Yalumba FSW Botrytis Viognier 2020

 

Long and luscious, this incredibly silky botrytis Viognier was part of a tasting in preparation for International Viognier Day coming up on 30 April. Rich and generous, this is a kiss from the nectar gods. 

De Beaurepaire Bluebird Botrytis Viognier 2017

 

One could say it's citrus tart in glass.

Berton Vineyard Reserve Botrytis Semillon 2018

From a not so well known Riverina producer comes this wonderful sticky to enjoy with either a citrus tart or some cheese. Delicious!

De Bortoli Noble One 2016

In the words of third generation family member Leanne De Bortoli, “It’s like a sprinkling of gold confetti to make any occasion extra special.” Another impressive Noble One release.

Singlefile Great Southern Botrytis 2018

This wine takes my mind away to candied citrus tart with an almond praline. Oh the life... A delicious dessert wine nonetheless.

Bunnamagoo Wines Kids Earth Fund Autumn Semillon 2016

A trophy winner at the Mudgee Show in 2017. Generous and luxurious - I enjoyed this wine immensely.

De Bortoli Deen Vat Series No. 5 Botrytis Semillon 2013

A delicious post dinner sweetie to sip slowly beside a cheesecake or citrus tart. Terrific value too.

Riversdale Estate Botrytis Riesling 2014

A sticky that barely touched the sides. I enjoyed this with some apple strudel and vanilla ice cream - job done thank you very much.

d'Arenberg The Noble Mud Pie 2015

Generous delivery here. A blend of Viognier and Arneis (95/5), this is my preferred of the four Nobles but there's not a great deal of interest in the range to compete with mind you.

Orange marmalade, apricots, honey - good depth and width. It has a slowly slowly feel about it with no element surging ahead of the others. Of the four, I'd part with $20 for this.

Good+

Region: Adelaide Hills
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.darenberg.com.au

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d'Arenberg The Noble Prankster 2015

A blend of Chardonnay, Semillon and Viognier (60/30/10), aromas of frangipani, marigold flower, candied orange mandarin and honeyed tones spill from the glass.
There's a touch of spice, but the sweetness and citrusy acid didn't quite mesh for me. A hole in the mid palate was apparent too. Not bad but I'd lean towards the Mud Pie.

Good.

Region: Adelaide Hills
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.darenberg.com.au

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d'Arenberg The Noble Wrinkled Riesling 2015

On the sweeter side but has more acidity than it's siblings. That acid is certainly saliva sapping.

Aromas of green apple, a touch of spice with an attractive yellow floral perfume. I'd like to see this with some time under the belt. Not bad going in the end.

Good.

Region: McLaren Vale
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.darenberg.com.au

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d'Arenberg The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana 2015

Botryotinia Fuckeliana is the scientific name for Botrytis named in honour of German botanist Karl Fuckel. I'm sure most readers couldn't care less re the history with more attention probably being paid to the fact that the magical four letter combination has already appeared a few times in this post...

A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (95/5) highlighted by apricots, canned peach nectar and sweet orange candy. It's thick and syrupy to taste but holy fuckeliana it's sweet. Too sweet. I know some people who could drink this by the gallon but I struggled getting through a taste.

Region: Adelaide Hills
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.darenberg.com.au

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Huntington Estate Late Harvest Semillon 2015

It would be unjust to taste a sticky without food. My weapon of choice in this case was a baked New York cheesecake - it worked a treat.

Forty percent of this spent time in French oak for five months. A delicious little beast delivering some complexity and plenty of smiles.

Apricot nectar and canned peach loom large from top to toe. The palate is well coated by nicely weighted fruit. The oak component gives it the X factor finishing long.

Will age but why wait?

Very good.

Region: Mudgee
RRP: $36 (for 375mL)
Source: Sample

www.huntingtonestate.com.au

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Shaw Vineyards Botrytis Semillon 2012

I do enjoy a "sticky" with my preferred style being the concentrated and syrupy type. This example from Shaw doesn't fall into that category and as a result I didn't enjoy it that much.

A match for a cheese platter perhaps, I just felt it was sweet white wine. I can see the appeal it would have for some but when factoring in the cost, there are others on the market I would lean towards.

Light golden appearance, orange peel, mandarin and citrus flowers were delivered with a hint of spiced pear too. Despite not having that density as mentioned earlier, the length was pretty good.

