Soumah Tutto Bianco d'Soumah 2021

 

Sunday picnics, crowd-pleasing deluxe, there is so much to keep you engaged with this easy-going wine. 

Arfion Fever 2019

Fever. This is an electric skin contact wine from the ever creative and open minded Dave Mackintosh. What a masterful wine and then some. I dig it big time! 

Arfion Snowflake Savignin 2018

I feel this is a wine which you'll either love or not so much. A good aperitif as the evening chill starts to set in for some perhaps?

Sassafras Savagnin Chardonnay Ancestral Sparkling 2019

Balcony booze. A great aperitif to kick back with on a lazy afternoon - when you have nothing left to do during isolation.

Soumah Tutto Bianco d'Soumah 2019

A fresh and crisp crowd pleasing blend from the Yarra Valley.

Soumah Wild Savagnin 2015

Wild with personality.

Struck match, creamy, burnt fig, pear skin. Plenty of aromatic interest - barrel ferments and solids can do that.

Some bunchy texture and phenolic grip evident with good weight. There's a warmth which sits and moves to a ginger spice finish.

The intrigue and difference calls me to have more.

Very good.

Region: Yarra Valley
RRP: $33
Source: Sample

www.soumah.com.au

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Soumah Ai Fiori 2015

Ai Fiori means amongst the flowers so the back label tells me.

Shiraz and Pinot Noir are used with a splash of Savagnin.

Red berries with raspberries and strawberries leading the way. Red flowers and dried petal type aromas release an engaging perfume. A whiff of Bickfords Raspberry cordial tries to nudge its way into the fray.

A taste of this and all I want is sunshine and bbqs. The berry fruit skips to a steady beat. Bone dry with well balanced acidity, the savoury finish wraps it up well.

Chill it hard and share with friends wearing big smiles.

Very good.

Region: Yarra Valley
RRP: $26
Source: Sample

www.soumah.com.au

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Soumah Savarro 2015

An eye catching label which oozes shelf appeal. It stands out for all the right reasons. The contents are fab too.

Made from the Savagnin variety which calls Northern Italy home, it's almost clear in the glass with a golden straw kiss. A whiff of pears, lemony citrus zip, subtle florals, honeyed notes and a spice tickle to keep you enthused. The fruit is deliciously mouth coating and moreish.

Wines like these generally go well with food. Forget the food, I'm happy for it to steal the spot light and fly solo.

I'd happily queue up to grab this time and time again. Ideal for the warmer climate. More please.

Very good.

Region: Yarra Valley
RRP: $28
Source: Sample

www.soumah.com.au

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Hollick Wines The Charlatan Savagnin 2014

There's not many alternate varietals in the Coonawarra region so I was surprised to see Savagnin on the list at Hollick. They actually have an additional four alternates in the ground including Rosada, Tempranillo, Barbera and Sangiovese.

This Savagnin was purchased and planted in 2006 as Albarino before the CSIRO cock up was discovered in 2009.

Fresh apples and cut pear, there's a touch of marigold flower aroma wafting on by ever to subtly. Cleansing in the mouth with a dab of spice, some fruit sweetness teases at the death.

Available at the cellar door or mail order only.

Drink now.

Good+

Region: Coonawarra

RRP: $23
Source: Cellar Door tasting

www.hollick.com

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Tscharke 'Eva' Savagnin Frizzante 2015

Here's a glass full of fun to stop you melting on a sweltering day.

Picked early, this is a fun style with only 6% alcohol and a hefty 90g/L of residual sugar. It wouldn't be out of place with dessert on Christmas Day. CO2 was used during bottling to give the wine a gentle spritz.

Fresh apple, pear, and stone fruit flavours dominate. It's clean and refreshing. That ripe green apple sweetness sticks before a cleansing acidity washes through. In many ways, it's the type of wine for pleasure not for analysis.

Good+

Region: Barossa
RRP: $20
Source: Gift

www.tscharke.com.au

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Tscharke "Girl Talk" Savagnin 2011

Savagnin first came to my attention a few years ago when I read an article that numerous wineries had purchased what they thought were Albarino vines, subsequent testing concluded that these were indeed Savagnin. In the end, a balls up from the CSIRO. I'm happy to be corrected, but if my memory serves me well, some of these vines were then pulled up whilst others remained in the hope of them still being able to be labelled Albarino (which wasn't permissible), whilst others just changed the label to the rightful name Savagnin.

Alas, this sample from the Tscharke "Emerging" range came my way and I was indeed excited to have a look at it, having only had experience with the variety once before.

