Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2008

As was in August 2011, only William Shakespeare can give it true justice:

My love is as a fever, longing still
For that which longer nurseth and disease;
Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,
Th' uncertain sickly appetite to please.
My reason, the physician to my Love,
Angry that his prescriptions are not kept, 
Hath left me, and I desperate now approve
Desire is death, which physic did expect.
Past cure I am, now reason is past care,
And frantic mad with evermore unrest;
My thoughts and my discourse as mad men's are,
At random from the truth vainly express'd;
    For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,
    Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

Sonnets 147

Brooding. Dark. Blackberries. Black Olive tapanade. Soy Sauce. Balsamic. Lust. Love. Envy. Need. Want.

The Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2008  

Drink!!!
Drink till you have licked all residual flecks from the glass
100/100
Diam cork 14.5%v/v

Bindi Heathcote Pyrette Shiraz 2009

Yes. Indulgences.
Full nose. Subtle blackberry conserve primary. Spice comes through. Savoury black olive tapenade. Smmoth fruit. Length. Length. Absolute indulgence. Super length. Not much left. Get it. But not mine.

Drink with char grilled beef - again I know
Drink till 2019
98
Diam cork 13.5%v/v 

Heathcote II Heathcote H.D. Shiraz 2009

An infant indeed. Dark and brooding and full of promise. Some wines are not meant for laying down. Some are. This one is. The Heathcote II Heathcote H.D. Shiraz 2009 (H.D. for hand de-stemmed - can you imagine that!!) is brute strength on the 1st day, controlled anger on the 2nd day, presumed beauty on day 3 with elegance and intrigue on dayb 4.  A wine not for these times you might say.

Drink with steal au poivre
Drink 2015-2025+
96
Quality cork 14.5%v/v $89 http://www.heathcote2.com/

Heathcote II Heathcote Shiraz 2010

There are some wines which come out of the blue and go whack to the senses. There are  wines that come out of the blue that are projected into cult status because they excite the masses. This is such a wine. The Heathcote II Heathcote Shiraz 2010. Stunning.

I'm going to call it. Heathcote II will enter cult status. Be it this wine or the premium shiraz or the Right Bank Blend Myola, Heathcote II's star is on the rise. I have no doubt. I also have no doubt that the two guys involved, Peder and Lionel, will be spoken of in the same light as Tim Kirk, Michael Dhillon and Rick Kinzbrunner for the immaculate way they treat the fruit from go to woe.

Anywhoo, enough back slapping for the time being. Broodingly dark in the glass, the wine has a lovely perfumed nose up front of soft white pepper and brown spices. The palate is lifted with instant juicy tart blackberry and firm tannins. I will admit here that it wasn't till the second day of this being opened that I tasted the wine for the first time. You see on the day Peder and Lionel came through to show me the wine I was just coming off a bout of food poisoning and my tummy was still quite grumbly, so no wine and a third consecutive AFD if you don't mind!! So more of the second day palate; marzipan, black olives and seamless acid complement the blackberries and tannins that were up front. Stunning length. Stunning.

Drink with medium rare chateaubriand
Drink till 2025+
99
Quality cork 13.5%v/v $42 Seddon Wine Store

Vintage 2013 Bindi diary; Day 3

Day 3, but technically day 1 for me thanks to heat and a dumbarse motorbike rider. Anyway, I'm here and we're off and running for vintage 2013.

Quick re-cap; the Shiraz fruit arrived at the winery from Heathcote at about 6.30pm Saturday - about 14 tonne - where 15 wine bins with partial whole bunch were filled by about midnight. Sunday was all about keeping the pots covered and cool; do not want ferment to kick off just yet.

So here we are at Monday. A mini heat wave is what we are going through right now. Today was the seventh straight +30 degree day so keeping the winery cool, so that means crank up the air-con. But wait!! Before you cry out, 'wont someone please think of the planet', stop. Bindi is powered by solar panels and also has a wind turbine; both put power back into the grid. Oh it was so cool in the winery today.

