Do not blink. This wine is all but sold out. Really.
The Jericho Adelaide Hills Fumé Blanc 2013 is part of a new project by the Jericho family (funny that) who if you add it up have been involved in the Australian wine scene for over 100 years. And this is the first release. Good things come to those who wait I guess.
So the wine. I guess it is no secret that I am a Sauvignon fan. A very rare beast in this industry I must say: lots of folk would rather walk blindly out in to Punt Road traffic then quaff a Savvy B. Dumbarses. Again, the wine. A great mix of pithy passionfruit and sharp pink grapefruit on the nose. The palate has an instant hit of chalky minerality followed with long dry herbal notes, more passionfruit pith and finishes with a creamy barrel leesy feel. Just great.
Drink with roast chook - will be doing that tonight. Again
Drink till 2015 96
Screwcap 12%v/v $24 Seddon Wine Store
This is a shiraz drinkers Pinot. That's a blanket statement indeed. The Ashton Hills Adelaide Hills Cemetery Block Pinot Noir2013 dark fruit and spice on the nose with a mix of tart blood plum and toasted brown spices. The palate is what its all about though with a thick a viscous line of toasted spice, earth - blood and bone sticks out like the proverbial, sublte soy sauce, more dark fruit and soft and fine chewy tannins. SexyAsNuts!!!
Drink with BBQ duck
Drink till 2017 96
Screwcap 14%v/v $35ish
You can throw all the cliches you want at this one, but finally I am releasing my best of 2013. But hey, if James Halliday can release the Wine Companion in August with the following year's title on it with current release wines then, 'what the heckity heck bang chuck', as my five year old son Henry would say. Sorry James.
There is also a new moniker to add to the blog: The Paul Keating Wine, '...the recession we had to have' here becomes, 'the wine you have to have'. Yeah, what are you going to do hey.
So, 2013 hey. For me it was dominated by reds and a few steamy imports. So without further adieu and the blah blahs, here we have the best of 2013.
Mac Forbes Strathbogie Ranges RS16 Riesling 2013 - a most beautiful wine with the RS16 effectively telling the drinker that it has 16 grams per litre of residual sugar. But you wouldn't know. Sexy as nuts this one.
Man O' War Waiheke Island Dreadnought 2009 - pretty much the perfect Right bank blend you can have; from the Right bank or for anywhere for that matter. Stunning balance of fruit weight and minerality and an early club house leader.
BK Adelaide Hills Cult Syrah 2012 - the 2011 of this was my fave for 2012 and an example of certain wine experts going far to fucking early in writing off 2011 (Just today sampled a Geelong 2011 Pinot Noir that was simply singing!!!). Superb balance of cool climate Syrah - blackberry, soy sauce and black olive tapanade. Will not be the last time you see those tasting notes typed. Sorry no pic, must have deleted.
Sutton Grange Bendigo Fairbank Rose 2013 - Not only the best Rose's of last year but almost the top dog. A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and a squirt of Merlot (yes Merlot you dilettantes), this wine got me with its classic onion skin colour and funky fermier cider mid palate. Oink oink!!!
Precipice Yarra Valley Syrah 2012 - Pipped at the post for wine in show at the Yarra Valley Wine Show. Not bad for a bloke making his first wine on his own. And the bloke is Marty Singh. Watch this name.
Cavallotto Piedmont Dolceto d'Alba 2011 - I love Dolcetto and so should you: tart, crunchy, little tickle of herbs, earth, sex and other wicked stuff. Just get it.
The Melbourne Gin Company - Save the World - drink Gin. This one. Go on. Nice one Marksy!!!
Il Borghetto Toscana Montigiano Sangiovese 2011 - This is the wine that stopped me dead in my tracks. Seriously. What a wine. Seriously (again), this wine could be confused with a rootin-tootin red Burgundy. It is that good.
Giovanni Almondo Piedmont Roero Arneis 2010 - A wine that delivers an uncanny balance of tart bitter lemon and grapefruit with beautiful ripe pear and quince. A stunner.
Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2008 - Only the Bard can do this justice. A near perfect wine, but 100/100 really.
So there you have it. There were definitely some wines that are unlucky not to feature; Stoney Vineyard, Abbazia Di Novacella and Wickhams Road. But hey, 2014 is a big year, or 10 months to go anyway.
