Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Notes on wines I have tasted

May 27, 2015 · 5:02 pm

Vasse Felix – 18/5/2015

Tasted in the Vasse Felix Cellar Door in Margaret River, Western Australia.

Filius Chardonnay 2014
Nice bright intense pure mineral notes. Very lean pure white peach lemon notes, quite moreish.

Chardonnay 2013
More savoury stone fruits, a little more savoury and smoky. Slightly broader and pithier textural style, bolder but also more closed.

Heytesbury Chardonnay 2013
Smokier shellfish notes, lots of lees work and barrel toast, charred citrus. Pretty dense and closed at the moment, a bit brusque and oaky.

Filius Cabernet Merlot 2013
Very light focused varietal example. Pleasant clean slightly green style, extremely quaffable.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Tighter and more focused but also bolder, very lean and possibly lacking in fruit.

Heytesbury 2011
Better (riper) fruit on the nose, but still lacking personality. Am I missing something here?

Cane Cut Semillon 2013
Very good, very fresh, well-balanced sugar, neither thin nor fat/rich.

Vasse Felix wines

Vasse Felix wines

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May 27, 2015 · 4:58 pm

Cullen – 18/5/2015

Wines tasted after a visit to Cullen in Margaret River.

Moon opposite Saturn Sauvignon Blanc
Quite light and a bit herbal, subtlety of the grassy asparagus note. Fresh and vibrant but still quite lean, very delicate dustiness.

Kevin John Chardonnay 2013
Ripe citrus notes sweet nuttiness. Soft rich light subdued leesy but showing a bit of alcohol at the moment, a very generous expression, perhaps needs more time.

Amber 2014
Quite phenolic on the nose, spicy herbal notes, kind of waxy. Very pleasant and probably better with food, a tad awkward though.

Rosé 2013
Very fine, good tannins, quite cabernet dominant.

Preservative Free Merlot 2014
Nice focus tannins small dark berries. Excellent expression of the variety, bright tight and focused, very dry.

Mangan East Block 2012
Quite subtle, closed focus, mature dustiness. Fresh and clean, bit of juiciness but focused tannins. Bit of savoury to boot.

Diana Madeline 2012
Quite closed and a more dusty expression, very subtle on the nose. Very generous and soft with just a touch of oak sweetness on the tannins, bold balanced generous but focused.

Diana Madeline 2011
A touch lean and green for the moment, subtle eucalyptus notes, ripe red capsicum. Juicy bright acids with that savoury green/red notes, quite intense tannins, great grip, more my style of vintage.

Cullen Winery

Cullen Winery

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May 27, 2015 · 4:51 pm

McHenry Hohnen – 18/5/2015

Wines tasted at the McHenry Hohnen Cellar Door in the Margaret River region.

Amigos White (Marsanne, Chardonnay, Roussanne) 2011
Nice oiliness but not too fat or broad, not warm, balanced alcohol. Hints of herbs and spice, nice stone fruit core. Pleasant, not showing its age at all.

Calgardup Brook Chardonnay 2013
Quite soft and gentle, round creamy salted butter, nice rich leesy notes, integrated but also showing a bit of oak.

Rocky Rd Chardonnay 2013
A little flintier aromatically, darker riper stone fruits. Mealier texture on the palate, a little darker in fruit profile, slightly riper notes, a bit bolder, preferred style, more length.

Burnside Chardonnay 2013
Crunchier more graphite mineral notes, quite bold, smokier too. Fuller denser dried stone fruit, earthy density, quite exuberant but not obvious.

Amigos Red (Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro) 2011
Savoury smoked sausage, almost a burnt note, undergrowth. Nice darkness, good fruit, smokiness well-integrated, good grip but still fresh. Not just simple fruit.

Tiger Country (Tempranillo, Graciano, Petit Verdot) 2010
Very dusty red earth notes, tight but soft tannins, nice balance of fruit, quite dense could use some more time.

IMG_3900

McHenry Hohnen Amigos White Blend

 

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April 13, 2015 · 9:39 pm

Passopisciaro – Mondo Imports Trade Tasting

Contrada Chiappemacine 2012
Dusty earthy subtlety, somewhat closed, a bit dirty red fruits, crunchiness. Very tight lean and focused, precise through the mid palate, intense focused tannins, crunchy slightly sour raspberries.

Contrada Porcaria 2012
A bit more open tomato some meat notes, some sinewy ripe dried herbs. Fleshier but still tight, brighter lighter but fuller too, slightly more approachable but still great tannins.

Contrada Guardiola 2012
Some dried floral notes, nice savoury sour black cherries. Powerful in the mid palate, lifted more generous tannins, slightly rounder, lovely soft finish with focused acids.

Contrada Sciaranuova 2012
Deeper darker fruit, sweet cherry notes, lovely soft florals. Surprising tightness and focus but sweeter tannins, quite expressive on the mid palate.

Contrada Rampante 2012
Very subtle, contained possibly even closed. Tight sinewy lithe tannins, drying out on the back, quite savoury earthy tannins. Chewiness.

