Appellation Australia

JJ Prum Goldkapsel

Joh. Jos. Prüm – Tasting the 2011 range

Last Thursday I headed into the recently opened QT Sydney Hotel and its Gowings Bar & Grill in order to attend the annual Joh. Jos. Prüm frühstück, a breakfast tasting hosted by the Australian wine importer Bibendum. On this occasion the wines tasted were from 2011, a year in which the winery celebrates its 100th vintage.

The majority of the wines that are brought into Australia were shown at this event, from the estate Kabinett to the four Auslese Goldkapsel. There was also an minuscule amount of Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese from 2011, but these will be released at a later point in the future.

J.J. Prum is one of my favourite Mosel based wineries, which is probably not a controversial opinion given the respect they hold worldwide. I’ve tasted many of their wines with some age, including all the way back to a 1964 Wehlener Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese late last year, and can confirm that their aging potential is not in any way over stated as the 1964 seemed like it could hold for another 10 years at least and other older wines have seemed to be on similar trajectories.

There is also a perception that wines from J.J. Prum are totally unapproachable when young. This is something I’ve heard repeated over and over again but this tasting went a long way to changing my mind, at least for this vintage. The majority of the wines were open and in many cases were outright delicious to drink right away while still showing that they have enormous potential.

Overall the wines were extremely impressive, with great finesse and a purity of fruit that I view as critical for top level German Riesling. While it isn’t possible to judge a vintage on the results of one producer and a few vineyards, this was clearly yet another very successful year for J.J. Prum, and I’m looking forward to trying some of the other Mosel producers 2011s that are coming into Australia in the next few months.

Kabinett

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Kabinett –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Lemon, lime, peach and a tinge of earth on the nose. The palate continues the ripe peach character and has medium carry. Pretty tasty wine, though it doesn’t show a great deal of drive or acid structure. Drink over the next five or six years. 87/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Immediately appealing aromas – with wild floral perfume, spice, pineapple and peaches. The acidity takes an obvious step up from the standard Prum Kabinett, and as a result there seems to be more drive and persistence. Compared to the 2011 Graacher Himmelreich and Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinetts it doesn’t have the same level of purity or richness, but there is plenty to like here. 89/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    The minerality on the nose is impressive – it is steely, flinty and very slate driven, with some light spice and pear aromas. The purity across the palate is pervasive, with the minerality dominating and giving great lift and freshness to the wine. Racy acidity provides excellent precision and balances the flirtatious sweetness with ease. Excellent showing for this wine and it has great potential to improve. 91/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    There is a floral element to the nose, but it is less wild and more restrained than the 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube – there is also peach, pear and apricot coming through. The richest and most intense of the four Kabinett in this flight on the palate, it has the necessary acidity to carry the wine and give it structure. A touch more focus would take this to the next level for me but it is delicious to drink already and should also improve given time. 90/100

Spatlese

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Musk, graphite and florals that came through increasingly with time in the glass. There is good richness and acidity, both are a level up on the Kabinett from the same vineyard and vintage, but it suffers a bit from not having much depth to the fruit. 88/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Pear, spices, an earthy note and some light herbs. Very good balance between acidity and sweetness, with fine focus as well. Nice purity and intensity to the fruit which lingers on the palate. More interesting than the Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese and competes with the high quality of the next two wines. 90/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Lemon, light white florals, smoke and the same minerality with flint and slate that I found on the Kabinett. Truly delicious palate that offers beautiful purity and is superbly balanced with the acidity providing a vibrant framework. This is light on its feet but still has excellent depth and length. Kept improving in the glass during the short time I could spend with it. 92/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Apple pie, peach, apricot and a light layer of slate on the nose. The palate is densely weighted with ripe fruit but again the acidity rises to the challenge and balance is found if not quite having the outright finesse of some of the other wines right now. Likely to be worthy and in need of a bit more time than the Kabinett. 90/100

Auslese

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Wild florals, ginger, lime and light honey aromas. The excellent core of acidity stands out with lovely sweet fruit consistent across the length. There is sugar sweetness too but it is intertwined with the other elements and doesn’t feel at all out of place. Good for drinking now and should develop well over the medium term. 90/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    This was probably the most tightly wound 2011 Prum at this tasting. The nose has some lemon, apple and pear, and it opened up a little bit in the glass but is still aromatically reserved. A delicate palate with great acidity, the depth and structure is suitably impressive that I am sure it will emerge from its shell and start to delight, but it needs time and the conservative score reflects that. 90/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    This was the first flight where the Wehlener Sonnenuhr powered ahead of the Graacher Himmelreich for me. The nose is vivid with apricot, lemon zest, apples, honey and subtle smoke. The finesse on the palate is stunning, beautifully ripe fruit is precisely guided by wonderful acidity. It is easy to be immediately enamoured with this wine but there is underlying depth and complexity to it as well. Immensely classy wine with a very long future ahead. 93/100

Auslese Goldkapsel

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Intense and exotic aromas showing ginger, sea spray, graphite, pineapple and apricot. The palate is similarly intense but the balance is spot on thanks to a wave of cleansing acidity that lifts and drives into a long finish. There is a serious ramping up of the deliciousness over the Auslese thanks to the botrytis characters shining through. Excellent and a clear favourite for me from the Bernkasteler Badstube in this vintage. 92/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    The botrytis stands out on the nose and lends it an exotic flare, it is supported by honey, smoke and passion fruit characters. The palate is very punchy and forceful, the botrytis again showing through and quite a bit of residual sugar as well. I actually found it to lean a bit too far towards being over-opulent and not quite having the acidity to finish entirely cleanly. It’s still very good, but just falls a bit behind the other 2011 Prum Auslese GK at this stage. 90/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    A floral nose with grapefruit, apricot, lemon and smoke, it was much more open than the Graacher Himmelreich Auslese at this point. The palate truly shines with astonishingly pure fruit and an extraordinary frame of acidity. Textured and deliciously long, this really soared in the glass and I imagine it will be an even more stunning wine given time. I found it hard to split this and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, but it is exceptional in any context. 94/100

  • 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel –
    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    A compellingly layered nose – there is peach, honey, apricot, quince and botrytis influence. The palate is breathtaking in its purity and balance, it is wonderfully textured and the ripe fruit is ever-present but never out of control thanks to the crackling acidity. A wondrous wine and a fitting end to this tasting of the 100th vintage from J.J. Prum. 94/100

Dinner with Californian Cult and Highly Regarded Wines

US wine is not something that we get a huge amount of exposure to in Australia, probably at least partially due to the prices for the wines ending up sky high by the time shipping and taxes (in the region of 40%) are applied, so whenever I get a chance to try some I am always up for it.

