My sister was down from the Sunshine Coast this weekend for the Bridge to Brisbane 10k run, so her husband brought this to have with last night’s meal.
A lifted nose, blackberries and warm spices, cloves, dusty oak and black pepper. On the palate, glossy black fruits, slippery plums, star anise, with spice and some sweetness on the finish. Medium weight with lovely silky tannins. Drink over the medium term, now to 2015. RRP $30. Sealed under screwcap. 14.5% abv. 91 points.
Some assessments are easier than others. This one went like this. Half the bottle on Sunday night. A quarter last night. And the remainder now. The wine was left on the sideboard and not refrigerated, or vac-u-vined, or anything else. Just left there, and it is amazing how it didn’t really suffer for it.
A vivid purple/red colour. An engaging nose, showing blackberries, cinnamon, coffee beans, plums, vanilla and some creamy oak. The palate was initially quite disappointing because even though it showed some intense black fruits with toasty notes, it suffered a triumvirate of faults: thin, narrow (across the palate) and hot. And this was the main reason it was left for a further two days. I mean, you could easily drink it but if you focused on it you could see all its problems. Anyway, the palate has now broadened with blackcurrants, spice and mocha, and the heat is not as obvious, but the fruits still don’t have a lot of depth and remain unconvincing. Perhaps some cellaring will see it present better, especially since 2008 was generally a good vintage in the Barossa, but I would go small; 3 bottles max. $35 RRP, but I got a bottle for $24.90 from Dans. Sealed under cork (!). Drink 2015+. 85 points.
A blend of 52% Shiraz, 24% Grenache and 24% Mourvédre, vinified separately in open fermenters and subsequently aged in both hogsheads and larger format French oak for approximately 18 months. Sealed under screwcap and 14.5% abv. Apparently. $22.50 from the cellar door, and a snip over $20 if you buy a case.
A spicy nose, red plums, blackcurrants, Asian spices (a bit of old black pepper and five spice) and an odd floral element, almost like stalks. The palate is supple, spiced plums, clean earth, blackcurrants, sweetish and juicy, and a little bit slippery. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were more than the stated alcohol. 88 points. Drink now to 2018, but I would personally leave it a year before trying another bottle.
I must say I was pleased to get a sample of this wine recently; it is one of my favourite styles of Shiraz and a tremendous producer. A deep red/purple in colour. A luscious nose, offering red currants, raspberries, cinnamon, peppercorns and some creaminess; nuanced and layered. The palate is similarly impressive, red fruited with a touch of dark plums and cherries, liquorice and a dash of spice; fine tannins, medium bodied and a lovely sense of balance and restraint. Excellent length, and should handle some cellaring. A six pack buy for me, budgetary constraints permitting. Winery sample, with a RRP of $85. 14.5% abv. Drink 2012-2017+. 95 points.
I had this wine on the weekend. I have been otherwise drinking all the old Rhones from the cellar. This would not be mistaken as a wine from this region; it has Penfolds written all over it. A blend of 42% Shiraz, 30% Mourvedre and 28% Grenache. A pleasant nose showing cherries, black liquorice, and dry spices like cloves and nutmeg. The palate is little reserved at the moment, with cherry fruits, cloves and pepper, and a dry finish showing minerals and fruity stones. The dry finish persists, even with some time in the decanter; some some sweetness emerges on the palate. A very nice wine, but released a year too early; will probably rate better with time. Sealed under screwcap. 14.5% abv. RRP is $30, but is available for under $20. 88+ points
It’s that time of the year again, the time when Penfolds release their “Bin” range of wines. I have read that this is probably the pick of the new red wines, so I bought myself a bottle. I also bought singles of the Bin 128, Bin 138 and Bin 389, and will have look at these in the coming weeks. I would also like to try the Bin 23 Pinot Noir, but haven’t seen it around yet. Anyway, this wine was a vibrant dark red in colour. A solid nose, showing coffee beans and mocha, black olives and juicy red berries, spice, and with time, some milkyness and almonds. The palate is tight and savoury, even after 5 hours in a decanter, with berry fruits, hard dry spices, nutmeg and coffee dryness. Good length, though there is a little bit of heat on the finish, but only a touch. Still quite youthful – I would like to see this again in a couple of years. Bottled under screwcap. 14.5% abv. Currently $19.80 from Dan Murphys in a six bottle purchase, but expect to pay around $25 for it from other retailers. Drink 2012-2017+. 89 points.
A blend of 85% Shiraz and 15% Sangiovese. Consumed over 3 days and was one of those wines that got better and softened with time. In fact, I found it almost painful to drink on the first night, so most of it was consumed over the two succeeding days. A bulky nose, with rich red fruits, cola, plums, mulberries and spices; packed with fruits and flavours and goodness. The palate is also plummy, but also showed red cherry, black cherry, raspberries, peppery spices and acid. Tannins are ripe but big and plentiful. Should easily take a few years of cellaring.
Other vintages: 2007
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Dec09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $19
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2012-2016
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Primo Estate
I have had this a couple of times in the past few months, and either the wine has settled and improved significantly in those intervening months, or is it just a cork variance. Either way, I think I have consumed both of these bottles too early. I reckon 8 years (or thereabouts) is a good ballpark figure to the start of its drinking window. A bright nose, lively fruits, plums, fruitcake, Christmas spices, cinnamon, with a touch of caramel and earth, and some varnish and spice. The palate is strongly flavoured, robust black fruits, plums, spices, earth, new leather, caramel and something not unlike stalk. Enjoyable now, and though there certainly is a lot to contemplate when swirling the wine, it should be better with another 5 years.
Other vintages: 2004
Rated : 92+ Points
Tasted : Sep09 and Dec09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $51
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2015+
Source : Cellar
Website : Rockford
As with the 2007 wine, this wine had 50% whole bunch (stalks included) fermentation and then was treated to 100% new French Hogsheads. Unlike the 2007 wine, this wine was made from fruit from the Canberra District instead of the Hunter Valley. An inky red. Red currants and red plums, neatly interwoven with stalks, spices, red liquorice and smoke. There is also a salty, rockish quality too. After a couple of hours, it also showed some blueberries. A rounded texture, with pervasive stalks, peppery dryness and some sap on the finish. A style I like.
Other vintages: 2007
Rated : 91 Points
Tasted : Nov09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $40
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2012-2018+
Source : Winery Sample
Website : Meerea Park
Another ripper of a wine – I am on an excellent run at the moment. And another good’un from Meerea Park. A vibrant red/purple in colour; inviting, and upon swirling the glass there were aromas of blackberries, red plums, liquorice, pepper and vanilla. The palate showed a congregation of red and black fruits, with some gunpowder and spice. Medium bodied and with time it seemed to appear slightly backward. Excellent length, as you would expect. Should be long lived, if you can keep your hands off it.
Other vintages: 2005, 2006, 2005, 2004
Rated : 93 Points
Tasted : Nov09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $70
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2010-2017+
Source : Winery Sample
Website : Meerea Park