Deshmukh Vineyard's
Viña Tunquelén (Tunquelén Wines)
Toro d'Oro Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Quite strong. Bought it at the vineyard's outlet shop. — 4 years ago
Forest Hill
Lowboi Porongurup Riesling 2018
Underrated, or should I say underrepresented. You can hardly find these in the east coast, though the same can be said in the west (of Australia, in case anyone's wondering). Picked up one of the last bottles of the 2018 Lowboi Riesling from a store in Perth. Lucky me since it's sold out in most of the city.
The 2017 Lowboi Riesling was one of my favourite Aussie Rieslings last year, and the 2018's another winner. Pure energy! Laser precision, white florals, limey-citrusy goodness, salty acidity. Six months or so on lees has given it quite a lovely texture and a musky element. The use of RS (5 g/l) is brilliant - adds weight and softens the acidity, but finishes dry and long.
While "Lowboi" may sound like an upcoming underground rap artist, the wines are far from trying to be hip. They're serious, age-worthy Rieslings and Chardonnays. In fact, the actual origin of the name is a pointer - it pays tribute to the area and namesake where the winemaker's mother grew up in. Lowboi is the personal label of Guy Lyons, winemaker and heir of Forest Hill. Trust me when I say there's real talent here, as I've had the pleasure of working and spending many nights drinking with the man himself. And let's not talk about the impressive resume, having spent time at perhaps the best wineries of their cepage - Gonon and Keller.
The Porongurup Riesling comes from dry-farmed vines planted in 1985. South-facing, the aspect might surprise some as it goes against all convention in the southern hemisphere. But like Kai Schatzael's north-facing auction Pettenthal, Guy probably saw the Springview Vineyard's potential in producing wines of greater finesse in an increasingly warmer planet. Taste this and they will be no questions asked! — 5 years ago
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Clos du Chapître Fixin 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2014
There were others on the table that fancied this, but it wasn't my favourite. I just found the wood on the nose too distracting, and it seemed to have the least clarity of the lot. Having said, it's still a wine I would drink over a typical Rioja or Bordeaux say. The palate's quite elegant with a mix of red and black berries plus earthy elements, though all a touch blurred. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and tangy acids. Medium finish. Oddly, there was little to no minerality, which this vineyard's supposedly known for. Could be in a dumb phase of cellaring. — 2 years ago
Mirror
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
He really nice interpretation of this vineyard's fruit. Didn't really know much about this but saw that it was from one of my favorite vineyards. The nose was more of a roasted fig, blackberry, blueberry. Entry was definitely dark. A little more brambly, with hints of dark chocolate and baking spices to the middle. started to show some of the red clay towards the finish. The tannins on this wine or not nearly as stiff as I had imagined. Definitely toasted, good fruit backbone, and definitely feel that this wine will continue to evolve over the next five to seven years. Overall, still prefer Mia Klein's interpretation (IMO of course). — 5 years ago
Carlisle Winery & Vineyards
Bedrock Vineyard Zinfandel 2014
Moderate purple in color. Expressive nose of blackberry, black licorice, baking chocolate, mint, and hints of smoke. On the palate, it's medium bodied with impressive fruit intensity and tannin without oppressive heat despite coming in at 15.3% alcohol. Made from a field blend of 90% Zinfandel and 10% mixed blacks including Mourvèdre, Petit Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and others, it is sourced from historic Bedrock Vineyard's 120 year-old 6' tall gobelet pruned vines in a pocket of relative warmth compared to the surrounding Sonoma Valley. It has both the fruit to please now and the structure to go the distance. SRP $47. — 7 years ago
Fossalta di P.
Doppio Passo Salento IGT Primitivo 2020
Smooth easy drinking, more structure and less sweet than the vineyard's organic version. Stone fruit with some brightness? — 3 years ago
Ridge Vineyards
Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Blend 2010
Saturday with a beautiful 2010 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel from @ridgevineyards in California, USA 🇺🇲 🍷The wine is a blend of 82% Zinfandel, 16% Alicante Bouschet, and 2% Petit Sirah. 14.9% ABV.
Intense aromas of raspberries, blackberries, cherry and some red currant on the nose. It also delivers notes of vanilla, spices and some thyme. It is smooth in the palate with a long finish. Medium-plus tannins and acidity. Still a great bottle! 🍷
From the vineyard's history: "Since 1991, Ridge has made zinfandel from the old Pagani vineyard on the east-facing side of Sonoma Valley. Almost all the vines here were planted more than a hundred years ago." Cheers! 🍷
#ridgevineyards #ridge #zinfandel — 4 years ago
Domaine Gayda
Vineyard's Selection Parcellaire Chenin Blanc
Lovely floral notes! Creamy and delicate. Pairs nicely with Foie Gras! — 5 years ago
ONX
Reckoning Syrah Blend
At first taste, I disliked the intensity of the luscious fruit that exploded on my tongue -- but after holding it in my mouth for a few moments and swirling it around on my tongue I began to appreciate that this wine has the thick velvety tannins and a sharp mineral spiciness to balance its juiciness. Leather and high notes of orange blossom on the nose. Cassis and Maraschino cherries on the front end. Did I mention the velvet tannins? Well they're very "calcaire" expressing the character of the vineyard's soils. Then it finishes with a faint acidic kiss. Too good! — 6 years ago
Andrew Holod
National Sales Grapes of Spain
Paired with a similarly aged Cote Rotie and poured in a blind tasting at my home to a group of interested wine drinkers.
This showed a more generous, fleshy expression of the grape as expected and still had a finely chiseled structure of finely textured tannins that echo a dryness of the vineyard's limestone soils.
Very good new world Syrah. — a year ago