De Bortoli Noble One 2008 Riverina Australia

De Bortoli Noble One 2008 from Riverina in New South Wales, Australia, a real 'sweetie', produced in a difficult year, it is complex with the Botrytic notes (see below) controlling the aroma palate. On the nose, honeyed marmalade with pithy lemon thrown into the mix, above all it smells rich and fresh.
On the palate, honeyed and sweet, nearly luscious, with citric notes across the board, a smatter of ginger and marmalade, a really long finish after that fresh zesty start. This is a wine to be savoured, it is complex and inticing, and at 10% abv - one feels that it is not such a sin to indulge. This would be great with some puddings - but adorable with cheese!
The vintage was a difficult one that started well with warm wet weather, but then dry warm conditions took over not to return to the wet conditions that the Botrytis likes until March with the harvest started in April and finished in June - the brave were strong and left the grapes to mature on the vine.


Botrytis Cinerea is a fungus that can infect grapes in the correct conditions, good rot is called Noble rot - the desired one ( the bad one - grey rot results in wiping out the harvest), there are areas in the world that this can happen naturally and one of these is the area around Sauternes and Barsac in Bordeaux left bank.The Aszu wines of Tokaji wines are also produced having been affected by Botrytis Cinerea. It needs a temperate climate and ideally early morning mists ( off cool water) and sun later in the day so the grapes are kept dry in those autumn afternoons. Not all grapes will be affected, and some may take longer to mature which is why several pickings - called 'tries'- are needed to get all the grapes at thier ideal condition.
The fungus affects the skins and feeds off sugars in the grape itself, but also uses about 50% of its water contained in the grape, so overall the grapes sugar concentration increases! Additionally acids are also consumed ( 5/6ths of the Tartaric acid in the grape is consumed). By products that are produced include glycerine ( the chemical which makes the wine feel viscous), acetic acidand a selection of enzymes. Phenolics of from the skins are also consumed so reducing the tannic structure.
Due to the reduction in water content of the grape the juice produced from Noble Rot infected grapes is low - often in the range of 15 hl/ha.
This wine is available from many retailers including Majestic at £20 or Ocado at £16.99 for a half bottle.
Score : 92

De Bortoli - how they started.
De Bortoli Wines is a third generation family wine company established by Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli in 1928. The couple emigrated to Australia from Northern Italy, from mountain villages at the foothills of the Italian Alps, near the historic town of Asolo.

Their son, Deen De Bortoli, (b 1936 – d 2003) expanded and consolidated the business created by his parents. Deen's children continue De Bortoli's winemaking including icon dessert wine Noble One and the Yarra Valley wines.

This wine has been much feted with awards galore.

 

 

 

 

McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon 2005 Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia

McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2005 comes from the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia and has been cellar aged before release.
A lemon coloured wine with rounded citric aromas including tangerine and lime, there is also a touch of apricot and spiceiness. On the palate there is a slight prickle on the tongue but the overpowering initial feeling is of freshness, green apple, grapefruit pith and a slight hint of greenness from a pea shoot nuance, this is a fresh, zesty wine which despite 7 years age - is youthful, clean and ready to age for some time to come.
Overall the wine is fresh, clean and full of fruit as it opens in the mouth but also has an extra complexity, the texture alone is waxy and delicious, at 7 years old - it tastes youthful and has much time and pleasure to give! Enjoy - available from Sainsburys under their 'Taste the Difference' own label range at an amazingly low cost of £9.99 and also from Majestic at £9.99 if you buy 2.

How the wine was made :-All grapes for this wine were handpicked. They were de-stemmed at the winery, crushed, the must chilled and the juice drained. After 48 hours to allow settling, the clear juice was racked off and warmed to allow fermention - which was slow and cool to help retain the exceptional fruit flavour of this vintage.
The Wine maker is Phil Ryan - we thankyou Phil!

The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest producing wine region, with vines first planted in the 1820’s and is approximately two hours drive north of Sydney and to the northwest of Newcastle. It is based on the catchment of the Hunter Valley River & includes the Upper & Lower Hunter areas.

The Hunter Valley is warm / hot. However, temperature, within broad limits, has nothing to do with quality, but affects only the style. In addition to hot days, the Hunter Valley has relatively warm nights when the physiological processes that ripen fruit can continue. The days are also quite humid, reducing moisture stress and allowing the leaves to keep their pores open longer during hot weather. This allows photosynthesis and growth to continue when, in drier air, it would not. The Lower Hunter Valley around Pokolbin is a little wetter than Broke Fordwich and the Upper Hunter Valley but is closer to the coast and benefits more from cooling sea breezes.

