TaltarniOne of the first premium Australian wines that I can remember seeing in the US was Taltarni Vineyards. Established in 1969, Taltarni is a founding winery of Victoria’s Pyrenees wine region which is near Melbourne. The picturesque 700ha property, released its first wine in 1977. Today Taltarni has 132ha of vines. The Pyrenees wine district is one of life’s hidden treasures – the rolling hills, sweeping bluffs and gum trees create a beautiful landscape. In local aboriginal dialect Taltarni means ‘red earth', describing the rich, red soil of the region. Taltarni Vineyards is affiliated with Clos Du Val Winery in the Napa Valley and Bernard Portet, Clos du Val’s winemaker and the former winemaker at Ch Lafite Rothschild.
Taltarni is one of the pioneers of Australian Sauvignon Blanc - its cool climate and vineyard elevation ideally suited to creating a wine with an outstanding combination of tropical fruit, gooseberry and lime sorbet characters and a refreshingly crisp finish. This wine is crafted from fruit sourced from vineyards in Victoria’s Pyrenees and Tasmanian wine regions. Inclusion of Tasmanian fruit imparts an explosion of cool climate aromas and lifted gooseberry, citrus and grapefruit flavors. The 2005 vintage is bursting with a mix of fresh fruit salad aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit and limes.
Taltarni Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99
Taché is a French word meaning ‘stained’ and refers to the rare winemaking method used since 1985 by Taltarni to create this fine rosé-colored sparkling wine. Its amazing delicate salmon pink color is achieved by adding a dash of red wine liqueur to the finished tirage wine at disgorgement. Disgorgement is when the yeast lees and sediment are popped out of the bottle where the wine will then see its final blending with the liquer de triage.Taltarni’s Brut Taché 2004 is a blend of three classic sparkling wine varietals Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sourced from our cool climate vineyards in Victorian and Tasmanian wine regions. Each bottle of Taltarni Brut Taché is fermented in its original bottle and matured on yeast lees for 18 months followed by 3 months on cork prior to release according to traditional methods to create a complex sparkling wine. This wine has an salmon-pink color, on the nose an assortment of fresh fruit, rose petals, apricots and white peach aromas complemented by complex yeasty characters.
Taltarni Brut Tache, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $17.99
Taltarni’s Pyrenees Shiraz is grown from cuttings sourced from 100 year old vines planted at Seppelt’s Great Western Vineyard in 1864. Shiraz is a variety that thrives in the Pyrenees producing a deep magenta colored, complex, rich and peppery style with intense spicy, berry aromas and well-balanced and ripe tannins. The 2002 vintage in the Pyrenees produced exceptional red wines. An unusually cool summer, minimal rainfall and a gradual, extended ripening period resulted in optimal natural acidity, sugar and flavor development in all varieties. Yields were down by about 50% and with fewer more concentrated berries produced an array of intense, concentrated fruit flavors. This wine is an 100% Estate Grown Shiraz – fruit is selected in individual parcels to create a luscious wine with the perfect assortment of rich berry flavors and spice. Aged for 16 months in French oak barriques creates a complex wine with fine tannin structure.
This Shiraz sports aromas of sweet berries combine with hints of violets and mint followed by a full palate of rich dark spicy fruit leaving trails of dark chocolate, licorice and cherries. The wine was fermented in traditional open-top fermenters with heading board system. The pressed wine was aged in a combination of new French and American oak complemented with an even mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 year old oak.
Taltarni ‘Pyrenees’ Shiraz 2002, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $14.99
One of our favorite new wineries is Kangarilla Road. Winemaker Kevin O’Brien recently did a tour of Florida and conducted tastings in a few of our Wine Warehouse stores. Pictured above from our Atlantic Beach store are store manager Mark Graeser, Kevin and AB assistant manager Sushi. Named after the road the vineyard resides on, Kangarilla Road is 22 miles south of Adelaide and nestled between the Gulf of St. Vincent and the South Mount Lofty ranges. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from four vineyards in the McLaren Vale district. The major percentage is from Kangarilla Road’s McLaren Flat vineyards together with that of its immediate neighbor. These vineyards located at the northern part of the foothills ripen later than many of the other sub-regions resulting in "cooler climate" aromatic dark fruit driven wines with intense mid to back palate presence and an abundance of soft velvety tannins. The balance of the blend is sourced from a vineyard in the Seaview and Aldinga regions of McLaren Vale. Both of these vineyards are located in highly stressed sites where the influence of strong wind and sandy soils give rise to intense aromas and flavors.
Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99
Kangarilla produces an amazingly fresh and delicious Viognier. This light straw colored wine has green hues and lively aromas of ginger, marmalade citrus and hints of zesty oiliness that are characteristic of Viognier. Mouth filling, sweet jammy and zesty citrus flavors coat the palate with integrated oak, and fresh acidity. Seventy percent of this wine was fermented in new French oak Barrels.
This wine is blended from equal proportions of Viognier from vineyards in three distinctive areas within McLaren Vale. The Viognier from Kangarilla Road’s McLaren Flat vineyards located at the northern section of the foothills ripen later than other sub-regions resulting in "cooler climate" elegant light conserve characters that marry well with barrel fermentation.
From the Wine Advocate, a delicate, nuanced style of Viognier, the 2005 makes a mockery of many New World, tooty fruity, bubble gum type wines. Exceptional freshness, a mineral-like character, medium body, and plenty of peach, apricot, and citrus oil notes are present in this impressively endowed effort. It should drink nicely for several years. 90 points
Kangarilla Road Viognier, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99
Who says Zinfandel is only grown in California? Kangarilla produces a blockbuster Zinfandel from the McLaren Vale that is crimson with red hues, ripe, dark berry fruits with plum and hints of dark cherry integrated with nuances of oak and spice. Full, long flavored with crushed red and black fruits and a soft yet flavorful finish. Sourced from Kangarilla Road ’s estate vineyard in McLaren Vale. This vineyard includes 30-year-old non-irrigated vines growing in low vigor red/brown loam creating a useful stressed environment that Zinfandel loves so much.
This Zin is fermented by using a submerged cap in open-top fermenters. 25% of this wine sees new French oaking, with the balance in 3 and 4 year American oak barrels. The 2003 vintage was one of extremes. Drought conditions were the most severe since 1985 and the strong winds during flowering and fruit set affected cluster numbers and the formation of berries. The resultant wines are intense in color and rich in aroma and flavor. 2003 was a winemaker’s vintage and Kevin did a superb job.
From the latest Wine Advocate: One of my favorite McLaren Vale wineries, Kangarilla Road offers very realistic prices for the quality of their wines. Substantial and rich, but still elegantly styled is the fig, fruit cake, black cherry, and pepper-scented 2003 Zinfandel McLaren Vale. Heady, well-made, and pure, it should drink well for 2-3 years. 90 points
Kangarilla Road ‘McLaren Vale’ Zinfandel, Retail $32.99 Warehouse $25.99
Kangarilla Road Shiraz is produced primarily from Kangarilla Road’s McLaren Flat vineyards located at the northern part of the foothills that ripen later than other sub-regions, resulting in "cooler climate" spicy aromatic dark berry (cherry) driven wines with intense mid to back palate impression and soft velvety tannins.
The second component is sourced from the Blewitt Springs and Seaview areas where soils range from mostly deep sands to red earth on limestone giving the wine spicy bold dark plum characters very important as a nuance to the 2003 wine. A small percentage of the blend is from the Hackham sub-region. Here the Shiraz ripens early, yields are very low and the wine is intense and almost Vintage Port like in style. The small percentage (around 10%) of the blend contributes enormously to the overall complexity of the wine. The final small percentage of the blend is from a vineyard in the Sellicks sub-region, which is very close to the sea. Shiraz ripens early here also with very low yields that have herbaceous characters with firm Cabernet like tannins.
Opulent aromas of dark berries, fruit cake with brambles, raisins and savory spices. Powerful, full-bodied style with loads of ripe, dried fruit flavors, spicy acidity and a long integrated finish. Drink over the next few years.
Check out the latest Parker press! The stunning 2004 Shiraz boasts deep mocha, blackberry, cherry, and white chocolate notes interspersed with hints of new oak (both French and American wood are used), pepper, smoke, and coffee. This rich, layered, tasty Aussie red can be drunk now and over the next 7-8 years. 92 points
Kangarilla Road Shiraz, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99
Cape Barren
The Cape Barren name comes from the Cape Barren goose, which is native to the coastal areas of Southern Australia. Cape Barren geese can be seen feeding in and around the Blewitt Springs vineyard.
