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Australian Reds Rolling Chardonnay Shiraz, 2004 and Cabernet-Merlot, 2004 ($11.99) are named for the rolling hills of the Central Range in New South Wales. Philip Shaw, one of Australia’s most highly regarded winemakers (Rosemount and Southcorp), founded Cumulus Wines in the unusually cool (for Australia) microclimate of Orange. Lying 175 miles west of Sydney, its wines are fruit-forward, yet better balanced than most Australian wines. With alcohol levels of 13.5 to 13.9%, they are a relief from over-the-top, low-acid wines. My favorite, the Cab-Merlot (Wine Spectator 87), is ripe and textured with firm but soft tannins and good length. The very appealing Shiraz (Wine Spectator 87) shows lifted, bright raspberry aromas and flavors supported by firm but not intrusive tannins. Coupons are available for Rolling and Climbing wines that will save you $4 per bottle - up to one case! They expire June 30th. A print of the attractive Rolling label is also available.Climbing Shiraz, 2004 ($14.99) - Philip Shaw, one of Australia’s most highly regarded winemakers (Rosemount and Southcorp), founded Cumulus Wines in the unusually cool (for Australia) microclimate of Orange. Lying 175 miles west of Sydney, its wines are fruit-forward, yet better balanced than most Australian wines. James Halliday (the guru of Australian wines) rated this wine 91! More intense than the Rolling Shiraz, this wine is textured with lovely dark fruit flavors, hints of anise, and firmer tannins, but it avoids the big, chewy style so often associated with Australian Syrah. It has good oak-fruit balance.Hamilton’s
Ewell Vineyards Sturt River Cab/Shiraz, 2002
($15.99) - The Hamilton family
established South Australia’s first commercial vineyard and winery on the
fertile banks of the Sturt River in 1838; this wine pays homage to that
pioneering enterprise. A classic blend of Cabernet and Shiraz sourced from
Hamilton’s own vineyards, it displays the rich, ripe fruit character of these
two varietals that has made South Australian wines so popular. The grapes were
picked in the cool of the morning to enhance freshness and were fermented in
small, upright fermenters that were pumped over three times a day to gain
maximum flavor and color. The wine was matured in one- and two-year old barrels
for 12 months to provide a subtle oak influence. Dark and inky in color, it has
a rich, ripe, berry fruit flavor with spicy and fruit cake flavors and fine
tannins. This is a big, rich wine
that is perfect for barbecued beef.
Brothers
in Arms Blend No. 6, 2003 ($16.99) - Need a big wine for a barbecue? Check out this 70% Shiraz,
30% Cabernet from Langhorne Creek, Australia. It is ultra ripe and packed with
fruit. At 15% alcohol, there’s no need to open a second bottle! Pretty Sally Cabernet/Shiraz, Victoria, 2004
($17.99) - When tasting a new wine with just the bottle in front of me and no
other information, the first thing I do is estimate what the wine is worth. My
guess for this one was $30 - it’s that good! Big and ripe, which is unusual
for the cool Victoria district of western Australia, this is a spicy,
fruit-filled wine with Victoria’s typically good acidity. Neither the Cabernet
nor the Shiraz dominate the palate. Stephen Tanzer 90: “Focused nose offers
cherry, red currant, rhubarb, and candied licorice. Firm, juicy, and complex, a
striking blend of red and dark berry.” Pretty Sally, named after hills near
the vineyard, is a partnership of the McKay, Davies, and Cornew families along
with one of Australia’s most famous winemakers, John Ellis. John was selected
to launch Rosemount Estate and within two years led it to 17 gold metals. More
information can be found at www.prettysally.com. Layer
Cake Shiraz, 2006
($18.69)
-
SOLD OUT! - We are waiting for the 2007. Jayson Woodbridge is uncompromising in his quest to produce the finest
Cabernet Sauvignon in America. His Hundred Acre Cabernet is a cult wine that
gets stellar reviews and sells for $250 per bottle! Along with fellow winemaker
Philippe Melka, Jayson is also involved with an Australian project. Layer Cake
is a Barossa Valley Shiraz from four different vineyard sites along the
“golden mile,” so called because of the stunning quality of the fruit that
comes from this region. (This is the primary source of Penfold’s Grange!)
