Swirl Sniff Spit with Tom Carson

On 18th September, Swirl Sniff Spit is excited to bring you another opportunity to taste with, and learn from, one of Australia's leading winemakers.

Tom Carson, General Manager and Chief Winemaker Yabby Lake  is one of Australia's leading lights when it comes to the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties, and with this tasting comes the opportunity to taste not only the latest Yabby Lake releases, but also to taste them alongside a comparable range of French wines hand selected by Tom.  

You can read more about Tom and the 2010 Yabby Lake releases here.

This will be a paid for event, with ticket prices solely to cover the costs of buying in the benchmark wines.  Ticket prices are $30 plus a ticketing site admin fee of $2.79.  With the wines tasted totalling over $1400 that's a fair bargain.  Tickets will be made available shortly.

This is a fantastic opportunity, and one that is sure to fill fast.

Chardonnay

Bracket 1
Patrick Piuze Terroir de Courgis Chablis 2011
Red Claw Chardonnay 2010

Bracket 2
Pierre Yves Colin Morey Meursault Narvaux 2010
Yabby Lake Single Vineyard 2010

Bracket 3
Pierre Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne Montrachet Baudines 2010 1er

Yabby Lake Block 6 Chardonnay 2010

Pinot Noir

Bracket 4
Domaine de Bellene Bourgogne Rouge 2010

Red Claw Pinot Noir 2010

Bracket 5
Domaine Stephane Magnien Morey St Denis 2009

Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010

Bracket 6
Domaine de Bellene Beaune Clos du Roi Vieilles Vignes 2010 1er

Yabby Lake Block 2 Pinot Noir 2010

Session 3 - Pinot Noir

"A seductive, yet fickle mistress", or "sex in a glass".  Pinot Noir has been christened thus and a number of other names, many of which reference its reputation as one of the most challenging of varietals to grow.  Pinot Noir is "the heartbreak grape".


As ever, Swirl, Sniff, Spit has pulled together a global line-up designed to showcase what is great and good about this most "romantic of varietals".

Bracket 1

Blanc de Noir: Henschke Lenswood Blanc de Noir NV

Rose: De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Pinot Noir Rose 2010

Bracket 2

Tasmania: Frogmore Creek Pinot Noir 2008

Adelaide Hills: Vinteloper Pinot Noir 2010

Bracket 3

Mornington Peninsula: Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir 2008

Yarra: Hoddle's Creek Estate Pinot Noir 2010

Bracket 4

NZ Martinborough: The Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008

NZ Otago: Quartz Reef Pinot Noir 2008

Bracket 5

Bourgogne AC: Louis Jadot Bourgogne Rouge AC 2008

1er Cru: Camille Giroud Volnay 1er Cru 2006
Bonus: David Clark Passe-Tout-Grain 2008 (Pinot/ Gamay blend)

Bracket 6

Oregon: Evesham Wood Eola-Amity Pinot Noir 2009

Chilean: Casas Del Bosque Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2009

Session 2 - Chardonnay - Round Up

As the world is focusing on the great varietal Chardonnay on International Chardonnay Day - 26th May 2011 - it seems timely to get this wrap from the 2nd Swirl, Sniff, Spit session.

The line up featured stellar examples and highlighted much that is right and good about Chardonnay.  All we needed was some Blanc de Blanc Champagne to round things off!


Pair 1
1. Stefano Lubiana Primavera 2010, Tasmania
Slatey, a nod of grapefruit.  But the magic happens with the taught line that just extends.....Many have Stefano Lubiana amongst the top tier of Australian Chardonnay producers, this showed why.

2. Christian Moreaux 2009, Chablis AC, France
Racy, balanced and exhibiting lemon with some flinty aroma and flavour.  Smooth, long and refreshing.

Pair 2
1. De Bortoli Reserve Chardonnay 2008, Yarra Valley, Australia @DeBortoliWines
No new oak, matured in four and five year old old oak.  Creamy, dairy, yoghurt - almost a touch of Cottage Cheese - from full malo.  Elegance and length.  Superb!