This particular dinner was put on by Stewart Plant with a Melbourne based retailer, Fine Wine Merchant. Stewart has a keen interest in US wines and brings a small amount into the country when possible. The original theme was going to include a wider geographical selection of wines but in the end was restricted to a few sections of California and some highly rated wines that he thought would be impressive.

This was my first time trying all of the specific vintages of these wines, and for most of the producers the first time I’ve encountered them as well, so it was fun to not really have a preconceived idea about the reputation of specific wines or years.

As is hopefully evident by my notes I was really blown away by the Bond Estates wines. I was impressed that even though they had some family resemblance they were all distinct wines that stood out as individuals rather than blurring together with overly strong winemaker signatures. Unfortunately for me the retail prices once they get here are probably too much for me to justify, but hopefully I’ll be able to save my pennies and look to acquire a bottle of a different vintage to try at some stage.

Varner Chardonnay

  • 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Quite restrained on the nose, with lemon, apple, spice and some graphite. The palate is a little bit more forward, showing oak and more richness to the fruit profile. Perhaps finishes a touch short but it is very good. 90/100

  • 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Home Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Smoky oak, lemon, chalk and some estery banana style character on the nose. The palate is well proportioned, though the oak influence is still prominent at this stage of its life. Has the structure to give it good potential to improve. 90/100

  • 2010 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Flint, matchstick and pear aromas with some ginger and vanilla. Great structure to the palate, with some layers of complexity and it shows fine length. More interesting texturally than the Home Block and Amphitheatre Block that it was served next to, this improved with air and I really enjoyed it. 92/100

Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

  • 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Hidden Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Stems, black cherry, smoke and cola aromas. Palate is forward with red berries leading. It isn’t overripe but I wouldn’t call it restrained either. Medium length and drinking well now. 88/100

  • 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Picnic Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Black currant, smoked meats, appealing floral notes, spice and cherries. The spice comes through on the palate too, there is medium fruit density and good driven acidity. I really liked this and think it will improve over the medium term. 90/100

  • 2009 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic Block – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Cola, pepper and some light red berries. The palate is lean and there is a bit of bitterness that kicks in on the mid-palate. Lacks generosity and depth. Was the weak wine in this flight. 85/100

  • 2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Heady aromas of pepper, ginger and raspberry. Powerful (but bright) fruit on the palate with good acidity to keep things balanced. Very good length. There is heaps of character here and it took me a while to come around to it, but in the end I thought it was interesting and well worth trying. 91/100

Bond Estates

  • 2008 Bond Pluribus – USA, California, Napa Valley
    Graphite, liquorice, blackcurrant and a layered spice element in the background that lends intrigue. Outstanding persistence and depth on the palate, the structure is there as well with serious but ultra fine tannic presence. Incredible wine that should get even better with time. 95/100

  • 2008 Bond Quella – USA, California, Napa Valley
    Tobacco, tar, charry oak and some light cherry character on the nose. The fruit and tannins are well balanced, but even though the wine is high quality it lacks a little bit of depth to be really top class. No problems with drinking this young but also I think another 10 years would serve it well. 91/100

  • 2008 Bond Melbury – USA, California, Napa Valley
    Lovely floral, cherry and mixed spice aromas with a minerality to it as well. The palate has a restrained fruit profile with lovely purity and savoury elements coming through strongly. I found this restraint appealing and it even had an element of refreshment in this context of a flight of wines that have such density and intensity. Even though it may not have the same fruit power as some of the other wines, it still had great structure and length and was eminently classy in my opinion. 93/100

  • 2008 Bond St. Eden – USA, California, Napa Valley
    Rich and bold nose of blackberry, cassis, violets, tar and liquorice. Immensely structured, both the tannins and acidity are commanding, but they need to be in order to be in proportion with the dense and forceful fruit profile. A wine that is very impressive, but it also probably needs the most time in bottle out of the 2008 Bond range to really show its best. 93/100

  • 2008 Bond Vecina – USA, California, Napa Valley
    Aromas that really drew me into the wine – cassis, black cherry, truffle, earth and a lovely smoky edge. The palate is breathtaking, there is immense fruit power that somehow retains its brightness and purity, making for compelling drinking. The structure here is brilliant and it finishes with sensational length. I was left awestruck by this wine and given time to age I think it will become even more magnificent. 96/100

Syrah

  • 2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20 – USA, California, Central Coast
    Appealing nose of violets, charcoal, peppery spice and raspberry. The palate is certainly intense and powerful but it doesn’t get to the point where it was over the top. There is structure there, but it is overlaid with such delicious fruit that it plays its part without attracting much attention. One of those wines that is so very pleasurable over the course of a glass or two, but I don’t think I’d want to tackle an entire bottle on my own! 93/100

  • 2009 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Blackberry, liquorice, cola, oak and a lifted somewhat spirity character from the alcohol. A huge palate in the ultra ripe style, there is some spice that thankfully provided some dimension and interest aside from the fruit density. It has good length, though I could feel the alcohol following through a bit as well. 89/100

  • 2007 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
    Maybe this was in an awkward spot, but I found it quite hard to really get into. The nose shows sultana, earth, blackberry, sawdust and resiny oak. The palate carries across the sensation of substantial oak and I didn’t really feel like the fruit was up to the challenge even though there is quite a bit lurking. For me, not even close to greatness on this occasion. 87/100

Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

  • 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
    Blackberry, kirsch, some floral notes and menthol aromas. The palate shows depth and power with a wave of fruit sweetness tempered by deft oak use and fine structure. There is good potential to improve significantly with age. 91/100

  • 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
    Chocolate and earth are both assertive on the nose, there is also pepper and ground coffee elements. The palate is ripe and forward, with lots of jam styled red fruit and as a result it is approachable now. For my taste this lacks some finesse compared to the other two Diamond Creek wines tasted but it is still very good.89/100

  • 2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill – USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
    Deep and dark aromas of blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, black cherry and cinnamon. Full bodied on the palate with decisive intensity and power. This has serious tannin structure and is probably the least approachable of the three Diamond Creek wines tried at this dinner, but it also has the most potential over the long term. 92/100

1959 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg feine Auslese

German Riesling Dinner : 1959-1988

I was fortunate to attend this small dinner a couple of weekends ago organised by a friend in Sydney, Australia. The theme was based around one of his great passions, German Riesling and as usual he did a great job in the careful sourcing and planing for this dinner. The restaurant Fix St James did a fine job as well, with the food matching as well as wine service – if you are in Sydney and looking for a casual place to eat in the CBD with an interesting wine list, it is pretty hard to beat in my opinion.

