uncorked No Comments April 26th, 2011 General

Pinot Noir: Australian sommeliers benchmark it

Sommeliers Australia is the out there organisation developing excellence in wine selection and presentation in our dining venues.

It’s only a matter of time before we see an Australian become Sommelier du Monde, and on the way there attain Master Sommelier (MS) status.

Ben Edwards-presents Benchmarking Pinot Noir

Dan Sims-presents Benchmarking Pinot Noir

So the tasting developed by members Ben Edwards and Dan Sims titled “Benchmarking Pinot Noir” presented at ecco Bistro, Brisbane on April 20 was an event not to be missed.

Pinots from 2007-2010 (two were just bottled) were assessed blind, and although we see Australasian pinots bottled and drunk quite young, it was a feature to assess some 2008 Burgundies.Australian pinot is in a good place: winemaking is now quite orderly but clever and well understood, yet the challenge of vineyard sites under the marching warmth from climate change remains the challenge.

The Yarra Valley origin wines stays strong (represented here by Coldstream Hills Reserve 2010, +++1/2; USD 53.50; though really still undeveloped in a great production year); and many Yarra pinots will continue to impress.

Mornington Peninsula looked likewise (here Yabby Lake 2009, ++++; USD 53.50; pretty yet well-structured from a testing year); emphasising how pristine Mornington pinot can be.

From Geelong the contenders are fewer (here we tried By Farr Tout Pres 2008, +++++; USD 118; the ultimate in layered pinot, savoury yet high acid, shows winemaking experience), yet this region grows wonderful maritime climate pinot.

In Tasmania there is a lot of drinker focus on this grape and widespread reporting at the moment – so there must be something interesting going on. Maybe climatic warming is assisting the Tasmanians.

Here the representatives (Bay of Fires 2009, +++1/2; USD 41; from many Tassie sites showed a lot of tannin while Freycinet 2009; +++1/2; USD 30; has the sap and backwardness at present, from a single vineyard) showed well for what I make of the season.

From New Zealand came two Martinborough wines (Pencarrow 2009, ++++1/2; USD 17; perfumed, succulent sweet fruit with substance, and Ata Rangi 2009, ++++; USD 73.50; violets, cedar, square, big and oaky) which served the Kiwi cause very well.

From the NZ South Island I discovered a new brand (Pyramid Valley Earth Smoke 2009, USD 112.50; from North Canterbury, cloudy, obviously unfiltered which left my glass like soup, washed out colour and with a bizarre palate centering around heavy extraction).

It is always important to see some USA pinots lined up for relativity (Martinelli Blue Side Ridge 2002, USD 95 from the Sonoma Coast-with cork, was oxidised, but Oregonian Chehalem Reserve 2008, ++++1/2; USD 59; was outstanding, perfumed, preserved fruit, fresh, and tannin below, on cork).

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uncorked 1 Comment April 20th, 2011 General

Granite Belt: Mediterranean-like, savoury wine

This week the Granite Belt region staged a wonderful tasting for Sommeliers Australia Queensland chapter.

The focus was on some well-respected wines which remained a secret among some of the wine selling community. It was time to tell all.

Commentator Robert Hicks outside Ortiga Restaurant

The presenter was well known Melbournian Robert Hicks who had poked around the outskirts of Stanthorpe town (the vineyards are no more than 25 km away) looking for candidates to show the Sommeliers.

His clutch was good. I came away from the tasting thinking just how suitable the array of varieties grown have with food pairings-there is so much savouriness, minerality and palate cleanness to fit with the bistro foods of today.

Robert pushed forward wines which were fruit expressive-not simple by any means-just plainly varietal yet contained, not oozy or over-syrupy (as ones sees in Mclaren Vale) just plainly neat. That says drink me with ease-and the second glass will taste like the first.

As a backdrop to understanding the wines and their expressiveness one has to remember that the growing elevations are double the Adelaide Hills, three to four times the Yarra Valley and over ten times the Hunter Valley.

The first red bracket went: mourvedre, tempranillo, shiraz, shiraz pinot noir, monastrell tempranillo and malbec. Eclectic.

Pyramids Road Mourvedre 2010-succulent

Two wines drew my focus:

Pyramids Road Limited Release Mourvedre 2010; 14%; (USD 32); ++++1/2; deep cherry, black, aromatic, cherries, cherry cola in the confectionery stream, low oak, wonderful savoury characters, subtle black fruits, slight reductiveness along the funky trail, mild oak on the palate yet sensous, savoury then finally some grip. Taken from barrel, six made, a powerful wine yet also restrained.

