Jeremy Oliver- The 2010 Australian Wine Annual

Jeremy Oliver's 2010 Australian Wine Annual released October 2009.

"It would be easy to get caught up in a pile of superlatives when describing what Ferngrove achieve each year on year. From the affordable Symbols range to the flagship red wines, it's a story of exceptional quality, elegance, consistency and value. Two of the most exciting wines in the preparation of this edition have been the 2008 Merlot and the 2007 King Malbec- the exact taste of which i can recall months later. If there's anyone out there doing what Ferngrove does but better, I want to know who they are!"

2004 The Stirlings (4 Stars) 94 Points
Silky-smooth and elegant, with intense blackberry, blueberry and cassis-like fruit tightly partnered with assertive sweet oak and fine, supple tannin. Brightly lit and seamless, with a spicy, peppery perfume of violets, white pepper and cinnamon backed by sweet oak and suggestions of mint and menthol, it builds on the palate to a crescendo of vibrant dark plum and cherry fruit.

2007 Cossack Riesling (3 stars) 88 Points
Floral, musky and spicy, with estery scents of pear, lime and apple backed by chalky nuances. Initially intense and juicy, but becoming rather hollow and a little thin in mid palate, possibly reflective of stressed fruit. Has received a lot of funky winemaking artefact for rather a modest depth of fruit, but does reveal some pleasing mineral qualities.

2008 Diamond Chardonnay (2 stars) 88 Points
Rich, luscious and early-drinking, with an impactful aroma of tropical fruit, grapefruit, peaches and cream with a sweet background of vanilla oak. Smooth and creamy, it's rather viscious, perhaps even a shade cloying, delivering a sumptuous, powerful presence of fruit and oak that finishes marginally hot and spirity.

2007 Dragon Shiraz (3 stars) 92 Points
Polished, long and savoury, but marginally too alcoholic for a higher score. Scented with pristine aromas of violets, cassis, dark plums and berries backed by sweet gamy vanilla/bubblegum oak and suggestions of tomato stalk and menthol, it's medium to full-bodied, ripe and juicy, luscious and oaky. Intense jujube-like small dark berry flavours and handsomely cloaked by chocolate /mocha oak and underpinned by a firm but very pliant extract. It finishes with lingering notes of licorice, spice and a hint of spirity warmth.

2007 King Malbec (3 stars) 95 Points
A deliciously drinkable, perfectly and evenly ripened malbec with exceptional balance and potential. Sweet aromas of small black and red berries, violets and sweet vanilla and dark chocolate oak reveal scents of lavender and youthful banana-like estery notes. It's plush, smooth and silky, with pristine, juicy berry flavours tightly knit with lightly smoky sweet cedary oak and eased into a fine, silky undercarriage of genuine presence and strength.

2007 Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon (3 stars) 93 Points
A pristine fragrance of violets, cassis, dark chocolate, vanilla and cedar reveals undertones of dried herbs and a slightly bacony, roasted oak influence. Long, smooth and fine-grained, its firmish palate of slightly minty small berries and cassis is sweetly ripened, juicy and seamlessly integrated with fresh oak and dusty tannins. It finishes with length, freshness and balance.

2008 Merlot (2 stars) 92 Points
A delightful medium-weight wine of delightful flavour and focus. Scented with sweet, floral, earthy notes of dark plums, black cherries and cedar/chocolate/vanilla oak, its backed by subtle nuances of dried herbs and mulberries. Its elegant, willowy palate supports its sweet fruit over fine, silky tannins, finishing with an explosive presence of pure fruit and a lingering impression of fragility.

2007 Symbols Cabernet Merlot (1 Star) 89 Points
A pleasingly approachable medium to full-bodied wine of charm and character. Scented with sweet blue and red flowers, fresh raspberries, cassis, dark cherries and fresh cedar/vanilla oak, it's smooth, juicy and evenly ripened, with vibrant flavours of sweet black and red fruits comfortably knit with smooth tannins and creamy, cedary oak.

2007 Symbols Shiraz Viognier (1 star) 90 Points
Fresh and floral, with a slightly minty perfume of sweet black and red berries, white pepper and fresh spices backed by a restrained presence of cedar/vanilla oak and a hint of licorice. It's fine and silky, with a deeply flavoured but willowy palate of pristine plum and cherry-like fruit and fine-grained savoury oak underpinned by a finely textured but firmish extract of powdery tannins.

Best Australian Wines under $20
2008 Chardonnay- 91 Points
2007 Shiraz Viognier- 90 Points
2008 Merlot- 92 Points

Jeremy Oliver's 2009 Australian Wine Annual released 12th October 2009.

"From its very affordable 'symbols' range of varietal wines to the flagship 'The Stirlings' blend of cabernet sauvignon with shiraz, Ferngrove's hallmark is its presentation of bright, focused varietal qualities, which it typically delivers with a combination of elegance and structure. It has been a delight to welcome several more Ferngrove wines into this guide, since on the most important measure of all, they seriously outperform most others when it comes to delivering terrific quality at a very affordable price" 

2006 Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon (3 stars) - 94 points
Very polished and elegant, with a delicate smoky and floral fragrance of cassis, dark plums and raspberries backed by roasted new cedar/vanilla French oak and lightly herbal suggestions of mint and menthol. Its long, fine and supple palate seamlessly marries its intense small berry flavours, sweet oak and fine, pliant undercarriage of graceful, loose-knit tannin.

2004 The Stirlings (3 stars) - 94 points
Silky-smooth and elegant, with intense blackberry, blueberry and cassis-like fruit tightly partnered with assertive sweet oak and fine, supple tannin. Brightly lit and seamless, with a spicy, peppery perfume of violets, white pepper and cinnamon backed by sweet oak and suggestions of mint and menthol, it builds on the palate to a crescendo of vibrant dark plum and cherry fruit.

2006 Dragon Shiraz (3 stars) - 92 points
Smooth, savoury and stylish, this complex northern Rhone-like shiraz unfolds a dusty, peppery bouquet of raspberries, cherries and plums, cloves and cinnamon supported by sweet cedar/vanilla oak, suggestions of dried herbs and charcuterie-like undertones. Tightly knit with oak and fine-grained, dusty tannin, its juicy palate of blackberries and blueberries finishes long and savoury, with pleasing reductive complexity.

2006 King Malbec (2 stars) - 92 points
Deeply scented with dark plums, raspberries, blueberries and cranberries, iris and lavender, this silky-smooth and fine-grained malbec delivers a long, dark and tightly focused palate whose intense, pristine fruits knit tightly with fine-grained chocolatey oak. It's long and persistent, with a lingering presence of dark fruits and dusty, chalky tannin.

2007 Diamond Chardonnay (2 stars) - 90 points
A sumptuous, smooth and generous chardonnay whose deeply ripened expression of grapefruit, lime juice, pineapple, peaches and tropical fruits has been carefully enhanced with smoky, rather funky and mineral complexity. Its luscious, handsomely fruited and slightly honeyed palate reveals buttery, caramelised undertones of ginger and cinnamon, finishing with persistent fruit and suggestions of butterscotch.

2007 Symbols Shiraz Viognier (1 star)- 90 points
Fresh and floral, with a slightly minty perfume of sweet black and red berries, white pepper and fresh spices backed by a restrained presence of cedar/vanilla oak and a hint of licorice. It's fine and silky, with a deeply flavoured but willowly palate of pristine plum and cherry-like fruit and fine-grained savoury oak underpinned by a finely textured but firmish extract of powdery tannins.