Clonakilla 2011 Hilltops Shiraz (4.5* $25 13.5% alc/vol) Attractive red in the glass with a delicate spice and pepper notes on the nose and elegant berries across the palate. Medium bodied cool climate Shiraz, with an attractive texture, rounded mouthfeel and a pleasant finish, very much in the drink in the short term style, but very tasty. Two more bottles won't last long….
Clonakilla 2012 Canberra District Riesling (4.5* $25 12% alc/vol) Given the discounts various sellers have been throwing around on Clare Valley Rieslings you could make a pretty strong case for staying there, but here's a reminder that it's not the only area producing premium examples of the variety. Definitely looks the part in the glass, but take a whiff and we're operating in the apple rather than the citrus end of the spectrum. The citrus kicks in behind the apple in the mouth in a bright zingy style that's precisely textured with a lengthy finish. Would be interesting to see how it shapes up as a cellaring prospect, but two more bottles won't last that long. Definite reorder material.
Clonakilla 2012 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (4.5*) Clear in the glass, herbs, cut grass and tropical fruit on the nose and tangy citrus across the palate and a crisp, refreshing finish, this makes for almost ideal summer drinking, preferably with seafood. Best of all, at 12.0% Alc/Vol it won't leave you stonkered after lunchtime, assuming you can limit yourself to a single glass. That's where the problem lies…
Clonakilla 2011 Shiraz Viognier (5* $85) Translucent crimson purple in the glass, and a complex bouquet could have had me sniffing away for a fair while if I wasn't in such a hurry to get a sample across the palate. Taking my time after that, there's plenty to savour in all departments, a nose that's abundant and built around red fruits and pepper, though there's plenty of intriguing aromas lurking there as well, and the pepper comes through in spades across the palate. Nuanced, with grippy tannins, beautifully balanced with great length. Stunning.
Dandelion Vineyards 2011 Fairytale of the Barossa Rose (4.5*) Translucent salmon pink with onionskin tints in the glass, this is, I guess, serious Rose, drawn from 85 year old bush vine Grenache grown on the Barossa’s western ridges. The nose carries a melange of elements that invoke the regular array of Rose descriptors (start with cherries, assorted berries, cream and watermelon and continue to add as the wine warms in the glass). There’s plenty of acid in the mixture, but enough residual sugar to round things out. Free run basket pressed juice wild fermented with indigenous yeasts in old French Oak barriques, left to sit on yeast lees for eight weeks and bottled without malolactic fermentation, fining or filtration, the result is fresh, lively and one in the eye for anyone who tends to equate Rose with lolly water.
Thorn-Clarke 2009 Shotfire Shiraz (4.5*) Deep crimson purple red, lifted complex dark fruit in the bouquet, vibrant blackberry and chocolate across a full-bodied palate with depth and complexity built around tight, chalky tannins. Impressive as an everyday drinking style, but it'd be reasonably impressive in most settings. (4.5*) Deep crimson purple red, lifted complex dark fruit in the bouquet, vibrant blackberry and chocolate across a full-bodied palate with depth and complexity built around tight, chalky tannins. Impressive as an everyday drinking style, but it'd be reasonably impressive in most settings.
Wills Domain 2011 Rose (4.5*) Vivid electric pink in the glass, berries through the nose and a nice balance of fruit and acid across the palate that has impressed enough to steer me away from most of my usual summer drinking favourites. Impressive, and as long as it keeps turning up on Vinomofo I'll be buying.
Woodlands 2008 Emily (4.5* $39.50 ) Purplish Merlot and Malbec dominant Bordeaux-style blend with plenty of fruit on the nose and the five varieties seemlessly merged across the palate. Complex flavours, velvety texture, all the relevant boxes ticked quite assertively. Quality wine from a quality winery whose website needs to be revisited frequently…