just came back from the Cold Storage International Beer & Wine Fair 2010 at Vivocity atrium. Tomorrow is the last day. Had several of the producers (mostly from Aussie wineries) come down to promote their wines as well. I probably tasted almost all that could be tasted and some extra 'below the table' wines that they brought in 'cos i 'impressed' them enough and showed that i wasn't there just for the free drinks.
Anyway, other than tooting my own horn here are my overall evaluations of the wine:
Leconfield: Great stuff from the Coonawarra region in Aussie. Always wanted to buy them but never knew how they tasted. the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was awesome but painfully young and should not be opened for another 5-10 years. Just won the Gold award at the prestigious Decanter awards this year. Plus they're on discount now.
Cumulus Wines: From the not so common region of Orange, Australia (yes it's called Orange), known for its high altitude wines. The whites in general had a better showing with the Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend tasting wonderfully fresh lively and balanced. Their high end Cumulus Chardonnay was very nicely done but Chardonnay is not really my cup of tea, it was very good and very well made, it's just that i'm not a fan of Chards. Their high end Cumulus Shiraz was also of top quality and could be cellared for another 4-5 years
STEP X STEP: Not very good...All entry level stuf but even then, other entry level stuff tasted more 'real' than this. Just really sweet sugar ribena. Just fake fruit and not what wine should be.
Charles Wiffen: From NZ, their Sauvignon Blanc was CLASSIC NZ Sauv Blanc with their fresh cut grass dominating the palate. But it was very nicely put together and balanced, but NZ SB is generally not my kind of thing either. Their Riesling I've had before and it was not bad from memory. Their Pinot Noir was delicious with bright cherries while their 'under the table' Pinot Noir Reserve (that's not for sale in SG), was of a higher level and had more 'weight' to it with greater intensity, but very different from what I am typically used to of pinot noirs which tend to be lighter and more delicate. But a different style i guess, very new world.
Chain of Ponds: I have seen this producer for several years but i think it is recently that their new range of easy drinking wines have been launched here in SG. nice bright packaging. Their take on the classic Italian varietal Sangiovese was satisfactory, giving the basic notes of a normal sangiovese without the expression of the italian soil that i know of. kinda like a poor man's chianti. their Grave's Gate Shiraz was nice and easy drinking with some expression while their higher end Ledge Shiraz had more concentration, intensity and refinement of your classic aussie shiraz flavours.
Marchesi di Barolo: the oldest producer in the Barolo region in Piedmonte. their Barbaresco tasted wonderfully, a great Italian food wine. Their regular Barolo still had quite a bit of tannins, but that's to be expected because Barolo's should only be opened after at least a decade or two. good intensity and flavour with some complexities and grace even at this powerful stage. Their higher end 05 Cannubi Barolo from a single vineyard was barely opened half an hour ago and it as a monster of an wine. way way way way too young with biting grippy tannins, but underneath all that there is an immense power and refinement in the wine, that's why it costs $95, which is considered very cheap for a Barolo.
The Bordeaux in general didnt have a good showing. mostly smaller producers from poorer vintages.
Teusner: A Barossa producer. I wanted to try them for a while already. their 2008 'The Riebke' shiraz is very good at the $38+ price point. Fruit forward but intense with a good structure that's good for keeping or drinking now with some decanting.
There were other wines I tasted but not worth mentioning. all in all, i think the wine with the best QPR would be the Cumulus Rolling Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon and the 2008 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon. While the wine that just tasted the best regardless of price (IMO) was also the Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Barbaresco coming in at a very close second.
the fair still runs for one more day until tomorrow. for those in the area u can head down and grab a bottle or two, or a case. have fun!
