Wine Australia Landmark Australian Tour Masterclasses: my picks of the bunch

Our venue: The Downer room, Australia House

The only disadvantage of chairing yesterday’s Wine Australia Landmark Australian Tour Masterclasses is that I couldn’t get stuck in to the 100 free pour wines on show which were selected by the alumni of recent trade and press trips down under.  They created quite a buzz!

Still, I can hardly grumble given the calibre of the masterclass wines – all verticals save for the Wynns wines, where Chief Winemaker Sue Hodder took the opportunity to show off Coonawarra’s flair for that Australia’s quintessential red, Cabernet/Shiraz.  For Hodder, Shiraz as opposed to Merlot is her preferred blending partner and the co-fermented super seamless Wynns V and A Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2010 in particular provided compelling evidence that this traditional genre is on the comeback trail.  And it’s good news for Coonawarra where she observes variety becomes secondary to region for blends.

Below you’ll find a list of my picks of the bunch from a very strong line up, also listed.

Chardonnay flights highlights

Yarra Valley – the intense and energetic 2011s – Oakridge 864 Chardonnay and Giant Steps Tarraford Chardonnay;

Mornington Peninsula – the sharp contrast of the tightly coiled and crystalline Yabby Lake Single Vineyard 2010 with the sensual and sumptuous layers of Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon 2006.

Margaret River – the sheer power and precision of Leeuwin Estate Art Series 2006.

Grenache flights highlights

Single varietal wines – the spicy, floral lift and pure red fruited finesse of the Chapel Hill 2011 and 2010 Grenache brilliantly illustrated why new oak does old bush vine Grenache no favours, not to mention why the variety is being dubbed “warm climate Pinot Noir” (even if not whole bunch fermented). This is my kind of style!

Grenache blends – even with a few years under the belt (and in a blend), the Pinot Noir analogy holds true.  My pick of the bunch – Charlie Melton’s Grenache-led Nine Popes from the cooler 2006 vintage reverberated with Pinot Noir floral –v- farmyard tension. Oh and for background research (!), before my masterclass I snuck in a snifter of Spinifex Papillon 2010 from the free pour.  With glorious aromatics and juicy definition to its fresh fruits this cutting edge blend features less usual suspects Cinsault and Carignan.

Cabernet blend flights highlights

Limestone Coast – with its fine thread of tannins, mint, cedar and cassis, Petaluma’s Bordeaux-esque Coonawarra Red 1996 was in classy form; bright-fruited and primary, yet far from primitive, the super seamless Wynns V and A Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2010 oozed cool climate elegance from every pore.

Barossa Valley – wildly contrasting though they were, Glaetzer’s fleshy Anaperenna Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and Elderton’s finely honed Ode to Lorraine Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot 2009 showed how Cabernet can leaven and bring line to the Barossa with no loss of fruit power or intensity.

Entire line up

Oakridge 864 Chardonnay 2011, 2010, 2009 (Yarra Valley)

Giant Steps Tarraford Chardonnay 2012, 2011, 2010 (Yarra Valley)

Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, 2009, 2008 (Mornington Peninsula)

Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Chardonnay 2010, 2008, 2006 (Mornington Peninsula)

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2008, 2006, 2004 (Margaret River)

Chapel Hill Bush Vine Grenache 2011, 2010, 2009 (McLaren Vale)

Willunga 100 The Tithing Grenache 2010, 2009 (McLaren Vale)

Langmeil Fifth Wave Grenache 2009, 2004, 2002 (Barossa Valley)

John Duval Plexus SGM 2008, 2006, 2005 (Barossa Valley)

Charles Melton Nine Popes 2009, 2006, 2002 (Barossa Valley)

Petaluma Coonawarra Red Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 1996, 1992, 1988 (Coonawarra)

Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot 2009 (Coonawarra)

Wynns V and A Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2010 (Coonawarra)

Wynns Johnsons Block Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Coonawarra)

Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2008, 2006, 2004 (Wrattonbully)

Glaetzer Anaperenna Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, 2007, 2006 (Barossa Valley)

Elderton Ode to Lorraine Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot 2009 (Barossa Valley)