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A Kiwi visits Wine Australia
by Ian Mill
13 December 2004
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Queenstown-based Ian Mill, owner and former operator of the historic Gantleys in Queenstown, could not stand the thought of leaving a tasting of over 4500 wines to the Aussies. So with airfares so cheap he jumped on a plane and joined them in Sydney at Wine Australia. Ian's passion for wine is obvious from this report but it is probably best demonstrated in Gantleys thirty-page wine list which features around 300 listings of some of the best and rarest wines from New Zealand, Australia, and France. Gantleys has received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for each of the past nine years for having "one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world". This exceptional wine list, as well as its outstanding cuisine, is one of the reasons Gantleys has developed an enviable reputation over the years as well. Ian, who ran Gantleys in conjunction with his wife Karyn, has sold the lease of their restaurant to nephew Brent Rands and Head Chef Jared Aldridge, both of whom have been employed by the Mills pretty much since day one. This means retirement for Ian and Karyn who now have the luxury of exploring other interests, most of which seem to include wine and travel. |
The greatest showcase of Australian wines under one roof, Wine Australia 2004, was held at the Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney from 26 to 29 November. Some 450 wineries participated with more than 4000 wines on show. Disappointingly, many high profile wineries were not in attendance but the show nonetheless provided an excellent representative sampling of recent vintages from all regions of Australia.
Sadly too many wineries did not showcase their premium wines or otherwise had to be cajoled into producing such wines from under the counter. Not so, however, with outstanding producer Torbreck Wines who for the duration of the show had their complete range including Runrig (A$161 a bottle at cellar door) decanted and freely available for tasting. Well done Torbreck!
Over three intensive days of tasting I managed to evaluate almost 500 wines and have summarized here all wines that rated four stars or better together with my best in each category awards. There were doubtless many more wines on show that deserved to be included but it was simply not possible to sample every wine in each category. I did try to sample all wines with an established “pedigree” and those which had received favourable ratings or which had been recommended to me. My tastings and ratings are therefore truly representative of the best wines on show but are by no means inclusive.
The standout categories for me at Wine Australia were Shiraz and Riesling. The number and quality of wines in these categories rating four stars or better was impressive. The most disappointing categories were Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. There was only one Pinot Noir on show that would make my shopping list and there were many wines in this category that did not achieve any rating at all. Most were light coloured, light in weight and lacked any real pinot character let alone the layers of flavour and complexity we have become used to in the better NZ Pinot Noirs. Many also appeared to be affected to varying degrees by Brettanomyces.
The top Chardonnays were excellent but those rated four stars or less were pretty uninteresting and would struggle to make my shopping list even as every day quaffers. Likewise for Cabernet Sauvignon – the top ten were quite outstanding but those rating four stars or less evoked little interest.
Flavour of the month with Australian winemakers is Viognier. There were not a lot of straight Viognier labels on show but the top rated wine in this category, Clonakilla Viognier 2003 from the Canberra district was quite outstanding. The real popularity of this grape, however, is as a blend with Shiraz. In most cases only 2-8% Viognier is included but because it is such a trendy thing to do the wines are being labeled Shiraz/Viognier. After countless allegations of dodgy labeling over the years I find it somewhat amusing that our honest Aussie neighbours now see a need to include a grape variety on a label when it makes a massive 2% contribution to the wine.
The heat and bushfires of 2003 have left their mark on a number of wines from that vintage with those worst affected being from the north-east Victoria and Canberra regions. Smoke taint and a hardness on the finish of the wine was disturbingly evident in several of the wines, particularly reds, from these areas. Top producer Giaconda, whose Beechworth vineyards were close to the bushfires, has decided not to release any wines from 2003 apart from Cabernet Sauvignon. Other producers are not releasing any Reserve labels from 2003.
The most interesting wine tasted at Wine Australia was the Lost Valley 2004 Cortese. Made from a grape variety commonly grown in northern Italy this wine is proclaimed to be the only Cortese made in Australia. It displayed characters reminiscent of sauvignon, pinot gris and chardonnay all rolled into one and resulted in a fresh, clean, crisp and fruit driven wine ideal for summer drinking.
Closures were a popular discussion topic at Wine Australia and it was obvious that there has been a significant swing to screwcaps over the past two years with estimations of as much as 60% of all 2004 wines being sealed in this manner. Other closures being trialled include “Procork” – a natural cork product with a membrane barrier on each end, an Australian invention “Zork” – a plastic stopper claimed to offer “the convenience of screwcap and the celebration of cork” and the good old crown top being applied to at least one sparkling wine.