Layer Cake compares favorably to many $30 Australian wines. The violet and
blueberry scent leads into sweet blackcherry flavors. It has dense and bountiful
dark fruit without being overtly lush. Intense mocha undertones accentuate a
weighty mid-palate and gorgeous mouthfeel, yet the wine is light on its feet and
finishes clean and pure. Yangarra Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2005 ($19.99) and Yangarra Cadenzia GSM, McLaren Vale, 2004 ($26.99) - Australia offers some amazing values like these. Both spent 18 months in French oak. The Shiraz tastes like a more expensive wine with its rich, generous, and spicy fruit. The Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend (50%, 40%, and 10% respectively) is soft, slightly oaky, complex, voluptuous, and beautifully textured. And the Wine Spectator listed it in their top 100 wines of 2006. Bleasdale Frank Potts Proprietary Red, 2004 ($24.99) - What a delicious, full-flavored, and nicely balanced Australian wine! Robert Parker: 90 “The 2004 Frank Potts is a blend of 67% Cab Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, and 15% Petit Verdot. This cuvee spent 18 months in French and American wood, which is evident in the noticeable wood component. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding effort displaying notions of soy, vanillin, black currants, mint, and blackberries in its rich, full-bodied, tannic personality. It should last 10-12 years at a minimum. Drink 2006-18.” David
Traeger Shiraz, 2000
($24.99) - Easily the equal of any $30 Australian
Shiraz, this concentrated wine displays dark cherry and truffle-like aromas as
well as rich, earthy flavors that are complemented by subtle oak. Although very
enjoyable now, this beauty should age gracefully, as there are ripe tannins and
good acidity beneath the abundant fruit. David Traeger established his winery
1986 in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria. He became part of the Dromana
Estate (see above) in 2002. David is famous in Australia for his Verdelho, a
rather unfashionable Portuguese white varietal which we hope to obtain in the
future. His Greytown vineyard was planted in 1892 to Shiraz and Grenache. It was
allowed to grow wild, but David has been bringing it back into viable, low-yield
production. One section has been grafted to Verdelho. A second vineyard, at
Hughes Creek south of Nagamble, contains only Verdelho. Craneford Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley, 2002 ($27.99) - Australian wineries are known for Shiraz, but they also make some exceptionally good Cabernets. Parker: 91 “Run by Don Zilm, this impressive winery fashions textbook Barossa cuvées, meaning power, thickness, and intensity as well as surprising balance. Prices are shockingly low for such quality. The 2002 Cabernet reveals the vintage’s opaque purple color along with glorious aromas of blackberries, minerals, toast, creosote, and spice box. Dense and chewy with abundant quantities of fat and glycerin concealing the wine’s tannin, it is a voluptuous Cabernet that may be even better than its current score indicates. Anticipated maturity: now-2015.” Two Hands Shiraz/Grenache “Brave Faces,” 2005 ($38.99) and Shiraz/Cabernet “Bull & Bear,” 2004 ($56.99) - This Australian winery consistently gets scores well into the 90s from Parker and the Wine Spectator. The “two hands” are Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz who formed the company in 1999. Michael Twelftree spent a number of years exporting Australian wine to the U.S. and Asia. Richard Mintz, an accountant, was formerly CEO of one of Australia’s leading cooperages in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. With Twelftree’s contacts and wine savvy approach and Mintz’s management skills and business acumen, the two old friends started making wine together. They purchased 17 tons of fruit from the McLaren Vale and Padthaway wine regions. From the beginning the wines were very well received at home and abroad culminating in 2004 with Robert M. Parker pronouncing Two Hands as “the finest negoçiant operation south of the equator.” Very limited! (www.twohandswines.com) Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet, 1996 ($39.99) and Michael Shiraz, 1996 ($39.99) - We have written of this Cab before, but with the Shiraz now available and the price reduced (from $46.99), another look is in order. The origin of Wynns began in Australia around 1890 when John Riddoch founded Chateau Comaum. In 1951 the property was purchased by Samuel Wynn and his son David who recognized the potential for Coonawarra table wines but were up against the local preference for dessert wines at that time. Wynns was among the first Australian wineries to market estate wines based on origin and varietal, and by the 1960s public taste caught up to the Wynns offerings, and the brand became one of the best known in Australia. Today the Riddoch Cab and Michael Shiraz (named for David’s son Michael) are flagship wines, produced only in exceptional vintages. These are full-throttle, benchmark wines that are blends of the best grapes grown in several