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Fast Facts: Country: Australia Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Winemaker: Matt Wenk Variety: 100% Merlot Closure: Cork RRP: $22.50 AU |
Matt Wenk has proven himself to be an astute winemaker at the export focused Barossa Valley winery “Two Hands”. Smidge is his personal label consisting of a recently released Adelaide Hill Viognier and the reviewed Adelaide Hills Merlot. He also produces a Langhorne Creek Zinfandel and a soon to be released Barossa Valley Zinfandel. Alongside Cape Mentelle who have been making Zinfandel since the 1980’s, Smidge would have to be my favourite producer of Zinfandel in this country.
So it was with high hopes that I opened their 2003 Merlot, but also a certain amount of trepidation, for I am frequently disappointed by Australian Merlot with the green, herby characters that a large number of our Merlot seems to exhibit, along with a distinct lack of varietal character.
A little bit about the wine and winery:
It is explained that Le Grenouille means frog, and it represents the frustrated Frenchman inside the winemaker as well as being a single vineyard Merlot, just as the best French Merlot is.
Smidge wines is operated by Matt Wenk as winemaker, and his wife Trish Callaghan who comes from a business and marketing background. They state that the name Smidge “was inspired from the numerous times waiters, friends and even ourselves who have offered that last smidge in the bottle.”
Established: 2002
Exports to: USA
Website: http://www.smidgewines.com
Email: contactus@smidgewines.com
Tasting Note: Ruby red in colour. Aromas of peppers, plum and berries with a hint of supporting oak in the background. The palate is strongly fruit driven with more berry flavours and spice. Excellent complexity and balance between fruit, oak and tannin throughout the length of the wine. Very good and a superb match for food.
Drinking Window: Drink over the next 5 years.
Verdict: Among the best Australian Merlot that I’ve tried this year, and certainly the best value for money. 93 points, with a value rating of Excellent.
See “How to interpret my scores” for an explanation of how the above scores were reached.
I agree that this is a nce wine. Didn’t give it as high a score, but one thing is for sure Matt Wenk knows how to make excelent wine.
The 2003 Le Grenouille (Merlot) is a deep cherry red with complex aromas of mint, pepper and other spices. Medium weight and well balanced with well matched acidity and tannins. (2, 2, 3.9, 9.9 = 17.8/20, 89/100).
Mike
Mike, to be honest I’m thinking of giving up the point system and maybe going with rating words like TORB. Points between reviewers aren’t really directly comparable since my 94 may actually mean the same to me as a 90 does to you, or your 94 to my 90 and so on.
Agreed on the Matt Wenk knowing how to make a good wine. Seems like a nice guy as well which is always good.
Cam,
I think the scoring system really depends upon what you find most comfortable. I have always used a 20 point scale and although it has changed slightly over the years it has served me well; its only recently that I’ve decided to multiply by 5 to give those who want a 100 scale something to look at.
I’m so used to my 20 point scale (2 color, 2 clarity, 5 nose, 11 taste) I almost grade automatically now. The biggest problem I have is that I really score most wines between 17-19 points (85-95) with most between 17-18 and almost all start out with 4 for color and clarity. But I think that in retrospect it is probably OK because I’m tasting wines that have already been prescreened in most cases either by the wine shop, forumite suggestions, or wine critics like Parker or Wine Spectator etc.
Mike