We had another full house for our Australian wine tasting evening on September 5th. Here are our impressions:
The quality of Australian wine has come on in leaps and bounds (sorry about the kangaroo imagery) in recent years, no longer falling into the category of, “not for drinking, but for ‘laying down and avoiding’ as Monty Python once put it. These days, there is far more to Australian wine than big, oaky Chardonnay and fullon Shiraz. There’s plenty of variety and quality to be had for around £10 a botte. Our tasteful selection for the evening’s event was:
Redfin Chardonnay
Redfin Chardonnay 2010
APPEARANCE – Pale lemon NOSE – Green apple, zingy lime aromas, no oak! TASTE – Grapefruit, lime opal fruits, mineral finish. For me, surprisingly good! Refreshingly clean & crisp. �
Vibrant pale lemon green in colour with lifted white peach perfumes on the nose with touches of rockmelon, paw paw, lime zest and green apple. On the palate it is well-balanced with lively acidity supporting the ripe grapefruit and lime character and a creamy mouthfeel from the subtle lees contact. A bargain at less that £8 per bottle!
2011 Margaret River White Cullen
Cullen White
Willunga Voignier
2010 Willunga 100 McLaren Vale Viognier
Amazing lifted aromatics of sweet spring flowers, apricot kernels and a fine minerality greets you in the glass, followed by a well balanced palate with crisp acidity. Peach & Apricot flavours dominate here, a wonderfully fragrant wine with good length. Unoaked. Great with Chinese food.
£9.90
Willunga 100 Mclaren Vale Shiraz/Viognier
Willunga 100 McLaren Vale Shiraz Voignier
Smooth and unusual at this price: £9.90
Jester Cabernet Saivignon
- 2010 ´Jester´ McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Mitolo
The fusion of Frank Mitolo’s knowledge of the land and business acumen and Ben Glaetzer’s winemaking talent has resulted in Mitolo being one of Australia’s most awarded wineries. Overlooking the coast, the vineyard in McLaren Vale has heavy grey loam over sandstone soil with black cracking Biscay clay.Cool afternoon breezes and nights from the proximity to the ocean help produce good acid levels and complex flavours.
£13.00
Willunga Grenache 2010
Willunga Grenache
Sandy soils provide lifted aromatics while darker soils including `Terra Rossa` types contribute to rich, bold tannins. All the vineyards are managed to produce the highest quality possible with only the best parcels selected for Willunga 100. McLaren Vale has a warm Mediterranean climate with a strong cooling influence from the Gulf of St Vincent Great value at under a tenner (just…£9.99)
