Red Bigots do
Notice the typical red bigot hair style on Brian
Introduction
Some months ago in an almost sober state of weakness I talked Red Bigot (Brian Handreck) into a red bigots tour of McLaren Vale, the Barossa
and Clare. As soon my mate John Daviswho lives in McLaren Vale learned that Brian and I were coming over, he
snuggled up to his wife Sue and begged for permission to join in our decadent
antics and excesses . Sue being the kind and generous human being that she is, said
"go and enjoy yourself" and we all did.
This report is not
exactly short, its about 40 pages without the
pictures. There are tasting notes on over 160 wines, tasting vibes made
on many wines that accompanied more good dinners than my ever expanding waist
line needed, loads of information on the wineries and winemakers visited, a few
comments on the vintage conditions and the odd photo too (some very
"odd.") My apologies in advance if some of the
tasting notes seem boring and repetitive, but it's
difficult to fake journalistic talent on this scale. Hopefully
you will find this will be more of a reference work than a good read, after all
when was the last time you found the yellow pages or a street directory
riveting reading.
Finally, before I
get into the detail of the trip report I have some people I would like to thank for
making my trip so memorable and enjoyable. Firstly to my good friend Brian Handreck (Red Bigot,) it was great having you along for the
period you were able to join us. Your knowledge and depth of experience on
Australian wines has been a great help and has taught me much over the years.
To John Davis , thanks for the
hospitality at your place and joining me for the entire week. If you ever get
sick of your day job, you can always get a job as a comedian, or a priest, or
possibly both and I think in a week or two my sides may recover from the
laughing pains.
Prior to the trip I
emailed or phoned a number of wineries to arrange appointments. The majority welcomed
us with open arms and were more than generous with their time. Most went to a
great deal of trouble to make our trip a memorable event. Many opened rare or
yet to be released wines. Some let us taste our way through numerous barrel
samples including many icon wines. These are experiences that are very special,
valued, and your generosity won't be forgotten.
As a disclaimer I would like to restate that I have no vested interest in
the wine business or commercial tie up with anyone. Whilst I do have
friends in the industry, I rate their wines on the wines merits and do not let
my personal feelings get in the way, if I think one of their wines is crap, I
will say so rather than removing it from the tasting notes. I also refuse to
accept gifts or even free bottles of wine (other than a single bottle for
tasting.) During this trip one winemaker was generous enough to give me a case
of their 98
General Recent Vintage Impressions
There is absolutely
no doubt that 1996 and 1998 were great vintages in most of SA. Equally, there
is no doubt in my mind that 2000 was a shocker and there were very few
2000 wines that I would contemplate buying, but no doubt there will be a few
shining stars amongst the black holes.
The industry has done
a great job talking up the quality of the 2001 vintage.
After an average 99 and terrible 2000, a good vintage was needed and the 2001
vintage fit the bill neatly however it was incredibly hot and the grapes
ripened very quickly and were picked early. On the other hand, 2002 was poor to
start, the year was much cooler than normal and ripening was very slow and
gradual. Most
winemakers I spoke to felt that the 2001 wines will show very well when young
but will not have the same longevity as 2002. The 2002 vintage wines showed
great structure, especially the tannins, with wonderful natural acidity and
complexity of fruit flavour.
Whilst I am not an expert and don't pretend one, my prediction based on the
barrel samples I tasted is that 2002 in McLaren Vale
will be an unbelievably good vintage and this region may eclipse the quality of
wine from the Barossa.
Bottle Faults at Wineries
On my last trip 12 months ago I found the atrocious levels of corked and off wine being
served
at cellar door and in some cases I was pretty blunt in pointing it out. Since then there has
been a remarkable improvement in the checking of wine for TCA and other faults by
cellar door staff. I was most impressed at Peter Lehmann
where two staff members checked every bottle opened. (Last year they were
embarrassed when I pointed out a bottle of their wine was suffering from TCA
even though it had previously been checked. Obviously they are taking quality
very seriously.) There were a few bottles of oxidised wines when they then
opened too long but generally speaking there were very few "dud" or
faulty wines being served.
Wine Balance and Style
Over last couple of years it appears the use of oak is being scaled back and
there were far fewer example of over oaked spit tooth
pick wine. Many of the winemakers were consciously talking about "letting
the fruit speak" and "the judicious use of oak." It appears that more
wineries are striving for a little elegance, even in full flavoured
On the downside,
there were some examples of pressing the grapes to hard and the tannins showed
it.
New Vines
It looks like the
exponential planting of new vines has come to an end and whilst there are still
some new vines going in, they are insignificant in comparison to past years.