Contrada single-vineyard wines from Passopisciaro 2012 vintage

Contrada single-vineyard wines from Passopisciaro 2012 vintage

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April 13, 2015 · 10:17 am

Passopisciaro – Boccaccio Cellars Consumer Tasting

Rosso 2007
Pretty developed on the nose, very open, possibly a reflection of vintage as well? A hint of meatiness to it. Very tight and sharp still on the palate, plenty of exuberance and sharp acids.

Rosso 2009
Not as open but certainly meatier on the nose, earthy red fruits, a touch more vibrant as well. Still lovely tightness and focus, not as crunchy, better balance of structure, better containment and potential longevity.

Rosso 2010
Lighter leaner and prettier, more subtle and complex, but also a bit more closed, meat vegetal red fruits and earth all in harmony. Juicier and softer roundness but still plenty of fresh acids and firm yet supple tannins.

Rosso 2011
Deeper more intense fruits leaning on the dark side, subtle sweet earth notes. Softer juicier fruits, more gentle tannins, more opulence in comparison to other vintages, a more gentle touch.

Rosso 2012
Punchy almost candies red fruits on the nose, a bit closed at the moment but bright crunchy pretty notes, even some florals too. Soft juicy intense sweet red fruits, warm on the palate, a tad unbalanced at the moment, lots and lots of tannin, nice complete finish, way too early. Quite tight.

Letizia Patane from Passopisciaro

Letizia Patane from Passopisciaro

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April 7, 2015 · 5:18 pm

Klinec – Cerea 2015

Gardelin (Pinot Grigio) 2011
A bit light on, plenty fresh though.

Jakot 2011
Quite sulphurous on the nose, brooding earthy intensity. A bit young.

Malvazija 2011
Bright herbal almost gherkin nose, sweet and sour saltiness.

Rebula 2011
Creamy cheesy leesy nose, meaty toasty texture, very serious but seriously fresh. Fantastic wine.

Medana I. Classe Ortodox 2006
Very subtle wheaty biscuity toast notes, quite intense but not bold or aggressive, very complete.

Quela 2010
Very fresh and vibrant, not what I’d expect from a Bordeaux blend from this vintage. Still plenty of tannin but delicate in nature.

Medana I. Classe Mōra 2009
A touch broad on the nose and developed in a barrel way. Very intense and full on the palate, plenty of freshness but intense tannins.

Klinec Medana I. Classe Ortodox 2006

Klinec Medana I. Classe Ortodox 2006

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April 1, 2015 · 5:11 pm

Massa Vecchia – Cerea 2015

Bianco 2012
Honey wattle wax quite herbal. Rich wild textural complex, very fresh but some late tannin.

Rosato 2012
Dirty earthy, a little reductive, closed. Very good on the palate though, fresh mealy meaty bright dark red fruits.

Berace 2012
Stinky wild red red red. Sweet core of dark fruits, currants, dusty cocoa, but wild funk on the back very subtle.

La Querciola 2010
Much more funkified, but still precise fresh fruits, pretty deep. Sweet texture in the front, warmer more intense tannins, some salty chocolate notes.

La Querciola 2011
More closed earthiness, much more intense dense tannins, coating the mouth, prominent.

Passito 2012
Really serious raisining, very intense but exceedingly fresh on the palate, sweetness late but very subtle and integrated. Not as concentrated as I expected.

Francesca Sfrondrini from Massa Vecchia

Francesca Sfrondrini from Massa Vecchia

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April 1, 2015 · 4:59 pm

Cantine Filippi – Villa Favorita 2015

Vigne della Bra 2013
Quite powerful and builds on the palate, quite fresh but lovely citrus pith texture. Richness without excessive warmth.

Monteseroni Garganega 2013
Fresh mineral oxidation. Full yet light? Fresh but mellow? A bit odd.

Turbiana 2013
Nice density concentration still very light and fresh with hints of savoury.

Filippo Filippi

Filippo Filippi

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April 1, 2015 · 4:52 pm

Damijan Podversic – Vinitaly 2015

Nekaj 2011
Oily rich syrupy beeswax aromatics, still some fresh florals. Warm concentrated, savoury and sweet texture, long rich bold.

Malvasia 2011
Slightly more honeyed with some peach and mango, just not tropical. Lithe texture, silky on the palate, broad but focused, saline caramel elements.

Kaplja 2011
Darker in colour, quieter in aromatics. Smoother founder but denser and fuller, well contained.

Ribolla Gialla 2011
Dense earthy deep nutty notes. Much richer sweeter texture, creamy almost, quite different to 2009, very open and supple.

Rosso Prelit 2011
Nice savoury dusty subtle dark fruits. Lovely and fresh, good depth of fruit and tannin, just a hint of sweetness on the back.

Damijan Podversic

Damijan Podversic

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April 1, 2015 · 4:42 pm

Il Mosnel – Vinitaly 2015

EBB 2010
A little sharper and pithier than the 2009, nice focus, more integrated barrel characters. Needs time but more potential.

Pas Rosé 2009
Deep ruby freshness, very soft silky texture, delicate bead, quite savoury, some very subtle mushroom notes. Quite crunchy though.

Lucia Barzano from Il Mosnel

Lucia Barzano from Il Mosnel

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