Top Rated Wines
Riesling
Five Stars
Helm Premium 2004 (Canberra) – Runner Up
Helm 2002 (Canberra)
Helm 2003 (Canberra)
Helm 2004 (Canberra)
Leo Buring Leonnay 1999 (Clare Valley)
Four and a half Stars
Helm 2001 (Canberra)
Lambert 2003 (Canberra)
Leasingham Bastion 2003 (Clare Valley)
Leasingham Bin 7 Watervale 2004 (Clare Valley)
Lenswood 2004 (Clare Valley)
Petaluma 2004 (Clare Valley)
Four Stars
Frankland Isolation 2004 (W.A.)
Kamberra 2004 (Canberra)
Kamberra 2001 (Canberra)
Kirrihill 2004 (Clare Valley)
Klonakilla 2004 (Canberra)
Knappstein 2004 (Clare Valley)
Knappstein Single Vineyard Watervale 2004 (Clare Valley)
Leo Buring Eden Valley 2004
Mount Majura 2004 (Canberra)
Pfeiffer 2004 (Vic.)
Pfeiffer Carlyle 2003 (Vic.)
Tamar Ridge 2004 (Tas.)
Chardonnay
Five Stars
Brookland Valley Reserve 2002 (W.A.) – Runner Up
Goundrey Reserve 2002 (W.A.)
Moss Wood 2003 (W.A.)
Petaluma 2002 (Adelaide Hills)
Stonier Reserve 2002 (Vic.)
Vasse Felix Heytesbury 2002 (W.A.)
Yering Station 2003 (Vic.)
Four and a half Stars
Curly Flat 2002 (Vic.)
De Bortoli Yarra Valley 2003 (Yarra)
Goundrey Offspring 2002 (W.A.)
Picardy 2003 (W.A.)
Pierro 2003 (W.A.)
Shaw & Smith M3 2003 (Adelaide Hills)
Four Stars
Devil’s Lair 2002 (W.A.)
Evans & Tate 2004 (W.A.)
Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay 2003 (Barossa)
Kooyong 2001 (Vic.)
Moorilla 2003 (Tas.)
Shadowfax 2003 (Vic.)
Shaw & Smith M3 2002 (Adelaide Hills)
Stonier 2003 (Vic.)
Toolangi Reserve 2003 (Yarra)
Tyrell’s Bin 47 2002 (Hunter Valley)
Pinot Gris
Four and a half Stars
Four Stars
Long Rail Gully 2004 (Canberra)
Piper’s Brook 2003 (Tas.)
Viognier
Five Stars
Four Stars
Pinot Noir
Five Stars
Four and a half Stars
Four Stars
Bay of Fires 2002 (Tas.)
Clyde Park Reserve 2002 (Vic.)
Kooyong 2001 (Vic.)
Shadowfax 2003 (Vic.)
Stefano Lubiano 2004 (Tas.)
Willow Creek Tulum 2001 (Vic.)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Five Stars
Katnook Odyssey 2000 (Coonawarra) – Runner Up
Arrowfield 2003 (Hunter)
D’Arenburg Coppermine Road 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Devil’s Lair 2001 (W.A.)
Pepper Tree Grand Reserve 1999 (Coonawarra)
Wirra Wirra The Angelus 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Four and a half Stars
Brookland Valley Reserve 2001 (W.A.)
Crawford River 2000 (Vic.)
Hollick Ravenswood 2000 (Coonawarra)
Lake Breeze Arthur’s Reserve 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Lake Breeze 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Parker Terra Rossa 2001 (Coonawarra)
Pepper Tree Grand Reserve 2000 (Coonawarra)
Petaluma Coonawarra 2001(Coonawarra)
Wirra Wirra The Angelus 2001 (McLaren Vale)
Yarra Burn 2001 (Yarra)
Zema Estate Family Selection 2001 (Coonawarra)
Four Stars
Bowen Estate 2002 (Coonawarra)
Clarence Hill 2002 (McLaren Vale)
First Creek 2002 (Orange)
Pepper Tree Grand Reserve 2002 (Coonawarra)
Picardy Merlimont 2001 (W.A.)
Punter’s Corner Spartacus 2002 (Coonawarra)
Reynell 1998 (McLaren Vale)
Ross Estate 2002 (Barossa)
Step Rd 2002 (Langhorne Creek)
Yering Station 2001 (Yarra)
Zema Estate 2002 (Coonawarra)
Cabernet/Merlot
Five Stars
Ross Estate Lynedoch 2002 (Barossa) – Runner Up
Four and a half Stars
Coriole Mary Kathleen 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Pierro 2001 (W.A.)
Redman 2000 (Coonawarra)
Mountadam The Red 2001 (Barossa)
Four Stars
Barossa Valley Estates Ebenezer 2001 (Barossa)
Ben Potts Cab/Malbec 2002 (Langhorne Creek)
Mount Langi 1999 (Vic.)