Grenache
People who are familiar with my tasting notes will know that I am not a big fan
of straight Grenache and feel the variety is best blended. For my taste, ultra
sickly sweet one-dimensional lolly water does not make good wine, however I am
sure that many people do enjoy it judging by the amounts sold. On this trip it
was most pleasing to find a number of straight Grenache wines that were well
made with some character whilst not being overly sweet. Almost
enough to convert me.
The TORB Rating
System.
In order to be able
to better understand this missive, it would help if you understand how I rate
wines. My rating system does not use points, it used a
nine category standard that is based on the fact that wine quality forms a
pyramid. The majority of the wines produced are at the bottom and these form
the base of the pyramid. As you get higher up the pyramid, the wines become
fewer and as you get near the top, fewer still. The majority of the wine I
purchase normally fall into the Recommended and above segments.
The TORB Wine
Quality Rating System
Cats
piss
(not devoted to NZ Sauvignon Blanc.)
Barely
Drinkable
(possibly applies to most Oz PiNot.)
Acceptable (normally used for GreenAsh blends.)
Agreeable (not exclusively
for cheap Cabinet Sauvignon)
Recommended (not exclusively
for drinkable
Highly
Recommended (not restricted to S.A only.)
Excellent (unusual to find anything other than RB material here.)
Outstanding (must be top notch,
normally benchmark wines)
The
Ultimate
(almost as rare as rocking horse dung)
Wines are also
assessed on vale
The TORB Wine Value
System
* BAD news - wines where the producer has delusions of adequacy
** Normally not worth buying unless its very high
quality special occasion wine.
*** Pretty much industry standard cost.
**** The extra good QPR drops that we all search out.
***** Like hens teeth, typically some poor sod has sold a dozen at six pack
price.
The First Night Get
In The Mood Dinner
Just to get in the swing of things while I arrived John tossed a half
a highball glass of 15-year-old The Macallan Malt
Scotch into my hand that I gently sipped as we sat on the veranda and watch the sunset
over the vines as we talked about things past and our upcoming trip.
It was then off to
the Victory Hotel which is a typical Australian pub set high on a hill
offering a panoramic outlook and kaleidoscope of colourful lights over the
countryside and onto the ocean beyond. The cellar under this pub has, to say
the least, an impressive array of wines that most people (like us) would kill
to obtain. And what more, you can even bring your own wine when eating in the
restaurant, which is exactly what we did. The food is simple but well cooked
and main courses range in price from $10 to $21.
The first wine
opened was a 1992
The 1992
Rosemount Balmoral is more complex and had a longer finish than the
The daytime view from John front veranda.
When we got back the
McLaren Vale
The first wineries visited was Olivers Hill where we were once
again made more than welcome by Stewart and Linda Miller. (Hi Linda, hope you
are still lurking.) This winery is starting to do good things. Last year I tried a
barrel sample of their 2001
First wine tried was
the Olivers Hill 2001 Grenache with has
a lightish ruby hew showing slightly floral perfume,
pepper notes and the hint of chocolate. The wine comes in a whopping 16 percent with a good tannic
backbone, piquant lively acid, and medium weight fruit. Whilst the wine is
still very youthful, it has good balance and the hard consistency may be due to
bottle shock. It's a big wine full of youthful pepper with a big chocolate
finish and is slightly undrinkable due to its youth. Finally it did seem
slightly green. Rated as Acceptable with *** for value at $18.
Olivers Hill Jimmy Section
Shiraz 2001 has also just been bottled. The vines were planted in 1972 and
are cropped at three tonnes to the acre. Dark purple in colour the big nose of
liquorice and eucalyptus is closed down tight. The strong deep fruit combines
with refreshing acid and a big dusty tannic backbone to support the 16 percent
alcohol creating a wine that doesn't seem out of balance or hot. Sweet black
berry fruit leads across the palate to liquorice and chocolate. It has a full
robust bodyweight, solid structure, an agreeable level of complexity and
definitely qualifies as a glass stainer. I would love to see this wine in a few
months when it settles down. Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value
at $25.
Olivers Hill 2001 Cabernet
Sauvignon will be bottled next month. The barrel sample was selected at
random looks good. It showed some VA (which might blow off) and tight Cabernet
characters with loads of drying tannins that dominate the sweet lurking fruit.
No new oak has been used on this full-bodied wine. (I don't rate barrel
samples.)
