29 June 2017

A tale of some brilliant Aussie wines

While I was down under with Wines of Greece spreading the word about Greek wines I did manage to taste some lovely drops of brilliant Aussie wines. Australian wines never cease to amaze me delivering a high level of excitement and a fascinating diversity of varieties and styles. In a nutshell anything is possible in Australia, even adopting semi carbonic maceration for Chardonnay!

Shiraz: Two worlds of Barossa

Penfolds Grange 2011

This is beyond any doubt an impressively structured wine. Smells very intense expressive of coffee, smoke and juicy black fruit. Massive on palate, drinking nicely now but definitely needing more time to unveil more complexity. 94/100

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2013

Costs a fraction of what Grange demands (850 vs 60 Aus dollars) yet over - delivers showing the elegant face of Barossa. Yes it obviously exists. Floral nose with abundant fresh fruit and lovely spicy aromas. Oak is majestically integrated without feeling at all. Refined, almost silky on the palate this is a gorgeous Syrah. 96/100

St Hugo Shiraz Private Collection Rowland Flat Region 2012

The most exciting and elegant Shiraz out of a nice selection tasted in the winery. Peppery, savoury and firm this leans more to the Old World in style a long lingering finish. 92/100

Rockford Semillon 2014

Lovely expression of Semillon with the 9 months maturation in Hungarian oak providing more complexity retaining though the typicity of the variety. Honey and nuts on the nose, expressive and concentrated. Beautifully layered on the palate, dense with with buttery undertones to the ripe stone fruit core 92/100

Spinifex Riesling 2016

Mineral and smoky, no sign of TDN with depth of fruit on the palate. Lovely oak handling to the med full body. Intense ripe and layered this not your ordinary Aussie Riesling. (25% fermented as whole berries, 10% ferment in old French oak (500L), partial malolactic fermentation with the balance in Stainless steel. All indigenous yeasts matured on lees for 4 months. No filtration). 93/100

Kalleske Plenarius Viognier 2016

This is a skin contact wine with Viognier having spent a week on the skins and then matured 10 months in larger format oak. Intensely aromatic with a nice interplay of fruity and honeyed aromas along some floral notes. Textural and oily with a light tannins this shows a lovely elegance as well. 90/100

Jim Barry Assyrtiko 2016

Very youthful and holding nicely one year after the vintage. Light floral notes on the nose over citrus and stone fruit. Vivacious and more mineral on the palate with tension and character. 91/100