Adelaide Showgrounds, 28 Jul to 30 Jul 17

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t mind the occasional glass of beer or six, and I’ve had an affinity for craft brews for many years, long before it became popular with the bearded set. Some would even go so far as to call me a beer snob, but then what would that kind of riff-raff know!

Beer and brewing has undoubtedly come a long way in recent times. The revolution really started in the US, where home brewing has been gathering momentum since the ’80s, and now there are craft brews and brew pubs in just about every small town in every state. People often say the US makes terrible beer, which is true if you consider the commercial stuff, but they definitely make the best when it comes to the not-so-commercial. The craft brewing scene has similarly been gathering momentum around the rest of the world too, and Australia joined in quite some time ago, with a few local brew houses and national brewers making amber liquids that strayed from the mainstream chilled lagers we’re famous for.

We may be a few years behind the US, but we’re a long way ahead of many other countries, and we’ve got no shortage of sensational brews on offer which are becoming more and more popular. In fact, the brewing sensation is doing so well that we now need a festival to celebrate the immense variety on offer.

Now in its third year, the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival has grown to quite a sizable event, such that it’s now the pinnacle of Rad Beer Week (which I guess is akin to Melbourne’s Good Beer Week). Despite being a true beer nut, I hadn’t been to any of the previous Beer & BBQ Festivals, figuring they’re a bit like a wine vintage weekend, and would be full of non-beer people jumping on the bandwagon. Being convinced to go this year by a fellow beer nut, I was pleasantly proven quite wrong… the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival really is a celebration of all things brewing, and was packed with like-minded beer aficionados.

With something like 70 brewers showcasing their wares at small stands lined up in the cattle sheds at the Showgrounds – all offering a variety of different beers – you could taste for a tiny $2.50 or have a proper sample for a bit more. Both price points offered great value, and allowed for quite a lot of guzzling to be done; I’m pretty sure I drank a fair bit more than my 318 V8 Valiant does on a highway cruise! Thankfully, I do recall most of what I tried, which is a bonus for stocking the home fridge for my own personal Beer Festival!

Of course, it’s not just about beer: there’s cider too (including a warm one, perfect for a cold wet night), and of course the BBQ component of the Festival’s name. There was plenty of food options, many with an American bent, but all with varying degrees of grilling and smoking and the like – the perfect accompaniment to a good brew; as were the fires located throughout the venue. There was entertainment aplenty too, culminating with Regurgitator (not sure if that’s an appropriate band for a beer drinking festival or not) on the main stage! They played a great cross section of tunes from their illustrious career, including some of my high-school favourites like Polyester Girl and ! (Song Formerly Known As). Interestingly missing was I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff, which would maybe have been appropriate if I was aware of any of their new stuff! Nonetheless, the band was on the money, and every bit as cool as I remember from my late high school and early uni days. They still have it, though I must say the vocals were a little quiet. But perhaps that was the beer…

So, after being initially reluctant, I must say that the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival was a definite winner. While beer appreciation is decidedly growing, it thankfully hasn’t reached the snobbery of the wine industry, but is no less impressive. The festival was expensive to get in to, but the beer prices were reasonable, perhaps to offset that. Overall, a very enjoyable experience, followed by a rather mellow morning after…

Luke Balzan

Where: Adelaide Showgrounds

When: 28 to 20 Jul

Bookings: Closed

Main Street & Various Wineries, 2 Apr 2017

The pairing of an alcoholic beverage and motoring seems somewhat unusual, particularly given the efforts of the Motor Accident Commission! However, despite how unlikely it may seem, the McLaren Vale wine region has had great success in teaming up with the Adelaide motoring community to produce a sensational event that celebrates the best of both types of ‘vintage’! The McLaren Vale Vintage & Classic is a motoring event that showcases the regions wineries and the cities car clubs in beautiful harmony with a real grass-roots flavour, having the individual clubs and cellar doors at the centre of the celebration.

This year’s event took place on a day of particular importance for me, since it was my birthday, but the pull of the event was enough to make me get out of bed early and drive my classic Chrysler down south for a day of motoring fun! Like many of the participating car clubs, my Chrysler Car Club of SA have a pre-meet in a specified location in McLaren Vale before the day begins, and then cruise together to Serafino Wines’ ample acreage to join the rest of the South Australian Motoring community.

