Voyager Estate Masterclass 2011
Tasted August 9, 2011 by chatters with 462 views
Introduction
Wonderful Voyager Estate Masterclass hits town again. Fortunately this year I managed to get to the trade and to the public tasting...alas I threw away the (detailed) tasting notes from the trade tasting and retained the (scruffy, some swallowing, not really paying attention) tasting notes from the public tasting. Apologies if they are a little terse and light.
Flight 1 - Chardonnay (6 notes)
Increasingly the gap appears to be narrowing between some of the Aussies and the Burgundies though the other new world wines (US, South Africa, New Zealand) do appear to be a little off the eight ball.
White
2008 Felton Road Chardonnay Central Otago
New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
Sulphur, gun flint, malolactic , oak that are all over stone fruit. In the mouth it is generous mouth feel, spice, almost white pepper. Hmm.
White
2008 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay
South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
herbal/floral over oak...apricot, cream but no obvious malo. Big fruit, over-engineered, but not US, oak...tannin and spice.
White
2008 Voyager Estate Chardonnay
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Stone fruit over citrus and spice. Ginger and stone fruit, nice mouth feel...lovely.
White
2008 Kooyong Chardonnay Faultline
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
Slight tart citrus, grapefruit, mineral>alcohol heat, no real oak or malolactic, medium plus acid tang...a bit dull.
Flight 2 - Shiraz (6 notes)
Again the stylistic differences between the Northern Rhone and the rest of the world are stunningly obvious. This was one of my "I like Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier" days though...
Red
2009 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
Perfume, apricot, black fruit that is balanced in the wines structure. Very good.
Red
2009 Jasper Hill Shiraz Georgia's Paddock
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
Mint, green over red and black fruit, green peppercorns over slight rubber/wet cardboard notes. Little wet, light tight, little hot. Ugh.
Red
2009 Voyager Estate Shiraz
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Toast, perfume, green peppercorn, black but not jammy fruit, biscuit. In the mouth, medium plus acid and tannin, black fruit and pepper. Some spice, needs time as the tannin is still dominating fruit.
Red
2009 Bernard Burgaud Côte-Rôtie
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Green peppercorns, biscuit, toasty oak, spice, sweaty horse, less funk. In the mouth peppercorns, meat, savoury and slight funk.
Red
2009 Shaw and Smith Shiraz
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
Muted black fruit, that opens. Cream, vanilla. Drying tannin and slightly astringent. Good.
Flight 3 - Bordeaux blends (6 notes)
The Ornellaia was my wine of the bracket.
Red
2007 Cullen Wines Diana Madeline
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Almost seaside, slightly burnt/jammy, medium minus intensity. In the mouth it has leather and mouth watering acidity over black fruit cream and vanilla. Young.
Red
2007 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
Leather, slightly funky and herby. Oak, biscuit and cedar, perfumed top notes and hints of chocolate malt. In the mouth it is smoky, red fruit that is almost cherry, touches of marzipan, tannic grip and medium plus acid. Lovely but lack typicity.
Closing
A truly great tasting that makes me very happy.
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