Millbrook Viognier Tasting Saturday 12 September 2009

The annual Millbrook viognier tasting once again attracted plenty of enthusiasts for this distinctive variety.

The event was held in the picturesque setting of Millbrook near the Perth Hills town of Jarrahdale just south of Perth. There were many highlights in the collection of Australian, New Zealand and French examples.

While it.s very confronting individuality and style contribute to it being a tough sell, the variety has at least progressed from where it was in the mid 60s when a tony vineyard near Condrieu held the world.s only viognier plantings.

In the re-birth has been led by Yalumba, which is now one of the world.s most important and progressive producers of this variety, but others such as Millbrook in the Perth Hills are producing some excellent wines with the variety.

Viognier is difficult grape to grow but today.s winemakers are consistently getting the balance right, retaining some of the essential rich unctuousness offset by a livelier fresher mouth feel and flavour.

Here are my notes on the tasting. I have scored these wines using the traditional show system to be consistent with other tasters at the tasting.

Bilancia La Collina 2008

There is a lifted perfume on the nose which is the most distinctive of the tasting. It’s a leaner tighter and citrusy style with nice palate profile. Perhaps lacks the unctuous richness of the variety but the flavour really does linger long in the mouth. Definitely a different style. 17.5

Cape Mentelle 2008

Very intense and powerful aromas with a combination of mineral spice and an almost liqueur intensity. Beautiful palate of ginger, orange zest and a liqueured marmalade character. It’s very big and opulent with great power and flavour. Quite viscous and slippery in the mouth but showing excellent balance and poise. 16.5

Clonakilla 2008

Really strong citrus character on the nose with some other slightly tart zestiness. Palate is quite simple and lacking in intensity. It’s a fresher style with a racy finish. Palate is warm and showing the alcohol but there is a hint o white peach character. This is quite herbal and lean with lots if phenolics in there. 15.5

De Bortoli 2008

The nose is quite dumb when compared with other viogniers but there are some other nice touches. It’s a different style of viognier with a clean and almost zippy with a fresh acid tingling palate. In fact you can almost feel some added acid in here. Has some tight herbal characters suggesting more green and earlier picking. 16

Domaine Francois Merlin Condrieu Cuvee Jeanraude 2007

Colour is quite deep showing deep straw. The bouquet is almost an essence of viognier with intensity and power. Seems to have some ample American oak in there. Palate has a mix of apricot kernel and orange zest with a creamy rich texture. Very long palate profile showing some balancing phenolics. 18.5

Guigal La Doriane 2007

Powerfully intense aromas of minerals, spice and creamy tight fruit characters. Has some slightly green bean herbal characters in there. Lovely balanced unctuous palate with a creamy delicious orange peel and subtle apricot characters. Has some nice oak nutty influence. The smells are of jasmine and cumin with a hint of curry powder. 17.5

Millbrook Estate 2008

This is a tight and controlled viognier with a long intensity. Aromas of spices and ginger. Palate has a minerally complexity. The acid is perfectly balanced with a tight control and focus. Very long in the mouth and layered with complexity and length. Like the touch of lime juice on the finish. The palate has an almost crunchy liveliness more akin to aromatic style. 17.5

Millbrook Limited Release 2008

Opens with an aroma that is all peaches and cream with touches of ginger and spice. Touch of almond and apricot kernel in there too. There is a real richness on the nose which dominates with those creamy, nutty nougat characters. Palate is refreshingly lighter with a deft delivery through to a long finish. Quite warm in the mouth with fewer obvious phenolics characters. Has a nice lanolin richness and complexity suggesting some oak use. 17.5

Millbrook Regional 2008

Complex mix of secondary winemaking characters are quite evident o the nose. Seems to be carrying plenty of alcohol which is dominating the nose with an almost spirit character. This a wine with a degree of subtlety and finesse which is something you don’t often get with viognier. Has a lovely floral character and an effortlessly long palate. Nice citrus tang. 17.0

Petaluma 2007

This is quite distinctive with some green herbal characters on those nose. Showing some lime and green bean characters. Palate is lean and quite tight with some herbal characters. To me this is slightly out of balance. The finish is quite short after the opening. There may be a regional thread in there. Finish has a distinctly acid feel. Slightly bitter sand lemon zest with a spicy lychee character. Slightly bitter. 16

Trinity Hill 2008

Very intense aroma with some dominant apricot features threading through the rich mix of orange and liqueur cumquat characters. The palate is intensely flavoured with a tight firm long thread of nuts and cream. Finish has a distinctive acid and citrus character and the finish is remarkably clean. Has quite a tang on the finish. Has a slightly lime juice finish. Fresher style. 17

Wovenfield 2008

This has a distinct citrus lift on the nose with more almost secondary complex characters. This seems to be showing more minerally secondary characters with some controlled unctuousness. Lifted notes of ginger and cream with apricot and a touch of liqueur cumquat. Finish is quite fresh and appealing. Really like this wine. It has balance and poise while carrying the flavour rally well. Like the lees worked character. 18.5

Yalumba Eden valley 2008

This might be slightly reductive on the nose suggesting screw-cap bottling. The aroma is a juicy mix of lime and citrus zest. Palate is tight and powerful with focus and length. Appears to be an obvious edgy added acid that gives the palate a quite zippy tingling feel. In fact it stays in the mouth long after the wine has left for the day. This is a lighter style of wine delivering more subtlety. 18.7

Yalumba Virgilius 2008

Beautiful seductive aromas showing wonderful complexity. Has some nice orange blossom and citrus characters on the nose. Palate has some secondary characters with a tight control. Very warm in the mouth with a long finish. It is well integrated. This is a complete drink showing restraint and yet delivering plenty. 18.5

Yves Cuilleron Condrieu Les Chaillets 2007

This opens with a superbly complex aroma that immediately suggests a French wine. It’s nutty and wrapped in stone fruit excesses and yet eh finish is distinctly dry and long. Wonderful balance and poise with deep unctuous richness and flavour n the palate. A very complex example of the style and would clearly seem to be French. 18.5