This is an abridged version of a review I wrote for Tesco Wine after being selected as Member of the Month for March 2015 (the original can be found here: http://www.tescowinecommunity.com/blog/member-of-the-month-tomonwine.html). The review was for a mixed case of six wines from Oxford Landing Estates in South Australia.
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March Member of the Month – TomOnWine
So,
to business! The case I was asked to review was the Oxford Landing Mixed Case, which consists of the Australian producer’s
Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as two
bottles of their Merlot. Set on the banks of the Murray River in South
Australia, Oxford Landing Estates comprises a vast 650 acres of vines, which
are split into five 130 acre sites and managed on a ‘small vineyard’ basis.
Keen to stress this approach, Oxford Landing also prides itself on
sustainability, and focuses on ecological irrigation methods and a respect for
the natural environment. Headed up by their chief winemaker, Andy La Nauze
(aptly named: his surname is pronounced ‘nose’), the Estate today produces a
wide range of varietal wines which are exported globally. Below you’ll find my
review of the Mixed Case wines, which I have analysed in depth and in
comparison with each other. I’ve also included my thoughts on food matching,
and have endeavoured to be as fair and objective as possible in my comments. I
hope you enjoy!
Merlot, 2012, 13.5%
Merlot
isn’t a grape often associated with Australia, and is rarely seen on its own as
a varietal wine. It is, however, the country’s third-most widely planted red
variety after Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, and as a consumer of European Merlots
I was very interested to see how this Australian effort could compare. I’m
pleased to announce that it fared very well indeed. Oxford Landing’s Merlot is
a deep ruby red in colour, with a nose of squashy red fruits and plums. There’s
also a bit of sweet spice lingering (oak treatment?) which I think will appeal
to Rioja lovers. On the palate, the smooth, well-integrated tannins carry the
plum and blackcurrant fruits well, finishing in a further suggestion of
cinnamon sweetness. I would recommend drinking this medium-bodied Merlot with a
good piece of sirloin steak, although it would also sit very nicely alongside
tomato-based dishes.
Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz,
2012, 13.5%
Unlike
Merlot, the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz (or Syrah, to give it its
rightful name) is bona fide Australian.
Both of these thick-skinned, tannic grapes are French in origin, but it was our
Antipodean friends who pioneered the blending of the two, which – when done
well – can produce wines of great structure and ageing capability. That
certainly was the first thought in my mind when I tried Oxford Landing’s
version: it has the tannic structure and depth of fruit to age comfortably in
the bottle for the next 3-5 years. Like the Merlot, it is deep ruby red in
colour and just starting to turn garnet at the rim. On the nose, the
combination of the grapes is evident: the fresh white pepper is typical of
Shiraz, while the blackcurrant and savoury spice notes betray the Cab in the
blend. On the palate are notes of black fruits and pepper which pique your
tastebuds, all wrapped in a comforting blanket of dark chocolate. For a food match,
barbecued red meat seems a cliché, but this really is a wine that requires a
lot of protein to mop up all that tannin.
So
which red to plump for? Both wines are well-balanced, easy to drink and from a
good 2012 vintage in South Australia, but it is the Cab-Shiraz blend which is
easier to pick out as Australian: the Merlot has an elegant quality that you
could easily pass off as European. The Merlot is slightly more refined too,
with its duskier, shy fruits; while the Cab has a more eager, fresher quality,
and possibly more potential to age. Overall, I think it would come down to
personal taste, as both are quality wines that would sit happily alongside their
Old World counterparts. Here’s to Aussie reds!
Sauvignon Blanc, 2014, 10.5%
At
just 10.5% abv, the Sauvignon Blanc was the lightest wine I tasted from the
Oxford Landing Estates case in terms of alcohol, but that certainly didn’t stop
the wine from packing a big punch! I’m usually a fan of the heavier, fuller
styles of white wine (think Chablis and oaked white Rioja), so I was somewhat
surprised that I found myself lavishing praise on what is a light-bodied,
mineral Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is a light pale gold, although not as
translucent as Old World examples of the same grape. The nose is heavily
perfumed, and filled with decadent fruits (white peach, honeydew melon) as well
as the customary Sauvignon grassy twang. On the saline-laced palate are more
white fruits like melon, pear and crunchy green apples; all of which are held together
by a sumptuous mouthwatering acidity. This is a wine that fully deserves to be
enjoyed in its entirety, so if you’ve not got some pan-fried white fish or
lemon couscous salad close to hand, don’t hesitate to slurp away happily on it
as an apéritif – it’s really rather good.
