Archive for the ‘Shiraz’ Category
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
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
Posted in Australia, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Friday, March 5th, 2010
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.
Posted in Adelaide, Australia, Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
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
Posted in Australia, McLaren Vale, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
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
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
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
Posted in $20 to $50, Australia, Canberra, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
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
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Hunter Valley, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
From the Acacia Vineyard in the Frankland River region. A medium red in colour. Initially cracked white pepper and red eating liquorice, soft and squishy, later morphing into blackcurrants, blueberries, dried pepper and a hint of cedar. Very interesting stuff. The palate showed peppered cherries, red currants and a touch of blackcurrants, nutmeg and some bark. Settled down after a couple of hours; medium bodied in a savoury and dried spice style. Needs a couple of years and/or some quiet time in a decanter to allow the midpalate to fill out, but even then, this isn’t a blockbuster (if that’s what you’re looking for).
Other vintages: 2005
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Oct09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $35
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2011-2016
Source : The Wine Emporium
Website : Larry Cherubino
Posted in $20 to $50, Australia, Frankland River, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | 2 Comments »
Friday, September 18th, 2009
Last bottle. A shocking vintage, and lots of premium wines and super cuvees weren’t made, so by some perverse logic lesser appelation wines like this might look better than they ordinarily would. And to be honest, I was quite surprised how good this was. Cherry fruits and garrrigue, a touch of blackberries, stones and earth. There was also a greenness that was not exactly like stalks or green beans, but a vegetative character was noticeable on the nose and on the palate. Good balance, reasonable length with some complexity and a touch of bitterness on the finish. Drink now.
Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $29
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2010
Source : Cellar
Website : Saint Cosme
Posted in $20 to $50, France, Notes, Price, Rhone, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Monday, September 14th, 2009
A Rhone styled wine. I am not sure of the composition, but it tastes like it’s Shiraz dominant, with a touch of Grenache and maybe some Mourvedre. Might be something else in there too. All the usual suspects on the nose, red cherries and mulberries, red liquorice and star anise. The palate showed quite a lot of fruit sweetness, with an engaging meld of plump briary fruits, liquorice and spice. Finished with a touch of white pepper. Juicy fruits and soft tannins, but it has some structure. Very easy to drink, and comes at a tidy price too.
Rated : 88 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 13.7%
Price : $18
Closure : Diam
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : The Wine Emporium
Website : Domaine Lucci
Posted in Adelaide Hills, Australia, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Saturday, September 5th, 2009
I’ve had this 3 times in the past week, and it was initially recommended to me by my father-in-law, who brought a bottle over for dinner in exchange for some roast lamb, three vege, fresh bread rolls and a thrashing at 500. No notes were taken at the time, or subsequently, so this one is off the top of my head. A rich red in colour, with beautiful aromas of plums and spice. The palate is full, with plums and liquorice, spice and a touch of oak, but best of all, without any cheap abrasive characters you would normally see in a $10 wine. Decent length, and good depth of flavour, though not terribly complex. Not particularly chewy or tannic; just plain easy drinking. I left half a bottle on the kitchen bench overnight and it survived the night better than a Labor MP. I suspect it might cellar pretty well. Now, it’s not often I put the phrases “Vintage Cellars” and “good value” in the same sentence, but this is currently $10 per bottle in a dozen buy from this retailer, so don’t be a fool and pay $20, which I believe is the RRP. By the way, the Red Stripe blend is $12 and the Black Label about $23.
Rated : 88 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 14%
Price : $10
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2018
Source : Vintage Cellars
Website : Wynns
Posted in Australia, Coonawarra, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 7 Comments »