But the Paul Keating wine for 2013 - Il Borghetto Toscana Montigiano Sangiovese 2011. Twas the clubhouse leader back in September and kept the lead all the way to midnight December 31, 2013.
Special thanks and recognition to John, Paul, George and Ringo and the all time classic 'Revolver' playing throughout my banging of keys. xxooxx
Last year this wine, the 2011 version, was my wine of the year. Could it be two years running? The BK Adelaide Hills Cult Syrah 2012 is a wine that I believe giving the Adelaide Hills a really bloody good name. Seriously. Blackberry - think Marengo wild if you've been down there, otherwise just think stonkingly good blackberries - earth and spice with a long line of savoury soy and green edgeness. really, its super-great and if I can give a wine like the 2011 the gong for last year, just imagine what this is like coming from a schmicko year. Anyway, I love and dig it.
Drink with sticky beef short ribs
Drink till 2018 98
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $30 Seddon Wine Store
A beautiful wine this one. The Robert Johnson Alan Veitch Adelaide Hills Merlot 2010 is a wonderfully structured wine with layers of blue fruit, terracotta and tilled earth on the nose. The palate follows suit with blueberries having a very cooling effect on the primary palate which is then followed by subtle tannins with more blue fruit at the back. Not just a super wine, a super Merlot.
Drink with lamb and rosemary sausages
Drink till 2018 96
Screwcap 14%v/v $29 Seddon Wine Store
The Egon Müller name is alive and well and has a
home in the Adelaide Hills. To borrow from 'Iron Chef', if memory serves me correct, this Egon is number 4,
or IV as is custom; pretty good lineage don't you think?
The wine. The Kanta Adelaide Hills Egon Müller Riesling 2010 has a pale straw hue in the glass, with the nose throwing up an
interesting mix of faint lime cordial and also faint honey; very restrained. The
palate also has a great mix of limey acid and subtle honey, but also a real
great line of minerality that keeps the honey nice and checked. A good summer
Riesling indeed.
No, the world did not end. The Mayans sort of got it wrong with December 21st 2012 being cupitski for all of us mortals. Word is the Mayan's also predicted Beta VCR's would be the greatest invention since poncho's, the Spice Girls to collectively cure cancer and Corey Worthington to win a Noble Peace prize. Stick to human sacrifice next time Mayan's!!
What 2012 did bring to me was some pretty schmick wine positioned neatly in my glass. Last year saw just 6 wines for my top list. This year there are 10; 1 sparkling, 3 whites and 6 reds. Last year saw 5 whites and 1 red. More awesomeness in 2012 than 2011 I guess.
So without delay and in no particular order, here is the pick of the the 2012 tasting crop.
Viñero Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2010 - a new label from super-sommeliers Matt Brook and Liam O'Brien, the 2010 hit all the right notes from a cracking vintage; very cool climate and not too far off soft and sexy Chambolle-Musigny.
Between 5 Bells Geelong Red Wine 2010 - a whacky blend that just so beautifully worked; who'd have thunk that we could find a use for Zinfandel? No offense California (sic).
Albert Mann Alsace Pinot Blanc Auxerrois 2011 - continuing on my love affair with Pinot Blanc, the recent winery of the year according to Wine Spectator (I think) delivers a magestic little quaffer that delivers so much more that the price suggests. Just beautiful.
Bindi Macedon Ranges Cuvée V Chardonnay/Pinot Noir - I told you that this was going to be here. Bias or no bias, this wine just rocks.
Reichsrat Von Bulh Pfalz Riesling 2011 - I love Riesling, but what I loved about this beauty is its very unlike Rieslingness that just grabs you by the scruff of the neck and screams,' JUST DRINK ME!!!!!!!'
Fletcher Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo 2010 - my wine notes for this one were quite simple, 'Awesome. Breathtaking. Oursum. Captivating. Orsum. Sexxy.' You get that?
Best's Great Western Dolcetto 2010 - definitely bringing sexy back to Western Victoria, and definitely giving new world Dolcetto a voice.
By Farr Geelong Sangreal 2009 - Erin and I enjoyed this on Bastille Day last year in Perth. Enjoyed quite the understatement. Such brute power with such gentle force. Gary Farr knows his shit.
Sébastien Brunet Vouvray Arpent Sec 2010 - like my love for Pinot Blanc, my love affair with Vouvray also knew no bounds. I will make it a task this month to get this down at Seddon Wine Store, perhaps by the glass.
