Boise Coop Wine Shop

Epicurean Wines

• June 8, 2010

Epicurean Wines aims to lead a shift that is happening at the smaller end of the Australian wine industry. While ripeness is a distinct characteristic of warm climate wines, many producers are striving to keep it in balance, producing seriously ambitious wines. At the high end, it is about harnessing the power of Australia without sacrificing balance, while at the lower end of the pricing spectrum, it is possible to produce wines of exceptional varietal character. See for yourself if they have succeeded as Roberts offers a free taste of five different wines.

2008 Heartland Stickleback, $11.49
Heartland Wines was created by a small group of leading South Australian wine professionals, including Ben Glaetzer & Vicki Arnold from Glaetzer. All are good friends and share a passion for making great wine. Heartland wines are made with fruit from mature vineyards in the Limestone Coast and Langhorne Creek in South Australia. Stickleback is their value priced label and this whit is a blend of 46% Verdelho, 24% Semillon, 23% Viognier & 18% Pinot Gris. Each variety was harvested and processed separately. All components were cool-fermented in stainless steel with no oak contact. The wine was bottled early to retain maximum freshness and attractive aromatics. On the palate, the Verdelho adds natural richness and acidity. The Viognier gives lusciousness to the mid palate. Semillon the vibrancy and citrus zestiness and the tannin of the Pinot Gris gives firmness and structure.

2008 Heartland Stickleback Red, $11.49
The red is a blend of 61% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Dolcetto and 5% Lagrein. Each batch was fermented on skins for 5 days before pressing and underwent malolactic fermentation in 2 and 3-year old oak barrels. All ferments were kept cool to enhance the aromatics and to keep the tannins soft and unobtrusive. A great value that scored a solid 88 points from the Wine Advocate with this write-up: “…displays an alluring perfume of cedar, tobacco, earth notes, black currant, and blueberry. Layered on the palate with some complex flavors, this attractive blend over-delivers for its humble price…”

2006 Epicurean McLaren Vale Bistro Grenache, $12.99
Bistro Grenache is made in a less serious style with bright fresh fruit flavors that make it an easy quaffer. The grapes were sourced and the wine made by Stephen Pannell who has access to some of the best vineyard sites in McLaren Vale. The wine hasn’t seen a lick of oak allowing the vibrant fruit character of the Grenache to shine through.

2008 Charles Cimicky ‘Trumps’ Shiraz, $17.99
Charles Cimicky is fastidious. The winery is completely air-conditioned and individually temperature-controlled tanks are employed in the making of all Cimicky wines. Updated technology includes the use of a membrane press and rotary fermenters. The Cimickys also have their own bottling and packaging line which is a rarity in a winery of this size. The winery and vineyards are located 1 kilometer along the picturesque hermann Thumm Drive in Lyndoch, on the very floor of the Valley, surrounded by the beautiful Barossa Ranges. Apart from minor drip irrigation in January and February, the vines are dry grown, cover-cropped and organically fertilized. This 2008 Shiraz is made with grapes from 63 year old vines. It scored an impressive 91 points in the Wine Advocate which described it as “…A glass-coating purple color, it displays a smoky, toasty, spicy nose leading to a fruit-filled, succulent Shiraz with a bit of underlying structure. This lengthy effort will evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.”

2006 Kaesler Stonehorse GSM, $16.99
The Kaesler Vineyards were established in 1893. The family sprung from Silesian pioneers who  came to the Barossa Valley in the 1840s. They cleared the scrub and in 1893 planted out the entire holding with Shiraz, Grenache, and Mataro (Mourvedre). The gnarled, dry-grown vines still remain and provide the backbone of the intense wines produced here. This blend of almost equal parts of Grenache and Shiraz with 11 percent Mouvedre was rated 90 points in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar with the following description: “…Deeply concentrated dark berry flavors verge on liqueur-like but are given verve by tangy minerality … Velvety in texture … Offers an attractive blend of richness and vivacity….”