Montalto Mornington Peninsula Pennon Hill Chardonnay 2013

Its not exactly chardonnay weather, but hey, when in Rome whiz in the Trevie. The Montalto Mornington Peninsula Pennon Hill Chardonnay 2013 is everything I love about Oz chardonnay - lean grapefruit, integrated oak, tart white peach flesh and soft and subtle white licorice powder: I know I bang on about white licorice powder, but its there I tell ya. And the price? A bargain at sub $30.

Cannot wait for summer.This and my coal BBQ with some whiting and snapper. Yep, SOD-OFF winter.

Drink with chicken risotto now, the above when warmer.
Drink till 2018
96
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $27-$30

Storagiste - A love story

Rory loves Barney. Barney loves Rory. The Story loves Garagiste and begat Storagiste. I should write smoochy-smoochy books I reckon.

A field blend jobby from Rory of The Story and Barn of Garagiste; The Storagiste Henty and sundry Chardonnay/Riesling/Pinot Gris/Gewurzt 2013 - its smashing and smashable all in one with great notes from all four varieties - real Turkish delight, citrus, pear, wax, kumquat. Get it on Vagabond!!!

Drink with a crab sandwich
Drink now
95
Screwcap 12%v/v $23 Seddon Wine Store

Fathers Day 2013

A gorgeous start to spring. A ride in the park with the kids and Erin. A super roast chook. A delicious wine - the Giaconda Beechworth Chardonnay 2006 Cette Bouteille porte le No. 4882 ; Developed. Sensual. Beautiful. Stunning. Happy Fathers Day indeed.

Savaterre Beechworth Chardonnay 2010

A slap and a kick for being so quick. The result? Savaterre Beechworth Chardonnay 2010.

A fantastic wine. A fantastic chardonnay. Colour is developing quick with a pale yellow coming through; must add that I had this 6 months ago and the colour was still pale straw with a green hue. The nose is a mix of white peach, supple citrus with funky burnt match and white licorice powder. The palate has an instant hit of rich stone fruit of peach and locuts. Citrus acid ties more white peach and licorice powder at the end. All in all, it was a nice stuff up - not by Keppell though.

It;'s still tight and it's got plenty left in the tank.

Drink with braised ling and pancetta
Drink till 2020
95
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $80 Seddon Wine Store

Byrne Ballarat Chardonnay 2011

How could you not love the label? More importantly, how could you not love the wine. The Byrne Ballarat Chardonnay 2011 is a work of art both outside and inside the bottle. Having just this week arrived at Seddon Wine Store after a quick taste with Alex and Jeremy earlier in the week, this chardonnay is a great weapon to take to the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd. But seriously, this is a great example of old and new; old being toasty oak and bold fruit, and new being steely citrus and gun powder flintiness.

So, the wine. Pale yellow in the glass, the nose is a mix of vibrant grapefruit pith, licorice powder, toasty oak and subtle leesy goodness. The palate also follows the grapefruit line up front thanks to mouth watering acid in the way of its 12.5% alcohol, but then tails away with mealy almonds and soft fig notes with lingering briney minerality at the end. A cracking wine from a tough vintage. And another great label Alex.

Drink with green papaya salad
Drink till 2016
96
Screwcap 12.5% v/v $32 Seddon Wine Store

Top of the tree in 2012

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.

The remains of 2012 - Bindi Macedon Ranges Cuvée V Chardonnay/Pinot Noir

I reckon later on today I will post my top picks for last year, even though it is this year today, the year after last that finished yesterday. You get that?

The Bindi Macedon Ranges Cuvée V Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, disgorged 2011, is just pure sexual liquid goodness. I know I bang on about Bindi wines pretty much all the time, but in all honesty, there is not really a wine where you would tie up like a piñata and go to it with a stick is there? So, the wine.

Still holding a straw/yellow colour in the glass with a supwer fine bead, the nose has an instant whack of gingerbread - very festive don't you think? The palate pleases as much as the nose with generous brioche and more gingerbread in there all neatly held together by subtle grapefruit acid.

I have still got about 3 bottles of this in my cellar and am convinced that this wine will still be singing when my boy Henry will be graduating from uni, give or take 20-25 years I reckon. I reckon well.

Drink with tuna sashimi
Drink till 2030
98
Diam cork 12%v/v $$$

Bindi Macedon Ranges 1992 Chardonnay

It has come and gone just like that. Christmas 2012 is but a recent memory, and for some of us, a loosening of the belt. Like with most Xmas days I try and pull something schmick out of the cellar; didn't have to think too hard this year. The Bindi Macedon Ranges 1992 Chardonnay. It may not have a label, but when it is given to me by Michael Dhillon I just take his word for it.

