Interesting wines for spring

First Drop The Big Blind 2010

This wine comes from the Adelaide Hills so it is streets away from the Shiraz based wines that 1^st Drop produces yet it is the first wine I wanted to sample when these came across my desk. The colour of the wine is very light but the savoury flavours come rolling down the glass into my mouth with drive and attention. To start with there is plum and spice covered in dirty Christmas cherries and pipe tobacco.  These Medium bodied flavours continue along the palate but they are melded nicely to a smooth yet mouth-filling amount of fun loving tannins.  The structure, flavour and acidity of the wine, all fits together nicely and makes for a high quality experience as soon as the cap is cracked.

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $30

Rated: 88

Drink: Now – 2017

Wild Duck Creek Estate Sparkling Duck #6 NV

Around Christmas time, I get a hankering for quality Sparkling reds. In fact my Dad and I polished off a dozen Joseph Sparkling last year between December 1st and the 24^th.  The Joseph is in my view the best quality sparkling red in Australia but the Wild Duck Creek is only a smidge behind in terms of quality but bucket loads behind in terms of price. This wine has spent three years on lees before being released and is a blend of Shiraz heading right back to 1993. The flavours of this creamy and luscious wine is pure Heathcote with things like mint and plum hanging around in abundance nonetheless they take second fiddle to the Dutch chocolate, spice and leather. The flavours fill the mouth and inch their way along coating serious goodness as they go. It’s the sort of wine that would normally be sweet but this version is bone dry which takes up the quality level up a notch.

Alcohol: 15%

Price: $45

Rated: 93

Drink: Now – 2020

Woodlands  Chloe Chardonnay 2011

Woodlands have been growing some of the best Chardonnay in Margaret River for decades but they have been selling those grapes to other wineries and it is only now they have been putting the wine out under their own.  In 2011 Western Australia experienced a nice and easy cool vintage which produced wines with beautiful acidity backbones. This wine is that to a tee but here there is an amazing rich flavour spectrum of roasted nuts, peach, yellow nectarine and spice all coiled up which will be ready to go once they are given a little time in the bottle.  The palate is like being fed at night with a blind fold on as it is exhilarating and engaging at the same time. You know what I’m talking about…..don’t you? Try it and find out.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $70

Rated: 93+

Drink: Give it 5 years before opening them

Patritti Marion Vineyard 2009

South Australia has a stranglehold on top quality Grenache Shiraz blends but they are normally very expensive if they come from 100 year old vines. This wine comes from an ancient vineyard in Marion which is 15 minutes drive south of the heart of Adelaide. It is a vineyard that I have driven past so many times and have always wondered where the grapes went. Now I know and I will be buying this wine so I can serve it to friends and family.  Why you ask? Well this vineyard has a huge story.  You will have to head to Patritti’s website as I would take too long to run through. Now back to the wine. The aromas of the wine are ultra-spicy and savoury with hints of red lipstick and old school humbugs thrown in.  On the palate black fruits take center stage with an abundance of pulsating tannins kicking in. This wine is not a big baller but it does have plenty of flavour and structure to hold its own in a blind line up yet it shines the most when it sits by itself with some food which is what I think good wine is all about.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $18 A stupidly low price for the quality

Rated: 88

Drink: Now - 2017