DEGUSTATION FOR DIGNITY 2015 - THE WINE LINE-UP and tasting notes
Wineries support Degustation for Dignity by donating wine to be served at the event, and matched to donated dishes. Matthew Jukes tastes the wine and food, and matches courses for our guests in a tasting masterclass. We thank these donors for their generous support of our fundraising event.
Whites
2011 Blue Pyrenees, Sparkling Vintage Brut, Pyrenees, Western Victoria
Using all three Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this vintage creation is a ripe, creamy, momentarily tropical-scented wine with a really juicy core and a lush, long finish. Drink it ice cold wearing little more than trunks or a bikini (not both
please) and you will be transported to dream-boat desert island holiday mode in just one sip!
2010 Brown Brothers, Patricia Chardonnay, Victoria
This is one of the most impactful and memorable wines ever included in a Wine Rules event. The Patricia label is an important one at Brown Brothers because it denotes the top of the tree creations at this world famous winery. 2010 Patricia Chardonnay is a towering wine which still looks youthful and tense at five years of age. This alone is impressive. That the flavours are so complex and well integrated into the stunning oak barrel nuances is yet another testament to the skill of production and quality of raw materials used by this terrific family unit. This is benchmark, cool climate Aussie Chardonnay and you must find a way to taste this wine at your earliest opportunity, rewarding it with a perfectly roasted chicken or top flight main course fish dish.
2012 Chandon, Sparkling Blanc de Blancs
It never ceases to amaze me just how strict, straight-jacketed, pristine this wine is. Made from 100% Chardonnay and kept linear and focused during its growing and making, Chandon’s vintage BdeB is a tight, citrusy, elegant sparkler with noble pretensions and more
than its fair share of distinction. I raise my glass (obviously not just one!) to Dan Buckle and his team - if only Blanc de Blanc Champagnes could be this reliable, impressive and delicious.
2015 Delatite, Pinot Gris, Mansfield, Victoria
Delatite’s PG tread the boards between a Grigio and a Gris style. What this means is that on the one hand it is perky and refreshing (like a Grigio) and on the other it is fairly rich and textural (like a Gris). These two names obviously refer to the same grape variety, but they
imply ‘style’ and so if you are drinking this wine you can expect a crunchy, apple-skin themed flavour but with more depth than expected! This is great news because this shape of wine is ideally suited to Japanese food and spicier Vietnamese and Thai dishes – so now you can navigate through these cuisines with confidence!
2014 Delatite, Riesling, Mansfield, Victoria
Australia specialises in genuinely dry Rieslings and across the nation you make an enviable array of versions. This fascinating version focuses on delicately lemon-scented fruit and a long, lithe, powdery body which reminds us of the minerality of the terroir in the Delatite
vineyards. For this reason it is not an oily, Germanic wine but a modern, lifted, piercingly clean style suited to keen aperitif drinking, oysters and shellfish. At the top of its game, now that the racy acidity has softened a touch, this is a bright, engaging wine.
2015 La Bohème by De Bortoli, Act Three Pinot Gris and Friends, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Act Three is a very considered wine. On the face of it, the deco label and PG and Friends title might make you think that this is a relaxed, convivial diva but it is much more than that. With determined drive on the palate and a full, dry palate, this is a floral, mildly exotic wine
with a touch of sweetness balancing the raucous acidity. It’s rare to find a wine that is both steely and silky! See how it charms the smoked salmon while at the same time keeping the creamy wasabi, with its hidden kick, in its place. Genius!
2014 Rutherglen Estates, Renaissance Viognier Roussanne Marsanne, Rutherglen, Victoria
A few years ago, we at Wine Rules were treated to a fully mature version of this tri-varietal white blend and it was intense, perfumed, oily and imposing. This year we have the same wine, but in youthful form and it is a thriller. VR&M are natural bed-fellows (three’s not a
crowd here) and their complementary scents, flavours and finishes serve to enhance each other magically. I have no doubt that this is Rutherglen Estates’ finest vintage of this lusty white to date. Flashes of nutmeg and ginger overlay great power coupled with respectful
restraint. Granted there are expressive apricot and peach blossom notes straining to be unleashed but for now they are under control and behaving perfectly. This is a truly amazing main course white wine.
2012 Stonier, Reserve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2012 was a fantastic vintage in Mornington and winemaker Mike Symons used these favourable conditions to extract every single ounce of elegance and beauty from his vineyards and then he poured it all into this wine. When I tasted ’12 Reserve Chard, with the Degustation for Dignity team in attendance, the room was collectively struck dumb – it is the sheer finesse and completeness of flavour which is arresting. I absolutely love the awesome freshness balanced with the incredible depth of meadow blossom fruit and latent
power. Classy, mouthfilling and with beguiling density, this is one of the finest wines I have tasted this year and it has a long life ahead of it.
2014 Tamar Ridge, Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania
There is no doubt that Tamar Ridge is one of Australia’s most elite wineries. A long-serving trailblazer for Tassie’s pinsharp climate and maverick winemaking this wine takes Sauvignon to a new level and it also tackles Marlborough head on. Australians take note. There is no need to drink fruit cocktail Kiwi Savvy any more with this baby on your shelves. It appears that I have matched a Tasmanian oyster with cucumber gel and finger lime to this wine, but in reality it matched itself. Look out for cleansing cucumber and racy lime on the nose and palate of this wicked wine. With perfect freshness, a long, smooth palate, surprising intensity this is a winner.
2013 Tamar Ridge, Reserve Botrytis Riesling, Tasmania
There is no mystery as to why this wine is so phenomenally delicious. Tamar Ridge knows
exactly how to make sweeties having done this for aeons and the results don’t shy away in
the glass but leap gazelle-like up your hooter rewarding you with stunning, quince and
greengage freshness overlaying and lemon meringue palate. Magical, mesmerising and
mouth-watering – who could ask for more?
