Archive for the ‘Barossa Valley’ Category
Friday, March 5th, 2010
It’s that time of the year again, the time when Penfolds release their “Bin” range of wines. I have read that this is probably the pick of the new red wines, so I bought myself a bottle. I also bought singles of the Bin 128, Bin 138 and Bin 389, and will have look at these in the coming weeks. I would also like to try the Bin 23 Pinot Noir, but haven’t seen it around yet. Anyway, this wine was a vibrant dark red in colour. A solid nose, showing coffee beans and mocha, black olives and juicy red berries, spice, and with time, some milkyness and almonds. The palate is tight and savoury, even after 5 hours in a decanter, with berry fruits, hard dry spices, nutmeg and coffee dryness. Good length, though there is a little bit of heat on the finish, but only a touch. Still quite youthful – I would like to see this again in a couple of years. Bottled under screwcap. 14.5% abv. Currently $19.80 from Dan Murphys in a six bottle purchase, but expect to pay around $25 for it from other retailers. Drink 2012-2017+. 89 points.
Posted in Adelaide, Australia, Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 2 Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
I think this has been out for a while. From the Yalumba website, this wine was apparently matured for 12 months in 18% new oak barrels, with the mix of oak being 59% American, 35% French and 6% Hungarian. A powerful nose, and chock full of goodness, blackberries and blackcurrants, spice and cedar, earth, choc-mint and a touch of green olives. The palate is flavoursome, with black fruits and red liquorice, soft chocolateyness, and tannins that initially are soft but seem to harden a bit at the end of the palate. Terrifyingly easy to drink. Sealed under screwcap. $15.19 from Dan Murphys, and at that price I think it warrants at least a six pack purchase. Drink 2010-2013+. 88 points.
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
I popped into The Wine Emporium on Friday last week and only walked out with 2 bottles of wine that cost $40 in total. Normally trips to this store are alot more expensive, so I consider myself lucky. This wine has a couple of notable stickers on the label: a Trophy and a Top Gold at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2009. I tend to regard show awards with a degree of suspicion, but I think the Adelaide Show is one of the better ones around. Anyways, enough waffle. Thirty minutes in the fridge to give the wine a light chill. Deeply scented with dark cherries and spice. On the palate, black cherries, spices, dark chocolate and cola. Beautiful balance, with soft tannins, and a richness that never seemed heavy. Good length, and good stuff for the price. 13.5% abv. Screwcap. $20 RRP. Drink 2011-2015. 89 points.
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Tempranillo, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
I have had this a couple of times in the past few months, and either the wine has settled and improved significantly in those intervening months, or is it just a cork variance. Either way, I think I have consumed both of these bottles too early. I reckon 8 years (or thereabouts) is a good ballpark figure to the start of its drinking window. A bright nose, lively fruits, plums, fruitcake, Christmas spices, cinnamon, with a touch of caramel and earth, and some varnish and spice. The palate is strongly flavoured, robust black fruits, plums, spices, earth, new leather, caramel and something not unlike stalk. Enjoyable now, and though there certainly is a lot to contemplate when swirling the wine, it should be better with another 5 years.
Other vintages: 2004
Rated : 92+ Points
Tasted : Sep09 and Dec09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $51
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2015+
Source : Cellar
Website : Rockford
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | 3 Comments »
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
I don’t drink many whites from the Barossa. This one is a blend of, hold your breath, 50% Semillon, 15% Marsanne, 14% Viognier, 10% Ugni Blanc, 6% Grenache Blanc and 5% Vermentino.
Semillon seems to dominate the nose, with lemons and slate, hard green fruits, a certain dryness and flint. The palate is different, and though it does have lemons, straw and dry grass, it isn’t particularly tart, and it has some fleshy yellow fruits with honey and a some more rounded fruits in the background. Very refreshing and pretty good value. Drink over the next few years. By the way, the current vintage is 2008, but hopefully this review will be useful anyway.
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Aug09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $20
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar
Website : Spinifex
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Semillon, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
This has been open for one week now, and it is drinking well every night, and changing subtly every time it is sampled. Quite a peaty nose, with black cherries and raisins, a touch of whisky spirit, fig and spice. The palate is quite dry and lean, though there are hints of raisins and dried pears, that give some sweetness to the front palate and the finish. The mid-palate dips with some black currants and peaty mouth-coating fruits. A lovely rounded mouthfeel, great length and very refreshing. No heat at all. A drier style, but I like it like that. Great stuff!
Rated : 94 Points
Tasted : Jun09
Alcohol : 19.5%
Price : $32
Closure : Cork under Wax
Drink : 2009-2010
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Rockford
Posted in $20 to $50, Australia, Barossa Valley, Fortified, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
A blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier. And with regard to the Viognier, that’s about 5% too much. A nose of plums and apricots, sweet florals and allsorts: quite an odd combination of confection with toasty notes, milk chocolate and apricot essence. The palate is creamy, with milk chocolate, red plums, confection, silky tannins and beautiful poise. A toasty finish. A very tough one to rate, because personally I would not buy it again and would not really choose to drink it. Your mileage might vary.
Rated : 93 Points
Tasted : Jun09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $49
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2014
Source : Cellar
Website : Spinifex
Posted in $20 to $50, Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
A blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mataro and 10% Shiraz. Aged in seasoned oak. A terrific nose, showing warm spices and black fruits, blackberries and ripe mulberries, with a touch of earth. The palate is juicy, with mulberries and plums, Christmas spices and a touch of savoury meatiness. The tannins are fine and slinky. Very classy and very satisfying. Drink over the next 5 years or so.
Rated : 92 Points
Tasted : Jun09
Alcohol :14.5%
Price : $30
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2016
Source : Cellar
Website : Teusner
Posted in $20 to $50, Australia, Barossa Valley, Grenache, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Saturday, June 20th, 2009
Every now and then I treat myself to a much-anticipated bottle. So it was with much expectation that I opened this wine. A relatively simple nose, showing purple jubes, plums, milk chocolate, a woody spice, a touch of acetone and more purple jubes. On the palate, bright fruits, rich plums and clean earth, but overwhelmingly confected and particularly acidic. A sour finish. Not much depth to the fruit, and it was at this point that I had to seek some counselling from the master Gary, because this just wasn’t right. Anyway, he had this a couple of years ago and rated it very highly, so I can only conclude that this wasn’t a typical bottle, hence the ‘?’ in the rating.
Rated : 87? Points
Tasted : Jun09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $50
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2014+
Source : Cellar
Website : Rockford
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | 3 Comments »
Friday, May 15th, 2009
This was purchased at the same time as the 2005 St Henri. Whenever I do buy something at Dans, I always buy 6 bottles (or more) to get the discount; not that I mind, because I like to try some different wines. A simple nose, showing plum and spice. The palate is pleasanty spicy, with red plums, liquorice all sorts, confection, brown sugar, and some char. Not a lot of fruit depth, average length, and strangely after initially finding it very appealing (up there close the Teusner Riebke) I did tire of it quite quickly. I have another bottle, so will try that soon and report back if it shows better (or worse).
Rated : 85 Points
Tasted : May09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $16.90
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2011
Source : Dan Murphys
Website : Epsilon
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »