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Posts Tagged ‘Pinot Noir’

Too many Cooks spoil the broth? Not at Cooks Lot

Posted in Wine Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

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Cooks Lot is one of those under-rated classic labels, unique to country New South Wales. A smaller scaled family operation, Cooks Lot wines are indicative of their origins whilst showing unique character and flair that only comes from small production and passionate wine making.

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If you haven’t yet visited Mudgee you’re overdue and I do not tolerate tardiness! Mudgee is one of the best kept secrets of the West, to which we owe Australia’s first Chardonnay plantings (hail Mary!) and some of the best robust reds on this side of the border! Neighbouring Orange produces some of Australia’s finest Cool Climate, delicate styled and fashionable wines.

Cooks Lot capitalises on the best of both of these worlds and produces some stealthy, straight forward and first class Australian wines. Each wine I’ve poured under the Cooks Lot label has been individually expressive and full of personality. It is often with the smaller wineries that you find the bigger rewards and the friendlier faces. Time to make the pilgrimage to Mudgee….


2009 Orange Sauvignon Blanc – 13.5% al/vol RRP $19.99
With Australian wines like this, why do we bother with New Zealand? A bright straw colour, this Sauvignon Blanc has a delicate finesse. It’s gentle, restrained and refined; yet fresh, ripe and youthful. Lively tropical notes such as Kiwi and Pineapple start at the front of the palate and mellow into clean, crisp, zesty citrus. This ripe lemony acidity is a lovely way to balance the palate, with the nice surprise of a gentle tartaric buzz. With more aeration, the typical grassy undertones peep through.

A perfect wine for a hot afternoon, some fresh prawns and close friends on the verandah. Alternatively I think this Sauvignon Blanc is just yearning for Asian flavours, could definitely handle the heat and would be ideal paired with Thai. Yum!

2010 Orange Sauvignon Blanc – 11.5% al/vol RRP $19.99
Quite a lifted bouquet, fresh fruit fills the air as I fill my glass. Pineapple on the nose- as if i was chopping it fresh- skin and all. The palate is lean with acidity, and crispness develops into fresh squeezed, pink lemonade. As per varietal definition, an underlying green character lingers with slight herbaceousness, reminding me of tomato leaf.

2011 Orange Sauvignon Blanc – 12.1% al/vol RRP $19.99
A lighter colour than previous vintages, this Sauvignon Blanc has the pleasant juicy aroma of peeling an orange, down to the pith. The greenness reminds me of morning dew on fresh cut grass, but this develops into green bananas. From here, kiwi fruit envelopes the palate, leaving a tropical mouth feel.

2008 Mudgee Riesling – 11.3% al/vol RRP $19.99
Straw coloured with lime hues, this is a Riesling showing good depth. It starts off friendly and mellow, good varietal character, soft steely tones and just when you think you can trust it- a fresh, zesty acidity sweeps the palate. It is this fine acidity which makes it a clean and interesting wine. Kiwi fruit and fresh passionfruit develop into limes, and tart citrus – like tangerines. The bouquet is delicate with blossoms. A wine to cellar for a few more years to continue the mystery of mellow tones and surprising high notes.

2010 Mudgee Riesling – 12% al/vol RRP $19.99
A lovely surprise as this is different from it’s 2008 cousin. A more aromatic wine with greater fruit intensity, is wine shows intense passionfruit characters and green pear on the palate, with a zesty citrus finish. The aroma is playful with spectacular purple passionfruit flowers and a candied toffee apple. Having tasted this wine I’m craving a salad of figs, walnuts and blue cheese. The fullness of the palate and clean fruit could take this just nicely!

2011 Orange Pinot Gris – 11.8% al/vol RRP $19.99
This wine is arrogant – and rightly so. A fragrant style wine, a nose of nashi pears, lifted kiwi notes and a floral yet green aroma reminiscent of delicate geranium petals. A clean palate with fresh acidity that leaves the palate refreshed, but if you pay attention, gentle minerally characters sneak through. There is more to this wine than meets first appearances. A sweet nutty character (almonds or cashews) is a pleasant backdrop to the palate and bouquet. A lovely wine with interesting flavours that I would serve with breaded chicken and creamy mustard sauce. Yummy!

2007 Mudgee Chardonnay – 14.6% al/vol RRP $19.99
As you can see, I take my Chardonnay VERY seriously!
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I’m liking what I see – the time this wine has been cellared has afforded this Chardonnay a slight golden colour. And to me – gold never goes out of fashion! The palate is well rounded but still lean with good acidity. The fruit – rock melons, honeydew melon, a little citrus (mandarin), and a firm peach sliced cleanly. The finish is where the oak shows through without dominating the palate. This Chardonnay is not aggressive and would work quite cooperatively with most foods. I’m having it with a chicken caesar salad. What will you enjoy this with? Oh and I think it can be cellared a few more years, go for gold!

