Weekly Tasting Report (Oct 12-18): Variety of Wines Impress Us
James continues to finish Spain this week with plenty more Spanish reviews and ratings published as well as some highlights from producers in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Nick is combing the cool-climate areas of Victoria, the Canberra District and Tasmania and many of our top highlights come from the top producers in these exciting cool-climate Australian wine regions.
Another highly rated and rare German TBA is atop the list though from Contributing Editor Stuart Pigott. The Nik Weis Riesling Mosel Goldtröpfchen Trockenbeerenauslese 2017 (99 points) is “prototyical TBA” with “real density” that will “blow most other dessert wines off the table!” The 2018 vintage of this same wine rated 98 points and has decades of raging potential.
James tasted some top-scorers over Zoom with Frederic Weber, winemaker at Bouchard Père & Fils, including the Bouchard Père & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine 2015.
Also top-rated at 99 points this week, the Bouchard Père & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine 2015 is another fantastically structured white from this great producer with just a couple years of age. Bouchard’s vast holding of Chevalier-Montrachet may soon make it one of the best with wines like the 2015. James loved the “tight, linear phenolics” and “very agile … creamy texture.”
The flag bearer of quality in the Canberra District region Clonakilla rated well with the 2018 vintage release of their single parcel reds. The Clonakilla Canberra District Murrumbateman T&L Vineyard Block One 2018 (98 points) is very “detailed, complex and complete” and shows all the spice and gingerbread with plenty of bright berry fruits. I loved the elegance and fine details well as a silky, fine tannin quality here. The Clonakilla Shiraz Canberra District Murrumbateman Western Vineyard 2018 (98 points) has a very “peppery and fragrant” nose with savory slate and stone notes too. This is a more assertive, structured and clear-cut wine on the palate and will age very well.
The Yarra Valley is once again a source of high-quality across a number of styles. The Bicknell FC Chardonnay Yarra Valley Applecross 2017 (97 points) is a small project between winemaker, David Bicknell and viticulturist, Nicky Harris, and marries complexity and purity in convincing mode. I like the way the oak and winemaking-derived complexity is so deeply integrated here. This is clever winemaking with elegance with depth.
The Seville Estate Chardonnay Yarra Valley Reserve 2019 (97 points) also delivers this same brand of intensity and power with striking “lemon, grapefruit, pith and peel, as well as white flowers, fresh hazelnuts and crushed stones.” This very complex upper Yarra Valley chardonnay exhibits such vivid fruit intensity and “a bright, fine-edged line of acidity” that holds length and purity in impressive style.
The sibling pinot from this winery, the Seville Estate Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Old Vine Reserve 2019 (97 points) is built on lacy and elegant tannins with abundant “raspberry and strawberry aromas” that make a very complex impression with floral, spicy and fresh-oak influences, all swirling around pristine fruit. This has concentration, clarity and drive, and is a showpiece for the regional style of elegance with power.
The Seville Estate Shiraz Yarra Valley Dr. McMahon 2017 (98 points) small make of shiraz that is fermented wild, as whole bunches in oak. This is very complex and tight-wound for now. With air, it shows a “wildly spicy” edge as well as “web-like tannins” with an “elegant yet sturdy feel.” The Seville Estate Shiraz Yarra Valley Old Vine Reserve 2018 (97 points) is also so complex but more open already. Expect “red and violet florals, red cherries, plums and blueberries, as well as blackcurrants and blackberries” along with “smooth, noble tannins that fold out a long, smooth finish.”
Tom Carson and Nadege Suné’s Serrat Shiraz Viognier Yarra Valley 2019 (97 points) is from a different area of the Yarra Valley and displays a very fragrant viognier-driven edge to the nose with a “lightly tarry, reductive thread across ripe dark berries and plums.” There’s a very pliable texture to the palate and sleek tannins deliver a “detailed and delicious” impression.
Peter Dredge’s Dr Edge Chardonnay Tasmania South 2019 (97 points) is the pick of a series of excellent Tasmanian chardonnay wines. He makes four in total, one regional blend, then a North, East and this South region bottling. The impressive depth and drive seen here in the South Chardonnay is a hallmark of the southern Tasmania terroir. Aromas and flavors of fresh peach, lemon and hazelnut are complemented by a very intense, explosive and long delivery fueled by mouthwatering acidity.
I’ve covered the full set of Thomas shiraz wines this week too, an impressive collection of many single parcels made in a modern Hunter Valley style. The top-rated wine from there is the flagship Thomas Shiraz Hunter Valley Kiss 2018 (97 points) which is a selection from the old-vine Pokolbin Estate Vineyard. It manages to fuse power and balance so well. This delves into dark-berry and plum flavors that are carried on “smooth, ripe and very long tannins that hold bold, intense flavors on the finish.” This is one of the most convincing reds I have ever tasted from Andrew Thomas.
And finally, James found a powerful and rich Château Croix de Labrie St.-Emilion 2018 (97 points) among his top wines this week with “masses of fruit” delivered in a full-bodied style with a layered and intense palate. There’s “vanilla and coffee character and a long, warm finish” in a wine that “needs time in the bottle” which James recommends should be rested in the cellar until 2025. He’s looking forward to tasting more 2018 Bordeaux in November, December and January. It’s an outstanding quality year with lots of ripeness yet structure.
Australia’s cool-climate wines are really hitting the top band of quality consistently here and some of the most revered winemakers are in the limelight this week. There are more outstanding 2019 German wines to be discovered and another big tranche from Spain tasted this week, so lots to explore.
Enjoy and stay safe.
– Nick Stock, executive editor