Tasting Note No.22
Temle Bruer is a certified A-Grade Organic producer. I haven't seen their wines for a long-long time. I must say I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Bruer's wines today.
This red is in fact a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (64%), Merlot (27%) and Cabernet Franc (9%). The wine spent 15 months in American oak.
Colour dark cherry red. Surprisingly intense Pauillac like nose of cassis, cigar box and red berries. The palate is medium bodied with gentle fruit flavours. Very well balanced, it is a tasty wine. Good toasty, grainy oak and a long finish. Drinking well already, cellar until 2005. I've enjoyed this one for it's perfumed nose and easy drinkability. Well worth the AU $20.
2002 TEMPLE BRUER Langhorne Creek Riesling
Made from slow ripened grapes of a cool vintage.
Colour bright clear. Fresh scent of lemon and ripe grapefruit. The palate is crisp and heavenly light. Soft fruit flavours with excellent acid. Absolutely lovely drinking, do not overchill. Uncomplicated and delicious. Drink it now, I personally don't recommend long cellaring. Cost AU $18. It's full of life and freshness.
2001 TEMPLE BRUER Langhorne Creek Grenache/Shiraz/Viognier
'Let's do Southern-Rhone' they must have thought. This blend consist of Grenache (55%), Shiraz (35%) and Viognier (10%). The resulting wine only succeeds to a certain extent. I couldn't find anything 'Rhoneish' about it. Never mind, it's still good with food.
Colour bright cherry red. Raspberry nose and a medium bodied savoury palate that is lightweight but flavourful. It has beautiful acid, that would cut through a smoked salmon pizza like a knife. Good, long aftertaste with a hint of vanilla. Dry finish and very good balance. Cost AU $20 and why not try it, as long as you've got that pizza on hand.
2001 TEMPLE BRUER Langhorne Creek Verdelho
Colour light golden. Reserved nose. Very dry and savoury palate at first then deep, mature and tasty flavours emerge. This wine is still going and fairly good but it has a warmly alcoholic finish. Cost AU $16, and for me it's less exciting than the others.
2003 TEMPLE BRUER Langhorne Creek Chenin Blanc
Screwcapped and faulty bottle. No time for a second one to open. Still, I could notice the fragrant nose, green apples on the palate...refreshing but then that musty character creeped up. It looks as if this wine wasn't properly stabilised at the time of bottling. Otherwise this bottle would have been a fresh summer drop, definitely a drink now style with a short finish. Cost AU $16.
2000 TEMPLE BRUER Langhorne Creek Shiraz/Malbec
A blend of Shiraz (67%) and Malbec (33%). Matured in American oak.
Colour very dark red! Aromatic nose of fresh raspberries, cherries and wild berries. Appears to be bigger than the other reds, it has noticable acid on the finish and alcohol at 14% vol. It will probably age well but it's a style that does little for me. I guess it's a good wine for those into this blend and a decent wine purchase at AU $20 but it just did not captivate me.
Tasted:November 2003.