2020 Ruggabellus Timaeus

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 93 points

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  8/26/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 92 Points

  I really enjoyed this Grenache dominant wine from a year dominated by horrendous bushfires, one of the most repellent Oz prime ministers in a long line of 2nd rate hacks and then the outbreak of COVID around or just after harvest. At a time when we were busy returning to our race baiting roots and banning Chinese tourists, we happily allowed Europeans and Americans into our white nirvana, despite the fact that COVID was taking off there. Needless to say, American tourists gave rise to the first big outbreak in the SA wine regions. That is not a dig at Americans - it is a dig at the stupidity of race-based, cheap politics. Dumb is dumb, regardless of colour or creed.
  
  This wine rises above its circumstances.
  
  I have an ambivalent relationship with Ruggabelus. I love the label and the name makes me chuckle. By such baubles are men ruled (especially those like me). On the other hand, I have struggled with a feeling, in the past, that there might be a triumph of marketing and the superficial over vinous substance.
  
  This is a really enjoyable, European inspired Grenache dominant wine. Chatters, always striking close to the bullseye, even when (for a change) he isn't nailing it, can be excused for thinking Jura.
  
  The colour is a very un-Australian brick and crimson. The nose and palate deliver funk (possibly Ted Nugent's post- concert loin cloth from about 1981), roast meat, strawberry and raspberry, some earth and a character of glace fruit I associate with Barolo or sometimes with Chianti. There is plenty of drive and length is good, though not exceptional. Texture is dry but also very inviting and it works beautifully with a butterfly lamb leg, rubbed with Stormy Daniel's thighs and Paprika, Garlic, Pepper, Cummin and Salt and Thyme. Bottoms up! Rum tum tum!
  
  I would not cellar a wine that is so hot to trot. I would crank up Black Oak Arkansas, start with 'Too Hot To Stop' from their wrongly maligned MCA years and sit down for some hard drinking, good eating and plenty of whoring. Despite the unarguable qualities of all these activities, I back Timaeus to take the biscuit.
  
  A final note - Timaeus is, of course, a dialogue (almost a monologue really) by Plato on the nature and meaning of the physical world and the possible existence of a world soul. I will leave the connection with this wine for you. I am moving on to Nazareth and their contemplation of this in 'Lord Please Don't Judas Me'. I may then move to 'Beggar's Day' and 'Hair of the Dog'. It all comes down to violence, death and the malevolent nature of existence. Grab your sunshine whilst you can. Solon was a pansy; apart from the public brothels bit.

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  9/21/2022 - chatters wrote:

  Served blind.
  Sour cherry, wood glue, slight stalks and a touch of sweet spice, slightly jubey underpin. Medium plus intensity acidity, slight farmyard, funky, sour cherry, slight whole bunch, talcy textured tannins.
  I went with old world, Jura and poulsard...oops

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  4/23/2022 - deverett wrote: 92 Points

  Really enjoyed this, quite light on its feet but still shows detail and complexity. It’s all roses and cranberries, it is bright and lively, dried herbs, quite autumnal in many way. Lifted acidity and some grippy tannins finish it off. A near term wine for me but very refreshing and enjoyable.

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  11/21/2021 - NelsonStreetCellar Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Delicious yet different gulpable, slightly sour notes to make a refreshingly light yet complex wine. Special.

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