All of the cars lined up in their various club allegiances make for a pretty spectacular start to the day. Drivers then have a chance to grab a bit of brekky and chat to fellow motorists and motoring fans, with plenty of new friendships kindled whilst strolling amongst the shining metal. It’s a unique event, as pretty much anything can take part, from really ancient vintage vehicles that would have been vying for road space with horse-and-carts, to classy British and European exotica, or American muscle, to Aussie classics or unusual and eccentric moderns – and everything in between. It’s rare to see such a wide variety of cars lined up and being friendly with each other, which adds to the excellent community feel of the event. Best of all, it’s a mandate of the event that all vehicles are driven, so there are no trailer queens here!

Following a few hours in the paddock, official proceedings begin with a parade down Main Street McLaren Vale, where loads of people line the streets to catch a glimpse of the amazing machines as they cruise by. Old and young alike, locals and folks down from the city gather and wave, with the kids getting particularly excited as I tooted my air horns (as if my bright orange car wasn’t attention-seeking enough!).

At the end of the parade, the clubs all split up and embark on a pre-determined mini-cruise, which allows traffic to flow well and ensures that the parade goes off without a hitch. Each club ultimately ends up at a winery, with most cellar doors playing host to one or two car clubs. This year, we ended up at Angoves, where we set up a little display in the grounds by the cellar door, and were able to participate in the other aspects of the day including tasting a few of the Vale’s finest offerings!

The pairing of classic cars and wine is definitely a fine match, allowing for a real celebration of these two cultures that have more in common than one may think! The whole event ran smoothly with a peaceful day enjoyed by all! We even got to have a bit of cake to celebrate my latest journey around the sun!

If you haven’t had a chance to see this event yet, make sure you give it a go next year, and wave to the ’70s-looking curly-haired dude in a bright orange Chrysler!

Luke Balzan

When: 2 Apr

Where: McLaren Vale

Bookings: Closed

Below, two reviews; one for a pair of Howard Park wines from Western Australian, the other for a pair of wines from Heartland in South Australia.

These two wines are both from Howard Park in Western Australia, both Shiraz, and both 2011 vintage. The difference being one is Howard Park ‘Scotsdale’ Great Southern Shiraz 2011, the other Howard Park ‘Leston’ Margaret River Shiraz 2011: In short south vs. north. Both are at a recommended retail of $46 and both have the pedigree to justify the pricing. It was interesting playing around with two fine examples of WA shiraz but in my mind without doubt the Leston won the day, so 94 points for it, with a couple more to come, and 93 for the Scotsdale, but I’m not sure it’s going as far.

Heartland Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2012 ($20) and Heartland ‘Director’s Cut’ Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2012 ($33): The reason these two Heartland wines are reviewed together is because, put simply, I rated the cheaper wine higher than the ‘Directors Cut.’ Returning to the wines to work out why, it’s not because of alcohol content (as both are high at 14.8%) but because the Cut was just too rich for me. It coated the mouth with ripe flavours and it dominated my taste buds rather than entertain and pleasure them. So, 93 points for the shiraz and 91 points for the Director’s Cut. I’m sure you will know where I would spend my money. 

Tony Keys

The Eileen Hardy wine range is the top end of the ‘Accolade Wines’ ladder. To quote the Hardy's Wines’ website, “Eileen Hardy was [the] family matriarch, an indomitable spirit and the first lady of Australian wine. Since taking over at the helm from her late husband Tom Mayfield Hardy, Eileen continued to build the Hardys brand and was recognised with an OBE for her outstanding contribution to the Australian wine industry”.

Mention Hardy’s in the UK and the first thought that comes to mind is oceans of competitively priced South Eastern Australian wine available in huge volumes. The Hardy’s brand sits in the ‘Accolade Wine’ portfolio the largest producer of wine in Australia. Also in the portfolio are the brands Banrock Station, Berri Estates, Omni, Houghton and several others not just from here but the USA and South Africa as well. These are large brands making millions of litres of wine and satisfying the thirst of millions of wine drinkers all over the world daily.

It’s heartening to think that amongst all the hustle of mass production there is a quiet corner where fine wine is being crafted; wine we can all be proud of no matter where it is poured on the planet. The prices appear steep but in global terms are not, so splash out buy a bottle or two and share with the one you love. There is no need to put on a fancy dinner party - simple but good food will do - go on you know you deserve it.  

