Autumn 2011
On the Vine
inside: Southern Pinots Autumn Reds Wonderful Whites
Premium Wine Buying Guide
All panel selected
Ends 31st May 2011
We l c o me Your panel has been hard at it and has arrived at a marvelous cross-section of wines for this, the first newsletter of the year. Prices remain very attractive and there are a few brand-new labels for you to sample. Two new pinots we particularly enjoy are from the Burch family of the MadFish/Howard Park stable. Allegory is an unpretentious label aimed at the younger drinkers with not-so-deep pockets and the Marchand & Burch is a more serious wine of great depth and quality that would please the fussiest of pinot drinkers. We urge you to try these two wines and see how we have advanced in WA in the last few years with this capricious variety. Cheers! Rod Properjohn
The Panel Rod Properjohn
Steve Perry
Alex Michelly
Rod began in the wine industry 35 years ago as a Wine Advisory Officer for the Wine Industry Association of WA and gravitated from there into lecturing at the Association’s Wine Education Centre, in which he is still involved. He also ran wine classes for Technical and Further Education. He was a wine columnist for the Western Mail and Daily News papers and later on with the magazines West Coast, Scoop, WineState, Spice, Menu and Cravings. He is also a Regional Wine Show judge and the writer of our newsletter.
Steve has been expertly advising and educating Perth’s western suburbs since 1985. He was a director of legendary Cottesloe Wine Store - John Coppins until 1997 and now leads the team at fine wine storeSwanbourne Liquor Barons. He has travelled extensively around the wine-growing regions of Australia and NZ and has been the Chairman of the Panel for over 10 Years.
Alex hails from a winemaking background and brings much technical winemaking knowledge to the panel. Since 2002, Alex has worked 9 vintages in 5 countries, completing vintages with Amberley and Cape Mentelle before heading across the Tasman to make wine for St Clair in Marlborough. Alex has also worked vintage in Portugal, California and Canada. When not making wine, Alex has worked in fine wine stores in Boston and Perth.
Peter Bradbeer
Michael Dickson
Thomas Rick
Peter has been in the wine industry for over 30 years, always tasting and assessing wines for sale and for his own drinking. He has been Wine Show judging and consulting to a major Australian wine company. Being on other professional wine panels gives him a broad view of what is out there, but it is always changing. Peter’s view is you never stop learning.
Paul McArdle Paul is currently the CEO for Fonty’s Pool winery in Pemberton. He is the wine consultant for ‘Must’ wine bar/restaurant in Perth (since 2004). Paul is regularly involved in both trade and consumer wine education and passed the UK based ‘Masters of Wine’ (MW) tasting exam in 2003.
Paul (Ed) Edwards Ed joined the wine trade in 1998 and has managed fine wine stores in London, Sydney and Perth. He led Hyde Park Cellars to win the NSW Liquor Store of the year Award in 2001 before moving to the historic cellars- ‘Averys of Bristol’, to study for the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) diploma which he passed in 2005. In 2008 Ed was the WA representative in the national final of the prestigious, Negociants ‘Working with Wine’ Fellowship.
For Michael wine started as an interest, then became a vocation and after 20 years in the wine industry as both a retailer and wholesaler, remains a passion. What keeps that passion alive is the increasing range of new and interesting wines from grape varieties and regions around the world that are becoming available to us.
Peter J. Semmens Pete has been apart of this industry for over thirty years on both sides of the counter. Noel his father, introduced him to the finer things in life, including food and wine. He readily admits to having a “punters palate” and loves to de-mystify wine by stating, “A good wine... is a wine you like”.
Basil Giglia Basil has been involved in the liquor industry since 1983. Besides a good drop of wine he can not pass up a cold beer, a good malt whisky or a silky fortified. Basil enjoys selecting wines to compliment the diverse range of foods on offer today. What more is there? Good food, good wine and stimulating company and enjoying life.
Thomas is our late starter to wine appreciation and as the youngest member of the panel his accreditation may not read as long as others. But with a sensitive palate and a good nose for what is truly outstanding wine value, he is always looking for the next fine wine bargin for the customer.
“Every season hath its pleasures; Spring may boast her flowery prime, Yet the vineyard’s ruby treasures Brighten Autumn’s sob’rer time.” Thomas Moore
$ Balgownie NV Premium Cuvée Rosé
1699
each by mixed 6pk
A blend of shiraz and pinot noir from the cool Bendigo and Yarra Valley regions of Victoria. Pale cherry in colour with a persistent light bead, it has the flavour of strawberries and the texture of cream, extending to a soft acid finish. Not overtly sweet, this refreshing sparkler is an ideal drink-anytime wine, served well-chilled.
1499
5999
$ Allegory 2009 Pinot Noir
each by mixed 6pk
New label, new pinot noir and it is local. This is a cracker, light in style and has a distinctive Burgundian touch to it with mushrooms, earthiness, strawberry fruit and good length of palate with fine finishing acids. The balance is attractive and so is the price, a clever wine. Reserve for that pan-fried breast of duck or a rack of sweet pink lamb.
