Tag: Semillon

Hawkes Bay Wine Region Part 2

Back in February I wrote the first part of this post about the wines of Hawkes Bay but somehow never got round to publishing the second part. so without much further ado.

Alpha Domus

First plantings in 1991 in the Bridge Pa Triangle district of Hawkes Bay. The winery is located close to an airfield used for pilot training in old Tiger Moths hence the logo on the estates labels.

Alpha Domus Heroines Rose 2017

Made from 100% merlot. Pale salmon in colour. Strawberry on nose and palate. Very dry

Alpha Domus Skybolt Chardonnay 2015

This is a lovely style of chardonnay with lemon citrus and peach. Quite full with a lovely lingering finish. Good value.

The Fox Moth Merlot 2015

Medium bodied, soft plummy fruit and berries with a rich savouriness. A nice lingering finish.

Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah 2016

Youthful in appearance. Characterful with dark berries and lots of peppery spice.

Alpha Domus The Navigator 2014

A Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. A good mature colour with soft berry fruits, plums, vanilla and spice. A full bodied wine with a nice finish.

Alpha Domus Noble Selection 2015

100% Semillon. Honey, nutty with a nice acidity to balance the sweetness. There are tropical fruit flavours with a touch of vanilla and marzipan.

Te Awa

Te Awa Sauvignon Blanc 2015

80% in stainless steel, 20% French oak. Limes, asparagus with  pear drop finish. A slightly richer style of sauvignon with a delicate touch of oak on the mid palate.

Te Awa Chardonnay 2015

Pale yellow in appearance. Lemon citrus, banana and a touch of vanilla. This wine has lovely balance and weight. Good value.

Te Awa Kidnappers Cliff Chardonnay 2014

Pale yellow and vibrant in appearance. lemon citrus, toast and a very pronounced flinty/gun-smoke aroma.  Palate is dry and complex. Very good.

Te Awa Left Field Malbec 2015

Youthful, red with a purple rim. Red fruits and blackcurrants. A lighter style of Malbec for easy drinking.

Te Awa Tempranillo 2014

Ripe, dark berry fruits give a richness that is very drinkable. There is a long savoury finish with a hint of tasty vanilla.

Te Awa Syrah 2016

Very youthful in appearance. Dark berries and plummy with a good dash of pepper. There is a lovely savoury/peppery finish.

Henschke

The Henschke family have been making wine in Keyneton in the Eden Valley in South Australia for 150 years. Their wines include Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone, two of the most sought after Australian Shiraz wines. In this post we concentrate on some of their other wines tasted at a recent visit.

The wines of Henschke are superb, reflecting the care and attention in both the vineyard and winery. They are well worth searching out.

You can view the Henschke website here

Julius Eden Valley Riesling 2017

Pale lime in appearance. Fresh and zingy with bags of lime citrus fruit and great minerality. A nice weight and a good finish. Excellent.

Eleanors Cottage Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Adelaide Hills/Eden Valley 2015

Aromas of gooseberry, fresh grass/nettle and stone fruit. Palate is full and fresh. Nice weight, lovely balance. Delicious.

Louis Semillon Eden Valley 2015

Aromas of pear, apple and camembert. Palate has nice weight and balance with stone fruits and lime citrus on the finish.

Archers Vineyard Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2016

Lemon citrus with a touch of vanilla and almond, crisp and fresh. Has spent 8 months in oak and no malolactic fermentation. Very nice, very drinkable

Giles Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2015

Very pale but bursting with aromas of cherry, strawberry and cranberry. Palate has these red fruits with lovely touch of spice and savoury flavours. Excellent.

Henry Seven Eden Valley/Barossa Valley 2015

65% Shiraz, 20% Grenache, 10% Mataro, 7% Viognier. Aromas of red berry fruits and cherry. A medium bodied wine with lovely peppery, spicy red fruit on the palate. Easy drinking king style. A good all rounder.

Johann’s Garden Barossa Valley 2015

70% Grenache, 25% Mataro, 5% Shiraz. Ruby red in colour. Medium bodied with red fruits and spice. A lovely finish of red fruit with white pepper.

