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Game of Rhones
St.Kilda Town Hall, Melbourne
Tasted June 14, 2014 by chatters with 489 views
Introduction
A monster tasting. Bit of a elbows at dawn hence quite short tasting notes in some cases. I managed to purloin complimentary tickets to this event after asking why it wasn't being held in Sydney - it has run in three of Australia's state capitals. Their response was "maybe next year but if you come to this one in Melbourne we'll shout you free tickets". I artfully tied an important business trip to the Friday directly before and duly made my way down. Pretty much all Australian producers showing pretty much wines made with the main Rhone varietals. Syrah (Shiraz), Grenache, Mouvedre (Mataro), Cinsault and a couple of ring ins - Carignan and Petite Syrah (Durif) for the reds and Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne for the whites.
Flight 1 (40 notes)
White
2012 Torbreck The Steading Blanc
Peach, cream, bees wax, apricot, mineral notes. In the mouth juicy with a waxy texture, cream, slight almond. Muted stone fruit that drops off quickly.
Red
2010 Torbreck The Steading
red berry fruit, touches of black pepper spice, vanilla, more spice. In the mouth the wine is slightly reductive and spirituous with black pepper over savoury red fruit flavours and slight green notes.
Red
2009 Torbreck Mataro The Pict
Concentrated red plum, spice, vanilla, chocolate. In the mouth more of the same with chalky tannin. Long. Good.
Red
2012 Torbreck Shiraz The Struie
Medium plus intensity aromas of charcuterie, blackberry and black pepper and a slight reductive note. Black peppercorns, black berry tough, chewy tannin, young. Okay
Red
2006 Torbreck RunRig
Meat, blood, black pepper spice, cream vanilla and chocolate with agitation. Very savoury. In the mouth the wine is juicy, spicy with pepper notes, fine chalky tannin and flavours of meat and blood. Not really any fruit but very, very nice.
Red
2012 Dalwhinnie Shiraz Moonambel Pyrenees
Black over green peppercorns over chocolate and black berry with slight vanilla. The wine is juicy, slightly funky, with black and green peppercorn, brambly black fruit, chewy, chalky tannin. Long
Red
2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz The Pinnacle
medium minus aromas of red berry, smoky/bonfires, cream and vanilla. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, quite muted flavours of red berries, spice, then talc like tannin. Hmm
Red
2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz South West Rocks Pyrenees
medium minus aromas. Roses, peppercorns, smoke and a little black fruit. In the mouth the wine is juicy tangy, with slight spice, grippy, course tannin. Chunky. Disjointed. Hmm
Red
2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz Eagle
Ripe blackberry and apricot compote, spice, cedar and vanilla. In the mouth the wine has juicy blackberry, chalky tannin, apricot, slightly peppery on the finish.
Red
2012 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Cliff Edge
Perfumed, cream, vanilla, black and green peppercorn and blackberry, slight spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy and peppery spice, then talc like tannin. Okay
Red
2012 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi
Green peppercorns and freshly ground black pepper, very spicy. Then meaty notes. In the mouth the wine is very spicy and peppery with chewy tannin. Long. Interesting.
Red
2012 Seppelt Shiraz Chalambar
Very funky, Brett, farmyard, leather over spice. In the mouth there is black berry fruit then peppery spice then firm chewy tannins. Short. Meh.
Red
2012 Seppelt Shiraz Mount Ida
Black pepper and blackberry, cream and vanilla, touches of chocolate, spice and cedar. In the mouth the wine is spicy with flavours black pepper, blackberry, chewy tough tannin, cream and slight brambles return on the medium plus length finish.
Red
2010 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters
Blackberry, farmyard, black pepper, spice, cedar. In the mouth blackberry and spice, chewy tannin, carries long but it's a little dull. Hmm
White
2011 Mitchelton Airstrip
Bees wax, stone fruit, slight honeyed notes, floral, perfumed. Waxy textured, stone fruit, mid palate tannin grip. Okay.
Red
2010 Mitchelton Shiraz Heathcote
Red berry and currant, green peppercorn, spiced oak. Medium plus acid, zesty red berry, green pepper and chewy tannin. A slightly milky quality here as well that is a little odd but not unpleasant. Medium plus length. Nice in an unusual way.
Red
2013 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz Cambrian Ridge
Jammy black fruit over black pepper spice, black pepper to the fore on the palate, chalky front of mouth grip.
Red
2012 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz
Barnyard, cream, vanilla, chocolate over black fruits…floral notes, cedary touches. In the mouth the wine is juicy with rich black berry and touches of liquorice, chocolate, quote long. Rather nice
Red
2012 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz Copper Block
Spice, red currants and plums. Green peppercorn, vanilla and chocolate, cedar. Juicy red currant, green peppercorns then immediate boisterous front of mouth tannic grip. Quite chalky and chewy. Needs time. Good.
Red
2011 Voyager Estate Shiraz
Blackberry, cream vanilla, alcohol heat, black pepper spice. In the mouth pronounced black pepper spice dominates massive unwieldy and unwelcoming tannin. Nah.