Today was also the day I met the new family member up at Bindi - Meeka. I'm not good on dog breeds so I'm just going to take a stab and say she's an 8 week old kelpy-something-cross. One word - wooshie-wooshie-wooshie-woo (just be grateful I didn't spell the hyphen's!).

As I entered the winery this morning I was instantly hit with a massive whack of mulberry fruit and brown bread. Mulberry fruit is pretty obvious, but the brown bread was all due to the wild yeast; a wild yeast that hasn't kick off yet, but just introducing itself I guess. But brown bread, and it smelt awesome.

Now pump-overs are exactly what it sounds like. And its gotta be done. The cap hadn't risen so we had no ferment kickoff. That's exactly what we wanted. And that's it. One more pump over at 4.30, some fixing up of nets and that was the day. That and a swim in the pool and a steak lunch with a bottle of 2010 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cr. Civilised wouldn't you say.

Vinea Marson Heathcote Viognier 2011 Part II

Gorgeously textured, the Vinea Marson Heathcote Viognier 2011 is a true expression of this variety with exactly the right amount of apricot and other stonefruit to balance out with the acid and supple white phenolics. And if you want to know exactly what the right amount of stonefruit is for a viognier, then its 59!

Drink with pork cutlets - with fat on of course
Drink till 2016  
93
Diam cork 13%v/v $30ish

Vinea Marson Heathcote Viognier 2011

Remember about 7 or 8 years ago how Viognier was going to tackle Chardonnay's dominance in the white wine market here in Australia. This was of course before Savvy B went boom, and with it so too did Viogniers rise. Since then there have been few producers that have been able to deliver consistent wines that demand an audience. One of them is Mario Marson of Vinea Marson and the 2011 is another great example of Viogniers class with this version full of candied apricot and coconut balanced neatly with the right amount of acid with a hint of crisp white phenolics. I also should mention that this is a product of probably the toughest vintage Heathcote had faced in many a year with disease pressure not seen in Heathcote for as many as some can recall.

Drink with sticky pork sliders - an easy Susan
Drink till 2015
92
Diam cork 13.5%v/v $30ish

Laffers Lane Heathcote Shiraz 2010

A new offering from a staffer at Blackheart & Sparrows - Laffer Lane Heathcote Shiraz 2010.

From looking at the label I was imagining a wine that was made in the 'natural' way; go out and hug a vine and play it 'John Butler trio' bleeding heart music and all that palaver - so this is what I take from it; house on the bottom of a hill on a cold winters night with a million and 1 stars in the sky and a roaring open fire inside!What, me being cynical? Anyhoo, I was expecting something that was singing with tart fruit and achingly sharp acidity. What I got however was a beautifully crafted wine from what I would suggest would be very well grown shiraz fruit; Tim the anti-cynic in that sentence.

Deep crimson red in the glass, the wine had a great mix of black fruit and black pepper with an equal amount of dust to boot. Tart fruit on the front palate with acid and tannins holding perfect sway. The wine really went to another level at the back palate with beautiful black olives and black fruit fighting for dominance - olive won this time.

A great debut from someone who knows what they are doing, whoever they are!

Drink till 2017
Drink with roast beef
95
Diam under wax seal 13.5%v/v $32 Blackheart & Sparrows, Brunswick

Trellis Heathcote Syrah 2009

Catchy label isn’t it. The Trellis Heathcote Syrah 2009 turns out to be all of that; a Heathcote Shiraz/Syrah with a catchy label. Its dark and peppery and its got dark fruit and there’s a little bit of eucalyptus and the alcohol is prominent and its got a catchy label. Don’t know about calling it Syrah though, because as I said, its very Heathcote. But if you are in Melbourne and are wondering what to drink today, cos its such a crap day and all, this wine will warm you up.