Hardy's Eileen Hardy McLaren Vale Shiraz 2007: It’s rapier-like on the tongue, unlike many shirazes that are akin to a broadsword slashing away at the flavour points. It dances across the palate, the top notes showing the pleasure to come. The aftertaste and return journey is very beautiful, with all the flavours merging and creating a whole. It’s pricy at $90 but if you’re into wine it is well worth it and in my opinion scores 97 points.

Hardy's Eileen Hardy Tasmania Pinot Noir 2007: Carefully constructed, with the result being a very smooth wine of good character. There’s no doubting the quality of the fruit or of the wine making. It’s an easy 94 points and for this level of Pinot Noir about $70 is the price to pay. From a purely personal view I would have liked more feral character.

Hardy's Eileen Hardy Tasmania Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2012: Not only a beautiful lady, but also gracious and elegant. It’s not fully developed but all parts are in place. Perhaps it’s better described as a young lady in early teenage years; the beauty can be seen but more time is needed for it to develop fully. 93 points now but more to come. $73 is a fair price to pay in global terms.

Tony Keys

The big often get a bashing, recently a small family wine producer (Crittenden) based in the Victorian region of Mornington Peninsular started a campaign against Woolworths regarding their brand Crittenden & Co. The patriarch of the family, Garry Crittenden, said he was getting calls and e-mails because consumers were confusing his wines, $20 and above, with the Woolworths under $5 brand.

The media, especially the wine scribes, came out on mass with Garry’s hard-luck story and berated Woolworths as the bully.  

Woolworths had full right to use the Crittenden name - in fact they had use of it before Garry registered his Crittenden name. Woolworths very generously said they would withdraw the brand as soon as stock was sold through but this would take several months as it’s a big brand for them.

Wine scribes and journalists became outraged at Woolworths, delighting in the little guy taking on the bully story. Few considered the right and wrong of the issue and that Woolworths was technically in the right. To my knowledge no one wrote a follow up story of how well the giant behaved.

Hence this one wine review, made by a giant (Pernod Ricard) and sold by another (Dan Murphy’s) for around $8. Only two such large companies could combine to bring a wine of this quality to the total Australian population. Either accept these bargains or pay closer to $20 for a Riesling of no better quality.    

 
Jacob's Creek South Eastern Australia Riesling 2013: The 2012 JC Riesling was a super star and I, and many others in the wine scribing business, rated it very highly. I even picked it as the best value/quality wine of the year. This was not based on points but on the fact that the few times I had to make recommendations to friends or buy a white wine for myself, JC riesling 2012 was the choice. It really says something when someone such as me, who gets a lot of free wine, puts his hand in his pocket to buy everyday drinking wine.

The question for the 2013 is, will it match this very high benchmark the 2012 set? Overall yes, although I think it is not as defined but, hell, why nitpick, it is a wine that knocks many pissy NZ Sauvignon Blancs into the preverbal cocked hat. 93 points and very good value at under $10 and I will buy it for large gatherings where wine is needed and put up with the sneer of, “oh Jacob's Creek”.  

Tony Keys

The d’Arenberg Dozen

Any person with an interest in wine living in Adelaide or surrounds will know the name d’Arenberg. It’s not a local phenomenon either; wine lovers’ across Australia, America the UK and other parts of the world will know the name and love the wines too.

The family behind the d’Arenberg brand are the Osborn’s (not the Ozzie and Sharon Osborn’s) who celebrated the family’s century involvement in the McLaren Vale region in 2012. One of the many celebratory events fourth generation viticulturist and winemaker Chester Osborn was responsible for was the amazing sites project.

In essence Chester released a range of wines from individual sites around the region. In 2013 the amazing sites wines consisted of 12 Shiraz wines from the 2011 vintage each retailing at $100 a bottle. Below are the accompanying notes written by Chester plus the story behind the incredible names along with my review.    

It’s worth noting I didn’t obtain Chester’s notes until I had tasted the wines therefore my reviews are independent and not influenced.

2011 The Little Venice Single Vineyard Shiraz

Fourth generation winemaker Chester Osborn was in Venice when this block was purchased. The land nearby has a spring-fed dam providing an abundance of water and inspiring its name.

Chester: Amazingly, this wine is almost polar opposite in style when compared to its direct neighbour, the Fruit Bat. While The Fruit Bat is elegant, bright and red fruited, The Little Venice is darker and more structured. The underlying geologies are the same but it is the shallow brown earth in The Little Venice that creates the distinction.