The colour was turning orange with hints of straw yellow in the hue. The nose was a bomb of creme brulee, almonds and dried figs. The palate was just amazing with acid still prominent. There are not too many Australian Chardonnays that have the chutzpah to hang in there. Twenty years people, and a first vintage to boot!

Drink till 2015
Drink with my salmon gravlax - a Susan if ever there was one
99
Natural cork 12%v/v

Craiglee Sunbury Chardonnay 1996

Stonkingly. Good. Stonkingly good. Stonkinglygood. Doesn't matter how you say it. The Craiglee Sunbury Chardonnay 1996 was today's knock off beer at Bindi. But no, beer is really good after a hot day in the vineyard. But anyway.

Who would have thunk it that in 2012 a 16 year old Australian chardonnay would be this good. And youthful. And awesome. In the glass the wine still has a youthful white wine look about it, with just a touch of colour age about it. The nose smells very 1996 with crème caramel with some orange and grapefruit pith. The palate however? 1996 no way! A massive mix of soft butterscotch, creaminess, citrus in the way of pithy and taste, and above all fine and persistent acid. With a wine, and espicially chardonnay, at this age the acid would have pretty much been swallowed up by time. Not here. Acid is all preset here.

One of the best knock off beers I've ever had.

Drink with grilled marron
Drink till 2018
97
Quality cork 13%v/v http://www.craiglee.com.au/

Domaine Maurice et Anne-Marie Chapuis Corton-Charlemagne 2004

in•dul•gence    [in-duhl-juhns] Show IPA noun, verb, in•dul•genced, in•dul•genc•ing. noun

1. the act or practice of indulging; gratification of desire.
2. the state of being indulgent.
3. indulgent allowance or tolerance.
4. a catering to someone's mood or whim; humoring: The sick man demanded indulgence as his due.
5. something indulged in: Her favourite indulgence was candy.

Courtesy of http://dictionary.reference.com/

Tick. Tick. Tick. A stunning wine. The Domaine Maurice et Anne-Marie Chapuis Corton-Charlemagne 2004. Hazelnut meal, citrus, white peach, lean minerality. Sexy as a nut. That's it really.

Hoddles Creek Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2011

You see, a funny thing happened on the way to the winery. The Chardonnay grape, a grape that can be done this way or that, decided to stand up for itself and spoke to the winemaker who just happened to be driving the tractor. This is the conversation that took place, word for word; I swear!!!

Chardonnay Grape (CG) - hey winemaker person
Winemaker (WM) - yeah little chardonnay berry
CG - that building we are heading to, the winery. Now I'm not trying to tell you what to do when we get there, but I'm just giving you the skinny of what may happen
WM - the skinny hey. This should be good.
CG - sigh!!! Yes the skinny. Now when we get there I reckon you have two paths that you can take. First path is the old school path. This is where you allow me to suck up as much new and used oak as you can give me and then allow me to go through not one, but two ferments; oh the butterscotch. Secondly, the new school method where you can pick me green and just bath me in the steel tank just so as I can get all my sugar, which is not much, in to CH3CH2OH. Lovely!
WM - so then, you know the skinny.
CG - but, as the Bard would say, 'here in lies the rub!'
WM - since when do you read Shakespeare?
GC -you'd be surprised what gets passed along in the canopy. Anyway, whats it gunna be?
WM - well, seems you have been doing your homework, but I'm one step ahead of you.
GC - go on ......

This did go on for a while so I will not bore you with, as the Chardonnay grape calls it, the skinny. In the end the wine maker was all over the two methods - old and new school - and he managed to combine the two methods to bring us a chardonnay that is dripping in uber cool licks. The Hoddles Creek Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2011 is a wine that was made in a difficult vintage, but Franco D'Anna put together a cracking wine that has surely got to be one of the bargains of the year.

So the wine. All chardonnay on the nose with citrus and a touch of stone fruit and toasty oak. In the mouth there was plenty of natural acidity coming through, but there was also a great mix of more stone fruit and a touch of leesy creaminess without being bathed in butterscotch drops. Like I said, easy one of the bargains of the year.

Drink with grilled whiting
Drink till 2014
95
Screwcap 13.2%v/v $18 Prince Wine Store, Essendon

Fathers Day Reuben sandwich

The start of the greatest sandwich in the history of mankind - The Reuben.

