Leo Buring Dry Riesling 2011

Leo Buring remains an ever reliable choice for good quality riesling. This bottle did not however appear to be as interesting as the 2010, as the tough 2011 Clare Valley vintage perhaps made its mark. I say "appear" because I tasted the 2010 vintage back in February and so am reliant on memory and notes rather than an easier side-by-side comparison.



The wine? A straightforward aroma of lemon and citrus fruits. On the palate, citrus flavours and firm acidity. This is certainly an enjoyable effort that went well with bream at the local and at $16 or thereabouts let's not be too fussy. 83 points

Abv: 12%
Price: $16
Website: http://www.tweglobal.com/our-brands/australia-new-zealand/leo-buring/
Tasted: November 2011

Poggerino Chianti Classico 2009

Though never far off the pace, the 2009 vintage appears to be a return to strong form of this producer's ever reliable Chianti Classico.

A bright medium intensity ruby in colour.  Blackcurrants, spices, herbs and dried rose petals about sum up the medium intensity aroma of this wine.  On the palate, medium-high acidity and body are coupled with medium length, spices and black fruits.  This is a balanced wine that will suit drinking over the next few years.  86 points.

Price: $40
Website: http://www.poggerino.com/en/default.asp
Tasted: October 2011

Bindi Composition Pinot Noir 2010

This is a rather stunning pinot noir from Bindi in the Macedon Ranges.  Perhaps like my awkward distinction of having never having actually watched "ET", I seem to have overlooked tasting a pinot noir from Bindi, one of Australia's benchmark producers.  They say Bindi in the Macedon Ranges make a good pinot noir, and it turns out "they" are absolutely right.

A bright ruby in colour, the 2010 "Composition" pinot noir has a clean medium intensity aroma of smoke, oak, pepper, green herbs and a touch of reductive sulfide.  Expensive oak is evident.  On the palate, medium-high acidity and medium tannins accompany a full bodied expression of pinot noir, with a pronounced intensity of plum and cherry flavours, with medium-long length.  The length and concentration of this wine are standouts.  Look out for this wine, as if in buy it, rather than duck if thrown.  89 points


Abv: 13.5%
Price: $50
Website: http://www.bindiwines.com.au
Tasted: October 2011

Chateau Beauregard 2007

Regular readers will be aware that I am not overly keen on the 2007 Bordeaux vintage.  I tasted this wine blind, and gave it the fairly damning assessment of "ready to drink, but may not improve" and better still, quoted a $25-$30 price range.  Yet, here we are at $67 and one of Bordeaux's most prestigious appellations.  Incidentally, I preferred the 2006, reviewed here.

  

In appearance, the wine is bright, a medium-deep intensity purple in colour with evident tears around the rim of the glass.  A clean, medium intensity aroma of plums, spices and herbs  On the palate, dry, with medium acidity, medium-full body, powdery tannins and moderate intensity of flavour.  This wine's redeeming feature is its balance, though at the price, I would be inclined to keep looking.  84 points.

Price: $67
Website: http://www.chateau-beauregard.com/
Tasted: October 2011

Mount Horrocks Watervale Semillon 2001

I don't drink a lot of semillon. This is not due to any particular grievance, other than perhaps there are only so many wines I can covet. Aged semillons can be particularly stunning. And this semillon, from the riesling stronghold that is Watervale in the Clare Valley, is a good one. Attractive secondary aromas and flavours of toast and citrus make for really quite pleasant drinking. 86 points

Price: mid $20s
Website: http://www.mounthorrocks.com/
Tasted: November 2011

d'Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz 2009

Faced with a dire wine list at a restaurant practically a stone's throw from one of Victoria's key wine regions, the Yarra Valley, I selected a McLaren Vale shiraz from d'Arenberg, a typically kookily named shiraz, "The Footbolt".  Things improved a little, but not much.  The 2009 Footbolt is fairly simple drinking.  There is nothing wrong, yet nothing particularly right about it either.  Spices and jam on the nose  Short-medium length, medium acidity and plum flavours on the palate, lacking the stuffing I was hoping to see.  82 points

Abv: 14.4%
Price: around $20

Website: http://www.darenberg.com.au
Tasted: November 2011

Mandala Prophet Pinot Noir 2006

Pinot noir on steroids. Or at least that was what I thought when I tried this very good wine from Mandala Wines in the Yarra Valley.



If you like the Giaconda fruit driven style of pinot noir, you will like this wine and have some spare change. A pronounced intensity expression of cherry, spice and bouquet garni. Medium length with a sweet fruitedness that can only be (new world) pinot noir. A frankly impressive offering from a little known producer. 88 points.