Soils : There are three main soil types in the Hunter Valley. The first is the red clay loam that appears on the hilltops and slopes. Red soils are well-drained and provide a good medium for vines; these are where the best Shiraz is grown. On some slopes you’ll also find chocolate brown podsols which are also good for red wines. You’ll find the third major soil type on the flats along the creek beds where grey sandy loams overlie white or yellow clays. Casuarinas are a good indicator for these soils and this is where whites grow best - mostly Semillon and Chardonnay.  In the Upper Hunter Valley, these soils tend to be a little deeper and grade into black loams. 

Hunter Valley Semillon: Is considered to be a world benchmark wine, it is the stellar white variety in the region. Semillon is at its delicate best when picked early to make a wine of ten to 11.5% alcohol and almost invariably has ripe flavours at low sugar concentrations. This is the style of wine that best responds to bottle age, during which it develops outstanding lemon curd and toasty complexity and becomes barely recognisable from its demure beginning. Most companies release their Semillons when only a few months old when they are crisp and lively with a light body and fresh, lemony and grassy fruit. A few keep some wines for bottle-maturation and release after five years or more when they have deepened in colour, become rounder and softer in the mouth and developed the most brilliantly complex flavours of vanilla and buttered toast.

Brokenwood Semillon 2011 Hunter Valley Australia

Brokenwood Semillon 2011 is from the cool Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. It is a straw coloured with green tints - zesty, some would say pungent wine with grassy, lemon crisp aromas and a florality that I had not expected but did like.
On the palate there is an initial slight spritz which teases the tongue, not unpleasant but disguises the forthcoming pleasure. The grassy, zesty lemon and citric peel continue on the palate with a clean freshing, nervy acidity, it is clear cut and fruity, the finish is long with a lemon curd twist. The silky, waxy texture which develops in the mouth further increases the pleasure of this wine - a well structured, finely tuned wine with generous acidic backbone, satisfying finish and the fine boned etheral texture keeps it charming for longer ( on palate and memory). Great with food, but equally yummy without!
Score : 85 and available form Slurp at a cost of £12.50.

The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest producing wine region, with vines first planted in the 1820’s and is approximately two hours drive north of Sydney and to the northwest of Newcastle. It is based on the catchment of the Hunter Valley River & includes the Upper & Lower Hunter areas.

The Hunter Valley is warm / hot. However, temperature, within broad limits, has nothing to do with quality, but affects only the style. In addition to hot days, the Hunter Valley has relatively warm nights when the physiological processes that ripen fruit can continue. The days are also quite humid, reducing moisture stress and allowing the leaves to keep their pores open longer during hot weather. This allows photosynthesis and growth to continue when, in drier air, it would not. The Lower Hunter Valley around Pokolbin is a little wetter than Broke Fordwich and the Upper Hunter Valley but is closer to the coast and benefits more from cooling sea breezes.

Soils : There are three main soil types in the Hunter Valley. The first is the red clay loam that appears on the hilltops and slopes. Red soils are well-drained and provide a good medium for vines; these are where the best Shiraz is grown. On some slopes you’ll also find chocolate brown podsols which are also good for red wines. You’ll find the third major soil type on the flats along the creek beds where grey sandy loams overlie white or yellow clays. Casuarinas are a good indicator for these soils and this is where whites grow best - mostly Semillon and Chardonnay.  In the Upper Hunter Valley, these soils tend to be a little deeper and grade into black loams. 

From A+ Australia about Hunter Valley Semillon: Is considered to be a world benchmark wine, it is the stellar white variety in the region. Semillon is at its delicate best when picked early to make a wine of ten to 11.5% alcohol and almost invariably has ripe flavours at low sugar concentrations. This is the style of wine that best responds to bottle age, during which it develops outstanding lemon curd and toasty complexity and becomes barely recognisable from its demure beginning. Most companies release their Semillons when only a few months old when they are crisp and lively with a light body and fresh, lemony and grassy fruit. A few keep some wines for bottle-maturation and release after five years or more when they have deepened in colour, become rounder and softer in the mouth and developed the most brilliantly complex flavours of vanilla and buttered toast.

