Best Buy Wines (June/July 2010)

 

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$15 and under
2008 Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet, Riverland, A$15/NZ$18
I know I reviewed the Angove organic chardonnay a few issues ago, but I wanted to share this with you too, as I think it’s not only a better wine, but also offers better value. Despite the heat and drought stress of the 2008 growing season, which produced quite a few over-the-top, clumsy red wines, this is refreshingly snappy, medium-bodied and bright, with lovely sour-cherry fruit and fine tannins. MA

2009 Trentham Estate Viognier, Murray Darling, A$15/NZ$22
Viognier, with its origins in the blasting heat of the Northern Rhône, could be expected to do well in the warmth of the Murray Darling. But surely not as well as it has in the extreme heat (12 days over 40°C) of the 2009 vintage at Trentham. This wine has beguiling floral aromas of mango essence, pineapple and lychee; and layers of flavour – dried apricot, nuts, tropical fruits – that are lush and viscous, finishing clean and fresh. PF

2008 Jacob’s Creek Tempranillo, South Eastern Australia, A$12/NZ$14
Tempranillo is the dominant red variety of Spain. It’s a relatively new arrival to our grape-growing shores but already settling-in comfortably. Indeed, the very fact that a tempranillo is being offered under the Jacob’s Creek umbrella is a sure sign the variety is no fringe-dweller. A quick sniff confirms that proposition with lots of juicy dark-berry fruits, a whiff of sweet spice and fresh aniseed. The palate is only medium-weight yet generously flavoured with a seductive textural richness and mild tannin grip on the finish. PB

2008 Banrock Station Montepulciano, Murray Valley, A$15
The montepulciano grape is widely planted in Italy – where it’s most famous for the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo appellation – but it’s very rare in Australia. Add to that novelty factor the price-tag and excellent quality of this wine, and you have a winner. The colour is full and deep, the aromas are ripe and fresh yet not simplistic or shrill, but carry impressions of spices and a hint of raisin. The fruit is sweetly ripe and buttressed by substantial tannins, which is very Italianate. Quite delicious everyday drinking red. HH

2009 The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, A$15/NZ$15
Made from grapes grown in three vineyards in the cool Awatere Valley with a small percentage fermented in a mix of new and older French oak barriques to add weight and flavour complexity. This delicately aromatic wine shows typical Awatere Valley characters of tomato leaf, nettle, green capsicum and gun flint. A subtle rather than blockbuster style, with appealing purity and surprising length of flavour. This is a fairly large production wine made for a competitive market. It offers remarkably good value. BC

2008 Wyndham Estate Bin 525 Shiraz Grenache, Hunter Valley, A$15
Be prepared for a massive surprise! For here, from one of Australia’s largest producers comes a savoury, meaty and very drinkable southern Rhône-inspired wine that punches well above its price. It’s spicy and floral, with a confiture-like perfume of redcurrants, dark plums and licorice backed by suggestions of white pepper, cloves and cola. It’s smooth and juicy, with ripe, slightly jammy fruit underpinned by fine, dusty tannins, but it finishes savoury and rather meaty. Exceptional value. JO

$20 and under
2008 Henschke Tilly’s Vineyard, Barossa, A$18
Although it doesn’t tell you on the front label, this is an imaginative blend of semillon, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot gris, all four varieties melding seamlessly together to produce a gorgeously focused, fine, gently floral white wine that even after two years in the bottle, is still amazingly fresh and lively. All the Henschke whites have been excellent over the last couple of vintages, from the superb single-vineyard Eden Valley rieslings and semillon to this great-value everyday white. MA

2008 Little Yering Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, A$20
I was dazzled by the sheer quality of Yering Station’s two 2007 single-vineyard chardonnays – Willow Lake and Coombe Farm. These are tight, lean, edgy, complex whites that are low in alcohol and thrill me to the core. So I’m not surprised by this entry-level chardonnay. It’s quite atypical for a wine at the price and will draw consumers back to the noblest of grapes. While fresh, clean and vibrant, the 2008 Little Yering is delicate, subdued and complex with some fascinating mineral notes. PF

2009 Printhie Mountain Range Chardonnay, Orange, A$17
When talented winemaker Drew Tuckwell arrived at Printhie in 2008 vintage, the effect on style and quality was immediate – clearly confirmed by the radiant 2008 Mount Canobolas Collection Chardonnay. The same leap in quality flowed through to the Mountain Range Chardonnay. It’s fresh and bright with ripe grapefruit and Pink Lady apple aromas, enhanced by a hint of lemon pith and grilled almond complexity. The palate remains tightly coiled with a zing of acidity carrying the finish to a mouth-watering conclusion. PB