Drink with a steak sandwich and woolly socks
Drink till 2013
88
Screwcap 14%v/v sub $30 I think Blackheart & Sparrows Brunswick

Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2008

Words fail me, so I’ll let someone else say it for me. The Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2008…

To the onlie Begetter of these insuing Sonnets. Mr. W.H. All Happinesse. And that eternitie promised by our ever-living poet wisheth the well-living adventurer in setting forth.
T.T.


From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,
But as the riper should time decrease,
His tender heir might bear his memory;
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed’st thy lights flame with self substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.


William Shakespeare; The Sonnets: 1


Drink with steak tartar
Drink till 2024
99
Diam cork 14.5%v/v $46 Purvis Cellars Balwyn and Bistro d’Orsay Collins Street

A nice wine - Luke Lambert Heathcote Nebbiolo 2008

I tried to love it. I wanted to love it. I was told I would love it. I was told I had to love it. I just liked it. The Luke Lambert Heathcote Nebbiolo 2008 is a good wine. It’s a good wine; a really good wine but it’s no Rocche, Conca or Conterni. There’s great tannin and acid structure. There’s pure roses and musk and there’s cherry. It’s a nice wine, but that’s it.


Drink with osso bucco
Drink till 2015
89
Bottle #1102/2918
Diam with wax seal 13.5%v/v $48 Rathdowne Cellars Carlton North

Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2006

“Be well my love
Be well
As you brave
The raging storm

Be well my love
Be well
Into a new world
We are born

Step out on the road
Alone for awhile
Underneath Dublin sky
The quiet grows....”

Luka Bloom – Be Well, The Acoustic Motorbike


Luka Bloom. We all know him and his music; raw, folksy, sometimes gut retching but always beautiful and poetic. So if Luka Bloom could be a wine he would be Vinea Marson, or more particular the Vinea Marson Heathcote Syrah 2006.


Hand-crafted by former Mount Mary and Jasper Hill winemaker Mario Marson, the Vinea Marson wines for me have always been of the highest quality, with the 2006 Syrah being just that. Strikingly reddish-purple in the glass, the nose throws up wonderful layers of black pepper and brown spice with notes of blackberry as well. super gorgeous in the mouth, this wine effortlessly brings together firm grippy tannins as well as black olive and licorice. A truly stunning example of Heathcote Syrah done well – just mouth watering!


Drink with beef and Guinness pie
Drink till 2019
96
Diam cork 14.5%v/v $36 www.vineamarson.com

Bindi bottling 2010 - Composition 2009 and Pyrette 2009

Last Saturday I was once again up in Gisborne for a bottling of Bindi; the Composition 2009 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the Pyrette Heathcote Shiraz 2009.

Once again it was a great day, this time thought there was pretty much a cast of thousands. Once again Gary and Jules were there; neighbours of Michael's. There was Cameron from Randalls of Albert Park, who is a regular up there and also Jason, a Mercedes car salesman who has been stung by the wine bug, and his wife Christina. But it was the the other entourage that made it pretty cool.

Yes Stuart Anderson was there again as he always is, but also up at bottling was Alec Epis of Epis Wines, who was extolling his grand advice on relationships and marriage (never married mind you) to us young folk, and the quiet spoken Pat Carmody from Craiglee of Sunbury.

All in all, about 20,000 bottles were put away; a pretty good day I would suggest. Now I could give the wines a critique here, but that would be wasteful seeing that they just went in to bottle. That and we did not actually taste the wines. This time we settles down to some back vintages of Bindi, with wines like Original Vineyard 2004, 2005 and 2007, and Compostion chardonnay 2006 and 2007. Yet for me the stand out for the wines was the Craiglee 2008 chardonnay - lean, mealy and just super sexxy!

And those who want to know, the lunch put on by Wendy was again too much yum!

South Pack tasting @ Transit Lounge Fed Sqaure, August 2009

It has been four months since I finished up at ‘The Point’ restaurant in Albert Park as Head Sommelier and traded in my ‘Laguiole’ wine knife in for Huggies night time nappies and sterilising teats twice a day – oh the joys of parenthood I hear you sigh. One of the great perks of being a sommelier of a restaurant like The Point was the steady stream of invitations to what seemed to be daily wine tastings in and around Melbourne; and it is no exaggeration when I say daily!

