Community Tasting Note

• Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 96 points

  May 5, 2022 - Scored as 'Oh my God, I am going to dump the wife, never touch porn again, pay my taxes, take up religion and elope with a case of this' on the CT Scale. I could score it a point or two higher, but I am mean and nasty, as opposed to 'hot and nasty' (that's for all you Black Oak Arkansas fans). Under the quixotic cork to keep us guessing as it ages. Not decanted, note made the day after opening.
  
  Colour is verging on inky and as you tilt the glass there is little fading to the rim. Powerful vintage, powerful colour and that looks to equal powerful wine; but will it be too much? That's always the worry with the 'big' years and with Grenache it is a fine line between getting ripe tannins and nice perfume, or an over-ripe, very alcoholic port substitute (but without the depth).
  
  The wine evolves enormously over the course of 24 hours. Early on it is potent, Grenache dominant. Then the other components start to well up and I am much happier. Now we get Grenache perfume of raspberry and strawberry, some earth and iron filings, blueberry and something I want to call plum, but that doesn't quite feel right. Oh for a more articulate palate! Tannins are fine, ripe and hold it all together. There is just enough acid to keep it fresh. The finish is long indeed and the wine fills the mouth without coating it and without being flabby. So, this wine escapes the power trap. It is a potent wine but not over-ripe.
  
  This is not a cheap wine, in Oz in pure dollar terms, but it is a cheap wine in terms of what you get. It is substantially cheaper than many of our more expensive 'totem' wines and whilst the comparison is tricky (given our totem reds are Shiraz or Cabernet), I think it is valid in terms of 'value'.
  
  A side note would be that I have seen some comments that there is oak in this wine. I have to say that would (pardon the pun) be my thought as well - the texture suggests some tasteful oak providing some creaminess and there are hints of what I would call oak spiciness on the nose. However, what I read is that the maker is quite averse to oak. perhaps what we have is ripe fruit, concentration and creaminess from the fermentation and time on lees? Maybe it doesn't matter much if the effect is good?
  
  I encourage you to buy this, but do it by forwarding funds (crypto only I think, don't you?) and your account details to me. I promise to not just buy the wine but hold it for you. Trust me, I'm a lawyer.

  17 people found this helpful 9,045 views

9 Comments

• D_RICH commented:

  5/5/22, 7:13 PM - Excellent note. And I'm a lawyer as well.

• michiel1981 commented:

  5/5/22, 9:38 PM - Best note ever ;)

• Genghis88 commented:

  5/5/22, 9:47 PM - If only my notes were that good. Well done sir.....

• bitdrerik commented:

  5/6/22, 2:33 AM - Great note. Both informative and funny.

• Lord of the Bottles commented:

  5/11/22, 12:52 AM - Love the note. Curious how long you decanted or was this just pop n pour?

• KJD45$ commented:

  7/25/22, 9:36 AM - Loved your review of this…
  1)what are some of your totem wines?
  2)what are some other wines you think deliver high QPR ??
  Thanks in advance !!

• Rote Kappelle commented:

  7/25/22, 3:03 PM - KJD,
  
  On value I can't really help - conversion between South Pacific Peso and US$ and Euro is one thing, then there are different taxation regimes that have a big impact on price and so forth. In Oz, as a general rule, German and Italian wines are much better value propositions than French, though Spanish, Portuguese and South American wines are starting to appear in wider range here and can also represent great value. The price here is impacted by high levels of tax on wine, currency issues (the AUD$ is also quite volatile), a small market and sometimes by how many importers there are for a wine.
  
  On totems, it would be more accurate for me to refer to my fetishes. I don't much like the idea of a year where I don't get the following into my foul gullet - Clos des Papes, Clemens Busch GG range, Keller GGs, Eva Fricke, Robert Weil, Antinori Solaia/Tig, Yarra Yering Dry Reds 1&2 and Underhill, Thistledown She's Electric Grenache, Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet, Sottimano Curra, Penfolds St Henri/Bin 389, Ch. Tahbilk Marsanne and 1927 Vines Marsanne (both are tremendous value), Cape Mentelle Cabernet and Shiraz (the latter is a real bargain), Frankland Estate Shiraz (also a bargain), Clape Cornas (right now it might be the red I would choose as my last wine),Mascarello Monprivato, Ornellaia's top Bolgheri, Rostaing La Landonne (prefer to the Cote Blonde, which is a bit of an unorthodox choice), Te Mata Estate Coleraine. I feel I have left a lot out. A great friend is also good enough to share his collection of Wendouree, Rockford and Clonakilla with me on a regular basis and he put me onto Coleraine. I have left a good number of wines off this list but there you are for starters.
  
  You may find Oz wines are very good value in the US - I have noticed that prices of wine I buy locally are often way lower over your way. There is a lot more happening here than big, fruit and oak bombs. McLaren Vale is producing a lot of adventurous makers who are able to use old vines for shiraz and grenache whilst experimenting with less common varieties.
  
  I trust you will reciprocate with your faves. I don't much care about price if the wine excites, but I do if it doesn't!

• KJD45$ commented:

  7/28/22, 4:44 AM - Thiboud Boudignon for a chenin blanc…his clos de la hutte is phenomenal..
  It brings a whole new world to white wine experience…
  Shafer Relentless for a new world syrah is fabulous.
  2018/19 Ch Sansonnet…..what a QPR Bordeaux
  Any thing by Isabel Ferrando for a high quality CDP… Colombis or the soon to be dropped St Prefert label..
  A Morgon by Daniel Bouland, Lapierre, or Foillard…….what a great red for the money…
  Domaine Gourt de Mautens….a vaucluse red
  that never fails to impress
  Realm……expensive but gets rave reviews…..
  Thanks for your thoughts on what you posted!

• KJD45$ commented:

  7/28/22, 4:46 AM - I forgot to mention Donnhoff GG for a Riesling is phenomenal

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