Bress Gold Chook Shiraz

Date: 21 July, 2011

What: 2006 Bress Gold Chook Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria

Purchased: Wine Bank on View, around $35 (three years ago) 

Food: moussaka

Comments: hhhhmmmm.  Has a couple of layers.  Goes in a bit closed but opens up at the end.  Perhaps atypical for Heathcote - none of the big mouthfeel and no chocolate (more's the pity!) and low in alcohol.  It is good fun gear for now but not really for the long haul.  Got a bit of a plum thing and some background spice and then opens into more of a forest fruits thing (kind of sweet) that reminds me of a grenache more than a shiraz.  This one is more about a juicy, fruity shiraz than a tannic, age for twenty years thing.  Time to rip into the rest of the bottles and enjoy over the next year or so.

William Downie Gippsland Pinot Noir

Date: 15 July, 2011

What: 2010 William Downie Pinot Noir, Gippsland, Victoria

Purchased: City Wine Shop, around $65 

Food: home made pizza

Comments: so, really tough one to review.  Initial thoughts - closed, green/stemmy.  Not my bag really!  Quite a nice colour - vibrant light red.  Just felt hard to get into.  Nice mouth feel with fine tannins.  As it opens up, start to get a bit of rasberry on the nose and replace the green taste with some forest fruits and maybe plum as well as becoming a bit chewy.  I suggested it was a bit esoteric, but Ness responded that I was a bit of a wanker.  So I will settle on complex (the wine, that is).  I have kept some for tomorrow to see if it opens further.  The winemaker has a reputation as one of the young guns of pinot and is a real pinot specialist.  I am clearly not at that level yet!  Have got one of the stablemates lying down and will be interested to follow; time could be the key here.  For both me and the booze.

Craiglee Pinot Noir (different vintage)

Date: 9 July, 2011

What: 2008 Craiglee Pinot Noir, Sunbury, Victoria

Purchased: cellar door, around $30 (purchased last year on the back of excitement about the 06)

Food: roast pork belly

Comments: clearly younger.  Leans towards Mornington Peninsula (based on the last post's spectrum) with more red fruits (cherry especially).  Still some of the savouriness (more on the nose than the palette) but not nearly as much as the 06.  Light in colour, and not super bright.  I wonder if, in reviewing this one following hot on the heels of the 06 last night which I really enjoyed, if I am judging harshly?  To be honest, it is probably something I would have said is good without being great but just seems a touch disappointing in comparison.  I think that is indeed harsh.  It does reinforce how lucky we are with the number of quality pinots that dont cost a bomb.  Basically a solid pinot, good (red) fruits.  Quite drinkable.  Interested to watch development over the next few years - see if, in two years' time, it develops more of the savoury characters or if it is just a vintage thing.

Craiglee Pinot Noir

Date: 8 July, 2011

What: 2006 Craiglee Pinot Noir, Sunbury, Victoria

Purchased: cellar door, around $30 (purchased a couple of years ago: I recall tasting and it really grabbing me)

Food: deli food (chorizo, ham, cheeses, dips)

Comments: quite a light colour with some browns that you associate with ageing.  Had decanted.  First mouthful a bit flat, but that was atypical and have enjoyed this one.  Earthiness on bouquet - that classic "pinot stink" as my mate H likes to call it.  Lightness continues in the mouth but breaks out with a real savouriness.  Some background cherry fruits (and is there a touch of vanilla perhaps??) but this is all about the savoury side of pinot.  Finishes with good length.  Enjoying contemplating where this sits between say Mornington Peninsula and Central Otago; you can see the neighbourly links to Curly Flat down the road but less fruit driven.  Might have to do a side by side at some point.