With so many producers out there trying to sell you their product, these tastings were not only important for them, but also for the trade in knowing the product you were selling. But us sommeliers are a busy lot, so you sort of have to pick and choose the tastings that are not only going to interest you, but tastings of wines that have a realistic shot of getting on to your list.

But as I said, for four months now it has been nappies and walks and 3am feeds. So it was a quick yes that James and Claire Lance from ‘Punch’ wines got from an invite I received from them for a tasting at Transit Lounge in Federation Square put together by South Pack, a wine group repersenting new Victorian winemakers.

So on a rainy Monday afternoon I toddled off to Fed Square and to probably one of the best ‘independent’ tastings I have been to. ‘... a fiercely independent collection of likeminded souls.’, read the handout as I entered the room filled with sommeliers, restaurant managers, wine retailers and wine writers, and on show were some of the brightest and hippest producers from Victoria; Barney and David from Allies, Timo Mayer, Luke Lambert, Lincoln Riley and Adam Foster of Foster e Rocco and Syrahmi.

What made this group of winemakers ‘likeminded’, was that all of them were singing the praises of low alcohol wine. This is not to be mistaken with ‘low carb’ or ‘diet wine’, but wine that is driven by savoury tannins and piercing acid made for drinking with food, and wine not driven by massive oak, ripe fruit and seem splitting alcohol; I reckon the highest volume was about 13.5%v/v shared by a few of the bigger reds on show.

As I said, it had been a while since I have done something like this, so it was good to see my own likeminded people as well and swap the obligatory story of horror diners and more to the point, horror nappies. But back to the wine.

With glass in hand, I tried to start with whites first, but the first stop was Luke Lambert with some really sexy Nebbiolo, my favourite wine – a 2008 and 2007 release with the 2007 being the standout with great early characteristics of Nebbiolo coming through. On to Foster e Rocco and then to Punch for a catch up with Claire and James and a chat on how everything is going out at the property since the February 7 bushfires; and things are looking good with minimal damage to the vines, but not so lucky with the winery however.

On the other side of the room were Barney and David from Allies, two of the nicest blokes in the industry I reckon. On heading over there I was pleasantly greeted by David with a warm ‘Hello Tim’ – do I know this bloke from somewhere I thought, which was also very easy to read from my expression when he then politely said, ‘that’s what your name tag says’ – I told you it had been a while. So for the next 20 odd minutes I learnt a lot more about these two, and more particular their wines and vineyards, which were all dynamite and very affordable also.

From here I ventured over to ‘macforbes’ followed by Jamsheed and finally with the very affable German, Timo Mayer. Having made wine with Gembrook and now Tibooburra, Timo has firmly entrenched himself as one of the Valleys more astute, and busiest, winemakers. And his current selection under his very Chambertin label, together with Bloody Hill and Big Betty labels, puts Timo in almost every corner of the Yarra Valley.

After having a wee chat with Timo, it was time to go. A quick beer with Claire Lance and I was off to Rockpool where I was meeting some of the aforementioned likeminded heads for some ‘witty’ banter, burgers, wine and more beer as well as a debate that is still going on now – Is Twin Peaks a child of the 80’s or the 90’s? My money is in the 90’s.

Here are the highlights of a fantastic line up:

Foster e Rocco Sangiovese Rosé 2009 - a fantastic pink number for the upcoming Spring Carnival; soft in colour with fragrant palate that is both dry and refreshing.

Punch Berry’s Creek Vineyard 2008 Noble Riesling – low alcohol makes this wine not only a great drop with season tropical fruit, but also as an aperitif with heaps of zingy acid.

Luke Lambert Heathcote Reserve Nebbiolo 2007 – a super drop with gorgeous notes of Nebbiolo characteristics coming through and at Barolo alcohol levels – 13.5%v/v, not the Australian levels.

