Skillogalee Riesling 2012 $21–$25
Skillogalee vineyard, Clare Valley, South Australia
Skillogalee, established in the early 1970s, first caught my attention when the 1978 vintage won a trophy at the national wine show. Its dazzling freshness and shimmering fruit character sent a ripple of excitement across the wine trade. The now mature vines, planted at around 500 metres in south-western Clare, make even better wines today – in this instance a blend of many individual parcels picked for optimum ripeness at different times during vintage. The wine pulses with life – the thrilling, juicy, intense lime-like varietal flavour cut with racy acidity on a nevertheless soft, deeply textured palate. This is another remarkable Clare riesling from the outstanding 2012 vintage. It drinks well now and should age deliciously for at least ten years if well cellared.

Hahndorf Hill Winery Gruner Veltliner 2012 $28
Hahndorf Hill vineyard, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Hahndorf Hill owners Larry Jacobs and Marc Dobson pursued the great Austrian dream when they established vineyards in the Adelaide Hills. Research, they say, identified a fit between Austria’s late-ripening gruner veltliner and their elevated, continental-climate vineyard site. In Austria, they write, “vignerons all place huge emphasis on one crucial quality-defining factor – significant diurnal variation… the combination of good ripening days and cold nights that allows for an extended growing season… coaxing out its famously pure flavours and aromatics”. Well, the proof of the gruner is in the drinking of this dazzling, fresh 2012. It’s highly aromatic and flavoursome, with texture, savour and a pleasant bite to the finish.

Mount Majura Shiraz 2010 $28–30
Mount Majura Vineyard, Canberra District, ACT
Canberra’s 2010 vintage, the last of a run of warm seasons, included a couple of cool spells. Though the reds seem generally less opulent and more firmly tannic than the 2009s, winemaker Frank van der Loo notes in his 2010 “more spice than some years” – a flavour component normally associated with cool ripening. Indeed the spice cupboard dominates the aroma and flavour of this medium bodied red. But that’s an adornment to the underlying bright varietal fruit flavour. The texture’s particularly silky – partly a result, no doubt, of including a high proportion of whole bunches (including stalks) in the ferment. Firm but fine tannins rein the fruit in, giving a tight and savoury finish to a most appealing wine.

Chrismont La Zona Sangiovese 2011 $17–$22
Whitfield, King Valley, Victoria
Under the influence of Brown Brothers, Arnie Pizzini and his son Arnie jnr converted from tobacco to grape growing in the early 1980s. In 1984 they planted the Italian variety barbera and followed with sangiovese in 1999. The, operation now run by Arnie jnr and wife Jo, includes a range of Italian varieties and the Spanish tempranillo. Their 2011 sangiovese pleases for its medium body, subtle cherry-like fruit flavour and earthy, savoury tannins – an unobtrusive wine to accompany food, not be the centre of attention.

Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz 2010 $100
Mount Langi Ghiran vineyard, Grampians, Victoria
Australia’s great diversity of shiraz styles range from the inky black colour and full bodied power of those from warm climates to more subtle, medium bodied versions from cooler areas. And even within the subtle cool-climate versions, styles vary widely. Somewhere out on its own sits The Langi, a limpid, perfumed, peppery, comparatively delicate shiraz sourced from old vines at Mount Langhi Ghiran. The musk, pepper and spice of the aroma and flavour come with an intriguing stalky note, probably from whole-bunch maceration. The delicate, harmonious palate weaves all these flavours in with the finest, silkiest tannins imaginable – a brilliant, unique wine.

Cracroft Chase Blue Sun Pinot Gris 2009 $15
Cracroft Chase vineyard, Canterbury, New Zealand
Cracroft Chase’s Wilma Laryn visited Canberra recently, chasing business for her small Canterbury winery. The five-hectare vineyard produces only pinot gris, a variety that clearly suits the cool site. This is pinot gris as you seldom see it in Australia – in your face with its pear-like flavour, full body, syrupy-rich texture, grippy finish and pungent hit of lees-derived character that may overwhelm some palates. I can imagine this with soft cheese and dishes laced with rich, creamy sauces. It’s available at Braddon Cellars.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2012
First published 24 October 2012 in The Canberra Times

Mount Majura Vineyard Graciano 2010 $25
Mount Majura, Canberra District, ACT
Frank van de Loo’s lovely graciano won a gold medal and two trophies at this year’s regional wine show. Van de Loo says he bottled the late-ripening variety separately, rather than blending it with other varieties, for the first time in 2006 – but the 2010 is “probably the first that has been turning heads”. He adds that because it ripens so late “we only get it to this level of ripeness by severe crop thinning. Even in the warm 2010 vintage an exotic and intense peppery aroma says, phew, just made it. But sometimes wines that just struggle across the ripeness line bring more pleasure – it seems the just-ripe peppery notes emphasise the vibrant, fresh berry flavours underneath. In this instance it means a medium-bodied, savoury red that drinks deliciously now.

