Treasury Wine Estates: dusting off the jewels

Dusting off the jewels may seem a strange title for this blog post in Australia but, in the UK, a fair few famous names – notably Coldstream Hills, Leo Buring, Lindeman’s Pyrus, St George and Limestone Ridge – simply slipped off the radar during their ownership by Fosters. So I was excited to see so many of them back over here for Treasury Wine Estates‘ “Luxury Wine Collection” portfolio tasting. In such blisteringly good form too, showcasing pedigree and provenance. With terrific structure, there were many fine wines to cellar. All in all, a world away from the fast moving consumers goods with which certainly the Lindeman’s brand had become associated.

Of course, there’s sobering news for those who got to know the wines before they slipped off the radar, or who associated them with discounts and deals. There’s been a significant price hike – part and parcel of the wines being re-positioned away from chasing volume at all costs. While this means that many of the wines are no longer the bargains they once were (I for one was quick to jump on deals on Wynn’s Black Label) , in all honesty I cannot say that the prices are out of whack when compared with wines of commensurate quality (and track record) from elsewhere. Here are my top five wines of the day – the pick of an excellent bunch:

Heemskerk Chardonnay 2011 (Tasmania)

It was a toss up between this and the Riesling. Both assert the island’s cool climate credentials with exhilarating vim and vigour, the Chardonnay with its razor-sharp, glittering steely grapefruit and zingy lemon, which is deftly underscored by complementary smoky/flinty oak and minerals. Long, focused and very youthful. RRP £28-30

Coldstream Hills Rising Vineyard Chardonnay 2011 (Yarra Valley)

Apparently in the late 1980s, Coldstream Hills’ founder James Halliday introduced single vineyard wines. The tradition was recommenced in 2009 . Whether from Rising Vineyard I don’t know, but I do know that Halliday sourced grapes from this vineyard back in the day because I recently interviewed Yalumba’s Louisa Rose’s whose parents own it. She vividly recalled first meeting the wine writer in his singlet and stubbies when he came to collect the grapes! An enticing nose, savoury, with hints of kaffir lime and preserved lemons, draws you into the wine. Very tangy, zesty and mineral in the mouth, it shows juicy slightly (attractively) sour lemon, with lemon zest, kaffir lime and creamy yoghurt notes. A bright, tight seam of mineral acidity pushes out an exceptionally long finish. Love the linear intensity of this wine. 12.5% RRP £28-30

Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir Deer Farm 2010 (Yarra Valley)

The Reserve 2010 is, no doubt, the better wine, but I was utterly charmed by the Deer Farm from one of the Yarra’s more elevated vineyards at 300m in the Upper Yarra.  Though bright ruby, it’s probably the palest of the five Pinot Noirs shown. It’s wondrously silky and seemingly weightless in the mouth – a beautifully scented, pure wine, with a translucency to its red cherry and cranberry fruit. Just lovely. A fabulous distinctly new world (in its fruit purity) example of this variety.  RRP £30-32

Lindeman’s St George Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Coonawarra)

A deep set Cabernet, whose bold and burly concentration of blackcurrant and cassis is anchored by both web and firm backbone of tannins, keeping the fruit under wraps, funnelling it almost, into a firm, sinewy, savoury finish with dried herbs, black kalamata olive/tapenade.  The finish is long and resonating – so much power here, beautifully tailored, Savile Row style.  RRP £44-46

Wynns Glengyle Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Coonawarra)

Chief Winemaker Sue Hodder (pictured) treated us to a series of museum releases, starting with the 1958 Black Label Cabernet (a homeopathic essence of Conawarra, with its oyster shell, linseed, leather and cassis).  By common consensus, this perfumed medium-bodied Cabernet from, typically, the earliest ripening vineyard, was the stand out, though given a good run for its money by the John Riddoch 2008 (previously reviewed here).  A taste bud tickling nose is spicy and subtly leafy with tobacco hints which dance along a juicy palate, with bright, almost crunchily fresh, red cherry, berry and cassis. Lifted mint as well as dried herbs build to a crescendo on the finish, ably assisted by a rising plume of very fine tannins. Great length and finesse. RRP £56-58