Luke Lambert Heathcote Reserve Syrah 2007 – layered with liquorice and super firm tannins, this wine will definitely demand time and a decanter when you open her up (12.5%v/v).

Syrahmi ‘Maelstrom’ Heathcote Shiraz 2008 – ripe red fruit alongside a whack of pepper and perfume; a great follow up to the 2007 ‘Don’.

Allies Tuerong Viognier Saone 2008 – a wine that is definitely a personal style rather than the big oily imitators of the Northern Rhone. There is still apricot, but with a more balanced palate with soft acid and lowish alcohol – 13.5%v/v.

Allies Heathcote Stone Axe Shiraz 2008 – an immense wine this, with deep garnet red and no over ripe fruit make this one of the standouts of the tasting. This spent 19 days on skin which ended up extracting a perfect amount of tannin to balance a very savoury palate.

Mayer Yarra Valley ‘The Doktor’ Pinot Noir 2008 – the standout wine for me; 100% whole bunch pressed wine displaying a very complex nose and palate with savoury spice and game already noticeable. And you know what Timo said about the wine, ‘...it works!!’ Yes it does!

Season of Soup - Minestrone with Foster e Rocco 2008 Heathcote Sangiovese

Minestrone soup – this one I used to think was the hardest of the lot. Actually, I used to think soup in general was difficult and messy to make. It just turns out soup is mess, not difficult in its preparation.

The classic Minestrone from Lombardy includes pancetta for the salt kick. In Milan the recipe varies according to what is on hand, which is handy I guess. My recipe is pretty basic, and like the Milanese, variations come and go with what is in the pantry.

It’s hearty and filling and really is a few meals in one. And this is a great meal to have in the fridge or freezer when it comes to leftovers.

Tim’s Minestrone
· A good couple of glugs of olive oil
· Bacon or pancetta or cacciatore sausage or salami or cooked spicy lamb sausage
· 1-2 onions finely chopped*
· 2 garlic cloves; crushed
· 2 celery stalks; peeled and chopped
· 1-2 carrots; chopped
· 1 zucchini; chopped
· 1 litre of stock; chicken or veg
· 2x400g cans crushed tomato
· 2 cups of water
· 1x420g can cannellini beans; rinsed and drained
· 2 cups of finely shredded cabbage
· ½ cup of pasta shells
· 1 handful of chopped parsley
· Crusty bread

*when cutting onions I find wearing swimming goggles helps avoid the tears. It may look funny, but it works!

Heat oil in a large pot and cook of meat. Try and burn the bottom of the pan; this leaves crusty bits which add heaps to the flavour. Once cooked set and leave aside. Sauté onions and garlic for a couple of minutes and add carrot (I always add carrot about 3 minutes before other veg just to cook through a bit more), zucchini and celery and cook until tender.

Return meat to pot with stock, tomatoes and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ½ an hour. Stir in beans, cabbage and pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Add parsley and serve with bread.

The wine:
This is a fairly rustic dish so I thought of a rustic wine. White I believe would be no good with this because of the heavy flavours from the meat. We had a Sangiovese from Heathcote, Foster e Rocco, a wine made by Adam Foster and Lincoln Riley.

Both guys are sommeliers like me, with Adam just having started at The Lake House in Daylesford and Riley having been at Taxi for a few years. These guys have constructed a very nice little wine here, and they haven’t over worked it like a lot of Australian Sangioveses. This wine has got a good lot of earth and acid to keep it grounded and food friendly.

The colour is deep red with a pink hue, telling me it spent a bit of time on skins. The nose starts out as morello cherry, which is typical with Sangiovese, and then longer in the glass shows a good hit of dark chocolate. The mouth is very true with the nose; morello cherry followed by chocolate. All in all, a very nice wine.