Reds
2014 Brash Higgins, NDV, Nero d’Avola Amphora Project, McLaren Vale, South Australia
I have no idea how Brad Hickey manages to augment the flavour of this daring and pioneering red wine year on year. Unless you are a genuine Nero d’Avola aficionado you will not be able to understand just how shockingly good this wine is. Nero is a swaggering, unruly, Southern Italian red grape famous for making head-banging, espresso-scented wine with little charm but maximum impact. Brad’s version is indeed explosive on the nose, loaded with dark berries, plums and liquorice, but the palate is honed, masterful and
elegant. I love the powdering tannins and heroic length of flavour, too. This is an essential wine in every serious red wine lover’s cellar because it shows you a fruit character and delivery never seen before.
2014 Circe, Single Vineyard Shiraz, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
With the use of 40% whole bunch fruit (involving stems as well as grapes) this wine is way beyond most mortals’ true comprehension of aromatic complexity and cosmic grace and yet anyone remotely interested in epic red wine will drop to their knees when they sniff a glass of this stunner such is its astounding beauty. I will go so far as to say that it will encourage you to reassess just how amazing your very own olfactory system is and then it might inspire you to use it more often! Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond have taken their bunches of Shiraz grapes and treated them like a rare and wondrous gemstones. Polished, set perfectly and with no gaudiness or showiness in sight, this is one of the most complete Shiraz I have ever seen out of Australia. It is both delicate and malevolent. I cannot say any more because I have to go and lie down in a darkened room.
2010 Delatite Estate, Tempranillo, Mansfield, Victoria
Food and wine-matching is not an exact art – it is a passionate, evocative, sensual pursuit perfected by few but attempted by all. When I tasted this wine in the company of a wine blogger, a sommelier and a talented chef we all came to the same conclusion in a blink of an
eye – we must use this wine at Degustation for Dignity and we would therefore have to ‘create’ the perfect dish to show its attributes off to a tee. The guests at our wonderful event will determine if we are right! With plush, ripe, smooth, redcurrant and plum notes, and no trace of oak or the medicinal tang so often associated with Spanish Rioja (the world’s most famous wine made from the same grape Tempranillo) this is a fully mature, honest Victorian ‘Temp’ which highlights Delatite’s talents and ambition.
2014 Deus ex Liquida, Grenache / Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia
God, emerging from this heavenly liquid. Now there’s an image. What has God been wallowing in? Obviously His palate is acute and all-powerful and what we didn’t know is that He is also partial to amazingly ostentatious McLaren Vale reds. With hilarious intensity and a shimmeringly beautiful chassis, this Grenache-based potion really does make you believe faithfully in a higher power! McLaren Vale is home to some of the finest Grenache vines in the world (and yes the Southern Rhône is included in this sweeping statement). Deus ex Liquida augments its heady, cigarbox and mulberry scent with dark, swarthy, stormcloud-laden Shiraz. The results are Biblical – think thunderbolts raining down on your palate and you are halfway there!
2012 Fowles Wine, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria
Once they have shot their lunch I do hope that these ladies manage to fashion it into seriously high quality meat pies because this is what I want right now to combine with this classic, raspberry and lavender-scented Shiraz. Pungent, full, dark and swarthy, but with the
most amazing humidor and wild herb scent, this is a gastronomes delight such is the broad repertoire of pies (joke!) that this wine would adore. On a more serious note I cannot think of a finer dish than roast lamb with anchovies and rosemary to seduce this wine – but I do
not want to hear of any ladies opening fire on unsuspecting sheep, so I suggest they take a day off and allow us men to take care of the cooking.
2013 Katnook, Founders Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia
Katnook will not mind me mentioning the fact that Founders Block is not one of the more expensive wines in their portfolio. I rarely talk about price when explaining my thoughts behind wines because I feel that it is more about the flavour, how a wine makes you feel
and what you should do with it! However, I have made an exception here because the epic balance and freshness in this bright Coonawarra Cab nothing short of captivating and it is done with so much value and style I am truly astonished. Class and refinement combined with a stunning price tag is a very rare commodity.
2013 Ocean Eight, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Mike, Mike, Mike – how do you do it? Mr. Aylward take a bow because this vintage of your heart-breakingly stunning Pinot Noir has finally come of age. Forgive this analogy, but the leggy, teenage model, who showed so much coquettish promise has finally become a fully fledged, jaw-droppingly beautiful temptress. That is not to say that her proportions have increased at all. At 13.2% alcohol this wine is still slim and exquisitely balanced. It is just that there is more exoticism on the nose, detailed with Turkish Delight and true
sophistication. The palate is just that bit more intense and the finish a tiny bit longer and fully. Wow, wow, wow.
2013 Pizzini, Pietra Rossa Sangiovese, King Valley, Victoria
Welcome to the club Pizzini. We have been waiting for you and we have a place laid at our table. So often the Tuscan grape Sangiovese flounders when it leaves Italy’s shores. Pizzini is an expert in harnessing this tricky grape’s true character and then delivering it in a
measured, accurate and honest manner. Pietra Rossa wears the trademark cranberry and cherry tang off to perfection. This, however, is a wine that it not too acidic unlike legions of Chiantis and yet it manages to retain its slim frame and nervy, edgy flavour-balance. Top
marks chaps – this is a rare and alluring Sangiovese and it is a delightful and unique wine in our line-up.
