ANGORIS Vôs da Vigne Friulano 2010
Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli, Italy
RRP $25.00
The Angoris wines are made at the 17th century estate owned by the Locatelli family in the north-eastern Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Friulano is a great local white grape variety and the wine of the Friulian people. This was made with 6 hours on skins at cold temperatures before fermentation, and then rested on fine lees for 8 months afterwards. Having tasted a number of examples, Friulano seems like a versatile grape, suited to various winemaking techniques and creates one of those wines that allow you to reel off more than three aromas of flavours when describing it. Every wine is different, of course, and some more expressive than others. However the Angoris Friulano proved my case in point when I struggled to keep my mouth shut while tasting it.
The wine offered strong notes of acacia honey, freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice, feijoa and a strong tropical banana leaf aroma. This Friulano had a lot going on and I hadn’t even put it to my lips yet. Tasting it was just as descriptive an experience with salt, tropical fruit and herb flavours, pink lemonade and a lingering metallic taste like sucking on a $1 coin. The acidity is wonderfully refreshing, the finish crisp and dry and the overall flavour quite rich yet restrained. If you can’t finish it all at once, watch it evolve over a couple of days where the Friulano develops some Marsanne-like richness and a savoury finish.
Stockist: Boccaccio Cellars, Balwyn
LUKE LAMBERT Chardonnay 2011
Yarra Valley, Victoria
RRP $29.00
Luke Lambert is a young, 30-something dude and friend of mine who lives in inner city Melbourne with his loyal dog Murray. By night, he’s a salami-loving drummer with a penchant for punk music. By day, he’s a winemaker working out in the Yarra Valley. Since releasing his first wines in 2005, Luke’s built a reputation for his Syrah and Nebbiolo red wines. His Chardonnay, on the other hand, is more of a newcomer but has been on my radar since coming across it at a tasting.
This single-vineyard, wild yeast fermented Chardonnay is filled with lemon curd, papaya and tangelo (tangerine and grapefruit combination) aromas. The palate entry is slick with a semi-creamy mid-palate that finishes with a slight nuttiness. There’s a lovely persistence of texture after you swallow the wine, which perhaps has something to do with the fact that the wine is bottled without fining or filtration. On top of that, no other additions were made bar a minimal amount of sulphur added at bottling. All I have to say is, “yeah baby”.
Stockists: Blackhearts & Sparrows or from Luke Lambert directly
IZWAY Matest Mataro 2011
Barossa Valley, South Australia
RRP $27.00
Mataro is the Australian synonym for the French Mouvedre grape. While it is not as ubiquitous a variety as Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon, it certainly has developed a loyal following, especially in South Australia.
The Mates Mataro is a wine to drink with your mates and was coincidentally made by two mates, Brian Conway and Craig Isbel. They have sourced the fruit for this wine from two Barossa Valley vineyards called ‘The Sand Block’ and ‘David’s Block’ that were planted in the Ebenezer area in 1999 and 2000.
A couple of imperfections are present in this wine, such as the brick red hue tainted with a hint of brown, which is most likely the result of the difficult 2011 vintage. The bouquet of the Mate’s Mataro smells of cloves, cinnamon, peppered mulberries and herbs, followed by a slightly unsettling aroma of pine bark. The palate is medium-bodied with a warm entry and dried fruit and spices dominating the flavour profile. Hints of pepper are present in the background and blend well with the rich blackberry jam flavours. The Mates Mataro is a drink now style of wine, so serve it to your mates and the Barossa fans at the next event where ample barbecued meat is served.
Stockists: Boccaccio Cellars, Balwyn or from Izway directly
Read more: http://ladonnadelvino.com/