We also tried barrel
samples from the 2002 vintage and whilst it very early days, the fruit looks
like it has enormous potential. The purity of fruit was marvellous. The tannin
structure is excellent and the wine has a wonderful level of natural acid. Olivers Hill are getting better
and better and this is a winery to watch.
Scarpantoni has long been a
favourite winery of mine and if ever there was a barometer of the McLaren
Vale vintage conditions, this winery would be it. The 96 and 98 Block 3 Shiraz seemed
to disappear from my cellar in remarkably quick time. The 99 was not purchased
and as you'll see from these tasting notes I am unlikely to buy the 2000.
Scarpantoni Block 3 Shiraz 2000 is purple in colour
with a light hue. Aromas show coconutty oak, sweet
plums and menthol. Minimal amounts of unobtrusive tannins don't detract from
the wines balance but will make this a fairly early drinking proposition. The
ample bodyweight is supported by a supple consistency and simple complexity. So
what it tasted like you may well ask? Very sweet, some savoury pepper taste to
counter the initial sweetness that returns as the pepper fades and the
sweetness returns. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value at $22.
Scarpantoni Estate Reserve (
When I received the
last Scarpantoni newsletter I couldn't believe the
price of the Black Tempest Sparkling. It was raised from about $25 to
$36 in one hit. Now I know why. This harmonious seamless wine is very different
from the previous version. Its showing more complexity which has been achieved
by the subtly and judiciously addition of a sweet fortified which has
complement the savoury black cherry, plums and chocolate. It's now rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value
and worth buying.
Shottesbrooke mades good value
well made early drink wines and their Reserve that has only been released twice
(cellar door sales only) is worth seeking. In addition the staff is extremely helpful
and have a reputation for doing more than necessary to look after their customers .
Shottesbrooke Cabernet Merlot
Malbec 1999 sells for $18.50 at CD but can normally be found for less at
discount retailers. The wine shows sweet fruit and tart acid that seems to work
in synergy. It could be best described as a medium weight soft style crowd
pleaser. A drink now wine and Rated as Agreeable with *** for value.
Shottesbrooke Shiraz 2000 has aromas of
medicinal iodine and liquorish. Tannins are soft and unobtrusive and the medium
weight fruit tastes of sweet blackberry, cherry and liquorice. This honest well
made wine has a supple consistency and another crowd pleaser but holds more
interest than the Cab blend. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value.
Last time I visited
the winery I fell in love with the Shottesbrooke
Eliza 98 Reserve Shiraz and was surprised there was still a small amount
available so I took the opportunity to taste the wine again. The wine is dark
purple with a deeply brooding complex nose. Smooth tannins are enhanced by the
judicious use of French Oak. The purity of deeply seated fruit provides a wine
of fine balance and structure. The lip smacking taste of sweet cassis,
blackcurrant, plums, liquorice and mint fills the mouth and finishes long. The
structure is tight and elegant despite its full-bodied weight. A sophisticated
level of complexity completes the package which is rated as Excellent and ****
for vale at
$35.
Tatachilla is a winery that
produces consistently good wines year in and year out. Even in poor vintage
they frequently are able to lift the quality above the average level . A few weeks ago I
tried the basic range so there was no need to try them again but I did manage
to try their two flagship wines. (Thanks to the CD manager for opening them
especially for me.)
Tatachilla 1901 Cabernet
Sauvignon 1999 sells for $40 and contains 35%Padthaway fruit with the balance is
from Coonawarra. There is nothing subtle about this wine, from its dark purple
colour to its slightly lifted cedar, cassis, high-toned mint, leafy notes and
blackcurrant nose. Smooth tannins, crisp acid, and strong concentrated fruit
combine to a present a well-balanced full-bodied package with a solid backbone
and a long liquorice and blackcurrant finish. There is not much varietal
definition with this wine, but when it tastes this good who gives a toss? Rated
as Excellent with *** for value
this wine should peak around 2006.
Tatachilla 1999 Foundation
Shiraz is deep purple in colour with a marvellous deep hue. Velvety
tannins, refreshing acid and deep fruit, support an inviting nose of plum,
aniseed, white pepper, and perfumed blackcurrant. Considering the full-bodied
robust weight and the big solid structure of this wine, it's surprisingly
elegant for its size. The black cherry, blackcurrant, pepper, liquorice and
other mouth filling flavours complement the silky mouth feel. Rated as Excellent with *** full value
this wine should peak around 2005.
At this point John
said, "do you know what time it is?"
And as we were both wearing watches I figured he didn't want to know the hours
and minutes so I replied, "no, what time is it" which in
hindsight was a very bad move. "Pie o'clock was the answer."