The highlights for me were as follows (with plenty of interesting and very good wines closely behind!) ;

1964 Kesselstatt Niedermenniger Herrenberg Auslese
1959 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg feine Auslese
1975 Winzergenossenschaft Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Eiswein Beerenauslese
1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Trockenbeerenaulese

Flight 1 – Same vintage, producer, vineyard but one prädikat level apart

  • 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Rheingau
    Very slightly darker in colour than the Spatlese it was next to. The nose offers earth, ginger and toast. On the palate, the remaining fruit is fading away but there is a good level of acid initially giving some freshness and lift. The wine drops away toward the finish, becoming very slightly bitter from the oxidative characters. Not bad overall. 86/100

  • 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Good golden tinged colour. More expressive on the nose than the Kabinett next to it – marmalade, pineapple, pear and some peaches. Palate is honeyed with that marmalade character coming through as well. There is acidity there but it is probably a little bit on the low side for my liking, some more would have really helped the palate step up to the sweetness. Very good regardless. 88/100

Flight 2 – Same vintage, prädikat and producer but different vineyard

  • 1988 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Aromas of pine needles, passion fruit, wet stones and some underlying spice. The palate has well woven acidity and there is good carry of clean flavour into the finish. While there is complexity emerging, you get the feeling that this wine has potential to improve further with time. 89/100

  • 1988 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Floral aromas drive the appealing nose, there are background notes of petrol, lemon and orange peel. The palate has lovely bright acidity that compliments the sweetness perfectly, giving the wine spot-on balance. Tasted next to the Steinberg Spatlese, though it has a clear family resemblance, there is just a little bit more of everything that helps this wine stand out – perfume, acidity, sweetness, depth and fruit purity. 91/100

Flight 3 – Rheingau Spatlese

  • 1976 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    I found the nose slightly dull, there is some marzipan and earthiness but it didn’t really open up over the course of the glass. I though that he palate was brighter, it had some tasty light sweetness along with decent drive, though looking at it very critically the depth isn’t really there and thus it didn’t really have the interest I look for, though it was perfectly decent to drink. 87/100

  • 1966 Schloss Reinhartshausen Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Aromas of melon, earth, honey and some light spice. The palate is clean, with good acidity and a lick of sweetness remaining. The wine trails away a little bit too early on the finish and I didn’t find much complexity here. It may have been slightly better with less bottle age and some more fruit but it seemed to be holding up well overall. 88/100

Flight 4 – Auslese

  • 1964 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Started off slightly muted but I found it lifted with air to show a highly perfumed nose – there are bright white floral aromas, slate, turkish delight, lime and pear. The palate is bright, with delicate purity and superb balance of acidity and sugar. A wine with excellent depth and length, this was in brilliant condition and a true pleasure to drink. 93/100

  • 1971 Schloss Eltz Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Rheingau
    Marmalade, caramel, apples and a slightly wooden oxidative character on the nose. The palate doesn’t show the same level of age, there is still a caramel tinged edge to it, but it enhanced rather than detracted from the experience for me. I thought the finish was a bit abrupt at first, but with air the mid palate gained some weight and the intensity seemed to carry better into the finish. Great wine, but drink now based on this bottle. 90/100

Flight 5 – feine Auslese

  • 1959 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling feine Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    A nose with impressive complexity, the initial aromas are in the smoke and tobacco spectrum, with time citrus comes to the fore through lime and tangerine notes as well as a soaring slate and mineral element. Beautifully balanced on the palate, with stunningly focussed purity and stellar acidity giving the wine a wondrous ethereal quality. Textured and with many layers of depth, this is a wine that challenges you to give it your full attention lest you miss some of its many subtle aspects. Seriously exceptional wine that showed no signs of tiring. 96/100

  • 1966 August E. Anheuser Kreuznacher Rosengarten Riesling feine Auslese – Germany, Nahe
    Apricot, stewed apple and some mint aromas. Very good intensity and sweetness pairs with an excellent core of acidity that lifts and drives the palate. Doesn’t have the same class or complexity as the 59 Karthäuserhof feine Auslese it was paired with, but it was interesting in its own right. 90/100

Flight 6 – Eiswine Beerenauslese

  • 1975 Winzergenossenschaft Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese – Germany, Nahe
    Creme caramel, honey, orange peel and a salty sea spray character. Excellent acidity frames the palate and gives it a sense of finesse even though there is some serious dense fruit and sweetness. The acidity also contributes to the imposing length, driving the sweetness across the palate and leaving you wanting more. 93/100

  • 1979 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese – Germany, Rheingau
    An intense nose with roast peach, violets, brown sugar and apricot. Explosive on the palate, with the sweetness taking centre stage. The intensity and force of the flavour leaves an impression on your mouth, but I would value a little bit more restraint and balance in this case. Despite that, it is undoubtedly very good and it will probably live for quite some time given its current state. 91/100

Flight 7 – A return to the producer, vintage, vineyard of flight 1, at the TBA level

  • 1976 Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt a. Main Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Trockenbeerenaulese – Germany, Rheingau
    Excellent complexity on the nose with graphite, gun smoke, coconut, orange peel and ginger. The wine displays superior balance, there is a rush of intense richness and minerality carried across the palate by a incredible core of acidity, leading into a finish that just refuses to end. Wonderfully complex and rich, this is truly great wine. 94/100

Australian Icon Wine Dinner Tasting Notes

Alongside the 1944 Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy that I spoke about in the previous post, we had a number of other icon wines, including 2 bottles of the incredible Seppeltsfield 100yo Para.

