includes this Summer’s sparkling review LIQUOR BARONS PREMIUM WINE BUYING GUIDE - summer 2016 On the Vine summer 2016 1 Summer’s Snippets & Cuttings We’ve bundled an eclectic bunch of table wines here to help you over the warm months ahead. There are a few labels to have on standby when friends drop in for a quickie and then there are some wines that are different and promise you intriguing drinking over the holiday period. Whatever you decide on, they are cracking quality and at a price you’ll appreciate. We’ve done all the tasting over the last three months and selected the best wines, now you can do the drinking. Happy Christmas and you’ll hear from us early in the New Year. Cheers! Rod Properjohn This Summer’spick of the bunch Harewood Estate 2016 Porongurup Riesling (AU) Clairault 2014 Chardonnay (AU) Arguably the best locale for riesling in the Great Southern, the Quality wine from WA’s foremost chardonnay region Margaret Porongurup region is high in altitude with a continental climate, River. Shows oak fermentation/maturation treatment along with that is cool during the day and cold at night. It’s how riesling likes it. the varietal fruit of peach, nectarine and grapefruit. The palate is This has varietal citrus fruit and a fine, almost delicate palate with long and dry. Drinks well now but will be at its best in a couple of fruit sweetness that extends to a crunching acid finish. Magnificent years. Try with pork belly, simply oven-roasted with crisp crackling. with freshly shucked Albany oysters when in season. $19.99 single bottle $17 99 each in any six $24.99 single bottle $2299 each in any six 2 On the Vine summer 2016 has been meeting every fortnight for the last 15 years. Delivery of a vast selection of new hopefuls are unpacked and secured in blind tasting bags at a secret location known only to the selected few. Over the years literally thousands of wines Castle have passed the lips of our veteran experts. As it is with the creation of all good wines, the On The Vine selection takes time. This time and Rock experience is the Panel’s dedication to bring you only the best wines from across Australia and the World. There is a world of wine out there and it’s waiting for you to take the first step, let the Estate panel make that introduction! The Panel The Winemaker Robert Diletti makes wine for nine other contract wineries including Dukes, Shepherds Hut, 3drops, Montgomery Hill, Oranje Tractor, Zarephath, Abbey Creek, Hillbrook and Shepherds Hut. Other than Castle Rock wines, the contract wines consistently do well in James Halliday’s Wine Companion, Castle Rock has a had 5 Red Star rating for many years! As well as receiving many awards for his wines, Rob also has achieved many personal accolades, including receiving an award for the Young Winemaker Leading Light Award in 2006 and being a finalist in Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year Awards in 2012. Perhaps his greatest achievement to date was being recently named the inaugural Winemaker of the Year in James Halliday’s 2015 Wine Companion! This Summer’s pick of the bunch Castle Rock 2016 Great Southern Chardonnay (AU) Castle Rock Estate 2016 Porongurup Riesling (AU) A modern light style of chardy, this has classical stone fruit, a Wonderful Porongurup wine that shows citrus/grapefruit and a smidge of citrus and a waft of smokiness from oak fermentation. long structural core of minerality and acidity. Our experience says The palate is long, steely and tight with fruit waiting to evolve with the wine improves dramatically about twelve months after bottling, bottle aging. Try with char-grilled marron (fresh-water crayfish) so start drinking it in autumn and then continue over the next ten with a squirt of fresh lime. years, taking a couple of breaks along the way of course. Brilliant with pan-fried whiting. $18.99 single bottle $1699 each in any six $25.99 single bottle $2299 each in any six On the Vine summer 2016 3 white & rosé The Pass 2015 Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) Stanrock 2015 Sauvignon Blanc – Single Vineyard (NZ) By Vavasour, this has a bucketful of tropical fruit mixed in with Amazing value in this Marlborough wine full of grassy notes and gooseberry and a dollop of citrus. The palate has the Marlborough snow pea characters. Tropical fruits, guava and passionfruit, give footprint of lightness, freshness, herbal lift and zingy acidity. way to leafiness as the wine wanders along a pleasant length to a Another good value wine that suits light seafood with an Asian- soft finish. Fun with