BK Wines Adelaide Hills Cult Syrah 2011 - just goes to prove that when you have a crap vintage, doesnt mean you have to make crap wine.
There you go, the top ten for 2012. And for the record, the By Farr Sangreal and BK Wines Syrah were the definate standouts. Cannot wait to see what 2013 has install.
Its the last day of the year. 2012 will be recent history this time tomorrow.
Sometime over the coming week I will compile my 'Best of 2012'. You can be sure that this wine will not only be in that list but will also feature on the podium. The BK Wines Adelaide Hills Cult Syrah 2011 . Cult indeed!
It is no secret that 2011 was fairly tough throughout south east Australia. One wine maker said to me that, 'you cannot make a turd shine but you can role it in glitter to make it sparkle'. Too true. This wine, however, shines and sparkles and quite simply perform a lap dance when considering the year should merely be flashing some boob.
So to the wine. The nose has an instant hit of brown spice - cardamon springs to mind straight away - with prickly subtle dark plum and red licorice; very northern Rhône. All very delicate and leaving me just wanting more. The palate starts with seamless soft tannins with acid flowing just after. More spice forms the mid palate with tart red fruit and more spice lingering all the way. I'm not sure how long this was; I don't time length like Robert Parker. Just superb.
Drink with smoked duck breast
Drink till 2018 98
Natural cork 13.5%v/v $32 Seddon Wine Store
Q. What are the two things you take home with you when you leave a wine store - assuming you have just purchased a bottle of wine? A. The wine of course, and the receipt. When its natural cork, the receipt is what stands between you and undrinkable wine.
Okidokey then. The BK Wines Adelaide Hills Skin n' Bones Pinot Noir 2011 - second bottle - was a pretty as a picture. Ruby red in the glass, the aroma was a mix of soft strawberries and tart cranberry and raspberry. The palate was brimming with more tart red fruit, little bit of spice, but tart red fruit; that's what the notes say anyway. And the 250 days? Dunno. Maybe on skins. A goodin' for the dollars.
Drink with spicey taco's
Drink till 2015 89
Natural cork 13.5%v/v $32 Seddon Wine Shop
About 4 months ago I reckon, Tony Nowell of Moor Street Wines sent me a message to see if I wanted to have a taste of a new wine he took on in his portfolio. Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it? At the time I was flat chat, and to be honest the list at Albert Street was pretty solid, so I passed on this occasion. Like I said, Hindsight!
So there I was last week in Blackhearts in Fitzroy North pondering on what to drink with my lamb chops. It was the last one so I thought I'd give it a whack. The Fletcher Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo 2010. Sexxy. Awesome. Breathtaking. Oursum. Capitivating. Orsum. Sexxy. These are just a few of the adjectives that I wrote down in my little wine black book.
Very much still in its juvenile stage, the Fletcher Neb does not come across as being in the new world Nebbiolo category; far from it. Checking back on the email Tony sent me, it mentions that the Fletcher, David, has spent many years in Nebbiolo world - Piemonte - where he has obviously learnt a thing or two about the why's and the what's of Nebbiolo. The wine has the slightest brown/bronze hue in the glass. The nose is all herb garden with sage leaf coming through with an intensity I have never seen in an Australian Nebbiolo. Sour cherries, subtle black fruit and youthful chewy tannins all held in check by lip smacking acid. As close to perfection as anything going around today from Australia. Awesome.
Drink with rosemary crusted lamb chops
Drink till 2030+
98
Diam cork with wax coat 13.5%v/v $50 Blackhearts & Sparrows, Fitzroy North or http://www.fletcherwines.com/
There's really not much to say about this cider except that it is by far and away the best cider that has been produced on this island - ever! A blend of apple and cider, the good folk at The Natural Selection Theory (Anton, Tom and James) have put together what can only be called a minimalist bevvie of apple and pears; tart and sweet blend together with natural sweetness and tart and grippy pear wrapped in the nebulas that it is. Sort of doesn't make sense but drinks spankingly well!
