UNCORKED
The Age
Tuesday March 29, 2011
Wine of the week Punt Road Yenda Botrytis Semillon 2009 $30-$33 500mlPUNT Road is a winery in the Yarra Valley but it sources this luscious sweet wine from Yenda in the New South Wales Riverina. It's the Australian heartland of sweet, botrytis-affected semillons and this is a great specimen. It's bright yellow-gold in colour and the intense nose has candied citrus and marmalade aromas, suggestions of glace peach and apricot, and a lovely syrupy, welcoming quality. It tastes smooth and luscious, the luxurious sweetness tempered by tangy balancing acidity. It signs off lingering and clean. A beautifully made sweet wine. (11 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? Drink over five years.Food ideas Blue cheese; creme brulee.Stockists include Prince Wine Store, South Melbourne; Randall's, Albert Park. $$$Primo Estate La Biondina Colombard 2010 $14-$16COLOMBARD usually misses out when it comes to perceptions of wine quality but Joe Grilli of Primo has elevated its status through La Biondina (the blonde). Made from grapes grown close to Adelaide, the 2010 typifies the style fresh, grapey, uncomplicated but full of life. Not quite as much passionfruit as previous editions, it's still succulent and zippy. (12 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? No.Food ideas Vietnamese salads, sushi.Stockists include Randall's stores; Bottega Tasca, Carlton. $$$Deen De Bortoli Vat 1 Durif 2009 $11-$13DURIF seems ideally suited to the warm Riverina. The De Bortolis were pioneers of the variety in the region and the results are impressive. Vat 1 is a deep, dark young wine with choc-mint, berries, vanilla and tar aromas. It tastes ripe and robust with lots of juicy fruit mid-palate, good body and soft, balancing tannins. (13.5 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? Drink over three years.Food ideas Steaks; cannelloni.Stockists include Ritchies stores; Dan Murphy's stores. $$$Hay Shed Hill Margaret River Chardonnay 2010 $23-$25HAY Shed Hill's "second" chardonnay after the outstanding Block 6 is in no way second-rate. Winemaker Michael Kerrigan has fashioned a wine that folds grapefruit, pear and nutty oak aromas together with a whisper of toffee. It has excellent balance and the plump palate has attractive chalky textural interest and a lingering, fine finish. (13.5 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? Drink over three years.Food ideas Whole roasted fish; prawns.Stockists include Dan Murphy's stores; Vintage Cellars stores. $$$Chateau de Montfaucon Cotes du Rhone 2008 $25-$27A savoury, rather rustic red typical of the Cotes du Rhone appellation. Earth, leather, herby dried undergrowth, spice and berry aromas meet the nose. In the mouth, it's middling in body with spicy flavour, good persistence, grainy texture and soft tannins. Made from grenache, syrah, cinsault and carignan. (13.5 per cent alcohol; cork.)Ageing? Drink over the next year.Food ideas Braised lamb; boerewors sausage.Stockists include Piedimonte's Supa IGA, Fitzroy North; Williamstown Fine Wines. $$Mac Forbes Gruyere Syrah 2008 $37-$39FOR years the Yarra Valley wasn't quite considered prime shiraz country, despite efforts in the '70s by Yeringberg and others but now wines such as this show what's possible. Subdued spicy and floral touches, raspberry and cherry fruit introduce a delicate, fragrant style, yet it's deliciously intense, with silky mouthfeel, great length and impeccable balance. (13.4 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? Drink over four years.Food ideas Herbed minute steaks; veal scallopine.Stockists include Armadale Cellars; Randall's stores. $$Scorpo Pinot Gris 2010 $34-$36I THINK Sandro Mosele makes some of the Mornington Peninsula's best pinot gris. This fine example's lush, rich personality has a pleasant floral overlay to banana cake and spice characters. Attractive depth and unctuous texture in the mouth are counterpointed by tangy acidity, a toasty touch and none of the harsh phenolics that mark many PGs. (14 per cent alcohol; screw cap.)Ageing? Drink over three years.Food ideas Roast pork with apple sauce; washed-rind cheese.Stockists include Rathdowne Cellars, Carlton North; City Wine Shop, Spring Street, city. $$RatingsA superb example, a near perfect wine of great character, worthy of the big occasion and the best company.First class, a wine of distinction not far below the top rating.A very good wine of real style and personality.Good quality, a cut above average.A sound, agreeable wine without faults or nasty bits.Value$$$A wine with a price tag that makes it a steal.$$Reasonably priced relative to quality.$A price tag thatstretches things.
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