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Overall impressions: this was an amazingly good lineup of wines. First, there was an excellent mix of Shiraz' and Cabs. Second, no "warm-up" wines here -- from the very beginning, it was pedal to the metal fruit-powered Aussies. Finding favorites here was as easy (or as difficult) as sticking a nose in a glass. Without exception, every wine in this flight of mostly 2001 Aussies had a lot to like. Favorites: every last one of them. The entire Clarendon Hills lineup was fabulous, but I especially liked the treatment of the Liandra Vnyd Syrah. Going for elegance over power, winemaker Roman Bratasiuk has struck a fabulous balance of the two. Both Mitolo wines and the Amon Ra were made by Ben Glaetzer, probably best known for his "Bishop" Shiraz. If you're at all fond of his Shiraz, you'll definitely appreciate these. Both Henry's Drive Reserves were excellent; I liked the Cab just a bit better. The Shirvington Cab - well this is a stunner! The nose is from somewhere near heaven, and the only reason it's not on the top of my picks is the slightly reserved mouthfeel. It was really a matter of millimeters. Disappointments: absolutely none. As usual, I've ranked my favorites by preference - ordinarily not a problem. This time was different, because it was difficult to draw the line. What might appear to be a 2nd tier in my preferences, is really no more than an arbitrary split, since they were all jammed together and I had to pick some sort of order. In fact, it's a bloody shame to have to list the MiItolo "Jester" at the bottom of the list, since it's a very nice wine - something in the 88-89 point range. Finally, do the $35-45 tags seem too pricey? Well, considering what comparable California Cab and Syrah is running right now, I'd say definitely not. |
2001 Burge Family The Renoux - Barossa Valley. $28.99. Very dark ruby color. Very jammy nose, with lots of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla and a touch of oak. Jammy as well on the palate, with very nice balance, and long finish. Blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Cab. Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+
2000
Tim Adams Shiraz The Aberfeldy - Clare Valley. $37.99.
Very dark ruby color. Well-oaked nose of blackberry, licorice, and
toast. Off-sweet mouthfeel, the black fruit has a touch of something
bright in flavor - maybe kiwi - with an interesting macerated, and
somewhat floral taste to its long finish. 2001
Possums Vineyard Shiraz - McLaren Vale. $17.99. Very,
very dark ruby color. Advance word on this was good, so I was interested
to check it out. Nose of spicy blackberry, licorice, and sweet waxy
black mustashe (already used the red lips). Thick and chewy, with
loads of licorice and blackberry flavors. The flavors get just a
bit cloying and a little caramelized about mid-to-latter palate,
and finishes toasty and somewhat sweet. 2001
Hazyblur Shiraz - McLaren Vale. $28.99. Very dark ruby color.
Beautiful ripeness to the semi-sweet blackberry and licorice nose.
Huge, initially off-sweet mouthfeel get a bit sweet-sour by mid-palate,
even softening up slightly before the moderately long toasty finish.
2001
Wild Duck Creek Shiraz - Springflat Heathcote. $35.99.
How times have changed. Two or three years ago, this label wouldn't
have made the display floor of most wine stores - so hot was this
winery. Black ruby color. Dense, almost impenetrable nose of blackberry,
stone fruits, licorice, road tar and toast. Very chewy mouthfeel,
lots of macerated fresh fruit, sweet-sour taste throughout, with
a very long fruit-driven finish. In Pennzoil terms, this is a 50w
effort. 2001
Cape d'Estaing Shiraz - Kangaroo Island. $35.99. Black
ruby color. Dense and tarry nose of licorice, crushed rose petals,
blackberry, flint and minerals. Delicious blackberry and licorice
flavors, thick and chewy mouthfeel, with ample oak wandering in
and out during long finish. 2000
Greenock Creek Shiraz Alices' - Barossa Valley. $44.99.
Very dark ruby color. Ahh, Barossa. Effusive nose of smoky dark
fruits, road tar, licorice, and a hint of peach. Smoky, rich and
very tasty, toasty and swet on the palate, with a smooth seductive
mouthfeel, and long toasty finish. The Alices' vines were
re-grafted from Chardonnay. That's music to my ears. 2001
Killibinbin Cabernet Sauvignon - Langhorne Creek. $18.99. Medium
dark ruby color. Nose of sweet cassis, charred toast and little
fresh bread. Jammy off-sweet chunky fruit, very good balance, long
well-oaked finish. Excellent under-$20 Cab. 2001
Barton Vale Shiraz The Changeling - Eden Valley. $32.99.