Ridgemill Estate Monastrell Tempranillo 2009; 13.5%, (USD 26.75); ++++; deep cherry purple in the glass, pippy as in berry seeds, smells of concentrated fruits, must be good, has depth, the palate is weighty, the mataro pushing out the tempranillo, black fruits, high acid, low oak level leads to that final savoury finish, minerality, warm in mouth. A take on two Spanish varieties more often made separately.

The final bracket comprised cabernet sauvignon, cabernet malbec merlot, shiraz, shiraz and cabernet merlot.

Jester Hill Touchstone Cabernet Sauvignon 2008-yum

One wine shot my fire.

Jester Hill Touchstone Cabernet Sauvignon2008; 14.1%, (USD 26.75); ++++1/2; medium colour but deep purple for the age, subtle but persistent cabernet nose lift, blackcurrants and mild leafiness, juicy, spice, oak has the cedar notes, delicious mouthfeel, nice drying tannins but in harmony, an easy drink-and more than a single glass.

The full tasting comprised 18 wines: Symphony Hill Pinot Gris 2010; Ballandean Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010; Ridgemill Estate Pedigree Chardonnay 2010; Golden Grove Vermentino 2010; Tobin Isabella Semillon 2008; Symphony Hill Tempranillo 2009; Twisted Gum Shiraz 2009; Summit Estate The Pinnacle Shiraz Pinot Noir 2009; Golden Grove Malbec 2009; Ridgemill Estate Pedigree Cabernet Malbec Merlot 2008; Pyramids Road Shiraz 2008; Hidden Creek Shiraz 2008; Lucas Estate The Partners Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2006.

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uncorked No Comments April 17th, 2011 General

Sauvignon and friends: New styles with grunt

There are few moments that I write about sauvignon blanc, so this column should be a fleeting one.

But not the case because I enjoy this widely lauded grape with its running mate, semillon.

So the occasion was the discovery of the rattling quality and enjoyment from drinking two Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon wines from Margaret River, Western Australia-Cullen and Mangan Vineyard 2010s.

My enthusiasm for this generally boring grape rises when I cannot smell the telltale overt cut grass, pea pod and other culinary herbs which contribute to goulash. Thus the Cullen wines pass the test.

The second phase of the test however is the palate side – still no herbal characters are accepted where the high points are dumbed-down mineral characters, savoury acidity and some flavour length with dryness.

Vanya Cullen kindly outlines how she achieved this. “2010 Mangan vineyard is 62% sauvignon 38% semillon harvested in the range 11.5-13.4 Be, 13% aged in new oak.

“Cullen Vineyard is 66% sauvignon 34% semillon harvested in the range 9.7 to 12.2 Be with all the sauvignon aged five months in new oak”.

The barrel fermentation and aging is another technique which buries the overt sauvignon aromas – as more interesting and structured components take over.

The point about appreciating the Cullen vineyard is that the biodynamic viticulture in combination with natural yeasts and no doubt higher-than-normal fermentation temperatures, plus high solids in the ferment have totally subverted the herbal and grass character of the variety.

This wine really nails it; the palate screams of interesting mineral byproducts rather than just grass and the Mangan goes a long way there too, with a little squirt of sweet fruitiness just to interrupt the mineral harmony.

Hooray.

In 2009 the same practice occurred with Mangan vineyard 60/40 blend, 10-11.4 Be yielding 11.5% final alcohol (25% barrel). The Cullen vineyard, 70/30 blend, 10-12 Be gave 11.5% final alcohol also (70% new barrel).

It is becoming more common to see sauvignon blanc harvested very early – I saw a Granite Belt vineyard come off at 9.4 Be this year.

Some sauvignon style tasting notes.

Cullen Vineyard SBS 2010-+++++

Cullen Mangan Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010; 12% (USD 37); ++++1/2; nose lemony, trifle herbal, oatmeal, taste fruity at the fruit, nectarine sweetness, then a tight coil of lemon sherbet acidity, long in flavour but eminently understated. Oak cleverly hidden.