vineyards. The Shiraz was aged 18 months in American barrique. The Cab was aged 25 months in new French and American barrique. Both need serious food to stand up to them. Many of us think only of Australia’s value wines, but these are magnificent examples of Australia’s best. Drink now - 2010. Yalumba "Signature," 2002 ($44.95) - Robert Parker 96! "The 2002 The Signature (56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Shiraz) was given the same upbringing as its young sibling [the 2003], but 2002 is a better vintage for Yalumba. The 2002 exhibits smoky, blackberry, incense, charcoal, and floral characteristics along with tremendous glycerin, richness, purity, and teeth-staining levels of extract. Remarkably, there are no hard edges, and the acidity, tannin, and alcohol are beautifully integrated. This cuvee should drink well for 15 years." Clarendon
Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Hickinbotham Vineyard, 2002 ($62.50)
- This Australian winery produces mouth-filling, concentrated, world-class
wines. Parker: 92-94 “This blockbuster exhibits tremendous color
saturation to the rim along with scents of melted licorice intermixed with new
saddle leather, creme de cassis, and spice box. Dense and full-bodied,
it is the finest Cabernet Sauvignon Hickenbotham I have tasted from Clarendon
Hills. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.” Clarendon Hills Syrah (Shiraz) Liandra Vineyard, 2002 ($69.99) - Parker: 94-96 “Opulent, dense, blackberry liqueur-filled effort with huge body as well as tremendous reserves of fruit, glycerin, and intensity. It will last for 15-20 years.” Additional older vintages and rarities can be found at our Oldies But Goodies page. Australian Whites Tin Dog Chardonnay ($13.99/magnum) is certainly not a complex wine, but it is soft and easy to enjoy. A clear step up from Yellow Tail. Fish Cage Sauvignon/Semillon, 2004 ($14.99) and Chardonnay/Viognier, 2004 ($14.99) are unoaked Australian whites that deliver terrific value. The vibrant Sauv/Sem has a clean herbaceous character that is toned down and balanced nicely by the Semillon. The Chard/Viognier has fresh, bright, apricot fruit with hints of tropical Viognier character. The Aussies love blends; Sem/Chard is particularly popular. Fish Cage is a brand of the family-owned, Hunter Valley Hungerford Hill winery (www.hungerfordhill.com.au). The grapes for the Sauv/Sem come from New South Wales, while the Chard/Viognier also includes grapes from Victoria. The Tumbarumba region of New South Wales is one of the coolest and highest wine regions in Australia, and its grapes contribute refreshing acidity. The Chard/Viognier won Silver Medals at three local wine competitions and a trophy at the International Chardonnay Challenge. Yalumba Viognier “Eden Valley,” 2004 ($14.99) - Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, began with 30 acres in 1849 when English brewer Samuel Smith [!] brought his family to the Barossa Valley in search of a new life. Six generations later, Yalumba now encompasses more than 1500 acres of vines. Robert Parker: 91 “Yalumba consistently demonstrates a deft touch for producing high quality, elegantly-styled Viognier, and their stunning 2004 is filled with flavor, finesse, and minerality. With a wonderful texture as well as abundant quantities of honeysuckle, litchi nut, tropical fruit, and apricot/peach notes, this is an excellent value [at $17!].” Yalumba is aboriginal for “all the land around. The Wines of Boggy Creek (www.boggycreekvineyards.com) - This Australian winery is new to the east coast. Maggie and Graeme Ray planted a vineyard to Chardonnay and Riesling in 1978. They made wines for “home consumption” for years, gradually adding Cabernet, Shiraz, Pinot Gris, Barbera, and others to what is now a 61-acre vineyard Located in Victoria, the vineyard and winery are situated in a unique microclimate in the King Valley region. The vines are planted on north-east-facing hills at an altitude of 1100 feet. The result is very cool nights and days that take a long time to warm up. Full ripeness is achieved only because of the very long growing season. The unusually cool nights keep the acids high, and the wines are often acid-adjusted to eliminate the tendency toward shrillness.Boggy Creek Pinot Gris, 2002 ($15.99) - Finished with a screw cap, this Alsatian-style wine was picked late to give it fuller flavor and body, as opposed to most Italian Pinot Grigios which are picked early to preserve their delicacy and acid. Half of this wine was aged in old oak for 3 months to soften the texture. The result is a lovely, mineral-infused wine in a slightly tropical style. A small amount of acid was added back for crispness. Sometimes manipulation works! Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaida Hills (Australia) 2001 ($16.99) - If you think New Zealand is producing spectacular Sauvignon Blancs, wait until you taste this wine. Robert Parker 90: “Impressive! It boasts copious quantities of intense, honeyed tropical fruit, melons, and figs along with a medium-bodied, vibrant, concentrated personality. This gorgeous Sauvignon should drink well for 1-2 years.” Many $25 Sauvignons aren’t this good. Frankland