The nose shows an abundance of dark cherries, liquorice, black olive and just a hint of violet. The palate is very punchy, purple fruits, more liquorice and interesting earthy beetroot characters. The tannins are powdery and mineral almost like very finely crushed and ground stone.

In youth this wine may appear somewhat closed, but will open and round with time, the powdery tannins and punchy fruit ensuring it will be very long lived.

Review: Closed on the nose and somewhat fuller in the mouth than the other wines, it is almost port like. I can only judge what is before me and give it 91 points. Maybe more will come as it ages but at the moment it seems expensive at $100.

2011 The Eight Iron Single Vineyard Shiraz

Shaped like a golf club on a steep south facing block, the vineyard is roughly as wide as a decent hit with an eight iron.

Chester: The Eight Iron sits interestingly in the red and purple fruit spectrum. It appears very bright and lively on the nose with hints of gravel and celery accompanying the fruits. The palate is intensely mineral. There is a real core of graphite like fruit that drives the wine to a focused and long finish. Along the way more red fruits in the form of stewed rhubarb and Satsuma plum support the mouth-watering, ironstone and mineral tannins.

Review: Very soft in all departments but that’s just on the surface. There is much activity underneath, the trouble is it’s still masked by the softness. This wine I would like to taste again in a year or so - I will give it 93 points now but cannot at this stage say if it’s worth the $100 asked, maybe in time.

2011 The Sardanapalian Single Vineyard Shiraz

Sardanapalus was the last king of Nineveh (modern-day Mosul, Iraq) known for his decadence. This wine has excessively luxurious, sensual fruit and length, making it a wine fit for a king.

Chester: The influence of the two sands found at the surface of this vineyard, Pirramimma Sandstone and Maslin Sand, have a profound effect. The resulting wine has a nose that is fruity and spicy, an endearing mix of mulberry, pepper, plums, red capsicum skin, baking spice and fennel.

The palate exhibits more of the same with additional notes of cherry, liquorice and fennel. There is also an intriguing modelling clay character, undoubtedly stemming from the sandy clay beneath. The mouthfeel is peppery and silky with a very long fruit mineral finish.

Review: There is no doubting it is good wine, well sourced and well made, but it didn’t excite as much as some of the others in this collection did. One should make the point that minute aspects of each of the wines are important, this very good wine commands 93 points, perhaps with more to come as it ages, pushing price at $100 I think.

2011 Tyche’s Mustard Single Vineyard Shiraz

Tyche, the goddess of luck and fortune, has looked over this vineyard. The initial site featured six land holdings, five unsuitable for grape growing were sold and the profits paid for the vines. Luck would have it that from an early age these vines have produced exceptional fruit.

Chester: Tyche's Mustard is a great example of soil to glass transfer. The nose displays a spicy herbal lift, reminiscent of mustard perhaps? This is the same odour we smell as we walk through this vineyard with its abundance of mustard weed. There is also an alluring dark chocolate note, laced with hints of liquorice and fennel.

The palate is rich and juicy but at the same time crunchy, owing to the fine gritty tannins. Surprisingly, amongst all of this dark fruit we are also able to perceive juicy red fruits and spicy pepper notes. A perfect example of a wine showing sweet and savoury characters abiding in perfect harmony.

Review: The nose is of baked earth with faint plant life in the background something like a paddock on a hot day. The wine was dry all through its journey across the palate yet releasing hints of spice and the earth the grapes came from. A very good wine 93 points, as to the price of $100 a bottle - no I don’t think it worth that much.

2011 The Swinging Malaysian Single Vineyard Shiraz

Purchased in an era of free love, this vineyard has also done its fair share of swinging! First planted to shiraz in the 70s, it was grafted to Riesling, but was returned to its origins in 2001. Imported vineyard posts from Malaysia were trialled here but were too weak and had to be replaced.

Chester: Aptly named, The Swinging Malaysian wine oozes with Asian spice aromatics, cinnamon, clove and anise. There is a closed woodiness to this wine in youth that will continue to open to a mix of red and black fruits.

On the palate the Asian spice is also notable. This is accompanied by fruity red plum and dark cherry notes. Behind all of this is a slight sooty character adding complexity. The tannins while firm are fine and fruity, elevating once again the exotic spice notes.