2012 Port Phillip Estate, Balnarring Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
I am over to moon to have the famous Port Phillip Estate involved in our Degustation for Dignity event because the Pinots made here are extremely impressive indeed. With a deeper, darker fruit profile than many, this foresty, briary take on Pinot Noir reminds me of
some of the evocative wines of Burgundy’s famous Côte de Nuits. With lovely depth and concentrated wild cherry flavours coupled with bold oak and refreshing tannins, this wine is a masterful, commanding Pinot with intention and attack. It is just starting to drink well
now and in common with the great wines of France will age slowly for a very long time!
2014 Rutherglen Estate, Single Vineyard Sangiovese, Rutherglen, Victoria
By contrast to the light, tangy, cranberry-scented Sangioveses which are very popular in Australia (probably because they taste like Chianti) this is a rich, intense wine with more heft and intensity and therefore this wine more resembles a Super Tuscan, bristling with
energy, brawn and power. At 14% alcohol this is no shrinking violet, in fact there is little violet to be seen here, replaced as it is by dark chocolate, sour cherries and juicy black plums. Make sure you deploy this wine for main course duties only, with pasta with wild
boar ragout being the optimum dish!
2014 Tellurian, Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre, Heathcote, Victoria
Tellurian’s GSM is a perfumed fellow with juicy raspberry and plum notes crowding the nose. It initially seems light and innocent, but do not be deceived because this is a veritable iron fist and a velvet gauntlet! Bigger more structured on the palate and energetically
youthful, too, this 2014 is bristling with punchy, forest fruit notes and combative, mouthwatering tannins. You can drink it now if you wish (artisan cheese would be the go) but I would allow it to slumber for 6-12 months and then aim for main course game dishes or top
level charcuterie.
2013 Tellurian, Pastiche Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria
I believe that Pastiche is a ‘second label’ or a more immediate drinking wine in the Tellurian portfolio but, By Golly, this wine has grown up over the last few years and in 2013 it is a very accurate, savoury Heathcote thoroughbred Shiraz. The attack of fruit on the palate is
delightful and the Heathcote signature spice and wild herb aromatics are all present and correct. Purple in colour and glossy in sheen this is a fabulous wine which sings loud and proud of its region and the skill of its creators.
2013 Ten Minutes by Tractor Estate, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
TMbT is one of the truly great estates in an increasingly crowded Mornington Peninsula wine scene. The reason for it fame is far more than just having one of the catchiest names around. With amazingly perfumed fruit and trademark velvety texture it is impossible not
to fall for this wine’s charms. What’s more impressive is that the calibre of oak used here is of the highest quality imaginable and this means that there is an underlying feeling of class and build-quality which invades every one of your taste buds. Fine and fresh but also deep and brooding this is an elite Pinot Noir which shows the true essence of the variety and also reminds us that this is the most sensual grape on the planet.
2011 Blue Pyrenees, Sparkling Vintage Brut, Pyrenees, Western Victoria
Using all three Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this vintage creation is a ripe, creamy, momentarily tropical-scented wine with a really juicy core and a lush, long finish. Drink it ice cold wearing little more than trunks or a bikini (not both
please) and you will be transported to dream-boat desert island holiday mode in just one sip!
2010 Brown Brothers, Patricia Chardonnay, Victoria
This is one of the most impactful and memorable wines ever included in a Wine Rules event. The Patricia label is an important one at Brown Brothers because it denotes the top of the tree creations at this world famous winery. 2010 Patricia Chardonnay is a towering wine which still looks youthful and tense at five years of age. This alone is impressive. That the flavours are so complex and well integrated into the stunning oak barrel nuances is yet another testament to the skill of production and quality of raw materials used by this terrific family unit. This is benchmark, cool climate Aussie Chardonnay and you must find a way to taste this wine at your earliest opportunity, rewarding it with a perfectly roasted chicken or top flight main course fish dish.
2012 Chandon, Sparkling Blanc de Blancs
It never ceases to amaze me just how strict, straight-jacketed, pristine this wine is. Made from 100% Chardonnay and kept linear and focused during its growing and making, Chandon’s vintage BdeB is a tight, citrusy, elegant sparkler with noble pretensions and more
than its fair share of distinction. I raise my glass (obviously not just one!) to Dan Buckle and his team - if only Blanc de Blanc Champagnes could be this reliable, impressive and delicious.
2015 Delatite, Pinot Gris, Mansfield, Victoria
Delatite’s PG tread the boards between a Grigio and a Gris style. What this means is that on the one hand it is perky and refreshing (like a Grigio) and on the other it is fairly rich and textural (like a Gris). These two names obviously refer to the same grape variety, but they
imply ‘style’ and so if you are drinking this wine you can expect a crunchy, apple-skin themed flavour but with more depth than expected! This is great news because this shape of wine is ideally suited to Japanese food and spicier Vietnamese and Thai dishes – so now you can navigate through these cuisines with confidence!
2014 Delatite, Riesling, Mansfield, Victoria
Australia specialises in genuinely dry Rieslings and across the nation you make an enviable array of versions. This fascinating version focuses on delicately lemon-scented fruit and a long, lithe, powdery body which reminds us of the minerality of the terroir in the Delatite
vineyards. For this reason it is not an oily, Germanic wine but a modern, lifted, piercingly clean style suited to keen aperitif drinking, oysters and shellfish. At the top of its game, now that the racy acidity has softened a touch, this is a bright, engaging wine.
2015 La Bohème by De Bortoli, Act Three Pinot Gris and Friends, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Act Three is a very considered wine. On the face of it, the deco label and PG and Friends title might make you think that this is a relaxed, convivial diva but it is much more than that. With determined drive on the palate and a full, dry palate, this is a floral, mildly exotic wine
with a touch of sweetness balancing the raucous acidity. It’s rare to find a wine that is both steely and silky! See how it charms the smoked salmon while at the same time keeping the creamy wasabi, with its hidden kick, in its place. Genius!
