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ALBARIÑO
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| 2008 |
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WINESTATE MAGAZINE
North East Victoria Tasting
November/December 2008
Intense, pungent aromas and big, generous palate with lovely green apple characters and pungency following on from the nose.
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ARNEIS
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| 2008 |
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PADDY KENDLER in Herald Sun
October 28 2008
Chrismont is a worthy member of a pioneering band of King Valley family wineries placing a special emphasis on Italian grape varieties. Its arneis, modelled on the original from Piemonte, is an interesting and most enjoyable wine, more than just a novelty and definitely worth tracking down. The more obvious fruit flavours are apple, pear, stone fruit and hay, while the texture is of medium density.
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WINESTATE MAGAZINE
North East Victoria Tasting - Top in Category
November/December 2008
Perfectly correct varietal nose that smells of pears and hazelnuts with some citrus blossoms thrown in. These characters are echoed on the long, weighty palate and fill the mouth with flavours.
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FERGUS McGHIE in Canberra Times
September 3 2008
After a disasterous 2007, when the King Valley was ringed by fires just before vintage, it's good to see the 2008 wines are on their way to our shelves and looking great. Chrismont's Arneis is packed with crunchy pear and green apple fruits, while the palate has good weight and feel in the mouth. Try with roast pork.
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DAVID SUTHERLAND in Border Mail
August 15 2008
ARNEIS is a piedmontese variety from Italy's north-west.
Apparently it is difficult to cultivate, which explains its regional Italian dialect translation of "little rascal".
The grape has recently come back into fashion in Italy and Australia, more specifically in the King Valley, as it is from here that some lovely wines are emerging.
Jo and Arnie Pizzini, with winemaker Warren Proft, continue to do great things in the upper reaches of the valley. This is delightful, with fresh peach and pear on the nose, pure and fresh. The palate is clean and crisp with ripe sweet fruitiness and fresh acidity. The alcohol is delightfully low (12 per cent) and this will be a great drink over the coming summer months.
with food: antipasto, mussels in white wine
ageing: drink over the next two years
in a word: gorgeous
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PINOT GRIGIO
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| 2006 |
EXTREMELY LIKEABLE |
BEN CANAIDER in delicious.
May 2007
From Victoria's Italianate King Valley comes this extremely democratic and likeable pinot grigio. Citrus and apple smells and flavours keep this white wine in the clean and green spectrum - avoiding the more heady notes found when pinot grigio becomes pinot gris. Chill well and serve with a vast array of antipasti. |
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BRILLIANTLY MADE
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FERGUS McGHIE in Canberra Times
December 15 2006
I first became hooked on Chrismont’s Pinot Grigio four or five years ago and it
just keeps getting better. The ’06 is the best yet with crunchy pear, quince and
apple fruit followed by a delicious grapefruit citrus acid finish. This is a
brilliantly made wine that has you finishing each glass with gusto. One of my
favourite wines of the year and one I hope to be drinking again and again this
summer. |
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VERSATILE
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DAVID SUTHERLAND in Border Mail
December 9 2006
Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are basically the same
varieties, the grey pinot in contrast to the noir and blanc pinots. The Italian
version is light and crisp with high acid in typical Italian fashion, wines that
match so well with their cuisine of pasta, lighter meat dishes and fresh fish.
In line with the King Valley’s link with Italian varieties, Arnie and Jo Pizzini
have probable done more with this variety than anyone else. Subtly fruity with
apple, pear and quince aromas on the nose, the palate has a balance between
crispness and texture. The wine lends itself to food matching.
with food: seafood of all descriptions; vegetable-based dishes
ageing: drink within two years
IN A WORD: versatile |
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GENEROUS |
RICK ALLEN on www.pmdwines.com
Pear and stewed apple on the nose carry through onto the generous palate, with hints of grapefruit woven in. In true Chrismont style, it's easy to drink, crisp and rich, finishing with fine, slatey acid. This wine is best enjoyed chilled as a youngster, in the company of good friends. If you're looking for a food match, you won't go wrong with seafood. |
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WINESTATE
November/December
2006
Ripe aromas of stonefruits and melons with a perfumed lift. Nice
simple, primary fruit palate with some astringent acidity.
