Tannic Teeth

The Perth Hills Wine Show has been running for a few years now. From the very beginning the wineries have made a spirited effort to improve the quality of their wines, because at times, it has been thought the region has not made wines of any notoriety. This year saw a record number of medals awarded than any previous show. There was a 50% medal award. That may not sound like much but when you consider a large wine show like Sydney or Melbourne, the medal takings are hover below the 40 mark. You could draw two things from it. One the competition is not so great in a wine show like Perth Hills OR the Perth Hills is punching above its weight. I would go for the latter. As the judges brought in this year were a mix of outer regional and national. 5 Gold, 11 Silver and 42 Bronze. Not bad for region not considered to produce super premium wines.

Stand out wines (Gold Medal Winners):

Thumbprint Wines 2009 Rose

Western Range Wines 2006 Julimar Shiraz Viognier

MyattsField Vineyards 2008 Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier

Western Range Wines 2005 Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier

Western Range Wines 2006 Goyamin Pool Cabernt Merlot

Lion Mill Vineyards 2007 Home Block Reserve (Blend)

Western Range Wines 2002 Julimar Liquid Gold Liqueur Muscat

When: Sat 8 & Sun 9 Auguest  11am – 5pm

Where: The Hub Mundaring ( 8 Craig St Mundaring)

Cost: $15

So the Dead Arm Shiraz has a bit of a name for itself. If you don’t know the history of the wine, there is a certain fungi (Eutypa lata) that renders part of the vine dead, hence the ‘dead arm’.  Apparently it also makes the quality of grapes on the remaining half of higher quality. Apparently.

Well in all intents and purposes it DOES deliver a good wine. Though one may achieve this though drought stress, canopy management, fruit thinning to achieve a higher quality crop and thus resulting wine.

The instant character fresh from lively decant is a splattered array of blackcurrant and reduced red fruits. Though over time the nose grows a hairy animal belly and locks itself behind something akin to a leather suit case. Hints of succulent berry do poke though, but you’re going to need your beagle with you to find them. Flavourful and giving on the palate with a good punchy long lasting end. There could have been more fruit sweetness but you can’t have everything in one glass. As expected for the price. RRP $60

Clover Hill [Pipers River – Tasmania] 2003 13%

Of all the places in Australia, Adelaide hills, Yarra Valley and Tasmania are the best places to produce sparkling. Where would I buy my sparkling from? Probably Tasmania. It’s just blessed with the best climate. End of story.

Clover Hill is a Pipers River sparkling producer who also dabbles in some red table wines. Or it could be the other way around. They dabble in sparkling wine producer because for the price, this sparkling was a little lacklustre.

I guess I was expecting a Janz-esque quality and style. This is made from the age old traditional blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Apparently it’s had partial barrel fermentation but I couldn’t really detect anything pass the lifted red apple and biscuit base nose. It’s fresh, wirey with a reasonable amount of zing. Probably not zingy enough for my liking. I want to taste ZING dammit!

Oh yeah, and the ending was a little alcoholic for something at 13%.

Overall, a pricy foray of a Tasmanian sparkling, given the second chance I’ll stick with their table wines.

Average Wintery Night, above average red.

The Eighth Makers is Saltram’s flagship red. Saltram is in the Barossa and Barossa makes exceptional Shiraz. So really this is a cut of the best of the best and retailing at $200 a pop, not a drop to take lightly.

Inspired by Saltram’s eighth winemaker Nigel Dolan, it’s an impressive array of dense jammy fruit, bitter chocolate (but only little bits of it) and a smokey leather. Perhaps I waited too long for this wine to be enjoyed. I’m not a huge fan of cracked leather more than I am of anything too smokey. As this wine exhibits both characters in fair quantity – though not something bad, it’s just not my total cup of tea.

OK. It has remarkable length, and intensity. It also has berries and leather. The berries I’m sad to report are somewhat short lived (I noticed this when decanted this wine). But it’s lacking something. Not to mention the alcohol comes off on this as something disjointed and not streamlined with the rest of the tasting package. It’s an enigma for the price. But overall, it’s a wine that is a pleasure to drink.

Champagne goes straight to my head. Well if you’re like me and immolate every meal in half an hour and have to constantly eat throughout the day then -yes- champagne on an empty stomach is asking for trouble. CO2 from the carbonation forces open your pyloric sphincter so you get a gut-full of alcohol. Not to mention the CO2 helps surcharge the assimilation into the blood stream. Ooooeeeee!!!

Taittinger Brut NV Champagne France RRP $100 AUD

‘Deep straw in colour on the nose wafts of lime with a certain flintyness. Brioche and general stocking of baked goods in there too. The complexity of the wine, is not overshadowed by the racy acidity, though it is in its own right quite tart. Layered over the palate, the mousse is fine, withfinesse of notable length. Two outstanding points to note. Fine mousse. Balance of fruit characters with aged complexity.’

Clairault can be said to be wear the stripes it’s earned during the harsh and formative years of Margaret River some 30 odd years ago. Truly one of the regions veterans, Clairault produces wines of distinctive style, reflecting that of Bordeaux;in many ways climate and topography is very similar, Margaret River receiving slightly more sun. 2007 was an outstanding year for Margs but then again this place seems to be unusually blessed with freakishly good weather taking into account climate change/ cycling.