  • 2000 Bay of Fires Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged – Australia, Tasmania
    Wow. Stunning nose with great depth and power, there are aromas of toast, apple pie, lemon, pear, peach and some crème caramel notes. The palate is deliciously rich with enough acidity to keep it flowing across the palate. Fantastic stuff that I wouldn’t hesitate to put up against very good Champagne. 93/100

  • 1997 Tyrrell’s Sémillon Vat 1 – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
    Colour looked fairly youthful. Reticent nose, there is some lemon and light toast. A little bit flat on the palate, lacking drive and either brightness or development. Not nearly as good as a bottle in June last year but much better than the badly corked bottle in March last year! 88/100

  • 1995 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna – Australia
    Bold nose of spice, honey, hazelnut and toast. Rounded and showing lovely richness on the palate, it still had enough drive and acidity to carry the flavours into a long finish. Has aged really well and is great for drinking right now. 90/100

  • 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
    Oats, lemon, oak and spices on the nose. Very appealing palate, it is finely balanced between some ripe fruit, bright acid line and great length. Has really started to come together and show some of its potential since I last tried it a couple of years ago and another couple of years should see it improve further. 92/100

  • 2005 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard – Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
    The nose was a little bit rubbery to begin with, but it quickly dissipated to show gunsmoke, vanilla, slate and some wax. The palate is decidedly rich but it has the acidity to handle it. For me it had the edge in texture over the 05 Leeuwin AS it was served next to, but it still needs a few more years to be at its best. 92/100

  • 2002 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
    First vintage of this wine under screwcap. Some floral notes with plum, cranberry and plenty of Hunter Valley style leather and earth. The fruit is definitely light-medium weighted but there is enough there that it isn’t an issue for me and it melded well with the more earthy elements. Very good for the vintage, this is a relatively short term drinking prospect and I think it was showing really well right at the moment. 91/100

  • 1994 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
    Corked. At first I thought it was only light, but it got worse and more noticeable quickly. NR/100

  • 1996 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
    Raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with cherry, leather and light licorice aromas. The palate is wonderfully balanced and refined, there is great depth to the fruit and it has excellent structure. Superb and really starting to live up to its early promise. 93/100

  • 1993 Penfolds Grange – Australia, South Australia
    86% Shiraz and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackcurrant, plum, vanilla and cinnamon aromas. Palate has good powerful fruit and very good length, but the depth of a top Grange isn’t quite there. Drinking well now and over the next 5 years. 91/100

  • 1995 Mount Mary Quintet – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Raspberry, spice and violets on the nose. The palate is light bodied and reasonably well balanced, for me though it doesn’t really have enough interest, there isn’t great complexity or all that much depth. 88/100

  • 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
    Not a sound bottle. “Capsicum disaster” was my description, but there was some peppery and graphite aromas in the background. The palate was even less appealing unfortunately. NR/100

  • 1975 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
    Deep red coloured, it looked about 5-10 years old, not even close to 38! Tobacco, blackberry, some violets and quite earthy aromas. Palate is medium weighted and is quite enjoyable without feeling especially resolved or deep. Should continue to drink well for quite some time still, but I can’t really see it lifting greatly from here. 90/100

  • 1967 Lake’s Folly Cabernets – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
    The first commercial release from Lake’s Folly. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz according to the label. Very typical nose of the Hunter Valley – leather, spice, earth as well as some cherry and smoke. Probably not at its very best on the palate but it is doing more than just hanging on, there is some length to it and there is balance even though it started to fade slightly after time in the glass. Another piece of history and a real treat to try. 91/100

  • 1996 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Moss Wood Vineyard – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
    Graphite, cedar, cassis and blackberry aromas. Has a bit more fruit power than the 96 Cullen served next to it, but it is well restrained and structured. Shows excellent length. I couldn’t split this and the Cullen the last time I tried them side by side (around 6 years ago), and I still can’t, both are excellent and with time on their side. 92/100

  • 1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
    Tobacco, chocolate, blackberry and a light kirsch note. Medium bodied and really very well balanced, this is progressing very nicely since I last tried it about 6 years ago. It is still primary but it is coming together and integrating as hoped. Give it some more time and I think it should get even better. 92/100

  • 1888 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
    A heady and intoxicating mix on the nose of raisins, caramel, coconut, ginger, rancio and dark chocolate – each note is so powerful it is as though it could stand on its own. Incredible richness and concentration on the palate with a balancing level of acidity that seems beyond belief. Unstoppable length, even after swallowing the wine has coated the mouth and persists brilliantly. Awe inspiring stuff. Right up there with the 1880, but the barest touch behind the 1905. 98/100

  • 1908 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
    There is a hit of VA to begin with that subsides to show a nose with lots of spice – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper as well as cedar, milk chocolate and pencil shavings. The palate has a touch more freshness than the 1888, without perhaps having the same unfathomable depth, but it is exciting all the same, with brilliant length and power. There is a slight spirity note to the palate but it barely detracts from this treasure of Australian wine. 94/100

  • NV Morris Tokay Old Premium Rare Liqueur – Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
    Only had a small taste of this, but it was very good and held its own against some incredible wines. Ginger, caramel and chocolate aromas. Very smooth and well balanced on the palate with depth as well. 92/100

  • 2002 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
    Cherry, strong blackcurrant, tobacco and obvious but not overpowering oak influence. Palate has bold ripe fruit but there are savoury undercurrents that keep it interesting. The tannins are assertive but they do not dominate. I would give it another 5-6 years to give it time to develop before looking at it again. 91/100

  • 1995 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards – Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
    Lots of chocolate, blackberry and cherry on the nose, with some US oak and pepper. Still youthful on the palate, with powerful fruit, plenty of tannin and good length. I think it could use some more time, probably another 6-7 years to fully develop. 90/100

  • 1997 Yeringberg – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    White pepper, earth, vanilla and graphite aromas. Very good focus and balance on the palate, this is drinking well now and should continue to do so over the short-medium term. 91/100

1944 Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy made by Colin Preece

Another month and another wine tasting that escalated quickly in planning. The original proposal for a modest BYO event ended in an “Australian Icon” tasting including 1888 and 1908 Seppelt Para Port (to be covered in another post), plus this treasure of Australian wine history.

