Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Alto Stratus’ Carignan 2011

This is simply a Vin de France. No appellation rules or restrictions. It’s produced from 100 year old vines as well as some younger vines. Carignan is perfectly suited to warmer climates as it’s a late ripening variety. It’s also vigorous and high yielding, so old vines will help produce wines of quality. 60% whole bunch, which came as a surprise to me. Only about 20% sees new oak.

An unusual nose. It’s expressive of dried herbs, ginger powder, gravel, caraway and mixed berries. It required a good deal of decanting to coax out anything, so be sure to do so. Gravelly, dusty and rustic, but with clean fruit and a level of elegance that’s atypical for the variety and region. It’s well balanced and I expects its best days are ahead. An obvious choice for value if you’re seeking a French red to lay down for the short to mid term. Another ace from A&D.

Excellent / 93+ points

Closure: Cork

Price: $40

Source: Retail

Abbotts & Delaunay Reserve Corbières 2011

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre.

A ripe, plush and juicy style of SGM. Probably more savoury than the average Australian offering, still.

Opens with cracked pepper, smoked meat and ripe, jammy blueberry and raspberry. Bloody, to some degree too (no sign of struth or flamin’ however…). Funky old barrel aromas, without reaching the point of Brettanomyces. It’s even more opulent on the palate. Think fruit pie filling with some clove and allspice. There’s some dry, graphite-like minerality, but I’d say that’s in the background mostly. Easy to enjoy and impressive without being a showstopper. At $25, it’s still cheaper than a lot of good Australian SGM blends, so it’s well worth a whirl.

Very Good / 90 points

Closure: Cork

Source: Retail

Price: $25

Abbotts & Delaunay Minervois Réserve 2011

Ordered a few of these Abbotts & Delaunay wines after reading some highly favourable reviews on The Wine Front. I suspect I wasn’t the only one to do so. After tasting this Minervois, I’m pretty keen to pull the corks on the rest of them. Expect to see notes very soon.

The Syrah and Carignan grapes undergo some carbonic maceration, whilst the Grenache does not. Matured in 20% new oak and 20% older oak.

As soon as you smell it, you know this wine has some concentration. It’s got blackberry fruit, some blueberry too. There is a meaty side which suggests beef stock, as well as dried thyme. The dense palate takes what’s evident on the nose and amplifies it. A flavour of chocolate coated licorice appears, and the wine finishes with considerable earthiness, before blackberry flavours storm back to take the throne. There’s a glossy texture overall and plenty of fruit weight despite the savouries. I’d think this wine will appeal to lovers of bigger Australian reds.

A wine suited to hearty red meat stews or osso bucco. You’re not going to find many imports this good for $25, so buy up.

Excellent / 92 points

Closure: Cork

Source: Retail

Price: $25