Oh boy, oh boy, I should have
remembered from my last trip that John is a pie addict and knows
where every bakery in the state of
So it was off to the first of many bakeries. I actually managed to avoid a pie
and eat an almost healthy sandwich. This is of critical importance as John is
also a fibre and carbohydrate free zone, unless the carbohydrate is found in a
meat pie.
One of the icons and
best-known wineries in McLaren Vale is d'Arenberg . Some of their
low-end wines are priced reasonably but unfortunately most of the icons are not
great value.
d'Arenberg Footbolt
2000
d'Arenberg 1999 The Twentyeight Road Mourvedre is a closed up
locked down tight wine that shows little on the bouquet except the lifted light
plummy perfume, which flows on to plums and liquorice across the palate. The
wine is medium weight with a very firm consistency, elegant structure and the
agreeable level of complexity. It's rated as Recommended with ** for value
at $35.
d'Arenberg 1999 Ironstone
Pressing (GSM blend 70/20/10) is dark purple in colour with a spicy milk
chocolate sweet and berry nose. The wine has a good balance but will require
lots of time to show its best. The palate follows the nose. A well build wine
with medium body weight, very firm consistency, layered structure showing some
elegance, and a developed level of complexity. Rated as Highly Recommended it a good wine but at $65 it's only
gets * for value .
d'Arenberg
D'Arenberg 1999 Dead Arm
Shiraz should need no introduction. A dark purple wine with a dark hue,
the deep brooding slightly lifted nose is the sort of bouquet you want to sniff
all night. Aromas are plums, liquorice, vanilla and a subtle lactic note. Full
body weight, a developed level of complexity and "an
elegance for weight ratio" combine to provide excellent balance.
Soft sweet berries, plums and liquorice initially dominate the palate but this
surprisingly approachable wine will improve as it ages. Rated as Excellent with *** for value
at $65 there are other wines that tempt me more.
When I visited Penny's Hill last year I was
impressed with the operation. Ben Riggs used to be to be their contract
winemaker has left Wirra Wirra and works with them
full-time. Hopefully this will play dividends in the future but unfortunately
on this visit I didn't see much to make me smile.
Penny's Hill
Specialised 2000 is a Shiraz Cabernet Merlot blend that costs $24 from cellar
door. It's a lighter style of wine with a lifted (VA) nose that smells somewhat
soapy. A fruit forward drink now wine with reasonable balance of flavours in
the red current/cherry spectrum and a milk chocolate finish. And
Agreeable crowd pleaser with ** for value.
Penny's Hill 199
Shiraz has a nose dominated by Cedary oak and
raspberries. A well-balanced wine with lots of dusty tannins
taking centre stage, the pure but lighter spectrum sweet raspberry fruit moves
through savoury chocolate and onto a long liquorice finish. The wine has
an almost elegant structure and should peak around 2004 plus. Rated as Recommended with ** for value
at $25.
Dowie Doole wines are available
here too and their 99
Dowie Doole
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon was a much better proposition. Nose is dominated by
varnishing cedar and lux soap. There is a deceptively sweet uptake that is well
balanced by the savoury plummy mid palate and chocolate finish which unfortunately
is slightly short. A full body weight, firm consistency and agreeable level of
complexity combine to make a good, but not terrific wine and the level of
varietal expression is not huge. Rated as Recommended with *** for value at $21.
As five o'clock was
approaching and the cellar door staff were inconsiderate enough to want to go
home and John decided to try and fain interest in his family it was time to go
back to his place for a drink on the veranda, a BBQ leg of lamb and a bottle of
plonk. When we arrived at his place, John's 13 year old (going on 19 trainee
brain surgeon) daughter came out to greet us and John being the caring fatherly
type stuck his black and purple stained tongue out at Hosanna who almost threw
up from the shock of that awful sight. However, she ate less than she normally
did at dinner that night and the next morning complained of having nightmares.
Bright and early the next morning, after I had a good nights sleep (the only
one for some time) we were off on the next leg of our adventure.
Brian Light makes the wines at Sylvan Springs and this winery was
one of a highlight finds on my last trip. David Pridore's
family has been growing grapes and making wine in McLaren
Vale for generations so it was a natural progression for him to go from grower
to producer. This very committed small producer is in for long haul and not
trying to make a quick buck. Although the 2000 wines are not as good as the
previous vintage they are still a very credible effort and good value for
money.
