The Breakfast Club. Ferris Buellers Day Off. Sixteen Candles. Rieslingfreak. Who knew John Hughes loved Riesling?
A new famous John Hughes, out of South Oz, is smitten with Rizza. And why not. The No. 4 in a series of five is talcy, limestony, lemony all with balanced acid(y). Its a ripper that will not punch a whole in the back of your throat courtesy of out of control acid. This is all checked. And balanced. And checked....
Drink with fish and chips
Drink now 94
Screwcap 11.5%v/v $22 Seddon Wine Store
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
A most stunning wine. Ginger, wax, subtle brine, bruised pear. Its got 16 grams residual sugar per litre - hence the RS16 - but you wouldn't know it if it wasn't there. A most beautiful wine in a time where most Australian Rieslings are bone dry and void of any flavour profile. Mac Forbes Strathbogie Ranges RS16 Riesling 2013. Stunning.
Drink with coconut and ginger poached scallops
Drink till 2016 98
Screwcap 12.5%v/v $32 Seddon Wine Store
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
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.
Its 35.6°C in Melbourne right now. Its midnight. Its 35.6°C!!
Fairdinkum, this is just wrong. In these wrong times I'm drinking the Wittmann
Rheinhessen Trocken Riesling 2010 because its wet and its cold and its just
plain yum; honey, candied lime, persistant acid and repeat. I love it.
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 taken me about 6 years to give this wine a go again. So when I saw this in the fridge at Seddon Wine Store, and also glimpsed the price; a meager $24 if you don't mind, then yes, it was long enough to have another wee look at this German dandy. The Reichsrat Von Bulh Pfalz Riesling 2011 is quite simply a knockout!
In the back of most peoples mind just before sipping a Riesling, certain flavours leap out such as lemon/lime and tart minerality rounded out by sharp acidity. And sometimes it is all about sweet primary fruit with glycerol. This wine was, and is, somewhat of a leap from the two previous styles.
The nose starts full of fresh white peach with lanolin wafting around the longer in the glass. The palate is where it gets funky. My first sip was full of dried green herbs very reminiscent to the Vadiaperti Falanghia tasted earlier in the year, with fresh green fennel being the standout.
The surprising bit about this wine is that I was not disappointed because I did not get the massive citrus and acid whack, nor the sweet stewed pineapple affect; quite on the contrary. What I love about this wine is it is not one dimensional. Its Original. Its a winner!
Drink with chicken with buttered sage
Drink till 2016 96
Screwcap 12%v/v $24 Seddon Wine Store
A very smart wine this one. The Dinny Goonan Geelong Riesling 2011 is a wine that may not be on the tips of the rockstar sets tounges, but who cares. This winery is hidden on the northern foothills of the Otways and only surfaced on my radar while I was looking for Geelong wineries to pour at Albert St for March.
Perfectly restrained on the nose with a tickle of flint and tart lime, the palate is sort of a mix of half citrus acid, half minerality and half white phenolics (a Seinfeld grab for those who remember). But the great thing about this wine is that no flavour profile hogs the spot light, and the flavour profile is quite gentle and, as I said before, restraint. This is a great little wine.
Drink with kingfisk cerviche Drink till 2016 95 Screwcap 12%v/v $24 at Albert St Food & Wine in March
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
It’s a character that doesn’t need to be there. Kerosene. It is a bi-product of Terpenes, where exposed fruit gets too much sun after veraison, something that isn’t an issue in the northern hemisphere. But it’s an Australian characteristic so that is cool, or hot, depending where Riesling is grown.
This effectively is my segue to the Wilson Vineyard Clare Valley DJW Riesling 2009. Drunk over two days, the wine initially displayed lovely nashi pear with a piercing lime finish. The next day a very obvious kero aroma wafted from the bottle. Well not really obvious but there none-the-less. I dunno know, but it’s not me. I like the pear. I like the lime. I don’t like the kero. Good day 1. Not so good day 2. For me anyway.
Drink till 2014 Drink with pan fried whiting 89 Screwcap 12.5%v/v $23 Dan Murphy’s Kew
I love Riesling. I also love Riesling with some age; the ageier the better I say. Seeing this Wolf Blass Clare Valley/Eden Valley Gold Label Riesling 2005 at Psarakos in Thornbury I thought 'you beauty' - I really did! And $28, another 'you beauty'.
