June 18, 2015 · 9:28 am

The Vincast with Tom Belford from Bobar Wines

Tom & Sally Belford are producing some of the most exciting small-batch wines in the Yarra Valley, under the moniker of Bobar. They met whilst studying viticulture at Charles Sturt University, and after gaining experience in vineyards & cellars in Australia and Europe, decided to craft their own expressions from fruit grown in Tom’s home region. Tom joined me on this episode of The Vincast to tell their story, and share some insight on their philosophy of elegant simplicity.

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Tom Belford of Bobar Wines

Tom Belford of Bobar Wines

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June 11, 2015 · 9:00 am

The Vincast with Hunter Smith from Frankland Estate

Frankland Estate is without question one of the finest riesling producers in Australia, and it was Hunter Smith’s parents who established the vineyard in an area still very under-appreciated. When he took over the running of the estate he decided to convert to organic viticulture which has had a profound influence on quality recently. Hunter is so committed to the maligned riesling variety that he created the Frankland Estate International Riesling Tasting (now Riesling Downunder) to showcase the quality and continued potential here in Australia.

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Hunter Smith from Frankland Estate

Hunter Smith from Frankland Estate

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June 8, 2015 · 11:18 am

So I started a Youtube channel…

In an effort to incorporate more visual stuff to my communications, I’ve started posting some videos on my Youtube Channel, IntrepidWino. So far I’ve only posted a few random videos I’ve recorded in some of my travels, and one I recorded of myself opening a bottle of sparkling wine the way I was taught at Domaine Chandon.

The idea is to start creating more video content, some videos explaining the way I taste wine and some of my philosophies around wine. More importantly I’m going to start streaming live tastings with guests (winemakers, importers, sommeliers), which will then be available on this channel. Let me know if this is something you’d like to see and/or be involved with.

Just as a taster, here’s the link to a video I recorded in June 2014 when I was visiting Damijan Podversic in the hills of Collio. Please like and favourite, and subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss any of the content I’m planning on uploading soon.

James Scarcebrook (otherwise known as The Intrepid Wino)

James Scarcebrook (otherwise known as The Intrepid Wino)

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June 4, 2015 · 9:00 am

The Vincast with Tessa Brown from Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown

I’ve been familiar with the work of Tess Brown for a number of years without knowing how extensive her experience in viticulture has been around Australia. As she increased her knowledge and expertise – also as a winemaker – she began to gravitate towards establishing her own vineyard and winery, which she has recently done with her partner in Beechworth, Victoria. Tess joined me on this episode of The Vincast to talk about her experiences and her plans for the new project.

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Follow The Vincast on Twitter, email feedback & questions to thevincast@gmail.com and download all the previous episodes here

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Tessa Brown

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June 1, 2015 · 10:13 pm

Sunday Tasting Group – Northern Rhone wines

The Bentleigh Tasting Group has reconvened recently, and has also relocated thus necessitating a name-change. It’s been a while since I’ve joined this group of mostly sommeliers, so I’m a bit rusty on my blind tasting. It’s also been even longer since I’ve delved into the Northern Rhone Valley, not really since I was actually there in May of 2012. I found myself thinking back to my visits and tastings, considering the specifics of each appellation. But as always, the notes are from my blind tasting finishing with my guess as to the origin and vintage, and you can see how close I was. Some pretty amazing wines and a really interesting cross-section of styles in this one.

Doing it in style at The Point Albert Park

Doing it in style at The Point Albert Park

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May 28, 2015 · 2:48 pm

Picardy – 20/5/2015

Tasted with Dan Pannell at the Picardy winery in Pemberton, Western Australia.

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014
Lovely delicate oyster shell notes, nice lychee lime and kiwi. Bit of bite and crunchy acidity, papaya apple, excellent balance and a nice textural nuttiness.

Chardonnay 2012
Deep ripe citrus apricot nice openness. Quite ripe barrel fermented notes, toasty nutty texture, but good fruit and acidity to balance.

Pinot Noir 2013
Beautiful, bright fresh clean, lovely balance of fruit and some mature green notes, perfect integrity and intensity.

2014 Merlot cabernet Sauvignon
Bold dark juicy but light and vibrant, sitting exceptionally well in the mid palate, nice bite hints of sour pomegranate and dark cherry, wonderfully drinkable but with poise.

Shiraz 2014
A bit closed, shy and reductive, dark on the nose. Tight lean focused classic cool climate fruit profile, nice tight but generous tannins, fresh, needs to settle in bottle a bit.

Dan Pannell from Picardy wines in Pemberton, Western Australia

Dan Pannell from Picardy wines in Pemberton, Western Australia

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May 28, 2015 · 2:20 pm

Si Vintners – 19/5/2015

Tasted with Iwo Jankovicz in the Si Vintners winery in Margaret River.

Lello 2014
Oily herbal quince, floral mineral. Sherbety fresh open expression juicy and nice texture acidity.

Babayaga 2015 (98% skin contact sauvignon blanc, 2% whole bunch cabernet)
Has that same juicy profile as the Lello, just a totally different profile of fruit.

2015 Halcyon Chardonnay
Slightly closed toastiness, salty caramel coriander hazelnuts. Protecting itself for now, interesting bite, dense yet fresh fruits, cumquats.

Sin Syrah 2015
Juicy closed dark fruit chocolate. Very juicy soft but full flavours, hits of pepper, soft dark fruits, bit of bitter chocolate. Super yummy booze.

Sin Syrah 2014
Spicy white pepper violets and gherkin. Really nice bite had brightness, sweet and sour notes, very Szechuan nature.

Halcyon Pinot Noir 2014
Pretty dark fruits, juicy and fresh, good drinking, very friendly.

Halcyon Cabernet 2012
Possibly the best MR cabernet I’ve tasted.

Iwo Jakimowicz at Si Vintners in the Margaret River

Iwo Jakimowicz at Si Vintners in the Margaret River

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May 28, 2015 · 2:13 pm

Dormilona – 19/5/2015

Tasted with winemaker Jo Perry in the Dormilona winery in the Margaret River.

2015 Semillon
Nice and juicy on the nose, fresh broad generous good balanced ripeness.

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Rich full balanced fruit green and mineral. Presence on the palate,  nice texture and depth from lees contact.

2015 Chardonnay barrel
Earthy texture, great mid palate texture.

2015 Chardonnay pot
Much purity, much balance, much completeness.

Chardonnay 2014
Quite classic Margaret River Chardonnay aromatics, malo quite prominent for now.

2015 Chenin Blanc
Pure bright fresh light lean, long.

2015 Sauvignon
Sweet texture, floral brightness, lovely length, nice bit of bite late on the palate.

2015 Cabernet
Personality plus, plush but fine, nice balance with solid fruit.

Jo Perry from Dormilona Wines in the Margaret River

Jo Perry from Dormilona Wines in the Margaret River

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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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