Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[Daver6]

I've not tried it, but heard good thing about the Cape Mentelle Zin.

 

[JohnM]

I've not tried it, but heard good thing about the Cape Mentelle Zin.

That's the one I was going to suggest. It would be the best Australian Zin, I would say.

Zin has a bit of an interesting history in WA. Back in the early 1970s, just as the new southern regions (Margaret River, Frankland) were getting going, the idea that Zin may be a good alternative variety developed on the back of our climate match to S California. Zin went well there, so it would be good here, went the argument.

Cape Mentelle was an early adopter and has stuck with it steadfastly. Peel Estate, on the coastal sands just SW of Perth near Mandurah, is a small producer that created a bit of a name for itself on the back of its monster Zin. I agree that it isn't very elegant but it's fun to try if you want something BIG. But first kill a bison to BBQ .

It's a long time since I had any Cape Mentelle Zin. I don't know how widely available retail it is as it's a niche product. Our red wines - Cape Mentelle

You'll see that Cape Mentelle makes note of its demanding nature - both viticulturally and in the winery.

Despite SW WA having a Mediterranean climate, it is actually quite different from that of SoCal which is also classified Mediterranean. (It is often said that SW WA has the climate that SoCal thinks it's got!. SW WA in fact has the most classical Mediterranean climate in the world, going by the text-book definition, as it turns out.)

The upshot of the idea we could produce good CA-style Zin in SW WA hasn't really worked out. It's essentially a curiosity; they are insufficiently varietally differentiated to give a 'Wow, must have more' response. Very similar to attempts to produce varietal Malbec in Australia.

Whether that is primarily because the terroir differed more than expected or the labour-intensive demands of the variety, I do not know (probably some of both). However, the inability to achieve the dusty tannins to act as the strong counterpoint to the bold, juicy, fruit flavours suggests to me that, fundamentally, the terroir just doesn't replicate CA sufficiently.

As I've mentioned previously, Turley in CA makes a very large range of single vineyard Zins from widely geographically separated vineyards (Turley Wine Cellars | Wines). IME, they offer some truly stunning Zins. I visited the Pesenti Vineyard near Paso Robles (between Paso Robles and Cambria), but they were tasting wines from across all their vineyards so I was able to compare an extensive range. Sadly, the three I brought back are long gone....

 

[drron]

So off to South Australia for tonights tipple.this has been a good performer.Once again it is now coming back down the mountain.One more bottle left which will not see the year out.Good when sitting on the patio but even better with a bowl of mrsdrron's pasta-

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[UpInTheAir:)]

So off to South Australia for tonights tipple.this has been a good performer.Once again it is now coming back down the mountain.One more bottle left which will not see the year out.Good when sitting on the patio but even better with a bowl of mrsdrron's pasta-

Oh mrs.drron ... next time I'm in BNE I'm heading to the Sunshine Coast!!

 

[JohnM]

Something a little different tonight:



I think the resolution should be sufficient to see where it's from: Santorini in the Greek Islands. It's the signature variety endemic to Santorini.

As anyone who has been to Santorini would know, it's a fairly bleak wind-swept volcanic island with some sensational vistas. Assyrtiko grows as a bush-vine which protects against the wind. Quite an interesting viticultural situation for an agriculturalist and I was intrigued driving around the island.

How do I describe the wine? Hmmnn, I don't have Daver6's capacity for descriptors but I'll try in my own simple way. It's got a spicy nose, a good structure and has a quite intense, but not overly so, spicy flavour. The texture or mouthfeel, of this example at least, is fairly full - somewhat in the vein of a mild Viognier. The finish is nicely dry.

Anyway, it's something certainly different from the Aus Sauv Blancs, SSBs and SBSs that, frankly, are starting to really bore me.

My first experience with Assyrtiko was on a visit to Santorini in about 1998 (for a weekend, coming the long way home from a conference in Thessaloniki .) I had done my homework on the wine scene on Santorini so I was on a mission to have a meal with the best Assyrtiko I could get.

The result was one of the simplest, yet most memorable, meals of my life. After clambering down the endless steps to the fishing-boat harbour at Oia at the N end of the island, I chose a little taverna overlooking the bobbing boats. I then asked if they had some Sigalas (generally recognised as the epitome) Assyrtiko as I couldn't see it on the wine list. The answer was affirmative - and 'the knowledge' fired up the waiter for great service. I then chose my whole fish for the BBQ and sat back watching the sun go down, the fish being grilled and the boats bob, sipping and waiting for the food. OMG! Simplicity but pure bliss!

My dim recollection is that the Sigalis was more austere and less full-textured than the Gaia and so made a better food wine. But what I can remember is that the wine+simply grilled whole fish+a simple Greek salad+bobbing boats+sun setting was a match made in heaven the likes of which I've seldom experienced. Dang! - I'm choking up! Time to go back!

Anyway, if you are looking for something different in white wine and you stumble across the very limited opportunity to get Assyrtiko in Australia, give it a crack!