Review: It is a spicy wine as it was in my tasting note before I read the d’Arenberg notes, however the word swing is also apt because I found it to be all over the place. I couldn’t find clear definition in the wine and when I’m tasting $100 bottles I expect structure. It’s a fair wine and rates an easy 93 points but far too pricy in my opinion.

2011 The Blind Tiger Single Vineyard Shiraz

This vineyard was planted in the 1920s, a time of speakeasy clubs like ‘The Blind Tiger’ that thrived during prohibition. Thankfully those times have passed but other legacies, like this vineyard, remain.

Chester: A complete wine in many ways. The deep Maslin Sands contribute an impressive mixed flowery bouquet, roses and violets, along with lovely spice notes. The sootiness and complexity can be attributed to the very old age of the vines. Wines from these soils can tend to be very elegant, but these particular vines have given us a wine of great opulence and seamless, mouth coating tannins. While the tannins are bountiful, they are accompanied by beautifully, fragrant fruits that together create a gratifyingly long finish. All in all, a bright wine with a lovely element of earth and soot.

Review: The nose is soft, by that I mean one has to search and concentrate, and when the aromas come they arrive slowly and faintly and are rather lovely. It remains elegant in the mouth but has pure breading behind the intimae fragile beauty. I’m not sure how it will develop but it will be interesting o see. 94 points at this stage, I think pushing price at $100 but it may develop further and then be worth it.

2011 The Other Side Single Vineyard Shiraz

Planted in 1916, this vineyard is located on the opposite side of the winery to the family homestead and is logically referred to as on ‘the other side’.

Chester: To borrow lyrics from Lou Reed, tasting the Other Side is to take a walk on the wild side. Immediately on the nose we are struck by sooty, meaty and woody characters. These are aromas that we see time and time again in this wine and can only be attributed to the very old age of the vines (fast approaching their 100th birthday!)

The palate gives insight into how The Other Side is likely to evolve. Among the brooding savoury characters we find sweet purple fruits, dark chocolate and liquorice. The structure of the wine is firm and drying. We are undoubtedly looking at a wine that will reward those with patience.

Review: White pepper all the way on the nose and in the form of spice across the palate, it’s a very different wine, I like it a lot though others may not. As with the rest it’s a well-crafted 94 points, pricy as are they all, but will possibly be worth it. I would like to see this in years to come to revaluate.

2011 The Fruit Bat Single Vineyard Shiraz

An old shearing shed on the property is home to tiny fruit bats that live in the old hessian wool sacks. The vineyard is watched over by fourth generation winemaker Chester Osborn, depicted on the front label as a wild pixie hanging ‘bat-like’ from the distinctive red stripe.

Chester: Despite being located on Blanche Point formation, the overlying sandy soils have a profound effect on this wine, making it more elegant and aromatic than would otherwise be expected. Lovely, bright, peppery, red fruits on the nose, with a hint of dark spiced plum. The palate is also bright, highlighted by red jubey characters and accompanied by notes of fennel and again, pepper. Although one of the more elegant of the Amazing Sites wines, the lovely fruity, mineral tannin adds generosity and a velvet-like mouthfeel, supported by lingering sweet and savoury fruit flavours.

Review: Pepper and spice and all things nice, this grabbed my attention! It’s balanced, yet has that wild edge to it - like a charming rouge perhaps? 95 points and, as it still has more points to come, yes it may well be worth its $100 in time.

2011 The Piceous Lodestar Shiraz Single Vineyard Shiraz

The lodestar is a navigational direction star, something to aim toward, or a point of reference. The piceous, pitch black nature of this wine is what the world aims for in a great shiraz.

Chester: The wine is typically one of the bigger, earthier wines from the Osborn vineyards. The nose is extremely complex, displaying dark fruits, forest floor, game, earth and meaty characters. Although serious by nature, this hedonistic bouquet is delightfully fragrant and the result is both striking and enticing. All of those exotic notes are again found on the palate, accompanied by lavish dark and red fruits laced with gratifying anise and fennel spice notes. As the wine opens and develops, a dark chocolate character can also be detected. The tannins are earthy and while reasonably imposing in youth will round out later in life as the mineral fruit continues to open up and express itself.

Review: The taste of the earth, the power of the land, the vines are planted in the life source for all we are. This is wonderful wine full of terroir expression. 95 points now and more to come. It bears its $100 price tag well.

