When we decided to launch our magazine we were both adamant we would stick religiously to our deadlines and never miss an issue. Unfortunately this has not proved to be the case. Since publishing the March 07 edition we have celebrated the news that Emma is to be a mother, and whilst the pregnancy is progressing extremely well, we were conscious that tasting wine in the early stages may not have been the best idea. (And having tried to taste by myself it was clear I missed having another opinion to balance my own). So the latest issue of the IWM is the June 07 which contains tasting notes on recent releases plus the launch of the Penfold's Bin Series.
Through our involvement with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust courses we taste a great deal of imported wines. From this issue onwards we'll be including reviews of those that have impressed. A tasting of Domaine Georges de Vogüé was a highlight this month. If you have any questions or comments on The Independent Wine Monthly, please email : info@thewineschool.co.nz
Jane Skilton MW
Emma Jenkins
The IWM Scoring System
When tasting and scoring the wines for this magazine, we have adopted the 20-Point Scale. Hopefully our thorough tasting notes will convey the true character of the wine in question but, whilst we always hope that people will be fascinated by what we have written, we are also conscious of the fact that people love to receive a mark, whether it is to compare against other wines, or just to make a quick, easy comparison against their own score of a wine.
When tasting for the general reviews, the score is an agreement between the two of us (where we have markedly different and irreconcilable opinions as to a wine's score, this will be noted in the text); in the articles it is the score given by the author alone. It should be noted that, whether a score or a written review, our assessment of each individual wine can only ever be for that particular wine on that particular day. It may be possible to have had a ‘bad' bottle (although wines with any obvious faults such as TCA taint or serious oxidation will not be reviewed and the producer contacted for the opportunity to resubmit a fresh sample) or it may be that for whatever reason, that wine is just not showing its best at the time of tasting. We do however bring considerable tasting and judging experience, both local and international, to the table. This, combined with our desire to provide genuine, independent, honest commentary, should provide readers with confidence to use our assessments as a guide to their own tasting and drinking.
To fend off any wailing and gnashing of teeth or cries of unfairness, our 20-Point Scale is broken down as thus
0-10
A disagreeable or faulty wine; one to avoid.
10-15
A wine of little character, boring and dull; not worth seeking out.
15-16.5
A good wine, with some typicity and character; though while sound shows no outstanding characters. Worth seeking out, particularly if also offering good value.
17-18.5
A very good to great wine, carefully crafted and showing clear typicity and character. A pleasure to drink.
19-20
An outstanding wine of great beauty, balance and character; a wine that makes you realize why you are a wine-lover. A must buy.
Domaine Georges de Vogüé - 2004 Vintage
Jane Skilton
Domaine Georges de Vogüé is one of Burgundy's great Domaines, founded in the 15th Century. Today the estate comprises 12.4 hectares, centered around the village of Chambolle Musigny, and has vineyards in Chambolle, the premier cru of les Amoureuses and the grands crus of Bonnes Mares and Musigny. The 2004 vintage was not the easiest for the Domaine with wide fluctuations in temperature throughout the growing season and a hail storm in August that reduced the crop by up to 25% in places.
Auckland wine merchant Maison Vauron held a tasting of the 2004 vintage with a few older vintages thrown in to show just how magnificently the wines can age. I found it quite difficult to write my tasting notes as confronted with a range of restrained wines, at a slightly awkward stage of their development, I found I struggled to come up with adjectives and descriptors. Has my palate become so recalibrated to NZ pinots with their multitudinous aromas of fruits and berries that I have forgotten how to taste wines of delicacy and elegance? I hope not.
2004 Chambolle Musigny: Very light perfumed aroma; dark berry, plum. A slight savoury edge; leather? Freshness on entry. Silky tannins. Oak doesn't dominate. Pretty.
2004 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru: Definite step up in depth and concentration. More perfume. Denser than the village wine, slightly more tannins and firmer structure.
2004 Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses: Very lifted aroma, extremely perfumed, also some oak. Palate is silky and ripe with richness. Definite new leather/wet walnut character.
2004 Bonnes Mares: More restrained on the nose than the Amoureuses. Still tight and closed with tannins showing through. A sweetness and purity to the fruit and really starts to open up when has been in the glass for a little while.
2004 Musigny: Meatier and earthier than the Bonnes Mares. Savoury, not forest floor, but more oaky and spicy. Bigger and richer than the Bonnes Mares but not as perfumed.
2003 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru: Deeper colour, savoury notes, dark plum, new leather, spice. Great similarities with the 04 1er Cru. A typical 2003 perhaps, rich and opulent, almost generous but slightly lacking definition.
2003 Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses: Intense perfume. Opulence and richness. Savoury dark fruits; plum, damson plus leather and five spice. A real core of sweetness. Warmth on finish. Tremendous length.
2001 Bonnes Mares: A striking nose; savoury, ripe, leafy and leathery. Gentle yet with real richness. Delicate yet incredibly complex.
1998 Bonnes Mares: Beautifully perfumed earthy and truffley with sweet leafy fruit. Tannins are still marked, a big robust style. New leather. Masculine.
