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Wine-Ark boys on tour - Hunter Valley 2014 - Day 2
Hunter Valley
Tasted September 13, 2014 by chatters with 554 views
Introduction
Day 2 in the Hunter with the wine ark boys - Wayne, Dave, Ben, Frank and myself. Capercaillie, Lake's Folly, Pepper Tree, Tower Estate (unscheduled), Tulloch, Mount Pleasant…with a stop off for a long wait for terrible food for lunch.
Flight 1 - Capercaillie (7 notes)
Dave's choice. The Creel was cracking so I succumbed to a couple of bottles.
White
2013 Capercaillie Sémillon
Lemon, lime, green apple and very slight cream notes on the nose. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity married to low intensity flavours of muted citrus. Slight chalkiness of texture. Quite short. Nah.
White
2014 Capercaillie Sémillon 'The Creel'
Medium plus intensity aromas of lemon over other citrus notes - almost Kumquat here, quite floral, beautifully perfumed, mineral notes. In the mouth there is medium plus acidity, medium plus intensity flavours of citrus, lemon specifically, but also green apple, long. Not massively complex on the palate at the moment but very young, the nose promises much and everything is in balance. Superb.
White
2013 Capercaillie Chardonnay
on the nose ripe stone fruit, slight butter and a certain medicinal quality that is quite off-putting. In the mouth it's a little flat. Not good. Quite short. Nah.
White
2013 Capercaillie Chardonnay Brycefield
Lemon notes with slight green apple and unripe peach over a tiny spice note. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, is tangy with slight lemon…it's all quite muted though and bit short. Meh.
Red
2013 Capercaillie Shiraz The Ghillie
ripe black berry, pepper, spice, slight cream, vanilla hints and a touch of funkiness. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, pepper over black berry fruit, medium plus intensity chewy chalky tanning, long with very slight non-intrusive alcohol heat on the finish. Hmm.
Red
2013 Capercaillie Shiraz The Ceilidh
medium plus intensity aromas of chocolate, plum, pepper spice, a certain funkiness, cedar, clove. In the mouth there are juicy black plum flavours with some slight spice then firm, talc textured tanning that is quite chewy though. Long finish. Quiet savoury. needs plenty of time.
Red
2013 Capercaillie Shiraz
chocolate over black pepper and warm black fruits…some toast. In the mouth there is medium plus acidity, slight black pepper flavours but not particularly spice on the medium length. Meh.
Flight 2 - Lake's Folly (4 notes)
My choice. The Hill's Chardonnay has come a long way since the first vintage I tasted. I do like the Cabernets. It puts me in mind of the Domaine A from Tasmania with it's more brambly and herbaceous qualities and I told the wine-maker so. He seemed rather chuffed. Lovely stuff.
White
2013 Lake's Folly Chardonnay
on the nose firm peach, slight cream and butter and toast, hints of citrus. In the mouth lemon notes - quite citric in fact - but also butter cream and mid palate fur. Balanced. Quite simple but lovely.
White
2013 Lake's Folly Chardonnay Hill Block
Aromas of butter, cream, citrus over stone fruit, quite ripe. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, medium plus flavours of tangy lemon, round textured. Butter, toast, good. Age worthy.
Red
2012 Lake's Folly Cabernets
violet, black currant fruit, cedar and spice, pencil shavings and graphite on the nose. In the mouth the wine is quite lean, with savoury black currant, talcy tannin, slight herbaceous. Right up my street. Lovely.
Red
2012 Lake's Folly 3 Estates
Ripe blackcurrant, cedar, quite sweet fruit over pencil shavings. In the mouth there is out of whack ripe black fruit married to slight herbaceous elements with chalky tannins. Out of balance. Nah.
Flight 3 - Pepper Tree (13 notes)
Ben's choice. My mate Jamie had brought me down a lovely 2004 Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon that was very nice so it was good that I was happy to go here. The Cab Sav's were the pick of the bunch for me and though I picked up a couple of bottles of those unripe, herbaceous Limited release the pick of the wines was the Elderslee.
White
2013 Pepper Tree Sémillon Limited Release
Green apple, very slight peach and also very slight kerosene notes as well as touches of toast. Quite forward. In the mouth there are flavours of muted green apple. It's all quite dull. Meh.
