Reviews
James Halliday - Wine Of The Week September 2011
The Wine Front - Friday August 26th 2011 By Mike Bennie
Eden Road Canberra Riesling 2011
As 2011 was approaching Eden Road winemaker Nick Spencer decided that it would be a very lean and tight vintage, so he thought ‘how do we extract texture out of the wines’ – an opportunity to ferment Eden Road’s riesling in a 2500L oak barrel came about so in it went. The two year ‘use’ barrel also saw the riesling sit on lees for 4 months. The wine holds about 3 grams residual sugar.
High, bright floral, very pretty perfume that also shows a little tropical fruits, faint minerality and rose water aromas. The steely but lithe palate delivers a finely veined belt of grapefruit and green apple fruit character with just a hint of phenolic grip. Tangy, electric and perfectly weighted for drinking and some cellaring time.
Rated : 92+ Points, Tasted : AUG11, Drink : 2011 - 2018+
Eden Road Gundagai Shiraz 2010
The Eden Road Gundagai shiraz vineyard is on a red, ‘terra rossa’ style soil. Oxidised dirt. This shiraz is destemmed, but there are no pump overs or traditional plunging – Eden Road uses a home-made air compression technique that sends a bubble of air up through the ferment to turn it over. Gentle. Old oak barriques used.
Bold, brambly berry fruit aromas with complimenting graphite, lathed lead pencils and quartz mineral wafts. As the bouquet reeks of savoury, ferrous complexity, the palate has dark and blue fruit concentration with a seething undercurrent of crushed rocks and spice. Medium-weighted, an awesome array of fruit and savoury, then finishes long and dusty with tannins and juice roped together. So much to enjoy, very good expression of shiraz.
Rated : 94+ Points, Tasted : AUG11, Drink : 2011 - 2021+
Eden Road The Long Road Shiraz 2010
Winemaking? Well, ‘nothing really special’ says Nick Spencer. Tiny bit of stems, 30% of the wine is matured in stainless steel with the balance matured in old 500L puncheons, oh, about 1% viognier. This is the Eden Road ‘house style’, made to be bright, fresh, aromatic shiraz. Mostly sourced from Gundagai, and as Spencer quips ‘most winemakers will say this, but we really did pick before the rain’.
Exotic spice, wild, brambly red and black berry fruits, leather, earth clod and graphite. Very attractive to sniff on. Grippy but not mean, with intensely coiled structure born from peppery red fruit and the gentle lilt of stemmy intensity and freshness. Very long in the mouth, residual sweetness takes you back to the glass, as does the medium weight and fine feel. Gundagai olé!
Rated : 93 Points, Tasted : AUG11, Drink : 2011 - 2021
Eden Road Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008
The 2008 vintage was Nick Spencer’s first for Eden Road’s Tumbarumba Chardonnay, and with the 2011 wines he will release two contrasting styles from the region. Spencer has sourced fruit from Courabyra (750m above sea level, granite bedrock) and Marangle (450m above sea level, richer soils). This 2008 is predominately from around Courabyra, but isn’t in the intended 2011 style. Confusing? Wait for the ’11s and see; the brisk, mineral driven ’11 Courabyra bottle sample I tried was striking. 100 dozen produced.
Oatmeal and cedar spice lead the bouquet with a hint of matchsticky funk and lifted alpine herbs. The palate is supremely elegant, very fine, soft almost creamy texture with stone fruit and grapefruit stepping up to the plate. Fruit goes toe to toe with 100% new oak very well. Surprising. Palate finishes long with fruit, spice and oak weaved way into the distance. This is a very, very good Chardonnay both ‘technically’ and in taste, showing the restrained power, intensity and weight the region is getting/going to be known for.
Rated : 95 Points, Tasted : AUG11, Drink : 2011 - 2019+
James Haliday 2012 Wine Companion
Eden Road Canberra Shiraz 2009
Rating: 97
Vivid colour; a heady mixture of spice and black fruit perfume, showing truffle, roasted meat, char and spice; the palate is densely packed, chewy and serious in nature, yet over time reveals a silky, soft and intriguing combination of spice and fruit; beautifully detailed, with rapier-like acidity drawing out the finish, this wine is another example of just how good Canberra district can be.
Eden Road Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008
Rating: 94
Brilliant pale green; a super-elegant and fine chardonnay, with hallmark grapefruit and white peach to the fore, some barrel ferment and lees notes adding to the impact of a wine with extreme length.
The Long Road Shiraz 2009
Rating 95
Youthful exuberance held in check by serious levels of rich black fruit, mocha and fruitcake spice; the palate reveals depth and richness, roasted meat complexity and tarry, chewy tannins; long, savoury and satisfying.