Keyneton Euphonium Barossa Valley/Eden Valley 2013

45% Shiraz, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Red/garnet in appearance. Full bodied with ripe, plummy fruit. There is a savoury note and chocolate along with a touch of mint. A rich wine with tannins beginning to soften. This is excellent.

Marble Angel Barossa Valley 2012.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is the first vintage of this wine released on to the market. Still youthful in appearance. Nose is black fruits, green pepper and eucalyptus. Palate is full and rich with tannins that are beginning to integrate.

Cyril Hanschke Cabernet Sauvignon Eden Valley 2013

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. Youthful with hints of maturity beginning to show. N one is black fruits, plum and vanilla. Palate has depth nd is complex with nice balance and weight. Finish is dry with blackcurrant and a hint of cooling mint. A long life ahead of it before peaking. Excellent.

Tappa Pass Shiraz Eden Valley/Barossa Valley 2015

Youthful appearance. Black fruits, farms and peppery. Palate is smooth with plummy black fruits and chocolate. Tannins still firm. A complex wine that delivers a big punch and has great balance. A very good shiraz that will benefit from cellaring.

Noble Rot Semillon Eden Valley 2015

157g/l residual sugar. Pale yellow gold in appearance. Aromas of apricot and peach with orange and caramel. Palate is rich with tropical pineapple and honey and great balance. Very nice.

 

Pegasus Bay

Pegasus Bay is one of North Canterburys more important wine estates. Wine has been made here since the mid nineteen eighties and it is still owned and managed by the Donaldson family.

The estate is well worthy of a visit. There are gardens and a restaurant on site.

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon 2015

Aromas of citrus, pear, gooseberry with just a hint of honey. Lovely texture on the palate with a delicate freshness. The use of 30% semillon gives body and a touch of character.

Pegasus Bay Chardonnay 2016

Nose of stone fruit/peach, banana,citrus and a striking minerality. Palate is rich and nicely balanced. lemon and tropical fruits with a lovely lingering finish.

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2014

Ripe cherries and red fruits abound with an earthy/smokey backbone. The palate is rounded, medium bodied and there is a nice finish of red fruits.

Pegasus Bay Merlot Cabernet 2016

Red/purple in colour and deep. Aromas of black fruits, plum, tobacco. Palate has rich ripe fruit, eucalyptus, chocolate and plum. Tannins give a good supporting structure.

Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2015 (7g/l residual sugar)

Lemon/lime in colour. Nose is tropical fruit and limes. Palate has lovely balance and is slightly off dry to taste.

Pegasus Bay Riesling 2015 (24g/l)

Limes and sherbet with stone fruits. Off dry and with perfect balance. This is Avery nice wine indeed.

Pegasus Bay Aria Late Harvest Riesling 2014 (84g/l)

Yellow gold with a touch of lime green in appearance. Aromas of citrus, honey, butterscotch and stone fruits. Full, rich and creamy with great balance. A long finish of honey, orange and lime at the very end.

Pegasus Bay Encore Riesling 2016 (176g/l)

Yellow gold in appearance. The palate is fresher with limes and sweet tropical fruits. The palate has elegance and superb balance with the acidity a perfect foil for the sweet fruit. Rich and opulent with a great finish of oranges and honey,

Pegasus Bay Finale Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (180g/l)

Only made in exceptional years. Golden in appearance. This is an exceptionally unctuous wine with intense flavours of orange marmalade, honey and caramel. A wine to savour and enjoy.

Pegasus Bay Gewurtztraminer 2016

lime green/yellow in appearance. Nose is less floral than some but there is tropical fruit a plenty. Palate is rose water/Turkish delight, spice with tropical fruit and some floral notes.

Pegasus Bay Muscat 2016

Nose of apricot, floral and peaches. Palate has good acidity balancing the rich fruit. This is a very quaffable wine for a summers day.

Pegasus Bay Fortissimo Fortified Muscat 2016

Made for the first time in 2016 and with very small production. Nose is delicate and light with floral perfume and tropical fruits. Palate has lovely texture and great acidity to balance the fruit.

An exceptional tasting of wonderful wines at this iconic property. I can’t wait to visit again. You can visit their website here

You can search for their wines in the uk here