2008 Mudgee Rose – 13.5% al/vol RRP $19.99
Pretty in pink? Rose coloured glasses? This Rose reminds me of strawberry coulis and Granny Smith apples. It’s very ripe berry fruit flavours are followed by clean acidity and a fun little spritz. Nothing too complicated here, so perfect for when you’ve had a complicated day. Best served super-chilled, it’s lovely and refreshing and doesn’t even need food – only friends.

2009 Mudgee & Orange Pinot Noir – 14% al/vol RRP $19.99
Bright and darker than I expected (probably that Mudgee proportion!), excellent varietal definition, strawberries and cherries stretch to the imagination with savoury notes. The nose reminds me of a barnyard, slightly dusty, straw lain, but then the fruit dominates. A medium bodied red with firm tannin and a splash of white pepper, a good length of palate is supported by oak. To serve with this Pinot Noir, I have been eyeing off that free-range duck in the supermarket, but otherwise you could try pork. The tannin will cut through the fat, and the fruit will come to the absolute fore of the palate.

2008 Mudgee Merlot – 13.5% al/vol RRP $19.99
Every woman is waiting for something dark, rich and handsome to come into their lives. And here it is ladies. Wait no longer!
Blackberries, and stewed fruits of the forest, the nose is dominated by the charred spiciness of American oak. I first thought dairy milk chocolate, but it developed into espresso – so why not have both? A dark brick red colour, this Merlot has a well rounded, but mellow palate. This has obviously Mudgee origins – having that lovely Mudgee “mud” depth, without being overbearing. A good match for that joint of lamb I intend to roast later.

2008 Mudgee Shiraz – 14% al/vol RRP $19.99
This Shiraz is a cowboy of our Wild West – Mudgee. Straight away it lasso’s you in with American oak vigour, and locks you in a dual with the fastest guns of the west (impressive tannin structure and good fruit balance). Packed with aroma and flavour of Cinnamon, and Christmas meat pies, this wine deserves to be in the lock-up (cellared) for a few years before you grace it with good quality rare-medium beef.

2010 Orange Botrytis Chardonnay- 8.5% al/vol RRP $25.00
Not surprisingly very low yielding, this nectar of the gods has dried apricot, dried pears and honey characters. The colour is no less than 22 carats! A fresh acidity finishes the palate with glace pineapple, and the crunch of a toffee apple. It would be unforgiving to try to compete with this wine with a dessert, so let’s pull out the Roquefort (if you’re paying!) otherwise good blue cheese or hard bitey cheddar and pate, and a selection of fresh, dried fruits, yum yum yum.

Thank you to Cooks Lot for letting me have a closer look at their range. It has been an absolute pleasure to browse their range. I will definitely not hesitate to stop in and visit next time I’m in town. I hope you do the same.
Cooks Lot wines are exclusive – but only a delivery away. For ordering information, please visit www.cookslot.com.au.
Cooks Lot produce good quality wines that are excellent value for money.

They can all be purchased on their website (www.cookslot.com.au) or at any decent independent bottleshop.

Cheers

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Mud, blood, bugs, sweat and tears

Posted in Half Full or Half Empty?, Wine Knowledge, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Growing up, my mum worked weekends in cellar door and so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents who were viticulturists. My family came to NSW from South Australia in order to plant the former Saxonvale vineyard, at Broke. (This was eventually purchased and sold to the mining industry by Michael Hope, the concert entrepreneur of the Hunter Valley.) My grandparents had a hand in planting and/or managing several other estates in the Hunter Valley including Hollydene, Petersons, Briar Ridge, Terrace Vale. My family also established the first vineyards in Port Stephens.

Some of my best memories of the Hunter Valley were collected during my childhood wandering around vineyards – especially Summer time. We would set up a steel grape bin (a large bath shaped bin), fill it with bore water and we had a makeshift pool for the remainder of the day! A lot cleaner than the eel filled dams!

 

PHOTO: Me and My Pa. Palmers Lane, Pokolbin.

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Vintage is the lively time of year when the grapes are harvested, usually between Summer and Autumn. Vintage is the sum of a year’s hard work, with all invested in good weather, exciting quality fruit and a bit of luck. Award winning wines begin with a skilful vigneron.

In order to determine the optimal time to harvest the fruit, the vigneron tests for the right balance of acidity to sugar. Grapes are measured for pH, Total Acidity and Baumé (the concentration of sugar in juice, “pronounced Bow-May”). Harvest too early and the wine will be acidic. The longer the fruit can stay on the vine, the more the natural sugars can develop. It all depends on the style of finished wine the winemaker would like. The right time to harvest might be selected by prevailing weather conditions. These can dramatically change the sugar and acid balance. For example, rain will plump berries, dilute flavour and cause other faults such as mould, mildew and split skins. Due to this, if wet weather is forecast, the Vigneron may choose to harvest sooner rather than later than risk losing their crop.