2009 Houghton Chardonnay, Margaret River, A$18
Yet another new label from Constellation Wines Australia’s Houghton winery, and what great value it is. It is very fruit-driven, with faintly herb-tinged nectarine and lemon aromas, of good intensity, turning more to trademark Margaret River grapefruit in the mouth. It tastes very lively and bracingly fresh, with a smidgin of well-judged sweetness, but also good line and length. Hard to beat for value in a modern, drink-now style of chardonnay which barely shows any wood. HH

2008 The Crater Rim From the Ashes Late Harvest Pinot Gris, Waipara, A$25/NZ$16/375ml
Commemorating a traumatic date in this producer’s calendar when the winery burnt to the ground. Happily this wine was unaffected. Hand-harvested fruit from a small Waipara vineyard was picked with about 25-per-cent botrytis infection. Grapes were whole-bunch pressed and fermented before a lengthy maturation on the yeast lees. It’s a moderately sweet, vendage-tardive style with concentrated pear and stone-fruit flavours dominating subtle, honeyed botrytis characters. BC

2009 Brookland Valley Verse 1 Chardonnay, Margaret River, A$18
Wines like this have a role to play: not only are they great value and utterly drinkable, but they will help propel people back to chardonnay. This delicious and contemporary example has a vibrant, lightly oaked bouquet of ruby grapefruit, pineapple and tropical fruits supported by gentle creamy and vanilla undertones. It’s fresh and fruit-driven, with a round, juicy expression of tangy melon, citrus, peach and tropical flavours, finishing with genuine length and brightness and a delightfully brittle acidity. JO

$30 and under
2009 Bloodwood Chardonnay, Orange, A$25
From an excellent vintage in the cool, high-altitude region of Orange, this is a beautifully restrained chardonnay, with gentle biscuit and wafer oak framing an incisive tongue-load of lemon pith, pebbles and slate. This intense mineral backbone comes not only from the complex geology underlying Bloodwood’s vineyard soils, but also from the age of the vines: planted in 1983, the vines have had plenty of time to dig deep into the ground and settle in to their environment. MA

2008 Dandelion Vineyards Twilight of the Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, A$25
The publicist’s publicist, Zar Brooks, may not be the Silver Tongued Devil but he does have a deft way with words and is to be avoided at all costs. His latest venture with his winemaking wife, Elena, and some vigneron mates is Dandelion Vineyards. Here’s a very good Adelaide Hills chardonnay: it’s pristine, fresh and bright; soft, round and easy drinking, with vibrant fleshiness, ripe tropical flavours of white peach, nectarine and pineapple, finishing with zesty acidity. PF

2008 Scorpo Noirien Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, A$30
Scorpo is a minuscule vineyard situated in the lee of Red Hill – the geographical pinnacle of the Mornington Peninsula. Paul Scorpo sets the style and Sandro Mosele makes the wine – with astonishing results. Noirien is a common synonym for pinot noir in eastern France, used here as a by-line for Scorpo’s drink-me-now style. Bright cherry aromatics with a whiff of truffle-like complexity pave the way to a richly satisfying palate. For all its opulence, it’s neither ponderous nor heavy – sure to convert sceptics to the pinot-phile fold.  PB

2007 Yering Station Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, A$26
It’s a great irony that people are drinking less chardonnay when there are more delicious Australian examples about than ever before. This one is a modern, fruit-driven style with very lightly handled oak and just 12.5 per cent alcohol. Yet it is deliciously balanced, refined and endowed with understated flavour complexities. Its age has added to the wine’s character, yet it still tastes very youthful. It’s little wonder some boutiques are having difficulty selling high-priced chardonnay when there’s value like this about. HH

2009 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, A$28/NZ$25
Strongly aromatic wine with pungent passionfruit, green capsicum and lemongrass flavours. The wine is dry but achieves good tension between alcohol sweetness and juicy acidity. It’s a concentrated example of the sav blanc style that put Marlborough on the world-wine map. It’s far more mainstream than the winery’s funky, off-the-wall Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc but deserves an equal amount of acclaim. BC

2009 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling, Great Western, A$30
Seppelt is succeeding regularly in its aim of reaching grand-cru status with its signature white wine. This is a tightly textured and focused riesling of exceptional beauty and longevity likely to unfold layers of flavour as it slowly matures. Scented with powdery, schisty aromas of pure lime juice, fresh white flowers, apple and lavender, it’s long, chalky and mineral, presenting a length of pure, piercing fruit. Pristine flavours of lime, lemon and apple are streamlined towards an austere and lingering finish. JO

Imports $25 and under
2008 El Coto Blanco Rioja, Rioja (Spain), A$14
In the cold light of a tasting bench, you could perhaps be critical of this simple Spanish white: no, it doesn’t have the most refined, lingering finish, nor is it overly complex. And the viura grape, from which it’s made, is not exactly about to knock chardonnay or riesling off the classic white-wine throne. But pour a cold glass of this tangy, lemony, refreshing wine alongside some salt cod fritters or char-grilled octopus and you’ll see immediately why I think it is well-worth recommending. MA