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 2005 Vintage 2004 Vintage
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ROSATO MEZZANOTTE
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| 2005 |
QUINTESSENTIAL
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MARYANN EGAN in
Essentials Magazine
Summer 2006/2007
Made from sangiovese [barbera] and marzemino, this is
your quintessential Italian rosé - full of cherries and spice yet serious enough
not to be tossed into the simple fruity pink wine category. Instead of a
heavy-bodied red, chill a bottle of this on a summery night then throw on some
Asian marinated pork ribs onto the barbeque - heaven. |
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WINESTATE
November/December 2006
Pale salmon colour. Classic strawberry nose. Palate sweet but
not too obvious, with some spiciness. Has a big structure and good
texture. Easy to drink. |
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A FAVOURITE
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JANE FAULKNER in The Age
January 8 2006
Ah, just the thing on a balmy summer's day, or night - here [is one] of my favourites...Another easy drinking rosé, this time from the King Valley. It's the run-off juice of three Italian varieties, barbera, marzemino and sangiovese, which is done at midnight, hence the name mezzanotte. A nose of strawberry, cherry and a hint of freshly rolled tobacco that follow through on the palate. It's fruit-sweet and juicy with a savoury edge then finishes fresh and clean.
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2006 Vintage |
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MARZEMINO
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| 2004 |
IMPRESSIVE |
PADDY KENDLER in Herald-Sun
September 19 2006
50 FANTASTIC WINES
An impressive King Valley version of a northern
Italian red varietal showing delectable plum and cherry fruit laced with
sweet spice and a dry twist of tannin. |
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ELEGANT |
FERGUS McGHIE in Canberra Times
August 30 2006
A recent trip to the King Valley found me in love with the High Country
scenery, but I've been a fan of the region's wines for some time. The
Chrismont Marzemino is one of the new breed of wines to appeal to
Australian drinkers, lean dry and elegant, it has aromas of violets,
bitter chocolate and red berries. A fine backbone of acidity and dusty
tannins leave the palate craving another drop and some food. 4.5 / 5 |
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89 |
JAMES HALLIDAY in Australian Wine Companion
2007 Edition
Good colour; firm, fruit-driven wine with plum and black cherry fruit;
long palate, needs to soften a bit. DRINK 2010 |
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BRIGHT & LIVELY |
MAX ALLEN in Weekend Australian
August 5-6 2006
Originally from the hilly country of Trentino in north-east Italy,
the red marzemino grape is also at home in the King Valley in north-east
Victoria. Bold purple in the glass, this is a delicious, medium-bodied
[12.5 per cent alc] wine, with dark cherry fruit and some fresh acidity
and tight, ever-so-slightly bitter tannins. Bright and lively. |
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EXCELLENT PARTNER
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WINSOR DOBBIN in Australian Golf Magazine
April 2006
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Winestate Italian Varietals Tasting
May/June 2006
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EXCELLENT
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WINSOR DOBBIN on www.pmdwines.com.au
Chrismont may be onto something with an exciting new release pair of wines made from the northern Italian grape variety marzemino. The La Zona 2004 Marzemino is more successful than its lightly sparkling frizzante brother, a still wine that is a big, rich, full-flavoured beast with some enticingly savoury characters on the palate and some elegance. It would be an excellent partner for game dishes or osso bucco.
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87
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TYSON STELZER on www.tysonstelzer.com
December 28 2005
A complex bouquet of sarsaparilla, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and savoury spice introduces a tart palate with savoury berry fruit. The profoundly sour palate of this wine should not be approached without food. Even then, exercise caution. Good wine. Like it.
BEST DRINKING: 2005 to 2007
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2002 Vintage |
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BARBERA
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| 2005 |
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WINESTATE MAGAZINE
North East Victoria Tasting
November/December 2008
Savoury wine - great with food. Some briary notes on the nose and cherries and oak on the palate. |
| 2004 |
88 |
JAMES HALLIDAY in Australian Wine Companion 2009
A high-toned, incisive mix of plum, black cherry and spice intermingling with notes of mint and citrus. To 2012. |
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LOVELY |
ITALIANICIOUS
DEC 2007-FEB 2008
Deep, dark red with lovely plummy flavours, this wine is a good example of what Australia can produce: not a copy but its own style of full-bodied red that emulates the original Barbera of Piemonte. Rich, concentrated plum and chocolate with hints of berry fruits and ripe, soft tannins make it an ideal match for robust meat dishes.
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2002 Vintage |
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SANGIOVESE
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| 2005 |
90 POINTS |
GARY WALSH on www.winorama.com.au
July 16 2008
I’ve a dozen or so local Sangiovese in a box in the front room, and all things considered, you’d have to give the King Valley the nod as being a bit of a pioneer with this variety, so by Jove I’ll give them a run first.
Showing some bottle age and offering a range of flavours - almond, cherry, leather, coffee and liquorice. It’s medium bodied and has savoury earthy qualities mingling with cherry and red berry fruit. Firm but fine powdery tannins and good acid balance all contribute to make this a most attractive and toothsome wine with a high drinkability factor. It’s got personality and interest too - I like it a lot.
