Paul Forget

Montaribaldi La Consolina Barbera D'asti 2008, Doc

Ruby red, complex aromatics; sour cherries, blueberry, tea and floral. Pleasant mouth feel; cherry coke, plums and cedar. This is well balanced, dry and a bit rustic on the edge wine, light too medium bodied, with dusty tannins and lively acidity. Warning, there is a fair amount of sediments, in my bottle at least. When you are down to a quarter of wine left in your bottle, you should start paying attention. Apart from that, nice wine here.

Le Cinciole Chianti Classico 2007, Docg

Complex nose of; sour cherries, plums, spicy and soft leather. This Chianti as medium body, with crisp acidity, dusty tannins with long elegant sweet and sour and the finish. It’s great to see that some winemakers are letting the fruits shine through by moderating there use of oak.

Giuseppe Campagnola Le Bine Monte Foscarino Soave Classico 2009, Doc

I think that it is a very well made wine, a blend of 70% Garganega and 30% Trebbiano, complex aromatics of citrus fruit, pear, melon and almonds. A medium bodied wine, fresh, almost piquant acidity, refreshing citrus flavours and long finish. I think that this is a great value, a superb wine at $14.00 for sure.

Rivera Il Falcone Riserva 2006, Doc Castel Del Monte

This blend opens up with aromas of cherry, blueberry, sweet balsamic, leather, earthy and spicy. The palate has great structure with firm and gritty tannins, lively acidity and good fruit concentration. An explosion of flavours on the finish with a trace of minerality and silky tannins. A full bodied red with a lot of personality, strongly recommended.

Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Alexander Valley

A more cool climate Cabernet than a warmer one, with aromas of blackberry, dark plum, tobacco leaf and vanilla. On the mouthfeel, even with alcohol at 14.2%, it feels more like medium body to me with gentle tannins and balance acidity. Medium length on the finish with flavours of red fruit, earthy notes and mild tannins. A youthful and uncomplicated Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is actually a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and remaining Petit Sirah and Petit Verdot.

Plunkett Fowles Stone Dwellers Shiraz 2008, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria

This Shiraz is dark purple in colour and opens up with aromas of dark plums, blackberry/blueberry jam, burnt sugar, eucalyptus and savoury notes. On the palate, full bodied (with alcohol coming in at 15%), rich and creamy mouthfeel, fresh acidity and fine grained tannins. This wine finish is long, slightly sweet with flavours of stewed fruit, eucalyptus, pepper and savoury notes lingering. This wine is better served slightly chilled, around 16-17 C, its gives the wine a more creamy mouthfeel, tames the alcohol and improves fruitiness. Definitely lots of toasty oak on this shiraz, but not over done, overall very good. I know that this wine will appeal to many of of my friends. Recommended to people who enjoy this style, and at this price a good value.

Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2008, Igt Veronese

Deep ruby in color, this red blend opened up with aromas of blackberry - plumy fruit, prunes, dried cherry, green peppers, fresh herbs and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavourful, rich and somewhat sweet, fresh acidity and soft tannins. The finish is long, creamy, smoky with flavours of raisins, chocolate and blackberry jam lingering. Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2008 is not especially complex but the flavours are very nice, made in a crowd pleasing style which should appeal too many. Very nice.

Tommasi Arele Appassimento 2009, Igt Veronese

This wine opens up with aromas of sour cherry, plums, leather and spices notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with alcohol coming in at 13%, an interesting tug of war between sweet and sour fruits, lively acidity and firm tannins. Slightly short on the finish with sweet flavours winning the war with sweet cherry pie, savoury notes and light tannins lingering. This wine is better served slightly chilled to tame the tartness and give more chance for the fruit to shine. Best enjoyed served with food, overall I enjoyed it. Too many wine these days are too sweet, this one had better complexity than most at $17.95, enjoyed in May 2012.

Taltarni Pyrenees Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Pyrenees, Victoria

Joffré E Hijas Grand Merlot 2007, Uco Valley, Mendoza

Here is an interesting and mature Merlot which opens up with aromas of spiced plum, black cherry, dry spices, tobacco, soft leather and dry mushroom. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied (alcohol coming in at 14.5%) smooth texture, plum and tobacco flavours, balanced acidity and dry silky tannins. Medium length on the finish, not terribly complex but very smooth. Very enjoyable and ready to drink now, it wouldn’t gain much by further aging, I say drink over the next 6 months.