$
each by mixed 6pk
Marchand & Burch 2009 Mount Barrow Pinot Noir
This is a result of a friendship between a Frenchman and an Aussie determined to make great wines with their combined knowledge and resources. From the Mount Barrow vineyard in Mt Barker, it makes a serious statement as a local pinot. A brilliant ruby colour, it has a heady nose of cherry and spice and a deep layered palate of red berry and funk. Outstanding balance.
1499
2499
$ Mad Fish 2010 Riesling
$
each by mixed 6pk
A beautifully constructed riesling from the Great Southern WA with classical varietal characters of lemon, lime and tropical fruit, harnessed by lively acidity in an elegant lightweight structural package. Although riesling will age well if stored correctly, we’d be tempted to drink this in its youth. It’s a beauty right now.
Frankland Estate 2010 Isolation Ridge Riesling
each by mixed 6pk
From Frankland River in the Great Southern this young dry-grown riesling has bundles of floral attributes with a good dash of lime and a long palate of citrus and mineral notes. The structure and river-pebble flintiness guarantee this wine will age admirably, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying a glass or two right now.
Autumn 2011 “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” George Eliot
Whites $
1099
1399
$
each by mixed 6pk
each by mixed 6pk
Taylors’ Promised Land 2010 Pinot Grigio
Forester 2010 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Simply the best value pinot grigio (or gris) we’ve seen in a while. It’s delightfully fresh, has green pear and apple characteristics with subtle acid and a harmonious mouthfeel that has you coming back for more. Wonderful with a light prawn or scallop dish and a serving of crunchy salad. Buy and drink now at an absolute giveaway price.
Continuing the good form of this blend from Forester in Margaret River, the latest release will not disappoint. It is again a well-balanced rendition of this classical Margaret River blend with floral aromatics, lemongrass and zesty palate flavours and a softness to enhance the seafood you made be serving with it. Attractive wine!
1699
$
each by mixed 6pk
$
1699
each by mixed 6pk
Next of Kin 2009 Margaret River Chardonnay
Juniper Crossing 2010 Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Part of the ‘bistro’ range of Xanadu wines, this young chardonnay exemplifies the contemporary style we are seeing more and more each year. With an emphasis on fruit, this shows melon, citrus and stone fruit and has a long minerality on the palate with fine acidity. Gone are the forward oaky components in chardonnay which dominated in the past. A beaut drink!
A top vintage for this blend in Margs and the wine has already won a gold medal in the Sydney Royal show. Distinctively aromatic with lychee and grass, the palate is a wealth of zingy flavours, balance and gentle lemony acid. It’s dry and a great foil for your favourite light seafood dish. Drink while it’s youthful.
Autumn 2011 I trust in Nature for the stable laws Of beauty and utility. Spring shall plant And Autumn garner to the end of time. Robert Browning
$
1699
each by mixed 6pk
Redbank 2010 Sunday Morning Pinot Gris Pinot gris is a masochist, it loves cold weather and the King Valley, high in rhe mountains of NE Victoria, has plenty of that. This youthful wine is an attractive green/straw in colour and is redolent of ripe pear, has a light textural palate with a smidge of sugar and satisfactory acid on closure. Not to be missed if you enjoy this variety. Don’t age it, drink now.
1799
1699
$
$
each by mixed 6pk
each by mixed 6pk
Deep Woods 2010 Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc
Brokenwood 2009 Semillon
This has been fiddled with, unlike your average sav blanc and you’ll notice a light smokiness on the nose along with the normal grassiness of the variety and the palate has a gentle creamy texture, citrus fruit and fine acidity. It’s the partial fermentation in oak and lees stirring that add complexity. Dual trophy winner Royal Adelaide and Margaret River Shows 2010.
Semillon is revered in the Hunter Valley where this fruit is grown and winemakers pick it early to retain high acidity in the wines. As a result, the alcohol is light compared to other semillon from around Australia, add to that the lemony varietal character of the grape and relatively straightforward winemaking and you have a fresh zingy style. Although enjoyable now (especially with oysters), we prefer it with bottle age.
$
1699
each by mixed 6pk
2499
$
each by mixed 6pk
La Bohème 2010 Act Three
Saint Clair 2010 Swamp Block 3 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (NZ)
Made by De Bortoli of the Yarra Valley, this is essentially a pinot gris with a splash of other varieties to help with the balance. Has some forward tropical fruit on the nose and a flavoursome palate of crisp textures, lychee fruit and firm drying acidity on the finish. Not as complex as a Puccini opera, but a good wine nonetheless.
The Pioneer Block series from this winery illustrates quality fruit from specific vineyards and this block was originally a marsh. You’ll notice a light greenish hue in the wine and then a power-packed nose and palate of passion fruit, grass, nettle and citrus, extending to a glorious finish. Costs a little more than the average NZ savvy, but it’s worth the extra you pay for it. Super quality.
