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Here’s more on my tasting of Ben's wines in early 2006:
Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein 2004. 70% Dolcetto 30% Lagrein - Stelvin closure. A bit of a fruit bomb, but then we suppose that's what it is meant to be. Big hints of cherries and red summer fruits, this is an ideal barbecue wine. 85pts.
(Available - Great Western Wines; SWIG; Noel Young; Oddbins; VG Wine Library; Playford Ross.)
Heartland Directors' Cut 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is a big wine with deep, tarry flavours. Still closed up - will last well into the next decade although just about approachable now, although it would be a pity to hurry consumption as we feel that the wine will develop even more complexity in time. 93pts.
(Available - Great Western Wines; SWIG; Noel Young; Oddbins; VG Wine Library; Playford Ross.)
MITOLO WINES
Jester McLaren Vale Sangiovese Rosé 2005 . 100% Sangiovese. Stelvin closure. Good deep colour with a fair amount of weight. Tangy and spicy, this is far from being a lightweight wine of no consequence and is another ideal wine for barbecues or Asian cuisine. 86pts.
(Available - Noel Young; Philglas & Swiggot; Villeneuve Wines; Selfridges; Four Walls Wines).
Jester McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. 100% Shiraz. Stelvin closure. A little bit dilute for a Glaetzer wine but we suppose in this instance the cloth is cut to suit the price. Nevertheless, there's good spicy fruit and you can't fault it for that. 82pts.
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Croque-en-Bouche; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd;Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
Jester McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon - Stelvin closure. 20% of the grapes were laid out to dry in the Amarone manner, which has given the wine a more deep and savoury taste. Nevertheless, there is plenty of ripe fruit there to give an overall harmonious balance. 88pts.
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd; Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein 2004. 70% Dolcetto 30% Lagrein - Stelvin closure. A bit of a fruit bomb, but then we suppose that's what it is meant to be. Big hints of cherries and red summer fruits, this is an ideal barbecue wine. 85pts.
(Available - Great Western Wines; SWIG; Noel Young; Oddbins; VG Wine Library; Playford Ross.)
Heartland Directors' Cut 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is a big wine with deep, tarry flavours. Still closed up - will last well into the next decade although just about approachable now, although it would be a pity to hurry consumption as we feel that the wine will develop even more complexity in time. 93pts.
(Available - Great Western Wines; SWIG; Noel Young; Oddbins; VG Wine Library; Playford Ross.)
MITOLO WINES
Jester McLaren Vale Sangiovese Rosé 2005 . 100% Sangiovese. Stelvin closure. Good deep colour with a fair amount of weight. Tangy and spicy, this is far from being a lightweight wine of no consequence and is another ideal wine for barbecues or Asian cuisine. 86pts.
(Available - Noel Young; Philglas & Swiggot; Villeneuve Wines; Selfridges; Four Walls Wines).
Jester McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. 100% Shiraz. Stelvin closure. A little bit dilute for a Glaetzer wine but we suppose in this instance the cloth is cut to suit the price. Nevertheless, there's good spicy fruit and you can't fault it for that. 82pts.
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Croque-en-Bouche; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd;Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
Jester McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon - Stelvin closure. 20% of the grapes were laid out to dry in the Amarone manner, which has given the wine a more deep and savoury taste. Nevertheless, there is plenty of ripe fruit there to give an overall harmonious balance. 88pts.
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd; Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
GAM McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. 100% Shiraz - Stelvin closure. There is stylish fruit here - damsons and quince - with tarry and spicy overtones enveloping the palate. A big step up from the Jester - I suppose you could call this a more serious wine! 95pts.
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd; Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
Savitar McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is big and full-bodied - a real blockbuster. The fruit is very dry at the moment, but the wine shows great complexity and will continue to mature well over the next decade or so with increasing finesse. One for the cellar. 96pts.
(Available - Philglas & Swiggot; Andrew Chapman Fine Wines; Harrods; Locket Bros.; Charles Hennings Ltd; Everywine.co.uk.)
Serpico McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. All the grapes were left to dry on drying racks for eight weeks in the traditional Amarone manner to concentrate flavour. The wine was fermented on skins for two weeks and then left to macerate for a further three weeks prior to pressing. This is very concentrated fruit, and whilst it has not been over extracted it is going to need time to reach the expected level of harmony. Another sleeper. 94pts.
(Available - Liberty Wines; Valvona & Crolla; Noel Young.)
Riever 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is from Barossa fruit from 60 year old vines. It's a bit brutal at the moment, but there is plenty of fruit beneath the tannins and should flesh out more in time. 91pts.
(Available - Liberty Wines; Valvona & Crolla; Noel Young.)
(Available - Villeneuve Wines; Cooden Cellars; Daylesford Organic Farm Shop; Peckham & Rye Ltd; Moriarty Vintners Ltd; Lockett Bros.)
Savitar McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is big and full-bodied - a real blockbuster. The fruit is very dry at the moment, but the wine shows great complexity and will continue to mature well over the next decade or so with increasing finesse. One for the cellar. 96pts.
(Available - Philglas & Swiggot; Andrew Chapman Fine Wines; Harrods; Locket Bros.; Charles Hennings Ltd; Everywine.co.uk.)
Serpico McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. All the grapes were left to dry on drying racks for eight weeks in the traditional Amarone manner to concentrate flavour. The wine was fermented on skins for two weeks and then left to macerate for a further three weeks prior to pressing. This is very concentrated fruit, and whilst it has not been over extracted it is going to need time to reach the expected level of harmony. Another sleeper. 94pts.
(Available - Liberty Wines; Valvona & Crolla; Noel Young.)
Riever 2004. 100% Shiraz. This is from Barossa fruit from 60 year old vines. It's a bit brutal at the moment, but there is plenty of fruit beneath the tannins and should flesh out more in time. 91pts.
(Available - Liberty Wines; Valvona & Crolla; Noel Young.)
Useful supplier sites...
Great Western Wines www.greatwesternwine.co.uk
SWIG www.swig.co.uk
Noel Young www.nywines.co.uk
Jascots www.jascots.co.uk
Philglas & Swiggot www.philglas-swiggot.co.uk
Villeneuve Wines www.villeneuvewines.com
Four Walls Wine www.fourwallswine.com
Moriarty Vintners Ltd. www.moriarty-vintners.com
Great Western Wines www.greatwesternwine.co.uk
SWIG www.swig.co.uk
Noel Young www.nywines.co.uk
Jascots www.jascots.co.uk
Philglas & Swiggot www.philglas-swiggot.co.uk
Villeneuve Wines www.villeneuvewines.com
Four Walls Wine www.fourwallswine.com
Moriarty Vintners Ltd. www.moriarty-vintners.com