Sylvan Springs 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark purple with an almost
black hue. The wine exhibits and acceptable level of varietal Cabernet
characteristics with leafy notes, cassis and the aroma of chocolate. Forty
percent new French oak has been used. This fruit driven wine has minimal
tannins but they are velvety, almost glycerol. On the palate the purity of the
fruit comes across with blackberry, cassis, cherry, chocolate and minimal
amounts of cedar to finish. This is a well-built wine with good length, supple
consistency and seamless structure that would be a great crowd pleaser. Rated
as Recommended with **** for value at $17.50. A good effort from a difficult vintage.
A high tec cellar door at Sylvan Springs helps keep the cost down.
Sylvan Springs 2000
Shiraz has a tight nose showing Cedar, (French Oak) black fruit,
liquorice, menthol and a slightly green note running through the wine. Smooth
dusty tannins are unobtrusive and the pure fruit translates to very sweet
plums, black cherry and a liquorice finish. Whilst the wine has muscular
weight, it lacks the complexity of the previous vintage. This wine is suitable
for current drinking and the very sweet fruit makes it an ideal crowd pleaser
and very good value **** at $17.50. It's rated as Recommended .
Sylvan Springs 1998
Shiraz was opened by David to allow a comparison between vintages. The
wine is dark purple with a clear and bright hue. Drying dusty tannins provide a
good backbone for the refreshing acid and sweet plummy, black cherry fruit with
tinges of chocolate. This is a harmonious wine with solid structure, full body
and developing better than I expected. Rated as Highly Recommended it should peak in
2004.
Phil Christiansen used to work is a
cellar hand for BRLH and there is no doubt he picked up a lot more than just
moving barrels. He now produces his own brand "Longwood" at the old Chalk
Hill winery as well as doing a stack of contract winemaking. This guy really knows
how to churn out some good wine. Unfortunately the majority of the wine is exported
to the
Longwood 2000 Shiraz exhibits a youthful
and closed black nose showing some liquorice and other dark fruit. Pure deep
strong fruit provide a full-bodied wine with solid consistent structure and
agreeable level of complexity that finishes long. The slightly bitter smooth
tannins should resolve themselves in time as the
liquorice plummy and chocolate fruit comes to the fore. Rated as Highly Recommended this wine is worth
tracking down for those of you in the
Dennis is a winery whose
products have never done much for me in the past but it looks like things are
improving. We went through a line up of five wines and they were credible crowd
pleasers.
Dennis 2000 Cabernet
Sauvignon sells for $20 a cellar door. I had a great deal of difficulty
trying to nose this wine and work out what was it. The cedar was reasonably
obvious but from thereon in all I got was a sweet overpowering perfume until I
realised that the entire winery had pervasive perfumed aroma that was being gratuitously
provided by the owner's wife. The ample weight Cabernet Sauvignon is well
structured with a palate of sweet cassis, mint, chocolate and leafy characters.
Rated as Recommended with *** for value
this is a credible performer in its class.
Dennis 2000 Shiraz is a well-balanced
wine showing sweet black cherry fruit and liquorice, ample body weight, supple
consistency and simple level of complexity. Rated as Agreeable with *** for
value, it's a crowd pleaser.
Dennis 2000 Shiraz
Cabernet Merlot has nose that I found a bit bizarre. The wine shows reasonable
balance with dusty but unobtrusive tannins, ample body weight and soft
consistency. This is a Nutra sweet fruit driven drink
now wine with multiple dark berry flavours that drift through to savoury characters.
Another crowd pleaser and rated as Agreeable with *** for value at $20.
Dennis 1999 Merlot exhibits dusty
tannins that dominate the wine at present. The persistent ample weight fruit
that provides pleasant savoury flavours should win through as the wine reaches
its maturity in 2005. I am not a great Merlot fan, but this is better than most
in the category and is rated as Recommended with *** for value at $20.
Dennis 1999 Grenache exhibits a young
tight nose with perfume like soap, sweet fruit and a lactic note. This unusual
Grenache is dominated by loads of powdery drying mouth puckering tannins but
the medium weight persistent fruit is a lurking. I am not sure which will win
out in the long run. The upfront sweet taste immediately goes into savoury
flavours that finishes long. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
The next producer
visited was a real down-to-earth Australian character by the name of the Glenn
Snook. Most of the production of his Twelve Staves Wine goes to the
(Why is at almost
every winery I go to, they insist on trying to pour Grenache down my throat
before showing their good stuff, grumble grumbles, moan moan,
mutter mutter?!!!!!)
Twelve Staves Grenache is produced from a single
vineyard dry grown 70 year old vines at Blewett
Springs. We were "fortunate" enough to taste three vintages of this
wine.