2011 The Vociferate Dipsomaniac Single Vineyard Shiraz

Fourth generation winemaker Chester Osborn believes the wine from this vineyard is so good it can cause people to develop a mild case of Dipsomania (look it up) and demand ‘vociferously’ for another bottle.

Chester: There is a lovely violet spectrum to the nose and an intense aniseed lift. More layers of red fruit, leafy notes, dark ash and game are also detectable. The palate is unapologetically structured in youth, a quality derived from the underlying chalk in the soil. The flavour profile includes raspberry and mulberry and the accompanying leaves from these trees. These beautiful purple fruits are enhanced by more earthy and savoury characters along with striking spicy, aniseed notes. The tannins add a lovely cedar like edge to the wine, which along with the red fruit and soot on the finish will leave you salivating.

Review: Wow! This wine enters with a statement; it took me a little by surprise as it is more aggressive than the others, but it settles and gives some amazing flavours. 95 points with more to come and worth the $100.

2011 The Amaranthine Single Vineyard Shiraz

Amaranthine; to an artist it is a deep purple-red on his palette; to the wordsmith, eternally beautiful and unfading or everlasting; to fourth generation winemaker Chester Osborn, it is a wine that encapsulates both - a deep red beauty that’s appeal will last a lifetime.

Chester: If you are seeking a wine of intriguing complexity that evolves evocatively in the glass, look no further than The Amaranthine. With each subsequent sniff we journey further and further from where we started. Characters range from milk chocolate, mulberries and plums through to cinnamon, nutmeg and sandalwood.

The palate is similarly complex, old vine wood and hazelnut interspersed with red and purple fruits, leather and muscatels. A favourite amongst the winemakers, the quality of The Amaranthine is evidenced by the fact that you may happily linger on the bouquet of this wine, returning to inhale its exotic aromas time and time again before realising that you are yet to take a sip… as should be the case with all fine wine.

Review: The nose is very attractive. It’s of the earth, dark damp and rich, the flavours across the palate are in the same vein, earthy and very adult. This wine really impressed earning 96 points and, yes, worth the $100 asked.

2011 Shipsters' Rapture Single Vineyard Shiraz

Shipsters’ Rapture is named in honour of Henry Shipster who owned the vineyard before the Osborns. The Shipsters are said to have delighted in their small plot of land, lovingly planting it to vines in the late 1800s.

Chester: Many believe The Shipsters’ Rapture is in some ways the essence of d'Arenberg - a highly complex bouquet of fennel, pepper and dark fruits. The true strengths of this wine however are the soil, silage like notes that are a direct expression of the loam over limestone in the vineyard. Similar flavours are evident on the palate, the dark fruits expressing themselves in the form of blackberry and chocolate. The finish is spicy and mineral giving an overall feeling of vibrancy.

Review: This is all old leather and earth, roots and just a hint of tooth and claw; Damn it’s good! Very good! 97 points and worth the $100.

Tony Keys

I have been privileged to know three generations of the Tyrrell family, Murray (deceased), current head of the clan Bruce, and his son Chris now involved in the business. There are other family members also involved, Chris’s sister Jane and brother John, but I don’t know them as well.  

Murray and Bruce have both gotten into hot water over the past 50 years for expressing forthright views. Often they have made me smile, even laugh, as the Tyrrell's voice what others only think and never say. They are a fine family, widely respected among the wine community and consumers alike.

Their latest brand release is the re-branding and extension of the original Lost Block range. The Lost Block story stems back to a vintage misadventure in 1993 when semillon grapes on a small vineyard block were inadvertently forgotten about at harvest time. After realising the oversight, the ‘lost’ Semillon was eventually picked and Chief Winemaker, Andrew Spinaze created a more approachable, softer style than the classic aged Hunter Semillon.

Sales and Marketing Manager, Mike Cutrupi states, “We decided to move the brand from the more traditional execution in packaging to something that graphically embraces the story of the ‘Lost Block’, with the introduction of a caricature of the vineyard manager, set in a number of winery and vineyard situations, looking for the Lost Block.”

The labels are fun and the wines are as follows. Their full retail price is around $18.
 

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ Hunter Valley Semillon 2013:

For a Hunter semillon that is this young it’s quite approachable, it still has the bite of young semillon but it’s more a nip than a full on savaging of the palate. 89 points now; it will gather a couple more as it ages a year and then it will be worth the money.

