Grand Cru (Perth) Tasting Group - 17 April 2019 - Malbec
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:33 am
On International Malbec Day, or Malbec World Day, whichever you prefer, it seemed appropriate for Malbec to be the theme of tonight’s tasting.
As usual, the wines were tasted blind, from youngest to oldest, and the tasting notes here are a collaborative effort.
Riverbank “Rebellious” Malbec 2017 (Swan Valley). Purple red in colour. The nose shows vanilla, violets, some tar and black pepper, and a touch of tar. The palate shows a touch of leather, redcurrant and sour cranberry, and has good length and plenty of acid. It finishes quite dry, and it is probably a couple of years too young at the moment.
Lost Andes 2016 (Mendoza, Argentina). Purple red in colour. The nose was very earthy, funky, with blue cheese and truffle / mushroom. I actually thought it was corked, but was over-ruled by the group. The palate was slightly medicinal, with plum, blue and black berries, dried thyme, and black Spanish olives.
Old Mundulla Vineyard 2015 (Limestone Coast). Purple red in colour. Lots of violets, a touch of mint, herbal, especially tarragon. Some plums and an interesting musty book character that was described as “English library” (not a common wine tasting descriptor!). The wine seemed a little flat and with softer acid than the first two wines, and lacked structure.
Mitolo 2013 (McLaren Vale, South Australia). Deep purple (one taster described “bull’s blood”) and deeper than all of the younger wines that preceded it. The nose shows violets, tar, and blackberry jam, although the fruits are quite lifted. The palate shows some weight and a slight viscosity, with supporting acid providing freshness, and a lot of savoury notes. One taster commented that the wine has no hard edges.
Fromm 2013 (Marlborough, NZ). Deep purple, almost identical to the Mitolo. Lots of violets, plums, blueberries, white pepper and fresh leather on the nose. The palate has more plums, and is slightly savoury, with good acid. If anything, the tannins overpower the fruit a little.
Greg Norman Estate 2012 (Mendoza, Argentina). Deep purple. There’s a meaty aroma alongside the plums and dark berries. It’s high acid, with developed dark fruits, and black tea. Tannins are prominent. It changed in the glass quite quickly, so drink now if you have any.
Carpe Diem 2011 (Margaret River, WA). Dep purple. Lots and lots of juicy blackberry, with just a touch of stalkiness. The palate shows tar and secondary fruits. Tannins and acid are both high, and there’s a touch of viscosity. It’s still fruit forward and may need more time for the tannins to resolve.
Faber Vineyard 2009 (Dwellingup, WA). Deep purple – in fact the last 5 wines all looked quite similar. I’ve not heard of “flambed banana” as a descriptor before, but there it is. It’s a little medicinal, and there’s a whiff of menthol. The palate shows aniseed and there’s high acid and (we suspect) high alcohol. Further descriptors included “blackberry cough lolly” (although another taster disagreed and thought the cough lolly was red!). The nose is more dominant than the palate at this point, and one taster considered that the wine was “almost a fortified”.
Wine of the night by almost unanimous vote was the Mitolo 2013. My thanks to Mayfair Lane for hosting us, and for the comments and opinions of those who attended.
Cheers
Allan
As usual, the wines were tasted blind, from youngest to oldest, and the tasting notes here are a collaborative effort.
Riverbank “Rebellious” Malbec 2017 (Swan Valley). Purple red in colour. The nose shows vanilla, violets, some tar and black pepper, and a touch of tar. The palate shows a touch of leather, redcurrant and sour cranberry, and has good length and plenty of acid. It finishes quite dry, and it is probably a couple of years too young at the moment.
Lost Andes 2016 (Mendoza, Argentina). Purple red in colour. The nose was very earthy, funky, with blue cheese and truffle / mushroom. I actually thought it was corked, but was over-ruled by the group. The palate was slightly medicinal, with plum, blue and black berries, dried thyme, and black Spanish olives.
Old Mundulla Vineyard 2015 (Limestone Coast). Purple red in colour. Lots of violets, a touch of mint, herbal, especially tarragon. Some plums and an interesting musty book character that was described as “English library” (not a common wine tasting descriptor!). The wine seemed a little flat and with softer acid than the first two wines, and lacked structure.
Mitolo 2013 (McLaren Vale, South Australia). Deep purple (one taster described “bull’s blood”) and deeper than all of the younger wines that preceded it. The nose shows violets, tar, and blackberry jam, although the fruits are quite lifted. The palate shows some weight and a slight viscosity, with supporting acid providing freshness, and a lot of savoury notes. One taster commented that the wine has no hard edges.
Fromm 2013 (Marlborough, NZ). Deep purple, almost identical to the Mitolo. Lots of violets, plums, blueberries, white pepper and fresh leather on the nose. The palate has more plums, and is slightly savoury, with good acid. If anything, the tannins overpower the fruit a little.
Greg Norman Estate 2012 (Mendoza, Argentina). Deep purple. There’s a meaty aroma alongside the plums and dark berries. It’s high acid, with developed dark fruits, and black tea. Tannins are prominent. It changed in the glass quite quickly, so drink now if you have any.
Carpe Diem 2011 (Margaret River, WA). Dep purple. Lots and lots of juicy blackberry, with just a touch of stalkiness. The palate shows tar and secondary fruits. Tannins and acid are both high, and there’s a touch of viscosity. It’s still fruit forward and may need more time for the tannins to resolve.
Faber Vineyard 2009 (Dwellingup, WA). Deep purple – in fact the last 5 wines all looked quite similar. I’ve not heard of “flambed banana” as a descriptor before, but there it is. It’s a little medicinal, and there’s a whiff of menthol. The palate shows aniseed and there’s high acid and (we suspect) high alcohol. Further descriptors included “blackberry cough lolly” (although another taster disagreed and thought the cough lolly was red!). The nose is more dominant than the palate at this point, and one taster considered that the wine was “almost a fortified”.
Wine of the night by almost unanimous vote was the Mitolo 2013. My thanks to Mayfair Lane for hosting us, and for the comments and opinions of those who attended.
Cheers
Allan