Stefano Lubiana Primavera Pinot Noir 2006
The first of two wines consumed last night with dinner. This one served as a nice aperitif and accompaniment to our entry of a cheese and garlic calzone.
It was a bit hard to smell much from the dodgy restaurant goblets we were using, but floral aromas of dried and fresh fruits emerged from the glass with a bit of swirling. Not the most expressive nose but certainly true to the rest of the wine's flavour profile and of corresponding intensity. The entry is bright and immediately launches the wine's fruit flavours, which comprise the sort of heavy floral note I associate with dried apricots, as well as bright red fruit. Light bodied, with well balanced acidity. The wine's aftertaste is rather truncated, though, and fruit flavours drop away to almost nothing by the time the somewhat chunky tannins have started drying the mouth. Food helped with this dip in the palate and seemed to extend the wine's fruit flavours.
A fresh, lively wine that could probably take a light chill before serving. I've had more complete pinots for the price (mid $20s I think) but I did enjoy this.
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Poliziano Chianti 2006
This wine carried dinner foward last night, being served alongside our mains.
What a nice Chianti. This is a straightforward, very fresh expression of sangiovese. Again, not enormously expressive on the nose, but what is there indicates a savoury flavour profile of herbs and dried fruits. The palate confirms this, and from entry to finish flavours are carried along a nice line that livens the palate with a slightly rustic, acid-driven mouthfeel. Fruit flavours are akin to a packet of dried peel and red fruit, with herbs. Nothing too challenging or complex, but certainly tasty.
I think this wine would be a great one to have with an afternoon picnic of fresh bread, cheese and charcuterie. As it was last night, the wine supported our meal well but was a bit overpowered by the rich sauces that accompanied our food.
Showing posts with label tasmania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tasmania. Show all posts
Friday, 2 November 2007
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
South Pinot Noir 2006
Made by Andrew Pirie, part of his "South" budget label.
A bright, transparent ruby colour, tinges of purple, not very dense. Quite an expressive nose that is dominated by bright fruit and leafy, tobacco-like notes. The wine enters in quite a linear fashion but opens out nicely on the mid palate, spreading simple, sweet, light fruit flavours that remind me a bit of Central Otago pinot in character (if not weight). Moderate intensity of flavour. Noticeable acidity tingles the sides of the tongue. The wine's finish is lightly astringent and a bit short.
This wine is pretty, refreshing and nicely varietal. There's no great complexity of flavour, but it's very nice to drink and would go well with moderately spiced food.
Update: the wine opened up a fair bit over the course of the evening. It gained in density of fruit flavour, weight and complexity. It also lost a little of its attractive delicate touch.
A bright, transparent ruby colour, tinges of purple, not very dense. Quite an expressive nose that is dominated by bright fruit and leafy, tobacco-like notes. The wine enters in quite a linear fashion but opens out nicely on the mid palate, spreading simple, sweet, light fruit flavours that remind me a bit of Central Otago pinot in character (if not weight). Moderate intensity of flavour. Noticeable acidity tingles the sides of the tongue. The wine's finish is lightly astringent and a bit short.
This wine is pretty, refreshing and nicely varietal. There's no great complexity of flavour, but it's very nice to drink and would go well with moderately spiced food.
Update: the wine opened up a fair bit over the course of the evening. It gained in density of fruit flavour, weight and complexity. It also lost a little of its attractive delicate touch.
Monday, 25 June 2007
Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 2004
I've been having pinot noir cravings of late, and have realised that my cellar has barely a drop. So I went to Dan's a bought a couple of budget offerings, hoping to get a bit of pinot love at little cost. Unfortunately, the De Bortoli Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, which I know and enjoy, has come off its super discounted price point, making it no longer an impulse buy for me.
So instead, we have the Tamar Ridge Pinot. If ever one wanted to illustrate the concepts of line, structure and coherence, this would be a good wine to taste -- so that you know what a lack of all these things means. Initially, I was happy to enjoy a whiff of varietally correct pinot fruit (that curious sweet/sour berry/cherry taste that's hard to describe but easy to recognise). But I quickly realised that there's nothing holding this wine together - it's a mix of flavours with no theme. The wine doesn't tell any sort of story from nose to palate, it just presents as a series of discrete sensations, none of which are grossly unpleasant (good fruit, oak in balance, slightly harsh but not awful acidity, somewhat rustic tannins), all lacking a sense of context.
A blah experience and, as I mentioned before, a good lesson in how those "intangibles" can make or break a wine.
So instead, we have the Tamar Ridge Pinot. If ever one wanted to illustrate the concepts of line, structure and coherence, this would be a good wine to taste -- so that you know what a lack of all these things means. Initially, I was happy to enjoy a whiff of varietally correct pinot fruit (that curious sweet/sour berry/cherry taste that's hard to describe but easy to recognise). But I quickly realised that there's nothing holding this wine together - it's a mix of flavours with no theme. The wine doesn't tell any sort of story from nose to palate, it just presents as a series of discrete sensations, none of which are grossly unpleasant (good fruit, oak in balance, slightly harsh but not awful acidity, somewhat rustic tannins), all lacking a sense of context.
A blah experience and, as I mentioned before, a good lesson in how those "intangibles" can make or break a wine.
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