The relocation to Esquire in the QVB, is accompanied by a fairly open theme of “Outstanding quality wine you don’t think other Rotters have tried”. Mixed results ensued; nothing life-changing was discovered, but there were no out-and-out catastrophes either.
- [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239675]2019 Pequod Wines Riesling Adrasteia She Who Is Divine Justice[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
{screwcap, 10.7%} [Glenn] This was a non-commercial pre-aperitif aperitif. Made by a local Canberra winemaker for private purposes, we’re told. The nose is a bit kabinett-like, with soft, sweet lime, and some apple aromas. The palate is lightly spritzy but not especially acidic, light on fruit flavor; subtly channeling the nose, but in a watery sort of way. Feels like it has just a little residual sugar to plump out the palate, but not enough to sweeten the finish, which is rather short, to be honest. Might blossom with time. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239677]2007 Château de Bligny Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut[/url] - France, Champagne
{diam, 12%} [Graeme] Fairly deep yellow/gold. Smells advanced too; nutty and cheesy, with even a nod to some oxidation (although the diam seal looked perfect). The palate was a touch sherried too, advanced in flavor, low in acid, rather nutty, with a low chalk tannin feel, creamy medium-sized bubbles (no sign of oxidation there), with white flower and paw-paw flavours, but all with a stale air about them. Medium-full body, but with a short/medium length finish that doesn’t really impress. I wouldn’t call this overtly faulty, I think it might be the style. Maybe. Don’t keep further. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239688]2012 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill Clare Valley[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
{screwcap, 11.2%} [Greg] The theme change gave us one surprise; this is unfamiliar to none of us. Standard Grosset out of the box, which is to say a big, developing kerosene and citrus nose that just shouts Oz riesling. The dry palate has medium/high acidity, baked apple and lemon flavours which are much fresher than the nose, medium/full weight, and a long even finish. I think it’s a bit simple at this stage, but it’s barely off its youth, so hold another decade at least. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239689]2017 Lark Hill Pinot Noir[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
{screwcap, 13.5%} [DavidH] Translucent garnet red. Looks very much like a young pinot. The nose is bright, with cherry, cranberry and a lightly reductive rubbery character. Air helps, emphasising a fragrant, perfumed sort of character; the palate is ripe but tart with cherries and twigs and medium acid; it has a gamay-like quality too. There are low dusty tannins more apparent on the front palate, but it’s still an easy-drinking style, light-bodied, with minimal oak, and a short/medium length dry finish sitting on the front half of the tongue. Good for a few years, so more. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239690]2012 Bannockburn Pinot Noir De La Terre[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Geelong
{screwcap, 13.5%} [Gordon] From the ‘great burgundy smells like shit’ school of winemaking. Fungal, developing nose. Tobacco and barnyard. Capsicum. Pickled gherkin says Andrew, and he’s right! Polarising. The palate has tobacco, dark plums, burnt barrels, dark chocolate, tinned tomato, capsicum too. Medium-full body, not overtly oaky. Medium dusty tannins, medium acidity. Good presence along the tongue, medium/long dry finish. Split the table, did this; I didn’t mind it (didn’t love it either) and thought that a decant might have done wonders. Very much aiming for an old world style; some would say it missed the target entirely. Not seductive; that we can agree on. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239694]2011 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Kiss[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
{screwcap, 13.5%} [Aaron] Bright ruby/garnet colour; not very young, but hardly aged in appearance. Developing spicy nose; blackberries, some warm black pepper. This has a rich black-fruited palate of medium weight, with medium dusty tannins and medium acidity. It’s all dark fruits, with a warm-climate feel, an even palate, and a medium-long finish in a savoury style. Very tasty, still tight-knit, can use another 6-8 years cellaring and still improve. Me like. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239696]2006 Carlei Estate Shiraz Estate Nord[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
{screwcap, 14.7%} [Glenn] Bit of a rarity, this; just 400 dozen made. Developing nose of blackcurrant with a hint of leather and upholstery; coconut, blood and iron. The palate is a huge contrast, confected and almost sweet-tasting. After the intense nose it’s surprising to find it so patchy; there’s a wave of presence at the tip of the tongue, then the wine dies on the mid-palate. It’s missing structure; at fifteen years old simple fruit won’t cut it. The acidity is low/medium level at best, even the dusty tannins are very mild and reticent. There’s not too much oak, and although it doesn’t finish too warmly it feels like it’s just fruit and alcohol here. Would’ve been better at a decade old. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239697]2013 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec[/url] - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
{screwcap, 14.5%} [DavidM] Serious MR cabernet to a tee. Currant, capsicum and dark chocolate. Very cabernet, although I’m label-influenced to taste a Cahors-black malbec character. Assertive medium/full-bodied palate, with medium/high powdery tannins, medium acid and lots of cabernet fruit. Serious wine, not really ready to drink yet, but has real potential. Medium length finish. Needs to find some cigar-box character. Wait a decade or so. Should be very good. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239699]2016 Powell & Son Shiraz Loechel[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
{cork, 14%} [Geoffrey] The website carefully avoids naming the winery where Dave Powell built his winemaking reputation prior to the acrimonious split with his financial backers, but the same general Torbreck style is on offer in this eponymous example of his current venture. The developing nose offers resin, tar, rubber, bitumen; it smells like someone laying a highway. The palate has wild purple and mothball flavours, camphor, a bacterial bretty taste, and a patchy palate low in dusty tannins and structural acidity. Hit-and-miss on the palate, with a medium length finish. Like drinking liquid carpet. This will probably age like a hippy; vacillating between delightful and appalling at various times. Seriously priced (~A$130) for something so wild. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239700]2014 Farnese Edizione Cinque Autoctoni[/url] - Italy, Puglia, Puglia IGT
{cork, 14%} [Andrew] Blending from across Montepulciano and Puglia apparently comes at the price of displaying a vintage: this 16th edition of the cuvee is from the 2014 vintage. Autochthonous grapes montepluciano/ primitivo/ sangiovese/ negroamaro/ malvasia nera combine in a 33/30/25/7/5 apportionment. Impenetrable black colour. Youthful nose of plum fruit, black ink, and savoury nuts. Not terribly oaky. Round and plummy palate, low in acid, medium weight overall, with soft dusty tannins and plenty of flavour; liquorice, aniseed, plums. Fragrant sort of flavour, if that’s possible; easy to drink thanks to the soft structure. Not so complex, at least not yet. Not sure this is really intended to cellar. But it’s very satisfying to drink now in any case. Italy can do new-world style, you know. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239702]2012 Kaesler Shiraz Alte Reben[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
{cork, 14%} [Gordon] A back-up, atoning for the Bannockburn. Bottle 3845 of not very many. Deep, impenetrable ruby colour. Chocolate and blueberry nose. A bit cedary, otherwise not oaky. Very young still. Palate is very Barossa, with chocolate, blackberries, and blue-tinged shiraz fruit flavours. Old Barossa style; not a caricature aimed at Parker. Medium/full body, medium chalky tannins, medium acidity. Nicely balanced, with even presence along the tongue, and a medium/long rich finish. Great drinking for another 5-10 years. - [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8239706]2006 Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese[/url] - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
{cork, 9%, AP 7 07} [Graeme] Fairly deep yellow/gold. Aged nose of mandarin, cumquat, vanilla bean. Softy sweet palate (call it medium-dry) of apricot and marmalade. Medium acid. Light/medium body. Not great complexity; possibly better a few years ago; were they top-notch grapes? Nice enough, probably better five years ago, overall not very convincing though for a top Mosel site. Not much palate presence beyond the midpoint of the tongue. Mediocre.
Graeme