Grenache
Four and a half Stars
Four Stars
Lake Breeze 2003 (Langhorne Creek)
Ross Estate Old Vine 2002 (Barossa)
Torbreck The Steading GSM 2002 (Barossa)
Merlot
Five Stars
Four and a half Stars
Banks Thargo 2001 (Coonawarra)
Brookland Valley 2001 (W.A.)
Pepper Tree Reserve 2000 (Coonawarra)
Shiraz
Five Stars
Barossa Valley Estates E&E Black Pepper 2001 (Barossa) – Runner Up
Barossa Valley Estates Ebenezer 2001 (Barossa)
Bremerton Old Adam 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Cape Mentelle 2002 (W.A.)
Chalice Bridge 2003 (W.A.)
Coriole Lloyd 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Ferngrove Dragon 2003 (W.A.)
Fox Creek Reserve 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Meerea Park Alexander Munro 2001 (Hunter)
Pepper Tree Grand Reserve 2003 (Hunter)
Ross Estate Reserve 2002 (Barossa)
Sandalford 2002 (W.A.)
Yarra Burn 2001 (Yarra)
Four and a half Stars
Bleasdale Reserve 1999 (Langhorne Creek)
Bleasdale 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Bowen Estate (Coonawarra)
Carlei Heathcote 2002 (Vic.)
Ferngrove Dragon 2002 (W.A.)
Meerea Park The Aunts 2002 (Hunter)
Normans Chais Clarendon 2001 (McLaren Vale)
Oddfellows 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Schild Ben Reserve 2003 (Barossa)
Shaw & Smith 2003 (Adelaide Hills)
Tatler 2001 (Hunter)
Tempus Two 2002 (Hunter)
Torbreck The Struie 2003 (Barossa)
Wirra Wirra RSW 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Four Stars
Anvers 2002 (McLaren Vale)
Ben Potts 2002 (Langhorne Creek)
Carlei Estate 2002 (Vic.)
Carlei Tre Rossi 2001 (Vic.)
Clarence Hill 2001 (McLaren Vale)
Fox Creek Short Row 2003 (McLaren Vale)
Goundrey 2001 (W.A.)
Goundrey 1999 (W.A.)
Hollick Wilga 2002 (Coonawarra)
Houghton Gladstone 2000 (W.A.)
Katnook 2002 (Coonawarra)
Petaluma 2002 (Adelaide Hills)
Ross Estate 2002 (Barossa)
Step Rd 2002 (Langhorne Creek)
Tempus Two Pewter 2002 (Barossa)
Torbreck Woodcutter’s 2003 (Barossa)
Voyager 2002 (W.A.)
Cabernet/Shiraz
Four and a half Stars
Yalumba The Signature 2000 (Barossa) – Runner Up
Chain of Ponds Evening Star 2000 (Adelaide Hills)
Lake Breeze Bernoota 2001 (Langhorne Creek)
Four Stars
Chalice Bridge 2002 (W.A.)
Oddfellows 2003 (Langhorne Creek)
Shiraz/Viognier
Five Stars
Four and a half Stars
Yarra Burn 2002 (Yarra)
Yering Station 2001 (Yarra)
Four Stars
Meerea Park Terracotta 2002 (Hunter)
Meerea Park 2003 (Hunter)
Torbrteck The Descendant 2003 (Barossa) Zonte’s Footstep 2004 (Langhorne Creek)
Sangiovese
Four Stars
Dessert Wines
Five Stars
Margan Botrytised Semillon 2002 (Hunter) – Runner Up
De Bortoli Noble One 2002 (Riverina)
Margan Botrytised Semillon 2003 (Hunter)
Torbreck The Bothie (Barossa)
Four and a half Stars
Margan Botrytised Semillon 2004 (Hunter)
Four Stars
De Bortoli Vat 5 2002 (Riverina)
Fortified Wines
Five Stars
Campbell’s Isabella VO Tokay (Rutherglen) – Runner Up
Campbell’s Classic Tokay (Rutherglen)
Campbell’s Classic Muscat (Rutherglen)
Seppelt Para Liqueur 1904 (Barossa)
Seppelt Vintage Port 1987 (Barossa)
Four and a half Stars
Four Stars
Clarence Hill Old Port (McLaren Vale)
De Bortoli Black Noble (Riverina)
Seppelt Rare Tawny Port (Barossa)
Sparkling Wines
Four Stars
Stefano Lubiana n.v. (Tas.)
Stefano Lubiana 1998 (Tas.)
Others
Four Stars
WINE OF THE SHOW
© Ian Mill
gantleys.wine@xtra.co.nz
13th December 2004.