Tag Archives: Heathcote

January 16, 2015 · 11:26 am

The Intrepid Wino drank things in 2014

Last year was a particularly good year for drinking for me, I have to admit it. Thanks to all the fantastic people I met and venues I discovered, who all work with some beautiful products, I got to both taste and drink (sometimes a bit too much) some amazing stuff. Some of these wines were tasted at events or trade tastings, some at my favourite bars & restaurants, and a few were tasted at wineries I visited (which was too rare in 2014). You’ll notice that many of these wines are Italian which very much reflects where I was at this year working for an importer of Italian wines, and also visiting Italy in June.

Let me know what you think, and tell me in the comments what were your highlight wines for 2014.

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2014 was a momentous year as it was the first time I tasted Claret!

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July 14, 2014 · 8:00 pm

The Vincast with Adam Foster of Syrahmi and Foster e Rocco

To say that Adam Foster has had an interest in food and wine for a long time is an understatement. Having grown up in Bendigo and beginning his career as a chef, a love of wine and a desire to make it himself led him to studies, travel and working vintage in numerous regions in Australia and France. When he began to make his own wine he worked as a sommelier to support himself, working at the famous Lakehouse in Daylesford, but now his winemaking is his full-time job. Three varieties have captured his attention; syrah for his Syrahmi project, sangiovese for his Foster e Rocco project, and grenache for his L’Imposteur project in France.

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Adam Foster

Adam Foster

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May 6, 2013 · 1:49 pm

Everything new is old again (Yarra Valley, Victoria – 3/05/2013)

Having worked in the Yarra Valley you would think that I knew the region pretty well. Well think again! For one thing it’s not that easy to get out and see a lot of other stuff whilst working, particularly when you don’t even live in the region. For another thing, the Yarra Valley is probably one of Australia’s largest regions geographically, but at the same is disparate and quite sparsely planted. There are many areas that I am still yet to explore outside of the valley floor. The other thing is that the Yarra Valley is possibly one of Australia’s most dynamic regions for wine, constantly reinventing itself with new wineries and winemakers almost every year. For me the exciting thing about this is that it is also one of Australia’s oldest regions, and was the first to gain international recognition back in the 19th century. It was re-established in the 1970s after almost 100 years of ignominy and since then has continued to evolve and develop while maintaining its boutique image. My quest for the day was to visit producers who have only had their own brand for ten years or less but are turning heads for their style and expression that is challenging preconceptions both of the Yarra Valley and Australian wine.

The best view in the valley

The best view in the valley

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May 4, 2013 · 4:26 pm

Vinea Marson – 3/05/2013

2013 Prosecco Base Wine
Crisp and fresh but plenty of vibrant fruit. Needs a touch more bitey acid.

2013 Malvasia Istriana
Lovely bright sharp citrus pineapple guava. Freshness and texture, mouth filling and food-friendly.

2013 Pinot Bianco
A touch closed at the moment. Depth and weight, certainly not shy.

2013 Friulano
Looking a little reductive at the moment. But good structure.

2013 Friulano
Much more complete textural full wine.

2013 Picolit
Crunchy toast and marmalade.

2013 Viognier
Nice bitey tang, lots of quince, great with food.

2013 Rosé Sangiovese
Nice bright red fruits and raspberry. Nice and sharp and fresh

2013 Mudgee Clone Sangiovese
Fresh light balanced long and pretty.

2013 De Marchi Clone Sangiovese
Tighter and straighter.

2013 Grosso Brunello Clone
Darker plum.

2013 Nebbiolo (little barbera)
Good wine, but far from classic of the variety.

2013 Nebbiolo (new clones)
Very tight bright and lifted. Linear and precise, lacking flesh.

2013 Nebbiolo
Lifted floral structured finesse.

2013 Syrah Viognier
Sweet dark fruit fine long and elegant. Unrepentantly hands-off and simple approach.

Prosecco 2012
Slighter bead but finer, linear precise refined style. Not friendly punter style, brisk and lean. More interesting.