Just prior to the dinner, a member contacted the rest of us to indicate that he had a problem, a 1944 Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy that he had planned to open later this year had been very lightly leaking and that our assistance was required to drink it as soon as possible.

The wine in question was made by a legend of the Australian wine industry, Colin Preece, who is often mentioned alongside other wine industry luminaries from the early to mid 1900s such as Maurice O’Shea, Max Schubert and Roger Warren. Andrew Caillard MW says that “Preece developed the quintessential Australian Sparkling Burgundy style. He was a hugely influential figure during his time and regarded as one of the most skilful blenders of his generation”. So to try a Sparkling red made by the developer of this style of wine in Australia was an exciting prospect.

These wines are exceptionally rare, in fact I don’t think I’ve seen a Sparkling wine made by Colin Preece at auction in all the time I’ve been interested in wine. The label doesn’t say, but it is likely that the wine was mostly or totally made from Shiraz (despite the Burgundy designation).

There was obviously some concern over the (very minimal) leaking, but the level was still extremely good for a wine of this age. We gathered at the restaurant early to open the bottle as a warm up for the “main” event. The cork broke during opening, but on pouring the wine there was an exciting moment as we saw that there were still very light bubbles and that it was a promising colour with a dark red core fading slightly to an earthy ruby red at the edges.

The nose has layers of complexity with cherry, chocolate, leather, licorice and the red fruit tinged molasses that seems to be a common trait with many of these very old Australian red wines. The palate still carried a tingling frizzante sensation which gave the wine a lift to go with the strongly savoury and earthy flavours.

I left some for as long as I could as the dinner progressed, coming back to it occasionally to find that it was still alive. After a couple of hours it finally started to fade away and I finished the very small amount that I had been able to resist.

This bottle of wine even at 69 years of age lived up to, and even exceeded my expectations and I’m very glad to have had the privilege to try it! I guess it shows why these wines are considered legendary when some lucky bottles continue to show their magic.

Perigord Black Truffle, Hot Foie Gras Jelly, Fleur de Sel

Restaurant Andre – Singapore

Some photos from a lunch towards the middle of last year at Restaurant Andre in Singapore.

The food and service were both excellent and the value for money at lunch was fairly good at 130 SGD / 100 AUD (plus tax). The wine list was mostly very expensive even compared to Australian prices, so the total cost could very easily blow out with a decent bottle or two.

My favourite courses were the “Imperial Tsar Salmon lightly smoked, tomato and peach salad, basil flower sorbet” which was beautifully plated and had delicate flavours with lots of texture and the basil flower sorbet providing a refreshing element and the “Wild mushroom polenta bianca, 36 hour slow roast short rib beef, potato and onion praune” which didn’t really have a twist, it was just delicious. The dessert course sounded good on paper, but didn’t really come together for me and I thought it was the weakest of the dishes and probably the only misstep.

This was a very strong lunch overall and I left impressed. The dinner menu is supposed to be more ambitious and I would like to try it, but at around 3 times the cost of lunch there are a number of other places I would like to visit first.

The Wine

For the wine, we had a bottle of the David Leclapart Champagne Cuvée l’Amateur NV which had very interesting aromas – lemon, orange peel, flint, green apple and a basil type note to it. The palate was pure, long and poised, with a slender shard of richness prevalent. Great length to it. I really enjoyed this wine and scored it 91/100.

Food Photos

“Snacking” Amuse Bouche
Snacking Amuse Bouche

Imperial Tsar Salmon lightly smoked, tomato and peach salad, basil flower sorbet
Imperial Tsar Salmon lightly smoked, tomato and peach salad, basil flower sorbet

Kaffir Lime Consomme, Baby Leek Ravioli, Carpaccio of Seafood
Kaffir Lime Consomme, Baby Leek Ravioli, Carpaccio of Seafood

Perigord Black Truffle, Hot Foie Gras Jelly, Fleur de Sel
Perigord Black Truffle, Hot Foie Gras Jelly, Fleur de Sel

Wild mushroom polenta bianca, roast chicken, potato and onion praune
Wild mushroom polenta bianca, roast chicken, potato and onion praune

Wild mushroom polenta bianca, 36 hour slow roast short rib beef, potato and onion praune
Wild mushroom polenta bianca, 36 hour slow roast short rib beef, potato and onion praune

Royal chocolate palet “nyangbo”, “beurre noisette” burnt butter ice cream, caramel caocao sponge and textures
Royal chocolate palet

Dinner at Black by Ezard with some amazing wines

Some photos and notes from recent dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Black by Ezard did a great job of hosting us with impressive food and excellent service from the sommelier and team.

SASHIMI of hiramasa kingfish, sesame custard, edamame puree, chardonnay and shallot dressing

SASHIMI of hiramasa kingfish, sesame custard, edamame puree, chardonnay and shallot dressing

ORGANIC FARM EGG potato cream, iberico jamón, herb salad

ORGANIC FARM EGG potato cream, iberico jamón, herb salad

POTATO GNOCCHI handmade, spinach cream, local mushrooms, parmesan, roasted salsify

POTATO GNOCCHI handmade, spinach cream, local mushrooms, parmesan, roasted salsify

OXTAIL soy caramelised, celeriac cream, sichuan peppered enoki, chive and crispy taro salad, mushroom soil

OXTAIL soy caramelised, celeriac cream, sichuan peppered enoki, chive and crispy taro salad, mushroom soil

RUMPCAP grain fed wagyu MBS 9+, buttered désirée puree, marrow and shallot sauce

RUMPCAP grain fed wagyu MBS 9+, buttered désirée puree, marrow and shallot sauce

CHOCOLATE warm couverture ganache, dulce de leche ice cream, peanut butter mousse

CHOCOLATE warm couverture ganache, dulce de leche ice cream, peanut butter mousse

  • 1998 Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Liesse d’Harbonville – France, Champagne
    Powerful nose – biscuit and coconut, earth, honey and floral notes. The richness on the palate is extremely impressive and it has superb length. Even better than a great bottle a month or so ago. 93/100

  • 2005 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Tightly wound and closed nose, with some pine needle, musk, lemon and talc aromas. The palate is well balanced, with rich fruit and some driven acidity. Give it some time to come together and I think it would be more impressive, though a bottle in May earlier this year was showing as more open and approachable. 91/100