2014 Rutherglen Estates, Renaissance Viognier Roussanne Marsanne, Rutherglen, Victoria
A few years ago, we at Wine Rules were treated to a fully mature version of this tri-varietal white blend and it was intense, perfumed, oily and imposing. This year we have the same wine, but in youthful form and it is a thriller. VR&M are natural bed-fellows (three’s not a
crowd here) and their complementary scents, flavours and finishes serve to enhance each other magically. I have no doubt that this is Rutherglen Estates’ finest vintage of this lusty white to date. Flashes of nutmeg and ginger overlay great power coupled with respectful
restraint. Granted there are expressive apricot and peach blossom notes straining to be unleashed but for now they are under control and behaving perfectly. This is a truly amazing main course white wine.
2012 Stonier, Reserve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2012 was a fantastic vintage in Mornington and winemaker Mike Symons used these favourable conditions to extract every single ounce of elegance and beauty from his vineyards and then he poured it all into this wine. When I tasted ’12 Reserve Chard, with the Degustation for Dignity team in attendance, the room was collectively struck dumb – it is the sheer finesse and completeness of flavour which is arresting. I absolutely love the awesome freshness balanced with the incredible depth of meadow blossom fruit and latent
power. Classy, mouthfilling and with beguiling density, this is one of the finest wines I have tasted this year and it has a long life ahead of it.
2014 Tamar Ridge, Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania
There is no doubt that Tamar Ridge is one of Australia’s most elite wineries. A long-serving trailblazer for Tassie’s pinsharp climate and maverick winemaking this wine takes Sauvignon to a new level and it also tackles Marlborough head on. Australians take note. There is no need to drink fruit cocktail Kiwi Savvy any more with this baby on your shelves. It appears that I have matched a Tasmanian oyster with cucumber gel and finger lime to this wine, but in reality it matched itself. Look out for cleansing cucumber and racy lime on the nose and palate of this wicked wine. With perfect freshness, a long, smooth palate, surprising intensity this is a winner.
2013 Tamar Ridge, Reserve Botrytis Riesling, Tasmania
There is no mystery as to why this wine is so phenomenally delicious. Tamar Ridge knows
exactly how to make sweeties having done this for aeons and the results don’t shy away in
the glass but leap gazelle-like up your hooter rewarding you with stunning, quince and
greengage freshness overlaying and lemon meringue palate. Magical, mesmerising and
mouth-watering – who could ask for more?
Reds
2014 Brash Higgins, NDV, Nero d’Avola Amphora Project, McLaren Vale, South Australia
I have no idea how Brad Hickey manages to augment the flavour of this daring and pioneering red wine year on year. Unless you are a genuine Nero d’Avola aficionado you will not be able to understand just how shockingly good this wine is. Nero is a swaggering, unruly, Southern Italian red grape famous for making head-banging, espresso-scented wine with little charm but maximum impact. Brad’s version is indeed explosive on the nose, loaded with dark berries, plums and liquorice, but the palate is honed, masterful and
elegant. I love the powdering tannins and heroic length of flavour, too. This is an essential wine in every serious red wine lover’s cellar because it shows you a fruit character and delivery never seen before.
2014 Circe, Single Vineyard Shiraz, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
With the use of 40% whole bunch fruit (involving stems as well as grapes) this wine is way beyond most mortals’ true comprehension of aromatic complexity and cosmic grace and yet anyone remotely interested in epic red wine will drop to their knees when they sniff a glass of this stunner such is its astounding beauty. I will go so far as to say that it will encourage you to reassess just how amazing your very own olfactory system is and then it might inspire you to use it more often! Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond have taken their bunches of Shiraz grapes and treated them like a rare and wondrous gemstones. Polished, set perfectly and with no gaudiness or showiness in sight, this is one of the most complete Shiraz I have ever seen out of Australia. It is both delicate and malevolent. I cannot say any more because I have to go and lie down in a darkened room.
2010 Delatite Estate, Tempranillo, Mansfield, Victoria
Food and wine-matching is not an exact art – it is a passionate, evocative, sensual pursuit perfected by few but attempted by all. When I tasted this wine in the company of a wine blogger, a sommelier and a talented chef we all came to the same conclusion in a blink of an
eye – we must use this wine at Degustation for Dignity and we would therefore have to ‘create’ the perfect dish to show its attributes off to a tee. The guests at our wonderful event will determine if we are right! With plush, ripe, smooth, redcurrant and plum notes, and no trace of oak or the medicinal tang so often associated with Spanish Rioja (the world’s most famous wine made from the same grape Tempranillo) this is a fully mature, honest Victorian ‘Temp’ which highlights Delatite’s talents and ambition.
2014 Deus ex Liquida, Grenache / Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia
God, emerging from this heavenly liquid. Now there’s an image. What has God been wallowing in? Obviously His palate is acute and all-powerful and what we didn’t know is that He is also partial to amazingly ostentatious McLaren Vale reds. With hilarious intensity and a shimmeringly beautiful chassis, this Grenache-based potion really does make you believe faithfully in a higher power! McLaren Vale is home to some of the finest Grenache vines in the world (and yes the Southern Rhône is included in this sweeping statement). Deus ex Liquida augments its heady, cigarbox and mulberry scent with dark, swarthy, stormcloud-laden Shiraz. The results are Biblical – think thunderbolts raining down on your palate and you are halfway there!