White
2014 Pepper Tree Sémillon Alluvius
gooseberry, lemon, quite herbaceous, quite steely on the nose. In the mouth the wine is steely and taut with slight lemon notes. Quite muted. Meh.
White
2013 Pepper Tree Chardonnay Limited Release
Medium minus intensity aromas of peach, toast, slight butter. In the mouth there are slight tangy flavours of peach, medium minus phenolic grip. Meh.
White
2013 Pepper Tree Chardonnay Reserve Venus Block
Aromas of peach, cream cheese, slight citrus, and butter, sweet spice and vanilla hints. In the mouth there are spicy, peach flavours and quite round with very slight talc like phenolic grip. Surprisingly long. Pleasant but not for me.
Red
2012 Pepper Tree Shiraz Limited Release Hunter Valley
Dirty black plums, pepper spice, quite a reductive and meaty quality over a rose water note on the nose. In the mouth the wine has tongue coating, drying tannins up front them some black plum flavours on the medium minus length Meh.
Red
2011 Pepper Tree Shiraz Coquun
Muted black pepper and plum aromas with very slight cedar. After considerable agitation the wine opens to reveal a resin and aniseed note. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acid, black pepper and plum with medium plus intensity talc like tannin. The medium plus length carries slight spice and a bit of alcohol warmth. Hmm
Red
2010 Pepper Tree Merlot 14 Shores - Reserve Single Vineyard
flawed
Dense black fruit, muted herbaceous notes, cedar, spice, slight oxidised notes. The slightly oxidised translate to the palate as well. The wine is juicy, with chalky chewy tannin and lacks fruit on the palate. I can't help thinking that this isn't right. FLAW.
Red
2012 Pepper Tree Cabernet Sauvignon
Muted and slightly sulphurous black fruit, slight spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy and tannic - very course and rough - not much fruit. Meh
Red
2012 Pepper Tree Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release Single Vineyard
on the nose pencil shavings and graphite dominate spice and slight black currant. In the mouth there are flavours of pencils shavings, slightly burnt/smoky notes, muted black currant, quite searing acidity and punchy, chalky tannin. Very long. Quite nice in a cooler climate style. To drink in three years before the small amount of fruit dissipates.
Red
2012 Pepper Tree Cabernet Sauvignon Calcare Reserve
Aromas of black currant, slight sweet tobacco, pencil shavings, slight leather notes, cedar. In the mouth flavours of ripe black currant, quite full bodied, massive tannic grip, medium plus length. Not for me.
Red
2010 Pepper Tree Cabernet Sauvignon Elderslee Road
herbaceous, pencil shavings, black currants, cedar, spice. Savoury black currant flavours, chewy tannins, nice and very ageable.
Red
2010 Pepper Tree The Gravels Shiraz Viognier
Medium minus intensity aromas of black berry fruit, spice, slight meaty quality, cedar hints and herbaceous notes. In the mouth there are flavours of yeast extract, black fruit, slight pepper notes, chalky tannin on the medium plus length and bit of alcohol warmth on the finish. well made but not for me.
Red
2010 Pepper Tree Grand Reserve Strandlines Single Vineyard
Graphite, meaty black fruit, peppery spice, perfumed top notes. In the mouth thee are flavours of sour black plums then grippy, chewy and slightly burnt tannins. Alcohol warmth encroaches on the long finish. Nah.
Flight 4 - Tower Estate (7 notes)
An unscheduled stop prompted by Ben's enjoyment of the 2009 Hunter Chardonnay.
White
2012 Tower Estate Sémillon
Slight kerosene, herbaceous notes, a bit of VA, dustiness and reductive quality. A bit stale…Dirty glass?
White
2011 Tower Estate Chardonnay Bowyer Ridge
muted peach and stone fruit…touches of volatile acidity. In the mouth peach, talc textured phenolic grip. Bit flabby. Nah.
White
2012 Tower Estate Chardonnay
Aromas of peach, toasted lemon, slight butter and spicy notes. In the mouth there is medium plus acid, slight lemon sherbet flavours, the fruit is quite muted. Silky, tongue coating phenolic grip. Okay.