2. Eldridge Estate Estate Chardonnay 2008, Mornington Peninsula, Australia @EldridgeEstate
Pineapple, grapefruit and peach through the middle.  Comely, familiar yet not overworked.  Good presence of toasty oak, again not overdone.  Quality shining throughout.

Pair 3
1. Witches Falls Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2009, Granite Belt, Queensland, Australia @TheWineryWitch
Bouquet of melon and vanilla, oak here supports, not dominates the fruit.  Not quite as defined, giving glimpses of where it will be with further vine age.
2. BK Wines Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2009, Adelaide Hills, Australia @BKWines
Wild yeast fermented in 50% new oak with leese stirring for 9 months.  Aromatic florals - very Adelaide Hills according to some attendees familiar.  Fruit is concentrated and powerful, peach leading a line with some supporting citrus.

Pair 4
1. Fraser Gallop Estate Chardonnay 2009, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia @FraserGallopEst
Lemony, buttery, peach.  It has it all but the fruit quality shines.  A backbone of acid keeps it all going and holds it in check.

2. Forrest Hill Estate Chardonnay 2009, Mount Barker, Western Australia @ForestHillWines
tight on opening, slowly unfurling to deliver typical stonefruit.  Represents its place well, cool climate acid presented with a driving line.  Length, impressive, extensive; the wine and the line.

Pair 5
1. Felton Road Chardonnay 2009, Central Otago, New Zealand @FeltonRoadWine
Toasty, nutty oak here.  It's a Chardonnay for those who want quality but want Chardonnay with all elements present. good texture, with some opening fink and grapefruit.

2. Man O' War Vineyard Valhalla Chardonnay 2009, Waiheke Island, New Zealand @ManOWarNZWine
Reductive on opening.  Shakes this sulphuric cloak off to deliver lovely minerality.  Taut and complex, struck match as mentioned.  Citrus and pear with nutty complexity.

Pair 6
1. Domaine Christian Moreau 1er Cru Chablis 2009
Very light, green tinged.  Oak present - barely.  Minerally lime, tart citrus.  Balance, elegance

2. Domaine Bouchard Per et Fils Beaune de Chateau 1er Cru 2009
Beautifully structured, with intense chalky minerality.  Comes from four different 1er Cru vineyards, where reds are the norm in Beaune.  Delicate ripe pineapple and citrus flavours.  Had me going "Wow, more please Vicar".

Session 2 - Chardonnay

Love it or loathe it, Chardonnay is quite a polarising variety.  Many say "I don't like Chardonnay", but which one?  As with many of the great varietals, Chardonnay can be greatly influenced by the of the winemaker.  Many of the great wines of the world are made with Chardonnay: Champagne, the great whites of Burgundy, icons of Australia such as Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Oakridge 864 Chardonnay, Cullen Kevin John...I could go on.


This line up of Chardonay at the second Swirl, Sniff, Spit event is designed to showcase what is great and good about this most noble of varietals.


Pair 1
1. Stefano Lubiana Primavera 2010, Tasmania
2. Christian Moreaux 2009, Chablis AC, France

Pair 2
1. De Bortoli Reserve Chardonnay 2008, Yarra Valley, Australia @DeBortoliWines
2. Eldridge Estate Estate Chardonnay 2008, Mornington Peninsula, Australia @EldridgeEstate

Pair 3
1. Witches Falls Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2009, Granite Belt, Queensland, Australia @TheWineryWitch
2. BK Wines Picadilly Valley Chardonnay 2009, Adelaide Hills, Australia @BKWines

Pair 4
1. Fraser Gallop Estate Chardonay 2009, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia @FraserGallopEst
2. Forrest Hill Estate Chardonnay 2009, Mount Barker, Western Australia @ForestHillWines

Pair 5
1. Felton Road Chardonnay 2009, Central Otago, New Zealand @FeltonRoadWine
2. Man O' War Vineyard Valhalla Chardonnay 2009, Waiheke Island, New Zealand @ManOWarNZWine

Pair 6
1. Les Heretiers Du Comte Lafon '09 Macon Villages, Macon, France2. Burgundy 1er Cru TBC