2012 INFIDELS - PRIMITIVO
THE WINE FRONT - REVIEW BY MIKE BENNIE
From winemaker Dudley Brown’s mouth, ‘I only use American oak in Primitivo, and that’s all the American oak I use’. The wine is left in barrel a little longer, and Brown is trying out some new barrels from Minnesota and Pennsylvania, more northern forests in the US of A, he continues, ‘the irony is I really hate American oak, but it’s working. The sweetness of the American oak maps to the natural acidity of primitivo, like Asian cooking, the sweet-sour’. There is also 8% shiraz in this wine.
Smoke and meatiness, then red fruit, earth, exotic spice. Good scents here. Juicy, fresh and full of spicy mouth-perfume ending up wickedly drinkable. Tannins are firm, but don’t overwhelm, dragging flavours long. Structure, tension, great to drink.
Rated : 93 Points
Tasted : JUN14
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $30
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2014 - 2024
Posted on 07 June 2014
WINE WILL EAT ITSELF - REVIEW BY JEREMY PRINGLE (IN MEMORIAM)
All American oak, 22% new. There’s a splash of Shiraz in here as well.
Smells and tastes of custard coated plums, blackberries, kirsch and sweet coconut. A hint of blood orange. Creamy, liqueurous and more open-weave but the requisite strike of ferrous, chocolatey tannin draws out the finish. It’s hearty fare but not at all over-the-top. Dudley Brown also made a killer Zinfandel Vintage Port in 2011 but that was sent to me for reasons other than reviewing. Worth getting your hands on. 91
Region: McLaren Vale
Alcohol: 14.4%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $30
Tasted: July 2014