d’Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz 2010 $16.15–$20
McLaren Vale, South Australia
The wine bears the name of Footbolt, a racehorse whose success helped Joseph Osborn fund the purchase of d’Arenberg’s first vineyard in 1912. Osborn’s descendents, d’Arry and son, Chester, continue to run the business. The Footbolt remains one of Australia’s big-value wines. It offers robust McLaren Vale shiraz flavour and savouriness, supported by mouth coating but soft, ripe tannins. It’s exceptionally rich and satisfying at this price and has the depth to age well for five to ten years if well cellared.

Curly Flat Pinot Noir $48–50
Curly Flat vineyard, Macedon, Victoria
Vigneron Phillip Moraghan says, “Vintage 2010 was a joy after the incredibly low yielding 2009”. We could add it’s a joy to drink too, and likely to remain so for a few decades. I place it in the very top ranks of Australian pinot noir – and all the more appealing because it moves well away from the strawberry-like fruit flavours we see in so many. Fruit sweetness remains crucial, but top pinot should also be earthy, savoury and richly, smoothly textured with a quite firm but fine tannin backbone. This pretty well describes the outstanding Curly Flat. Released in November and available cellar door and at George’s Liquor Stable, Phillip.

Curly Flat The Curly Pinot Noir 2010 $48–$50
Curly Flat vineyard, Macedon, Victoria
In 2010, under the influence of a visiting winemaker from Domaine Dujac, Burgundy, Curly Flat produced 244 dozen of The Curly – a variant on the other Curly Flat pinot reviewed today. The Curly enjoyed a slightly longer pre-fermentation maceration (five days versus 2–3 days); 100 per cent whole-bunch fermentation (versus 11 per cent); a 20-day fermentation (versus 12–17 days) and maturation in 100 per cent new French oak (versus 31 per cent new).  The wines share a common thread; but  surprisingly The Curly gobbles up all the new oak, which seems to add more to the tannin structure than flavour. The wine’s also a little earthier, more ethereal and a teasing bit of stalkiness that emphasises the underlying fruit flavour. Due for release in March-April 2013, it will be available by allocation only, so email expressions of interest to office@curlyflat.com

Printhie MCC Chardonnay 2010 $35
Orange, NSW
This and the Ross Hill chardonnay reviewed today are my picks of a range of wines tasted ahead of the Orange Wine Week, being held 19–28 October. The Swift family owns vineyards but also sources grapes from other growers. Drew Tuckwell makes the wines – in this instance a barrel fermented and matured selection of the best chardonnay grapes available from the vintage. It’s fuller bodied than the Ross Hill wine (from the cooler 2011 vintage), revealing grapefruit and white peach varietal flavours, deliciously meshed with all that comes from fermentation and ageing in barrel.

Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Chardonnay 2011 $35
Ross Hill Home Block vineyard, Orange, NSW
Terri and Peter Robson established Ross Hill in 1994 and planted chardonnay on their home block in 1996. In 2008 Greg and Kim Jones joined the business “to build the Ross Hill winery and plant further, higher elevation vines on the slopes of Mount Canobolas”.  Since 2009 wines have been made on site by Phil and Rochelle Kerney. The wines are among the best from the region. For this wine whole bunches were pressed and the juice run directly to oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation. It’s a classy chardonnay, showing the lean, acidic structure of the cool vintage, underpinned by intense grapefruit-like varietal flavour, infused with the funky notes and rich texture of barrel fermentation and maturation.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2012
First published 17 October 2012 in The Canberra Times

Lark Hill Canberra District Pinot Noir 2011 $30
Shock and horror stories of vintage 2011 didn’t paint the full picture. Yes, mildew and rot took their toll. And low temperatures slowed and even prevented ripening in some instances. But the best reds now coming onto the market are as clean as a scalpel, though somewhat lighter than in warmer years. The Carpenter family’s pinot noir demonstrates the positive side of the vintage. It’s intensely aromatic and a touch spicy, within normal pinot varietal bounds; and the medium bodied, lively palate again delivers intense varietal flavour and a fine, silky structure. It’s a delight to drink now and should evolve well in the medium term.

Kingston Estate Adelaide Hills-Mount Benson Pinot Gris 2012 $13–14
Bill Moularadellis’s Kingston Estate, though based on the Murray River, sources fruit from cooler growing regions. In this instance pinot gris from the cool Adelaide Hills and mild maritime Mount Benson region (near Coonawarra but closer to the sea) delivers a good value for money dry white. It’s a difficult variety and sometimes the descriptor “textural” seems a euphemism for bland. Kingston’s version captures some of elusive pear-like varietal flavour, but it’s really more savoury than it is fruity. And, yes, a rich, slightly grippy texture adds to its savoury appeal.

