Margaret River Tasting
Bistro Cocotte, Haberfield
Tasted Wednesday, February 17, 2021 by chatters with 86 views
Introduction
Lucked out and managed to score an invite to the Margaret River tasting. I brought along the Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2015 and the Voyager Estate Cab Merlot 2002
Flight 1 (21 Notes)
It's a bit wanky to say that my favourite white was the one that I brought along but, well, it was so <shrugs>. It was in a bracket with the Cape Mentelle and the Woodlands which showed a wonderful diversity.
On the red side I thought the (as usual utterly underrated) 1992 Leeuwin Estate Cab Sav was brilliant and, from a more youthful perspective, the 2013 Cape Mentelle.
The Cullens were, as always, generally disappointing, the 2002 the one eyed man in the land of the blind today. The Moss Woods a bit too 'big' for my delicate palate (aww, bless) but tending to balance. The two Voyager Estates were pretty bloody average - both felt like the acid had rather clumsily adjusted. Years ago I remember asking the wine-maker if they adjusted the acidity and he insisted that they never do. I think his dad's name was Gepetto...
Closing
It was interesting to see the stylistic variance over the years from a ripeness, oak and style of production.
It was also nice to walk out of a tasting with an understanding of where my palate is at - for the MR Chardonnay's I'm defo a 5-10 years chap and for the reds it's less about age than relative deftness of hand.
2002 Sandalford Sémillon Margaret River
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Aromas of honey, fresh grass, lime and lime leaf, buttery notes as well. the honey is present on the palate with a little toasty underpin, alcohol warmth is present here as well. Holding up well.
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1999 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series Flawed
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Aromas of honey, slight cork taint, quite performed floral top notes with pretty peach elements. Unfortunately this is a little stripped and bitter on the palate. FLAW
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2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Aromas of peach, stone fruit, slight citrus; lime over lemon, toast, a little cedar and oak. Medium intensity acidity, the oak lends toast and sligth grip/structure. Lemon and lime, a little stone fruit, slight alcohol warmth on the finish. Balanced. Polished. Very nice but, for some reason, not quite pressing my buttons tonight.
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2006 Pierro Chardonnay Margaret River
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Rich, toasty and buttery but with a lemon core baking pineapple and tropical fruit. Medium plus acidity oak and butter are very present on the palate, someone says it's a bit sweet and sour and I'm inclined to agree. Hmm
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2013 Cape Mentelle Chardonnay
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
A little struck match, peach, slight toast, grapefruit...Medium plus intensity acidity, a little grapefruit backed by lime, stoen fruit here but muted. Quite linear. Slight alcohol warmth is non-intrusive. Good.
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2015 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Struck match, bacon fat, toast over floral notes, pear, peach, pretty nose. Medium plus intensity acidity, concentrated, balanced, pear, peach, lightly textured grip, long, lovely. Happy I've got some of this in the cellar
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2011 Woodlands Chardonnay Chloe
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Stone fruit, peach and a little apricot, floral top notes, a little meaty underpin, toast. Juicy, phenolic grip lends texture, lemon and apricot, quite tangy, slight alcohol warmth on the finish but rather nice.
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1992 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Leather, sweet spice, a little cedar and clove, star anise, almost a touch of soy, blackcurrant, slight mint. In the mouth it's juicy, plentiful tannc grip persists long, blackcurrant and cassis with a smidge of rhubarb. Other than alcohol warmth this is very Bordeaux and has stood the test of time well. Excellent.
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1992 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline)
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Medium minus intensity aromas initially but opens with agitation to show plentiful ripe, stewed blackcurrant and cassis. Though there are also some leathery tertiary notes and a touch of meatiness it's still quite primary. Juicy (possibly adjusted) acid, menthol and stewed fruits, tannins are burred, silky and grippy but in support rather than dominating. Alcohol is a touch warm. Polished but, for me, overdone.
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1994 Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Pyrazine, capsicum, eucalyptus and spiced black and red currant, leather, cedar. With time, and agitation, the herbaceouesness beings to dissipate, lifting the other aromas. Tight tannins, alcohol heat, flavours much of a muchness with the nose. Did I mention the alcohol? Let me mention it again...Nah.
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1994 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Ripe, plummy but also with a tiny touch of red currant/rhubarb and a touch of jubiness. Under this slight leather and plenty of sweet spice. Equally ripe on the palate with a herbaceoues underpin, tannins are talc textured. Blind I'd go with a Yankee Merlot Cab Franc blend...
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2002 Cullen Wines Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Pyrazine, slight eucalyptus, sweet spice, and a touch of pepperiness, blackcurrant under this, leather, slight baked earth on the nose. Juicy, fleshy, plentiful talc textured tannnins, alcohol controlled, dark hued fruit is a little baked but this is pretty good as these go for me...
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2001 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Quite saline, a little smoky in fact, almost BBQ and roasted meat and capsicum, alcohol, quite a sweet and sour nose. And that happes on the palate as well with drying tannins that close down the palate. Alcohol warmth on the finish. Meh.
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2002 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Cream, vanilla, ripe blackcurrant, alcohol lends peppery spice, leather, with time a little bramble, cassis. Juicy (adjusted?) medium plus intensity acidity, loads of drying, grainy, persistant tannins, alcohol warmth, a touch of almost volatile rhubarb joins the black fruit on the palate. Hmm. Gets more herbaceous with time on the palate. Meh.
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2007 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Moss Wood Vineyard
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Polished oak, blackcurrant, sweet spice, methol, slight toast, a little cream. In the mouth it's juicy, fleshy with alcohol heat, plentiful oak, a little stewed black currant, tannins are talc tending to chalky textured, polished. Rich and, in it's defence, balanced in a big bolshy way.
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2005 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Aromas of slight burnt toast, slight alcohol pepperiness, blackcurrant, plums, sweet spice, cream, that alcohol offers a touch of prickle as well on the nose and herbaceous notes with time. Touches of tomato leaf and slightly green, chalky tanins, fruit is a little muted here, touch of meatiness on the finish. Acid feels adjusted. Nah.
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2005 Cullen Wines Diana Madeline
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Alcohol heat hides polished oak, ripe blackcurrant, cassis, sweet spcie. The fruit is almost dried out in the mouth with grippy, drying tannins that close down the palate, liquorice and baked black fruits. Meh.
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2012 Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon Thomas
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Blackcurrant, cassis, slight pyrazine, slight sweet spice, a touch of meatiness, cream, slight caramel. In the mouth it's juicy, savoury black fruits especially blackcurrant, talc textured tannins persist long, a little alcohol warmth on the finish but this is very silky and quite cabernet correct. Good, balanced and controlled.
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2012 Domaine Naturaliste Cabernet Sauvignon Morus
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Polished, ripe, jubey...whole berry or bunch? Sweet spcie but very fruit forward, slightly dusty, a touch of almost hoppy herbaceousness. On the palate it's juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, a little porty as well, plentiful tannins close things down a bit but there are pleasing from a texture perspective. Hmm alcohol is a bit hot and hard on the finish.
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2012 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Vanya Flower Day
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Polished oak, softly and dustily spiced, a little tomato leaf joins wild blackcurrant. Juicy, savoury blackcurrant, chalky tannis persist long and dry things out. Alcohol heat. Hmm, it's a bit out of whack. Not for me.
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2013 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
aromas of cream, vanilla, almost a touch of milk chocolate, blackcurrant, slight cassis and a touch of herbaceoues underpins. Also a little jubey note. On the palate this is fleshy, tannins are intergrated and silky textured. Fruit carries. This is very good.
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