Hunter Valley Semillon has been described as Australia's gift to the world. Like many grape varieties it originates in France, specifically in the Bordeaux region where it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make Bordeaux Blanc whites, or made into sweet botrytis affected styles as with Sauternes-Barsac.
Within Australia, there are three principal regions where Semillon is grown and made into wines of renown: Margaret River (WA), Barossa Valley (SA), and Hunter Valley (NSW).
This #SwirlSniffSpit tasting, as ever, has brought together a tasting encompassing Semillon in a broad variety of styles, demonstrating its versatility, and showing why it should be in your fridge this summer.
Bracket 1 - Sparkling
Bimbadgen Estate NV Sparkling, Hunter Valley @bimbadgen
St Agouant 1999 Brut Blanc de Blanc, Bordeaux @TheTruffleManOz
Bracket 2 - Young Semillon
Scarborough Wine Green Label Semillon 2011, Hunter Valley @ScarboroughWine
Murray Street Vineyards Semillon 2010, Barossa Valley @MSVWine
Bracket 3 - South Burnet, Queensland
Clovely Estate Left Field Semillon 2010 @ClovelyWine
Barambah Estate Semillon 2008 @BarambahWines
Bracket 4 - Aged Semillon
Meerea Park 2005 Alexander Munro Semillon, Hunter Valley @MeereaPark
Peter Lehmann Wines Margaret Semillon 2005, Barossa Valley @PLWines
Bracket 5 - Off-Dry & Barrel Fermented
Thomas Wines 6 Degrees Semillon 2010, Hunter Valley @ThomasWines
Juniper Estate Semillon 2009, Margaret River
Bracket 6 - Dessert Wines
De Bortoli Wines Black Noble @DeBortoliWines
Punt Road Botrytis Semillon 2010, Yarra Valley @PuntRdWines
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Showing posts with label Bordeaux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bordeaux. Show all posts
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Session 5 - Cabernet Sauvignon - Round Up
So Swirl, Sniff, Spit's 5th session focussed on Cabertnet and friends. Here are some notes on the wines shown.
Bracket 1 – Classic ‘Bordeaux’
Margaret River – Wise Lot 80 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Showing regional typicity: dried leaf, touch of mint; blackfruits, cassis and cedar. Fine tannins
Hawkes Bay – Te Mata Woodthorpe Merlot Cabernets 2009
Softer, more fruit driven. Balanced palate exhibiting some chocolate, blackcurrant and plum. Good structure and length.
Bordeaux – Bordeaux Supérieur Vieux Naudin 2009
Lovely cigar and plum aroma, some ripeness in the palate. Good finish with some grip.
Bracket 1 – Classic ‘Bordeaux’
Margaret River – Wise Lot 80 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Showing regional typicity: dried leaf, touch of mint; blackfruits, cassis and cedar. Fine tannins
Hawkes Bay – Te Mata Woodthorpe Merlot Cabernets 2009
Softer, more fruit driven. Balanced palate exhibiting some chocolate, blackcurrant and plum. Good structure and length.
Bordeaux – Bordeaux Supérieur Vieux Naudin 2009
Lovely cigar and plum aroma, some ripeness in the palate. Good finish with some grip.
Bracket 2 – The Valleys
Clare Valley - Thomson Estate Back Blocks Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Pretty aromatics; chocolate, plum and cedar through the middle leading to a grippy little finish.
Pretty aromatics; chocolate, plum and cedar through the middle leading to a grippy little finish.
Yarra Valley – De Bortoli Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Some funk readily apparent on the nose, meaty and savoury. Smooth, silken and gentle persistence. Some De Bortoli hallmarks exhibited.
Bracket 3 – Queensland’s Own
Some funk readily apparent on the nose, meaty and savoury. Smooth, silken and gentle persistence. Some De Bortoli hallmarks exhibited.
Bracket 3 – Queensland’s Own
Granite Belt – Bent Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Just turning, still exhibiting some fruit but also some secondary fig and toffee. Good soft and long finish.
Just turning, still exhibiting some fruit but also some secondary fig and toffee. Good soft and long finish.
Granite Belt – Bent Road Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009
Still exhibiting youth. Fine wine with some good chalky tannin.
Still exhibiting youth. Fine wine with some good chalky tannin.
Bracket 4 – Victorian High Country
Pyrenees – Blue Pyrenees Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quite concentrated, somewhat fruit shy. Hint of mint with a trailing mineral finish.
Quite concentrated, somewhat fruit shy. Hint of mint with a trailing mineral finish.
Pyrenees – Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet
Smooth rounded. Elements in check and balance. Clean and silken conclusion. A winner.
Bonus Round - Barossa
Swirl, Sniff, Spit was fortunate to have Murray Street Vineyard winemaker Andrew Seppelt in attendance. Andrew was kind enough to bring along his 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon for the crowd.
Generous fruit and spicy oak. Length to remember.
Smooth rounded. Elements in check and balance. Clean and silken conclusion. A winner.
Bonus Round - Barossa
Swirl, Sniff, Spit was fortunate to have Murray Street Vineyard winemaker Andrew Seppelt in attendance. Andrew was kind enough to bring along his 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon for the crowd.
Generous fruit and spicy oak. Length to remember.
Bracket 5 – The Terra Rossa
Coonawarra – Yalumba Menzies 2007
Strong eucalypt and menthol aroma. Blackcurrant, cedar, hint of violets. Fine grained dryish tannins - balanced.
Strong eucalypt and menthol aroma. Blackcurrant, cedar, hint of violets. Fine grained dryish tannins - balanced.
Coonawarra - Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Entry is soft, mid-weight with some cedary oak. Expected cassis and mint. It smells of the Coonawarra soil.
Entry is soft, mid-weight with some cedary oak. Expected cassis and mint. It smells of the Coonawarra soil.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Session 5 - Cabernet Sauvignon
The bastard love child of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc is a relatively young grape variety from around the 16th Century. It’s quite a sociable beast, loving to hang out with friends and family such as Cabernet Franc (is that weird – hanging out with your Dad?), Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Its home is unarguably Bordeaux where the most famous examples make grown men cry and bank managers weep.
Bracket 1 – Classic ‘Bordeaux’
Margaret River – Wise Lot 80 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 @TheCrushGroup
Margaret River – Wise Lot 80 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 @TheCrushGroup
Hawkes Bay – Te Mata Woodthorpe Cabernet Merlot 2009
Bordeaux – Bordeaux Supérieur Vieux Naudin 2009 @WorldWineEstate @AlanHunter
Bracket 2 – The Valleys
Clare Valley - Thomson Estate Back Blocks Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 @ByrneVineyards
Yarra Valley – De Bortoli Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 @DeBortoliWines
Bracket 3 – Queensland’s Own
Granite Belt – Bent Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 @WineMakerGlen
Granite Belt – Bent Road Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009 @WineMakerGlen
Bracket 4 – Victorian High Country
Pyrenees – Blue Pyrenees Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 @BluePyrenees
Pyrenees – Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet @DalwhinnieWines
Bracket 5 – The Terra Rossa
Coonawarra – Yalumba Menzies 2007 @YalumbaMenzies
Coonawarra - Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 @CoonawarraK
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