Cape Barren’s Blewitt Springs vineyard, previously a source of Shiraz for several Australian icon wines, was chosen to provide the grapes for Cape Barren Old Vine Shiraz. Blewitt Springs is a small vineyard of approximately 10 acres that is cooler and has a longer ripening period than the nearby vineyards at Willunga and McLaren Flat. The low yielding vines at The Springs are over 70 years old and at best they produce two tons of fruit per acre. The unique terroir of this vineyard allows for the creation of an elegant, single vineyard Shiraz that possesses profound depth of flavor.The intense 2003 Shiraz has ripe berry, blackcurrant fruits and fragrant spices on the nose. It is richly textured and flavored with anise and clove accents backing dark berry fruits. Maturation in 300 liter barrels provided a hint of integrated vanilla and oak with softly textured tannins and a long length of persistence.
From Robert Parker: The 2003 Shiraz Old Vine is a big, full-bodied effort exhibiting notes of melted chocolate, chewy blackberry and cassis fruit, and toasty oak. With plenty of glycerin, alcohol, and rich fruit in its deep, formidably endowed, velvety textured personality, it should be drunk over the next 5-6 years. 93 points
Cape Barren ‘Old Vines’ McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003, Retail $31.99 Warehouse $24.99
Jacob’s Creek
What’s an Aussie wine blog without a value offering? Jacob’s Creek is the world’s most popular Australian wine by selling over 7 million cases worldwide. Jacobs Creek is owned by drinks giant Pernod Ricard. Pernod Ricard is one of the top three wine and spirits companies in the world. Pernod Ricard has emerged to be more than just an anise liqueur. We have three of Jacob’s Creek’s popular wines at very popular prices.
Jacob’s Creek Shiraz 2004 possesses ripe blackberry mid-palate with hints of spice. Rich and full-flavored with velvet tannin structure and subtle toasty oak notes.
1.5 liter Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.95
Jacob’s Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 has a nose displaying intense varietal aromas of ripe plums, cassis, blackcurrant with hints of spice and subtle oak influence.
1.5 liter Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.95
Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay 2005 is fragrant and fresh. Nectarine, honeydew melon and citrus blossom aromas combine with a subtle spice and toasty oak characters.
1.5 liter Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.95
Campbells
On to the stickies! We have a pair of ultra-expressive dessert style wines from Campbells. The Campbells are a fourth generation Rutherglen winemaking family dedicated to continuing the Rutherglen tradition that began in 1870 of producing deep and complex wines from the region. I once sat a wine exam where in previous years the examiners were know to stick in a Rutherglen Liquer Muscat into the blind tasting. I had never tasted a Liquer Muscat as they were not that easy to find in the US at the time. Sure enough, there was one on the exam and I nailed it. Why? It couldn't have been anything else. Try this wine and see, there are musky, deep berry aromas, bright amber, golden hues with copper hints belong to this wine. The palate is luscious and mouth-filling with raisin fruit followed by a long finish. There is nothing quite like it anywhere. The wine is blended to maintain a consistent house style when combined with wines from previous vintages – some are more than 30 years old.
The grapes for this Muscat and the following Tokay were entirely sourced from Campbells ’ family owned and managed vineyards located in Rutherglen in North East Victoria, Australia. Rutherglen’s cold, frosty winters with good rains, warm-to-hot, dry summers and long, mild, dry autumns allow for steady and full grape maturation.
More notes from Parker: The unctuous, light amber-hued non-vintage Muscat exhibits a sweet, caramelized, raisiny character with notes of plums, fruitcakes, and marmalade. It is gloriously sweet yet relatively light on its feet. 93 points
Campbells Rutherglen Liquer Muscat 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99
The Campbells Tokay wine is a style and not a grape but is actually made from the Muscadelle grape and is blended with wines from previous vintages to produce a consistent style. This wine contains portions from a number of different vintages as old as 30 years. Made from a white grape, this wine is much lighter in color than a port or muscat of equivalent age.
Each vintage of the Tokay grapes are left on the vine (20- to 25- year-old vine age) to ripen fully until raisined and brimming with natural sugar. The wine is then blended with wines from previous vintages to produce a consistent style. Deep, brilliant, burnished gold with a nose displaying toffee, honey and cold tea characters. The toffee and tealeaf characters are predominate in the front palate with bracing hints of spirit and mellowed oak on the finish.
Another Parker note: The non-vintage Tokay reveals hints of Chinese black tea interwoven with caramel, buttered nuts, prunes, and toffee. These wines rarely improve in the bottle, but even after 5-10 years, they do not reveal any signs of falling apart. 91 points
Campbell’s Rutherglen Tokay 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $14.99
Cheers mates!
