Friday, November 7, 2014
Sigurd Barossa Valley GSM
In colour, a richly soft cross between antique ruby and American beauty ruby/scarlet. An unusual perfume: a kind of soft spice (pepper, cinnamon) sugar/honey, with strawberry-plum jam as a high end note. In the mouth it's soft and luscious, medium depth, a red you'd be very happy to drink in summer. It seems to be a really well-balanced complete package, like a good poem that, if you disturbed one thing, the whole would fall apart. But, then, a GSM is rarely bad. And Sigurd comes from the old Norse of guardian and victory!The label, I think, of a ship in sale in big waters at sea, doesn't really suit. (And with not year!) Sigurd could have gone with a version of the Chardonnay, but in the fantastic colour of this GMS: in fact the Facebook cover photo on at the time I write is much better: that is the very use of that colour in the name. Around $25, I found this at the Clunes Cellars/Wine Store, far north coast of NSW, under the canny stewardship of Jared Dixon, Sigud's young winemaker friend.
2014 Mike Press Adelaide Hills Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé
Ok, I can tell you, it was a grand day in wine drinking. I had finally sighted and bought and drank a Mike Press wine, he of the regular positioning on the annual James Halliday list of wines under $20. nurtured vineyard, more than four decades of experience, and a commitment to the consumer.
Mike Press has worked alongside Max Schubert at Penfolds, and at Seppelts, planting his own vineyard in 1998. The Kenton Valley Vineyards has a cool climate, at an altitude of 500 metres above sea level. With the Rosé made from a single vineyard Pinot Noir in the Adelaide Hills, what more could you want? Well, let me tell you. I found it in the fab-O Clunes Store & Cellars (far north coast, NSW), selected by the very knowing and canny Jared Dixon. The most beautiful colour (tomato, pink, blood, salmon, rust in combo). And the perfume! Chocolate, strawberries and rose. But on the palate: for me, a little tart, acidic, thin and watery. ALTHOUGH, as it warms, there's a kind of sour red jubeness almost mouth-fill – an Orange Chiffon Pie distinctiveness, a blood jam drinking. '[A] serious wine,' says the website. BUT a cutesy label of Mike in pink (as the Chardy is in yellow). So glad to make your acquaintance finally, Mike Press.
Mike Press has worked alongside Max Schubert at Penfolds, and at Seppelts, planting his own vineyard in 1998. The Kenton Valley Vineyards has a cool climate, at an altitude of 500 metres above sea level. With the Rosé made from a single vineyard Pinot Noir in the Adelaide Hills, what more could you want? Well, let me tell you. I found it in the fab-O Clunes Store & Cellars (far north coast, NSW), selected by the very knowing and canny Jared Dixon. The most beautiful colour (tomato, pink, blood, salmon, rust in combo). And the perfume! Chocolate, strawberries and rose. But on the palate: for me, a little tart, acidic, thin and watery. ALTHOUGH, as it warms, there's a kind of sour red jubeness almost mouth-fill – an Orange Chiffon Pie distinctiveness, a blood jam drinking. '[A] serious wine,' says the website. BUT a cutesy label of Mike in pink (as the Chardy is in yellow). So glad to make your acquaintance finally, Mike Press.
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