Yelland & Papps Devote Barossa Valley Roussanne 2013
$35; 13% alcohol;
screw cap; 90 points
Among the many fascinating white varieties of
Mediterranean France, Australia has for years pursued a fickle flirtation with
only three of them: Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. We have made few notable
Viogniers, which is a tricky, mostly misunderstood quirk of a grape, and
even fewer good Marsannes, which as a
variety seems notable only for its forgettable nature. Roussanne, however, is coming
off a little better, in spite of it enjoying about the same general level of
winemaker's understanding as Viognier. For its lowish alcohol, this is a
biggish style of wine: quite viscous, almost oily, like the syrup from a jar of
preserved quinces, with maybe a clove in there somewhere. Grown by the Materne
family in the rolling country north-east of Greenock, the wine has been
basket-pressed, barrel-fermented (mainly old oak) left on lees in barrel and
stirred twelve times over six months. Apart from that mish-mash of fruit syrups
in its bouquet and flavour the wine has an alluring tweak of gingerbread in its
aroma, and a long taper of lemony acid in its tail. That texture seems
custom-cut for ginger chicken or a casserole of chicken with pickled lemon.
Don't overchill it.
Yelland &
Papps Devote Barossa Valley Shiraz Roussanne 2012
$35; 13.5% alcohol;
screw cap; 80 points
Putting aside the question of why you'd put Roussanne in
Barossa Shiraz, let's see what the wine's like. That mish-mash of fruit syrups
is even louder: it's like a big macerating compote of kirsch with all manner of
red, blue and black berries, from maraschino cherries to bitter juniper. It's
very slick and silky, and, like the Roussanne, sports a heavy viscosity you'd
expect in wine of much greater alcohol. Like the nether regions above sixteen. I
agree completely with the winemakers' suggestion that it's like rum'n'raisin
chocolate, which reinforces my theory about expecting a higher alcohol. Kirsch
and rum are highly aromatic flavours I don't expect in Shiraz or Roussanne,
especially at a modest 13.5% alcohol. Dark chocolate often has a naturally
bitter tinge; that's here too, in the long, lingering finish. Also from the
Materne vineyard near Greenock, the wine is truly quirky, built for Old Jamaica
chocolate addicts, or those who love the nature of big alcohol jammy Barossa
reds, but would prefer lower alcohol. So what would I eat with it? Old Jamaica
Rum'n'raisin chocolate would do just trimmingly if you're near a bed; if you
want meats, go Park Lok or T-Chow twin pepper pork hotpot.
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