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2013:

It’s of a style I’m not fond of, but putting that aspect aside and marking as it deserves it’s 91 points and worth the money asked. It’s a wine that lovers of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc should flock to in droves.

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ Hunter Valley Chardonnay:

A sound wine, definitely chardonnay, it is easy to drink and enjoyable. Need more be said? 91 points, although there is a lot of good chardonnay around at this price so it might not be the best value on the shelf; it won’t be the worst, however.

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ Limestone Coast Merlot 2012:

This wine has more bite than most merlots and that made it enjoyable when taken to the table. A very sound wine: 91 points and worth the money.

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2012:

Being picky as I am, I could have done with a touch more edge rather than the roundness this displayed, but that is just me. As a McLaren Vale Cabernet it was good drinking; 92 points and definitely worth its price.

Tyrrell’s ‘Lost Block’ Heathcote Shiraz 2012:

I’ve had better, but it’s not the quality of this wine that was the problem, rather it seemed unsettled at time of tasting. I give it 88 but feel it may be worth more, perhaps a poor bottle for other reasons.

Tony Keys

The Burge family can be traced back 5 generations to John Burge and his wife Eliza who arrived in Australia after making the trip from England in 1855. Today, after following in the footsteps of his forefathers, Grant Burge continues the winemaking traditions of his family.

The Grant Burge label was not actually founded until 1988 despite its long heritage. Today, Burge grows his grapes at several locations in both the Eden and Barossa Valleys. Some of his vines are almost 100 years old, such as the plantings at the Filsell Vineyard, which were set in the 1920s. Grant Burge now has no less than 18 locations where they grow their grapes, stretching from Tanunda to Williamstown, the concentration of which is in the vicinity of Lyndoch.

Grant Burge now canvasses two cellar doors, both local to the township of Tanunda. The first is Illapara right in the township, and the second, Krondorf, sits about 2 kilometres out of town at the top of Krondorf road.

Grant’s philosophy for wine making is all about matching the right varietals with the right soils and locations, then managing the crops to achieve low to moderate yields of fruit that are a premium quality; the foundation for “exceptional wines”.

The following bottle reviews have been conducted by Tony Keys.

Paul Rodda

Grant Burge ‘Thorn’ Eden Valley Riesling 2012:

Already showing great promise, there are classic, light, kerosene characters on the nose with lots of floral and lime flavours unfurling as the wine travels across the palate. The acid is long limbed and still slightly unbalanced but it will settle. 92 points now with more to come as it ages, an OK price at $24.

Grant Burge ‘East Argyle’ Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris 2012:

There’s not a lot on nose or palate but there are certainly hints of good wine waiting to emerge. At this stage it’s a reasonable glass of wine. 89 points, but the $24 price tag is high. I do believe that will change by the end of 2013 as the parts come together; a wine for Christmas so keep it in mind.

Grant Burge ‘Summers’ South Australia Chardonnay 2012:

The fruit is from the Adelaide Hills and Eden Valley so all cool climate. A defined Chardonnay nose puts the taster on the right track straight away. There is slight disappointment as oak kicks in on the palate but that will merge with acid and fruit and this will turn into a very smart wine. 92 now, more to come. The $27 price is high for the current drinking but it will become more aligned as the wine develops.

Grant Burge ‘Kraft’ Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2012:

This wine is all it should be – clean, slight herbaceous flavour that says it’s Sauvignon Blanc. It has good length and a fine finish. I have to give it 93, but also point out there is a lot of Sauvignon Blanc out there at $24 and below.

Grant Burge “Meshach” Barossa Shiraz 2008:

One cannot but be overpowered with the intensity of this wine. Recalling previous vintages I often commented on the oak. Not this wine, it’s doing what it should, sitting in the background and supporting. I’m lost for words because I don’t want to go into overdrive, I haven’t tasted the 2008 Penfolds Grange but I should think this would give it a challenge. $180 is a lot of money but this has a very long life ahead and it’s a wine all Australia can be proud of. 98 points.

Grant Burge ‘Filsell’ Barossa Shiraz 2011:

Here’s an oxymoron, a ‘pleasantly stinky’ nose. It’s quite tight in the mouth and needs more time but still passable drinking. At the moment, 91 points. I think it expensive at $50.