2012 Fowles Wine, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria
Once they have shot their lunch I do hope that these ladies manage to fashion it into seriously high quality meat pies because this is what I want right now to combine with this classic, raspberry and lavender-scented Shiraz. Pungent, full, dark and swarthy, but with the
most amazing humidor and wild herb scent, this is a gastronomes delight such is the broad repertoire of pies (joke!) that this wine would adore. On a more serious note I cannot think of a finer dish than roast lamb with anchovies and rosemary to seduce this wine – but I do
not want to hear of any ladies opening fire on unsuspecting sheep, so I suggest they take a day off and allow us men to take care of the cooking.
2013 Katnook, Founders Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia
Katnook will not mind me mentioning the fact that Founders Block is not one of the more expensive wines in their portfolio. I rarely talk about price when explaining my thoughts behind wines because I feel that it is more about the flavour, how a wine makes you feel
and what you should do with it! However, I have made an exception here because the epic balance and freshness in this bright Coonawarra Cab nothing short of captivating and it is done with so much value and style I am truly astonished. Class and refinement combined with a stunning price tag is a very rare commodity.
2013 Ocean Eight, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Mike, Mike, Mike – how do you do it? Mr. Aylward take a bow because this vintage of your heart-breakingly stunning Pinot Noir has finally come of age. Forgive this analogy, but the leggy, teenage model, who showed so much coquettish promise has finally become a fully fledged, jaw-droppingly beautiful temptress. That is not to say that her proportions have increased at all. At 13.2% alcohol this wine is still slim and exquisitely balanced. It is just that there is more exoticism on the nose, detailed with Turkish Delight and true
sophistication. The palate is just that bit more intense and the finish a tiny bit longer and fully. Wow, wow, wow.
2013 Pizzini, Pietra Rossa Sangiovese, King Valley, Victoria
Welcome to the club Pizzini. We have been waiting for you and we have a place laid at our table. So often the Tuscan grape Sangiovese flounders when it leaves Italy’s shores. Pizzini is an expert in harnessing this tricky grape’s true character and then delivering it in a
measured, accurate and honest manner. Pietra Rossa wears the trademark cranberry and cherry tang off to perfection. This, however, is a wine that it not too acidic unlike legions of Chiantis and yet it manages to retain its slim frame and nervy, edgy flavour-balance. Top
marks chaps – this is a rare and alluring Sangiovese and it is a delightful and unique wine in our line-up.
2012 Port Phillip Estate, Balnarring Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
I am over to moon to have the famous Port Phillip Estate involved in our Degustation for Dignity event because the Pinots made here are extremely impressive indeed. With a deeper, darker fruit profile than many, this foresty, briary take on Pinot Noir reminds me of
some of the evocative wines of Burgundy’s famous Côte de Nuits. With lovely depth and concentrated wild cherry flavours coupled with bold oak and refreshing tannins, this wine is a masterful, commanding Pinot with intention and attack. It is just starting to drink well
now and in common with the great wines of France will age slowly for a very long time!
2014 Rutherglen Estate, Single Vineyard Sangiovese, Rutherglen, Victoria
By contrast to the light, tangy, cranberry-scented Sangioveses which are very popular in Australia (probably because they taste like Chianti) this is a rich, intense wine with more heft and intensity and therefore this wine more resembles a Super Tuscan, bristling with
energy, brawn and power. At 14% alcohol this is no shrinking violet, in fact there is little violet to be seen here, replaced as it is by dark chocolate, sour cherries and juicy black plums. Make sure you deploy this wine for main course duties only, with pasta with wild
boar ragout being the optimum dish!
2014 Tellurian, Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre, Heathcote, Victoria
Tellurian’s GSM is a perfumed fellow with juicy raspberry and plum notes crowding the nose. It initially seems light and innocent, but do not be deceived because this is a veritable iron fist and a velvet gauntlet! Bigger more structured on the palate and energetically
youthful, too, this 2014 is bristling with punchy, forest fruit notes and combative, mouthwatering tannins. You can drink it now if you wish (artisan cheese would be the go) but I would allow it to slumber for 6-12 months and then aim for main course game dishes or top
level charcuterie.
2013 Tellurian, Pastiche Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria
I believe that Pastiche is a ‘second label’ or a more immediate drinking wine in the Tellurian portfolio but, By Golly, this wine has grown up over the last few years and in 2013 it is a very accurate, savoury Heathcote thoroughbred Shiraz. The attack of fruit on the palate is
delightful and the Heathcote signature spice and wild herb aromatics are all present and correct. Purple in colour and glossy in sheen this is a fabulous wine which sings loud and proud of its region and the skill of its creators.
2013 Ten Minutes by Tractor Estate, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
TMbT is one of the truly great estates in an increasingly crowded Mornington Peninsula wine scene. The reason for it fame is far more than just having one of the catchiest names around. With amazingly perfumed fruit and trademark velvety texture it is impossible not
to fall for this wine’s charms. What’s more impressive is that the calibre of oak used here is of the highest quality imaginable and this means that there is an underlying feeling of class and build-quality which invades every one of your taste buds. Fine and fresh but also deep and brooding this is an elite Pinot Noir which shows the true essence of the variety and also reminds us that this is the most sensual grape on the planet.