2008 Marqués de Irún Verdejo, Castilla y Leon (Spain), A$25
This small (24 hectare) bodega is owned by the Sherry house Emilio Lustau, and makes verdejo in its adopted home Rueda, to the south west of Valladolid. Verdejo (originally from Valencia), not to be confused with verdelho (originally from Madeira), is often blended with sauvignon blanc and the bland local variety, viura. The Marqués de Irún is now 100 per cent verdejo and in 2008 shows spicy aromatics, bright pear flavours, alluring viscosity and balanced tangy acidity that leaves an aftertaste that is long and dry. Sealed with screwcap. PF

2008 Fred Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal (Austria), A$25
Fred Loimer is one of Austria’s new-age winemakers, working with 25 grape-growers from the Kamptal region. Half of his production is “green and groovy” grüner veltliner – as Austria’s indigenous white variety has been tagged. Aromas of green apple, freshly squeezed lime, lemon blossom and cool slate lead to a spritely palate with hints of white pepper and honeydew melon. Although it’s texturally rich, the finish is clean, dry and absolutely refreshing. 2008 is Loimer’s 10th vintage under the Lois label. PB

2007 Babo Rosso L’Isolano Nero d’Avola IGT, Sicily (Italy), A$22/NZ$29
Babo is the brand of Justin Bubb, the Australian who made wine at Castello di Gabbiano in Tuscany. He has produced a trio of outstanding and well-priced Italian wines. This is made from Sicily’s excellent native red grape nero d’avola. There’s a rustic, meaty overtone leading into a juicy palate with generous dark-berry fruit flavour and gentle, almost fluffy tannins. The texture and structure strike me as finer than in most Sicilian reds. Lovely balance and ready drinkability. I’ll also be keen to see it with two or three years’ age. HH

2009 Torres Gran Viña Sol, Penedes (Spain), A$21/NZ$28
A chardonnay-dominant blend with parellada from high altitude (and therefore relatively cool) vineyards. A percentage of the wine is fermented in Limousin oak barrels. It’s a mellow chardonnay with plump, ripe peach and fig flavours seasoned with delicately spicy oak. The wine has an appealing soft texture. Attractive though not particularly complex. A very polished style – a welcome change for chardonnay drinkers with a steady diet of New World wines but don’t want anything too scarily different. BC

2007 Carpineto Chianti Classico, Chianti (Italy), A$22
The heat is really on Australian makers of Italian varietal wines when a wine of this quality is on our market at this price. Fine, savoury and elegant, this Chianti reveals a fresh, spicy perfume of red flowers, cherry and plum backed by a slight meatiness, a hint of turned earth and a suggestion of licorice. It’s supple and elegant, with a deep, concentrated presence of sour-edged black cherry and plum-like flavour framed by fine, dusty, drying tannins and punctuated by a bright, refreshing acidity. JO

Imports $25 and over
2008 Dom de la Garrelliere Gamay Sans Tra La La, Loire Valley (France), A$31
The bold, child-like label perfectly captures the joyful spirit of this entrancing wine. Domaine de la Garrelliere is a small family-owned estate in the Loire Valley, and as well as being sans tra la la, the wine is also virtually sans chimiques: made from biodynamically grown grapes, the wine has nothing added apart from a little sulphur at bottling. The result is an exquisitely juicy, sappy, flowery light red with bright red berry fruit and a clean, lip-smackingly refreshing finish. MA

2008 Allegrini Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella (Italy), A$30
The Allegrini family have been making wine in Valpolicella since the 16th century. This is a blend of corvina (65 per cent), rondinella (30 per cent) and a touch of molinara from mature vines fermented and aged in stainless steel. With ideal conditions in the month leading up to harvest, the 2008 Valpolicella is a delight: bright, fresh and lively with ripe red cherry, raspberry and redcurrant jelly flavours with some musk stick notes. It is supple, silky smooth and medium-bodied with a fine, elegant finish. PF

2005 Vietti Barolo Castiglione DOCG, Piedmont (Italy), A$140/NZ$140
Patriarch Mario Vietti first made wine in 1919. Since then the focus has been on premium quality – as the ’05 Castiglione triumphantly attests. Made from top-quality nebbiolo drawn from sites in Castiglione Falletto, Monforte, Barolo and Novello, this is a textbook Barolo. It’s already showing a bouquet of fading rose petals, cold tar and aniseed that interplay with rich raspberry and brambleberry fruits. Prominent tannins enliven the palate rather than weigh it down, ensuring longevity of a decade or two. PB