Who: Shaw Vineyards
What: Botrytis Semillon (9% alc)
Where: Canberra
When: 2012
How: $25

www.shawvineyards.com.au

Bimbadgen Regions Semillon Botrytis 2010

With the Easter weekend approaching, sweetness will consume you no doubt in the form of chocolate. And for those with a sweet tooth and an oversupply of chocolate, how about melting it down, dropping it into a pastry shell and indulging in a chocolate tart with a glass of this by your side?

Part of the "Regions" range, the fruit is sourced from the botrytis hub of Australia, the Riverina.

Loaded with apricot jam, marmalade and even a hint of citrus, this wine is superbly balanced with good acid and structure. It is hard not to keep sipping away at this. Enjoy!

Who: Bimbadgen http://www.bimbadgen.com.au/
What: Botrytis Semillon (11% alc)

Where: Riverina

When: 2010
How: $27

Deen De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon 2008

Hello bargain!

There are plenty of "stickies" or dessert wines out there with many chasing over the $20 mark for a 375mL bottle. Those who are budget conscious look no further than this wine - less than $15!

Plenty of orange rind, mandarin peel and ripe apricot characters are in abundance. Not too thick and syrupy as some botrytis wines, the flavours are moreish and are similar to apricot nectar.

The length appears to last forever too. A wonderfully balanced drop I must say.

The back label suggests to have with a lemon tart. I did. I even added some finger lime goodness to it - a superb food and wine match!

A wine I'd definitely throw in the trolley.

Who: De Bortoli Wines http://www.debortoli.com.au/
What: Botrytis Semillon (10.5% alc)

Where: Riverina

When: 2008

How: $13.95

Follow them: www.twitter.com/DeBortoliWines

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McWilliams Morning Light Botrytis Semillon 2009

A gorgeous golden colour greets you, and fans of Botrytis, it's time to get excited.

This wine is presents very well. All elements are in check with silky texture, super long length, and although sweet as you'd expect, it's not a sickly sweetness which turns some punters away from this style of wine.

Dried fruits of apricots and mango with some floral aromas get the party started. Intense and seductive. The thick syrupy consistency and texture on the palate were a highlight for me. That mango and apricot deliciousness followed through beautifully with some mandarin and orange peel. And talk about length. Whoa! 

Every sip brought even more joy, and for fans of Botrytis, I can certainly highly recommend this wine.

Sublime!

Who: McWilliams http://www.mcwilliams.com.au/

What: Botrytis Semillon (11% alc)
Where: Riverina
When: 2009
How: $30

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Swirl Sniff Spit - Granite Belt night July 2012

Swirl Sniff Spit is a proud group of Queenslanders who get together on the third Tuesday of each month to learn and share in wines from many regions and of various varieties. The time had come to dip into our own backyard and see what is kicking around on the Granite Belt.

The Granite Belt is Queensland's premier wine region and boasts some of the highest (most between 850-950m) and coldest vineyards in Australia. Last week the temperature dropped to -9C! I recently enjoyed an excellent weekend in the region. Check out my adventure here.

Poor granite soils dominate the vineyards and the vines struggle to produce their fruit, yet the fruit which is the result delivers a handy product.

Getting the word out about the Granite Belt is a struggle at times too as the vast majority of wineries rely on Cellar Door sales to move the wine to the consumer. Quantities produced by the wineries are small compared to southern counterparts and therefore it is hard to get into the big players in the retail sector. Recent years have seen more and more Granite Belt wineries creeping into the retail market which is a pleasing sign for them.



Glen Robert

 We were privileged to have the company of two winemakers on the evening - Glen Robert from Bent Road Winery and Warren Smith from Pyramids Road Wines. Both shared their tremendous knowledge and passion on various topics through the night including the use of oak, wild yeast, blending, and more. Much more. Many thanks to you both for your company and sharing your valuable time.

The wines selected for the evening were done to showcase the region and wines with a point of difference.

Warren Smith

Many eyebrows were raised through the night and the quality of the wines shone through. Big thanks to the wineries who sent through samples and for being so keen to participate.

So to the wines....

Bent Road Marsanne 2011 http://www.bentroadwine.com.au/
Lean and clean. Made in the aperitif style (10.7% alc). Lemons. Damn this is seriously good!

Cypress Post Viognier Marsanne 2011 http://www.cypresspost.com.au/
Nose of apricot and paw paw. Apricot and peachy flavours on the palate. An oily feel on the palate too which adds some interest. A great food wine (14% alc).

Ridgemill Estate Chardonnay 2011 http://www.ridgemillestate.com/
Funky as!! Wild ferment, taken off lees to remove buttery characteristics. Mustard seeds, oyster shell, toasted almonds, and herby characters all on the nose. The palate was awash with stone fruit flavours. A Chardonnay with a difference and very yummy!