Cullen Mangan Vineyard SBS 2010-++++1/2

De Bortoli La Boheme Act One Sauvignon Semillon Rolle 2010 Yarra Valley; 12% (USD20); ++++; nose shows no trashy smells of overt sauvignon, this has been hijacked by ferment in large casks, funk driven by solids going in a direction outside the clean and squeaky, the taste less angular than normal sauvignon acid raspiness, more cream and savoury, getting my attention.

Rolle is grown around Nice in France and more so in Corsica-it’s also called vermentino in nearby Sardinia; and is gaining popularity in Australian vineyards.

Fraser Gallop Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Margaret River; 13% (USD 20.85); ++++; shows lemon and sawdust from restraint and precise winemaking; not smelly just enticing; taste is juicy and rich, has lots of latitude in the winemaking; 66/34; 15% French barrique fermented for 2 months, good peach, lively though, very good example where sauvignon is minor.

My benchmark semillon sauvignon is white Bordeaux; heavily oaked wines made quite brutishly and never the aromatic finesse that the Australians offer. However they continue to support my interest as the wines show and also develop palate weight which is missing in many of the skinny Australian styles.

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uncorked No Comments April 13th, 2011 General

Giant Steps: A single fine Yarra leap

Yarra Valley based vineyard owner Phil Sexton breezed through Brisbane with a swag of single vineyard wines under his prime brand Giant Steps.

Phil Sexton-Giant Steps owner-Yarra Valley

Phil’s story goes that now he has vineyards or vineyard sources with mature vines (planted 1976-1997), or plants in those places were the winemaking team have a handle on the way the wines are expressed.

But it all seems relative; we had Bruce Tyrrell through last week showing his centurion Hunter Valley wines-semillon and shiraz from plants 100 years or more.

The other interesting issue is that the company has now focussed strongly on single vineyard wines; and I was attending a pre-release party where guests bought in advance.

Giant Steps Winemaker-Steve Flamsteed

As chef cum winemaker Steve Flamsteed exclaims “in 2008 it was an era where we were grounded with these grapes, but from this great year 2010, we are flying”.

2010 was a year when ripeness came at quite low sugars so that these wines have little or no mouth hotness-say yes to lower alcohol here.

Chardonnays came from three sites: Sexton, Tarraford and Arthurs Creek.

Giant Steps Sexton Chardonnay2010; 13% (USD 36.75); ++++; lovely complex nose mixture, oak char, aroma power, taste has tempered richness, enjoyably a great creamy texture leading into fineness, lovely final tastes. 230-310m.

Steve notes this vineyard is on shallow, sandy soil over clay, and roots have now settled through that lower layer to give the vine balance he wishes. Note the low alcohol.

Giant Steps Tarraford Chardonnay 2010; 13% (USD 42); +++++; wow, restrained nose, lemon fruit, understated feral bits, palate is what does it for me-longer finish of the three, dries but holds on so long, that’s what full body is about. 100m.

Giant Steps Arthur’s Creek Chardonnay 2010; 13% (USD 47.25); +++; big nose which mutes, palate very fine and very drying, probably a young wine very closed up (should not be scored); tastes simple but is just backward, will aged well until 2020. 170m, only two harvests in five years.

Pinot noirs come from Sexton, Tarraford, Gladysdale and Applejack vineyards.

Giant Steps Sexton Pinot Noir2010; 13% (USD 42); +++; meaty ferment aromas, sliver of new oak, top fruits, very closed and tight, best not scored due to is backwardness, not fleshy, more linear.

Giant Steps Tarraford Pinot Noir2010; 13% (USD 47.25); ++++; lots of whole bunch maceration aromas, wine with muscle, yet aromatic and sweet fruit on front of the mouth, lots of weight and extract; great flavours to muse on and very defining.

Giant Steps Gladysdale Vineyard Pinot Noir

Giant Steps Gladysdale Pinot Noir2010; 13%; (USD 47.25);++++1/2; great aromatics meet the nose, very fruit sweet at first taste, lots of work with stalks and quite tannic, has the weight to carry the dryness, high on acid, stiff on oak; good little monster. 320m.

Giant Steps Applejack Pinot Noir 2010; 13.5%; (USD 52.50); ++++; very elegant, roses, perfume, raises the taste expectation, has style though very light bodied yet the high acid sustains the funk and the fruit flavour lift; extremely fine wine. 330m.

In conclusion owner Sexton said his main aim is a vineyard relationship-to have a continuum of grapes to make the types of wines that 2010 produced from these single origins.

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