2007 Domaine Belle Crozes-Hermitage Les Pierrelles, Rhône Valley (France), A$39
Albert Belle’s wines epitomise the elegance and spiciness of ripe northern Rhône syrah. Unlike many others, he ages all of his Crozes in oak (none of it new). Black pepper and mixed spice aromas, well-ripened red fruit flavours as well; good intensity and varietal signature. It’s medium- to full-bodied and has the elegance and ready drinkability one hopes for in a top year like ’07. However, it should cellar for a good five years with positive results. HH

GH Mumm Mumm de Cramant Champagne Grand Cru, Champagne (France), A$250/NZ$180
This supremely elegant Champagne has been made since 1882. “Cramant” is a term indicating that a Champagne has a pressure of four atmospheres rather than the normal six. It is also a commune within Champagne. This wine is made from chardonnay grapes grown in the Cramant commune and bottled with four atmospheres, so it qualifies on both counts. To add to the labelling confusion it’s a vintage wine but the vintage is not shown. Forget all that – it tastes great. BC

2007 Poderi Colla Costa Bruna Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont (Italy), A$45
Very stylish, elegant, natural and complex; a classic example of this deeply flavoured, fine-grained regional style. Its pungent, wild bouquet of dark plum, blackberry and dark cherry is laced with white pepper, cloves and undertones of smoked meats. Exceptionally long and pristine, its penetrative palate explodes with brightly-lit but sour-edged dark fruits. Underpinned by dusty, sandpapery tannins, it finishes with nuances of minerals and cola, plus a refreshing, bracing cut of acidity. JO

Wines to cellar
2008 Caillard Mataro, Barossa Valley, A$45
Master of Wine, auctioneer, artist (he painted the label image) and GT WINE contributor, Andrew Caillard is now also a grape-treader. Working with consultant winemaker Chris Taylor (ex-Maverick, now Quattro Mano), Caillard has produced an old-vine mataro in homage to the great reputation this grape variety had among 19th-century Australian vignerons. Surprisingly elegant and restrained, cedary, floral aromas and savoury tannins conceal a dark heart of black fruit that needs time to reveal itself. MA

2008 Gembrook Hill Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, A$50
The dramatic lift in the quality of pinot noir around the country is partly due to producers like Ian and June Marks at Gembrook Hill who are making pinots that will age. The cellaring potential of this wine is influenced by the estate vineyard’s cool Upper Yarra site, its mature vines, low cropping and the skillful minimal handling of Timo Mayer and Andrew Marks. It is delicately fragrant, fine and subtle, has briary, mulberry, black cherry flavours with some gamy notes, seductive lush velvety texture, and a gentle grip to finish. PF

2008 Luke Lambert Nebbiolo Reserve, Heathcote, A$40
Luke Lambert is young yet experienced winemaker with stints at Diamond Valley, Coldstream Hills and Maddens Lane. In his spare time he makes a refined Yarra Valley shiraz and this nebbiolo from Heathcote – both released as a a top-of-the-range reserve selection. The 2008 Reserve Nebbiolo certainly lives up to its status with its spicy licorice and Damson plum aroma lifted by a rosewater perfume. The palate is quite delicate until the tannins kick in, carrying the wine to a long and satisfying finish. PB

2006 Roberto Voerzio Langhe Nebbiolo DOC, Piedmont (Italy), A$75
Voerzio’s nebbiolo wines are powerful and often formidably structured, but always impressive. The DOC Langhe Nebbiolo is like a junior Barolo, and Voerzio’s has typical nebbiolo grip, which can be daunting at first – but have it with protein-laden food and you’ll enjoy it twice as much. It has a ruby-brick nebbiolo colour, and an earthy, leathery, savoury bouquet of complexity and character. Massive fleshy richness and density in the mouth. With cellaring, it will build extra perfume and layering of flavours. HH

2008 Te Mata Estate Coleraine Cabernet Merlot, Hawkes Bay, A$88/NZ$75
Coleraine is one of a small handful of truly cult New Zealand wines. The release of each vintage is a significant date in the wine calendar. This year’s wine is a dense and lively red with layers of berry fruit and blackcurrant together with a more subtle influence of floral, dried spice and cedar flavours. Supple, elegant wine from a vintage that obviously achieved good physiological ripeness. The best Coleraine I’ve tasted for a while and better than the highly rated 2007. BC

2008 Vinea Marson Syrah, Heathcote, A$45
A very stylish, modern, Rhône-inspired shiraz of genuine finesse, elegance and complexity made by former-Mount Mary winemaker Mario Marson. Deep, heady aromas of blackberries and plum, and hints of cassis, are backed by restrained cedar and vanilla oak, and lifted by spicy scents of black pepper, cloves and underbrush. It’s long and fine-grained, with a core of intense black and red fruits, a presence of licorice, cloves and nutmeg plus a supple, silky undercarriage. Has a savoury finish, with refreshing acidity. JO