Red
2011 Tower Estate Shiraz
On the nose aromas of coffee, ripe plum, sweet spice, slightly meaty notes. In the mouth stewed plums, mocha, spicy with fine chalk textured tannins. Okay but not for me.
Red
2011 Tower Estate Shiraz Single Vineyard Horse Paddock
Blackberry, black plum, sweet spice, cream and vanilla. In the mouth there are flavours of ripe black fruit, sweet spice then an acidic lick. The tannins are savoury and introduce a slight liquorice note.
Red
2011 Tower Estate Shiraz Reserve
Cream, slight chocolate, slight eucalyptus, black plums, spice, black pepper, perfumed top notes. Liquorice. In the mouth liquorice and black plus, spice and slight pepper notes. Good palate weight, well balanced, nice.
Red
2007 Tower Estate Shiraz Reserve
Medium plus intensity concentrated and ripe jammy plums and blackberries with plenty of spice. In the mouth the wine has flavours of confected ripe plum fruit. Talc like tannin though the wine is quite thick on the palate and the fruit carries on the long finish. Nice but still very youthful. Good but not for me
Flight 5 - First Creek (4 notes)
Ben's choice. The reserve semillon and shiraz weren't too bad.
White
2011 First Creek Wines Sémillon Winemaker's Reserve
aromas of lemon, lime, touches of green apple. In the mouth the wine is tart with searing acidity. Citrus flavours dominate green apple. There is a certain chalky phenolic grip on the mid palate. Steely. Long with a touch of heat on the end of the finish. Good but the acid is quite pokey at the moment.
White
2011 First Creek Wines Chardonnay Winemaker's Reserve
toasty, very toasty aromas dominate a lemony hint. In the mouth…well, imagine buttering a piece of toasted oak and chewing on it. Nah.
Red
2013 First Creek Wines Shiraz
Red tending to black cherry. This primary fruit dominates slight spiciness. In the mouth the wine is juicy an pepper on the plate with slight chalky tannins and the very slight red cherry fruit drops quite quickly.
Red
2013 First Creek Wines Shiraz Winemaker's Reserve
black berry and cherry, slight chocolate notes, slight green peppercorns, cream. Very peppery and spicy but with a juicy core. Slight black fruit notes are subjugated by the spice and tannins are quite tight but not very weighty. The fruit persists quite long. nice. needs time.
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Flight 6 - Tulloch (5 notes)
Tulloch (rather than Keith Tulloch) was Dave's choice. We rather rushed through these but overall they were quite good if not a little overpriced.
White
2014 Tulloch Sémillon Julia Limited Release
Lemon over lime, slight peach quality, very slight cream. In the mouth the wine is sharp and zesty with lemon notes, quite searing on the back of the palate. Needs a lot of time.
White
2013 Tulloch E.M. Chardonnay
Aromas of lemon, butter, cream, slight toasty notes. On the palate there are medium minus intensity flavours of lemon and stone fruit, juicy with talcy phenolic grip. There is some butteriness here as well and a tiny touch of bitterness on the back palate. Nice
Red
2013 Tulloch Shiraz JYT Selection
Blackberry over plum, slight herbaceous notes, peppery spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy with flavours of black plum and berry, talc like tannin but a bit simple for the price.
Red
2011 Tulloch Shiraz Private Bin Pokolbin Dry red
On the nose ripe plum, slight meaty reductive note. In the mouth the wine is dense textured, quite thick on the palate with drying firm tannins that are matched nicely against ripe plum fruit. Nicely done but perhaps a little simple.
Red
2010 Tulloch Shiraz Hector
Aromas of smoked bacon, blackberry, plum, very spiced, cedar, hints of chocolate and a faint perfumed note. In the mouth the wine has flavours of blackberry, cherry and plums, it's quite juicy until the chalky, chewy tannins kick in which provide a drying quality. Very long on the palate. Good
Flight 7 - Mount Pleasant (15 notes)
Ben's choice. He phoned ahead and arranged for us to go through everything they had practically as well as gain access to back vintages of the wines. I'd forgotten I was a member of their wine club so we ended up buying some stuff as well at a reasonable discount.
