2018 Yves Cuilleron Syrah Les Vignes d’à Côté

Opened at the same time as the Gravity Ghost Syrah, it’s an interesting example of how the changing climate is messing with perceptions of ripeness. 2018 was one of the hottest years in southern France and makes this look a bit like it comes from Coonawarra rather than a cooler corner of the Rhône. Lots of ripe blackberries, earthy bass with a hint of that sort of tar that lurks in good Australian Shiraz. Stone and a crumble of ripe tannins held in place by natural feeling acidity that maybe still tells of the Rhône? Very good value as usual.

13.5% alcohol. Diam. $30.

92 points.

2021 Gravity Ghost Syrah

Another less than objective opinion about a lovely human’s recent vintage efforts. Opens cleanly with a strong waft of Australian bush or terroir if you prefer. Fresh and aromatic. More than just gum trees, there’s fresh spices, sweet earthiness and wet undergrowth overlaying a core of dark raspberries with a bit of plum. Just medium weight. Same flavours as it hits the tongue together with more woody stem spice. A natural feel to soft insistent acidity and powder fine tannin. From a cooler year perhaps but no greenness intrudes. A gentle drink with enough perfumed fruit and warm savouriness to make an impression. Haunting perhaps.

13% alcohol. Screw cap. Somewhere between $25 and 30 I think? Got a bit lost in some swaps where I came out the better off as usual.

92 with a shout for 93 in time.

2010 Massolino Barolo Margheria

Continuing to open special bottles while the tasting is good, a special cru from Serralunga albeit not marked on the map photo above. Think it’s the unnamed vineyard next to the S of Serralunga maybe? Was anorak fun googling the amazing Masnaghetti MGA maps to check. The incredible detail is a joy for both wine and map fiend. I always liked Massolino’s cheaper bottles, clean, good fruit and good winemaking. Time to open a cru which ten years ago was seen as relative value and now retails over two hundred Australian. Must admit it was a blind buy for the cellar based on Massolino’s Dolcetto and persuasive reviews. It’s rare for most of us to get a taste before deciding. Not sure it would have done any good here, as I’d have been as puzzled then as now maybe. Opened well visually but the first sniff was swamped by a haze of pine forest with the hint of fresh fruit below. The palate likewise a drying, dominant pine needle flavour gives the beautiful fruit that lurks below a bit of a biff. It sort of looks like a cedary, raw oak flavour but it’s much more complicated and earthy too. All the publicity says it’s made using big, traditionally sized oak. Serralunga or barrel or both, beyond me. Nonetheless, despite the distraction there’s intense cherry, rose perfume, deep sweet stone stuff, all held in eternal tannin and pleasing acidity of real quality. I’ve a few more Massolino bottles to go, here’s hoping.

14.5% alcohol. Cork. Around $100 at the time?

Somewhere between 89 and 95 depending on how much you like pine forests.

2018 Domaine du Pélican Arbois Savagnin Ouillé

Having regained an enthusiasm for a nice glass of wine, it seems some upmarket bottles are getting opened before anything else happens to curb the fun. An adventure too. My first whole bottle of Savagnin from the Jura. The virtually unpronounceable Ouillé means the barrels are topped up to stop oxidation. From a famous Volnay domaine making wine and waves in the Jura too, what luxury. Despite the topping up, there’s a hint of flor aldehyde maybe? Green apple, honey and chamomile, marzipan and a lick of butterscotch. As rich and complex as a recent unfortified Palomino from Sanlucar, such is the alcohol warmth and weight. Likewise there’s indelibly ripe acidity to pick up the load and float the flavours down in great contrast. Teetering balance that doesn’t wobble. A svelte Burgundian touch of caramel oak to season. Certainly makes me wonder how an example from a cooler year would compare. Could be at least in the realm of reality compared to current white Burgundy prices.

14.5% alcohol. Diam. RRP around $90.

94 points.

2021 Bandesh Time to Fly Shiraz

It’s worth reading articles by Max Allen in the AFR and Anna Bailey in the Guardian where Farhad Bandesh’s arduous journey from Kurdish Iran to making wine in Australia gets some sympathetic coverage. How he survived about eight years detention as a refugee on the hell of Manus Island and still smiles when talking about Australian wine and its supportive people is extraordinary. He had a stall at a local farmers’ market one cold damp Saturday recently. It was a privilege to buy a couple of bottles and reflect on how we take such free choices for granted. Well, not only a tough, lovely human, Farhad can make very good wine too. Quite rich and ripe for a Yarra Valley Shiraz. Plenty of summer pudding berries and custard. Spice and a clean finish of intermingled fine acidity and tannin. Even when it’s pretty ripe, the Yarra Valley seems to imbue its gentle fresh touch. Just a delicious Shiraz. I also bought a 2022 Time to Fly Shiraz made from the same Grampians vineyard as Rory Lane from The Story sources his fruit, picked at the same time. Every bit as deeply red fruited and entrancingly peppery as you’d want. Didn’t take a note but happy to buy another.

14% alcohol. Diam. $35 and worth every cent.

93 points but so much more than just points. Survive and thrive.