  • 2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Pear, peach and slightly honeyed aromas with some nutty oak aromas. The fruit seems to have softened since my last bottle 3 years ago, though it is still quite restrained with good acid cutting through. Another couple of years should serve it well as long as the bottle is sound. 91/100

  • 1999 Domaine de la Vougeraie Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
    Earthy nose as well as black cherries, dark florals, lightly peppery and still showing some oak. Lovely texture on the taut and very well structured palate. Really good stuff, but probably needs another 5-10 years to hit its peak. 92/100

  • 2000 Domaine de la Vougeraie Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
    Earth and truffle aromas as well as some iron and black cherry – there is a smidge of brett as well, but for me it wasn’t dominant or off-putting. Good length to the palate and still has some grip to. Drinking well now and over the next 5 years. 90/100

  • 2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
    A complex nose of cherry, rhubarb, truffle and black tea leaves. The palate is stunningly silken and pure with wonderful length. Improved greatly in the glass, this is a beautiful wine drinking well now but will certainly continue to improve as well. 93/100

  • 2006 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
    Stunningly perfumed – extremely lifted floral notes with complex spices, cherry and earth. Beautifully pristine and extremely bright fruit on the palate with richness, structure and depth. A core of minerality carries the fruit into a amazingly long finish. 95/100

  • 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
    This wine almost left me speechless. The aromas are exhilarating, captivating and unbelievably complex – shifting continually with every inhale – exotic spices, graphite, violets, smoke, tobacco and game. The palate has force through powerful fruit and tannin but there is superb precision and depth to the fruit as well. An incredible wine, maybe the best young red Burgundy I’ve ever tasted. 97/100

  • 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Strong kirsch along with earth, pepper and vanilla aromas. The palate is very good indeed, complex and with a lifted freshness through a line of great acidity. Very long and with excellent balance, this will drink well over the next 10-15 years. 93/100

  • 1990 Chris Ringland Shiraz Three Rivers – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Range
    Powerful nose of five spice, tar, tobacco, cedar and pencil shavings. Brilliant power on the palate but it doesn’t seem at all over the top, there is balance and brightness to it despite its richness. There are savoury notes that also help balance the very youthful fruit and it finishes with incredible length. Extremely impressive and unbelievably young at 22 years old, this is a monumental wine. 96/100

  • 2001 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Sélection de Grains Nobles – France, Alsace, Alsace AOC
    Orange gold coloured. A rich nose of pineapple, honey, floral notes and peaches and really shows that unique identity of sweet Alsace Pinot Gris. Fleshy and sweet on the palate but with real brightness and acid balance. Some complexity to it, but it disappeared quickly due to being delicious. 94/100

  • 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico – Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella Classico
    Compelling and unbelievably rich nose of kirsch, raisin, tobacco, dark chocolate, blackcurrant and tar. The palate is just incredible in its balance between sweetness, deeply rich fruit and acidity. Intense and mouth-filling but somehow superbly drinkable at the same time. This wine was right at the very top level, what an experience! 97/100

Lunch with Maurice O’Shea – 1952 McWilliam’s Stephen Hunter Valley Hermitage Shiraz

978H5080-L.jpg

I was fortunate a few weekends ago to finally try a wine from the revered Australian winemaker, Maurice O’Shea.

O’Shea is regarded as a master and pioneer of the winemaking craft in Australia and his best wines still have the potential to be great, despite the basic conditions under which they were made.

The wines range from the 1920s to the mid 1950s when O’Shea passed away and are incredibly rare, many were made from a single barrel (resulting in around 200 cases production) and obviously as time goes on the number of bottles available diminishes either due to cork failure and oxidization or their consumption. Even fewer become available to purchase as well, since those lucky enough to have any bottles hold them very closely.

Earlier this year a bottle of the 1952 “Stephen Hermitage” came up at auction. The level was quite low, around mid-shoulder, so there was some risk involved. Some members of a wine group I’m involved with were interested and we split the cost to minimise our exposure. We ended up getting the bottle for a very reasonable price.

There is very little information that I’ve found available about the wine, but it is from the Hunter Valley region and probably made from mostly Shiraz grapes. 1952 was regarded as a good vintage in between 2 lacklustre years in 1951 and 1953.

We opened the wine just before serving and the cork was soaked through and in poor shape. The colour was great for a 60 year old wine, maroon in the middle and fading away toward the edges. The nose was very much in the style of great Hunter Valley Shiraz – leather and earth with tobacco, cherry and some of that brown sugar character that these old wines can take on. The palate is alive with sweet old red fruit that carried across the length of the wine and some integrated acidity to give it drive. The flavours held and didn’t fade away in the hour that we spent with it. The condition was all we could have hoped for – it isn’t the very greatest old wine I’ve had, but it was still a great old wine – true to its place and maker and an experience to remember.

As for the other wines, they were a mixed bag, in fact our strike rate with old wine was well down on normal – but overall it was a truly memorable lunch.

  • NV Demarne-Frison Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature Lalore – France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
    From 2009 fruit, disgorged October 2011. This was served slightly warm but was still appealing with biscuity aromas, floral notes and some oyster shell character. The palate has nicely clean acid and good persistence. Should improve with a couple of years in bottle. 90/100

  • NV Demarne-Frison Champagne Goustan Brut Nature – France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
    From 2009 fruit, disgorged October 2011. There was some citrus and more earthy character on the nose. Tasted next to the same release of the Blanc de Blancs, this had more driven power and body, but also crackling acidity. Consistent with a previous bottle. 91/100

  • 2009 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Cuvée Fidèle Extra Brut – France, Champagne
    Just had a small pour of this but it still left a good impression. Intense cherry, pear and floral notes on the nose. The palate has a flavour profile that is bursting with richness and intensity. Very good length. 91/100

  • 1988 Pipers Brook Vineyard Riesling – Australia, Tasmania
    Still golden coloured. The nose has plenty of attraction with honey, lots of toast and some kerosene (which I happen to enjoy). The palate has some decent honeyed fruit left, though it finishes a little bit short. This was holding up well for a 24 year old Tasmanian Riesling! 88/100

  • 1998 Tyrrell’s Sémillon Vat 1 – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
    Much more developed than a great bottle earlier this year, with buttered popcorn, wax and lime. The palate has good length and retains some of the acid line I remember on the previous bottle, but this one was ready to drink now and unlikely to improve. 90/100