Clairault Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007 [Margaret River] Western Australia 13%

‘Gleaming from the glass in bright pale straw, this wine carries the traditional SSB blend from Margaret River. Gauva, Passion Fruit, Grassy characters are so palpable and reminiscent of the real deal. The palate unveils the same bountiful tropical array, but also shows restraint when needed, supplely pulling the entire show back into line with a mineral lime acidic zing. The length is not overtly long, nor is it disappointingly short, it sits comfortably with poise given the bestowed fruit characters.’

Probably the largest planted grape in all of Spain, Tempranillo has only a select representation in Australia; Adelaide Hills prefectly suited to showcase this variety. Fragrant, lifted wines encompassing the dark cherry spectrum with approachable tannins. It’s a supple grape variety with mass appeal.

Mr Riggs Tempranillo 2004 [Adelaide Hills] South Australia 14.5%

‘Not peering too deeply into this wine, it’s upfront with a reasonable array of cherry, leather and sweet spice. This wine belongs to the Yucca Paddock, a single vineyard wine concocted by Ben Riggs and Co. Fruitful and generous, the mouth feel is not too big but ample fruit and hints of menthol; finely complementing the mince and mushroom Gözleme later devoured.’

Sporting 4 Gold medals in various classes from wine shows from Hobart to Griffith, Yarra Burn 2003 Shiraz Viognier is one very well balanced drop. Apparently it’s the signature of Yarra Burn, and situated in the atypically cool Yarra Valley it also produces excellent sparklings; the Shiraz Viognier is no exception.

Yarra Burn Shiraz Viognier 2003 [Yarra Valley] Victoria 13.5%

‘From it’s Rhône Valley inspired roots, the Shiraz Viognier is undeniably French in style but with the squeaky clean feel that we know of ‘down under’ wines. Characters of just ripe plum, and slight mineral pepperyness, this wine is larger on the palate, helped along quite nicely with the Viognier lushness, there is a little sweetness. It’s not out of line however, as the grippy tannins keep the profile in check, applicably texturous, well rounded off on the finish of chocolaty Shiraz goodness. Overall impressions are well balanced, generous and very approachable. ‘

To cut a long story short; Prestigious Champagne House ‘Louis Roederer’ of Reimes eyes off north-east corner of Tasmania as perfect climate/soil for the first Australian Sparkling. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in roughly the same proportions in Champagne, vines reach maturity, sparkling wine is made. And it becomes one of Australia’s finest. The name JANSZ has become synonymous with Tasmanian Sparkling.

With a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign as Méthode Tasmanoise, JANSZ is one of the few Tasmanian producers specialising only in the bubbly stuff. Vintage Cuvée, Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée and Non-Vintage Cuvée comprise of mostly Chardonnay dominant strain of sparklings where as the Non-Vintage Rosé and Vintage Rosé are Pinot dominant. Needless to say the technical brilliance of the wines shine forth, I was taken back by the immensity of the structure this wine had to offer; Vintage Cuvée 2002 is outstanding. Poise and finesse are impressive, value for money-wise cannot be beat when comparing to the real French bubbly.

Jansz Vintage Cuvée 2002 [Tasmania] 13%

‘A whole punnet tray of ripe granny smith apples, nice and tart with lip smacking zest. Good wafts of shimmering baked goods glazed in the much sought after honeyed character (not too dissimilar to Baklava). Autyolysis character (akin to agar plate) present in the middle palate, and the fine mousse lifted and finished everything off in balance. Poise that would ruffle a few feathers in the Champagne houses back home; and a certain heaviness experienced with other Australian sparklings was mostly absent. Supple, fresh and lingering.  In a seemless package which will seriously give the French ivory towers’ something to think about over a glass or two.’

One of the many jewels illustriously studded into the LVMH crown, Cape Mentelle enjoys the cooperate success of being part of something bigger. LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy) is the world’s largest luxury brand conglomerate owning the likes of the aforementioned also Gucci, Fendi, Tag Heuer, Château d’Yquem, Cloudy Bay and KRUG plus about 51 more iconic brands. This enables a lower revenue enterprise like vineyards and wineries to be propped up by the revenue from an overly priced pair of jeans. No wonder their wines dazzle with technical brilliance from a no expense spared environment.

Cape Mentelle Sangiovese 2006 [Margaret River] Western Australia 13.5%

‘Sangiovese quickly becoming a mainstream wine in Australia, is more approachable than Cabernet at the same age. Generous dark cherry and coffee notes waft from the surface of this wine, at times requiring some coaxing. There is also anise and spice evident on the nose, towards the palate it’s quite full bodied with plenty of guts, making up for perhaps where the nose lacked. Not at all lacking was the tannins, in abundance, but more velvety and of different texture than say Shiraz and Cab. The subtle influence of [stated] French oak edges this wine into chewy territory, the finish being of reasonable length and persistence. Top notch and highly recommended, but overall nothing out of the ordinary here – this is what you would expect when your siblings are d’Yquem and Cloudy Bay.’