(Above: Andrew Caillard MW presents)

23rd September 2009

Andrew Caillard MW of Australian fine wine auctioneers Langton’s - creators of the Langton Classification (1991) - presented this year’s Landmark Tasting courtesy of Wine Australia at the Park Hyatt, Beijing.

The Landmark wines, as their title suggests, represent some of the most notable achievements in Australian winemaking taken from the general topography of Australia’s diverse regional offerings where another tier of Regional Heroes can be found (’regionality‘ being the critical and often apt buzz-word among Australian wine circles).

This was the second year in which a selection of Landmark wines were shown in Beijing to a select group of local media, F&B, wine educators and wine importer-distributors influential throughout the PRC; joined by AWBC representatives, the new Chairman of the AWBC James Dominguez and personnel from Austrade.

Caillard gave a fun and informative introduction to each of the below wines, providing some compelling anecdotal glimpses into their respective histories in a presentation carefully pitched to the assembled audience. Certainly, as elsewhere in the world, but especially so in China, it is a critical time to introduce or re-introduce the fine wine message with respect to Australia (which has come in for a fair amount of flack in the international wine press).

For my part, the tasting and dinner were an incredible experience, a privilege; as the below wines should amply indicate:

On tasting were (click on links for full tasting notes):

2002 House of Arras Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Tasmania

2009 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley

1999 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley

2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River

2006 Giaconda Chardonnay, Beechworth

2007 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland

2006 Mount Mary Quintet Cabernets, Yarra Valley

2004 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

2004 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District

2004 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley

2004 Penfolds Grange, South Australia

2007 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina

1909 Seppeltsfield 100-Year Old Vintage Tawny, Barossa Valley

(For anyone interested in a vertical tasting of Penfolds Grange, featuring the 1983, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2003 vintages, please click here).

Guests then sat down to a sensibly chosen and innovative menu, enjoying the following dishes (with some of the Landmark wines re-tasted for good measure):

Oolong tea-smoked lobster, chrysanthemum cress in a seasame-soy vinaigrette with blue-fina tuna and scallop timtable

2009 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley

Twice-cooked crispy duck “Mille Feuille” in sweet and sour kumquat sauce with foie gras and a taro-truffle fritter

2007 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland

Jasmine tea and lychee sorbet (served in ice - as pictured above)

Wok-fried Wagyu beef tenderloin in black pepper sauce with braised veal cheeks in abalone sauce accompanied by sauteed pea sprouts and pumpkin risotto

2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District

2004 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

Imperial bird’s nest, coconut pudding and sherry ice cream

1909 Seppeltsfield Para 100 Year-Old Vintage Tawny, Barossa Valley

All in all, this was a very wine-friendly menu and especially appropriate for the fruit-driven complexity of many Australian wines. The below picture of the 1909 Seppeltsfield Vintage Tawny almost captures its dark brown oxidized colour, an incredible wine to experience (all tasting notes above on Adegga).

Our thanks to Wine Australia, Austrade and Andrew Caillard MW.

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Rounding off the end of September’s Beijing wine events in style, Torres China hosted its third annual Taste of the Nations portfolio tasting at the Chilean Embassy in Beijing.

(Read more about previous tastings here: 2008 Taste of the Nations, 2007 Taste of the Nations Part I, 2007 Taste of the Nations Part II).

Among dozens of wines, we tasted a snap-shot and took notes on the following:

Champagne Taittinger Brut Vintage 2002

Torres ‘Natureo’ Muscat, Catalunya 2007

Pintia, Toro 2005

Torres Mas La Plana, Penedes 2005

Symington Family Estates Altano Red, Douro 2006

Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003

Domaine Bila-Haut ‘Occultum Lapidem’, M. Chapoutier 2006

Gigondas, M. Chapoutier 2006

Chateaneuf-du-Pape ‘La Bernardine’, M. Chapoutier 2005

Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley 2007

Bass Phillip Estate Pinot Noir, South Gippsland 2007

Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium, Eden Valley 2005

John Duval ‘Plexus’ SGM, Barossa Valley 2006

The Australian wines on offer were especially strong and the 2003 Graham’s LBV stunning.

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In association with importer Mercuris Fine Wines, Nick Yap of Aussie power-house Angove’s recently visited Beijing to host a media lunch at The Opposite House’s Sureno restaurant.

This tasting was something of an education because I hadn’t realized, among the many wines and brandies Angove’s produces, that there were some very good value wines in the Nine Vines and, especially, the Vineyard Select range.

Winemaker Tony Ingle and team are clearly doing great things. If you get a chance to sample the immensely refreshing Nine Vines Grenache Shiraz Rosé, do! (Ingle recently described this as his version of an eminently food-friendly Provence rosé).

