2017 In Praise of Shadows Lusco Fusco Touriga Graciano

Over three or four days this made me wish there was more Aussie Touriga about. There’s just something just so right about this Lusco Fusco. Twilight it seems in Portuguese. In Praise of Shadows indeed but wine like this and they will have to step out into the sun. Straightforward chunky bitumen scented blackberries cut by ripe skin tannin, whole berry freshness and firm ripe acidity. Repeat, right grape, right place.

12.80% alcohol…ripe and justifies another glass. Screwcap. Sorry, forgot how much it cost and google ain’t no help.

94 points.

2016 Heroes Riesling

Only the second white post on this odd indulgence of a blog and it’s a tricky one. Despite a long and abiding love of Riesling, it’s always been a swerve toward the dry thanks to the amazing value of some great Australian versions. At lower price points which suit every day drinking sugar can also be used to bolster thin fruit, only increasing prejudice. So what of a premium Riesling from the beautiful Otways that seems to chase all the texture, feathery acid and sugar balance of a serious German? First taste and the fruit’s all citrus and cut apple with a sweet acid tang that provokes the usual dry prejudice. There’s a nice touch of toasty waxy development too. Given an hour or so it did seem to become more of a whole which resisted being broken down into its components. Somehow the fruit, sugar and fine mouthwatering acid all worked together and demanded another delicious sip. Really a good tilt at that Germanic lightness of being. Perfect for hot February nights.

7.40% alcohol. Screwcap. $32 on the Heroes’ website.

93 points if I were pretending to know more about the great Germans.

2012 Hoddles Creek 1er Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

Six years on and this is still bound, gagged and perhaps enjoying it. Light extraction and perfumed delicacy prevail, almost to the point of wishing for a touch more concentration? Both smell and taste are as if all the fragrance and bone china fruit of Pinot have been chiseled away from anything faintly hinting at the robust. There’s still hints of lanolin reduction that take a day to breathe away to leave a very poised wine. It carries long on fine acidity and super silky tannins. If the fruit and my faculties hold on, this will be worth a look in a few more years yet.

13.40% alcohol. Screwcap. $40 in 2014 from those generous blokes at Boccaccio.

93 points

 

2008 The Story Grampians Shiraz

Attempting to reduce the pile of cardboard boxes, it’s another cellar dweller. Opens without any shyness, gleefully showing off dark spicy blackberry and enough oak not to spoil the overall impression. Builds nicely with bright squishy berries filling the end to give some depth and meaning. All this is tucked tidily into place by some woody stem tannin and fairly firm acidity. The supporting flavours of tarry sweet earthiness seem typical of the Grampians. So good to drink a Shiraz that’s not too ripe and shows its origins with generosity and a warm heart. A story worth telling.

13.50% alcohol. Screwcap. About $25 on release.

94 points

2015 Poderi di Luigi Einaudi Dogliani

Well, it doesn’t say Dolcetto on the label anymore since the DOC got an upgrade to DOCG to reflect the quality and a special place. Probably has done little to generate brand recognition and has only encouraged the wine swots, guilty. The Piemontese themselves just get on and drink it with lunch and dinner. It’s said 2015 was perfect for the little sweet one and this bears it out, though there’s nothing faintly sweet here. Over three days it stood firm with dark, almost tart, cherry and bitter chocolate fruit and not a hint of oxidation. The texture dries and puckers enough to suit those of us who like Nebbiolo. Delicious if you get a ragu on.

14% alcohol. Cork. $30 after taking advantage of Rathdowne Cellars generous 20% off 3 bottles end of year.

94 Punti.

2002 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques 1er Cru

These 2002 red Burgundies seem to have a delicious balance of ripeness and freshness judging from a sadly small sampling. The colour’s holding up well with a still clear red. Smells of perfumed wild strawberry and cherry mix with sweet earthiness battling the sort of very expensive oak only the Burgundians seem to be able to choose. A good mouthful reveals the same ethereal fruit and earth with fine ripe acidity. Only towards the end does that luxury barrique impose its tannins. Perhaps a bit too much so? Prefer the natural transparency of the Chevillon.

13% alcohol. Cork. $130 from Como Wine some time ago. Aghast to see what it would fetch in a Hong Kong auction.

95 points.

2002 Robert Chevillon Nuits Saint Georges Les Chaignots 1er Cru

An indulgent week for stuff from the offsite dungeon. This just got better and better after a decant. Really clean spice, perfect dark chocolate and wild strawberry. Beautiful fruit with the most sophisticated graphite fine tannin and mouthwatering blood orange acidity. Them Chevillons seem to grow such good grapes. Amazing freshness of pure fruit to finish and what an end too! The oak’s not really noticeable unlike some more venerated and ludicrously expensive Burgundians. Chaignots is near Vosne Romanée and notwithstanding the power of auto suggestion it just could be apparent here.

13% alcohol. Cork. About $120 on release.

96 points.

2001 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

A treat from a generous friend’s cellar. Opened a bit rusty looking and perhaps tired as you may expect after a fifteen year sleep. Over an hour the colour darkened and reddened. The extraordinary coiled power of awakening Nebbiolo stared to fill both nose and mouth with dried flowers, cherries and what can only be Langhe soil. The finish still extraordinarily fresh, rich and loooonnnnggg. The tannins firm, rich and melting like candle wax. No danger of underestimating how good Vietti’s basic Barolo can be. Must be a health tonic.

14% alcohol. Cork. Probably about $110 on release.

96 points.

 

2017 Punt Road Pinot Noir

Anyone with a passing interest in the Yarra Valley and a brain knows Punt Road make delicious wine for a more than fair sum. This is bright, fresh and glossy red berries. Bit of herby stalk too pulls the exuberance into line. Not the densest concentration of fruit but that only seems to add to the immediate need for another mouthful. Flashes of minty bush shubbery and the round tobacco warmth of Oz Pinot add a sense of place. One of those when a delicious drink is more important than points or notes…er almost.

13% alcohol. Screwcap. $26 or thereabouts at Dan’s.

92 points