Out Of The Bottle
With David Ellis Deakin Estate 2010 Chardonnay and 2010 Pinot Noir & 2008 Logan Cabernet Merlot
We're
never averse to dabbling with $10 and under wines, particularly with a
large tribe of grown-ups who like to drop around for weekend barbecues
– and Deakin Estate had us dabbling marvellously a couple of weekends
back with their just-released 2010 Chardonnay and 2010 Pinot Noir.
These
wines are amongst six $10 releases from the 2010 vintage (the others
are a Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Rosé) that winemaker Phil
Spillman crafted from a perfect season on the Murray River – aiming all
the while for exceptional quality, value for money wines for those
watching the budget.
The Chardonnay was quite a stand-out and
significantly different to the “peachiness” we’ve been used to with
Deakin Estate Chardonnays in the past: this one has loads of citrus,
pineapple, pear and apple flavours with nice acidity and is quite sweet
for a Chardonnay. And it proved a perfect match with the Hoisin
sauce-basted barbecued pork chops and salad.
The Pinot Noir
blended from Coonawarra and Murray Darling fruit certainly didn’t
disappoint either at $10, with nice strawberry, cherry and vanilla
overtones that well-satisfied the red drinkers who weren’t quite sure
how it would go with the pork and salad. The answer: wonderfully. One For Lunch
Logan
Estate’s Peter Logan well remembers the 2008 vintage at Orange on the
NSW’s Central Tablelands, in particular for one of his favourite
tipples, Cabernet Merlot. Rain in February when sunshine was more
important brought on botrytis in many early-ripening varieties, but
fortunately winds and good sunny and mild weather later dried the
vineyards and his Cabernet and Merlot both then ripened slowly – and
beautifully.
The result is a 2008 Logan Cabernet Merlot of quite
dark broodiness with bright berry-fruit flavours and savoury herbal
notes. Really good buying at $25 to make that Sunday lamb roast all the
better.
Need a drink?
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