Grand Cru Tasting Group (Perth) – Perth Hills and Metropolitan Wines

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

This month’s tasting was somewhat different, in that we didn’t nominate a particular grape variety or style. This meant that the usual speculation surrounding each wine was made even wider by attempting to identify grape variety / blend – the only information we had was the vintage .

It was intended to be red wines only; however, I didn’t read the brief completely, and we ended up book-ending the tasting with a white each. (My first fail, but I don’t think anyone minded).

Myattsfield Verdelho 2014. (14.2% alc.). Verdelho is one of the ‘hero’ white varieties of the Swan Valley, with considerable ageing potential. However, although this was made by a prominent Perth Hills winery, the fruit turns out to be from Manjimup (My second fail).

Medium yellow in colour, and very light for a 10-year-old wine. The nose is toasty and nutty, with florals and spices, tined pineapple, pear and fruit salad. The palate is rich, developed and flavourful, with tropical fruits, and apricot. There’s a textutral mouthfeel as well, and a dry finish. An excellent opening wine.

As usual (well, for the reds, anyway) we tasted from youngest to oldest.

Chouete Grenache Shiraz 2023. (Swan Valley, WA: 12.77% alcohol – that’s not a typo). Slight spritz, and a pale garnet colour. On the nose there’s cola, sarsaparilla, sweetness from cherries and strawberries (and cream), and one taster saw meaty characters. There’s more sweet fruits on the palate – bright cherries, strawberry coulis, along with cola and tar. There’s some residual sugar and a little sourness. Light bodied and a short finish. Possibly a good lunchtime wine.

Battles Shiraz 2022 (Perth Hills): Deep purple in colour. Sweet fruited, with some rhubarb tartness, and spices. The palate has lots of blueberries, with some white pepper. A couple of tasters considered that the wine may have been made with some carbonic maceration. Acid is soft, with moderately grippy tannins. Alight brine on the finish and some texture or mouthfeel. Well regarded by the group.

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Faber Grenache 2022 (Swan Valley 13% alc): Very pale garnet colour, almost pinot-like. Strawberries, cranberries, menthol, and some tasters detected “hair salon” or hair spray on the nose. The palate shows a mix of sweet and savoury characters, strawberries and under-ripe mulberries. It’s light bodied, with juicy acid and modest tannins.

Lawnbrook “Shed Red” Merlot Shiraz 2021 (Perth Hills, 13.4% alc): Purple in colour. Perfumed nose, with spices, violets and dark forest fruits. There’s more violets on the palate, with cassis, sour cherry, capsicum and herbs. There’s juicy acidity and moderately grippy tannins, leading to a short finish.

Lancaster Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Swan Valley, 13.5% alc). Purple bordering on crimson. Dar plums, Christmas cake, vanilla and coconut on the nose. Plum clafoutis on the palate, which is slightly less intense than the nose. Good acid, full bodied and well regarded by the group. I thought this was a warm climate shiraz (My third fail).

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Olive Farm “The Great 8” 2017 (Swan Valley WA): A blend of durif, malbec, tempranillo, Bastardo, mataro, tannat, shiraz and sagrantino. Crimson colour. Cinnamon, cloves, sour cherry, mocha and flint on the nose. Sweet dark fruits on the palate, somewhat syrupy, with good acid, chalky tannins, a slightly sour palate leading to a long finish.

Faber Petit Verdot 2013 (Swan Valley WA, 14.5% alc): Crimson colour. Menthol, beef fat, Bovril, plum, chocolate and cassis on the nose. The palate is soft, as is the acid, with moderately grippy tannins. It’s meaty, with black olive tapenade, and the fruit falls away a little at the finish.

Peel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2012: (Peel region WA, 14.5% alc): Crimson colour. A dusty nose, with capsicum, tomato leaf and basil pesto. The palate is round, with more capsicum, herbs, more tomato leaf, and blackcurrant. Fine but grippy tannins and alcohol heat. Well regarded by the group.

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Peel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010: (Swan Valley WA, 14.5% alc): Crimson colour. An initial touch of VA on the nose led to lots of dark plums and mulberries. The palate is more complex, with black olives, plums, strong lively acid and fine tannins. A long finish and well regarded by the group. (I thought this was a warm climate shiraz, too (My fourth fail).

John Kosovich Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Swan Valley WA). Crimson colour. An earthy, savoury nose, with very modest fruit. Some barnyard, herbs and menthol. There’s some red fruits on the juicy palate, with white pepper, prominent acid, grippy fine tannins and a savoury finish.

Peel Estate Shiraz 2009: (Peel region WA, 14.5% alc): Crimson colour. Plums, Christmas cake, red fruits, brandy, vanilla, meats and eucalypt on the nose. There’s developed red and dark fruits on the palate, alongside prunes, juicy acidity and grippy tannins. A very long finish and highly regarded by the group. This was also voted wine of the night.

We then finished with a semi-sweet white wine La Fattoria Il Biancone 2017 (Perth Hills): Pale yellow in colour, belying its age. Pears, honeysuckle, sugar snap peas on the slightly sweet nose. There’s more pears and musk on the palate, with light candy characters as well. A clean almost dry finish. It’s light and sweet without being overly sweet. One taster described it as a still Moscato. This wine was my fifth fail for the evening, as it didn’t fit the brief I had written weeks earlier, but I don’t think anyone minded.

My thanks to all who attended and contributed, especially given the broadness of the evening’s theme.

Cheers
Allan

[Waiters Friend]

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