Autumn 2011 “No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace As I have seen in one Autumnal face.” John Donne
Reds
1599
$
each by mixed 6pk
Bleasdale 2009 Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet from a warm area like Langhorne Creek, near the mouth of the great Murray River in SA has a habit of swallowing up the leafy herbal character the variety normally displays in cooler regions. It does that here, as there is a wealth of ripe red fruit - plums, blackcurrant and liquorice and no Bob Brown (green) in sight. Add to that a generous soft palate and you have a glorious drinking red wine.
1799
1699
$
$
each by mixed 6pk
each by mixed 6pk
Next of Kin 2008 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Teusner 2009 The Riebke Shiraz
Xanadu has really got it together, this is another very good wine from this range. Deep in colour it shows classical cabernet characters with blackcurrant, olive, eucalypt and grippy astringency in a medium-bodied package. Oak doesn’t play a big part in the wine and although it’s fine to drink now, it will soften and drink beautifully in a couple of years.
From the warm northern Barossa this stunning shiraz is deep red in colour and has a dusty spicy nose with plum and blackberry. The palate is velvety textured with ripe fruit and has drying chalky tannins on the finish. Serve with some aged beef during the cooler weather ahead of us, or it will handle a couple of years in your cellar, if you wish.
$ Kalleske 2010 Clarry’s
1699
each by mixed 6pk
A family-farm red from the Barossa Valley and is made from a blend of shiraz, grenache and mataró (mouvedrè). It’s as round and soft as a new feather pillow and for wine-like characters, you’ll notice a violet/red colour, juicy liquorice/mulberry fruit and great palate harmony. Like most of these Rhônestyle blends, it’s for drinking in its youth or short term cellaring at best.
1799
$
each by mixed 6pk
Running with Bulls 2009 Wrattonbully Tempranillo
This has more medals than a South American general in uniform, the wine judges like it and we agree with them. It’s deep rich ruby in colour, but is more a middleweight in body and flavour. Tannins are silky, cherry fruit is squishy and the palate is long and has a savoury soft finish. Up-and-coming variety in Australia, as we see more wines and better quality each year.
Autumn 2011 “Winter’s an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” Stanley Horowitz
$
1799
$
each by mixed 6pk
2299
each by mixed 6pk
Sorby Adams 2006 The Canon Barossa Shiraz
d’Arenberg 2006 The Cadenzia
Although a Barossa wine, this is made from grapes grown in the northern Eden Valley at altitude and therefore is a cooler climate red than that produced on the valley floor or lower slopes. It’s a charmer with spicy perfumed fruit, camphor wood complexity, great balance/length and a small dose of viognier adds a floral character and a little crunch to the palate. Thoroughly recommended.
As you’d expect, this is showing some maturation with sweet leather, dust and earth, but because it’s from such a great vintage in McLaren Vale SA, the fruit is hanging in there and it is a great drink. Made from grenache, shiraz and mouvèdre, this has been treated very traditionally in the winery with foot pressing and the works. We think this will be at its best this winter, so hop in and enjoy it soon.
2299
1999
$
$
each by mixed 6pk
each by mixed 6pk
Delas 2007 Saint-Esprit Côtes-du-Rhône (Fr)
Best’s 2009 Bin No 1 Great Western Shiraz
Syrah (shiraz) dominant with 10% grenache to keep it company, this is a very drinkable red from the Rhone valley. It’s not big in New World style, but is a light middleweight fruit-driven wine with pepper and spice characters and has a gentle astringency on the finish. Perfect with a mixed grill and serve at about 16° for best results.
A winery that often flies under the radar, but for over 110 years, it has been producing some of Australia’s finest shiraz from western Victoria. This release has our panel rockin’. A vibrant deep red colour, it has spicy fruit and dusty oak characters on the nose and a wonderful palate of red fruit, dried spice and a soft richness with balancing tannins. An absolute delight now or for medium-term aging.
$ Parker 2007 Favourite Son Cabernet Merlot
2199
each by mixed 6pk
From the cool southern Coonawarra and Wrattonbully regions of SA, this red is long and lean like a long-distance runner. It has black fruits, some leafy tobacco traits and firm tannins and acidity. It’s cabernet dominant in both volume (74%) and style and should cellar well in the medium term. Try with a roast leg of lamb and mint sauce.
2499
$ Lamont’s 2007 Family Reserve
each by mixed 6pk
There’s intrigue in this wine as the varietal component and grape growing region are not on the label. It’s simply the best red blend that Lamont’s of the Swan Valley put together each year, but a little investigation tells us that half is Margaret River cabernet sauvignon and half, Donnybrook malbec. A rounded, layered warming wine of velvety textures and full flavours with beautifully integrated oak and grape tannins. Delightful!
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Specials end 31/5/11. While stocks last. Pics for illustration purposes only. prices inclusive of gst. OTV Magazine published by Liquor Barons Co-Op Ltd. Suite 16 350 Cambridge St Wembley WA 6014 . Tel 08 9287 2222