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
I recently reviewed Clyde Park’s single vineyard Block D pinot noir here. This is Clyde Park’s pinot noir blend from Bannockburn in the Geelong region. In the glass, it is lightly coloured, full bodied, with light spice and cherry flavours and fresh acidity. Overall, this is a restrained pinot noir that provides for enjoyable current…Continue readingClyde Park Pinot Noir Geelong 2018
Geelong is a successful region for pinot noir and, at its best, can achieve an interesting and complex restrained, savoury and sinewy expression of pinot. Within the Geelong wine region Bannockburn is pretty yet understated and somewhat out of the way, situated on the road between Geelong and Ballarat rather than the touristed Bellarine Peninsula. …Continue readingClyde Park Single Block D Pinot Noir Bannockburn 2018
This is a very good pinot noir from Bannockburn in Geelong. In the glass, it has a stemmy aroma (there’s 40% whole bunch in use), with twigs, meat and rhubarb undertones. The palate is between medium and full bodied, with a viscous texture, long length, fresh acidity and some appealing bacon and cherry fruit flavours.…Continue readingBannockburn Geelong Pinot Noir 2015
I’ve been having a close look recently at vine density. From the simple and incorrect dogma that denser plantings are better (in fact, this holds it would seem only in some circumstances), it is fascinating to read the various studies. At its simplest, for any given area of land, vine density refers to how many vines…Continue readingVine density
This is a delicious Bourgogne from Domaine de Bellene. Before I get to the wine, I took away a few of observations from it. First, pinot noir from Burgundy frequently resembles a different grape variety to the vast majority of pinot noirs I taste in Australia. This is not intended as a slight upon Australian…Continue readingDomaine de Bellene Maison Dieu Bourgogne 2014; blind tasting and label thoughts
I liked this producer’s riesling (see my review here), so it makes a great deal of sense that I also liked this wine too, which is a blend of riesling (76%) and pinot gris (24%). Labelled as a “crisp dry white” from the Geelong region, the wine in the bottle proves to be exactly that.…Continue readingAustins & Co Crisp Dry White 2015
Smartly labelled, this is a sound rosé from Austins & Co in the Geelong region. Aromatics of strawberry and nectarine kernels. The palate reminds of florals with more or less neutral flavours, a viscous texture and seemed a little loose. Rating: AcceptableAbv: 14%Price: $25Source: sampleVendors and website: http://www.austinsandco.com.auTasted: 2015Continue readingAustins & Co Rosé 2015
Soils matter for pinot noir, and in Geelong, there are a number of soil types. The Scotchmans Hill pinot noir tasted here is grown (as far as I can tell) on the Bellarine Peninsula east of Geelong on volcanic soils of black clay with a basalt subsoil. Mt Moriac is on the other side of…Continue readingA couple of Geelong pinots: Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir 2013 and Mt Moriac Estate Pinot Noir 2012
From the Geelong region, this chardonnay from the 2014 vintage has aromatics of nectarine, lemon and nuts. The palate reminds principally of just picked grapefruit and lemon with medium length and very firm acidity. A bit too firm for me. Rating: AcceptableAbv: 13%Price: $30Source: sampleVendors and website: http://www.austinsandco.com.auTasted: 2015Continue readingAustins & Co Chardonnay 2014
Austin’s from the Moorabool Valley in Geelong is a winery I have not tasted a lot from, and this riesling is a very good start. It’s situated at Sutherlands Creek on the other side of Bannockburn, and will see me shortly delve into the history books to find out a bit more about it. The…Continue readingAustins & Co Riesling 2015
I think pinot noir from parts of the Geelong region can have an “x factor” that others lack. Perhaps it’s the outcrops of limestone subsoils, the plots of volcanic soils, the region’s long history with the grape, the low rainfall or perhaps it’s just me. Lethbridge are a very good producer located just outside of…Continue readingLethbridge Ménage a Noir 2013