Here’s what we tasted:

Angove’s Vineyard Select Clare Valley Riesling 2007

Angove’s Vineyard Select Limestone Coast Chardonnay 2007

Angove’s Nine Vines Shiraz-Viognier 2007

Angove’s Vineyard Select McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006

Angove’s Vineyard Select Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

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As part of Montrose Fine Wines‘ newly revamped portfolio, producers Emilio Moro (Ribera del Duero) and Borsao (Campo de Borja) recently visited Beijing for a sumptuous dinner at Agua (Qianmen No. 23).

The wines from Borsao are dependable and the Tres Picos (a robust Garnacha) proved popular. Emilio Moro, meanwhile, produces some distinctive Ribera and the Finca Resalso (an early drinking example) is likely to be a hit with Chinese tasters.

My wine of the night was, however, the 2005 Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero (although, admittedly, this will benefit from further ageing, however approachable it is now).

On tasting were:

Borsao Rosado Seleccíon, Campo de Borja 2008

Borsao Blanco Seleccíon, Campo de Borja 2007

Emilio Moro ‘Finca Resalso’, Ribera del Duero 2006

Ribera del Duero, Emilio Moro 2005

Borsao ‘Tres Picos’, Campo de Borja 2007

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1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel, Rhone Valley

Appearance: deep purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: a little closed at first – in fact, the wine seemed to waft ‘in’ and ‘out’ of expression as it developed in the glass – but began to show lovely red and black fruits (mix of blackberry, red and black cherry, redcurrant etc.) with beautiful oak and some distinctive spicy notes (white pepper, black pepper, clove etc.).

Palate: angular fruit that is still young in expression, medium-high acidity, large alcohol but this is well-integrated with some tight ripe medium-high tannins. Very good length.

Conclusion: 1998 was a wonderful vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Beaucastel will go on for some time and should age beautifully. Likely to be a classic.

Rating: 18/20 [will be higher with age]

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Importer East Meets West teamed up with wine merchant Top Cellar in order to show the wines of Gérard Bertrand (from France’s Languedoc region) at Centro in the Kerry Centre Shangri-La.

2006 Gérard Bertrand 6’eme Sens Rosé

Appearance: attractive medium pink.

Nose: a range of red fruits including strawberry and red cherry. Clean and attractive.

Palate: slight residual sugar, but basically dry. Attractive fruit, some acidity, not flabby certainly.

Conclusion: pleasant, drinkable rosé. Fun. Food-friendly.

Rating: 16/20

2005 Gérard Bertrand Chardonnay

Appearance: medium yellow.

Nose: no oak here, ripe peach and melon fruit.

Palate: palate is smooth – this wine does actually go through malolactic fermentation, it just does so in stainless steel not oak – with more peach and melon fruit. Acidity is relatively low here.

Conclusion: pleasant, fruity Chardonnay, but not very exciting. Good with food, however.

Rating: 16/20

2003 Gérard Bertrand Minervois

Appearance: medium purple-red, essentially clear rim.

Nose: very fragrant, i.e. not just black fruits from the Syrah and Carignan blend here, but some spice and even perfume of sorts.

Palate: pleasant fruit, medium-bodied, soft on tannins.

Conclusion: this wasn’t as heat-damaged as I thought it might be (thinking of the 2003 vintage). The grapes were obviously picked judiciously. Good.

Rating: 16.5/20

2005 Gérard Bertrand Château L’Hospitalet Reserve

Appearance: medium purple, clear rim.

Nose: a range of black fruits, spicy, nice use of oak.

Palate: medium-bodied, plucky medium tannins, lifting acidity, nice fruit and oak.

Conclusion: a decent blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Good.

Rating: 17/20

2002 Gérard Bertrand La Forge Terroir Boutenac, Corbières

Appearance: darkish purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: a mixture of red and black fruits (hard to define what) with lots of herbs, particularly Mediterranean ones, e.g. rosemary and oregano/marjoram.

Palate: elegant palate with good acidity, nice integration of fruit to oak, attractive medium chewy tannins and good length.

Conclusion: a lovely blend of Syrah and Carignan. Very good.

Rating: 18/20

2002 Gérard Bertrand Le Viala, Minervois La Livinière

Appearance: darkish purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: pleasant mixture of red and black fruits, good oak, distinctive Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, thyme).

Palate: elegant, complex fruit, good oak again, medium chewy tannins, good length.

Conclusion: made from old vines (50-80 years-old), this is probably less powerful than in other bigger vintages, but still impressive.

Rating: 18/20

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Trade tasting with Ben Glaetzer of Heartland winery (as well as the Glaetzer family label of Barossa) hosted by Palette Vino. Glaetzer himself was on hand to discuss the wines and explain something of his philosophy. Although he harvests grapes in a number of regions in South Australia, all of the wines are still made in the Barossa.

Ben explained that for many of his reds the Limestone Coast vineyards tend to provide aromatics, particularly eucalyptus in the hotter years, but also an herbaceous quality (basil, rosemary, green pepper etc.); whereas the reds from Langhorne Creek tend to give more structure and a chocolate quality. For this reason he often blends the fruit from both areas.

