Sunday 27 July 2014

Wine of the Week : Cobaw Ridge Syrah 2010


A few months ago now I went out to Macedon to sample the wares and do a bit of exploring (you can read my full run down on the trip here), and one of the special bottles I took home with me was this lovely Syrah (Shiraz). It's surprisingly taken me this long to open, I don't usually have patience for this kind of thing, hence my cyclic almost non existent cellar.

This cool climate wine from the certified organic Macedon producer shows a restrained nose of dark plum and mulberry with some dried herbs and more purple fruit and prune like characters come out from hiding as the wine opens up with time.

A similar story on the palate with mulberry in the mouth again with a medium body and more savoury earthy characters, that you would expect from a cool climate Shiraz, with some white pepper and dried Chinese herbs. Nicely integrated fine tannin and a good length close the curtain on this lovely performer.

I got this beauty from the cellar door but I have seen it sold in Melbourne at the Organic Wholefoods supermarket on Lygon Street, Brunswick East as well as Aunt Maggies in Fitzroy/Collingwood (with the possibility of it being sold at all their stores).

Cobaw Ridge's website: http://www.cobawridge.com.au/

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Wine of the Week : El Castro de Valtuille Mencia Joven 2012

This variety, Mencia, is best known in the Spanish region of Bierzo, but lucky for us there are now quite a few importers here in Oz stocking it in both discerning bottle shops as well as Spanish restaurants.

The wine shows such a nice nose of distinct red roses, dough, subtle icing sugar and purple fruits. 

In the palate we have ripe plum , some blackberry very chalky tannins in the mouth with a savoury almost earthy character in the back. I really like the tannin and oak profiles here, both very well integrated, a good length as well.

Its definitely got a bit of seriousness to it even though it is a "joven"(Spanish for "young").  

Monday 7 July 2014

Cheap & Cheerful Tasting : Possingham & Summers Malbec 2013

After visiting wine fantasy land and splashing out on bottles like this...  I need to be grounded in reality once again, one in which it's OK to spend less than $40 (or even better less than $20) and still be well and truly satisfied !

A youthful McLaren Vale Malbec that has a fruit driven nose with raspberry, blueberry pastilles and some faint florals too.

A medium body on the palate with blueberry and cassis characters with small amounts of spice and liquorice. As with most of my skint/cheapie wines its an easy going wine and one to quaff, but with that said I think this one will be much more serious given time.

Sunday 6 July 2014

Wine of the Week : Livio Felluga Friulano 2011

Wow. This is an amazing wine. Made from 100% Friulano from Friuli, Italy.

On the nose is pear , citrus, baked white cheese and peach. Digging deeper it shows some honey and nut complexities too.

A rich medium to full body with pink grapefruit and lemon as well as a subtle almond character. This really has lovely texture and the length is exceptional.

(RRP varies between $40-57) Imported by Arquilla.  arquilla.com

Livio Felluga website:
http://www.liviofelluga.com/?lang=en