So I'm at home, and with my best Butthead voice, it was time for, 'Beavis, the test!' - my first Beavis and Butthead reference. Nice. But anyway, the wine. Golden in the glass so all good thus far. Prickly ripe pineapple on the nose - 2/2. In the mouth? Blousy, Flabby, Blah. Absolutely nothing that would suggest this is an aged Riesling, even a young Riesling for that matter; no acid or white phenolics either.
But hang on. What happened when I put it in the decanter. Lovely and soft, then almost a brute, and honestly, in a weird way almost tangible. A great wine.
Drink with sole and buerre blanc sauce Drink till 2015 91 Screwcap 12%v/v $28 Psarakos Market, Thornbury
So far the pick of my summer wines this year. The Chateau De Caraguilhes Languedoc Corbieres Blanc 2009 was realised this week after I had a hankering for Tahbilk Marsanne but unfortunately the good folk at BHS didn't have any. Instead they had this beauty. A blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Grenache Blanc, in the glass the wine has a very young Riesling-like colour to it yet the nose is full of generous honey and burnt creme brulee. The palate also enjoys what the nose has to offer, but only after a while - this wine takes along time to get moving in the glass. But besides that it was just gorgeous.
Drink with veal schnitzel and almond, rocket and mustard dressing salad Drink till 2013 96 Quality cork 13%v/v $24 Blackheart and Sparrows North Fitzroy
Building relationships is the key in this industry. In my ‘A little memo...’ post earlier this month I received a comment from Jeremy in Perth in which he was, I would suggest, taking a shot at certain ‘types’ that work in the restaurant scene. Thinking more about what he wrote, and sort of reading between the lines as he put it, I more or less agree with him.
In Melbourne I have built some great relationships. Likewise the same in Perth (just got back last night). But sometimes it is the most unlikely places where great relationships are made. That place is Bendigo, and the person is Tim from The Dispensary Enoteca.
About three weeks ago I headed up the Calder Hwy and spent two days in Daylesford and Bendigo pressing the flesh. Pretty much all my appointments went well, save the ones that cancelled of course, but it was the genuine honestly from Tim that really impressed me. There was no bullshit about him; if he like a wine he told me, if he didn’t likewise (suffice to say he is currently pouring three of my wines). But for me the thing that really stuck out was his generosity with his time. It is very rare someone will give you time in the middle of service, yet he did this and then made time to see me later in the day during his break.
The Dispensary is a great little Enoteca type of place hidden in a laneway off one of the main streets in Bendigo. Seating about 25 inside and out, Tim has very skilfully managed to fit a kitchen, bar, wine wall and fridge in to a very tiny space as well as making room for 4 tables, a communal table and seating in the front window. All this without the slightest sense of being cramped. The menu follows the simple design of an Enoteca/cuccina with terrine, soup and what I had, croque-mademoiselle.
Now I reckon I have had about a dozen different types of croque-mademoiselle, but this one was the pick by a country mile. Perfectly toasted bread sandwiches still perfectly smoked salmon with a dill garlic butter. And with this I enjoyed a wine that Tim sold me on – Dr. Loosen Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica Columbia Valley Riesling 2006 from Washington State. Slightly developed in the glass, this wine, unlike our Rieslings, does not throw the kero waft, but instead a much understated stewed pineapple and subtle spice. The palate like the nose delivers restrained flavours of stewed prickly pineapple and cinnamon with the acid holding it all together as if it were from the 08 or 09 vintages. It turned in to a Remington moment where I liked it so much, I bought a bottle (drank later that night with honey and soy glazed salmon).
So, without turning this post into a Mills and Boon story, having good relationships is key to this industry. Because sooner rather than later, the people that are always in meetings will come around because they will not be able to resist the wine you have. And by the way, thanks again Jeremy for your comment in my “A little memo...’ post.
The Dispensary Enoteca gets Two Birks
The Dispensary Enoteca 9 Chancery Lane Bendigo
... and the wine
Drink with salmon drink till 2016 95 Quality cork 12.5%v/v $39
There is no way I saw a 4-0 drubbing by Germany this morning – no way! Sigh goes my lamentable heart.
Anywhoo, its Madge’s birthday, or it was her birthday but we seem to have far too many holidays in April so we are celebrating today (geez, thanks heaps Germany). Now the question is what you would honour the Queen on this day of celebration (sleep in); something grand perhaps, and something to take our minds off this morning’s thumping. The obvious answer is down at the pub, but because I am a responsible dad it will have to be Gustave Lorentz Bergheim Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru Riesling 2005 – thanks for pointing that out Henry.
