I lost count of the number of times I heard Len Evans lament the 'cult of dimension' that had crept into the appreciation and assessment of Australian wine through the 90's and early noughties. Almost from the first time I heard him speak on wine, any wine, this was an abiding concern of his.
To be honest, I had no idea what he meant at the time. Well, an idea, but no real tasting experience to use as a barometer from which to base my own assessment. Wine was wine, and to be honest, the more juicy and concentrated the better as far as I was concerned.
Tastes change; in fashion, music, food, and wine. The wines I liked then are different to what I drink now. And I have no doubt that ten years ago, I would have thought that this wine was a waste of glass.
Fortunately, wine redemption is available to all. This is as good a 'Graves/White Bordeaux' style as you will find in Australia, and won't be shamed by anything varietally similar with a French label on it. The use of oak, and the integration of it, is basically perfect. It's there, but not intrusive, and the textural component that comes with the 'oaked white' territory adds interest and complexity. Best of all, there is a seamlessness and purity about this wine that sets it apart- it's dry, lean, savoury yet quenching, and the silken flow of it is magnificent.
This is a poster boy for what is possible in Australian wine- different, ambitious, imaginative, outside the box, elegant, packed to the gills with interest and excellence. Not wanting to put words in the old bloke's mouth, but I reckon Len would have loved it. Winery Sample, 95+ points, drink 2011+