Drink with pork cutlet and apple coleslaw Drink now 95 Crown seal 7.5%v/v $26 at Albert Street Food & Wine
This is what happens when you have the best intentions in bringing home a bottle of wine for your better half after they have had a very big week back at work. So I pop it in the freezer whilst I try and make the house look pretty and all of that palavar, and then... No and then. It stayed in the freezer until this morning and what do I see? The perfect way to celebrate Australia Day 2012 - Wine popsicle! Sorry dear xxx
Been a strange day. Been a strange few days really. Head cold on Thursday. Sinus on Friday. OK Saturday – had dinner at Taxi, so I sort of had to of been. Mucho-Man Sunday – Erin’s birthday but I was still un-well. The thing with the ‘Mucho-Man’ thing is I tried too hard to make it the perfect day and by 3pm when I was about to put the lemon tart in the oven, Boom, I sort of got a bit dizzy and next thing you know I’m in bed not feeling well – again! And if you’re wondering the lemon tart was awesomely awesome!
It’s been a few weird days. But that was what the Domaine Lucci Adelaide Hills Merlot 2010 was like. Green and whacky day one; big and bold on day two; nice on day three and weird and funky on day four.
I really wanted to like this wine because the Pinot Noir version is so Billy Ocean! But here lies the rub, the Merlot is no Pinot Noir here. That’s it!
Drink with beef vindaloo leftovers Drink not now, maybe in a few years perhaps 88 Diam cork 13.7%v/v $30 Blackheart & Sparrows Brunswick
"what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
I'm bleary eyed this morning. It's not because I tied one on last night - that would be Friday nite. I'm bleary eyed this morning because I had a really restless nite sleeping. You see I had this dream where I was the 'Great Gatsby', Robert Redford version, and I was there in the Long Island mansion swanning around with a bevvy of beauties and a herd of hangers-on. My attention really got going in this dream when all of the sudden one of the said beauties was dancing ona table holding a bottle of S.C. Pannell Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo 2007; thats the funky shit!
So today as I sit at the kitchen counter, I am reading in peace yesterdays and todays The Age newspaper, and I read not one but two articles with reference to 'The Great Gatsby'. Am I still dreaming or am I actually writing this?
So, onto the wine then. It wasn't that long ago that I pulled one of these out of my cellar. A dark and dirty reddish purple in the glass with lovely and dependable aroma's of rose petals, cherries and a leather the longer it sits in the decanter. Lip smacking tannins give way to big and full fruit, but not ripe fruit; tart and crisp instead. It's a great example of a very good Nebbiolo being made in Australia.
Drink till 2022 Drink with braised goat 92 Screwcap 14.0%v/v $50 Dan Murphy's Hawthorn East
Meet my new best friend. The Domaine Lucci Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2010 by Lucy Margaux Vineyards has in the past two weeks been emptied three times here in downtown Brunswick, which suggests that I either start buying in bulk or start bribing Blackheart and Sparrows, cos I have no doubt that there will be more clanking of this wine in my recycled bin in the coming weeks.
Quite striking to look at, the label to me is part Donnie Darko, part oh-so-Brunswick and part Winston Salem if you know what I mean. In the glass the wine looks the part with a chalky and dusty looking red thanks to a minimalistic approach in the wine making. You wouldn't pick this for a young wine with already forward notes of tart cranberry and raspberry all married together with racey acid and grippy finish, yet not overly grippy.
Whatever you do, do not 'not' buy this wine. It's a fair dinkum ripper!
Drink with assiette of lamb drink till 2017 98 Diam cork with wax seal 13.8%v/v $32 Blackheart and Sparrows Fitzroy North and Brunswick
I like being surprised. I was at St Judes Cellars a few weeks ago having a chat to Sean behind the jump, and we were talking about the resurgence of chardonnay. Did you know that for the first time in yonks, chardonnay has eclipsed sales of savvy b in Australia (going off first half of the year sales from Vintage Cellars); that’s pretty huge!
Now I’ve always been a chardonnay fan; never understood the ABC set – anything but chardonnay. All you need to do is go through my blog and seethe praise I fork out to such players like Bindi, Giaconda, By Farr and Oakridge to name a few.
So, like I said, I was having a wee chat with Sean at St Judes about chardonnay and he asked me if I had had the Barratt Piccadilly Valley lately. No was my reply. Is it any good asked? It most certainly is was his reply. Long story short I gave him some money and took a bottle home.
In the glass the wine almost has a Riesling like clarity. We let the wine sit for about 25 minutes just to get it closer to room temp. After that there was an abundance of grapefruit zest and just a little bit of locut in there too – haven’t seen that in chardonnay for yonks. Gorgeous acid was accompanied by more grapefruit, slight toast and licorice powder; a super chardonnay indeed.
Wonderful balance and length, with complexity and weight evenly balanced. A no-brainer for the XMAS stocking this year.
