul-up, more so than on any other night, but it still has much more to it than the Control Wine.

CONCLUSION

Without doubt, Wine Shield works exactly as intended. The difference between the two wines was evident from day 2 and it only seemed to get greater as the taste testing went on. It would be a very handy device for restaurants or bars, as well as people who tend to have open bottles of wine lying around the place. Its price is fair too, starting from around $10 a 10-pack up to around $100 for 120. At no more than a dollar a unit you're not really adding too much to the cost of your wine here.

ROBERT CHANNON WINES VERDELHO 2009

- Granite Belt, QLD

- $23-$28

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Well, my noble search for a Queensland wine to review on Australian Wine Journal has come to a happy conclusion, courtesy of the very kind Stu of The Wine Wankers. Stu's choice is exactly the type of wine I've been looking for. It's something of a regional specialist style, made by Queensland's most decorated maker of verdelho.

Although the varietal/regional descriptors for Granite Belt verdelho are hardly over publicised, I sense a brightness of tropical fruit within Robert Channon's 2009 which immediately casts my mind to the Sunshine State. It goes well beyond the simple citrus zest/hay aromas of Australia's better known, generic verdelho, by delivering a well defined (for the style) fragrance of lemon, nettles, paw paw, kiwi fruit and perhaps even under-ripe banana, with a passing of minerals adding refinement. Punctuated by a juicy glob of ripe, rich tropical fruit salad flavour that has me thinking 'summer', its palate is relatively straight forward in texture, if a touch viscous, but it goes on to finish long with a mouth-filling extract of verdelho's typical, softish/spiky acids and a trace of herbal character. Whether it's a good thing or not, I can't help but think of sauvignon blanc with this wine.

O Robert Channon's 2009 is a darn good verdelho with a more expressive, tropical fruit-like component than its competitors from the southern states, but I just hold a question over its value for money at $27.50rrp, regardless of where it comes from. Bottom line: I'd happily drink it, but I'd want change from a twenty. Drink to 2011.

89 points

www.robertchannonwines.com

KNAPPSTEIN ENTERPRISE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

- Clare Valley, SA

- $37-$46

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

The Enterprise is Knappstein's single vineyard, reserve level cabernet sauvignon. Its fruit source is a low yielding, 40+ year old dry grown vineyard planted over Terra Rossa soils at the northern end of the Clare Valley.

Deeply coloured, dark and inky to gaze upon in the glass, Knappstein's 2008 Enterprise has happily gifted minty-cabernet-loving-me a surprisingly minty fragrance considering its hot year. Beyond its minty lift there are glossy notes of black/purple berries, violets and smooth vanilla/chocolate oak, which thankfully, bare no suggestions of dead or over ripe fruit. On entry to the palate it's pleasingly silky, juicy and almost fluffy, before its slick array of minty dark berry and vanilla oak flavours become grittier as the wine moves to a more sour-edged, astringent finish thanks to a convoy of powdery, sandpaper-like tannins and clear acidity. There just seems to be something missing in the wine's transition from sensuous fore-palate to coarse climax, a missing link if you will, which, if anything, probably speaks of the often discussed deficiencies of cabernet sauvignon's mid-palate more than anything else.

O Knappstein's Enterprise is a freshly fragrant, silky 2008 Clare Valley cabernet that does defy its season somewhat, however, its flip-side reminds me why some no longer find one-day cricket inspiring. It starts exciting and ends with a flurry, but what happened in the middle section again? Drink to 2013-2020.

89 points

www.knappstein.com.au

RED HILL ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC 2005

- Mornington Peninsula, VIC

- $17-$35

- Cork

- 13.2%alc

As much as I appreciate the more traditional pinot noir/chardonnay (and of course, pinot meunier) sparkling combination, my eyes always light up a fraction when they see the words 'Blanc de Blancs'.

Quite unfortunately, Red Hill Estate's 2005 seems rather evolved, flat and lacking vitality throughout. Its nose echoes oyster shells, caramel and brioche in a strangely compelling, sweetish style, but it's the palate that has me wanting more, a lot more. Smooth and round yes, but it's about as loose as the elastic on an old pair of underpants. There's a trace of granny smith apple flavour in there, but I'm going to refer to Tim Cohen who had a similarly lackluster experience with a 2005 Blanc de Blanc here, because this wine is also dominated by a distasteful briney/salty aspect, with a speck of citric acidity barely evident for the optimistic explorers.

X I can only hope this was a bad bottle. In cases like this, I can only call it as I taste it, as I paid for it. I do note that the current 2006 vintage is $35 on the winery website, whilst I paid a mere $17 for this at old mate Man Durphy's... Drink now.

82 points

www.redhillestate.com.au

OZ WINE TOONS