• lots of corned beef
• lots of Swiss cheese, or Jarlsberg for the politically correct
• lots of Noisette multi grain bread
• lots of my Russian dressing - home made mayo, mustard, tomato sauce, horseradish cream and Worcestershire sauce
• lots of Sauerkraut
• lots of paper towel to wipe sauce from running down arm
• a good Chardonnay

The wine today is Sinapius Tasmanian Chardonnay 2010 from Pipers Brook; pretty much cos there was a glass left-over from last night, but also cos it has just enough acid to cut through the sauerkraut and corned beef. Not that I am proposing this is a great match to sauerkraut - don't think any wine would be, just cos once again it was convenient.

Happy Fathers day boys!!!!

Bindi Bottling 2012 - Quartz, Original Vineyard and Block 5

It's the day after bottling and the body is a bit sore and the house is quiet. And the rain keeps coming down. It's also cold! Hemingway I aint?

It should have been a quick day, but things don't always go to plan. What did go to plan however was the quality of the wine. The Bindi Quartz Chardonnay, Original Vineyard and Block 5 Pinot Noir's were all sitting in tank, all looking schmick as, but the mobile bottling truck got bogged at the top of block 4. It's a big truck, and big trucks do not get un-bogged easily.

It was also a slow start down here in Brunswick. All things being equal, I should have been in the winery at 7.30am, which is a 6.50am departure from home. Finishing work at midnight after a 15 hour day means that when the alarm goes off, a flurry a lewd expletives follows, the alarm gets tossed and sleep returns. So waking up at 8.45am, more expletives, a cold shower thanks to gas works and I'm off up the Calder. I pull up to the winery and the Quartz has all been bottled and some usuals, some newbie's, are milling around the winery enjoying cake and morning tea. I am greeted with a glass of Quartz Chardonnay, with Michael nodding, 'What do you think?'. Well, what do I think? I think this is a stunningly linear and focused wine that, the stuff I'm sipping anyway, didn't make it to bottle. Just imagine what it's going to be like in the bottle over the coming years - bit like a 1st year player winning the Brownlow.

It was the Original Vineyards turn next with the gremlins of earlier coming back. After a splutter the bottling line got rolling along nicely and the next thing you know there are 4 palates packed away and lunch is waiting in the winery. The Block 5 Pinot was next and like the Original Vineyard, some gremlins hindered the start but as soon as we knew it we had 2½ palates or so and things were motoring.

The last wine is one that Michael will be experimenting with over the next few years. When I say experimenting I mean that he is taking a sample of juice from the bottom and top of Block K, the highest altitude block on the vineyard, and holding it back for at least 3 years to then release to the thirsty public.

So another bottling done, my 14th, and like all bottling we pulled up seats in the winery and savoured some of Bindi's best wines. This year, like I said earlier, there were quite a few newbie's and they were duly treated to a recently disgorged Blanc de Blanc 1994 out of magnum. What a stunning wine with a beautifully tight bead and golden colour. this was followed with a 2007 Composition Pinot Noir which was pretty much drinking at its peak, a 2008 Block 5 Pinot Noir which is still quite young and not giving away too much and a specially made 2005 Vue de monde Pinot Noir that had all the hallmarks of an aged Bindi Pinot Noir - clean acidity with savoury earthy notes standing over a sun-setting tone of bright red fruit. So, another bottling done, with the end of February already booked in for the 2012 Composition's and Pyrette Shiraz. I will be heading up to Bindi before then for other bits-and-bobs, but it's always a little bit more gratifying coming home down the Calder with a booty of freshly bottled gems.

Hoddles Creek Yarra Valley 1er Chardonnay 2010

I love this wine, and I have fallen back in love with Yarra Valley Chardonnay - this Yarra Valley Chardonnay anyway.

The Hoddles Creek Yarra Valley 1er Chardonnay 2010 is all heirs and graces (whatever that means I dont know) with a delicious blend of new world razor sharpness and old world finesse and style. Straw colour in the glass, the nose is singing between tart grapefruit, mealy almonds and licorice powder.

Like another recent fave of late - the Eastern Peak 2008 Syrah - this wine almost sits cool in the mouth. Not Fonzy cool, but temperature cool. From my tasting notes we drunk this wine at temperature range of about 6-10 Celcius, and the cooling idea comes from the way it just sat in the palate so effortlessly.

Back to the wine at hand. The palate was like the nose, with a wonderful mix of tight citrus acidity, but as the wine developed over the night, a denser Puligny-Montrachet feeling came to the fore with licore powder and minerlaity.

A welcoming wine from many years of citric acid madness I say.

Drink with veal cutlets
Drink till 2018
97
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $42 Albert Street Food & Wine

Michel Niéllon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Burgundy at Albert St

It would be very easy of me to waffle on about these wines, but I won’t. All I’ll say is that they were both exquisite, with the 1982 coming in just that little more perfect. And to think, Michel Niéllon has only .22 hectares; thats about 2000 vines. Thats Sweet FA!