White
2013 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Eight Acres
Low intensity aromas of green apples…in the mouth juicy apples, it's quite short but pleasant enough
White
2007 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth
Medium minus intensity aromas of kerosene, green apple, grassy hints and touches of honey. In the mouth there are flavours of honey, green apple with a touch of sourness. Long but simple. Okay
White
2007 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Single Vineyard Lovedale
Flinty, mineral notes, quite dense nose, bacon fat, slight citrus and apple fruit. In the mouth there are flavours of apple with slight cream elements, well balanced and harmonious. Long finish. Lovely.
White
2003 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Single Vineyard Lovedale
Medium minus intensity aromas of very slight oxidation, honey, kerosene hints, slight green apple, lemon notes…I also get something slightly meaty here as well. In the mouth the wine is almost spicy…Juicy, tangy, honey, lemon, long. Persistent. Actually ridiculously long. Great acidity and presence. Lovely
White
2012 Mount Pleasant Wines Chardonnay Leontine
The nose is funky, rich and complex with lemon, stone fruit, spice, slight yoghurt, cream, toasted nuts and butter. In the mouth the wine has juicy acidity, lemon, slight butter, spice, talc like tannin, and the finish is long. Very complex but a bit all over the place. disjointed.
White
2013 Mount Pleasant Wines Chardonnay Simone
Peach fruit, slight butter on the nose. In the mouth more of the same but with a certain bitterness on the finish. Meh.
White
2012 Barwang Chardonnay 842 Tumbarumba
Peach is the most dominant of the stone fruits I pick up here but also apricots and nectarine. Slight fig, cream, slight toast and butter. Unfortunately this doesn't translate to the palate…there are some quite savoury stone fruit, front of mouth drying grip. It's a little flabby and a little short.
Red
2013 Tightrope Walker Pinot Noir
smoky, herbaceous and cherry elements on the nose. In the mouth there are slightly burnt notes - but not burnt fruit - and cherry hints. Nah.
Red
2013 Last Horizon Pinot Noir
Berry and cherry; red fruit. Slight smoked bacon note and sweet spice. In the mouth there are flavours of red berry and cherry which drops quite quickly. Quite simple and very short. What is there is pleasant enough for the small amount of time it lasts
Red
2010 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz High Paddock
Slight reductive aromas then plums and spice - lots of peppery spice and slight bacon fat. In the mouth there are flavours of black plums, the wine is spicy and peppery with plenty of talc like tannin and some slight non-intrusive alcohol heat. %0d%0a
Red
2011 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Rosehill
Black pepper over berry and a certain greenness as well as spice on the nose. The palate is juicy with flavours of black pepper and berry, tight chewy tannin on the medium plus length. Needs quite a bit of time to calm down.
Red
2011 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Old Paddock & Old Hill
freshly tilled earth, liquorice, leather, plum, bonfire and slight blackberry. In the mouth there are flavours of black plum, liquorice, black pepper, spice, slight vanilla, it's quite juicy as well with slight tannic grip especially on the gyms. everything carries long. Beautifully balanced and very approachable. Good
Red
2013 McWilliam's Syrah Canberra
blackberry, black pepper, liquorice, spice and bacon fat on the nose. In the mouth there is some blackberry but black pepper dominates. There is a slight sourness here as well. The tannins is flour like, grippy and drying. Meh.
Red
2012 Zeppelin Grenache
Muted raspberry and cherry fruit, spice. In the mouth it's juicy, with slightly sweet red berry fruit, chalky chewy tannin…an odd slight mid palate scoop then the finish has a slightly herbaceous note. Meh
Red
2008 McWilliam's 1877 Cabernet Shiraz
Medium plus intensity aromas of chocolate, black cherry, plentiful spice, blackberry, blackcurrant, eucalyptus, vanilla…lots going on here. rowdy and rambunctious. In the mouth the wine is juicy with chewy medium plus intensity tannins that are ripe and quite silkily textured though plentiful. there is a plenty of berry, currant and cherry fruit here that persists long and gets' a bit boozy Christmas cake on the lengthy finish. Big and bolshy. Massive in fact. Today I like this a lot.
Closing
Plenty of wines…we could have gone harder but not much. We knew it was time to call it a day when Ben trashed a Riedel at Mount Pleasant and Dave sat out the whites! Hightlights were the lake's folly cabernets and chardonnay, the capercaillie creel and the mount pleasant lovedale and old paddock & old hill shiraz.