Farhad’s wines and spirits are available on line at

bandeshwineandspirits.com

2016 Bodegas Cota 45 UBE de Ubérrima Las Vegas El Carrascal

Palomino from the Las Vegas vineyard in the pago of Carrascal de Sanlucar. Unfortified but aged a little under flor. Not just simple Palomino but a blend it seems of three different Palominos. Perhaps individual varieties rather than clones? The intricacies of the Sherry triangle vineyards are something fairly new to me, such is the dominance of brand and naming by style, Fino, Amontillado etc. Must say I’m really looking forward to visiting later in the year and seeking out the old is new expressions of what’s a special bit of grape growing country. If this bottle is any indication, treats are in store. This opens like a good Manzanilla without the weight of fortification or the old dank oak and sulphide which can mar Sherry a little for me. As it breathes in some air, it just gets better and then a bit more. Loads of saline, savoury flor challenge, beautifully measured by huge florals, yes, chamomile of course, browning sweet apple, blossom honey and yellow peach. Background of sweet drying meadow grass. All pith and fine extract. Incredible depth all floated on a caress of startling acidity and the finest grape skin chew. The best of flor and fruit, dry and confronting but pure and delicious. Nothing else like it, and therein lies the fascination. So lucky to score this at auction. Not sure what I expected but a very happy surprise.

13.5% alcohol. Cork. Current vintage is about $70aud in Spain. Better start saving.

96 points.

2020 Soumah Cabernet Merlot

Reading the label, Soumah is a geographical reference, South of Maroondah, as in the highway. The road to good Cabernet for us lovers of the Yarra Valley’s star variety. Cool mint, red currant and cassis, cedar and tobacco, tweaked with sweet herb and gravel. Pleasing cut of fine tannin and refreshing acidity. Many flavours set against a watercoloured wash of gentle ending. Understated but not diminished in expression. Nice round feel, it sort of seems comfortable, if not incredibly concentrated. On the basis of about five or so bottles, Soumah seem to like restraint and an agreeable savoury invitation more than grabbing your lapels. Civilised, nice.

Happy days, the post Covid energy fog is clearing and stumbling to describe a nice drink seems to be compulsive again. Instead of just sitting there and enjoying the warming effect.

13.5% alcohol. Screw Cap. $28 RRP

91 points maybe 92.

2019 Bodega Badiola Laderas Rioja

The slow and at times discombobulating hold of the Covid virus has certainly whacked the already less than impressive energy levels and made the last couple of months at times seem like a drizzly English weekend. Eventually the sun comes out again as the virus loosens its hold and a bottle comes along that just brings a smile. If the 2018 of this was very good, then this is a paragon of what good Rioja Tempranillo can do if there’s not too mucking about in the winery. Spank me, it’s fresh. Just right ripeness, carefully extracted and delicious. Bright red fruits, strawberries and cherries with a swirl of healthy dirt. Makes the mouth happy with sparkling acidity and a well sharpened blade of fine tannin. Probably has the weight to gain with age but such a cheer up as of now. Seize the day and a bottle. This maker is consistently very good.

14% alcohol, perhaps can’t read my writing. Not that it matters if the balance is there. Diam. $26.60 in a Murphy’s six.

92 or 93 points.

2020 Famille Bougrier Gamay Noir

Can’t resist a glittering gold medal sticker, particularly on a cheap Dan’s import. Must confess to being uninspired by the lack of new things on the shelves to raise enough enthusiasm for a six bottle discount buy this month. Cabernet Franc seems more plentiful along the Loire but there’s been quite a few Gamays I’ve enjoyed. From the Côtes du Forez, near the river’s origin, all the way to Anjou it’s been a maybe crisper, less lush alternative to the Beaujolais versions. Bit cheaper too. There’s no real clue as to where this was grown but there’s quite a bit of Gamay to the east of Tours where the maker’s based. In the glass and it’s very clean, whole berry bright red fruited. Crisp with a snap of mouth wetting acidity and a dab of skin tannin. The fruit’s just a brush of summer berries nicely perched thereon. As Spandau Ballet would, Gold, or errr, bronze.

12% alcohol. Screw cap. $14

88 points and very nice to drink.

A just opened 2021 version is as fresh and crisp and again just enough sweet summer berry to keep up. Savoury too. Simple but nice balance.

89 points.

2021 Domaine ‘Alzipratu Fiumeseccu Corse Calvi AOP

Possibly the first ever wine from Corsica for me, at least as far as I remember. Seems from reading about the island, it has a fierce sense of independence, so a blend of Rhone and Tuscan grapes maybe shows they’re not wholly French or Italian but go as they please. Thanks to the Jancis’ wine grape bible for translating, this is a blend of Niellucciu, local for Sangiovese, Sciacarellu aka Mammolo, Grenache and Syrah. Very tasty mix up it is too. Opens with loads of crushed rock smells, tart fresh red cherries and woody herbs like sage. Time in the glass turns the reductive rocky element into a not unattractive bitter herb infusion, some sweet new leather and a good focused concentration of dried red fruits. Hardly surprising it seems like an Italian set of flavours but on holiday with those dried woody herbs of Southern France. All wrapped up in a mouth watering crunch of fine rocky tannin and neat acidity. What a lovely diversion on the wine road.

13.5% alcohol. Cork. $40 ish.

93 points.