Pressed to visit Geelong a couple of months back, not that there's anything wrong with Geelong, but since I was out that way, would've been a shame if I didn't visit at least one winery. I went by another place with a logo of bunny ears.. but didn't make much of what was on offer.
Scotchman’s Hill Riesling 2012, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$25. Only ~1000 btls produced. From older vines planted in 1982, cold fermented for 14 days, aged on lees for 3 months. A pale straw yellow colour. Intense youthful fragrance of lime florals, white grapefruit and lemon spritz. Full-bodied wine with racy acidity, palate dominated with ripe citrus flavours. Very nice texture, attributable to lees contact. Nice structure and balance. Drink now – 2015+.
Scotchman’s Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$20. Fruit is pressed into stainless steel tank, cold fermented for 14 days, aged on lees for 2 months. This is an elegant wine with guava, green lemon and passionfruit aromas. The fresh acidity features strongly, ripe citrus, lime, almost tropical fruit-like. Clean finish. A nice representative Sauvignon Blanc, sufficiently different from NZ SBs that would stand out in a line-up. Drink now.
Scotchman’s Hill Chardonnay 2011, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$27. Barrel fermented in a mix of new – 3 year old French oak, left on lees for 12 months, stirring once a month. Pale golden yellow colour. A ripe, fruit nose of peach and melon with creamy cashew undertones. A slight oak spice. Ripe fruity flavours of peach, ripe melon, lemon and orange flesh, balanced by racy acidity which allows the fruit to persist on the long finish. Drink now – 2018.
Scotchman’s Hill Pinot Noir 2011, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$30. Fruit was sourced from multiple vineyards across the peninsula. Fruit was cold soaked for 5 days, small batch ferment for 7 days at 28ºC, pressed into barrel to complete malolactic fermentation. Matured for 12 months in new – 4 year old French barriques. Med+ ruby crimson colour. Youthful aromas of red plums and violets nicely layered against an oak spiced backdrop. A nice easy-to-enjoy wine with nice dark berries, raspberry and plum-skin, 13.5% alc, firm tannins. Long finish. Drink now – 2018.
Scotchman’s Hill Shiraz 2011, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$30. Matured in new – 4 year old French barriques for 15 months. Youthful nose of black cherry, blood plums, dark berries and licorice. A full-bodied cool climate shiraz, high acidity, savoury oak tannins. Earthy flavours of dark berries, plum, anise persisting on a sweet spiced finish. 13.5% alc. An easy-drinking, balanced wine. Drink now – 2018.
Scotchman’s Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$30. Fruit for this wine was sourced from Bannockburn, situated further inland away from the cold Antarctic winds. Matured in new – 4 year olf Nevers French oak barriques for 16 months. A lovely dense fragrance of blackcurrants, red berries, sweet baking spice and cedar. A full-bodied wine, high acidity with maturing supple tannins. 14.5% alc. Intense flavours of blackcurrant liquor, anise, mulberries. Ripe acidity leads to a clean, long finish. A fine wine with a bit of age, tannins are resolving nicely, for a reasonable price. Worth a look. Drink now – 2020.
Scotchman’s Hill Late Harvest Riesling 2012, Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
RRP$18.50 (375ml). This dessert wine is a pleasing, simple wine with aromas of mango and candied pineapple. Lush flavours of nectarine, ripe mango, sweet spice with twist of lemon. Overall, nicely balanced, good acidity. 120g/l residual sugar. Nice with some aged cheddar. Drink now.