Paul Ippolito's Wines of the Week
With Paul Ippolito Special DrinkingLillypilly Fratelli 7
Sounds
like a movie title but it’s not one. Rather it is top quality fortified
wine drinking from Rob Fiumara and the Lillypilly team from Griffith in
South Western NSW. This wine is a blend of vintages some going back to
when the winery opened back in 1982. The blending of these wines is
what culminates into Fratelli 7 which commemorates the work of founders
Pasquale and Angela Fiumara and their 7 sons, thus the name. It is
named after the late Domenic “Mick” Fiumara, the eldest son. Anyway the
luxuriant smooth rich luscious nutty characters and the age this has on
it just makes this superb drinking, especially in light of the cooler
weather. In a perfectly half bottle size, it is also the perfect after
dinner accompaniment.
Drink Now. About $22.50 - 375 ml. 96/100 – Superb.
Autumnal Red
Bridgewater Mill Shiraz 2005
I
don’t normally resort to the Adelaide Hills region for the first port
of call for my Shiraz drinking but by the quality of this one I should
have the wine radar more attuned to this part of the world more often.
Classy elegant and quite pronounced in its presentation, makes this a
wine that commands you to attention. Spicy deep fragrant black and red
fruits intertwine beautifully. Coffee mocha and cedary oak nuances
supports very well the fruit characters and lets them shine neatly.
Long and lingering with a hint of aniseed and raspberry on the finish.
Try it with rabbit and olive pie.
Drink to 2015. About $25. 93/100 – Excellent.
Quality Drinking
Cullen Mangan 2006
The
purity of the fruit is what draws you in with this Margaret River red
blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Pure, polished aromatic fruit
emanates. The Merlot is the dominant player with a good dose of Petit
Verdot and discernable Malbec. Serious and impressive in structure,
there are a range of delightful red and black berry fruit characters
that unravel beautifully together. Think red cherries, blueberries,
fragrant succulent plums and mulberries. Hints of dried herb, leaf and
a smoky cigar box set of nuances as well. A lovely spiciness that
complements the fruit and the oak treatment adds to the wine’s overall
complexity and demonstrates how good the blending has been by winemaker
Vanya Cullen. A highly decent red blend that drinks seamlessly and
quite superbly. Try it with oven baked Greek leg of lamb.
Drink to 2020. About $40. 95/100 – Superb.
Good Quaffing
Jacobs Creek Three Vines Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Viognier 2007
At
around $15 and probably less on special, this is a good white quaffing
blend to sip on a quiet afternoon with some fish n’ chips overlooking
some water somewhere. Unpretentious and uncomplicated drinking with
clean crisp Semillon, Savvy Blanc and Viognier all put together neatly
and nicely. Stone fruits, citrus fruits and tropical fruits, all
imparting nice aromas all rolling eventually into one.
Drink Now. About $15. 86/100 – Good.
Last Of The Warm Weather DrinkingBeelgara Winemakers Selection Rose` 2007
The
warmish day brought this out to the fore. A glorious fire engine red
colour. Luscious strawberries and raspberries abound Distinctive,
impressive and well rounded. A smooth mouthfeel of red berry fruits
with matching lively acidity. Well balanced pure and quite delightful
Rose` drinking. Try it with spring rolls.
Drink Now. About $15. 86/100 – Good.Budget DrinkingLindemans Early Harvest Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Light,
delicate and breezy. Soft and well rounded. Tropical and citrus fruits
ensue. This is simple straightforward uncomplicated drinking. No
thinking involved – just relax and enjoy. Try it with a gourmet
hamburger.
Drink Now. About $12. 85/100 – Good.
More Budget DrinkingPenfolds Koonunga Hill Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Citrus
lemons abound as do green herbs and straw. A silky soft smooth white
with light acidity. Clean, fresh and a good standby in the fridge if
friends pop around unexpectedly. A long finish ensues with a touch of
tanginess. Drink it with pizza.
Drink Now. About $16, but found for much less. 85/100 – Good.
From Out WestPlantagenet Omrah Sauvignon Blanc 2007
A
juicy fresh pure aromatic Savvy Blanc from this respectable West
Australian winery. Resplendently full of tropical fruit delights such
as guava and passionfruit, along with kiwi fruits all give out plenty
of ripe sweet delicious fruit. Smooth and soft on the finish with
lively acidity, this is nice easy drinking on a warm day. Try with
fresh oysters.
Drink Now. About $15. 87/100 – Good.
