TN: Sundry (mostly) new releases under $15
Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 8:15 pm
Although a new releases night is not an especially uncommon an event for the Noble Rotters, establishing a price cap is an innovation. Best value wines under $15 was the theme, and Geoffrey and Ron were apparently so horrified by the idea they refused to show up, and Bruce only arrived at the death. You might instinctively have thought that the table would be covered with quality rieslings, but the old quest of trying to find a decent, cheap, red dies hard. Heroic attempts mostly failed...?
2004 Tyrrells Vat 4 Stevens Semillon (Hunter)[$15, screwcap]
2004 Tyrrells Lost Block Semillon (Hunter)[$13, screwcap]
The Vat 4 is available only at cellar door (or mail-list) for this price. Ultra-pale straw verging on colourless, the aromas are of cutting lemon and straw, with a faintly sulphurous overtone. A somewhat closed, even austere palate whose dominant feature is a zingy, cutting acidity. There's good palate coverage and a light, yet persistent finish. Not really an interesting wine yet, but should develop beautifully. The Lost Block has smoky, honey aromas, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a faint touch of botrytis about the fruit. It's bright and fresh with a relatively developed front-mid palate and soft clean acid - very much a drink-now style of wine. (Something to open while the Vat 4 matures!) Not quite bone-dry, but not really sweet either, despite only 10.5% alcohol (even less than the Vat 4's 10.7%).
2004 Falls Wines Semillon (Cowra)[$14, screwcap]
Light straw in colour, yet appreciably darker than either of the Tyrrells wines. A nose of rose petal and grassy straw. On the palate it's quite thick and oily. Some initial smoky fruit fades quickly on the midpalate, leaving a faintly bilgey impression. The label admits to 10% oak treatment, which may explain it. Soft acid, restrained weight. A short finish lacks freshness, which is disappointing for a wine so young.
2004 Yalumba Viognier [$8, screwcap]
Pale straw, with a touch of green about the colour. Peach and apricot aromas are so overt it's almost a satire of varietal correctness. The palate adds a touch of musk to the fruit salad, and there's just enough acidity to balance the sweetness of the fruit and the soft subtle oaky notes. The wine is let down by the finish, which is short and becomes somewhat bitter. Judged in the context of price, it's hard to be too critical.
2003 Wirra Wirra Church Block (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot) (McLaren Vale)[$15, screwcap]
Bright crimson red. Warm, spicy fruit cake nose combining lots of stewed fruit aromas. The palate has that coarse, hard-worked quality with some raw notes that suggest under and over-ripe fruit. There's some warmth of body on the palate, but the finish is a bit crude and short. An undemanding quaffer.
2003 Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon [$8, cork]
From the same branded look as the Viognier tasted earlier (grapes from all across South Australia, I presume) this has a stewed raspberry nose with underlying vanilla oak notes. It's a front-palate wine, with some coarseness and a little warm sweetness as well. Good for the price...
1998 Moondah Brook Cabernet Sauvignon (Western Australia)[cork]
OK, so this is cheating, but it was under $15 when released. It's sill a very deep red. The aromas are of menthol and vanilla with blackberry fruit. The palate has softened out to an attractive blend of cloves and spice, with soft tannins. Some aged evolution is apparent which is quite attractive if simple. The finish fades away quickly but this is OK for its age and cost. Drink within the next few years, certainly.
1997 Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz [cork]
TCA-contaminated. Five wines tonight were sealed with with cork. 20% of them failed...
2004 {deleted*} McLaren Vale Shiraz [$10, screwcap]
Deep crimson red. Plush velvety nose of upholstered blackberries and plums. The palate adds soft acid and fine tannins. Medium length finish follows a front-middle palate in the usual McLaren Vale style. Great value at the price. {* name deleted - it's a Sydney retailer's 'home brand'. PM me if you really want to know}
2003 Hardy's Oomoo Shiraz (McLaren Vale)[$13, cork]
Mid red. Soft, restrained nose. Sweet grapey aromas precede a palate of clunky tannins and a more than a dash of sweetness. Short finish. Don't be fooled - this is riding on residual sugar. Overpriced.
2003 Seppelt Victorian Shiraz[$13, screwcap]
Deep red. A slightly closed nose of aniseed, cool, spicy-but-simple aromas. Softly tannic, but stands out amongst the reds tonight by virtue of respectable balance across the palate. Not hugely complex, but pretty good. Challenges the KHL red for wine of the night.
2001 Penny's Hill Fortified Shiraz (McLaren Vale)
Deep black-red. Luscious black fruits with a touch of tar and nutmeg. Warm spirit on palate, with a nutty, cold tea character. Somewhat astringent and minimally sweet, it was very good with a cheese plate. Very good.