a dish of mussels steamed in chilli, garlic and a style dressing. splash of the savvy itself. $14.99 single bottle $1399 each in any six $18.99 single bottle $1699 each in any six Flametree 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon (AU) La Villa 2015 Pinot Grigio (It) This is a serious food wine, a blend that’s had a solid workout in the From Treviso and the eastern vineyards of the Veneto region of winery. Different yeast strains, whole berry use, barrel and solids northern Italy. This uncomplicated light white has a pleasant fresh ferment - it goes on. The result is a complex textural dry wine with pear fruit characters, some nuttiness and a dry clean palate that a little grippy tannin. It’s savoury and quite dry and has really good would suit a large number of simple summer seafood dishes. Good length. Great foil for a seafood risotto. value here! $17.99 single bottle each in any six $1699 $18.99 single bottle $1699 each in any six 4 On the Vine summer 2016 Domaine Naturaliste 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Nautilus 2015 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) A precocious youngster with an iridescent colour. The two parts The presentation of this wine is all class from the label to the wine in savvy and one part semillon guarantee a mix of grassiness, guava the bottle. It’s up a notch or two with the subtlety of melon and citrus and citrus and two months on lees in seasoned oak barrels is not blossom marrying to the subdued tropical fruits of the variety. The obvious but adds mouthfeel and softens zesty acid. It’s a lovely palate has a light creamy texture, which enhances the mouthfeel. Try drink and will be difficult to put down on a warm summer afternoon. with whitebait fritters. $19.99 single bottle $17 99 each in any six $25.99 single bottle $2299 each in any six La Maschera 2016 Rosé of Granaxia (AU) Domaine des Légèrers 2014 Mâcon-Villages This is as pale as a Clinton face on election night. You’d be excused Belcombe (Fr) for thinking it’s an imported rosé, by its label, appearance and From Macon, the value-region of Burgundy and from its famous taste. It’s as Aussie as ‘pie and sauce’ however, a Barossa wine and white grape, chardonnay. This has a delightful nose, some cheesy is very quaffable. Pale pomegranate in colour, it’s at the savoury lees characters, smoky wood and a finely focused palate of citrus, end of pink wine with a little dustiness, red berry fruit, has texture light oak and a decidedly acid finish. Pleasant wine for the price. and is dry to a clean finish. Try with smoked salmon. $19.99 single bottle $17 99 each in any six $27.99 single bottle $2499 each in any six Maude 2016 Pinot Gris Central Otago (NZ) Rimauresq 2015 Côtes de Provence Rosé (Fr) Pale straw in colour with a light bready nose and stone fruit. Partial A light salmon pink, this is lively, savoury and dry with a long palate oak fermentation has lifted this out of the simple fruit-driven and tantalising acidity on the finish. We recommend you buy only spectrum into a textural, more complex wine. There’s a little youthful rosé like this one, as the style can age quickly and lose firmness on the palate and the finish is dry and tart. Good with quality. Most pink wines are best when they’re fresh. Ideal with quality fish and chips. canapés. $23.99 single bottle $2199 each in any six $29.99 single bottle $2699 each in any six On the Vine summer 2016 5 red wine La Bohème 2015 The Missing Act Cabernet & Friend (AU) Kilikanoon 2014 Killerman’s Run GSM (AU) By De Bortoli and made from their Yarra Valley fruit, this is a Made using the three classic Rhone red varieties grown in Clare and gulpable young red with plum, cherry and spice bundled up with matured in older oak for 16 months. It’s spicy and savoury with sour subtle oak, pliable tannins and soft acidity. It’s all about cheerful plum and blueberry, powdery tannins and firm finish. As it’s bottled drinking around the barbecue. It’s a party wine. without fining and filtering, it may throw sediment as it ages and require decanting. Serve with charcuterie. $21.99 single bottle each in any six $19.99 single bottle $17 99 each in any six $1999 Domain Barossa 2014 Black Tongue Shiraz (AU) Frankland Estate 2015 Shiraz (AU) A dazzling deep ruby colour, this has a bright blueberry fruitiness Delectable cool-area Great Southern shiraz with bright red plum with spicy oak, dark chocolate and a balance of tannins and acid. and cherry fruit, a smidge of leafy tobacco, integrated oak and A terrific example of generous Barossa shiraz.