So as part of that quest I ordered a mixed dozen from Coriole, from their New Australian range. Here is what I thought.
2018 Fiano: My wife describes this as a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay - which is a pretty good way of thinking of it. Some tropical fruits, tempered with a beeswax and honeysuckle character. Simple and fresh. Olivers Taranga make a good 'un that has more winemaking work on it than this. Keen to try Coriole's Rubato version which i think has a bit of skin contact - its in the fridge
2017 Sangiovese: Of the reds this is the one that tastes like it may have seen a wee bit of wood. Sawn pine tannins so typical of Sangio, some sour cherry and ripe plummy fruits tending to licorice. Dried herbs. Reliable year in year out. Better after a few hours breathing. Not sure why I don't have more of this.
2018 Nero d'Avola: Purple berries, chocolate, earthy, a bit of everything. The dried herb thing reminds me of walking around Central Otago among the wild thyme that grows by the roadside and pretty much everywhere else. Most medium weight of them all, very adaptable. Drink young, eat, laugh, repeat.
2017 Montepulciano: This smells like walking through a winery during ferment (hah - the Winefront review of this said the same thing!). Pizza wine. Just slurp the lovely dark fruits. Purple berries, some spice and earth. Some red fruits flicker in and out as well. Nicely balanced with enough pulpy fruit tannin and acid. Early drinker, smashable. And I mean it about the pizza - the generous fruit seems to contrast salty store bought pizza fairly well.
2018 Negroamaro: As a grape it seems to have a lot in common with Touriga. A gob full of purple fruit, a bit of redskin lolly plus some chinotto like herbs. Doesn't open well as the bitterness arrives first, but comes to life after a fairly long decant, and is better still on the second day. Again lots of fruit tannin here, and acids drift in and out.
2018 Montimaro: An odds and ends blend that didn't do anything for me.
So - the four varietal reds are all winners in their different ways, All four seem like a good idea in McLaren Vale, as does Fiano as a white alternative. They might all age a bit too, but I cant tell for sure with such young wines, There was a Barbera as well but I didn't get any this time.
Great fun. Recommend the experience. I'd buy them again.
Cheers
Andrew