This is a late ripening variety which is unwooded and has a pale straw appearance. I detected aromas of pear skin, an oily butteriness and a whiff of lemon curd. The palate was quite interesting as it was coated beautifully. There was some complexity and minerality along with depth, but apart from some stone fruit type flavours, nothing really jumped out.

A good drink nonetheless without the glitter. It's got more guts than some whites out there and the finish lurks well. Backing up for another sip isn't a hard ask.

It will cellar for a few years I'd suggest and I'd be interested to see what it morphs into with some bottle age. Have with roast chicken.

Who: Tscharke http://www.tscharke.com.au/
What: Savagnin (12.7% alc)
Where: Barossa
When: 2011
How: $21

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Alternative Variety night @SwirlSniffSpit Tuesday 20 March

Another extraordinary night of wines put together for this edition of Swirl Sniff Spit. Props to The Vinsomniac for his research and excellent presentations during the night, and also to Brad Hickey from Brash Higgins for making the effort to attend and share his wines.

The evening showcased a delectable range of wines, many varieties of which have not been seen by most in the room - me included!

In an industry where everyone is looking for a point of difference and a way to stand out from the pack, there were plenty of examples on show.

A quick run through some of the magic....

Fox Gordon Princess Fiano 2011, Adelaide Hills: Green pea/snap pea on nose. Grassy. Zesty. Love it, and represents super value for around $15. Check out my 2010 post here.

Yalumba Y Series Vermentino 2011, Riverland: For a wine available readily for around $10, you'll be hard pressed to find quality like this at that price point. Serve super chilled with a bucket of seafood - ooh la la! Check out my previous post here.

Holm Oak Wine Arneis 2011, Tasmania: Savory and peachy characters. Plenty of fans in the room enjoyed this but I found it a little too tart and acidic for my palate. Would go well with food, a creamy pasta or even fresh seafood.

Lark Hill Winery Gruner Veltliner 2011, Canberra: This vintage has already sold out and the winemaker was kind enough to share this from his personal stash. A runaway early leader in the Wine of the Night for mine. Pear and fresh apple juice characters. This wine was fresh and finished with a tad of almond meal. A seriously good version of this Austrian variety.

K1 by Hardy's Gruner Veltliner 2011, Adelaide Hills: Pears and pear skin. Restrained mid palate due to light fruit weight. A watery, clean finish. Many happy campers with this.

Crittenden Wines II Tributo Savignin 2010: A sherberty nose. Flavours of savory herbs, spice and a crisp minerality and drying finish on the palate. Yum!

919 Wines Petit Manseng 2010, Riverland: Wow! This was a complex piece of work. Honey, spice, floral notes with a slash of apricot and stone fruit flavours. Lovely soft texture and super length.
Only small quantities of Petit Manseng in Australia, four coming from South Australia's Riverland, and one each from north east Victoria and Griffith.

Brash Higgins NDV Nero d'Avola 2011, McLaren Vale: On skins for two weeks. Wild fermented and only 114 cases made (less than 30 available as I write this). Lavender on nose - stunning!! Orange peel and raspberry jam flavours. Drinks like young Gamay. Serve with slight chill and drink now to five years. $37. Did I say how outrageously fantastic the nose was?!?!

Madeline's Nangkita Primitivo 2008, McLaren Vale: Has an appearance of stewed plums in the glass. Cigar, fruit cake and spice characters all going on here. Gentle soft finish.

Mount Majura Graciano 2009, Canberra: Bright in the glass. Spice and cigar notes shining through. A fistful of pepper and balanced acid profile. Load this up with some food and you're happy.

Chalmers Wines Aglianico 2005, Heathcote: Cherries, raspberries and earthy goodness. Some fruit cake elements in there too which I enjoyed. Smooth finish. An eye opener for a variety I looked at for the first time.

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Teroldego 2010, Langhorne Creek: Rhubarb and raspberries leap from the glass along with wild flowers. Some serious kick here on the palate with a handful of dry herbs and flavours which follow through from the nose. The palate is also edged with a brush of pepper. Finish with a dry tannin grip. Matured in 4-7 oak for 18 months - I loved it! Wine of the night, hands down!

Oliver's Taranga Sagrantino 2009, McLaren Vale: A great way to finish off the night with this heavy weight. This wine is the first vintage of Sangrantino made by the winery and it is a mighty fine effort. Violets, black fruits with a tiny herby touch, charred oak and a bucket load of tannin. A big chunk of pork will match perfectly.

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