It’s that time again. These wines didn’t quite make it up onto the site in October…
Yelland & Papps Devote Roussanne 2015
From Greenock. Wild fermented, basket pressed and matured in 29% new French oak. Unfined and unfiltered. 200 dozen made.
Awfully serious wine this. There’s plenty of barrel and lees character dominating both nose and palate – probably too much – but there is still plenty of red apple varietal signature too, and with a pithy, phenolic finish. Less time in new oak would be welcome here (and the oak tannins on the finish signal that), but there is plenty of promise and length here. Still enjoyable. and likely to improve with 12 months in barrel. Best drinking: 2017-2020. 17/20, 90/100. 12.5%, $40. Would I buy it? I’d go a glass for sure.
Henschke Archer’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2015
From the Archer Vineyard planted in the mid 80s at Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills.
Tight and citrussy, the nose lightly scented with wood before a slightly tart and even a little forward palate of white peach and then grapefruit acidity. There’s an old school style to this with the hint of nectarine that marks it, complete with wood tannins and a finish that is a fraction tart.
Plenty of flavour here, and length is good, but the balance isn’t quite right for glory. Best drinking: 2016-2021. 16.8/20, 89/100. 13%, $35. Would I buy it? Not quite.
Longview Nebbiolo Rosato 2016
Great new packaging here. Nebbiolo based. Light pale pink, this is quite delicate, even though the style is driven by tannins. Bone dry, there is a passing suggestion of strawberry before a slightly sour finish. The hint of candy through the finish is enjoyable but this feels ever so lumpy too, the acid a jarring way to end things. Pleasant enough, but it’s just not quite smashable. Best drinking: 2016-2017. 16.8/20, 89/100. 13%, $25. Would I buy it? A glass would do.
Hither & Yon Aglianico 2014
Dark and earthy with a prominent old oak hessian stamp. More oak and extraction than varietal stamp though there’s some black cherry and herb action in there too. There’s good fruit power here but it struggles just a fraction behind the barrel work and tannins. Best drinking: 2018-2025. 16.5/20, 88/100. 13.8%, $27. Would I buy it? Not quite.
Yalumba Galway Vintage Malbec 2013
Barossa Valley Malbec. Why not?
Great purple colour – vibrant purpleness for what is a three year old, $17 wine. All plum, bark and a little raspberry on the nose, the palate juicy, if a little skinny but finishes dry and grippy. It’s built on fruit, and only light to medium bodied and a bit lean but the late tannins give interest. Good value stuff. Easy recommendation. Best drinking: 2016-2019. 16.5/20, 88/100. 13%, $17. Would I buy it? Not personally but would recommend.
Tahbilk Viognier 2016
Tight and made like in a reductive, aromatic style (which rarely works with Viognier). Not overly varietal, with just a little peach on the nose. Palate is just crisp white water – not much varietal character at all then a tart finish. Needs more varietal love, even though it is quite long. Best drinking: 2016-2019. 16/20, 87/100. 13.5%, $21.30. Would I buy it? No.
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3 Comments
Hi Andrew, thank you very much for the continued great tasting notes, including the huge variety etc.
It is a refreshing pleasure to read the honest straight forward views in everyday language.
I also have a hobby of blending port and muscat in small barrels (which end up all over the state with friends ) and I often wonder how wine tasters would rate the wine and if or when results would actually marries up with the view of the average consumer?
Thanks again and I look forward to more of your findings.
Best regards,
John
Pleasure John.
On the question of how wine tasters ratings much up with average consumers I’d have to say that I’m less generous than most consumers. You can’t help but be critical when some days I’m tasting 100 wines (a small proportion of which make it up here on site), but that’s kind of the way it goes.
How good is muscat though? Delicious. Yum. There’s a bottle of Morris Muscat on the counter at home in my world too.
Thank you, love you honesty.
John