The fruit can be harvested either by hand or mechanical harvester. Hand picking usually occurs early in the morning, in order to avoid the intense heat of midday sun. Hand picking is fairly gentle on the vines, everyone gets a set of snips and a bucket and you go along the rows, one person either side of the row, until your bucket is full. Some of my favourite memories of growing up in the Hunter was marching down the rows with my bucket. A “bucket boy” (a prized position) quickly exchanges your full bucket for an empty one and tosses the fruit into the “grape bin”, which is being carted by a tractor. An even more prized position is to be driving that tractor slowly through the rows, in an air-conditioned cab. A small amount of Sulphur might be added to the bin of grapes in order to prevent spoilage. The grape bins are loaded onto a truck or towed directly to the winery to be weighed (usually to determine the amount the vigneron will be paid for the fruit). Although not always in money, as I recall my grandparents have been paid in wine and with a car during their time.

When hand harvesting, it can be difficult to get in close to the row and wrestle with the vine canes to get at the plump juicy fruit. In summer, there is also dense leaf foliage, which can be difficult to see the other side. If you’re not careful, you might snip the other person’s fingers! And every variety has different shaped bunches and berries. Pinot Noir would have to be my least favourite to hand-pick as it produces tight and small sporadic bunches! Pinot Noir is a pain in the arse!

In the Hunter Valley, the soils are clay based. After it rains, clay can be very muddy, and slippery. Gum Boot style. If it rains, a garbage bag with a head and arms cut out makes a great raincoat! Hand-picking reminds me of mud, blood, bugs, sweat and tears. These aromas mingle with those of sticky overripe fruit. All saturate the air, emphasised by with the heat of Summer and the sky fills with greedy, invasive vinegar flies. But, grape-picking in the Hunter Valley is a fun, social experience shared by those who were game enough to wage against the heat, and wrestle with the vines drenched in perspiration and juice. Sometimes, it’s simply just the determination to beat the weather to the perfect quality fruit.

At the end of vintage, we would hold a barbecue and closing ceremony. We would hand out funny certificates and novelty prizes to our pickers, such as the “Golden Bucket”. We wouldn’t see these people again until next Vintage.

Hand picking is expensive nowadays. In the early days we could grab a few people from town who wanted a bit of extra pocket money or some exercise and they could be paid a few dollars an hour. Then the government wanted to give everyone a fair go, and be paid properly according to an award. The award was likely 2 or 3 times that of what they were previously getting paid, but amazingly no-one wanted to go grape picking when they had to put their name down on a government form. For a while, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck turned up for work according to their forms, but it slowly declined.

The alternative is a mechanical harvester. It requires an initial outlay for the machine, ongoing maintenance and one person to drive it. Mechanical harvesting runs through the rows and shakes the berries off the vines. It is often done at night after a full day of ripening to optimise the sugars. It can be done quickly if it looks like rain. Not every vineyard has a mechanical harvester. It is expensive to own and many vineyards contract this out to those who do have one. They can also be rough on old vines. Those operating the harvester don’t get much sleep. During Vintage, they may be called out all over the valley in order to harvest the fruit. One vineyard after another.

Vintage is the only time of year the industry gets a chance to secure their next year’s income, so it is vital their crops are harvested at the right time. Basically in the wine industry if you lose your crop – you don’t get paid.

Once harvested by hand or mechanical harvester, the grapes are taken to the winery where they are crushed and de-stemmed. The resulting juice called “must” which may contain juice, skins and seeds is now ready for fermentation.

I believe during Vintage, there is more beer consumed than any other time… So I leave you with a parting question. I wonder how many beers it takes to produce a bottle of wine?

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Pinots?

Posted in Half Full or Half Empty?, Wine Knowledge, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 20, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Pinot Noir is a pain in the arse.

Why?

Small tight little bunches.

Low yielding.

Thin Skin = susceptible to fungal disease, bunch rot, skins splitting.

Thin Skin = Sometimes leads to a crap colour.

Needs a cold climate.

Sentitive to light.

Sensitive to everything (needy).

Loves air. Loves it so much it will Over Dose on air during fermentation (addictive personality).

Dies younger than average than other varieties.

Pinot Noir has a complex and will easily suffer a crisis. How can such a soft, delicate and subtle wine have such robust, fruit -forward intentions? Try-Hard.

Why do the French use it in Champagne? Because they can harvest it green before it becomes too much of a pain in the arse.

Genetically unstable: Pinot Noir likes to mutate. Even it doesn’t like who it is, so it tries to change itself. Pinot Noir sometimes pulls a Michael Jackson and “swaps” to producing a white grape. Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are thought to be Pinot Noir mutations. But it doesn’t even mutate whole heartedly – sometimes its only a point mutation where only one cane produces white fruit and the other canes bear red fruit. Weird.

Only one thing more painful in the arse than Pinot Noir, is Sideways.

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