2007 Frankland Riesling Frankland River Isolation Ridge Vineyard Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 94 Tasting Note: Sitting at some 924 feet above sea level, the Isolation Ridge Vineyard was planted in 1988, a maturing vineyard. About 216 miles south of Perth, the viticultural region formed around the long Frankland River began in 1969 as a fine grape producer, and today is one of Australia’s rising stars. Its cool climate yields elegantly styled Shiraz as well as good Riesling. Aromas on this example show the classic petrol characters often found in Rieslings over time. Medium-bodied, this is a dry white wine with a pale straw color. The delicious classic Riesling flavors nip at a wide variety of fruit characters, suggesting green apple, mango, lime peel and white apricot, and conclude in a long, dry finish. Gifted with outstanding complexity, this is one yummy Riesling. Savor it slightly cooled, about 55ºF/13ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses with any kind of smoked foods, especially smoked salmon wrapped around herbed cream cheese, smoked white fish, smoked liver pâté, smoked pork chops, cured salmon with mustard/dill sauce; fish baked in beer and served with a mustard white sauce; pork steaks with mustard cream sauce; apple-stuffed pork loin, veal or chicken in cream sauce, creamy cheeses. Atlanta Distributor: Northeast Wholesale $23.00 2008 Fonty's Pool Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Pemberton Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Pemberton, located in Western Australia, is another of the country’s up-and-coming cool-climate zones situated about 200 miles south of Perth. Fruit expressiveness, consequently, is intense and pure. In this wine, a medium-bodied dry white wine with a pale greenish yellow color, aromas of tropical fruit—star fruit or carambola—announce the presence of Sauvignon Blanc, which constitutes 50% of the blend along with Semillon (45%) and Chardonnay (5%). Fresh cut herbs, lime and lemon make a refreshing palate impression, while good acidity keeps the flavors crisp and lively through the long finish. Gentle alcohol, 12%. A portioni of each grape type spent some time in oak, but the fruit comes booming through. This is not a keeper wine, but one to be enjoyed young at cool temperatures, about 55ºF/13ºF. Serve with seafood: crab cakes, poached, chilled scallops; shrimp salad or steamed mussels with lemon grass, baked mild fish with cream and fresh herbs; also cocktail potatoes stuffed with cream cheese and fresh herbs; goat cheese. Atlanta Distributor: Continental Beverage $13.00 2006 Massoni Sauvignon Blanc Mornington Peninsula Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: Despite being an older vintage, 2006 is current release for export, and it’s worth having. That’s why cool climates and dry growing seasons (such as the 2006 in Victoria) make great wines. Keeper wines, too. This one is still fresh and vibrant, and shows a very pale—surprisingly so—straw color. While it may have been more intense upon first release, it sure isn’t shy at the moment, showing lovely aromas of passion fruit and gooseberry that follow through into the palate. The crisp, clean, pure fruit finish is a big draw, as is the lingering true-to-type finish. Very tasty work. This one really doesn’t like to be overchilled, so hold the ice and just get it to cool room temperature, about 60ºF/15ºC, in tulip-shaped white-wine glasses. Exotically flavored seafoods are lovely with this: shrimp-and-pork shumai (Chinese dumplings) with Ponzu dipping sauce; baked oysters with herb butter (Rockefeller too, probably); fried catfish and tartar sauce; mild fish baked with butter and herbs (Spanish salsa verde); bacalà salad with artichokes (probably also bacalà fritters and other salted cod dishes); grilled scallops or halibut with mustard cream sauce; steamed mussels or shrimp with creamy lemongrass sauce; mild creamy cheeses (herbed is nice). Atlanta Distributor: Continental Beverage $13.00 2008 The Gatekeeper Chardonnay Barossa Valley Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: One tends to think of Barossa as being a total warm climate zones. But here and there it has spots of cool. This unoaked Chardonnay, which requires a cooler climate, comes from a variety of older vine Barossa Valley sites, and keeping it in stainless steel guards against loss of fruit characters. This medium-bodied white wine shows a medium yellow color. Chardonnay fans will love the clean Asian pear apple and white melon aromas flavors made complex with citrus notes. Although my bet is that the wine has been acid adjusted, the acidity seems well integrated. Fresh, clean, zingy and pure in fruit characters, this wine offers an appeal that might snare even the Chardonnay averse. Serve cool, about 55ºF/13ºC, in tulip-shaped white-wine glasses. For food pairings, consider chicken with fruit, such as mango, Asian pear-apple or pear (chicken breast with a whiskey-cream sauce and sautéed pear slices, for instance); mild (not