  • 1973 Ferdinand Pieroth Guldentaler Schloßkapelle Auslese – Germany, Rheinhessen
    No grape type listed on the label, so a slight mystery. The nose has aromas of grapefruit, ginger and honey. The palate has an interesting texture and I liked it but it fades away just too early. 87/100

  • 2008 Benoit Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
    My favourite of the three white burgundy on the day. Slate, lemon and orange zest on the nose. The palate is restrained and driven by beautiful minerality, with a backbone of fine acidity. 90/100

  • 2009 Michel Tessier Meursault 1er Cru Poruzots Dessus – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
    Lots of banana/ester character on the nose with some light florals coming through with effort. The palate has a nice splash of richness and good structure but the nose is tough to get past right now. 88/100

  • 2007 Jean-Philippe Fichet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
    Smothered in oak, there are some pine needles and melon as well. The palate is of a similar ilk, though some fruit is peeking out in the background. I found it a difficult wine to enjoy now, maybe some time will help but I’m not sure. 86/100

  • 2009 Sadie Family Palladius – South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland, Malmesbury
    Nutty, lemon, pear and smoky aromas. Complex and rich on the palate, there is great structure and acidity. Some at the table found that the alcohol was a bit too prominent but for me it didn’t distract. 91/100

  • 1976 Jean Sanders Echezeaux – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
    From a Bordeaux (Barsac) negociant house. Swampy, hoisin and wet soil aromas, I thought it might blow off but it got worse and then quickly fell over. I was brave enough to taste it and it was short and had no depth. NR/100

  • 1963 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Hermitage – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
    Cedar, raspberry and some caramel notes on the nose. Palate still has some tannin and grip, it is decent to drink and has some elements of interest but it is fading away and past its best. 87/100

  • 1968 Penfolds HV/SA Bin 333 – Australia, South Australia
    The aromas are promising with mint, earth and coconut. The palate however is flat and much too short. Well past its peak. 82/100

  • 1968 Hardys Shiraz Reserve Bin C715 Burgundy – Australia, South Australia
    Cherry, ground coffee and some nail polish remover (though some found it more prominent than others). The palate had some decent red fruit initially, but this dropped away quickly after pouring leaving it flat. Another wine without enough life. 83/100

  • 1952 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Liquorice and cherry, with leather and some bacon aromas. Palate still has some bright fruit and both tannin and acid are present and are well balanced. Really nice drinking, though I didn’t find it incredibly complex. 90/100

  • 1977 Lake’s Folly Cabernet Sauvignon – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
    Totally gone. NR/100

  • 1986 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
    Almost seemed more Cabernet in style with capsicum, raspberry and mint aromas. The palate has beautiful soft red fruits and great balance. Fully mature and delicious. 91/100

  • 2000 Gaja Barbaresco – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
    Poured without a decant and even though it has appeal straight away, it really started to soar with time in the glass. Cherry and graphite, pencil shavings and cherry, with floral notes entwined. Structurally excellent, with super length. In 7-8 years it should be on another level. 93/100

  • 2009 Motörhead Shiraz – Australia, South Eastern
    Cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry on the nose. Lively red fruit on the palate with some good power to it. Better than expected and a pleasant dose of fruit after a run of wines that were past their best. 88/100

  • 2008 Sadie Family Columella – South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland
    Tobacco, raspberry, cherry and blackberry. Bright and vibrant fruit on the palate with great persistence and coiled power. Lovely wine that is drinking well already but another 10 years should serve it well. 91/100

  • 1985 Niederthäler Hof Munsterer Liebeholl Bacchus Beerenauslese – Germany, Nahe
    Tropical fruits – pineapple and quince with nutty and vanilla elements. Palate is round but not as rich as expected. Fairly low in acidity but tasty. 89/100

  • 1969 Seppelt Ondenc GW 88 Sauternes – Australia, New South Wales
    Lime and ginger with honey and sugar. The palate is holding up well, there is a touch of sweetness and some cleansing acidity. It could be said that it is not overly long but it’s in much better shape than I thought it would be. 88/100

  • NV Scanavino Moscato d’Asti – Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d’Asti
    From 2012 fruit, a quick palate cleanser. Grape, musk and floral notes. There is a fair amount of sweetness but good countering acidity. I should buy some for summer drinking. 89/100

Thousand Candles 2011 Shiraz

William Downie Pinot Noir and Thousand Candles Dinner

I recently attended a dinner with winemaker William Downie at The Oak Barrel in Sydney. He has built a solid reputation for his Pinot Noir, first at De Bortoli and then starting in 2003 with his small production self-named label.

Recently he has attracted further attention as the winemaker for the “Thousand Candles” project (label pictured above). The first release of this wine is primarily Shiraz, with a splash of Pinot Noir and a pinch of barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc! The wine has received some glowing reviews and generated a great deal of discussion over its $100 price point, a tough ask for the first vintage of a potentially challenging wine.

The dinner was a great opportunity to try the initial releases of the Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, the first vintage from the Mornington Peninsula (2006) as well as the aforementioned Thousand Candles.

Being a small dinner, there was plenty of opportunity to speak to William throughout the night and I found him to be humble but also passionate about what he is doing. He spoke fondly about the time he spent in Burgundy during the 2003-2005 vintages and I think the wines we tasted are a good reflection of his desire to represent the sites where they are grown.