Yering Station Village Chadonnay 2010, Yarra Valley, Australia

Yering Station Village Chadonnay 2010 from the Yarra Valley in Victoria, Australia is a pale lemon coloured wine with green tints, it has peach, melon and spice on the nose which is carried through to the palate which is rounded and etheral. The acidity saves this ripe, spicey fruit mix from being flabby and fat, the oak is obvious but cleverly integrated, it is sweet and structural, edgy winemaking at its best! Barrel fermantation is part of this wines make-up and this is where the nuts and creamy texture come from, 9 months maturation in barrel furthers the complexity of this wine and underwrites its longevity. The length is long and persistant, rounded sweet spices and white stone fruits with a little pear in the mix - a well crafted and exciting wine.Wild ferment yeast also helps to increase the layered interest.
Score : 83 and can be bought through Nywines at a cost of just over £14 per bottle.

About the Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley was Victoria's first wine growing district with a history stretching back 170 years. It is known as the birthplace of Victoria's wine industry. Vines were first planted in 1838 and viticulture spread rapidly through the 1860s and 1870s And is now recognised as one of Australia's foremost cool climate regions, capable of making classic styles from a wide range of varieties. It is located less than one hour's drive east of Melbourne and is currently home to more than 80 wineries and although grows many grapes successfully it is well known for its high quality for production of premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Yarra Valley is one of Australia's coolest regions, with elevation varying from 50 metres to 400 metres. Rainfall is winter/spring dominant, with the summer relatively cool, dry and humid and there is limited maritime influence a small diurnal temperature range reflects the proximity of the sea. Frost is rarely a problem, but can affect the lower vineyards on the valley floor from time to time. A rainfall of 750-950 millimetres and restricted water holding capacity in some soils, irrigation is considered essential − although the extent of its use does vary significantly between producers. Another  point worth noting is that the Yarra Valley is Phyloxera free.

Victoria's first vineyard, Yering Station, is located in the 'heart' of the Yarra Valley only one hours drive from Melbourne. As a family-owned winery and led by Winemaker Willy Lunn since 2008. It is set in a stunning location with breathtaking views, beautifully kept gardens and dramatic architecture.

Victoria’s first vineyard was planted at Yering Station in 1838. The Scottish-born Ryrie brothers ventured into the Yarra Valley as they moved their cattle south from Sydney. Taking up a grazing license of 43 000 acres, they named the property ‘Yering’, its Aboriginal name. The Ryrie’s planted two varieties, the Black Cluster of Hamburg and a white grape variety called Sweetwater. During the early 1850’s they returned to Sydney and Paul de Castella took ownership of Yering Station, developing the property from what remained primarily a cattle station into a landmark of winemaking in Victoria.

Paul de Castella arrived in the Yarra Valley after traveling from his home town- the Neuchatel district in Switzerland. Many Swiss settled in the Yarra Valley around this time due to the sympathetic presence of the Victorian Governor’s wife, Sophie La Trobe, who also came from the region. Without them, the story of wine in the Yarra Valley would have been very different.
By the early 20th century, the Yarra Valley wine industry was in decline. The phylloxera epidemic had destroyed many Victorian vineyards and although it never reached the Yarra Valley, economic and social factors (such as palate preference) impacted upon cool climate viticulture in Victoria. The Yarra Valley area returned to dairy farming. It was not until the early 1970’s that, in response to the changing cultural demands of the new generation, coupled with the growing success of other Australian regions, the Yarra Valley vineyards began to thrive once more.
After changing hands several times throughout the early-to-mid 1900’s, Yering Station was purchased by the Rathbone family in 1996. A further 100 acres of vines were planted and that same year a joint venture was signed with Champagne Devaux, a leading Champagne house in France, to make the now famed Yarrabank sparkling. The Rathbone family made plans for the development of a state-of-the-art winery to accommodate and complement the anticipated increase in winemaking standards. John Evans moved across from nearby Yarra Ridge to manage the expanding vineyards.

Melbourne architect Robert Conti was appointed and designs were laid to recreate Yering Station as a landmark tourist destination and key contributor to the international wine community.

Philip Shaw The Architect Chardonnay 2011 Orange Australia

Orange, New South Wales - Originally known as the Central Highlands, the region centres on the slopes of Mount Canobolas an experimental viticultural station was established at nearby Molong in the 1940s, but vines were first planted commercially in 1980. The region's elevation strongly influences the climate and the soils are variable. Overall, mild to warm midsummer mean temperatures, seldom rising above 32°C, but offset by cool / cold nights during the growing season hence keeping fresh acidity in the grapes. Rainfall is predominately in winter and springand  the three driest months are February, March and April hence irrigation is highly desirable. The strong winds reduce the risk of frost but they also hinder fruit set. Another problem that this area ( like quite a few in the cooler Australian growing regions) has are flocks of feeding birds – netting is used by some growers as a necessity. Chardonnay is the most established variety in the Orange region and is noted for its bright elegant styles. It is well suited to the varying altitudes and conditions.