Ravens Croft Chardonnay 2011 http://www.ravenscroftwines.com.au/
Fruit sourced from Bungawarra Wines at Ballandean. A tight and toasty nose with butterscotch. Lees stirred. 25% was wild fermented and 25% Malo. New oak was used (50%) and of this, it was an even split between French and American. Cashews leap out. It was likened to a Pinot Gris by some. Fruit screaming loudly. Lean, pear and even apple. Well made and some serious delish factor!

Ridgemill Estate Tempranillo 2009 http://www.ridgemillestate.com/
A good whiff of oak, dark cherries and herb. Minimal acid, A lovely rounded palate with juicy fruit and good length. Impressive.

Hidden Creek Tempranillo 2009 http://www.hiddencreek.com.au/
Plummy and savoury with enjoyable length. A little firmer tannin mouthfeel. Bold style typical of Spain. Winemaker Jim Barnes has spent vintage time in Spain and modelled his Tempranillo on that experience. This won plenty of fans.

Boireann La Cima Barbera 2008 http://www.boireannwinery.com.au/
Cherries, plummy, rounded with a touch of spice. Soft and very approachable. Acid noticeable. Have a plate of salami handy and load up!

Summit Estate Queensland Cabernets 2009 http://www.summitestate.com.au/
A fruit salad of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Fragrent violets prominent. Intense concentration of blackberry fruit on the palate. A big wine yet classy with a long, lingering finish.

Witches Falls Prophecy Syrah http://www.witchesfalls.com.au/
Soft yet has an acid edge which points to plenty of aging potential. Fruit abundant with oak adding to the profile nicely. Spice, pepper, cherries all kicking on. Tannins complement the wine very well. Many stood up and took notice.

Bent Road Syrah Cabernets 2009 http://www.bentroadwine.com.au/
Soft and elegant with complexity. Super long and delicious finish. Fruit punches through very well. A well made wine in a tough vintage. Value deluxe at $19!

Golden Grove Durif 2010 http://www.goldengroveestate.com.au/
Big black fruit flavours. Sexy earthiness. American oak creeping in. The palate is coated with softness and a savoury finish to wrap it all up. Super drinkability.

Pyramids Road Wines Mourvedre 2011 http://www.pyramidsroad.com.au/
Has only been in the bottle six weeks. A European style Mourvedre - bright nose, acid driven, bone dry and finishes with chalky tannins. Very impressive and the best of it is yet to come. The crew LOVED it!

Ballandean Estate Sylvaner 2005 http://www.ballandeanestate.com/
Late harvest. Rated the best in the world by some judges. Honey, apricots and citrus peel nose. Canned tropical fruit, marmalade and rockmelon palate. Clean finish. Damn fine!

Witches Falls Botryis Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 http://www.witchesfalls.com.au/
Oh sweet mumma! This is super delish and it is hard to stop sipping. A good whiff of stone fruits and citrus. Palate of apricots and peaches. Well balanced. Palate flush with sticky goodness. It would be rude to not lick the glass.

Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon 2009

This stuff makes you rub your hands together with glee. No surprise it won a Top Gold at the QLD RNA Wine Awards 2012.

Made from Riverina fruit, a lovely bouquet of reduced peach and canned peach juice. Very inviting indeed. The palate is coated generously by orange marmalade and citrus peel flavours. Good acid balance throughout and super long length wrap up a most impressive drop. Very moreish indeed.

Although only 375 ml, this is a spanking bargain for around $20. Load up and get amongst it people, you won't be disappointed.

Who: Nugan Estate http://www.nuganestate.com.au/
What: Botrytis Semillon
Where: Riverina, NSW
When: 2009
How: $23

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De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2002

As I sipped away sharing this beauty, my companion so wonderfully described, "This is nectar of the Gods." And he was so right.

When any discussion about "stickies" or dessert wines takes place, the De Bortoli Noble One is not far from the conversation and has been recognised for many a vintage as the hero of Botrytis in this country.

The colour was amber, almost like an Indian Pale Ale. Wow! The nose was a seductive mix of honey, mandarins, and apricot nectar. Once it hits the palate, you are in heaven, as all the traits from the nose follow through. Delicately smooth with a thick syrup of goodness layering your mouth. The finish is super long with gorgeous sweetness.

From nose to finish this wine is a pure delight.

The bottle shared was the 750mL and has a price tag nearing $50. The same wine is also available in the 375mL.

Regardless of vintage, you will be immersed in the beauty of Noble One and walk away immensely satisfied.