Category Archives: Blend

Blend

Australia, Blend, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canberra Region, Merlot, New South Wales, Wine Tasting Notes

2006 Clonakilla Ballinderry

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clonakilla  One of the Canberra regions best small family run wineries, Clonakilla at
  Murrumbateman, has produced another winner with their 2006 Ballinderry blend of
  Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc and Merlot.

  A bright purplish and lively looking wine, it has a strong palate of black currant and
  berry flavours with a hint of pepper and a pleasing finish in the mouth.  It is not
  weighed down with too heavy tannins or oak and is therefore an excellent dinner wine
  suitable for all meats and fish.

  Well placed in the $25 to $35 price range this wine should also keep well for quite a
  few more years and develop further complexity in the bottle.

I am looking forward to my next bottle of this good wine.

Blend, Bordeaux, France, Saint-Julien, Wine Tasting Notes

1995 Château Léoville Barton

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Château Léoville Barton

We recently opened a half bottle (375ml) bottle of the 1995 Château Léoville Barton which we drank with Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glasses.

Aussie Wine Guy has decided we really need to purchase some Sommelier Bordeaux Grand Cru stemware if we are going to keep on opening these strong and impressive second growths (or a ‘Super Second’ as some call it). 

Oddly, we just have the one premium Burgundy at the moment, despite the fact we own three Burgundy Grand Cru glasses!

The ‘95 is full bodied (especially if well cellared) and has an excellent, even exquisite, bouquet.  We only had enough for two standard glasses each during dinner, however it was enough to gauge the potential of Bordeaux from this appellation (Saint-Julien).

We found the Léoville Barton far more robust than the ‘04 Montrose (which we enjoyed on the weekend) which is fair enough considering the ‘95 has almost 10 years of age over it.  The ‘95 was an intense, strong wine which will satisfy even the most picky of Cabernet Sauvignon or even Syrah/Shiraz fans, although obviously this is a smoother drop without the pepper or high tannin result one would expect from a similarly aged Shiraz.

If, however, you prefer something less bold or striking, you may prefer something younger or less complex.  AWG really appreciates this wine, and will endeavour to explore the Saint-Julien region in more detail.

We also really like the pricing of the smaller bottles as it allows us to acquire and review a greater selection of otherwise rather pricey premium or upper-range French wine.

For more notes see this site

We note with relish that we have another Saint-Julien ‘Super Second’ currently cellaring – a 2001 Château Gruaud-Larose – which we are now very much looking forward to opening.