Mudgee WineFrog Rock Pinot Gris 2007
From
this boutique Mudgee producer comes a varietal Pinot Gris exuding
pears, light apricots and a tad of honey. Tight at first then the
aromas really unwind. Smooth soft acidity, long and luscious in finish
with delightful residues of orange blossom and musk sticks to titillate
the senses. Try it with pad thai noodles.
Drink Now About $25. 87/100 – Good.
Value DrinkingKirrihill Companions Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2007
The
Companion series is about blending two grape varieties that complement
each other well from two of the country’s cool climate regions. In this
case, the Clare Semillon and the Adelaide Hills Savvy Blanc. The
Kirrihill brand has come to notice for their very clever and quality
laden red blending so I was interested to see how this comes together
as a white and from good grape sources. It’s a fresh grassy green herbs
asparagus savoury nose, an earthiness emerging from it as well as a
clean crisp long lingering finish. Nice stuff to drink, a reasonable
price to boot. Try it with a pizza down at the park as you watch the
sun set.
Drink Now. About $15. 85/100 – Good.
Barossa WhiteGrant Burge Kraft Sauvignon Blanc 2007
The
Kraft Vineyard, run as one would expect by a talented man by the name
of Dennis Kraft at Tanunda in the Barossa Valley is where this very
neat Savvy Blanc is sourced from. A region not really renowned for its
Savvy Blanc nor necessarily its whites, so you really rise to attention
when you take a sip of this wine that makes you say wow. Invigorating,
restorative, pure and fresh are all words that spring to mind to
describe this little gem of a find. Glorious neat fragrant tropical
fruits abound and ensue, fresh and really balanced in the way they are
portrayed. Good lively acidity supports the fruit and a delicious
mouthfeel of flavours makes it hit the spot. Try with grilled
barramundi fillets.
Drink Now. About $18. 91/100 – Excellent.
Boutique RedMarius Symphony Shiraz 2004
The
Marius brand, the words single vineyard and the McLaren Vale region all
taking pride of place on the front label are all pretty good indicators
for a memorable drinking experience. Roger Pike from Marius makes very
respectable reds. This is an excellent Shiraz from Marius’ four acre
home block. Given the works through new tight French oak and barrel
ageing of nearly 2 years, the resultant wine is a smooth integrated and
balanced red of McLaren origins, and comes as no surprise in terms of
its high quality. Dark berry fruits ooze from the aromas, tight then
unwinding slowly and beautifully. Savoury dimensions ensue as does good
coffee oak, essences of soy all marrying well with the fruit. A wine of
substance, gravitas and along with a meatiness and fullness in
mouthfeel yet also seamlessly long in finish. A long future ahead of
it. Try with Wagyu beef.
Drink to 2024. About $35. 94/100 – Excellent.
Quality PinotGiant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
Phil
Sexton heads this slick operation down in Healesville in the Yarra
Valley in Victoria. The whole thing, everything to do with the brand
and all the parts around it are about quality, commitment to quality
and uncompromising quality. From me Giant Steps is about the giant
steps that Phil Sexton, his family and his team are prepared to take
and have taken to get to where they need to be with this brand. And no,
I haven’t taken over their PR machine! The complexity and creativity
and craftsmanship of the wines under winemaker Steve Flamsteed have
developed in interesting ways over the years and the nuances of the
individual vineyards have really come to the fore. Anyway this Pinot
Noir is on the mark. It exudes and abounds a glorious litany of aromas
– fresh and fruit driven in one dimension and yet complex and savoury
in the other. The ying and yang even out very well here and produce a
balanced yet complex Pinot. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries ensue
fragrantly and with a certain edge, yet are supported by lively fresh
and quite pronounced acidity in the mouthfeel. A good structure as well
as red berry ridden finish make it very pleasant drinking. Truffles
dominate as well, no gameyness, no black olives, just truffles and an
ever so slight hint of red earthiness. Try this with roast duck.
Drink to 2013. About $35. 95/100 – Superb.
Really Good Savvy Blanc Taylors Sauvignon Blanc 2007
This
wine is from the Adelaide Hills region which does produce quite a fair
bit of Australia’s top quality Savvy Blanc. This one is respectable
honest decent drinking that quenches the thirst quite nicely on a warm
days and pairs fine with Asian cuisine such as Thai or Chinese –
nothing more, nothing less. Imparted with your typical fresh clean and
crisp tropical and citrus aromas, it abounds with a good punch of fruit
yet with lively minerality to support it, leaving a crisp finish on the
palate. Try it with a Pad Thai.
Drink Now. About $19, but found for less. 87/100 – Good.
Wine Rating Scale - Out Of 100 Points98-100 – 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.
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