Paul Ippolito's Wines of the Week

With Paul Ippolito

From The Capital 

Mount Majura Rose’ 2007

In the resurgence of Summer here where I sitting, here is a delightful drop to have with the grilled sausages on the bbq tonight. Aromatic fresh and luscious, a delicious wine of persistent fruit character, deep red fruits, ample sweet ripe fruit with lively acidity. Yummy smooth and laden with raspberries, strawberries and red cherries. Very nice Summer/ Autumn drinking.

Drink Now. About $17. 90/100 – Very Good.

More Rose` 

Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz Rose 2006

This drop will soothe the city traffic summer/ autumn time warm weather lather than you have developed of late. A glorious watermelon pinkish red ensues and follows up with berry laden fruits, luscious and aromatic ones at that. Vibrantly imparted with lashing of strawberries and raspberries and a medium dry finish. Seamless delicious easy drinking. Try it at the late afternoon BBQ you may be having in our globally warm Autumn conditions.

Drink Now. About $17. 90/100 – Very Good.

Vogue Drinking

Kay Brothers Amery Moscato 2007

You know that things Moscato related are getting serious when respected wine producers like Kay Brothers Amery are putting this in their range of wines. And why not, the realisation that this varietal is a perfect match with the globally warmer Australia (apart from the last few days, of course) we now have, makes for it to be at the forefront of our Summertime drinking schedule alongside Rose`. This musky, lightly dolce` frizzante white is just so delicate drinking with a delicious mouth feel auguring for more. Try it with an antipasto platter out the back deck with some friends in the remaining Summer/Autumn time sunshine.

Drink Now. About $20. 88/100 – Very Good.

Winter Quaffing

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz 2005

This will be the winter cool weather house red in our household for the coming year. It seems to have it all. Cherries, plums and blackberries fill the senses. Upfront and spicy, fulsome, robust yet well melded with oak and a well roundedness that makes for smooth drinking. Lingering long and medium dry in nature, this is very good red wine drinking that won’t break the bank. Try it with lamb shanks.

Drink to 2012. About $15. 91/100 – Excellent.

Top Shelf Wine

Jim Barry Coonawarra First XI Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This is nice, very nice indeed. Red wine drinkers will like this Cabernet immensely – it has the fruit focus – berry filled and succulent, the well rounded smoothness on the palate, the edge to make it vibrant and fresh and a medium dry dimension that makes it delicious easy drinking and a delight to try with food. Oh and it should cellar nicely for 8-10 more years. Try it with Wagyu beef.

Drink Now to 2018. About $50. 93/100 – Excellent.

Riesling Revival

Knappstein K Handpicked Riesling 2007

Hey you, yes you, now please listen here – there is some really good Riesling out there on the market that you should be drinking more of - of high quality and of good value but unfortunately the wine consumer community out there (of which you are part of) seems to largely ignore this varietal. Ok – right, now that I have got that off my chest, here is one of those examples of such that you should be imbibing more of. Citrus lemons and limes as well as rose petals abound gloriously and fragrantly flooding the senses. The mouth feel is a combination of ripe succulent fruit, yet with a nice edge of wet stones and minerality to make it balanced and seamless drinking. Try this with a lamb korma.

Drink Now to 2012. About $20. 90/100 – Very Good.

Top Red

Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Deep, dark red and black fruits – currants, berries, spicy plums and red cherries imparted judiciously with nuances of cedary oak and some cigar box features. An intense robust Western Australian red from the Great Southern region. Brooding, developed, spice filled and softly rounded in mouth feel, it is seamless in presentation. A dry long finish that lingers with ripe tannins, auguring for a good future. Try it with roast pork.

Drink to 2017. About $40. 92/100 – Excellent.

Something Different

Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris 2007

Tight almond meal, hints of apricots, pears all feature in the aromas. A classy white, vibrant and polished – pure and elegant with lively soft acidity resulting in a long medium dry finish. Try this with penne alfredo.

Drink Now. About $20. 87/100 – Good. 

Good Value Drinking

Parri Estate Rose’ 2006

Fresh and succulent – strawberries and raspberries abound. Lifted aromatics ensue albeit in a dry style of Rose’ with essences of rose petals and invigorating soft and well rounded acidity. Mellow easy warm time weather drinking. Try this with Chinese sweet and sour pork.

Drink Now. About $15. 87/100 – Good.

Good Red Blend

Nugan Estate Alfredo Frasca’s Lane Vineyard Sangiovese Merlot 2005

Sangiovese and Merlot suit each other remarkably well. On one hand you get a savoury dimension with allspice, smoky nuances earthiness and a gamey edge and on the other you have sweet ripe cherries, rich succulent plums – all fresh, vibrant and lively along with integrate oak and fine puckering tannins and a long red fruit focused finish. Try this with grilled Italian sausages.

Drink to 2013. About $20. 91/100 – Excellent.

Wine Rating Scale - Out Of 100 Points

98-100 – Exceptional – A truly world class wine
95-97 – Superb – A memorable drinking experience
91-94 – Excellent – A wonderful mix of a top wine at a decent price
88-90 – Very Good – Really well made wine that should impress
85-87 – Good – Honest everyday drinking

Paul Ippolito is a Sydney wine writer who writes for publications across Australia, the internet and overseas. Read more of his work at www.paulippolito.com.au

About Paul Ippolito.