NobleRottersSydney - Less popular varieties (blind)
Lucio's, Paddington
Tasted Monday, October 11, 2004 by graemeg with 514 views
Introduction
Noble Rotters October 2004 dinner was supposed to showcase wines made entirely, or at least predominantly, from less well known grape varieties.
2003 Spy Valley Gewürztraminer
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Classic gewurz nose of luscious pot-pourri and floral tones. The palate is quite weighty – it has a sweet texture (perhaps emphasisied by generally soft acid), yet does finish dry. Very much a wine that lives on the front palate, though.
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1998 Bream Creek Schönburger
Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania
My wine, so the identity wasn’t a mystery to me, but I’d never tasted this variety before. The nose is quite rich – reminiscent of a lightly oaked chardonnay. The palate adds a stoney, minerally quality. At 6 years the somewhat sour acid has softened, and although the finish is somewhat short, the body at least extends to the mid-palate!
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2001 d'Arenberg The Bonsai Vine
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Ripe raspberry/strawberry aromas, with a wild and brambly quality to them. The palate is warm, with bubble-gum flavours on the front palate emerging together with firm tannins. Almost resin-like in texture, this has a medium length finish which feels slightly sweet.
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2001 Morris Durif
Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
Very dark, this has an iodine-like nose. Zinfandel? Warm licorice & kirsch notes. Blooms powerfully on the palate with a warm explosion of ripe dark fruits. Lovely balance of flavours across the palate, and respectable length of finish, but ultimately a bit simple. A wine for drinking, not thinking.
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1994 Happs Merlot
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Dark red. An earthy, horsey, bretty nose. Stark and tannic on the palate, with spice becoming apparent on the front palate. In retrospect there are some hints of coconut too. Big in body, impressive, if a bit bizarre. Not the first time we’ve been surprised by a Happs merlot with some bottle age. It’s a very low profile winery, but they obviously must know something about merlot that few other Australian producers do. Impressive size for a local merlot at 13.7% and ten years.
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2000 Kingston Estate Petit Verdot Empiric Selection
Australia, South Australia, Lower Murray, Riverland
Bright crimson red. Fresh clean yet fuzzy flowery aromas of violets, cinnamon & spice. Weird! Medium length, quite soft. The label reveals all!
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1995 d'Arenberg Grenache The Custodian
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
A quite dirty, feral nose, with a splash of VA to me. Lots of confected raspberry fruits on palate, which feels cleaner than the nose would suggest. There’s a whiff of corkiness too (not TCA, rather cork as a flavour) which may be the oak? Palate does die away quite quickly, leaving a lingering astringent finish.
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2000 Masi Campofiorin
Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT
Rich licorice nose with strong earthy notes. Savoury palate, light pepper & spice. Very front palate balance, and a short finish. Food wine…!
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1998 De Bortoli Durif Deen Vat 1
Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina
A porty nose of raisins & prunes. Hugely ripe, yet somehow hollow on the palate – the tannins have left the building here. A little hint of VA emerges after a time. Something big and warm-climate, no doubt. Short finish.
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2000 Peel Estate Zinfandel Peel
Australia, Western Australia, Greater Perth, Peel
Deep crimson red. On the basis of the first whiff of the wine I said ‘Zin?’ A nose of camphor with musky, powerful vanillan oak, porty liquorice notes, almond and spice. The palate is tannic and powerful, warm, with a very front-palate balance. Tannic finish, palate balance not great. Unusual wine.
The back label should be commemorated. It read as follows ”This unusual grape variety has a real ‘wine for heroes’ nose with hints of liquorice and lots of alcohol. Wimps beware, the palate is huge. There is enormous flavour and length boosted by the high alcohol content. It’s obviously a wine for eccentrics and is made to rival stilton cheese." Obviously no-one has told these guys that Port already exists – they clearly intend to fill the same function with a dry table wine. Yes, the vanilla oak is very much to the fore, supported by coconut and musk. For the record, the alcohol was 18%!
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1997 Nino Negri Rosso di Valtellina
Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Rosso di Valtellina
Not even 'Superiore'. Hmmm. Mid red. A slighty dirty, dusty nose. Any remaining fruit is well hidden. The palate adds a tannic tarriness to the generally savoury notes, and remains quite severe. There’s little fruitness here either – although unripeness is not apparent. The texture spreads well across the front and back palates, but the length is not great. Fair.
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2002 Casella Botrytis Sémillon
Australia, New South Wales
Branded "Carramar". Richly luscious, typical induced-botrytis nose of apricot, cumquat & marmalade. Sweet on the palate, rich, but as commonly with high sugar/low acid Riverina wines, a cloying and short finish.
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