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/

Wine of the Week : Pierre-Marie Chermette, Les Griottes, Beaujolais 2013

This organic Beaujolais has great expression of fruit and very true to the varietal, Gamay.

Star bright ruby in colour with distinct purple high lights. Very lifted and pretty nose of strawberries and some faint mulberry and leafyness. 

Palate of fresh red fruit and some red berry compote, blueberry subtleties and hints of mushroom. Acidity is lively and gives a good backbone that holds it together. Youthful , feminine and vibrant. 

If you like light red wine with a touch of refinement this one is for you.

(RRP $30-35) (I've seen this in a few boutique bottle shops in both Sydney & Melbourne)

Wine of the Week: Savaterre Pinot Noir 2012

Savaterre Pinot Noir 2012

Awesome wine !! Bags full of character from this Organic Beechworth Pinot.

Nose of red cherry, mushroom, forest floor and dried leave characters from the whole bunch ferment (grapes fermented with stalks and all).

Velvet smooth texture on the palate with under-ripe red cherry, brown spice, leafy-ness and real earthy tones with subtle mushroom again. Super fine tannin keeps it in balance with an excellent length to boot. This has real depth and complexity!

Could do with a few years to be even better I reckon. Lovely stuff to cellar or to have now if your like me and couldn't wait. Recommend decanting.

Savaterre wines ain't exactly cheap but this is no pay for the hype type wine. Its the real deal and worth it. 

(RRP Approx $70 ) http://www.savaterre.com/

Also worth trying from the range are the Shiraz and their knock-out Chardonnay.

NB. Savaterre vineyards are farmed using Organic principles and thus proclaim to be Organic, but are not yet certified.

WINE OF THE WEEK: Adam's Rib 'The White' Chardonnay Viognier 2010

Castagna Adam's Rib 'The White'  Chardonnay Viognier 2010, Beechworth, VIC

This is a great full bodied style white from this Biodynamic vineyard in Beechworth.
An intense nose of pear, butter, cheese rind and subtle honey.

Rich and opulent on the palate, very creamy and rounded with white nectarine,pear again and some definite nutty characters there too. Yummy stuff. Great on its own but would be optimal with food.. I'm thinking most poultry and french lentils with pork sausages.

(RRP $35) http://www.castagna.com.au/

TASTING: Savaterre Shiraz 2012

Savaterre Shiraz 2012, Beechworth, VIC

An intense nose of earth, blackberry, pepper, subtle smoke and barnyard. Smells very savoury and old world in style and you can really tell this has been whole bunch fermented (stalks and all).

Savoury again in mouth but not overtly with dark plums and some blackberry showing alongside blackberry bush and pepper and again some earthy characters. Mouth coating dry tannins even this out nicely. Great food style. Needs decanting( 2hours if you can).

http://www.savaterre.com/

Note: Farmed using Organic principles, but not certified.

|| TASTING ||

Krinklewood Wild Red Shiraz 2011, Hunter Valley, NSW 

Mondays can be tight with the wallet, after the weekends shenanigans, so a little compromising is usually needed when it comes to the nights "easy drinker".
So I'm looking for a bottle under $20 and find a decent Organic & Biodynamic shiraz that fits the bill...

A medium bodied Shiraz blend made up of Shiraz, Cabernet, Tempranillo & Viognier from the Hunter with dark red & black berry fruit on nose with distinct earth and leaves. The palate is firm and full with seductive dark berries & savoury depth provided by a nice handling of oak. A fresh but full savoury style shiraz... And great value too!

(RRP $16-17 Approx) Krinklewood

More tastings to come as fast as I can sniff and sip.. Updated weekly.

Top Australian Wine Producers turn to Organics

In what is a huge endorsement for the practice of Organics in viticulture, some top Australian wine producers are now turning to the practice.

Grosset, Pewsey Vale (Contours) & Torbreck which are in the official Langtons Classification of Australian wine (only iconic/high quality producers that have been consistent for more than 10 vintages are considered for this classification) are now practicing organics in the name of quality, vineyard health and sustainability.

While Grosset have in essence always maintained that they have had a minimal intervention and natural approach to wine making, it was only after a 3 year period of assessment ending in February this year that they achieved certification. “Grosset Wines has been at the leading edge of sustainable viticulture since planting the Gaia vineyard in the 1980′s” said Grosset in a statement on their website “and we see this independent certification of our vineyards and winery as an extension of that commitment".

                   

Mount Horrocks, another well known quality producer, has as well gained ACO (Australian Certified Organic) certification very recently. Stephanie Toole from Mount Horrocks puts it simply "The organic approach offers benefits in terms of health as well as ecological sustainability".

   

It is great to see major wine brands that are both lauded for their quality and are also within the mainstream retail environment (eg. Woolworths/Dan Murphy's being one of the major purchasers of the above mentioned brands). This, I believe, is a critical tipping point as consumers and growers alike start associating quality with organics.