The Long Road Barbera/Cabernet 2009
Rating 94
Good colour; an intriguing blend of red and black fruits plus lifted spicy nuances, the palate with cherry and blackberry swathed in superfine tannins; 12 months in French oak puncheons has hit the jackpot. Drink any time over the next five years
Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate May 2011
Eden Road winery just started in 2006 and already it is attracting a lot of attention on the Australia show circuit. And with good reason – winemaker Nick Spencer cleverly crafts a tight collection of wines that exemplify the cooler climate elegance and fruit intensity that is the Holy Grail of Aussie styles at the moment. Nick informed me that the concept behind Eden Road is to continually strive to achieve perfection. These early efforts demonstrate that the young guns behind this project are well on their way down that righteous path. The whites are predominately from Tumbarumba and reds come from Canberra District and Hilltops.
Eden Road Canberra 2009
RATING: 92 points
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2009 BG 139 Shiraz gives gorgeous fragrant black cherry and red currant aromas with some red flowers, lavender, anise and black pepper. Medium-bodied and well structured with a medium level of fine-grained tannins and high acid, the concentration and balance in the mouth are superb, finishing long and spicy. Consider drinking this one 2012 to 2020+.
Eden Road Tumbarumba 2008
RATING: 92+ points
The 2008 BG12 Chardonnay is the reserve label, with the letters “BG” standing for “Barrel Group”. This wine was naturally fermented in 60% new French oak, 100% going through malo-lactic and spending a total of 11 months in oak. It has a pleasant sulphide character over intense citrus notes – grapefruit and mandarin peel – plus notes of peach blossom, meal, crostini and almonds. Very youthful, taut and crisp in the mouth, it has a lovely silkiness to its texture, and the long finish is already layered and complex. It should develop wonderfully, drinking well now and cellaring to 2016+.
Eden Road The Long Road RHE 2009
RATING: 90 points
The letters “RHE” in the 2009 RHE label stand for “Rhone,” in reference to the use of 100% Viognier in this wine. 10% was barrel fermented while the rest was done in stainless steel. The nose gives intense honeysuckle, spiced peach and poached pear aromas with some fennel seed. Very crisp, silky, rich and full-bodied, the finish is long and peachy in this classically made example of this varietal. Drink it now through 2013.
Eden Road The Long Road Barbera/Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
RATING: 88 points
A blend of 70% Barbera and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 The Long Road Barbera / Cabernet casts a deep garnet-purple color and presents an earthy style with notes of forest floor and moss over black raspberries and red cherries plus touches of dark chocolate and black truffles. Medium-bodied with a medium level of chewy tannins, it gives a long savory finish. Drink it now through 2014.
Eden Road The Long Road Chardonnay 2009
RATING: 90 points
The 2009 The Long Road Chardonnay is produced without any new oak, matured in seasoned barrels for 10 months. Malo-lactic is allowed to happen as nature would have it and for this vintage around 50% underwent the conversion. The nose is intensely scented of peaches and cream with some yeasty / toastiness plus green guava, passion fruit and oatmeal. Very crisp acid cuts through the concentrated flavors on this medium-bodied wine with a nice bit of viscosity to the texture and a long tropical fruit finish. Drink it now to 2015+.
Eden Road The Long Road Shiraz 2009
RATING: 91+ points
Blended of 60% Canberra District and 40% Hilltops fruit, the 2009 The Long Road Shiraz was mainly matured in seasoned 500litres puncheons though a proportion went in stainless steel to mature on its gross lees. Deep garnet-purple colored, it has intense notes of black cherry, red flowers, dried leaves, some red plums and spice box – cinnamon and mace. Medium to full-bodied with a medium level of grainy tannins, it presents excellent concentration and varietal expression, finishing long. Approachable now, it should benefit further from another year in bottle and drink to 2019+.
Eden Road The Long Road Pinot Noir 2009
RATING: 90 points
The 2009 Eden Road Pinot Noir was 90% destemmed, cold soaked and fermented with indigenous yeast. The fruit was pressed into 1, 2 and 3 year French barriques for maturation. With a pale to medium ruby color, this Pinot gives pure strawberry and cranberry aromas with some moss and underbrush. Nice balance, crisp acidity and good concentration of bright berry fruit. Low to medium level of fine tannins. Long finish. Drink now to 2017.
Eden Road The Long Road BDX 2009
RATING: 89 points
The 2009 The Long Road BDX is a cross-regional Bordeaux blend, coming 57% from Canberra, 41% Clare Valley and 2% Hilltops. The blend is 57% Merlot, 41% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it has pronounced plum and cherry aromas with some cloves and spice plus a touch of vanilla. Full-bodied with a medium level of fine grained tannins and high level of acid to enliven, it finishes long and fruity. Drinking now, it should remain fresh and vibrant through 2014+.
Eden Road The Long Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
RATING: 89 points
The 2008 Long Road Cabernet Sauvignon provides a deep garnet-purple color and lifted aromas of crushed blackberries, mint and black pepper. Some cloves and violets. Medium level of fine tannins, medium-high acid, elegant, earthy style. Long finish. Drink now to 2016.
Eden Road The Long Road Pinot Gris 2010
RATING: 90 points
Eden Road’s 2010 The Long Road Pinot Gris displays intense aromas of acacia honey drizzled white peaches, tropical fruit and nashi with quite a floral undercurrent. The palate is light-bodied and dry with crisp acidity and concentrated spiced fruit flavors, finishing long. Drink it now through 2013.
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