tasting notes by matthew jukes on saturday 15th november 2014
2012 Art of War, The General Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Ignore the lack of much-needed parental guidance requirements on the label and concentrate on the epic fruit in the glass – this is one of the most raucous and expressive Shiraz in the country, with its plum and dark chocolate fruit and combative, macho tannins. You must cook up a carnivorous feast to stand any chance of surviving an appointment with The General. Winemaker: Kym Teusner Online: $30.00 each, minimum order of 6 bottles www.vinomofo.com |
NV Bisou Bisou, Blanc de Blancs, Yarra Valley, Victoria
With green apple crispness and vibrant tangy fruit, this awesome-looking fizz should be the first wine you serve for your friends when they walk in the door because, of course, Bisou Bisou means Kiss Kiss. Once the formalities are over you can get down to the real business of enjoying this titillating, vivacious little number. Online: $15.00 each, minimum order of 6 bottles www.vinomofo.com |
2012 Blue Pyrenees, Shiraz, Pyrenees, Western Victoria
I love the blueberry and cinnamon nose on this spicy, bold wine. This is a structured red with dusty tannins and balanced oak and even though it tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol the fruit is red-tinged and not black. 2012 is a superb vintage and this will age slowly for up to a decade, but you are welcome to open a bottle now because the balance is already superb. Winemaker: Andrew Koerner Cellar Door: $20.00 www.bluepyrenees.com.au |
2014 Brash Higgins, R/SM, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Winemaker Brad Hickey is an informed maverick, breaking the rules for all the right reasons with this wine. Picking this ‘field blend’ of Riesling and Semillon, basket-pressing the fruit and then co-fermenting it, this is a unique vinous offering which asks serious questions of your senses. In answering these you discover the mind-bending truth that there are more wine flavours out there than you ever thought possible. So hand your palate to Brash Higgins wines and they will do the rest. Winemaker: Brad Hickey Cellar Door: $37.00 www.brashhiggins.com |
2010 Brodie Estate, Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand
A rogue New Zealand Pinot in our line up shows not only how important the Martinborough region is in the greater scheme of things but also just how different these wines are to the offerings from Victoria and Tasmania. Silky, mouth-coating and expressively oaky, this is a rich, decadent Pinot with a passion for game, in particular duck and venison! Winemaker: James Walker www.roguewines.com.au |
NV Brown Brothers, Pinot Noir / Chardonnay / Pinot Meunier, King Valley, Victoria
This wine is one of the reasons why I look forward to doing this event every year because not only is it Australia’s most awarded sparkling wine, it is also not sold in the UK, and so I get to enjoy several glasses during my visit! The class, complexity and elegance in this glass is astounding. It’s nice to see Pinot Meunier in the blend bringing genuine Champagne credibility to an already magnificent creation. Winemaker: Cate Looney Cellar Door: $25.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2014 Brown Brothers, Explorer Series Chenin Blanc, Victoria
With some spritz on the palate you can immediately sense that this is a bright, forward-drinking, crowd-pleasing wine with no pretensions whatsoever. The grassy, citrus and green melon fruit is engaging and light-hearted and it will refresh you in an instant. Winemaker: Geoff Alexander Cellar Door: $14.10 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2014 Brown Brothers, 18 Eighty Nine Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania
This brand new creation from Brown Brothers shocked my palate back in May when I tasted a very early sample and I was so moved with its impact and energy that I felt compelled to mention it in my annual 100 Best Australian Wines initiative. It’s important to acknowledge that Australia, no matter which way you cut it, is not true Sauvignon territory. But Tasmania’s cool climate, coupled with the unquenchable enthusiasm from the Brown Brothers wine wizards has meant that this delightful creation should by all rights prevent you from buying a single bottle of Marlborough Savvy this year! Winemaker: Tom Wallace Cellar Door: $18.80 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2012 Brown Brothers, Ten Acres Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria
The trademark Heathcote leather and spice notes are all over this new wine from Brown Brothers and it shows jut how exciting Heathcote can be in the right hands. Drink it with big, bold meaty dishes with gravy and herbs and you will be in seventh heaven. Winemaker: Chloe Earl Cellar Door: $30.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2010 Chandon, Les Trois Rosé, Australia
The three rosés mentioned in the name of this wine refer to grapes sourced from the wonderful cool climates of Tasmania, Yarra Valley, and Whitlands Plateau. The ‘layering’ of flavours in this impossibly pale rosé is typically astute given that most wines of this style have only one theme on the go. In addition to the wild strawberry and cherry blossom notes, the faint aromas of patisserie and hazelnuts give this astounding creation beguiling weight and thrilling food-matching possibilities. Winemaker: Dan Buckle Cellar Door: $55.00 www.chandon.com.au |
2012 Coates The Iberian, McLaren Vale & Langhorne Creek, South Australia
This fascinating red wine is made from no less than seven varieties hailing from Portugal, Spain and the South of France. It is no surprise that the beautiful climate in South Australia suits these lusty grapes well and so the name, the Iberian, referring to the mass of land on the southern side of the Pyrenees is a clue to the flavours inside the bottle. Spice and leather joust with heady red and black fruit notes making for non-stop action in the glass. Winemaker: Duane Coates www.roguewines.com.au |
2013 Coldstream Hills, Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Coldstream Hills wines always show restraint and composure unlike some of the bigger, bolder brands on the market. This means that you should avoid swamping this wine with ungainly dishes and excess spice and stick to high quality plain grilled fish or crustacea. This allows the wine to work its magic, subtly charming your taste buds and wooing your senses. Winemaker: Andrew Fleming Cellar Door: $34.99 www.coldstreamhills.com.au |
2013 Delatite Estate, Pinot Gris, Mansfield, Victoria
