This is a very good cabernet sauvignon from Mission Hill in the Okanagan Valley in Canada and the 2017 vintage. It has aromatics of spice and brooding blackcurrants. The palate has ripe and fleshy tannins and good length on the finish. This wine is enjoyable right now, but will also suit cellaring for 5 years.... Continue Reading →
Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2017
This a good release of this classic wine from Dr Loosen. Only 8% in alcohol, it is typical of the Mosel Kabinett riesling style. In the glass, there are restrained aromas of lemon and stones, with hints of tropical fruit. The palate is off to medium dry and the acidity both refreshing and racy, ably... Continue Reading →
Chateau Miraval Provence Rosé 2018
This wine has been examined a couple of times in MW exams in recent years and is famous due to its celebrity ownership. It is actually a lovely rosé, with very saline bath salt aromatics and a medium-full bodied palate with some viscosity in its expression. Ready to drink now, this is an easy to... Continue Reading →
Aylesbury Estate Waterfall Gully Merlot Ferguson Valley 2018
This merlot is from the Ferguson Valley, north of the Margaret River. It is a ripe and balanced expression of merlot, with aromatics of clove, smoke and eucalytpus. The palate reminds of red fruits and has a fresh tomato character. Ready to drink now, this is pleasant drinking. Rating: Good. Abv: 14.8%. Price: $23. Website:... Continue Reading →
été d’Elodie Var Rosé 2018
From the Var IGP (indication géographique protégée) in Provence and Domaine de Cantarelle, this is a rather delicious rosé with saline and herbal characters. Ready to drink now, it suits uncritical summer drinking and is well served chilled. Rating: Good. Abv: 12.5%. Price: low $20s. Website: http://www.domaine-de-cantarelle.fr. Reviewed: January 2020.
Wynns Coonawarra tasting
This was a wonderful tasting of a selection of Wynns Black Label and John Riddoch Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon wines from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, with some quite interesting conclusions. Those conclusions were that the Black Label, for most vintages, served blind and side-by-side with the John Riddoch, provided the more compelling current... Continue Reading →
Rutherglen muscat and topaque
Rutherglen Here's the second of my promised posts on the Rutherglen wine region. The first post was on Rutherglen's renaissance and can be found here. This post is about what Rutherglen is famous for: fortified muscat (grape: muscat à petits grains) and fortified topaque (grape: muscadelle). Viticulture and winemaking Subscribe to get access Read more... Continue Reading →
The Rutherglen renaissance
Rutherglen vines in the morning mist. Rutherglen as a tourist destination provides a vision of a rural idyll surrounded by Victorian buildings, vineyards, sheep and intertwined family history. To borrow a concept from Bernard Salt, at around 300 kilometres from Melbourne and further still from Sydney, it is comfortably out of the orbit of the... Continue Reading →