The 99 vintage has good balance and
structure initially showing incredibly sweet fruit that moves through some
interesting peppery flavours and then revert back to a sweet finish. It should
peak around 2004 but unfortunately not my taste. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value
at $17.
Seventy year old dry
grown Grenache vines .
The 2000 vintage also has good
balance and is more approachable than the 99. The flavour profile is more
interesting and has lots of savoury chocolate to offset the sweetness. It's an
ample weight wine with supple consistency, a fairly simple complexity and
adequate finish that should peak fairly soon. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
The nose on the
2001 is dominated by perfumed spicy sweet cinnamon. This is a full-bodied
wine with loads of drying powdery tannins. The strong fruit flows through to
the palate expressing itself as savoury yet sweet fruit and chocolate and is
dominated by liquorice. An interesting wine that resembles a
The final wine in
the line up was the Twelve Staves 2001 Shiraz. This wine will retail in
the
Guess what time it
is? Its pie o'clock but Glenn Snook insists that we accompany him to Blewett Springs to look at his 70-year-old dry grown
Grenache vine and to me that sounds better than facing another pie, so off we
go. By the time we finish there, we are running out of time so as we race to
our next appointment. The time is now pie o'clock plus one and John is getting
anxious.
The next cab of the rank was driven by Duncan and Susana Ferguson who run a very esoteric winery called Casabel located south of McLaren Vale in a cooler wind blown microclimate.
They definitely do
not produce big in your face McLaren Vale Shiraz. The flavour profiles
their wines are extremely interesting and have a complexity of flavours that
rotate through the palate in unusual ways. For example many Grenache start off as
raspberry and moved in to chocolate. The barrel samples of Grenache I tried
start off as chocolate, move through to raspberry and then these two flavours
keep rotating through the palate.
Casabel 2000 Grenache retails for $23
cellar door. Liquorice and sweet perfumed fruit dominate the nose and flow
through the palate as pleasant spicy peppery fruit moving through to liquorice
with an intense but elegant flavour and long finish. Tannins are unbelievably
light and the acid cuts through the sweetness. The wine is medium weight with a
soft consistency creating a very good Grenache. Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value.
Casabel 2000 Shiraz is a single
vineyard wine that sells at cellar door for $30. The fruit is cropped at two
tonnes per acre and comes from
At this point John
is starting to go green from withdrawal symptoms has its pie o'clock plus two
and a half but we are late for next appointment so we will have to wait. (I am
really having fun here.)
Arakoon is another winery that I was unfamiliar with
so I took the opportunity to see what they are all about. 1999 was their first
vintage and Patrik Jones is the winemaker. A fair amount of
their production is sold in the
I'm not sure what to
make of this winery. Were tried numerous barrel samples and whilst some were very
good, some were not as good as other wineries are able to produce at a similar
price. There is a fair effort going into the marketing of the wines, let's hope
the same effort goes into the growing and production process.
Arakoon Sellicks Beach 2000 that is a blend of
60% Shiraz and 40% Grenache and retails around $19. This is an interesting big
wine with intense pepper flavour, a big whack of chocolate with perfumed spicy
and sweet pepper with a liquorice finish. It's a drink now wine and better than
a lot of Shiraz Grenache blends, its rated at Recommended with **** for value.
I was also able to
try the blended (but not bottled) 2001
Arakoon Lighthouse Cabernet
Sauvignon (56%)
This winery has a
larger range of wines than we tried, unfortunately these three wines were the
only ones made available for tasting.
Alas there is no
longer any excuse, it is now pie o'clock plus three and a half and try and as I
try to convince him otherwise, we do have time and I am out of excuses so it is
off to the bakery. Another get out of jail free card for me, a turkey salad
roll is available, John tucks into two of his favourites.
I first visited Kayswinery over a quarter of a century ago and
I'm pleased that not much has changed at Kays. They
are still producing some of McLaren Vale's best
quality and best value wines. The Block Six in particular is a stunning
long lived wine and is every bit as good as many wines that are two and three
times the price.
Kays
Kays 2000 Merlot has a palate that
is slightly overpowered by piquant acid. It's a basic simple wine with
reasonably sweet fruit on the uptake and a savoury finish. It has ample
bodyweight and supple consistency. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value at $22.
Kays 1999 Cabernet
Sauvignon is still available at cellar door and the pick of the finished
wines tasted. The aroma shows lots of cedar, leafy notes, cassis, blackcurrant
and plums. This is an interesting wine where the palate does not reflect the
nose. Rich full-bodied plums, blackcurrant and pepper are the dominant tastes.