  • NV Laherte Frères Champagne Les Clos – France, Champagne
    Served on arrival. Green apple and pear with some slight florals as it warms up. With piercing acid, it is very clean but there is not much more to the palate. 87/100

  • 2003 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    150 cases produced. Nicely complex aromatics of dark cherries, autumn leaves and a little splash of spice. There is some mint after time in the glass. Still lively on the palate with good complexity, it is right in the zone for drinking from now to 2014. 89/100

  • 2004 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Aromas of red cherries, earth and a touch of stemmy character. The medium bodied palate is impressive, with excellent acid and texture, finishing with persistence. Has really opened up since I tried it a couple of years ago. Drink now – 2016. 90/100

  • 2005 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Dark floral aromas in the violet spectrum with smoky meaty elements and light oak. Very bright and lifted palate, it is deliciously appealing and has very good length. Drink 2014-2019. 91/100

  • 2006 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Rosewater, red cherry and raspberry aromas. Red fruit drives the palate, there is good depth, maybe just needing a touch more acidity to be really great. Should drink well over the next 5-6 years. 90/100

  • 2006 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
    This was tasted next to the 2006 Yarra Valley and they underwent the same vinification process – there is a clear regional difference evident. Aromas of mocha, dark floral notes, cinnamon and earth, Rich and deep on the palate, with great length and texture. Really very good. Drink over the next 6-8 years. 92/100

  • 2007 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Stalks, violets and earth with some raspberry and smoke. There is generosity of bright red fruit flavour on the palate without being too forceful. Good length and good potential. 91/100

  • 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    Interesting nose of vanilla, iron and graphite. Palate has nice texture and good length. The balance is there as well and it has potential to improve over the medium term. 90/100

  • 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
    Cloudy coloured. Appealing nose with soft florals and strawberry marshmallows. The palate has acid prominent right now but there is some fruit depth as well. Needs a couple of years to settle down in bottle. 88/100

  • 2011 William Downie Pinot Noir – Australia, Victoria, Gippsland
    Cloudy coloured. Perfumed raspberry, some chocolate and cherry with earth in the background. Balanced and restrained on the palate, it has the acid and structure to age reasonably well over 4-5 years. 90/100

  • 2011 Thousand Candles – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
    A combination of 92% Shiraz, 6% Pinot Noir and 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Controversial and interesting nose of pepper, sap, cherry, raspberry, vanilla and grass. The palate is less in dispute, it is clearly very good – balanced with silky restrained fruit, spice and savoury earth. Textured and long. It took me a while to come around to this wine, but in the end I found myself liking it more each time I thought about it. 91/100

  • 2009 William Downie Petit Manseng – Australia, Victoria, North East, King Valley
    Mango, peach, apple and strawberry. Palate is medium sweetness (around 50 grams per litre residual sugar) with good acid and decent length. It isn’t overly deep but it is appealingly tasty. 89/100

Riesling & Rioja Dinner – 1964 JJ Prum Auslese, 1959 Spatlese and more!

This dinner was organised by Shannon from Rare Wine Dinners, with the focus this time on German Riesling plus White and Red Rioja. The event was held at Rise in Sydney, a small Japanese Restaurant that did a good job with the demands of serving this much wine to a full restaurant over the course of the evening. Thanks must go to Shannon for the careful sourcing and planning that goes into running these dinners.

A few very short notes from me follow;

  • 2009 Schloss Vaux Rheingau Riesling Brut – Germany, Rheingau
    Floral, stonefruit and mineral nose. Palate has a burst of acidity and is quite fresh, but there is a lack of depth and interest. 85/100

  • 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Hattenheimer Nußbrunnen Riesling Kabinett trocken – Germany, Rheingau
    Light floral notes, with some spice and citrus. Very light richness on the palate. Simple but quite tasty. 88/100

  • 1998 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Goldkapsel – Germany, Rheingau
    Grapefruit and marmalade with some orange peel. Drops away too quickly on the palate for my liking, there is a touch of sweetness but not much else. This has aged but not really developed any complexity. 85/100

  • 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Lime, smoke and honeysuckle aromas. Intense sweetness on the palate, I find that there isn’t enough acidity or brightness to cover for it and it ends feeling unbalanced. 83/100

  • 1976 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Kumquat, apple, straw and light smoke. Good acidity brightens the palate. Good length and there is some depth evident. Drink now. 89/100

  • 1964 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Amazing light straw gold colour. Enticing aromas of florals, lemon, talc and some spices. The nose was consistent over an hour or more, not dropping away but not unfurling further either. Palate is a highlight with excellent balance and imposing length – subtle initially it just builds superbly across the mid-palate and holds on for quite some time. 92/100

  • 1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Caramel, vanilla and lemon with a little bit of nutty oxidative character (but not as much as I expected). Texturally it was very interesting, though the acid was a touch prickly on the finish. 88/100

  • 2011 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Rheingau
    Lots of sulphur here, there is some white flowers and honey after time. Rich and youthful on the palate, it has just enough acid to carry the sweetness. 89/100

  • 1976 Georg Müller Stiftung Hattenheimer Deutelsberg Riesling Auslese – Germany, Rheingau
    Some aromas in the eucalypt/mint spectrum as well as marmalade and melting sugar. Great balance and depth, the components woven together with purpose. Drinking well now but will hold for quite some time. 91/100

  • 1959 August Eser Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Rheingau
    Honey, grapefruit and coconut aromas. Beautifully balanced on the palate, light richness and a good core of acidity persisting. Great length and a real pleasure to drink. 92/100

  • 1994 Martinez Bujanda Rioja Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Graphite, leather, strawberry, aniseed and some kirsch. Some balanced savoury intensity on the palate with good length. Mostly resolved and ready to drink, I preferred this to the 95 Finca Valpiedra Reserva served by its side. 90/100

  • 1995 Martinez Bujanda Rioja Finca Valpiedra Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Interesting aromas of stewed plum, charcoal, orange rind and some brett influence. Tannins still standing out on the palate, there is some red fruited character in behind but not much depth. Maybe another 3-4 years would help this wine round out its edges a little bit. 88/100

  • 1975 Bodegas Valdemar (Martinez Bujanda) Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Was served two bottles of this, the second blind. The first showed spice, cedar and caramelised fruit. The palate was holding up okay, with some grip from tannins but fades away on the finish. 87/100

  • 1983 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Complex and compelling aromas of autumn leaves, cherry, smoky leather, tobacco and spices. Beautifully balanced palate, there is sweet old fruit with earthy savoury notes. Detailed, textured and very long. Fantastic. 93/100

  • 1976 Niederthäler Hof Bochinger Bischofskreuz Riesling Beerenauslese – Germany, Pfalz
    Apple, ginger, candied apricot and sultana aromas. Acidity still in tact provides good drive through the medium sweetness on the palate. Good length with some depth to it as well. 90/100

  • 1975 Bodegas Valdemar (Martinez Bujanda) Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    The second bottle was fresher with the same spice and cedar, but also some earth and cherry. The red fruit is more evident on the palate as well but there still isn’t great complexity. 88/100

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