Very dark ruby color. Nose of spicy black and red fruit, shoe polish,
and a hint of floral aromas. Very fruity mouthfeel, with a spicy
almost apple-cinnamon center, nice balance, and a very modest dose
of oak in the long slightly bitter finish. Re-grafted from Gewurtztraminer
vines. Apparently, every vine must do its bit for Shiraz. 2001
Mitolo Shiraz Jester - McLaren Vale . $17.99. Dark ruby
garnet color. Sweet, smoky and toasty - in fact, very toasty nose.
Tasty mouthfeel, with some obvious oak complimenting the blackberry,
tar and licorice flavors. Long licorice-infused finish. Oh, this
one's got a Screw Cap, too. 2001
Mitolo Shiraz Savitar - McLaren Vale . $44.99.
Very dark ruby color. Well, this was certainly a step up from Mitolo's
Jester. Lovely complex nose of toasty fruit, licorice, tar,
lots of floral components, and a touch of bacon. Sweet, slightly
stemmy mouthfeel, with delicious dark fruit and toast melding with
the tarry-licorice flavors. |
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2001
Amon Ra Shiraz - Barossa Valley. $39.99.
Very dark ruby garnet color. The nose is filled with rose petals,
raspberry, blackberry, and licorice - very intoxicating. Quite smooth
and round on the palate, with almost CdP-like flavor and texture,
very toasty throughout, with a long seamless fruit-driven finish.
Made by Ben Glaetzer with fruit from the Ebenezer vineyard. This
one IS more about elegance than power. 2001
Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - Sandown Vnyd. $35.99.
Very dark ruby color. Beautiful toasted cassis nose, with just a
hint of herbs. Smooth and sweet mouthfeel, with nice crunchy red
fruit, and a long toasty finish with just a bit of oak bite. Delicious
aftertaste. 2001
Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vine - Clarendon Vnyd. $32.99.
Medium dark ruby garnet color. Sweet and succulent nose, with just
a bit of stems poking through the raspberry veil. Smooth and sinewy
texture, very tasty flavor - like raspberry pie crust, with a long
delicious finish.
2001
Henry's Drive Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Padthaway. $36.99.
Very dark ruby color. Nose of slightly sweet and smoky cassis, with
a touch of licorice, tar, and shoe polish. Sweet mouthfeel, really
lip-smacking fruit and flavor, very long toasty finish. 2001
Shirvington Cabernet Sauvignon - McLaren Vale. $39.99. My 1st
comment: Whew, that's dark. My 2nd comment (after lifting my nose
from the glass): I must have this wine. Black ruby in color.
Huge, fat, rich nose of dark fruit, licorice, tar, and vanilla.
Big and dense on the palate, with a monolithic core of sweet fruit.
Obviously chewy, this is may require a knife and fork for consumption. 2001
Henry's Drive Shiraz Reserve - Padthaway. $36.99. Very
ruby color. Nose of toasty blackberry, with floral and stone fruit
aromas. Fabulous toasty, smoky, and fruity taste, with lots of licorice
and blackberry through the very long finish. NV
R.L. Buller & Son Fine Tokay - Rutherglen. $11.99. Medium
amber-garnet color. Nose of pecan pie and praline. Sweet tasty nutmeats
and brown sugar. Slight heat on finish. |
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2001
Clonakilla Shiraz-Viognier - Canberra District. $31.99. Very
dark ruby color. Wow! Nose of wild flowers mingled with perfumed
blackberry and sage, very much influenced by the 7% Viognier. Off-sweet
jammy mouthfeel, lots of blackberry fruit, accented with a little
stemmy nectarine. 
2001
Clarendon Hills Syrah - Liandra Vnyd. $39.99. Dark garnet color.
So, why is this Syrah, instead of Shiraz? Apparently
the winemaker wanted to do Syrah in the French style (winemaking,
cooperage), but with Australian fruit. Works for me. Nose of blackberry,
bacon, tar, toasted herbs and hard wood. A bit reserved on the palate
- almost monolithic, but all the toast, tar, and fruit seem very
seamless, and the sweet flavors last through the very long finish.|
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© 1993 - 2004, Eric Anderson - All rights reserved |