Koonara The Temptress Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $24.95
Coonawarra’s 2010 cabernets look terrific – highly aromatic, intensely fruity and featuring the region’s unique power with elegance. Koonara’s Temptress captures this cabernet magic at a modest price. It’s deeply coloured, but limpid; the aroma shows ripe berry and floral notes, with just a hint of cabernet leafiness – characters that come through on a rich, well balanced, firm but supple palate. Proprietor Dru Reschke attributes 2010 vintage quality to smaller than average berries and the consequent high ratio of skin to juice. “As the flavour comes from the skins, the flavour structure was extremely dense”, he explained.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2012
First published 14 October 2012 in The Canberra Times

Lark Hill Chardonnay 2010 $35
Lark Hill vineyard, Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, NSW
The 2010 vintage produced a particularly fine, appealing and potentially long-lived chardonnay from Lark Hill, Canberra’s highest and coolest vineyard. High natural acidity and intense nectarine-like varietal flavour underpin the wine, which also bears the funky thumbprint of a wild yeast fermentation in older oak – lending a pleasant lift and pungency to the aroma and flavour. Although it’s two years old, the pale colour and vibrant freshness of the wine indicate a slow and delicious evolution ahead in a good cellar.

Proximo Rioja by Marquis de Riscal 2009 $9.49–$9.99
Rioja, Spain
In a recent tasting we compared this budget Rioja to its $30 and $130 cellar mates. Reassuringly, higher prices reflected increasing quality, if not proportionally, peaking with the magnificent Baron de Chirel Reserva 2005 ($130). However, Proximo, looked good even in this company. It’s a tempranillo sourced from younger vines in Spain’s Rioja region. It’s medium bodied and offers clean, fresh blueberry-like varietal flavour, overlaid with a pleasant savouriness and finishing with fairly firm, fine tannins. The range is imported by Woolworths and sold through its Dan Murphy outlets.

Chapel Hill Il Vescovo Tempranillo 2011 $25
McLaren Vale, South Australia
The alcohol level’s a full-bore 14 per cent and the colour’s pretty dark, but Il Vescovo feels and tastes medium bodied, as tempranillo should.  The aroma resembles ripe, dark summer berries like mulberry and blueberry, but there’s an exotic spicy edge, too. The palate starts with fruit sweetness; but savoury, firm tannins sweep across the palate, creating a delicious contrast of sweet fruit and biting dryness. This is a success by viticulturist Rachel Steer and winemakers Bryn Richards and Michael Fragos in a most challenging vintage.

Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner 2012 $40
Lark Hill vineyard, Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, NSW
David and Sue Carpenter and son Christopher say they planted the Austrian variety gruner veltliner so they’d have a high-quality white sitting in style somewhere between the delicacy of riesling and opulence of chardonnay. Their fourth vintage does precisely that. It’s notably fuller bodied than the 2011, with an exotic spicy aroma and flavour – very hard to describe, but unlike any other white and very pleasant. Fresh acid cuts through the full palate, although the overall impression of generosity and softness.

Down to Earth Sauvignon Blanc 2012 $26
Wrattonbully, South Australia
Lucy Croser and Xavier Bizot produce Terre a Terre, a quirky barrel fermented sauvignon blanc. But in 2012 they released Down to Earth, an unoaked wine from a vineyard planted in 2004. While all sauvignons tend to taste alike after a while, this one differentiates itself from the ubiquitous Marlborough versions. Principally it feels softer and less acidic, though stunningly fresh, and the flavour heads right out to the warmer, passionfruit-like end of the variety’s spectrum. Alcohol of 13.9 per cent, and smooth texture, add to this rich, ripe, juicy fullness. Drink now.

Random Acts of Winemaking 2010 $70
Hunter Valley, NSW and Grampian, Victoria
In a random act defying the current single-vineyard orthodoxy, winemaking mates Jim Chatto of Peppertree, Hunter Valley, and Dan Buckle, Mount Langi Ghiran, Grampians, swapped two barrels of their precious top-shelf shiraz – Chatto’s from the Roche family’s Tallawanta Vineyard and Buckle’s from Langi Ghiran estate. Chatto’s blend grew more interesting with every glass – a symbiotic combination of Hunter softness and earthiness with the spice, pepper and savour of the Grampians. It’s a wine of many dimensions and despite its slurpy appeal now will surely evolve for many years. It’s available at the cellar door (peppertreewines.com.au). Buckle moved from Langi Ghiran to Domain Chandon after the swap, but presumably we’ll see Langi’s Hunter-Grampians blend at some stage.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2012
First published 10 October 2012 in The Canberra Times