This is a full-bodied wine with a more than an agreeable level of complexity,
and whilst it is not varietally correct, it is very good. Rated as Highly
Recommended with **** for value it is worth buying at $22.
When I arranged the
appointment to visit the winery I asked if it would be possible to taste and
review the 2000 Block 6 and Hillside Shiraz but was informed the wines were not
being released for some months and tasting the finished wines would be
possible.
However they went one better. Colin Kay who is one of the most understated,
modest, quietly spoken, gentle, and passionately eccentric people you could
ever wish to meet. Colin was kind enough to show us through the barrel rooms
and provide many samples of the 2000, 2001, and 2002 vintage wines.
Based on the barrel samples of the 2000 Block 6 , I placed an order. The wine has a
full-bodied solid structure and developed complexity showing intense flavours,
but not as huge as previous vintages and there is a definite refinement. It's
almost ready to be bottled and I would hazard a guess it will wind up being
rated as Excellent in the long term.
The barrel samples
from the 2000
We also tried barrel
samples of the 2001 and 2002 wines and they will be worth waiting for. Its interesting to note
that quantity for many McLaren Vale producers was way
down in 2002, but Kays quantity was up. It's hard to beat
fifty years experience and knowing exactly what the winery is likely to produce
from any given situation.
At the end of a
sampling we stood outside cellar door overlooking the panoramic view and had a
chat. In his own right, Colin Kay is one of
Finally
in passing, Colin stated how happy he was selling his wines into the
That night it was off to dinner with Auswine
Forum Dictator Gavin Trott and the very
knowledgeable 707 aka Steve Norman and my
trusty sidekick John. The restaurant selected was Mitcham Buzz . Unfortunately it
was a bit overcrowded as besides the four of us, a table for two had the hide
and temerity to eat in the restaurant at the same time were
there.
The patronage of the restaurant was not indicative of the quality of the food
or the service, both of which could not be faulted.
Steve Norman aka 707 picture taken the
next night.
The first wine
presented by Steve was a mystery wine and it was a classy drop. Being the sort of
guy that he is, he likes to mess with people's minds by playing silly childish
options games……. Oooow did I say that? Now I am going to be
in trouble in more ways than one. (grin) The first
option was Yarra, Coonawarra or
The next wine opened
was a 1996 Seven Hills
The final wine of
the night was 1994 Saltram No 1
Back to Johns place
in McLaren Vale and after a short nights sleep, it's
onto the
We
thought we would kick off for the couple of icon wineries so the first visit
went to Turkey Flat where I tried the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon. The
nose exhibited almost brambly notes, white and milk chocolate with spice. A
well-balanced wine with piquant acid, ample bodyweight and solid structure
produces an interesting wine with loads of flavour without being heavy. The
palate shows cherries and a long smooth chocolate and mint finish, it should
peak around about 2005. Rated as Recommended with *** for value at $27.
Rockford 99 Basket
Press Shiraz was released to Stonewall members last year but the remaining
supply went on sale at cellar door recently. The wine is dark purple in colour
and has a seductive sweet nose showing cherry, cassis, milk chocolate and
subtle oak on the tail end. (What sort of nose has subtle wooden tail end?
Grin) The wonderful mouth feel is created by the ample
weight fruit, supple consistency, layered but still tight structure, refine and
harmonious complexity. Smooth velvety drying tannins and intense distinct fruit
enhance the balance of the wine and it should peak around 2007. Rated as Excellent with *** for value
at $41 cellar door.
As you can see, 
Versus the very modern, the new Branson Facility - still under
construction.
Rockford 1996
Vintage Port is a rare beast. The fruit is sweet but not cloying, it's not
overly heavy in anyway and almost to refined to be Port. This is in a class of
its own with great Brandy spirits and a finish that lasts longer than a boring
Opera. Rated as Outstanding, it's a pity about the price ($55.)
I have never been a
great fan of St Hallett wines and whilst I did find some wines that were more
to my liking, some of the pricing left me wondering.
St Hallett 99
Cabernet Sauvignon shows blackcurrants and spearmint on the nose with lots of dusty
oak tannins and balanced acid. It's a muscular wine with very firm structure
and a plain level of complexity that finished short on the palate. The taste of blackberry, plums and liquorice whilst most enjoyable
is not varietally correct, but because it's from the Barossa it doesn't need to
be. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value at $18, it should peak around 2005.
St Hallett 2000
Faith Shiraz has an "interesting" nose, drying tannins and balanced
acid. This ample weight wine has a supple consistency, layered structure and
agreeable level of complexity that should improve as it reaches its peak in
2004. Tasty red cherry, aniseed and an earth flavour. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value
at $19.40.
