Having tasted their shiraz, GSM and now their cabernet sauvignon, the house style at Chateau Yaldara is focused on wines that celebrate ripe fruit supported by new oak (but not overwhelmingly so). This Barossa Valley cabernet sauvignon is another high quality wine. It has aromas of iron and cedar. The palate is full bodied with…Continue readingChateau Yaldara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
This is a first class expression of a GSM blend from Chateau Yaldara and the Barossa Valley. It has aromas of strawberry, chocolate, pepper and new barrels. The palate is full bodied and rich with medium tannins and long length on the finish. Approachable now and drink over the next decade. Rating: Very Good to…Continue readingChateau Yaldara Reserve Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2016
This is a very good Central Otago pinot noir from Valli’s Gibbstone vineyard and the 2017 vintage. It has restrained blackcurrant, dark cherry and undergrowth aromas, with Burgundian echoes. The palate has medium tannins, high acid, medium length and a full body, and a dried herb character. Ready to drink now. Rating: Good to Very…Continue readingValli Gibston Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago 2017
From Delas, this is a sound Côtes du Rhône rouge from the 2017 vintage. It has aromas of berry and spices. The palate is medium bodied with moderate acidity and chalky tannins. Ready to drink now. Rating: Good. Website: http://www.delas.com/en/; wine-searcher.com. Reviewed: June 2020.Continue readingDelas Saint-Esprit Côtes du Rhône 2017
Categories
Clyde Park Chardonnay 2018
From Clyde Park and the Geelong region, this is a very good chardonnay. It has aromas of cedar, mineral, smoke and ripe melon. The palate is balanced, with a medium-full body and linear acidity. Medium length on the finish completes the picture. Ready to drink now. Rating: Good. Website: https://clydepark.com.au; wine-searcher.com. Source: Sample. Reviewed: July…Continue readingClyde Park Chardonnay 2018
Categories
Gartelmann Cabernet Merlot 2016
From Mudgee in New South Wales and a vineyard at 630 metres, this is a very good cabernet sauvignon merlot blend from Gartelmann. It has attractive leather, leaf and licorice aromas, and a brooding expression. The palate is full bodied with soft tannins, piquant acidity, and a leaf/eucalyuptus character on its long finish. The alcohol…Continue readingGartelmann Cabernet Merlot 2016
This is an ambitiously good sauvignon blanc from Terre à Terre in Wrattonbully near the South Australian/Victorian border. It has aromas of grass and peach. The palate is dry, the acidity high and razor sharp and there’s some really well handled old oak that gives texture and balance to the finish. This is first rate…Continue readingTerre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019
This is a good, classically styled Côtes de Provence rosé from Saint Sidoine. It is a very pale salmon/copper in colour. It opens to aromas of unripe strawberries and firm red fruits. The palate is medium bodied, the acidity between medium and high, and the finish dry and harmonious. Rating: Good. Website: http://saintsidoine.com; wine-searcher.com. Reviewed:…Continue readingSaint Sidoine Côtes de Provence Rosé 2018
Categories
Brezza Dolcetto d’Alba 2019
Bottled with an unusual glass stopper and a very short capsule, this dolcetto d’Alba from Brezza is a joyous wine that opens to aromas of fresh raspberries and savoury cherries. Medium to firm tannins add texture and interest to the palate, and the alcohol is a modest 12.5. This is a delicious dolcetto that is…Continue readingBrezza Dolcetto d’Alba 2019
This wine from Morocco proved interesting at multiple levels. First, it is, well, from Morocco and the wine is in Australia. Second, as a syrah, it shows some resemblance to a Rhône style wine. Third, the wine is very good and not just a novelty. The aroma is quite attractive, with plum notes interlaced…Continue readingThalvin Alain Graillot Syrocco Syrah 2017
Categories
Peay Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2017
I am seeing a few more North American wines make their way to Australia. From the Sonoma Coast in California, this pinot noir has aromas of spice and red cherries. It is not a Burgundian style, but more in the style of high quality fuller bodied pinot noir from the Yarra Valley. The palate is…Continue readingPeay Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2017
From the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia, this chardonnay opens to a restrained aroma of almond meal, custard and cedar. The body is between medium and full and the acidity medium and fine boned. This is a textured chardonnay that is particularly harmonious and ready to drink now. Rating: Good. Read more: https://www.aylesburyestate.com.au; wine-searcher.com. Source:…Continue readingAylesbury Estate Pater Series Chardonnay 2018