Random Wine Roundup

Just a few random wines from the past week:

Salomon Von Stein Reserve Kremstal Gruner Veltliner 2007
Just a bit flat on the nose, lacking the customary spice and crispness of the best Gruner, this seemed flabby and quite rounded, a stroke of residual sugar helping to redeem things a little, but still quite a dissapointment (if a drinkable one at that). 16.0/87

Turkey Flat Eden Valley Chardonnay 2008
Bright yellow colour. Sour grapefruit & white peach flecked with butter nose that tends citrussy the more time it spends in the glass. Smells raw. Palate too is raw, the oak used feels sharp and sits on top of the fruit, which itself is surprisingly warm given the moderate alcohol. Sharp tail. Jangles of arms and legs. May improve but felt like it was lacking in vitality. 15.5/85

Smallfry Eden Valley Riesling 2008
Gently toasty, apple juice nose. Neutral and soft and very much stuck in the development hole. Again a softly toasty palate that had me thinking of Steingarten in it’s stony flavours. Apple juice. Late burst of sweetness. Friendly wine thats in a bit of a developmental hole right now, but certainly much to like. 16.8/89+

Tatachilla Mclaren Vale Shiraz 2007
Volatile and lacking in its customary punch and generosity, this is an ok result for such a challenging vintage. Still showing the under and overripeness of the 07 vintage but some sweet fruit on the palate helps it along a bit. Still hard to like. 15.4/85

Bilancia ‘Tardi’ Gimblett Gravels Late Picked Viognier 2007
Stunning. The best dessert style Viognier I have from outside of the Rhone. It has the intensity and Apricot essence like flavours in a wall of richness and textural deliciousness. It’s unquestionably a big wine, but it’s still very stylish indeed. 18