The top PG at Delatite is a very seductive wine which draws its energy and depth of flavour from subtle use of oak barrels and wild yeasts. This build flavour gently in the wine and gives it a succulence and creaminess which reminds me of some of the wines from Alsace in France. An intellectual and thought-provoking wine, this is a wonderful creation. Winemakers: Andy Browning and David Ritchie Cellar Door: $25.00 www.delatitewinery.com.au |
2013 Delatite, High Ground Pinot Grigio, Mansfield, Victoria
It’s so nice to see a bright, light, 12.5% PG on the market instead of a rich, oily style because this grape needs freshness and lift on the nose and palate to perform at its highest level. High Ground is a floral, refreshing wine with trademark Victorian freshness and it is this lust for life which makes it so remarkable. Winemakers: Andy Browning and David Ritchie Cellar Door: $20.00 www.delatitewinery.com.au |
2009 Delatite, Estate Shiraz, Mansfield, Victoria
The use of both French and American oak barrels as given this wine a savoury and also sweet component to its Shiraz fruit and this makes the nose complex and dark. You need a hearty carnivorous dish with this mighty wine but not because it is a heavyweight. It is the density of flavour rather than the alcohol which demands respect. Winemakers: Andy Browning and David Ritchie Cellar Door: $30.00 www.delatitewinery.com.au |
2012 Delatite, High Ground Shiraz, Mansfield, Victoria
I love the fact that Victorian Shiraz shows more earthiness and spice than it does alcohol and sun-baked fruit notes and this means that these red wines can be refreshing and able to be drunk with so many more dishes than expected! High Ground is an expressive, summer pudding scented wine with crunchy minerality where you might expect to find tannin! This is why it is so appealing. Winemakers: Andy Browning and David Ritchie Cellar Door: $25.00 www.delatitewinery.com.au |
2013 Devil's Corner, Pinot Noir, Tasmania
The Devil’s Corner range from Tamar Ridge is nothing short of a triumph. This wine and its Riesling sibling made my 100 Best Australian Wines list for 2014/15. This is unprecedented for an inexpensive range. This Pinot is practically the only entry level wine from Tasmania that delivers the true essence of both the variety and its vineyards. These days you are more likely to see wines at double the price with little of the charm and authenticity that Devil’s has in spades. Winemakers: Tom Wallace Cellar Door: $22.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2013 Fowles Wine, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Riesling, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria
I have long been a fan of this raspy, lime-pith Riesling with its chalky minerality and lemon balm mid-palate. While many would drink this as a palate-electrifying aperitif, I prefer to employ its latent power to cut through tricky dishes. Asian fusion, perfumed Vietnamese, creamy coconut curries and any dish with the dreaded caper involved will bow at its feet. While this estate is justly famous for its red wines, the Rieslings are utterly thrilling, too. Winemakers: Victor Nash and Lindsay Brown Cellar Door: $34.95 www.fowleswine.com |
2012 Fowles Wine, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria
The peppery nose and fine, lithe blackberry-soaked palate mark this out as a true Victorian Shiraz, bursting with life and freshness. This style of Shiraz is wowing the world with its freshness and herbal tang and it presents a totally different message to the dark, brooding wines over the border in SA. Winemakers: Victor Nash and Lindsay Brown Cellar Door: $34.95 www.fowleswine.com |
2011 Kooyong, Meres Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2011 was the most challenging vintage in the last ten years in Mornington, not least because of the unwelcome thunderstorms which played havoc with Pinot bunches. Only a handful of wineries made truly awesome wines and Sandro Mosele at Kooyong showed us all why his wines are so rare and sought after because he not only nailed the wines, he also gave us aromas and flavours which enchant the senses. With delicate wild cherry nuances and refreshing, tangy acidity this is a beautiful creation worth treasuring. Winemaker: Sandro Mosele Cellar Door: $75.00 www.portphillipestate.com.au |
2014 La Bohème, Act Two Pinot Noir Rosé, Yarra Valley, Victoria
De Bortoli’s La Bohème Pinot Rosé is an essential fine dining wine particularly if you are partial to spicy, curried or wasabi-spiked dishes. Seemingly elegant on the nose and demure on the palate this innocent looking rosé hides a core of steel which allows it to marshal complex flavours with ease. I love this wine so much that I have already listed it in my Daily Mail column in the UK as my Wine of the Week. Winemaker: Steve Webber Cellar Door: $20.00 www.debortoli.com.au |
2012 Ocean Eight, Verve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
This is categorically one of my favourite Chardonnays in Australia. The finesse and control of the nose and palate are amazing and the slimness and poise throughout the experience are nothing short of mesmeric. Minerality and purity are the watchwords here while oak and power are discreet handled and reverent. Winemaker: Mike Aylward Cellar Door: $50.00 www.oceaneight.com.au |
2012 Ocean Eight, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
The 2012 vintage Mornington Pinots are marked with an incredible purity of red fruit and Mike Aylward wines are even more intense, scented and hypnotic than the norm. With a seductive palate and incredibly long finish this is one of the finest Ocean Eight wines I have tasted. Its tender 13.2% alcohol means it can be drunk equally accurately with delicious main course fish dishes as it can with an imperial roast chicken. Winemaker: Mike Aylward Cellar Door: $50.00 www.oceaneight.com.au |
NV Pirie, Sparkling Pinot Noir/ Chardonnay, Tasmania
The only difference between the NV and the vintage Pirie wines is one of style. The vintage is noble, rich and complex and this non vintage wine is not lesser in any way, it is just lighter, more immediately gluggable and more citrusy. This is an aperitif style whereas the vintage is foodier. This is an everyday wine whereas the vintage is a special occasion wine. Both are stunning and this is testament to the skill and determination of the team at Pirie – hoorah! Winemaker: Tom Wallace Cellar Door: $30.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2009 Pirie Vintage Sparkling, Tasmania
It never ceases to amaze me just how beautiful the wines from Pirie are. This 2009 vintage, made from Chardonnay and Pinot, shimmers in the glass like a ravishing diva and, as you know, the mark of a great wine is spectacular length of flavour and this wine lingers for minutes. There is no need to drop cash on over-priced and underwhelming Champagne with this wine on the shelves Winemaker: Tom Wallace Cellar Door: $58.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