Michel Niéllon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 1982 – still holding its colour and acidity, this wine has soft crème brulee and licorice powder flowing the whole way through the glass. A pleasure to drink. 100/100

Michel Niéllon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 1983 – colour had turned a slight orange with an abundant mix of truffles and crème brulee. 99/100

Cantina Cellaro Luma Inzolia/Chardonnay 2010, Sicily Italy

This came across my bow about a month ago and from the first whiff and sip I was hooked. Massive fan. Huge!

On a segue, do you remember that corny wine commercial for Nottage Hill from the 90's where one of the two nimrods keeps saying, '... it's not-taa, it's not-taaa...' Basic proviso is that he couldn't pick A) the aroma and B) what type of wine it is. Well this sort of happened with the Cantina Cellaro Luma Inzolia/Chardonnay IGT 2010. I could get the shot of grapefruit citrus burst, but I was searching for the Inzolia - the native white variety from Sicily - and couldnt pick it, but you get that sometimes.

Like I said, a great burst of grapefruit and raw lick of minerality; the river stone type of minerality, with beautiful and pristine acidity that doesnt get out of control. Very austere and pure, and just a pleasure to drink. Just love it!!

Drink with spagetti and prawns
Drink till 2014
97
Diam cork 13.5%v/v $32 Albert Street Food & Wine, Brunswick

Mitchell Harris Macedon Ranges/Pyrenees Sabre Chardonnay/Pinot Noir 2008

To say that the Mitchell Harris star is on the rise is quite frankly beyond obvious! The Mitchell Harris Macedon Ranges/Pyrenees Sabre Chardonnay/Pinot Noir 2008 is a spankingly good wine that just kept giving. The colour certainly belies its three years on lees with a lovely off gold/bronze tinge and constant fine bead. The nose dance’s between brioche and tort grapefruit and then really comes alive in the palate with a combination of subtle red fruit followed by a great finish of gingerbread. With a pedigree from Chandon, Jonno Harris producers a wine that ticks all the right boxes with the first sparkling release under the Mitchell Harris label. And like the piggy, I just want more - cracking job mate!!

Drink with salmon gravlax
Drink till 2016
97
Diam cork 12.5%v/v www.mitchellharris.com.au

Eldridge Estate Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2009

After a weird call to the wine store this morning I thought this was appropriate.

A beautifully crafted Chardonnay from the peninsula. The Eldridge Estate Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2009 is sort of a step back to the close past – you get that? What I mean is this a Chardonnay that isn’t made in the Chablis style of tort acid and citrus. This wine has the beautiful texture of Chassagne Montrachet with a burst of stone fruit, soft grapefruit and persistent licorice powder. This is a wine that was made 10 years ago, before the time when it was uber chic to make chardonnay with piercing acid and nothing else. (Don’t get me wrong. I like acid and grapefruit in Chardonnay, but I also like complexity and fullness too.) Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

Drink with pork and pistachio sausage
Drink till 2016
97
Screwcap 13.7%v/v $47 Albert St Food & Wine, Brunswick

Vadiaperti Campania Falanghina IGT 2009

This is not for the faint of heart. The Vadiaperti Campania Falanghina IGT 2009 is a wine that cannot easily be pigeon-holed like a chardonnay, riesling or sauvignon, where all three in one way or another can be mistaken for the others. Very often with ‘exotic’ varieties you have people ask what other variety is it similar to; well this variety has a ‘hole’ all of its own! Captivating on the nose with a touch of candied grapefruit and dried herbs, the palate throws all manner of savoury notes of more dried herbs, acid and white phenolics. It is the mid palate where the dried herb aspect makes you stand to attention; its something that takes a while to put your finger on, but its there, trust me. A cracking wine and club house leader in my fridge right now.

Drink with risotto of goat’s cheese and asparagus
Drink till 2014
94
Natural cork 13%v/v $33 Albert St Food & Wine, Brunswick

Giaconda Beechworth Chardonnay 2008 bottle # 01438

Start the new year with a bang I say. Quite simply our best chardonnay producer, the Giaconda Beechworth Chardonnay 2008 was simply stunning. Tight green hue in the glass, the aroma is full of grapefruit and peach with burnt match stick and licorice powder. The palate is full of melon and a creamy nuttiness that manoeuvres in to a stonefruit tail. Just brilliant!

Drink with grilled marron
Drink till 2018
98
Screwcap 13%v/v $88 mailing list 3 years ago www.giaconda.com.au