For this first vintage of The Mad Hatter the vines gave Hewitson a rustic, rich, intense wine with a long, almost chewable palate. "The single-vineyard 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille has a tighter core and a blacker heart compared to the Rennina. Designation Portrait of a Wallflower. I've tasted Peter Lehmann Semillons that were still improving five years after the vintage and delicious after a decade, so you need not worry that this vintage will crack up anytime soon. Sanctions Policy - Our House Rules. With a cured meat note overlaid by fresh blackberries and dried black plums, it's food-friendly but also almost like a main course on its own. Showing a nose of violets and spice, on the palate the wine delivers a complex mix of blueberry, cherry and boysenberry with hints of oak vanillin. I've even had it with fried green tomatoes (an odd but delicious pairing). All the more surprising is that the vines are young, planted in 2005 and 2006. This wine is true to its place of origin, with good intensity to the dark berry fruit, but also a subtly leafy, herbal, mineral character that reflects the restrained ripeness that Cabernet grapes generally acquire in Coonawarra's relatively cool climate. This wine could legally be a Bolgheri Superiore, but Angelo Gaja prefers not to use qualifying wine terms such as Superiore, Classico or Riserva in his various wine projects spanning from Piedmont to Tuscany to Etna. Robert Oatley, Margaret River (Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 ($20, Pacific Highway Wines): Winemaker Larry Cherubino brings us good bang for the buck with this wine, which showcases black fruit and toasty oak with notes of bell pepper and stony minerality in both aroma and flavor, with a finish that brings the smoky oak forward.
Penfolds, South Australia (Australia) Shiraz/ Mourvèdre "Bin 2" 2005 ($15, FWE Imports): A mature Aussie red blend, still available in many wine shops, this wine tastes full and rich, with peppery spice enhancing its plum and berry fruit. There's a reason some folks call this wine "baby Grange, " Australia's most collectible wine from Penfold's. Hewitson, McLaren Vale (Australia) Shiraz "The Mad Hatter" 2003 ($36, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): This was Dean Hewitson's nickname in school, where he was known for eccentric behavior. Right now, the 2014 is even better than this, and the 2016 is already released. Wine Walk: The grape harvest in Texas is now under way. The brilliant light gold color frames a lovely up-front floral aroma with hints of ginger. How To Return Orders.
Malolactic fermentation was blocked, leaving lots of refreshing acidity to focus the wine and lift the finish, which has a slight creaminess but remains very pure and refreshing. It's medium-bodied, with good fruit intensity and a subtle creamy finish from six months in new French oak barrels. The '05 Stellar Ridge is rich and intensely concentrated, with its fresh apple fruit flavors balanced with crisp acidity. This is a serious Cabernet and a great buy! If you're looking for subtlety, look elsewhere. The name comes from a vine disease that reduces one arm of a vine to dead wood, while the rest of the vine produces intensely-flavored grapes. Secretary of Commerce. It's been a huge hit over the years as a showcase for the Grenache grape, which thrives in the McLaren Vale district of South Australia. Wakefield, Clare Valley (Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon "The Visionary" Estate, Exceptional Parcel Release 2010 ($180): A wine that is "named in honour of Bill Taylor Snr., Taylors Founder and Visionary" (Taylors is already copyrighted by the New York winery in the States, and so it is known here as Wakefield) should certainly deliver the best that the winery has to offer, and I'd say they've done a spectacular job here. The blend is primarily Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and a touch of Pinot Meunier sourced from six areas of the Island. Portrait of a wallflower merlot. A lovely earthiness on the nose is but the begiining of the sensory experience. Loyal Shiraz fans will take to this one, but newcomers should be braced for the ripper effect. Although this shows all the flavor impact that one expects from an Aussie Shiraz, it is much lighter on its feet and much less thick and "muddy" than the stereotypical rendition, which probably explains calling it "Syrah" rather than Shiraz. " The Chardonnays in general, like this one, are leaner--yet still flavor packed--and racier compared to their South Australian counterparts.
Fresh and clean, with crisp aromas of green apple and pear, a light touch of wood spice and a clean finish, this is a very pure example of Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills. Boyd Jan 31, 2006. d'Arenberg, McLaren Vale (South Australia, Australia) Viognier/Marsanne "The Hermit Crab" 2004 ($16, Old Bridge Cellars): The name for this delightful Rhône-style white blend originates in the vineyard sub-soils. I can imagine sipping it on the deck, or at a beach party or picnic. More predictably, it was a superb match with duck breast, and also bison filet. 5%) in intellectual terms, but I found it difficult to dislike this wine. Despite its power and intensity, it maintains balance so it doesn't come across as overdone.
Interestingly, however, the wine's acidity is quite bright, counterbalancing the ripeness of the fruit, and the tannins are polished and fine in grain, working nicely with the surprisingly subtle texture of the wood make for a gently firm finish. Yangarra Estate Vineyard, McLaren Vale (Australia) Grenache "Old Vine" 2011 ($32, Sovereign Wine Imports): 66 year-old dry farmed, free standing bush vines can tell a story of the vintage when handled with care, and this Grenache from Yangarra spins a beautiful tale of one of the coolest, wettest years ever in McLaren Vale. Peter Howland, Western Australia (Australia) Shiraz Langley Vineyard 2004 ($35, Robert Whale Selections): I've been paying particularly close attention to wines from Western Australia during the past year, and with each passing month I am more impressed. Rich and densely textured, the beautiful fruit shines through without the distraction of new oak (St. Henri is matured in huge, old vats that impart just enough oak to add subtle complexity and texture minus the attention-grabbing harshness new oak often brings to a young red wine). After hand harvesting, all Jansz wines undergo long, cool fermentation and extended aging sur lie to ensure complexity and freshness, which Jansz refers to as "Methode Tasmanoise. "
Here you get dark cherry fruit with cassis and wild plum. Very meaty and dense, but without any textural roughness, this is clearly comprised of exceptional raw material that was then very deftly crafted into a wine that can be enjoyed now or left to develop for another two decades. This 2017 is an ethereal and elegant rendering of Pinot Noir with light ruby red color and delicate red cherry, raspberry, vanilla aromas with a light herbal note. It was a little tight when I first tasted it in February, 2007, but is right on the button now, and thanks to its screw cap closure, will likely stay in great shape for another full year or more. There's just a hint of the signature menthol, and stylistically, everything is working. The aromas are muted with ginger notes and the flavors are dry, fruity, 13. The color is very deep and inky, with purple highlights, while the aromas show black fruits like black currants. Founded in 1967, Vasse Felix has become the iconic estate in this remote Western Australia site. I'm tucking some of this away to enjoy on my 50th wedding anniversary -- in 2034. Crisp and clean, with great texture and fruit, citrusy acidity and length. This vintage has not been rated yet. There is a lovely element of fresh lime, but the fruit takes a back seat to the searing minerality and lip-smacking acidity. Boyd Jan 2, 2007. d'Arenberg, McLaren Vale (South Australia, Australia) Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre "The Ironstone Pressings" 2006 ($65, Old Bridge Cellars): On the lower side of the d'Arenberg winery in McLaren Vale, the Ironstone Pressing vineyard soil is rich in iron, giving this 'GSM' blend greater body and tannin structure.