NV Rococo, Premium Cuvée, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Made from older vintage wines, blended together, with oak ageing, too, to give it depth of flavour and added class, Rococo is a heady, exotic sparkler with a mouth-filling flavour and a distinguished air. I sense a nod to some of the famous prestige Champagnes when I taste this wine and I am very impressed with the results. Winemaker: Steve Webber Cellar Door: $22.00 www.debortoli.com.au |
2013 Rutherglen Estates, Renaissance Viognier / Roussanne / Marsanne, Rutherglen, Victoria
The combination of these three magical, scented and structured white varieties results in a remarkably full-bodies white wines, with enough power and intensity to complement roast pork, chicken and even milk fed lamb dishes. With a luxurious texture and heady perfume combined with youthful energy, Renaissance is a wine which will soften over two or three years and my hot tip for the perfect food and wine matching experience would be a Christmas turkey with all the trimmings. Winemaker: Marc Scalzo Cellar Door: $32.00 www.rutherglenestates.com.au |
2013 Rutherglen Estates, Durif, Rutherglen, Victoria
The liquorice and plum nose on this punchy red is fascinating and it makes you think that the palate is going to be monstrous and overbearing, but in fact you are rewarded with delicious, mouth-watering spice and crunchy tannins which don’t scour the palate, they send you straight back for another sip. Durif is an expressive grape and in the right hands it gives us all wines that work amazingly well with flame grilled steaks – this is one such wine. Winemaker: Marc Scalzo Cellar Door: $24.00 www.rutherglenestates.com.au |
2012 Seppelt, Original Sparkling Shiraz, Victoria
I love this style of wine but I never get to see it in the UK which is such a shame because with over 150 years worth of practice, Seppelt, not surprisingly, nails this style perfectly. With a haunting red cherry and cranberry nose, sleek savoury palate and a hint of strawberry juice on the finish Original is a legendary creation and while most people would drink it with main course I, controversially, adore it with chocolate. Winemaker: Adam Carnaby Cellar Door: $26.99 www.seppelt.com.au |
2013 Seppelt, Chalambar Shiraz, Grampians / Heathcote, Victoria
This is the sixtieth vintage of Chalambar and it already looks amazing in spite of its youth. Granted the tannins are grainy and cheek-sucking but the juicy, liquorice-tinged fruit more than balances them out and it is clear that this is a very important wine indeed. Lay it down for two or thee years and you will have a true classic. Winemaker: Adam Carnaby Cellar Door: $26.99 www.seppelt.com.au |
2011 Stonier KBS Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
It is an extraordinary to be able to taste this wine, not least because of its rarity, coming as it does from founder (Kevin) Brian Stonier’s own vineyard. Winemaker Mike Symons manages to capture the true essence of the Mornington Peninsula in this phenomenally regal wine. The oak, which is very much in evidence, is subtle, restrained and yet all-encompassing and the fruit shows wild honey, nectarine and jasmine notes which entrance the senses. Winemaker: Mike Symons Cellar Door: $55.00 www.stonier.com.au |
2012 Tamar Ridge, Pinot Noir, Tasmania
Tamar Ridge continues its transformation with the help of an arty label and an even more evocative Pinot nose and flavour. Succulent, sexy and aromatically enthralling, this is a gorgeous wine just setting out on a five year life and I expect it to gather even more fans as it does so. Winemaker: Tom Wallace Cellar Door: $30.00 www.brownbrothers.com.au |
2014 Tellurian, Viognier, Heathcote, Victoria
This evocative Viognier sits at the greengage and apricot blossom end of the spectrum, as opposed to the powerful peach and honey styles which too often appear on the market. It is this sophistication which marks it out as an elegant, honed creature, but this doesn’t mean that you have to hold back on your cooking with this wine because it is remarkably persistent. It will also age well, so there is not hurry to guzzle this fabulous wine. Winemaker: Tobias Ansted Cellar Door: $27.00 - available early 2015 www.tellurianwines.com.au |
2013 Tellurian, Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre, Heathcote, Victoria
This heroic, triumvirate of red grapes makes fabulously glossy, fruit-driven wines and my favourite trick is to chill them a few degrees to heighten the blueberry and mulberry notes at the same time as slimming down the finish. This means that you can drink the mighty GSM blend with dishes such as Peking duck, rogan josh, Moroccan tajines and even a humble pepperoni pizza! Winemaker: Tobias Ansted Cellar Door: $34.50 - available early 2015 www.tellurianwines.com.au |
2012 Ten Minutes by Tractor, Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
This is a very fine wine indeed with distinguished fruit, epic oak control and a very long finish indeed. I love the way that the message is delivered with such subtlety and control. Nothing is rushed and everything is silky, generous and memorable. Even though this is a fairly young wine it is already into its stride such is the impeccable balance on display. Winemakers: Jeremy Magyar, Richard McIntyre, Martin Spedding Cellar Door: $46.00 www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au |
2013 Ten Minutes by Tractor, 10X Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
I have always been a massive fan of the 10X cuvee at TMbT and the newly released 2013 continues its run of over-delivering with flavour while retaining its competitive price point. The nose is remarkable with dense red berry and cherry notes and a dusting of spice and the palate is still tense with well-balanced oak and also refreshing acidity. This looks great already, but I know that by the middle of 2015 it will have blossomed into a true beauty. Winemakers: Jeremy Magyar, Richard McIntyre, Martin Spedding Cellar Door: $32.00 www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au |
2013 Willunga 100, Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Grenache is McLaren Vale’s secret weapon grape and this budget offering shows us exactly why. A staggeringly beautiful nose of strawberries and cream s followed by a sleek, sultry palate and a boisterous, ebullient finish. Willunga 100 shows many estates, whose wines are twice the price, how it’s done! Winemakers: Tim James and Kate Day Cellar Door: $22.00 www.willunga100.com |