St Hallett 1996 The Reward Cabernet Sauvignon shows fragrant
sweet cherry, cassis and mint. The loads of dusty drying tannins still need
about 4 years to integrate. The deep persistent fruit comes across as cassis
and blackberry will ensure this well constructed wine will be long lived.
Whilst being full-bodied it's not heavy and the structure is solid and tight
with a harmonious level of complexity. Rated as Highly Recommended with ** for value.
St Hallett 1996 Old
Block Shiraz has been re-released at cellar door as the 98 is sold out. Sweet
blackcurrant and coconut on the uptake immediately changes to a slamming dose
of savoury flavours which go through liquorice, spice and chocolate. This is a
full-bodied wine with a long structure and developed complexity. Rated as Highly
Recommended with ** for value at $50 at CD it should peak around 2004+.
St Hallett 1998 The Third Century has an appealing fruity lifted nose showing
vanilla, plums, subtle spice and menthol. The aromas flow through to the palate
as overly sweet cherry fruit leading to spice and a savoury pepper finish with
an underlying stream of sweet fruit running through the whole palate. The wine
has a rich bodyweight, firm but fleshy consistency and an agreeable level
complexity. Unfortunately due to the sweetness it comes across as an expensive
upmarket crowd pleaser. Rated as H ighly Recommended
with * for value at $54.
Where has the
morning gone? It's that bloody time of the day again! But this time I have a
win, and we find a coffee and sandwich shop and John relents and forces
something other than a pie past his tonsils. Had I have only known what was in
store over the next few days, I would have had seconds!
Grant
Burge
has an impressive cellar door facility that is one of the best in
Grant Burge Filsell 2000 Shiraz is dark purple in colour and shows spicy
sweet perfumed dark fruit and varnished oak. The nose was a right bastard to
analyse so I gave up trying. Tannins are unobtrusive, the acid balanced and the
fruit strong. The palate has an interesting taste with sweet fruit on the
uptake, black pepper, liquorice and loads of spice. This is an appealing
package with muscular bodyweight, softish
consistency, tight structure and an agreeable level of complexity. The unusual
flavour profile creates a definite interest. In some ways, the rating of Recommended does not do this
wine justice, and it scores *** for value at $26.95. If you can find it on
special for less, it's more than worthy of consideration.
Grant Burge RMB1
1998 Merlot sells for $29.95. The wine has lots of dusty tannins, balanced
acid and obvious fruit that come across the palate as overly sweet fruit with a
dark cherry finish. The wine may improve in time as the oak integrates, but
this wine is not for me and I just don't get it. Rated as Acceptable with ** for value
it should peak around 2007.
Grant Burge 1998
Holy Trinity sells for $29.95 at CD. The Mourvedre
shines through on the bouquet and with the French Oak the aroma profile holds
lots of interest. There are huge amounts of drying puckering tannins, lively
acid and persistent fruit that combine to form a well-balanced and constructed
wine that has been built for the long haul. Dark cherry, blackcurrant,
liquorice, raspberries and chocolate are some of the complex flavours found in
this medium weight sophisticated wine with a tight structure that shows some
elegance. In short, it's an impressive wine that demand
cellaring and I am going to buy some. Rated as Excellent with **** for value it should peak
around 2006.
I loved the 1996 Shadrach
Cabernet Sauvignon and was looking forward to trying the 1998. The
bouquet seemed OK with loads of cedar, leafy tobacco notes and warm fruit.
Unfortunately sickly sweet Nutra sweet fruit
initially dominates the palate until the oak overtakes it. I found the
complexity of the wine to be disjointed and rated it as Acceptable with ** for value
at $39.95.
Grant Burge 1998 Meshach is undoubtedly a very good wine. It has a complex nose
showing sweet plums, black cherry, liquorice savoury plums, spice coconut and
vanilla. An excellent balance is provided by the dusty tannins, well judged
acid and deep, distinct, concentrated fruit. The palate follows the nose and
flows from sweet to savoury flavours. However there is an underlying sweetness
that stays on the palate throughout. This is a rich full-bodied wine with a
layered structure and harmonious complexity and will be long lived. Rated as Excellent with ** for value.
The two icon wines
from Grant Burge, the Shadrach and Meshach seem like
they are being aimed fairly and squarely at the Parker market and from
my perspective I don't think the overly sweet flavour profile of these two
wines does anything positive for them.
The 
I appreciate the time the Robin spent with
us and she was busier than a one-armed wallpap