hot) curries; paella with saffron rather than the alternative paprika (pimentón); mildly flavored creamy cheeses. Atlanta Distributor: Unique World Wines $14.00 2007 Printhie Wines Chardonnay Orange Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: Some wine enthusiasts—and retailers—think of Australia as entirely warm climate. That’s quite off the mark. Orange, which is a high-altitude zone that lies between Cowra and Mudgee in New South Wales north of Sydney, is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, but also produces aromatic, exuberant Chardonnay, such as the Printhie example. This full-bodied dry white wine shows lovely stone fruit aromas—peach/apricot—with a well-developed mid-palate and crisp, acid-rich long finish. The use of French oak is subtle, just broadening the mid-palate without overwhelming the fruit. Serve moderately chilled, about 55ºF/13ºC in small tulip-shaped glasses. Richly seasoned foods that pair well with this wine include apple/bread-stuffed chicken or pork loin; grilled chicken/apple sausage; baked chicken with gremolata (minced lemon zest, garlic and parsley); mild curries with chicken or pork; Chinese food. Atlanta Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $14.00 2008 First Drop The Red One Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: South Australia is experimenting with Italian varieties, including Barbera and Sangiovese, and some of it will turn up in blends. In this example, blending Shiraz (55%); Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Barbera (5%) from a variety of vineyard sites crafts a well-made easy-drinking wine that benefits from being slightly cooled, say to about 60ºF/15ºC. Medium-bodied with a deep violet purple hue, this dry red wine (it’s got just .27 RS) shows ripe plumy fruit aromas and flavors. Soft tannins and generous fruit make it an good red for anyone transitioning into more serious wines. And for the serious red wine drinker, it’s a wine that will go with lots of foods. We tasted it at D’Vine Wine Bar in Dunwoody with lamb chop lollipops, but it would also do well with barbecue, smoked meats, mild cheeses, and perhaps even dark chocolate. Atlanta Distributor: Unique World Wines 2008 R Wines Permutations Pinot Noir Victoria Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Reminding one how Pinot Noir is the feminine red wine grape, this juicy, aromatic Pinot Noir presents a savory approach to the classic red cherry characters many people enjoy in the grape. Typical of good Pinot Noir, the wine shows a translucent dark cherry color. Clean, pure fruit aromas tag team with a hint of dried herb as one might expect from a Pinot Noir out of Victoria. On the palate, sweet fruit leads the herbal notes to a moderately long, mostly pleasing finish that shows just a bit of acid overreach in the end. Moderate alcohol (13.5%). A good value for both Pinot Noir lovers and anyone looking for a reasonably priced introduction to the genre. Serve cool, about 65ºF/17ºC, with delicate foods. Best choices are a chicken liver mousse or mousse of foie gras, roast chicken or mild game birds (Cornish hen, quail), pizza or flat bread with prosciutto, figs and mild cheese; roast pork or lamb tenderloin, grilled salmon. Note: There are 24 different labels for this wine, but the key word to look for is “Permutations,” common to all of them. Atlanta Distributor: Quality Wine & Spirits 2006 Rocland Estate Shiraz Barossa Valley Lot 147 Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Warm Barossa Valley lies just a short distance—about 35 miles--north of Adelaide. The name, meaning “red earth,” was given the region in 1837 by Col. William Light, an English officer who had fought in the Battle of Barrosa (sic) in 1811, near Cádiz, Spain. Evidently seeing some similarities between the two lands, he was inspired to borrow the word to name the area. While other grapes are grown in the valley, the region is chiefly known for Shiraz. Hot days at the end of the growing season produce intense, rich flavors. This Shiraz shows that very character. Alcohol is high (15%), but the wine doesn’t read hot. Full-bodied, with a deep, dark purple red color, this Shiraz offers intense aromas of fresh and dried dark fruits. On the palate, equally intense dark fruits are big and somewhat jammy, but still balanced and not port-like. They provide great cover for intensely flavored dishes. Decant for several hours; two days after being opened, it still tasted great. Serve it cool, about 65ºF/17ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses with apricot-curry glazed grilled pork or chicken (singularly yummy), barbecue with a sauce that’s not sweet, legume dishes with tomato and lots of garlic, Indian lamb dishes that are spicy and aromatic but not too hot, grilled vegetables with olive oil. Dark chocolate is ok. Atlanta Distributor: Big Boat Wine Co. $34.00 2006 Rocland Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley Kilroy was Here! Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: So who was Kilroy? Answer that, and you’ll be well-rewarded with this Cabernet Sauvignon from Rocland Estate. Fleshy and full-bodied, this wine shows a deep, opaque well-extracted purple color. Aromas and flavors focus on all the Cabernet Sauvignon characters, including blackberry, cassis (black currant), and blueberry. French and American oak were used, but none of American oak’s typical aggressiveness is here, and the oak is beautifully integrated with the fruit. Tannins are supple and derived from fruit (rather than stems or barrels). Sweet fruit is intense but not over-the-top, and although alcohol is hefty (14.5%), the wine shows good balance. Serve cool to the touch in Bordeaux style glasses (tall tulip-shaped). Lots of foods go with this one: roast Cornish hen glazed with dark jam and some of the wine; prime rib; grilled or smoked meats; legume dishes with assertive flavors; bleu cheeses; dark chocolate. Suggested Food Pairings: Atlanta Distributor: Distributor: Big Boat Wine Co. $24.00 2006 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier Western Victoria Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 94 Tasting Note: It’s classic to blend into Shiraz (or Syrah) some Viognier to lift the aromas and give the wine balance, so that’s it’s not so “thick” as it might otherwise be and much friendly with food. This collaboration between one of France’s (the Rhône Valley) most admired producers and one of Napa Valley’s most regarded wine authorities. The aromas suggest a hint of animal fur (classic in Shiraz/Syrah) along with fresh dark fruits, on the palate, delicious dark fruits, some black fig, and pleasing fruit-derived tannins craft a superb food wine experience. The finish just goes on and on. There’s nothing “motor oil” like about this wine; it’s elegant, balanced and delicious, with a definite French hand in the making. Done in stainless steel. Yeah! Enjoy this (big time!) at cool room temperature, about 65ºF/17ºC, in tall tulip-shaped red-wine glasses. Decant a couple of hours ahead of serving. Foods to pair with it include anything smoked, smoked liverwurst; roast pork loin; pork belly braised in pork stock and herbs; hefty pasta dishes with juicy meat sauces; game; roast duck, lamb; creamy, rich, well-flavored cheeses. Atlanta Distributor: Empire Distributing $22.00 2006 Tir na N’Og Grenache McLaren Vale Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Not a bunch of Aussie motor oil, nor “too thick,” this rich, abundant Old Vines Grenache supplies plenty of fruit and power but with the added benefit of balance, so that it can take up the cause of well-seasoned foods. Celtic for “Land of the Eternally Young,” “Tir na N’Og is a full-bodied Old Vines Grenache that shows abundant dark fruits on the aromas, followed by firm-tannin-framed rich dark fruits. A burst of spice and dark fruits shapes the lingering finish. Make sure not to serve this too warm, as the alcohol is substantial, but doesn’t show if the tasting temperature is cool, about 65ºF/15ºC. Serve in tall tulip-shaped large red wine glasses with these foods: Smoked meats; rich stews and braised meats; roasted vegetables with garlic and olive oil; well-seasoned legume dishes with tomato and garlic; grilled or braised veal steak with mushrooms and veal jus; grilled or stewed lamb; roasted Cornish hen brushed with melted dark fruit jam and some of the wine; roast duck; grilled ham steak or roast ham. Atlanta Distributor: Northeast Wholesale $25.00 2006 Tscharke Only Son Tempranillo Graciano Barossa Valley Review Date - 1/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Damien Tscharke, having just notched his 30th birthday, is taking Australian wines in a new direction, planting many Spanish varietals and even Zinfandel (although Kangarilla Road in McLaren Vale and Nepenthe also produce good Zinfandel). He also plants Montepulciano. But the Spanish varieties (which include Albariño) are very unusual in Australia, and this one is highly allocated and hard to find. But I thought it was worth telling you about anyway. Deeply colored with an opaque black-purple hue, this full-bodied dry red wine blends Tempranillo and Graciano. The alcohol is high (15.5%), yet the balance is there. Bold dark fruit flavors with plenty of extraction, plum and blackberry fruit, are framed by fruit-sourced tannins and lead to a long fruit-filled conclusion.You’ll never take it for a Spanish wine, however, as the approach is entirely what one would expect of Barossa. Bold wines require boldly flavored foods, and I would love to sample this one with a good fabada (bean, blood sausage and ham stew from Asturias, Spain). Failing that, it stood up well to legumes with tomato and garlic, black-eyed peas with ham, mildly seasoned Indian dishes with lamb (or goat), smoked meats, lamb sausage, pasta dishes with substantial meat sauces, meat pies, stews, mild bleu and firm aged cheeses, and, as one might expect, was smashing with dark chocolate. Serving temperature should be cool to the touch. Atlanta Distributor: Quality Wine & Spirits $24.00