Drink with scallop ceveche Drink till 2014 96 Screwcap 13.5%v/v from St Judes Cellars and www.barrattwines.com.au
Well, another Christmas Day is done with! I was sheepishly greeted by my daughter Imogen this morning with, ‘...only 364 sleeps till Christmas dad’. I certainly hope that this countdown does not have legs; she already has one for when she starts prep and her birthday is in March so three countdowns before New Year would not bode well here in Brunswickistan.
Yes, yesterday here in Brunswickistan was a massive effort; presents, more presents, mud crabs, prawns, smoked salmon, Champagne and then Grandma and Papa arrived with Aunty Meaghan with even more presents for a sugar hyped 4 year old and more wrapping paper for Henry’s first Christmas Day
As usual, when there is a get together at my place, I do the cooking, so yesterday, bar the Christmas pudding and one massive ham was all up to me. The menu sort of read like this:
BBQ Tiger prawns with a fennel and Chinese salad like coleslaw (inspired by Andrew McConnell) Grilled zucchini and asparagus with truss tomatoes and chevre goats cheese Singapore chilli mud crab 6 kg Bertocchi ham! Tasmanian Smoked Salmon Home made ginger bread men - Henry's favourite as you can see below with Grandma Christmas pudding with brandy jelly The eating started at about 2.30pm and wound down by about 7pm I’d say (the obligatory picking ensued of course). Now for me, you cannot not have a Christmas Pud on Christmas day; it is by far my favourite plate. Yet yesterday my fancies were certainly with the smoked salmon and mud crab (that’s if you could get some from Mum’s plate!) The chilli was just right without offending more sensitive tummies.
There was no real thought to the wine yesterday, with some favourites and crowd-pleasers making up the numbers: Heidsieck & Co Monopole NV Champagne from Epernay Pommery Brut Royal NV Champagne from Reims Swings and Roundabouts Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Margaret River Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2008 from Adelaide Hills Majella Sparkling Shiraz 2001 from Coonawarra – Wine of the day! Willow Creek Tulum Pinot Noir 2008 from Mornington Peninsula Buckleys dark Bock ale from Healesville in the Yarra Valley
As I said, the Majella Sparkling Shiraz was the wine of the day, but it was the Buckleys dark Bock ale that was the obvious Susan for the day with an abundance of rich malt, coffee and raisin chocolate.
I am not going to bang on about the wines from yesterday cos’ I did not sit there with pen and paper jotting down notes on colour, nose and palate. Instead I sat back with my family and enjoyed the smiling faces of my two kids – that’s what Christmas day is all about. Now it’s time for leftovers for lunch and the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
I do love my cool climate wines; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sparkling and Shiraz – all have great demand in my Brunswick habitat. All of these wines can easily be grown and made in virtually every wine region in Victoria, bar the Murray Darling of course, yet it is to that hot of hot states South Australia that we go to today, who are in fact enjoying (sic) their hottest November on record, for some cool climate juice in the guise of the Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2007.
Now most of you out there know I am not a fan of over ripe South Australian juice from Barossa or Mac Vale, but the Adelaide Hills throw up wine that is made with all the savoury nuances that describe food friendly wines for the discerning wine drinker (or snob). After about an hour in the decanter, the colour of this wine (though nothing to do with the decanter) is deep red with a crimson purplish hue. The nose has an instant hit of licorice all-sorts and morello cherry with white pepper playing a role after a while. More sweet licorice in the mouth up front with fine grippy chappie tannins followed by a whack of pepper and more morello cherry. This is a delicious wine.
Super balance and length without having the weight of the world on its shoulders.
Drink with BBQ venison cooked rare Drink till 2019 96 Screwcap 14%v/v $39 from Randalls, Bridport St Albert Park http://www.randalls.net.au/
Fortieth birthdays are big occasions. This is obvious. People get dressed up, go and get their hair done (for an ungodly amount of money), buy a new pair of shoes or two and generally get caught up in the event. And why not! This birthday marks quite a mile stone in peoples live, similar to the 18th and the 21st birthdays. Yet the 40th is a birthday that is full of reflection, as opposed to starting a journey with a UDL can.
Six weeks ago, 24 of our friends and immediate family gathered at Esposito@Toofeys in Carlton and celebrated my true love’s 40th birthday. But this was no ordinary get together for lunch. With the help of Maurice Esposito in the kitchen and his front of house manager Michelle, 26 diners were treated to an 8 course degustation with matching wine (Maurice was kind enough to let me bring in our own wine) that was quite simply perfect.