Red
2012 Shaw and Smith Shiraz
Dense, meaty black fruit, black pepper and slight floral notes. In the mouth juicy blackberry fruit, backed by black pepper spice, chalky tannin. Needs time.
Red
2009 Grant Burge Abednego
Quite reductive, slight generic red fruit, slight spice and subtle meaty elements. Juicy red fruit, spice and medium fine tannins. Pleasant but quite anonymous.
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Red
2010 Longview Vineyard Shiraz Yakka MacClesfield
Perfumed and confected sweet red fruit, vanilla and slight jubey black currant notes. On the palate the wine has jubey fruit, fine tannins…it's a little short though, and simple and a rip off at AUD28.
Red
2009 Longview Vineyard Shiraz The Piece
Old School Aussie Shiraz time! Ripe, concentrated blackberry fruit, perfumed elements here as well, vanilla, black cherries, chocolate. In the mouth the wine does have juicy acidity and then concentrated, dense, thick blackberry and cherry fruit. Medium plus intensity talc like tannin, plentiful alcohol warmth. Long. A beast...but tameable. needs a lot of time though. I rather like it.
Red
2009 Terres d'Avignon Côtes du Rhône La Légende Croix Valong
confected cherry liquor over herbaceous notes. Sour and awful
Red
2011 Domaine Rouge-Bleu Côtes du Rhône Mistral
thin, unripe berries…almost like a rose. Juicy red berry fruit descends in a tart and ugly finale. Terrible.
Red
2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Single Vineyard Stevens
Rubber, yeast extract, leather, muted, red berry fruit. Juicy red berry fruit, slight spice, fine silky tannins persists with red fruit. Fresh. Nice.
Red
2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9
Rubber over concentrated red fruit, also a little funkiness and notes of blood, iron and meat touches. Cream. In the mouth the wine has juicy red currant fruit and talc like tannin. It's a bit disjointed. Hmm
Red
2012 Bress Shiraz Unfiltered Heathcote & Bendigo
Muted blackberry and chocolate, perfumed cedar. In the mouth mocha and muted black fruit.
Red
2013 Bress Shiraz Unfiltered Heathcote & Bendigo
Graphite, wet stones/crushed rocks, mint and pepper over black fruit. Juicy black fruit and red fruit, cream and chalky tannin, vanilla. A little short but otherwise very nice.
Red
2012 Bress Shiraz Gold Chook
Mint, herbaceous notes (green stalks) over pepper and earthy notes. Red currant and green peppercorn. Juicy, red fruit, chalky tannin, slight pepper spice. Medium length, touch of greenness. Hmm.
Red
2008 Bress Shiraz Gold Chook
Medium minus intensity aromas, dusty and perfumed green peppercorns, concentrated black fruit, vanilla and cream. In the mouth there wine has juicy blackberry fruit, medium plus talc like tannic grip carries on the medium plus length and a bit of alcoholic warmth on the finish. Meh
Red
2012 Bress Shiraz Le Grand Coq Noir
Meaty, savoury black fruit, slight herbaceous/mint notes, cream. In the mouth there are flavours of sour juice, lots of course tannin, mouth stripping, not right - too many stalks? Nah.
Red
2011 Paxton AAA
Slightly reductive meaty quality, red berries and plum, slight biscuit notes, hints of spice. Slight reductive meaty notes and confected red berries on the palate. Swamped by spice as well. Meh.
Red
2012 Paxton Shiraz MV
Confected and jubey blackberry fruit, almost menthol notes and slight mint here as well, chocolate. In the mouth there is concentrated black berry fruit, but still reasonably juicy, chewy but over bearing tannin. Hmm.
Red
2012 Paxton Shiraz Quandong Farm
ripe, concentrated blackberry fruit, leather, spice, black berry fruit, chewy, leathery tannin, chunky but rather pleasant. Balanced but bolshy.
Red
2010 Paxton Shiraz Jones Block
Perfumed black fruit and black spice. Very rich on the nose. In the mouth the wine has ridiculously concentrated fruit, tight, huge, big mouth drying tannin, chunky, bit of a monster. Needs a lot of time.
White
2011 Shadowfax Viognier
Stone fruit, yeast lees, spice, ginger. In the mouth the wine has juicy apricot, mid palate phenolic grip, a little tart and simple. Warmth on the back palate.
Red
2013 Shadowfax Minnow
Red berry, spice, leather, toast and biscuit, slight green notes. In the mouth the wine has green notes, red berries, fresh but not very pleasant. Fine, talc like tannin. Meh
Red
2011 S.C. Pannell Grenache
Red berries and currants over toast and slightly herbaceous notes- sweet tobacco. In the mouth the wine is spiced with medium plus chalky tannin. A bit too full on and overworked for me. It's a bit clumsy. Nah
Closing
A wonderful tasting. I had a guest who wasn't a wine person so I had to drag them around a bit hence I didn't get through as much as I wanted to and had to leave a bit earlier. Based on this tasting I think I will take the trouble to get to the Pinot-alaza tasting they do run in Sydney next year.