Drink till 2013
17/20

Jasper Hill 'Georgia's Paddock' 1996 Heathcote Shiraz

There are wines in the Australian psyche that are truly Aussie; Penfolds Grange and Bin 389, Wynn’s Black Label, Lakes Folly Cabernets and De Bortoli’s Noble One. These wines I would put in to the bracket of the ‘Triple M’ category; mainstream wines that have the ‘everyman’ appeal.

Then there are the wines that rock the boat, or do not necessarily play by the rules. These are wines that are a bit more edgy in style, marketing and flavour; Bass Phillip, Nicholson River, Domaine A and Jasper Hill. These are the producers that I will put in the alternative pile, the ‘Triple J’ wavelength.

Unlike the former, these last four producers undertook their lot by throwing caution to the wind; Bass Phillip with Biodynamics and a gravity fed winery, Nicholson River fermenting Riesling in oak, Domaine A growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Tasmania and Jasper Hill growing dry grown, or more simply, with no irrigation. And it is Jasper Hill more than any of the other wines that have pushed its way in to semi mainstream, and still coming with a large price tag.

Ron Laughton has been making wine in Heathcote since the mid 70’s, primarily Shiraz with his ‘Georgia’s Paddock’ which is 100% Shiraz and ‘Emily’s Paddock’ which is a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Franc. Dry grown fruit relies entirely on what comes out of the sky, and with the current drought not looking like going away, growing conditions remain tough up in Heathcote, with Ron resorting to donning a weed-spray backpack full of water and walking the rows spraying his vines – that’s hard work.

Recently I had the pleasure of sharing a bottle of Jasper Hill ‘Georgia’s Paddock’ 1996 Shiraz with Arnaud, my former assistant at The Point restaurant. Now Arnaud is a young Frenchman with knowledge of Australian wine. He has already come to the conclusion however, that Barossa Shiraz is crap – smart fellow this one hey? So when we happened across this gem, he was quite taken aback by not only its power, but also elegance for a wine that has spent the best part of 12 years in a bottle.

The colour was still quite deep, with no sign of fading or breaking up. On the nose was bright eucalypt; very Heathcote. In the mouth came savoury chocolate, cedar, a little bit of prickly plum and acid a plenty, which once again tells me that there is still plenty of kick in this bad boy.

Wonderful balance of secondary flavours with this wine with enough complexity and length for this wine to still be stunning in many years to come.

Drink till 2026
Drink with lamb shoulder in onion sauce
17/20

Archer Heathcote Shiraz 2006

arch-err [ahr-cher]
· someone who uses a bow and arrow.
· the horse who won the first two Melbourne Cups.
· the Shiraz from Heathcote.

If you got two out of three you are doing well. If you got all three, well maybe you should be blogging about wine also.

Archer is a sort of side project by one of Australia’s foremost wine critics, Nick Stock. It is a conglomeration of his families wine venture ‘Twofold’ and has been produced under the ‘Archer’ moniker since 2005.

Now Heathcote Shiraz’s to me have been somewhat of an oddity or a misnomer. You see Heathcote Shiraz has got a really good terroir signature of black pepper, eucalypt, mocha and really fine savoury notes. The thing is however, is that Heathcote Shiraz, has for too long been made in the fashion of big fruit and big alcohol which ultimately spells big hangover. All this adds up to JABS! Heathcote is better than that, and I reckon the Archer can be better than that too.

The vintage we tasted is the 2006 Shiraz. On the back of quite a few years of drought, 2006 was no different with high temperatures spanning from early December to March and patchy rain. High winds in December did not help fruit set with quite a few growers commenting on this.

The colour is a ruby colour with the faintest sign of translucency about it. On the nose come spicy plum and dark chocolate with a sting in the nose that belies the 13.5% alcohol on this bad-boy. In the mouth is a full on explosion of more spicy plum with black pepper following in the mid palate. As I stated previous, this wine borders on Barossa.

The balance is sought of there, the length is not. It has semi complexity but this is overshadowed by the massive weight of ripe fruit. A Jack Dyer wine in the end – a good average wine.

Drink with BBQ spare ribs
Drink till 2012
15/20