About six weeks out from the day, I asked Erin what she wanted to so for her birthday. There was plenty of thought. There was little too-and-frowing. There were not too many options; party at our place – Nope, drinks at a pub/bar – nope, dinner at a restaurant? If we were going to do this, then it would have to be done properly. How about a dego I asked. OK Erin said. Done, now I just have to find a venue.
Toofeys was the second place I contacted with the first venue categorically stating they did not need our business, even though they averaged about 8 covers for Sunday lunch – obviously they did not need the $3,500 that was spent.
Next thing was to meet with Maurice and Michelle and work out a menu. With 20 odd people, there are always going to be some dietary requirements; vegetarians, pregnant women, gluten free and just plain ‘I don’t like that’ so all of this was laid out. Twenty minutes later we had the skeleton of the menu and of the wines also. Simple. And here it is with the matching wines -
Erin Taplin May 29th, 1969 with Esposito at Toofeys May 31st, 2009
Tathra oyster; red wine vinegar, ginger, soy and sesame Valdespino Manzanilla Delicioza, Jerez Spain
Chicken consommé with goats’ cheese tortellini, seared Greenlip abalone Henrique’s & Henrique’s Bual 15 year old Madeira and Bindi Sparkling Blanc de Blanc 1994, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Mud Crab with green apple, avocado and spinach essence Chateau Jolys Gros Manseng Sec 2006, Jurançon France
Wild Barramundi with braised fennel, salad of surf clams, baby mint Tapanappa Chardonnay ‘Tiers’ 2007, Adelaide Hills SA
Porterhouse roasted, potato puree, exotic mushrooms and 50 year old balsamic Yannick Amirault ‘Le Grand Clos’ Bourgueil Cabernet Franc 2006, Loire Valley France
Cheese: Bruny Island white mould cows’ cheese and Healey’s Pyengana Cheddar
Callebaut white and milk chocolate semi freddo with chocolate sorbet Mount Horrocks ‘Cordon Cut’ Riesling 2008, Clare Valley SA
As I commented before, Maurice kindly let us bring our own wine, something that saved us a pretty penny let me say. Matching wine and food is what I do, and I was very pleased that Maurice let me have some say in how the menu was constructed in order to get the most out of the wines. A lot of chefs will simply flat out refuse this, for what would a sommelier know about designing menu’s. Yeah, what would we know, we just bullshit our way through a service to sell booze!
Now the invitations. Invitations I learnt, are a serious matter. You just don’t send an email or a text and say, ‘hey, want to join us for lunch’. This is where the male and female brain is different – I would have probably done that. If I did my name would be mud.
Our good friend Fiona Sproles (http://fwoglegs.blogspot.com/) in absolutely no time came up with a fantastic invitation – just brilliant. Erin had requested everyone hold May 31, they obliged, and all we had to do was wait.
I really like good wine. I also like the idea of good wine, even when the wine is not that great. If this does not make sense, I’m sorry, what I am trying to say is that when something is average, it is easy to picture the average whatever being really good. That was hard.
So without further delay, Arrivo 2006 Nebbiolo from the Adelaide Hills should have been spankingly good, but was only just good – nothing more, nothing less unfortunately.
I was really looking forward to this wine. There has been plenty of press about this new producer from SA, all good as well. And the variety Nebbiolo, my favourite variety (red that is), is all about sex and lust and elegance and wackiness and just plain too much yum. But it wasn’t to be.
‘Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him well, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest’ Hamlet, act 5 scene 1 – William Shakespeare
You see, it says Nebbiolo so here was I quite excited thinking I’m going to get a bargain(?) at $55 and drink something comparable to Barolo – lovely word isn’t it? I think I was a bit disappointed, but I did raise the bar quite high don’t you think?
Anyway, on to the wine. The colour was very Pinot stylie; very translucent and very hazy. The nose was the highlight for me – dried beetroot and wild raspberry, but it took its time; give this fella quite a bit of time in a decanter. The mouth was very closed, tight, lean, crisp clean acid and not much more.
This is a wine that needs to be open a good day or two before drinking – fair dinkum. And it is not Barolo, so don’t go in there with your hopes to high.
Drink till 2020 Drink with slow braised meats or aged parmesan 16.5/20