A big night for McLaren Vale among the reds. Among the regular commercial labels it's hard to get excited about any of these wines, really. You might expect unheralded wannabees from the Riverland to make a showing, but perhaps none of us put much store in improved reputations from such makers, despite the hype...
Cheers,
Graeme
2004 Tyrrells Vat 4 Stevens Semillon (Hunter)[$15, screwcap]
2004 Tyrrells Lost Block Semillon (Hunter)[$13, screwcap]
The Vat 4 is available only at cellar door (or mail-list) for this price. Ultra-pale straw verging on colourless, the aromas are of cutting lemon and straw, with a faintly sulphurous overtone. A somewhat closed, even austere palate whose dominant feature is a zingy, cutting acidity. There's good palate coverage and a light, yet persistent finish. Not really an interesting wine yet, but should develop beautifully. The Lost Block has smoky, honey aromas, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a faint touch of botrytis about the fruit. It's bright and fresh with a relatively developed front-mid palate and soft clean acid - very much a drink-now style of wine. (Something to open while the Vat 4 matures!) Not quite bone-dry, but not really sweet either, despite only 10.5% alcohol (even less than the Vat 4's 10.7%).
2004 Falls Wines Semillon (Cowra)[$14, screwcap]
Light straw in colour, yet appreciably darker than either of the Tyrrells wines. A nose of rose petal and grassy straw. On the palate it's quite thick and oily. Some initial smoky fruit fades quickly on the midpalate, leaving a faintly bilgey impression. The label admits to 10% oak treatment, which may explain it. Soft acid, restrained weight. A short finish lacks freshness, which is disappointing for a wine so young.
2004 Yalumba Viognier [$8, screwcap]
Pale straw, with a touch of green about the colour. Peach and apricot aromas are so overt it's almost a satire of varietal correctness. The palate adds a touch of musk to the fruit salad, and there's just enough acidity to balance the sweetness of the fruit and the soft subtle oaky notes. The wine is let down by the finish, which is short and becomes somewhat bitter. Judged in the context of price, it's hard to be too critical.
2003 Wirra Wirra Church Block (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot) (McLaren Vale)[$15, screwcap]
Bright crimson red. Warm, spicy fruit cake nose combining lots of stewed fruit aromas. The palate has that coarse, hard-worked quality with some raw notes that suggest under and over-ripe fruit. There's some warmth of body on the palate, but the finish is a bit crude and short. An undemanding quaffer.
2003 Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon [$8, cork]
From the same branded look as the Viognier tasted earlier (grapes from all across South Australia, I presume) this has a stewed raspberry nose with underlying vanilla oak notes. It's a front-palate wine, with some coarseness and a little warm sweetness as well. Good for the price...
1998 Moondah Brook Cabernet Sauvignon (Western Australia)[cork]
OK, so this is cheating, but it was under $15 when released. It's sill a very deep red. The aromas are of menthol and vanilla with blackberry fruit. The palate has softened out to an attractive blend of cloves and spice, with soft tannins. Some aged evolution is apparent which is quite attractive if simple. The finish fades away quickly but this is OK for its age and cost. Drink within the next few years, certainly.
1997 Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz [cork]
TCA-contaminated. Five wines tonight were sealed with with cork. 20% of them failed...
2004 {deleted*} McLaren Vale Shiraz [$10, screwcap]
Deep crimson red. Plush velvety nose of upholstered blackberries and plums. The palate adds soft acid and fine tannins. Medium length finish follows a front-middle palate in the usual McLaren Vale style. Great value at the price. {* name deleted - it's a Sydney retailer's 'home brand'. PM me if you really want to know}
2003 Hardy's Oomoo Shiraz (McLaren Vale)[$13, cork]
Mid red. Soft, restrained nose. Sweet grapey aromas precede a palate of clunky tannins and a more than a dash of sweetness. Short finish. Don't be fooled - this is riding on residual sugar. Overpriced.
2003 Seppelt Victorian Shiraz[$13, screwcap]
Deep red. A slightly closed nose of aniseed, cool, spicy-but-simple aromas. Softly tannic, but stands out amongst the reds tonight by virtue of respectable balance across the palate. Not hugely complex, but pretty good. Challenges the KHL red for wine of the night.
2001 Penny's Hill Fortified Shiraz (McLaren Vale)
Deep black-red. Luscious black fruits with a touch of tar and nutmeg. Warm spirit on palate, with a nutty, cold tea character. Somewhat astringent and minimally sweet, it was very good with a cheese plate. Very good.
A big night for McLaren Vale among the reds. Among the regular commercial labels it's hard to get excited about any of these wines, really. You might expect unheralded wannabees from the Riverland to make a showing, but perhaps none of us put much store in improved reputations from such makers, despite the hype...
Cheers,
Graeme