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88 |
JAMES HALLIDAY in Australian Wine Companion 2009
A savoury wine with red cherries and a hint of mint; quite tannic, as you would expect from Sangiovese. To 2009. |
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4.5 / 5.0 |
PADDY KENDLER in Herald Sun
October 2 2007
Yet another King Valley spin on a classic Italian grape, in this case the Tuscan sangiovese, which has had some mixed success so far in Australia. La Zona has a little more grip and grunt than most, a more interesting combination of flavours with more depth and substance.
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A REAL LIFT |
GREG DUNCAN POWELL in Sydney Morning Herald
September 15 2007
This King Valley sangiovese is a succulent, easy-drinking red but its real forté is at the table. With cherry and aniseed aromas and typical dusty sangiovese tannins, it has a food-friendly weight and balance and can give a basic braise a real lift. |
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AN IDEAL MATCH |
RICK ALLEN on www.pmdwines.com
One of the King Valley's specialists in Italian varieties, so it's no surprise this is an enjoyable wine. Mid-red in colour, it has fleshy dark cherry and ripe plum flavours that lead to a spicy finish with slightly dusty tannins. There is a savouriness to the wine that would make it an ideal match for a wide range of foods. Steak would be great...most enjoyable.
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2004 Vintage 2003 Vintage
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SANGIOVESE CABERNET
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| 2004 |
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DAVID SUTHERLAND in Border Mail
August 22 2008
This is the second sangiovese-cabernet blend I have looked at in the past week.
Many folk probably look at the combination of these two varieties and shake their heads, but there is strong, albeit relatively recent, tradition in the wine world of blending these two grapes.
The youthful colour is good here and the nose follows on with dark berry and cherry aromas, without significant oak influence, which is a plus.
The palate is subtle but complex, relying on savouriness and elegance with balanced structure and firmness, rather than overt fruitiness, in a very Italian style. Four parts sangiovese to one part cabernet.
with food: match with slow-cooked braised red meats and root vegetables
ageing: will develop beautifully over the next 10 years
IN A WORD: classy |
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89
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JAMES HALLIDAY in Australian Wine Companion 2009
A savoury wine with red cherries and a hint of mint; quite tannic, as you would expect from a sangiovese. To 2009. |
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89
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Gary Walsh on THE WINE FRONT
August 12 2008
It smells of blackcurrant and cherry with mint and a waft of smokiness then comes a medium bodied palate offering cool minty blackcurrant flavours, pretty strong dry tannins and a good finish - although it’s dryly tannic too. A food style if ever there was one but a good wine all the same. ABV: 14%. Drink 2008-2011. 89 points. |
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MARZEMINO FRIZZANTE
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DELIGHTFUL |
CHRIS SHANAHAN in Canberra Times
December 9 2007
Try Marzemino Frizzante for something different: a slightly effervescent (frizzante) red made from the Italian variety Marzemino. It’s totally unlike traditional Aussie red sparklers – which tend to be older and more serious-red-wine-like. Marzemino’s flavours, to me, seem more summer-pudding like with lots of tangy berry character. The light bubblies zest this up even more. And a touch of residual sugar balances those delightful berry flavours and acidity. I tried it recently with Thai food and it worked well. |
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WINESTATE
November/December 2006
Smells like spicy clove jelly crystals. Sweet fizz palate - clean and
simple. A sound commercial style. |
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88 |
JAMES HALLIDAY in Australian Wine Companion
2007 Edition
The sweetness (35 grammes per litre) is more evident than the CO2
spritz, but in the end result the balance is good, the jam/coulis
flavours not too high. Not everyone's cup of tea, perhaps. DRINK
2008 |
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TOP DROP |
MARYANN EGAN in donna hay
May/June 2006
You can't go past Marzemino when it's served with figs, ricotta and prosciutto antipasto. Originally from northern Italy, this lesser known variety is grown here in northern Victoria and made into a lightly fizzy - Frizzante - style red.
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DISCOVER
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GREG DUNCAN POWELL in Sydney Morning Herald
February 11 2006
This is an interesting take on the sparkling red. Made from the food-friendly Italian grape marzemino - a variety more famous for featuring in the lyrics of Mozart's Don Giovanni than anything else - it's a little more savoury and less fizzy than Australian shiraz-based sparkling red and the La Zona is much easier to match with food.
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90
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TYSON STELZER on www.tysonstelzer.com
December 28 2005
If you're chasing a sweet red with plenty of fruit and a smooth structure, here's a wine like nothing else you've experiences. An utterly enticing bouquet of lifted violets, red berry fruit cocktail throws to a sweet, softly spritzig palate with sweet, succulent mulberry fruit, savoury hints and fine tannins. Very good wine. Like it.
BEST DRINKING: 2005 to 2006
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