September is in the Books
Another month and a few more wines
2012 Thorn Clarke Shotfire
Quarterage, Barossa Valley, Australia
JAMES HALLIDAY, FEBRUARY, 2015
95 Points: ‘A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc,
petit verdot and merlot. Comes from a distinguished line of wines that have
over-delivered, and this wine is up with the best of those made to date. While
much of its quality comes from the vineyard, it has also been very well made;
its blackcurrant, redcurrant, cherry and spice flavours flow in a seamless
stream across the palate and aftertaste.’
Shotfire Quartage is based on the five traditional red
varieties found in the Bordeaux region of France (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec). Our winemakers use at least four of the
varieties to create the blend each year (occasionally, they can get over
excited and use all five). The blend is
a reminder to not only look to the future but also to keep an eye on the past
and tradition.
This wine is showing
very well right now. The blend is well done, with the Cabernet Sauvignon
leading the way, but not overpowering.
Red and blackberry with hints of graphite and lilted floral and spices
on the long finish. Good Aussie wine – worth the price of the low $20’s.
La Guita Manzanilla Sherry NV
This wine is a captivating depiction of 100 percent Palomino
Fino aged under flor in the traditional system of maturation called Solera
aging. After a very careful selection of Palomino grapes, Manzanilla “La Guita”
is produced and aged following the traditional system of “Criaderas and
Solera”. Matured in Sanlúcar de
Barrameda, the gentle sea breeze helps to give it a very dry and crisp flavour. It is aged under its “velo de flor” (natural
yeast) and all the process is carefully controlled by the wine maker, who
zealously cares for the good development of the wines and especially watches
its “flor” to obtain the unique fragrance and bouquet of Manzanilla “La Guita”.
A dazzling lemon-gold in color, La Guita Manzanilla is clean
and fresh on the nose displaying aromas of glazed fruit, wild herbs and toasted
almonds. On the palate, it is light, yet persistent, mimicking the aromatic
intensity of the nose onto the remarkable finish.
This is a dry sherry I
got on close out - $10. This has a umami flavor to it, not sweet, that is crisp
and refreshing. Best with salty cheese, olives and the like. Nice…
2014 Angry Bunch
Zinfandel, Lodi, California
"I, Zinfandel Grape, do hereby pledge to uphold the
code of the Angry Bunch. I promise to be in tip top shape, before they crush me
and take all my juice. I will always strive to give off a color so dark and
brooding, some would call it violent violet. I solemnly swear that I will not
tap dance on your taste buds, but will make a mosh pit out of them. I shall
look down upon weaker and thin-skinned grapes, that can't hang with us in our
vineyards, and laugh at weaker wines with higher prices. Above all, I promise
to be angry, so that you, the wine drinker, can be happy. If I fail to uphold
any of the aforementioned promises, my membership to the Angry Bunch will
forever be revoked."
Deep ruby color. Elegant notes of wild violet and rose blend
with fresh blueberry, raspberry and concentrated bramble notes. Robust,
concentrated fruit with a ripe texture and juicy mouthfeel blends with hints of
spice and vanilla to create a powerful yet well-balanced palate. Bright acidity
complements hearty tannins and provides for a lasting, complex finish.
Pairs well with barbecue, grilled meats, zesty pasta,
braised pork, and hearty cheeses.
A fun bottle of
Zinfandel from the Lodi area – nice fruit nose with a deep berry flavor that
seemed powerful without being overwhelming.
Fair finish, light tannins – a crowd pleasing wine, all for about $20.
Label is great, too.
2012 Mr. Riggs the
Truant Shiraz, McLaren Valley, Australia
Black garnet color. Lively aromas of creme brulee, melted
toffee, and sour cherry tart with a satiny, vibrant, fruity medium-to-full body
and a graceful, compelling, medium-length chocolate graham cracker, vanilla
yogurt craisins, blood orange, and sandalwood finish with well-integrated,
chewy tannins and light oak. A nice juicy, appetizing shiraz.
A very good shiraz
from McLarenVale in Australia. Indeed juicy, with lots of fruit on the nose and
on the palate. Light tannins integrate well into the flavors of this wine.
Another crowd pleaser for around $20.Pick up some of this one.
2013 John Duval
Plexus SGM, Barossa Valley, Australia
“My aim with Plexus is express the wide spectrum of red
fruit flavours from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre and also provide structure
with a seamless balance and long finish.
Traditional, low intervention winemaking techniques are
employed with Plexus, allowing the wine to be approachable in its youth, but
also have medium term cellaring potential for 8-10 years.”
Region: Barossa
Valley
Variety: Shiraz 54%, Grenache 32%, Mourvedre 14%. The Shiraz
was sourced from old vineyards in the Tanunda, Krondorf and Ebenezer regions,
Grenache from the Tanunda and Ebenezer region and Mourvèdre from the Light Pass
region.
Winemaking: Fermentation with submerged cap and small open
stainless steel fermenters.
Oak Maturation: 100%
barrel maturated for 14 months, with just 8% new fine grain French oak hogsheads (300 litre
barrels); with the balance 3-6 year old
barrels. Some Shiraz finished
fermentation in new French oak.
92 pts “Broad, expressive and open-textured, with a sense of
restraint to the black cherry, blackberry, floral and wet earth flavors,
finishing with density, harmony and persistence. Shiraz, Grenache and
Mourvedre.” Harvey Steinman Wine
Spectator
John Duvall was a
winemaker at Penfolds for 29 years, making outstanding wines like Grange. He
left and used his own vineyards to continue his career. He makes serious wines
– nothing like sappy Yellow Tail. This is a deep, intensely flavored wine that
goes well with food. The berry flavors linger on a nice finish with limited
tannins. Really good wine – Priced between $25 and$ 30, a good wine to spring on
friends.
2012 Rubus Shiraz,
Barossa Valley, Australia
"Smooth and succulent, tempering its rich cherry
compote flavors with hints of tobacco and pepper. Finishes with a long echo of
licorice. Drink now through 2020. 2,000 cases made. –HS"
- Wine Spectator (June 15th 2014), 90 pts
Grape Varietals 98% Shiraz & 2% Viognier
The Viognier was co-fermented (50/50) with Shiraz and then
back blended with Shiraz before filling to oak. Fermentation was cool for the
Shiraz Viognier parcel (20 deg C) and slightly warmer for the Shiraz parcels
(26-28 deg C). We used a yeast called RX60 which was originally isolated from
Barossa vineyards but is now commercially produced. Malo-lactic fermentation
was carried out at the same time as alcoholic fermentation. By the time the parcels
were pressed they were ready to be locked up and put to bed in oak. We used
some A grade material to bolster the Rubus blend. These parcels saw very sexy
American oak that was coopered in France – they are a toned down version of
American oak and require much more time to blossom. The remaining wine saw
American oak coopered in America, most of the oak was sourced from the
Appalachian mountain range. The coopers say that these barrels add a spicy nose
and creamy mid palate (almost like lemon cream). They tend to have less sweet
oak character and therefore helps retain the perception of acid line.
This wine is showing
very well – a deep brooding style of Shiraz with dark berry flavors and hints
of spices and other aromatics. Drinkable alone but a much better match with
foods – the acidity holds up well to big dishes. Nice finish – well worth the
price – under $20 at most locations.
Well, that's another month of wines! Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.
