Mike Bennie reviews Ruggabellus latest releases on www.winefront.com.au
posted on 3 October 2016
Ruggabellus Solumodo 2014
Semillon 72%, riesling 21%, muscat 7%, the longest skin contact of the suite of Ruggabellus ‘white wines’ with an average of five weeks on skins. The name ‘Solumodo’ translates to ‘the lonely way’, a nod in the direction of semillon, quietly persisting its way in the Barossa for a very long time. Orange wines of high priority, complexity and interest here.
Bright golden-orange colour. Wild, savoury perfume of mixed citrus peel, preserved lemon, farmhouse cider, curry spice, fresher fruits behind that and whiffs of pot pourri and rose petal. Palate is reasonably luscious, mightily textural, slick with some ripples of oily fruit character then draped in grassiness of semillon, then the dusty, chalky tannin kicks in. Finishes juicy. Less complexity than Quomodo and Sallio, it feels, but worthy in its way. More readily approachable now.
Rated : 92 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13.9%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2022
Ruggabellus Quomodo 2014
Riesling 89%, semillon 6%, muscat 5%, and spend some three weeks on skins. This is the ‘riesling dominant blend’; like the red wines always find a dominant grape, then they shift the make-up of the blend per cuvee. Patience brought this wine to life. Outstanding orange wines.
Work of art and complex architecture. Golden orange colour. Orange marmalade, cider apples, cumin, mandarin, honeysuckle flowers, wet pebble, Complex perfume. Juicy and intense here. Slipperiness cuddled by a film of chalky, powdery tannins. Bulbous to start then fines up and finishes very long and dart shaped. Length is incredible, and the finesse is marked once you get past the impact of the start. It’s fascinating. Compelling drinking.
Rated : 95 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 12.6%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2028
Ruggabellus Sallio 2014
When I first visited Abe Gibson at Ruggabellus, the riesling wine(s) was a work in progress. A slew of varying ferments, some on skins, some whole bunch, some pressed, some in steel, some in oak, some in whatever. The sum of the parts made for complex wine. Abe has been working hard on these 2014 releases subsequently. The trio of wines are variations on riesling, semillon and muscat in varying balance, much like the reds that work with grenache, shiraz and mataro (mostly).
Anyway, I wasn’t prepared for these ‘white wines’ from Ruggabellus. They are outstanding. However, they are hardcore orange wines. Not hardcore as in you have to be hardcore to get them or like them, there should be a universal lure for how complex, fascinating and, ultimately, delicious they are. Nor do you have to be hardcore be into orange wines to want to try them. Nor are they hardcore in their intensity, concentration or power, like some orange wines can be. There is nothing distinctly overt, per se.
Gibson has studied (tasted/drunk) some of the world’s greats and applied some of their practices – long ferments on skins, long time maturing in vessels, long time in bottle before release. You can clearly see the difference between this an hastily released to market orange ‘style’ wines from Australia. His (Gibson’s) are amazing.
This wine is riesling 60%, semillon 32%, muscat 8%, and the wines spends about two weeks on skins. The fruit comes from ‘next door’ (semillon), Stonegarden (muscat) and a couple of selected sources (riesling). “I can create so many layers with muscat and semillon, and they’re on the vineyard we purchased in 2013, so I am interested in them as a custodian of the same varieties on our vineyard”, says Gibson.
Burned orange colour. Deeply satisfying bouquet of ripe and dried apple, curry spice, orange peel, chamomile. Exotic and beautiful. Lots of juicy fruit character and lots of fine sheets of tannin. More of the orange-cider apple flavour, licks of curry spice, fine, soft, chewy finish. It’s a gracious, charming, spread of rich, complex wine. It’s so savoury, utterly wonderful in its style.
Rated : 94 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13.4%
Price : $26
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2026
Ruggabellus Efferus 2015
Mataro 72%, syrah 13%, grenache 13%, cinsault 2%, and the whole bunch component is 26%. Matured entirely in old puncheons. Abel Gibson is such an impressive human, you can feel intellect and thoughtfulness coming off him in waves. He listens intently, he agonises over detail, yet does so with a calmness. Meticulously blended after epic consideration. Could be a motto or some such.
Potent perfume of sweetness and floral nature, with just a sniff of something gruffer and savoury. Kirsch, cherry cola, new pipe tobacco, dried muscat grapes. Deep in scent yet wafts like perfume. Silky textured, juicy, jubey flavours, not rich but has the feel of something with great depth while riding on a thread of acidity and trim of tannins that finish in a nice chomp. Marries warm flavour with lightness and freshness. Pretty wine to drink.
Rated : 93 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2025
Ruggabellus Archaeus 2015
Syrah 79%, grenache 10%, mataro 8%, cinsault 3% and 23% whole bunch in the ferment. First year that some of the home block vineyard snuck in. We’ll see more of it (the old vineyard on the property) in 2016, says Abel Gibson. The property they purchased sits on a patch of very old vines, mixed planted. Exciting. Meanwhile, I asked why Abel’s wines fly, price-wise, in the face of many ‘peers’ who opt to charge relatively highly in comparison. He said he liked the model that Wendouree and Rockford used, as examples, where stable, affordable prices were the norm, despite demand and success. A nice thought.
Mesh of stewed, berry fruits and some herbal/briar notes. Flashes of green and green pepper corn in the mix. Aromatic. Some punch to it too. Has some width in the palate, generous fruit flavour, vigorous dusting of spice and herbs. Back end of the wine is tight and herby. Has distinct personality. Could be polarising in heft, but is good. Strong in structure. A touch of the old school, minus oak influence. Almost a wine of yesteryear – I reckon great appeal, for some, therefore.
Rated : 92 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13.7%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2025
Ruggabellus Timaeus 2015
Grenache 83%, cinsault 7%, mataro 7%, syrah 3%, and the wine is a modest 14% whole bunch in the ferment. I noted it was perhaps the leanest in ‘other grapes’ aside grenache that I had seen under Timaeus label, that is, grenache truly dominates in 2015. “I’m looking for lightness, yes”, says Abel Gibson. Fits the brief. Wonderfully.
Striking perfume. I went back and back. Delicate fumes of rose petal, cherry, dried flowers, pepper and fine bouquet-garni of herbs. Has complete delicacy in the palate. Lace sheet draped softly on the tongue. Outdoing pinot at its own game. So fine, finessed, elegant, sleek and lithe, yet packs in inherent flavour, spice and fine detail of those tat-work tannins. Utterly compelling drinking. Exceptional. More to come.
Rated : 95+ Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13.2%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2025+
Ruggabellus Fluus 2015
Anticipated releases these days. And one of the best scoffing south Aus reds going around, typically. Grenache 55%, mataro 26%, syrah 15%, cinsault 4%, and it is about 20% whole bunch fermented. Fluus for fun times. Despite its accessible price point it’s still quite a cerebral wine and certainly a wine that has had much consideration in its composition, as with all of Abel Gibson wines. It’s produced from parcels that have less phenolic material in them, as per Gibson’s want of a friendly approach to the wine here, though according to him there’s more tannin than Fluus has had in the past. “Still nice and slurpable”, he quips.
A squished mash of red berries and cherries, fog of meaty/gamey stuff floats by, pepper, sweet earthy scents. Has that instant appeal in soft, supple texture, lick of succulent tannins, bite of spice and tannin to close. Sits bright in the mouth, insanely drinkable, wicked in its come-hither way. More Australian wine like this. Buy by the box.
Rated : 93 Points
Tasted : SEP16
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $27
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2016 – 2020