2010 Symphony Hill Gewürztraminer

2010 Symphony Hill Gewürztraminer

For me, this is an exciting wine! As a proud Queenslander I've been desperate to embrace a local winery that produces wines that show depth, quality and varietal character. Symphony Hill is an emerging winery, with the cellar door well worth a visit. The nectar aside, Ewen and Elissa invest themselves in raising funds and awareness for charities supporting orphans in Asia. The most prominent commitment was made in 2004 when Danying was adopted into their family from an orphanage in China. To celebrate their new addition, a special wine in her namesake was made to commemorate the occasion.

In addition, Elissa is a passionate supporter of women encouraging them to grow and discover themselves and their spirituality in her book BEAUTIFUL.

http://www.symphonyhill.com.au/index.html for more info.

Today's wine is the Gewürztraminer.

The nose comes with luscious lychees complimented with typical Turkish delight (chewy rose petals). There is a lime and pineapple supporting act.

The palate is focussed and enticing with a medium bodied mouth feel. Spades of lychees! Pinapples and a little coconut. Did I mention the lychees? 'cause there's buckets of them, a little lime but mostly lychees! Good acid sizzle on the tongue makes it suited to Thai curries and meals with a little spice.

Delicious

81 points

2006 Ballandean estate wines shiraz viognier

2006 Ballandean estate wines

$25

Granite belt (qld)

Shiraz from this region is definitely a contrast to other regions, south Australia is warmer than the granite belt (if you can believe it) and this means that the grapes develop accordingly. The skins are thinner and the grapes ripen slower.  Shiraz is more mellow and focussed, no big peppery fruit bombs but instead subtle and smooth.

Red and clear, unlike Barossa purple hue.

The nose is great, cranberry jelly lollies (someone should make those) and creamed honey.  Slight barnyard element that disappears on airing. Some dried herbs come through too.

Soft raspberries and a little dried herbs  produce a balanced and approachable palate.

Good with steak, whereas this blend from other regions would often be matched to woodfire pizza. There is not as much savory character but definitely enough tannins to go with a medium rare porterhouse. 

77 points

Robinson family winery mystery bottle!

Robinson family winery mystery bottle

$5

According to Heather (Mrs.Robinson) this bottle was found at the bottom of the cellar a couple of years ago.
No label
No worries
They were thrown into a pot luck barrel at the front of the cellar door with a label of $5 each. I can't resist a challenge so I bought 3! Heather recognized this bottle as the shape from the 1992 or 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fingers crossed.

Have a look at the cork, almost soaked all the way through.

Rich red colour and slightly closet.
Plenty of roast capsicum action, sour cherries, leather, biscotti, oregano, chicken fat(?) and a tablespoon of dirt.

Something crazy happens when tasting. If I swirl it it seems to lose a lot of the richness and depth and becomes quite mellow and gutless. Roast capsicum, oregano, sour cherries, traces of leather and dark chocolate.

Perfect drinking now.

For $5, I can't give this less than 90 points.

Do yourself a favor and go to Robinson family winery and buy the rest!! Go now or may God have mercy on your soul.

2008 STEP RD Chardonnay

2008 STEP RD Chardonnay

Adelaide hills

Remarkably clear, straw to golden colour.

Pineapple, peach, rockmelon, touch of lime, some minerality and a little kerosine.

There is a fair amount of depth to this one. Pineapples and limes, then it turns to sweeter stone fruit. A sensible amount of barrel time and a slight sizzle on the toungue points to a well made wine.

A little sweeter than I'd like but overall worthwhile.

80 points

2008 Smoking Jim Merlot

2008 Smoking Jim Merlot
$22
Barossa
Blind tasting
Red opaque colour
Chewy delicious nose. Mint chocolate slice!
This one is very complex, mulberries and tobacco with a smooth savoury finish.
83 points

2009 Innocent Bystander Merlot Cabernet

2009 Innocent Bystander Merlot Cabernet
Yarra valley
Typical Blackcurrant and sour cherry nose.
Very easy drinking, IB make good wines that are very approachable. Blackcurrant and black cherries, hint of Spice. Short dry finish but most drinkers will love it...
Not my favourite style.
68 points

2009 Land of Vines Chardonnay

2009 Land of Vines Chardonnay
Work dinner.
Straw coloured. balanced oak, very rich nose. Interesting minerality. Like a piece of brioche in a glass.
Great mouth feel, ripe pear and a sensible buttery finish.
Quality.
76 points

2008 The Four Graces Pinot Noir

2008 The Four Graces Pinot Noir

US$25

Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, Oregon

Light red colour on the clearer side with a slight raisin hue.

Big candy strawberry nose.  Some welcome toastiness gives this wine some depth.

Full mouth feel and some delicious rasberries.  Overall great complexity and balanced charactors.  This is my favourite US wine and I'd love to try some more Oregon Pinots.

82 points.

2008 Fogdog Pinot Noir

2008 Fogdog Pinot Noir

US$32

Sanoma Coast, California

13.5%

Fogdog is the nickname of the morning visitor who daily fills the hillside and valley.

Red and purple tones complimented by the nose of red berries and dark chocolate/mocha.

Light to media mouth feel dominated by cranberries.

I really enjoyed this style of Pinot.

75 points.

2008 David Bruce Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands

2008 David Bruce Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands

US$15

Central Coast, California

Straw to golden hue.

Balanced oak, a little butter which can be nice.

62 points.

2008 Stephen Vincent Crimson Shiraz Cabernet

2008 Stephen Vincent Crimson Shiraz Cabernet

US$15

Sanoma, California

Purple rim, but overall crimson.

Enticing Nose of salami and smoked meats.

Strawberries and black currants.


More fruity style than I like but many wine drinkers will be very happy with this.

60 points.

2009 Seghesio Family Vinyard Zinfandel

2009 Seghesio Family Vinyard Zinfandel

US$30

Sanoma County

This is my first Zinfandel so I probably need to do more tasting before I understand them fully.  Either way, this is my palate which is different to yours.  In the end the best wine is the one you like.

Dark red and cloudy.

Nose: Strawberries, plums and earthy undertones. Cherry medicine? Alcohol is quite high at 15%.

Plummy flavours and a dry finish.  Overall pleasant but quite dull.

55 points.