Chardonnay, 2013, 13.5%
Unfortunately
for this most noble of white varieties of Burgundian origin, the
anti-Chardonnay mob have, in recent times, been rather successful at heaping
negative press upon this poor grape. Of course, those who shun Chardonnay are
really reacting to the oak-laden, heavy alcohol styles of white wine which rose
to prominence in the late Nineties and early Noughties, in favour of lighter,
crisper wines like the Sauvignon Blanc above. In reality, do a quick survey of occasional
wine drinkers and you’ll be surprised at the number who are shocked to learn
that their detested Chardonnay is actually responsible for Chablis and some of
the other great French wines. However, if you are trying to wean your
anti-Chardonnay friends back onto the stuff, I would suggest picking something
other than this 13.5% abv Oxford Landing version. That’s not to say this wine
is not worth your while; quite to the contrary: this is an expressive
Chardonnay that will reward those who give it a fair crack. On the nose are
aromas of roasted peaches, which are consistent through to the palate, where
they are joined by a slight creaminess and some nectarine/mandarin notes on the
finish. The good balance of acidity and texture in the wine, coupled with those
fruity notes, means that this would be delightful with mango chicken dishes. For
me, Oxford Landing have succeeded at striking the delicate balance between the
fruit-forward, full New World styles and the classical, clean European take on
France’s finest white grape. Give it a go – I promise you won’t regret it!
Viognier, 2014, 13.1%
Alternatively, if you’re
growing weary of your Chardonnay and fancy expanding your vinous horizons, then
a good grape to opt for is Viognier. Although up until as recently as 1980
where all the world’s plantings of Viognier consisted of 57 acres in northern
Rhône, time has seen the grape’s popularity increase drastically, and the grape
is today found in many of the world’s wine regions including California,
Argentina, Chile and New Zealand, as well as South Australia like the bottle we
are tasting here. It can, however, be a difficult grape for winemakers to
handle: its low yielding vines mean it is not the most economical grape in
existence, and its sensitivity to oxidation requires skilful handling on the
winemaker’s part. When done well, however, Viognier combines the lush full texture
of Chardonnay with the delicate aromatics associated with grapes like Muscat
and Gewürztraminer. This Oxford Landing bottle is a good example of what
Viognier can offer: a medium/full-bodied wine with spicy, herbal aromas of
dried mint and canned green olives. On the palate are more vegetal notes
(yellow bell pepper came to my mind) which mingle alongside roasted apricot and
sharp gooseberry. The Oxford Landing Viognier may well present itself to be a
polarising wine, but its intriguing flavours and strong versatility with food
mean that it’s a wine that fans of the grape should not pass up on.
For fans of white wines,
the Oxford Landing Estates case really does offer something for everyone. I was
impressed with the adherence to typicity on show (grassy Sauvignon, expressive
Chardonnay, captivating Viognier) but I was equally taken with the wines’
faithfulness to their New World home: I think most wine enthusiasts would be
able to pick these three out as Australian. In terms of personal preference, I
would really struggle to choose a clear winner as all three wines stick to what
they know and do it very well. If pushed though, I would probably opt for that
mouthwatering Sauvignon Blanc: the combination of European classicality and
opulent Aussie fruit is hard to resist. But for everyone else, I can only urge
you to snap up this case and pick your own favourite. You really can’t go
wrong!
What a great set of wines!
I thoroughly enjoyed tasting all of these bottles, each with their different
assets and nuances; and I don’t think I’ve ever tried a case of wine which was
so quintessentially Australian in nature, but at the same time decidedly European
in its wines’ poise and classicality. Whether you’re a fan of punchy,
structured, fruit-filled reds or diverse, elegant, flavoursome whites, there’s
really very little – in my view – to stop you thoroughly enjoying this Oxford
Landing mixed case.
