Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show
Mildura Showgrounds
Tasted Saturday, November 10, 2012 by startinoz with 448 views
Flight 1 (15 Notes)
Just a few of my faviourites from the 470+ wines on show.
Closing
My clear preference for Rhone Valley whites as well as Alsace examples (the non-alternative riesling obviously not appearing here) shows through. The Arrivo nebbiolo may have been joined by other red wines had my palate not been overwhelmed by tannins that made the reds hard going and, generally, difficult to appreciate.
2012 Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc 1er Yarra Valley 91 Points
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
A slightly funky, textural, subtle wine. Closed nose. Creamy mouthfeel. Neutral on the palate with soft, lemony acid around the edges of the tongue and on the back palate. Long gentle finish. Super food wine.
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2009 Yalumba Viognier The Virgilius 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Light nose of dried apricot. Very viscous with delicate dried apricots building on the palate along with soft acid and on the medium finish. Didn't improve after warming up. Could do with a bit more depth and interest.
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2010 d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
(Corrected note) This on has marsanne, but no rousaanne. A bit toasty on the nose and initially on the palate (from the marsanne, I presume) and reasonable thickness (lowered by the marsanne?) Lemon (marsanne) and apricot (viognier) building on the palate and repeated on the quite long finish. Better when warmer.
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2009 Yalumba Viognier The Virgilius 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
(Retasted) Maybe I just prefer the varietal, but I'm now prefering this wine over the others. It was a soft peachy-apricot character and a soft, lemon acidity that freshens it up making for a lovely drink.
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2009 d'Arenberg Viognier The Last Ditch 92 Points
Australia, South Australia
My favourite wine of one of the best classes of the show. Rich, spicy and concentrated, yet soft. Long finish.
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2010 d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
(Retasted blind with the other Rhone whites.) This time I'm noticing more toastiness (marsanne) and less of my favourite apricot (viognier.) And I'm thinking that a touch of the softening roussanne (that usually appears with these two varietals) would add to the blend.
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2009 Dalfarras Marsanne Roussanne Viognier 90 Points
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes
Despite being a year younger than the 2010, this vintage has a lot less toastiness. It is soft and easy just as the label intends. Whilst lacking concentration it's a lovely summer drink.
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2010 Dalfarras Marsanne Roussanne Viognier 89 Points
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes
Tahbilk's early drinking sister possesses a fair whack of softened up marsanne toastiness on the nose. It is pretty light bodied with soft acidity, toast, mild lemon, melon (perhaps), and maybe a touch of stone fruit, but not really much sign of viognier. Still, soft and easy drink - difficult to fault given those qualifiers.
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2011 Tahbilk Roussanne 91 Points
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes
Only (briefly) tasted once, so brief note. Very soft with lemon and a touch of 'tropical fruit.' Nothing earth-shattering, but lovely if you like simple wines. Better than the 2012.
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2011 Tempus Two Gewürztraminer Copper 92 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
My pick of my favourite class of the show (not sure if that makes it my wine of the show?) Glorious nose of the usual suspects laichi being the star. Same on the palate and long finish. Maybe a touch of residual sugar (or perhaps muscat juice?), but more than matched by soft, refreshing acid. Just as a good laichi should taste like. I just want to roll it around my mouth and hesitate to swallow. But it has a refreshing aftertaste that rewards the gulp.
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2010 Topper's Mountain Gewürztraminer 91 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Northern, New England
A complex, more savoury take on the varietal, it starts with an apricot take on the usual musk and (lslightly subdued) laichi gewurtz nose. On the palate leesy notes join the party along with sweet spices and violets. The finish medium at best. This is a subtle, food-friendly wine.
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2008 Arrivo Nebbiolo 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
None of these wines could compare with a good Piedmont Nebbiolo like a Barolo.
Nebbiolo's pale colour is one of its characterestics. This one is a light, transparent red. Oaky nose with some sourness. On the palate the sourness isn't overpowering. This was one of the most pleasant and balanced of the the Piedmont red varietals of the show. It has absolutely no sweetness at all, yet is (relatively) soft and easy drinking. Yes, everything is relative! More oak, sour/savoury acid, oak and a good hit of tongue covering chewy tannins would seem to make the term 'easy drinking' sound rather absurd, but I guess balance trumps all other words in the wine world. A truly superb food wine. Without food? Maybe. But surely that's why it was (expertly) made. Maybe I'm missing the point and it still needs another 5 years before it starts to bloom. Time will tell....
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2010 Patritti Mourvèdre Blewitt Springs 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Despite this wine lacking concentration, it easy delicious and easy to drink. I prefered it to the more 'serious' versions that tended to be a bit too oaky or astringent. Quick tasting, so no detailed notes.
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2010 Watershed Zinfandel Senses 89 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Soft and easy, although a bit oaky at this stage.
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2009 De Bortoli Petit Verdot Deen De Bartoli Vat 4 89 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina
Perfect, cheap barbeque wine. Drink with char grilled meat and full-flavoured sausages.
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