Better still, go to Santorini and do it properly!

 

[JohnM]

Oh mrs.drron ... next time I'm in BNE I'm heading to the Sunshine Coast!!

Hmmnnn - I'd better post a pic of JohnM's signature ox-tail. You'll be able to eat and drink your way around the country UITA - just like QF WP :mrgreen:.

 

[penegal]

I think jozedemir had it right when he said Zin tastes like Grass cuttings sometimes

The Chrurchview St Johns isn't bad. But it isn't great either.

 

[JohnM]

Firstly, I paid $14 for this via VM. Value at that price. In fact, value up to the $25-$30 really.

As for a world benchmark on the variety, I look to the Italians rather than the Americans personally. They did "invent" that variety after all

I thought this was a lot more elegant than the Peel Estate Zin, which is a fair bit dearer too.

I see that the Church View is $35/bottle at the vineyard. So it's exxy on the Daver6 evaluation. If they were $14 on Vinomofo, I'd suggest it was remaindered stock. Cape Mentelle, irritatingly, doesn't do mail order and the Zin seems difficult to locate online, so I don't know their price - although I didn't search too hard. I suspect about $35-40.

I might have to take issue with you (what, yet again?, I hear you say ) about the benchmark being Italian. They call it Primitivo and who knows anything about that (except our trendy mate Andrew Seppelt whose Primitivo we drank at The Old Crow the other night - see the recent 'Meet Royalty in PER thread')?

It's like saying the benchmark for Malbec is the 'Cot' of Cahors. Those obscure regions of Italy and France may be the historical or truly ancestral home of the respective varieties but it was only after they were grown in CA and the Mendoza region of Argentina, respectively, that they attained universal appeal and true 'benchmark' status, I would submit.

 

[drron]

Well I try the old fashioned grape varieties.Tonights drop-

.

Keeping on with the 1980's.This one was tops.Still drinking very well with definite cabernet characteristics.Sadly the last bottle.

 

[Daver6]

I see that the Church View is $35/bottle at the vineyard. So it's exxy on the Daver6 evaluation. If they were $14 on Vinomofo, I'd suggest it was remaindered stock. Cape Mentelle, irritatingly, doesn't do mail order and the Zin seems difficult to locate online, so I don't know their price - although I didn't search too hard. I suspect about $35-40.

I might have to take issue with you (what, yet again?, I hear you say ) about the benchmark being Italian. They call it Primitivo and who knows anything about that (except our trendy mate Andrew Seppelt whose Primitivo we drank at The Old Crow the other night - see the recent 'Meet Royalty in PER thread')?

It's like saying the benchmark for Malbec is the 'Cot' of Cahors. Those obscure regions of Italy and France may be the historical or truly ancestral home of the respective varieties but it was only after they were grown in CA and the Mendoza region of Argentina, respectively, that they attained universal appeal and true 'benchmark' status, I would submit.

Taking issue...'dems drinking words

Churchview is NOT worth $35/bottle. Its a fun, but simplish wine.

 

[AdMEL]

Anyway, it's something certainly different from the Aus Sauv Blancs, SSBs and SBSs that, frankly, are starting to really bore me.

There are some good Aus Sauvignon Blancs .... Bannockburn is one example.

 

[JohnM]

There are some good Aus Sauvignon Blancs .... Bannockburn is one example.

Oh, indeed - and plenty of them. Not criticising the quality. All I'm saying is that I'm getting a bit jaded by them and looking for different things.

 

[JohnM]

Well I try the old fashioned grape varieties.

The varieties discussed recently are at least equally as old as Cabernet Sauvignon .

 

[drron]

The varieties discussed recently are at least equally as old as Cabernet Sauvignon .

But meant as in Australian staples.

 

[AdMEL]

Oh, indeed - and plenty of them. Not criticising the quality. All I'm saying is that I'm getting a bit jaded by them and looking for different things.

I am not a fan of most Aus SB, SSB or SBS (too much like the kiwi style, which I also don't like), but the are some special ones, including Bannockburn.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

I am not a fan of most Aus SB, SSB or SBS (too much like the kiwi style, which I also don't like), but the are some special ones, including Bannockburn.

I've never met a Sav Blanc that I've enjoyed

 

[JohnM]

I've never met a Sav Blanc that I've enjoyed

Not even Shaw+Smith?

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Not even Shaw+Smith?

Haven't tried it as I generally don't like them.. it's something about the nose that puts me off.. too floral or something If I'm going to try one to change my mind is this the one you suggest? (no pressure lol)

 

[JohnM]

Haven't tried it as I generally don't like them.. it's something about the nose that puts me off.. too floral or something If I'm going to try one to change my mind is this the one you suggest? (no pressure lol)

Not a matter of changing minds, but it is, IMHO, a very good example of a crisp, non-floral modern Aus SB (from the Adelaide Hills, if you are not familiar with it.) Definitely a SB that I can happily go back to.

 

[TheRealTMA]

The current release Cape Mentelle SSB is lovely. IMHO better than the S&S.