Tasting Notes 1001

This week, new vintages of some of our more popular wines hit the shelves. It's always a 'heart-in-mouth' moment trying a new release. Will it be as good as the previous vintage? Will it be different? Will I like it as much? Am I about to lose an old friend or make a new one? That's a lot of internal dialogue for a Saturday morning but, hopefully, we're here to help cut through the confusion. Here are three wines which have recently clicked over and my thoughts on them.

Coates The Pinot Noir 2019

Stubble & Muscles

Lots of generosity on the nose with cherry and raspberry wine-gum aromas, along with hints of white pepper and savoury notes. The cherry, raspberry, strawberry spectrum continues on the palate supported by a gentle smoky lick and soft tannins. Good intensity and length and finishing with a confident savoury flourish. This wine is structured and nuanced, a more confident version of previous vintages, its muscles bulging a little more beneath its fashionable tee, the stubble on its chin now obvious from a distance. I'm a big fan of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir for their ability to mirror elements of AC Burgundy and this wine is no exception.

Adelina Polish Hill River Riesling 2020 

Diesel Mechanic's Holiday

Full of swagger, this release from Adelina is full-throated and unapologetic. Quite the nose buffet; peaches, lemons, kiwifruit and vanilla offset with an elegant minerality. But the kicker is in the mouth. Like a Toorak tycoon on Christmas afternoon, this wine is rich and full, revealing an "un-Australian" but delightful smack of residual sugar alongside a bracing zippiness. Passionfruit, yellow citrus, more stone fruits and a touch of herbaceousness all present but this beauty is all about the 'feels'. Want food with it? Hit up your local Szechuan restaurant.

Les Peyrautins Syrah-Grenache 2018

A New Trick Poodle

This value Frenchie tastes like it spent a gap year in the Barossa and came home reeking of Antipodean sensibilities. Swathes of red and black fruits dominate the nose and the palate, delivering raspberry conserve and stewed black plums with all the nuance of a BHP diesel mechanic on holiday in Bali. Full flavoured, with a satisfying intensity there is just enough tannin to stop you from feeling you’re eating jam straight out of the jar. Who says you can’t teach an old poodle new tricks?