Stupid round ball game! Starting to yellow in the glass, the nose has an instant hit of stewed pineapple followed by the very obvious kero smell. The palate was quite a surprise with what seemed to be a granny smith malic acid hit. This was only for an instant as lavender and lanolin flowed over prickly acid, which by the way was bolt upright for the five hours (no Viagra was used for this acid, and no you filthy animals I’m not talking about getting it on!) we drank it over. Really racey, yet really developed all at the same time.
So thanks Madge for letting us have a sleep in two months after your birthday. And for Germany, well all I can muster up is well done and Sod Off! Nice wine but.
Drink with Lyonnaise sausage and chargrilled eggplant Drink till 2016 91 Quality cork 13%v/v $70 http://www.gustavelorentz.com/
“We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk and hazard.” -Voltaire
It seems that I somehow stirred the hornet’s nest with my last post on Australian Rieslings. At the end of the day though, the words that you read on my blog are put there by me to share with the ‘you’s’ out there in cyberwine land. That is why on any given day, thousands of people around the globe sit down in front of their Dells and plug out whittascims on all matters of wine speak; some may have weight while others may just be the ramblings of just a very drunk scribe – what will be will be.
So, while we are on the subject of Rieslings, may I present the Keller Rheinhessen Trocken Riesling 2008 from Germany. Brimming with a full nose of flint – river bed pebble, honeysuckle and candle wax, this wine really hits its straps with perfectly balanced acidity which effortlessly integrates with the minerality. I must add that the glass that was left for the following day was even better than the first with the candle wax on the nose and flinty river bed pebbles really standing up tall. A super wine and well within reach of someone who does not want to go nuts on a bottle of Riesling.
Drink with kingfish sashimi Drink now for minerality, drink in 2018 for kero and stewed pineapple 94 Quality cork 12%v/v $29 @ Blackhearts & Sparrows
If you haven't noticed, pretty much all of the Riesling in Australia tastes exactly the same, and thats not me being uber generalist; tight harsh lemon/lime acid with acid and more acid. From Clare Valley to Geelong to the Great Southern and the Derwent Valley, Riesling has been produced in a way where it should be labeled 'Australian citrus wine'. Its a harsh call, but its all I have seen in a bottle for quite some time now.
Enter Larry Cherubino with his Ad Hoc Mt Barker Wallflower Riesling 2009. He has pretty much taken to this sterotype with a crossbow and gone whack; not that you would whack something with a crossbow of course. Yes, there still is the citrus about the wine, but it is not the dominant character, with the minerality of a German Trocken the most appealing character here.
Brimming with soft floral notes, this wine is a lot more feminant than the garden variety Riesling I was talking about at the start, with gentle white oliander prominant on the nose. There is no harsh ascerbic acid up front, instead a lovely and clean addition of river bed pebble - yes, minerals, but I like to describe it as river bed pebble! As with the nose, there is a little citrus, but it does not strip the palate like so many other Rieslings. A seriously good wine.
Drink with pickled octopus drink till 2014 92 Screwcap 12.1%v/v $22 @ Blackhearts & Sparrows Brunswick
A nice riesling, a tad boring actually, with the nose and mouth bringing the usual suspects along for a mundane walk to the cornershop - citrus, acid and a hint of white pear. I really do think that Australian Riesling has become a little bit humdrum!
Drink till 2012 Drink with chicken and two veg 82 Screwcap 12%v/v $22 at Kooyong Cellars
‘But the Eternal summer shall not fade’ – Sonnets, William Shakespeare
Another hot day, another bone dry Riesling. The Rockridge Clare Valley Riesling 2009 is soft and tight and has clear lemon and lime with a lip smacking finish.
As I said, another hot day, and really that’s all there is to say.
Drink with kingfish sashimi Drink till 2011 88 Screwcap 12.5%v/v Sydney Rd IGA in Brunswick
I love cooking. I also love plating up food the way it should look on a plate – simple and super gorgeous, and not just plating up since George and Gary and the hairy cravat said it was cool.
I love cooking and this is what I did when Henry was sleeping and Imogen was at Grandma and Papa’s house:
‘Twice cooked chicken on roasted lemon peepers with smoked garlic and chilli glaze’ - it needs another colour and bigger font because, as George would say, it was the hero of the blog! So good Erin wanted it two nights in a row - so we did! Oh yeah, we also had a lovely bottle of Clonakilla Canberra Districts Riesling 2009, but I’m not going to talk about the wine because it will only steal the spotlight from my chicken dish, so tonight the wine is going off Broadway. That and it has been blogged by about 30 or so bloggers – no offence Mr. Kirk.