Price: $60
Abv: 13.5%
Website: http://mandalawines.com.au/
Tasted: November 2011

Moorooduc Estate The Moorooduc Chardonnay 2005

Moorooduc Estate is a well know producer situated on the Mornington Peninsula. "The Moorooduc" is their top shelf label.




The wine opened to a low-medium intensity aroma of minerals, stones and smoke. Almost modern Chablis-like characters. But then it was served too cold, and its true character muffled. Typical peach and citrus chardonnay fragrances emerged with time. On the palate, medium to long length and citrus predominated. This wine struck me as a careful and well made rendition of Mornington Peninsula chardonnay. 86 points.

Abv: 13.5%
Price: $60s
Website: http://www.moorooducestate.com.au/
Tasted: November 2011

Rockford Alicante Bouchet 2010

The esteemed Rockford from the Barossa Valley fashion a rosé each year from the vitis vinifera intra-specific crossing, alicante bouchet.  I don't see a lot of alicante bouchet in the market place, so I am going to suggest that it is not very common.  

So, how's the wine then?  It has its place, though I didn't like it that much.  However, I don't wish to be too critical, as I don't mind some off-dry styles, rosé d'Anjou being one example.  That said, this struck me as a simple wine that warrants only uncritical drinking.  I drank it with an ice cube in the glass.  A grape like aroma, with similar clean flavours on the palate, with its residual sugar evident.  Its redeeming feature is its low alcohol.  80 points

Abv: 10%
Price: around $20
Website: http://www.rockfordwines.com.au/
Tasted: November 2011

Antinori Cervaro della Sala 2006

I suspect there is something deeply unfashionable about liking very much a chardonnay, from Italy, that tasted not unlike a Penfolds Yattarna at its best. It does have 15% grechetto in it, if that helps.


Wow is this a good chardonnay. Golden in colour, it has a medium to pronounced intensity fragrance of oak, nuts, honey and a yeast autolysis character. Outstandingly good length on the palate suits this rich, extravagant wine. 95 points.

Abv: 13%
Price: around $100
Website: http://www.antinori.it
Tasted: November 2011

Domaine L'Ancienne Cure L'abbaye 2008

Now here's a good rustic Bordeaux blend.  A blend of 60% merlot, 25% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc from the Cotes de Bergerac to the east of Bordeaux.  Bright purple in colour, it has a lovely fragrance of black fruits, oak, spices and earth.  On the palate, spices, medium-high tannin and medium length are accompanied by some powerful rustic blackberry overtones.  For $20, this really is a very interesting and terroir driven example of Bordeaux, and I wish there were more like it at this price.  86-87 points.

Abv: 12.5%
Price: $20
Source: sample
Website: Importer (http://www.discovervin.com.au)
Tasted: October 2011

Brumfield Pinot Noir 2006

Brumfield is a small winery in the Yarra Valley.  Their 2006 pinot noir drifted into view in my cellar while I was searching for a Beaujolais for lunch, and I thought "this will do".  A light garnet in colour, with a developed sappy aroma and spiced cherries.  Its sappy character was probably the most distinctive thing about its aroma.  The palate had a sweet fruited gamey character and its acidity was in balance.  I left this bottle open over a couple of days (though not directly exposed to oxygen), and it declined on day 2, only to improve perhaps beyond its initial showing on day 4, with the acidity striking more of a Burgundian pose.  A competent well made wine.  85 points

Abv: 13.5%
Website: http://www.brumfield.com.au
Tasted: November 2011

Shadowfax Riesling 2010

The Geelong region is not known for its riesling.  However, this is a wine of some interest from the well regarded Shadowfax winery in Werribee.  Handpicked and whole bunch pressed (with fermentation allowed to commence with natural yeasts), an aroma of citrus rind and minerals emerged from the glass on this warm and sunny day.  The palate reveals quite a pronounced intensity expression of tangy lemons and stones, and a texture that had more body than is typical of the grape.  A generous and enjoyable wine to be consumed over the next few years.  87 points

Price: $22

Website: http://www.shadowfax.com.au

Tasted: November 2011

Rymill The Riddoch Run Shiraz 1990

It continues to amaze me how many Australian wines, many of no particular fanfare, can age effortlessly for 20 years or so.  This shiraz from Rymill in Coonawarra, a full 21 years of age, reminded me of an old Heathcote wine.  I sometimes feel that words, or at least my words, do a wine of this age and complexity some injustice.  I will nonetheless try.  Herbs, spice and menthol were present on the nose, the menthol character particularly strong - a character I have found in older Heathcote shiraz.  On the palate, good length, herbs, plums, medium-high acidity and what I can only describe as a flavour of bouquet garni with tarragon stalks.  Delicious.  A reminder that the old world does not have a monopoly on interesting or ageworthy wine.  90 points


Abv: 13.5%
Website: http://www.rymill.com.au/
Tasted: November 2011