Grant Burge ‘Corryton Park’ Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2011:

For me this is chocolate all the way, rich and dark with a hint of truffle. I know, that’s nonsense wine speak, but try this very tasty gear. 94 points and worth its $50.

Grant Burge ‘Balthazar’ Barossa Shiraz 2010:

Balthazar, one of the three wise men who followed the star, bearing gifts to the infant Jesus and also gave his name to a 16 bottle size of Champagne. Quite a pedigree, although any short research will find Balthazar’s origins are not that defined. As indeed is this wine. Yes it is Shiraz and yes it has Barossa character, but that is just on the surface. Underneath there is a world of mystery that is awaiting the taster’s exploration. Go to it as it’s worth the journey and worth the $50 asked. 95 points.

Tony Keys

There are some wines that have fallen into the hands of the marketeers and they believe a new label and some old tosh on the origin of the name will fool consumers into paying the price asked.

They do it with smoke and mirrors; what one thinks they see is not in fact what is real, but rather what the manipulator wants one to see. The reviews below cover wines that purport to offer value but, in my opinion, don’t and a few that others that, again in my opinion, do.

Tryst by Nepenthe Adelaide Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon 2012:

Marketing wine is needed but on occasion it can destroy a brand. I fear this is what Australian Vintage has done to Nepenthe Tryst.

They have changed the label to one that is directly stencilled or lasered on to the bottle. Labels are hard to define, with each and everyone’s taste being different. My personal view on this one is that it’s extremely tacky and downmarket. I find myself unsettled by the downgrading of the name Nepenthe. The wine is now called Tryst by Nepenthe, Tryst being in a font three times the size of Nepenthe. A vast swathe of the front has been turned over to the etymology of tryst.

As to the wine it’s fair but nothing outstanding, 89 points and at $17 there are plenty more out there that are more defined in all aspects.

Tryst by Nepenthe Adelaide Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2012:

A better wine than the red with plenty of youthful zip. In truth it is a bit too much for me, but that is personal, and I’m sure others will enjoy it more; 90 points and as with the red there are plenty of others around at $17.

Peter Lehmann “Art & Soul” Barossa Shiraz Grenache 2011:

Tasted April 2013 and thus far the worst wine of the year, over confected lolly water that I found hard to taste and impossible to drink; 83 points and not worth the $14 asked.

Peter Lehmann “Art & Soul” Barossa Shiraz Cabernet 2011:

Marginally better than the Shiraz Grenache blend I’m sure I reviewed this range last year and found very acceptable wines, this year it appears to have gone to places where wine should not go; 84 and over priced at $14.

Peter Lehmann “Art & Soul” Barossa Cabernet Merlot 2011:

Fruit juice nose and juicy in the mouth, this wine passes across the palate leaving no great impression other than fruit squash. A bit of alcohol kicks in after its swallowed. I’m sure it will find an audience, but unfortunately not in this household; 84 points and $14 is more than I would want to pay. How very disappointed I was with the 3 Peter Lehman wines. All the good that Lehman has built up over the years put at risk, it’s such a shame.

Yalumba ‘Y series’ South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon 2011:

Dark fruit on the nose with that hint of dust that cabernet sauvignon often has, easy in the mouth a even journey and good sound finish 90 points and value at $15

Yalumba ‘Y series’ South Australia Merlot 2011:

As is well known I’m not a great lover of merlot but this had enough interest in its complexity to keep me interested, after the tasting I had a glass to drink and have to admit I enjoyed it, 90 points and worth $15

Yalumba ‘Y series’ South Australia (un wooded) Chardonnay 2012:

Well, well a chardonnay without oak that is good, they are rare. Breaking it down in tasting terms it’s overly impressive but it comes together at the end and is a good glass of wine, a case of the whole being better than the parts 91 points and value at $15

Priced at $15 the 3 wines from Yalumba offer far better value than the Peter Lehmann offering.

De Bortoli Sacred Hill Shiraz 2012:

Rarely receiving many De Bortoli samples I smiled when this wine turned up in the post. A bottle from their cheapest brand, $7.50 but can be found at $5 on special, the media release said it all - James Halliday had awarded this wine 89 points which is a very good mark for a wine at this price level. It would be nice to say that James got it wrong but he didn’t. It’s a really enjoyable wine and I can’t dismiss his score of 89, in fact I go one higher at 90. Its origin, listed as ‘Australia’, is vague on the label but the notes pin it to Riverina.

Tony Keys