Philip Shaw The Architect Chardonnay 2011  is medium lemon with a limey green tinge, on the nose are subtle aromas of green apple and peaches, on the palate the same fruits exhibit themselves with a sneaky cheesey nuance, this wine has had oak contact - but it is subtle older oak and has a fattness that enrobes the wines flavours. Fresh acidity keeps this wine clean and would work well with food, the alcohol embellishes rather than dominates - a nicely made wine. The maker comments on the production methods 'Fermentation occurred utilising yeast from the vineyard at a moderate temperature taking about 14 days to complete. The wine remained on yeast lees for 6 months in old French oak barrels and small stainless tanks. This allowed a build up of complexity without a noticeable amount of oak character.' The finish is peach and apple with a slightly acidc end. 

This is a wine that will keep - so look forward to drinking it over the next few years.

Score : 82

This is available from Amazon at a cost of £13.30.

 

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2011 Australia

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2011 from Hilltops in New South Wales in Australia, Clonakilla literally means ‘meadow of the church’ and is the name of the founder’s grandfather’s farm in County Clare, Ireland. Dr John Kirk founded Clonakilla vineyard at Murrumbateman, 40 kilometres north of Canberra. In 1997 Tim Kirk, the fourth of John's six sons, took over the responsibility for winemaking.

The grapes for this Shiraz were selected from three vineyards in the Hilltops district around Young in New South Wales, the Canberra District .s closest neighbouring wine region. Soils are deep red loam over light clay, giving distinctive blackberry and blackcurrant notes to the wine.

The grapes were destemmed and fermented warm together with no bunches. The wine was matured for 11 months in French oak, 15% new. The wine was racked once during its maturation in oak and bottled in late February 2012.

This wine is a medium ruby core with wide ruby rim and with slow legs. The 2011 was a cool vintage and produced elegant fine structured wines ( and not as deep as the norm for this wine). The wine has black and red berry aromas on top of floral notes (violets), followed by a black pepper edge and a certain meatiness. On the palate, savoury ripe tannins enrobe the black berry and red currant flavours, there is fresh acidity  and the alcohol feels low and structural (12%). There once more is a fine floral note and a herbal sandalwood edge, this feels elegant, multilayered and complex on the mouth and the length is long with finely etched flavours. There is a perfumed quality to this wine that hints at a Viognier content - Shiraz Viognier a common mix - but this could be from the cool vintage.

This is available to purchase from Slurp at a cost of £16.95.
Score : 86

Logan Shiraz 2009, Orange, Australia

Logan Shiraz 2009 from Orange in New South Wales, Australia.  Orange - originally known as the Central Highlands, is centred on the slopes of Mount Canobolas where an experimental viticultural station was established at nearby Molong in the 1940s, with vines first planted commercially in 1980.
The region's elevation lying at about 6-800m strongly influences 'the climate' and the area has variable soils. Overall, mild to warm midsummer mean temperatures, seldom rising above 32°C, but offset by cool / cold nights during the growing season to keep fresh acidity in the grapes. Rainfall is predominately in winter and spring with  the three driest months are February, March and April hence irrigation is highly desirable. The strong winds reduce the risk of frost but they also hinder fruit set. Another problem that this area has ( like quite a few in the cooler Australian growing regions)  are flocks of feeding birds – netting is used by some growers as a necessity.
The vines here are 15 years old and planted in rich, deep volcanic soils on the north-facing slopes of Mount Canobolas. After crushing, the grapes were seeded with FX10 yeast.Fermentation was in a combination of small open fermenters which were plunged twice per day and large rotary fermenters, spun twice per day. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in tank before being racked to oak barrels. Maturation was for 15 months in French and Hungarian oak hogshead (300L) and puncheon (500L) barrels (a mixture of new, one, two and three year old).
Logan Shiraz 2009 is a wine to try - it is deep, deep ruby with black tints, and the legs are slow fat and coloured! On the nose luscious, vibrant ripe plums, black cherry and a hint of pepper with mint. Tasting it did not disappoint, the black fruits ( cherry, currant, berry ) are supported wonderfully by the fresh acidity and well defined, ripe, silky tannins. There is a spicey, minty edge to this wine that adds extra complexity and the alcohol feels in balance ( 14%) and well integrated. The length is long and has  spice and ripe fruit end! A deep chocolatey wine that has fresh warmth and feels well balanced, I look forward to trying this over the next 5 or so years.