Also, when it’s hotter, if there are eucalyptus trees in the area, the oils from the eucalyptus become volatile and even settle on the grapes in a kind of resinous state. This is why certain Australian reds really do taste of eucalyptus, although Ben admitted there’s considerable research to be done in the area (clearly, some wines may yet smell of eucalyptus even if the vines have not been in close proximity to eucalyptus trees).

It’s just that Glaetzer himself has seen a eucalyptus mist envelope his vineyards in hotter years like 2003, conditions that simply did not occur in cooler vintages like 2002. Anyway, we had a great time tasting the wines and also enjoyed a very good chat, both with Ben and also Vicky Arnold, general manager.

Here are the wines. As mentioned, all are made in the Barossa. All are also typified by very clean wine-making, restraint, elegance and lovely ripe fruit:

2006 Heartland Stickleback White

Appearance: pleasant gold-green

Nose: lovely lemon fruit nose with some waxy notes.

Palate: pleasant fruit, good acidity and a touch of residual sugar on the palate, although this wine is essentially dry.

Conclusion: a really drinkable blend of 52% Chardonnay, 32% Verdelho, 16% Semillon (all of which are fermented separately in stainless steel then blended).Very good at its level and a great buy at 99RMB.

Rating: 16.5/20

2006 Heartland Viognier Pinot Gris

Appearance: medium gold.

Nose: complex nose with peach, apricot and pear fruit with some mineral notes and slight spice.

Palate: medium-bodied, glycerol, but also lifting acidity, lovely fruit and good length.

Conclusion: this wine is 68% Viognier and 32% Pinot Gris with most of the grapes coming from Langhorne Creek and the rest from Limestone Coast. The varieties are again vinified separately with the Pinot Gris being allowed some skin contact for a little bit of colour and structure to tame Viognier’s fattier ways. Lovely and pure.

Rating: 17.5/20

2005 Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein

Appearance: medium to dark purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: has a wonderfully spicy nose with black fruits (even dried cherries). Clove is predominant in terms of spice (comes from the oak here).

Palate: lovely fruit, chewy medium tannins, good oak, pleasant moderate acidity and impressive length.

Conclusion: this is 70% Dolcetto with the remaining 30% being made up of Lagrein. About 50% of the Dolcetto spent time in French oak, but the Lagrein only went near stainless steel. Very interesting and very well-made. Hurray for growing these grapes in Australia!

Rating: 17.5/20

2005 Heartland Shiraz

Appearance: dark purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: has a characteristic black cherry and slight blueberry nose, but not the masses of fruit that can blow some tasters out of the water. Elegant.

Palate: there are two things you wouldn’t notice about this wine: 1. it’s 14.5% alc., but without a ‘hot alcohol’ nose, 2. it’s been matured for 16 months in a mixture of light and heavy toast French oak. Both the alcohol and oak simply harmonize with the fruit. Tannins are moderate and chewy with just enough acidity to carry the fruit. Impressive length.

Conclusion: I loved this wine. It’s 100% Shiraz with 56% coming from Limestone Coast and the remaining 44% from Langhorne Creek. Very good.

Rating: 18.5/20

2005 Glaetzer Bishop Barossa Shiraz

Appearance: dark purple to black, clear rim.

Nose: sweet black cherry and blackberry fruits with mixture of savoury and sweet oak notes.

Palate: lovely fruit, large chunky tannins, good alcohol balance, pleasant medium acidity. Good length.

Conclusion: launched as a bench-mark Barossa Shiraz, this wine has all the elegance of the Heartland wines with a little bigger fruit. From 60 year-old vines, it has impressive structure and pure fruit. Vinified in a mixture of French and American oak, it has a slightly ‘sweeter’ nose than the Heartland Shiraz which is very appealing for the larger fruit here.

Rating: 18/20

2005 Glaetzer Wallace Barossa Shiraz Grenache

Appearance: dark purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: has an instantly appealing nose of ripe black and red fruits (more black on the account of the Shiraz fruit, at least in its Barossa expressions), some white pepper and other spices and appealing oak (French and American here again too).

Palate: refreshing acidity, chewy medium tannins (although these are slightly grainy too), strong fruit and good balance throughout. Good length.

Conclusion: this is 70% Shiraz and the remainder Grenache. Clean, pure and tantalizing, rather than being merely technically well-made.

Rating: 18/20

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1996 Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘La Crau’, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe

Appearance: medium red purple with bricky tinge.

Nose: white pepper, red and black plums, red cherry, slightly vegetal, nice oak.

Palate: chewy but not astringent, already slightly softened tannins alcoholic, red cherry and plum fruits with a slight chutney or spiced taste, balanced acid. Good length.

Conclusion: already drinking but also has huge potential for next two to three years (and perhaps longer). More forward than equivalent vintage from Clos des Papes (at least with this bottle). Very sophisticated Châteauneuf.

Rating: 18/20

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