Penfold's New Release Bin Series tasting
Jane Skilton
Penfold's launches its new vintage Bin Wines on the 1st April each year. However what should be an eagerly anticipated event has, in recent years, lost some of its sparkle. Deep discounting has turned premium brands such as the Bin 28 and Bin 389 into commodity wines and in the process some of their prestige has been lost. Still, I always try and attend the annual tasting as the wines are widely distributed and so deserve a place in the wine writer's wardrobe of staples. The 2005 Bin 138 Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre is dominated by grenache (71% of the blend) giving a very exuberant wild raspberry and red berry aroma. Juicy sweet berry fruit flavours backed by liquorice and spice. The wine spends 16 months in older hogsheads so the presence of oak is subtle. The 2004 Bin 128 Shiraz is always made from fruit sourced from Coonawarra. Never an opulent style, the 04 vintage is restrained and savoury with dark plum, berry and a definite black pepper note. Medium bodied with plenty of dry tannin. Too young, needing 2/3 years more. Bin 28 is usually one of the gems in the line up and the 2004 vintage doesn't disappoint. More opulent and silky than the Bin 128, the 2004 Bin 28 Shiraz is a dense generous wine full of leather, vanilla and spice. Deceptively forward, this wine would continue to develop well in the bottle.
Cabernet Sauvignon isn't the easiest of wines. Alongside generous, supple shiraz it can seem angular, dry and unfriendly. In an age where instant gratification is sought, it seems we have lost the ability to appreciate cabernet's inherent qualities. The 2004 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine; strongly varietal with green capsicum, cassis and almost a hint of florals. There is underlying richness, cloaked in finely grained tannin. Tightly structured with a lingering finish.
The old chestnut that Bin 389 is known as ‘baby Grange' was trotted out again - a comment that does a disservice to both wines. Bin 389 is textbook South Australian wine and is more than capable of standing on its own merits. The 2004 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz has a lush opulent aroma of blackcurrant, almost verging on crème de cassis, with creamy sweet vanilla and spice new oak in support. Powerful and dense with lots of alcohol and richness. The tannins are noticeable at this stage, as well they should be, but are ripe and integrated. Great length.
It is always a treat when older vintages are shown. Penfold's chose to show the 1995 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz which was a good lesson in the merits of cellaring wine. Beautifully evolved, the nose was the highlight revealing complex aromas of forest floor, sweet spice and leather with hints of mocha emerging. Sweet fruit on entry before the tannins kick in. Still alive and vibrant with a gentle, almost rose petal finish.
Ghastly Awards Dinners
Jane Skilton
Being asked to judge a wine show can be a double edged sword. On the positive side it is a chance to catch up with winemakers, get insider industry snippets, drink some great wines at the judges' dinner and get a good overall picture of the standard of the NZ wines currently out in the market place.
On the negative side it usually involves at least two or three days of unpaid work, standing up tasting hundreds of wines and feeling a tad tired and emotional by the end. However, as a 'thank you', judges are usually offered tickets to the awards dinner, held a couple of weeks later, where the trophies are handed out. I have always enjoyed judging the Royal Easter Wine Show - it was the first one to accept my overseas experience and promoted me to the role of senior judge. So it is with a heavy heart that I report that this year's REWS dinner, held at the ASB Showgrounds, would have to be one of the ghastliest evenings in memory. Perhaps a few pointers for the future ?
Jacobs Creek
| 2002 Centenary Hill Shiraz | Barossa Valley | 17.5 |
Centenary Hill Shiraz is Jacob Creek's premium bottling, a wine released in exceptional vintages. Weighing in at 15% alcohol, the 2002 Jacob's Creek Centenary Hill Shiraz is quintessential Barossa shiraz, perhaps more of a meal in a glass than a refreshing beverage. Concentrated plum pudding, liquorice, dark berry and spice fruit flavours supported by lots and lots of sweet American oak, this is a full bodied rich wine that still manages to retain a degree of elegance and the overall impression is one of balance. Whilst wines made in this slightly over-the-top style have their detractors, there are plenty of wine drinkers who love the exuberant, no holds barred style. The only negative perhaps is the recommendation to cellar for another 10 years which having tasted this wine seems a little on the generous side.
Julicher Estate (www.julicher.co.nz)
| 2005 Riesling 2005 Pinot Noir | Martinborough Martinborough | 16.5 16.0 |
The Ned
| 2006 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Waihopai Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Pinot Noir | Marlborough Marlborough Marlborough | 17.0 15.5 14.0 |
| 2006 Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Chardonnay | Marlborough Marlborough | 15.5 17.0 |
| 2006 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Dry Riesling 2006 Pinot Gris | Marlborough Marlborough Marlborough | 13.0 14.5 15.0 |
Lawsons Dry Hills (www.lawsonsdryhills.co.nz)
| 2006 Gewurztraminer 2006 Riesling | Marlborough Marlborough | 18.5 16.5 |
Highfield (www.highfield.co.nz)
| 2006 Riesling 2001 Riesling | Marlborough Marlborough | 15.0 15.5 |
| 2006 Holly Sauvignon Blanc | Wairarapa | 14.0 |
| 2006 Condor Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Rail Bridge Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Festival Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough Marlborough Marlborough | 15.0 15.5 16.5 |
| 2005 Viognier | Hawke's Bay | 13.5 |
| 2006 Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2006 Poplars Chardonnay | Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay | 17.5 16.5 |