Grazia 2011
A little shy and thin at the moment. Perhaps the vintage. Good freshness but a bit lacking. Very late savoury almond notes.

Grazia 2012
More lifted aromatics, floral but also mineralic. More depth and expression, ripeness and concentration. Taken to its logical conclusion.

Viognier 2011
Intensity life but very fresh and lithe. Pinpoint accuracy, a very different expression.

Rosé 2011
Lovely colour. Depth life and plenty of flavour but dry, fresh and a bit savoury. Just a hint of sweetness at the end.

Sangiovese 2009
Darker plummier cherry fruit. Soft unctuous and just a hint if fruit sweetness, still very fine and fresh.

Nebbiolo 2008
Tight sweet dark fruit. Structure and depth, great tannins. Very young IMHO.

Syrah 2008
Purity elegance ethereal, lifted delicate expressive assured.

Vinea Marson Syrah & Sangiovese

Vinea Marson Syrah & Sangiovese

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April 25, 2013 · 4:44 pm

My terroir is older than yours (Heathcote, Victoria – 22/04/2013)

Back in 2007 renowned Australian wine commentator and educator Campbell Mattinson published a book entitled “Why the French Hate Us – the real story of Australian Wine.” I’m very ashamed to admit that I haven’t actually read this book but I have certainly heard wonderful things. It is on my pile of shame. The interesting thing is that it isn’t just the French but Europeans in general who hate us, without even understanding Australia that well. I had more producers in Europe than I can count expressing interest in working vintage in New Zealand and Chile than this big brown land, and even more reducing Australian wine to simple fruit driven mass-produced and marketed brands. The simple fact is that Australia produces a minute amount of wine compared to giants like France, Italy and Spain, less than single regions in North & South America, and yet we are the fourth largest exporter in the world. Clearly we are doing something right. In truth the world hasn’t even seen the best wines and regions that Australia has to offer as they are still being discovered. Something that has recently been discovered is that the pre-Cambrian soils in the Heathcote region of Victoria are the oldest in the world. Another reason to hate us.

Pre-Cambrian Heathcote soils

Pre-Cambrian Heathcote soils

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April 23, 2013 · 10:25 am

Galli Estate – 22/04/2013

2013 Fiano
Bright apples, smoky salty sulphurous. Light bright crisp body, a little texture. Long and fresh, light.

2013 Pinot Grigio carbonic
A bit of colour. Crisp fresh thin light and yet to express.

2013 Pinot Grigio
Fresh light and clean, nice fruit.

2013 Nebbiolo Rosé
Bright tight strawberry, a touch savoury. Full and dense, textured and slightly sweet with a touch of green.

2013 Sangiovese Rosé
Cherry cherry sweet fruit.

2013 Nebbiolo on 15% temp skins
Very tannic and acidic, lacks a bit of fruit sweetness.

2013 Nebbiolo second pick
Fuller riper juicier, better balance depth and character.

2013 Sangiovese
Nice brightness of dark cherry fruit. Dark and soft but a little sweet and simple.

2012 Nebbiolo
Tight focused wonderfully long, great black cherry fruit sweetness.

2011 Nebbiolo
Slight savoury but very bright fresh juicy. Fresh light acidity, quite tight.

Galli rooster

Galli rooster

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April 23, 2013 · 10:09 am

Jasper Hill – 22/04/2013

2012 Nebbiolo
Bright juicy black cherry sour plum, a little spice and menthol. Juicy full and ripe, dense and sweet dark fruit, softness but structure. Juicy bright pomegranate.

2012 Emily’s Paddock
Dark juicy black fruits with hints of spice and rosemary. Very supple long and precise, complete focused, bright fresh, wonderful acid brightness and integration.

2012 Georgia’s Paddock
Darker juicier deeper plum aroma, slightly smoky. Bolder and more forward, riper earthier profile, more mellow but fuller at the sane time.

2013 Lostesso Fiano
Nice texture and depth, lacking salt, but textural and energetic.

Jasper Hill barrel

Jasper Hill barrel

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