Estate Riesling “Cooladerra Vineyard,” Western Australia, 2002 ($17.99) - Both Australia and New Zealand make several terrific
dry Rieslings. Wine Spectator 88: “Dry, tart, and lively with
citrus and green apple fruit weaving a bit of a leafy note to liven the finish,
the fruit echoing nicely. Drink now through 2006. Only 100 cases imported.” Hamilton’s Ewell Vineyards Stonegarden Chardonnay, 2003 ($18.99) - Barossa Valley is the origin of some of Australia’s finest wines. This luscious, rich Chardonnay comes predominantly from the 30-year old vines of the Railway Vineyard near Rockford’s. These grapes give the wine its tropical fruit flavor. A small portion of the 2003 Stonegarden Chard comes from a vineyard in the cooler Williamstown end of the Barossa Valley and adds finesse and acid balance to the wine. A portion of this wine was aged a few months in new French oak before being blended with the remaining unoaked portion. This gives a touch of oak while preserving finesse as well as the bright, vibrant fruit. A lovely wine, it competes well with California wines around $25. Pair it with creamy pasta dishes, veal scaloppini, and chicken casserole. The 2003 vintage was a drought year in South Australia, but that only added to the depth of this wine. Dromana Estate Chardonnay Reserve, 2002 ($23.99) - Many people think of Australian Chardonnays as only good and cheap. But this is great wine, easily the equal of California’s best and some of Burgundy’s Premier Crus. Dromana Estate was founded in 1982 by Garry Crittenden. The wines he made forged the reputation of Victoria’s cool Mornington Peninsula. In 2003 Rollo Crittenden took over from his father as winemaker. The winery has grown with the acquisition of David Traeger Wines. It now markets seven different brand labels. The 2002 vintage was characterized by an abundance of sunshine and naturally low yields. Only the top 5% of Dromana’s fruit goes into the Reserve bottling. After whole bunch pressing, the juice went straight into barrels for a natural yeast fermentation on full solids. It underwent 100% malolactic fermentation and was aged on the lees for 18 months in the same barrels. This is an amazing Chardonnay! More information can be found at www.dromanaestate.com.au. Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, 2003 ($27.99) - Wow! Not only is South Africa producing some dynamite Sauvignon Blancs, but if this wine is an indicator, we should be seeing some terrific Chardonnays too. This beauty is Burgundian in style with a sense of earthy terroir, excellent acidity, balance, and harmony that are rare at this price. Delicious! Their interesting, but unusual 2002 Pinot Noir ($29.99) is also available.
New Zealand Reds
(a small category, but it will be growing)
Kim Crawford SP Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2005
($22.99) - This Reserve version of Kim Crawford’s Pinot Noir is very limited.
I didn’t get to taste it prior to release, but I’m sure it will be something
special. Crown Range Wines ‘Blind Trail’ Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2006 ($23.99) - Carnac the Magnificent predicts that New Zealand will soon be as well known for Pinot Noir as it now is for Sauvignon Blanc. This Pinot is really stunning. Its amazing bouquet suggests greatness. While the palate doesn’t deliver greatness, it does deliver exceptionally good Pinot character, texture, and harmony for the price. At 13.5%, the alcohol doesn’t get in the way of the delicious, smoky, herb and cherry fruit. A silky, sexy wine that will develop nicely over the next year or two! Palliser Estate Pinot Noir, Martinborough, 2004 ($24.99) - New Zealand has made enormous strides in the last ten years. Central Otago and Martinborough (near the southern tip of the North Island) seem to be the leading districts for high end Pinot. This wine is a real find and a beautiful expression of Pinot Noir fruit in a Burgundian style. Fairly deep in color, it has flamboyant aromatics [people laugh when I tell them that I get as much - if not more - pleasure out of smelling a fine Pinot Noir as I do out of tasting it], medium fruit that is varietally true, and a lingering finish. Palliser’s first grapes were planted in 1984. With additional plantings, 210 acres are now under vine. Winemaker Allan Johnson was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2002. More info and pictures can be found at www.palliser.co.nz. Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir, 2005 ($29.99) - The fact that New Zealand has a wide range of micro-climates means that all grape varietals can be grown well somewhere in the country. I’ve been watching the Pinot Noir scene there for many years. A few good ones have been made, but at un-realistic prices. Mt. Difficulty is a boutique winery in central Otago’s Bannockburn (South Island). It has had success with Pinot Noir in recent years with some spectacular, but expensive single-vineyard Pinots. Mt. Difficulty also offers this attractively priced blend of grapes from their four vineyards. It has unique earthy, savory, dried herb, and white pepper characteristics, most likely due to an unusually long maceration, but the varietal fruit is beautifully rendered. This newly released vintage improves substantially with airing. A bottle I tried was actually better the second day. More information can be found at www.mtdifficulty.co.nz. Amisfield Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2005 ($32.99) - Wine Spectator 93 & Top 100 Wines of 2007! “Suave and ripe, with plush depth to the Asian spice, roasted duck, wild berry, and black cherry flavors. Crushed stone nuances, judicious oak, and sinuous tannins streamline the stylish finish. Now - 2011.” It is amusing to read PR describing the “classic Central Otago dark spicy fruit characters underlaid with licorice and smoky notes.” Central Otago is too new a wine growing area to talk about anything “classic,” but this South Island region of New Zealand is fast becoming the source for fine Pinot Noir. The small Amisfield Wine Company is located 7 km north of Lowburn near the shores of Lake Dunstan. Planting began in 1999 and now consists of 60 hectares of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are close-planted, and yields are kept low to provide concentrated fruit flavor with complexity derived from the range of sites within the vineyard. Award winning Amisfield winemaker Jeff Sinnott’s philosophy is that wines should be a reflection of where they are grown.New Zealand Whites
Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 200 5 ($12.59) - New Zealand continues to send us superb, well priced Sauvignon Blancs. This one is fresh, clean, medium-bodied and solidly varietal, with hints of grass and grapefruit. It is perfect for casual sipping or to accompany seafood and chicken.Spy Valley Riesling, 2004 ($16.99) - A near-perfect wine for only 17 bucks! Please, please, please try this compelling and delicious wine. This beautifully balanced wine has complex fruit, refreshing acidity, and just a touch of sugar (only 10 grams/liter). I know it’s a Riesling, but it is delicious! Situated on the sunny southern side of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and nestled on the terraces of the Omaka River, Johnson Estate produces wines marketed under the Spy Valley label. New Zealand is best known for Sauv Blanc, but this is a perfect summer wine. More Alsatian in style than Germanic, it shows ripe citrus, mandarin, and grapefruit aromas. It has a full, rich texture, yet is lightly structured (only 12% alcohol). This is a fine sipper, but it’s also sensational with food. Trust me. Due in June 2nd along with their fine Sauvignon Blanc. Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc, 2001 ($19.99) - New Zealand’s reputation for Sauvignon Blanc continues to grow. This estate bottled wine shows the fruit, finesse, and balance of the best of them. It is slightly understated, not typically flamboyant, yet there is sufficient fruit and acid for several years of development. The Rose family sold all their Marlborough grapes to other wineries for many years, but recently hired winemaker John Belsham to make their own wines. They keep the best 20% and sell off the remainder of the grapes. Their vineyard management encourages low yields (2-3 tons per acre) so the wines are rich and full of character. Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc “Te Muna Road Vineyard,” Martinborough, NZ, 2006 ($22.99) - New Zealand’s Marlborough district makes impressive mass-produced Sauvignons, but other producers hand-craft smaller batches of even higher quality wine. Martinborough, at the south end of the North Island, has a cooler spring and a warmer autumn than Marlborough. Because its harvest takes place roughly ten days later under drier conditions, its wines are more extracted, complex, and structured, with more subtle aromatics and greater elegance. This beauty tones down the aggressive grapefruit notes of the lesser wines and offers refined balance and bright acidity. Technical details for the wine geeks: free-run juice only, part indigenous yeast, 10% barrel-fermented, 2-4 months on the lees, gently fined but not filtered. Wine Spectator 90: “Firm, intense, and harmonious, with a concentrated core of crushed stone flavors framing lemon-lime, grapefruit, and tangy quince notes. Minerality lingers on the finish.” Kim Crawford SP (Wood Aged) Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2004 ($22.99) - SP (small parcel) refers to small batches of grapes that stand out from the rest. The larger-than-life Kim Crawford has created a larger-than-life “reserve” Sauvignon Blanc that is big and aggressive, yet impeccably balanced and polished. Pale straw in color, fragrant, and quite concentrated, this lovely wine shows purity of tropical fruit. Oak flavors enhance but do not dominate the asparagus, lemon zest, gooseberry, and mineral-laden palate. The solid acidity contributes to the lingering finish. This is a perfect match for Asian food flavored with lemongrass. Only a few stores in New Jersey will have this very limited release wine.
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