Former lawyer turned free-lance wine writer, Sarah Ahmed, introduced 10 wines to club members this evening. Now known as the ‘wine detective’,[1] Sarah encouraged us to look at the ‘clues in the glass’ throughout the evening. With the intention of enabling us to appreciate a diversity of wine styles, she presented pairs of wines comparing ‘classic’ and ‘cutting edge’ examples in each case. She highlighted the fact that the current trend amongst winemakers at the ‘cutting edge’, is to focus on cooler-climate regions producing wines with possibly greater elegance and subtlety than in the past.
The first pairing was a comparison of two 2011 Riesling wines: the first, a Jamsheed ‘Garden Gully Vineyard’ Riesling 2011 from Great Western, Victoria at 11.8% and available from Noel Young Wines for £23.95. The second, a Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling 2011 from Watervale, Clare Valley, South Australia at 12.5%, available from the Wine Society for £19. The cooler-climate Jamsheed was off-dry and had a perfumed, floral, honeyed note that ‘jumped out of the glass’. On the palate the wine was lively, reminiscent of freshly cut apple with an underlying minerality. The winemaker, Gary Mills, uses only natural yeasts, fermenting the grape juice in 800 litre old French oak barrels where it ages for 8 months, much of the time on the lees. The more ‘classic’ Grosset was bone-dry and more austere with a less pronounced nose. Nevertheless it had good structure and is likely to develop well with time. In an attempt to maintain freshness and purity, the winemaker, Geoff Grosset, uses only ‘free-run’ grape juice and neutral yeasts during the fermentation process, which takes place in stainless steel vats. The majority of club members at the tasting preferred the Jamsheed.
The second pairing compared Chardonnays: Ocean Eight Verve Chardonnay 2010 at 12.2%, from the chilly, southern ocean influenced Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, available from the Wine Society at £23. The wine exhibited freshness, though with a somewhat savoury texture, underscored with citrus, lemony notes. The grapes are harvested relatively early; natural yeasts are used with no exposure to new oak during 10-12 months barrel ageing. Malolactic fermentation does not occur. The other Chardonnay was the more old-fashioned Leeuwin Estate ‘Prelude’ Chardonnay 2009 at 14% from the warmer, temperate Margaret River in Western Australia, available from Noel Young Wines at £25.49. This wine was more approachable demonstrating richness and flavours of dried pear and peach yet nevertheless with an evident citric backbone. During the fermentation process in French oak barriques some skin contact is permitted, the settled juices are ‘inoculated’ with yeast and the lees stirred. Malolactic fermentation is stopped. Club members were equally divided over their preferences for these two wines.
The next pairing contrasted a Pinot Noir from Tasmania with a South Australian Grenache. The Pinot Noir: Tamar Ridge ‘Kayena Vineyard’ 2010 from Tamar River, 14% and available from Noel Young Wines at £17.49, was basket-pressed and exhibited notes of five spice and sweetness as a result of oak aging [20% new oak]. It is considered to be a good example of delicate pinot noir produced in the cold climate of northern Tasmania. In contrast, the Grenache: Willunga 100 Grenache 2010, 14.5%, from Noel Young Wines at £10.49, was made in the much warmer McLaren Vale region of South Australia. Produced from 60 year old vines planted in sandy soil, with the grapes benefiting from a long ripening period, fermented in open fermenters and then matured in older oak barrels, this wine was soft and velvety with a good deal of natural sweetness and exhibited flavours of cherry and red summer fruits. Some commentators consider it to have the characteristics of a ‘warm-climate pinot noir’. Once again, club members were split 50:50 over their preferred wine of the two.
These two wines were followed by two Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wines. The first, from a region with similarities to Bordeaux characterised by a temperate, marine influenced climate and gravelly soils, was the Fraser Gallop Cabernet Merlot 2009, 14%, from Margaret River, Western Australia. Available from the Wine Society at the bargain price of £13.50, this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon [63%], Merlot [22%], Malbec [11%] and Cabernet Franc [4%]. The vineyard is sometimes referred to as the ‘Pauillac of Margaret River’. The grapes experience a long growing season, are hand picked and after minimal pressing are left on their skins for 10-14 days after which they mature for 10 months in French oak. The result is a concentrated, yet elegant and balanced wine with notes of cassis, eucalyptus, dried herbs and ‘ripe herbaceousness’. The second blend came from a much warmer and drier climate, the Mclaren Vale. The Wirra Wirra Church Block Red 2010, 14.5%, is produced on sandy soils and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon [50%], Shiraz [32%] and Merlot [18%]. Also available from the Wine Society for £10.95. The wine is aged in American and French oak with 10-15% being new wood. It is a well made wine, generous, soft, with some sweetness, hints of blackberry and plum fruits with a touch of savoury malt and black olive. Club members’ preferences were again divided equally between the two wines.
The last two wines we compared were examples of Shiraz. The first, from a temperate region, Eden Road Wines ‘The Long Road’ Canberra Shiraz 2010, ??% from Gundagai in New South Wales, available from Noel Young Wines at £19.95. This prize-winning cool-climate Shiraz is 30% fermented in stainless steel cuves and then entirely aged in 3-4 year-old 500 litre French oak barriques. It produces a savoury style wine with hints of pepper, green bean and dry fruit tannins. The final wine of the tasting was the Torbreck ‘Woodcutters’ Shiraz 2010, 12.9% from the warm Barossa region of South Australia, available from Noel Young Wines at £19.95. After basket-pressing and fermentation in a mixture of cement, wood and stainless steel vats, the wine is then aged for 12 months in old French hogsheads. The resulting wine is a typical example of ‘modern Barossa Shiraz’; it is deep, rich, velvety, fresh and well balanced with hints of Black Forest gateau, cinnamon and floral notes. The Torbreck was much preferred out of these final two wines.
A vote of thanks and appreciation to Sarah was made by Simon Blower.
Chris Blakey. 28/04/13.