Best's Pinot Noir

Date: 27 August, 2011

What: 2009 Bes'ts Great Western Pinot Noir, Great Western, Victoria

Purchased: Dan's (I think), low $20's

Food: duck breast

Comments: it's a really robust, almost aggressive pinot this one - in the right way.  Barry Hall on a good day.  Anyone who is a francophile, Burgundy/old world-is-the-only-pinot wanker type will hate this!  I had a French (Alsace, not Burgundy) pinot at a restaurant last weekend and this couldn't be a bigger contrast.  Big, full mouthfeel - announces itself early doors.  Nice touch of earth/dirty pinot thing on the nose initially which firmly says "pinot" but then the mouth is bouncy and a bit chunky rather compared to Frenchy light and ephemeral.  Distance is not the only thing that separates it from Mornington Peninsula.  None of that cherry/red fruits bizzo - real earthy, dark fruits pinot.  Interesting to consider on the pinot spectrum - not often you get a pinot that in the mouth might give you pause to think it was something other than a pinot. 

Craiglee Shiraz

Date: 12 August, 2011

What: 2008 Craiglee Shiraz, Sunbury, Victoria

Purchased: Cellar door, $45 

Food: pizza

Comments: Craiglee shiraz is a wine of different personalities and I think that is part of the appeal.  I am hooking into my second glass and swapping between enjoying some nice linear, peppery, sort of blueberry and background dark choc flavours in a sort of wine wanker mode, and then having a couple of big slurps because it's juicy and yummy and you can drink it now quite easily.  It works on both levels.  I love the vintage variations.  This wine is a great example of the fun of letting terroir and vintage find expression in the wine.  The 08 is in the middle of the Craiglee range power-wise, with a bigger body than its predecessor but with the classic white pepper lurking, and beautiful forest fruits - so typical and individual at the same time.  A bit of a grippy tannic thing at the end (which I have a soft spot for).  It would be remiss not to mention a really bright, bouncy colour that gives the same feeling as when you see a beautifully plated dish at a restaurant and your eyes have already decided you like it.