Noel Young – Matthew Jukes Top 100 Australian Wines Roadshow

Noel Young – Matthew Jukes Top 100 Australian Wines Roadshow
Whites

Tasted on Thursday, 31 March 2011.

A tasting of a selection of wines which were featured in Matthew Jukes’ Top 100 Australian wines for 2010 (full list of the 100 can be found here). There were only 40 wines to taste on the night, but there wasn’t a bad wine among them; in fact I didn’t score any of the wines below a B+. Below is a selection of whites which particularly caught my eye, along with necessarily brief tasting notes.

Prices are retail to Noel Young Wines, Trumpington.



NV Jansz Rose, Tasmania.
£15

Slight blush tones; ripe fruits, effervescent, clean and chirpy – all you want in a cheap (but still serious and defined) sparkler.

2010 Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills
£13

Plenty of green fruits (gooseberries and such) and touch of asparagus / vegetal stalky character. Fat acidity, great precision and balance. Very well put together.

2005 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant ‘Elizabeth’ Semillon, Hunter Valley
£12

Second time I’ve had this in a month, performed brilliantly each time. Waxy, lanolin, even some animal like character with a touch of toast and yeast thrown in. Plenty going on; palate structured and generous. Spot on.


2005 Peter Lehmann ‘Margaret’ Semillon, Barossa
£14.95

Great varietal character coming through, wax and lanolin, smells somewhat off dry (even fruity). Palate is generous, awash with fine acidity, even some minerality coming through. Classy.

2005 Tyrrell’s ‘Belford’ Single Vineyard Semillon, Hunter Valley
£16

Lemony citrus on the nose, some waxyness. Gosh, so much acidity on the palate; the zing just keeps going; racy and mouthwatering. Fresh, excellent pick-me-up wine. The ten gold stickers on the label is overkill in my opinion, but hey, it is a good wine.

2010 Fox Gordon ‘Princess’ Fiano, Adelaide Hills
£16

Great fun. White stone fruits on the nose, really lifted, like a fresh field of white flowers in spring. The palate carries that through, with some fat, almost oily texture. Interesting stuff.


2004 Peter Lehmann ‘Wigan’ Riesling, Eden Valley
£14.95

Petrol, kerosene on the fore; citrus fruits at the back. Palate still fresh and lively, with that bit more depth from the age. Balanced, all elements in tension, poised. I’ve had the past two vintages of the Wigan and none have disappointed.

2008 Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay, Margaret River
£38.95

I can see why the all the hype on Margaret River Chardonnays. Big, made in a Burgundian oaked style but cranked up a notch. Integrated oak, ripe white fruits, fat acidity. If there is a criticism is that its trying too hard.

2007 Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay, Margaret River
£55

One of the iconic whites from down under Pretty similar to above but if anything, this has more layers of complexity and will probably be more fun when aged; slightly more acidity too. Sophisticated, class. Very good Chardonnay, but is it worth the pricetag? For this one, probably yes.