A strong vintage for Shiraz in the Adelaide Hills, and when you add in to the equation the Shaw & Smith team you end up with a quite fantastic example of cool climate Shiraz. Touches of cassis, damson and blackberry; flecks of pepper and pan juices herald the wine's introduction. Cooler climate - a wine like this would normally have the marketing team running to embrace the 'Syrah' moniker - here the wine is squarely medium-bodied, exquisitely grained tannin: fine, tight and yet at the same time also generous. A delight. 94 Tasted on: Thursday 22nd May, a Flower Day Source: Noosa International Food and Wine Show Price: 5 tokens ($44 online via winery) Alcohol: 13.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.shawandsmith.com/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
Bearing similarities in profile to its bigger brother, the 'Over the Top' Shiraz, by virtue of choc-plum. The path becomes a little divergent with the presence of some red fruit that pops up its head. This is on the face of it, a sweeter wine with red and black fruit present, lighter in feel, drying fine-grained tannin and even a touched of grilled meat. Finishes with black fruit, flashes of violet, smooth and easy going in nature. One for now, now harm will be done with up to 6-7 years in the cellar. 90-91 Tasted on: Wednesday 21st May, a Root transitioning to Flower day Source: Sample Price: $22 Alcohol: 14.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.pertaringa.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
The biggest surprise with this wine was the choice of closure, it's not so often these days that you find an Aussie wine under cork. That aside: choc-plum-hazelnut oak; a big, bold and rich wine - but not brutish. Red and black fruits abound on entry, we catch glimpse of a little acid balanced against spice by way of pepper and anis. Tannin is gorgeously fine-grained, backed up by a little toasty oak bitterness and a suggestion of citrus oil. Depth and intensity of flavour, carries its weight well - I wish I could say the same. 93 Tasted on: 20th May Source: Sample Price: $40 Alcohol: 15% Closure: DIAM Website: http://www.pertaringa.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
Impenetrable darkness in glass; sweet oak, black fruit and black forest jam against a wet clay/ earthen note. Mid-weight, black fruit on the palate: cassis, mulberry - balanced, but fruit and palate length somewhat at odds against both the price and what one might expect from the 'darkness'. 89 Tasted on: Monday 19th May, a Fruit to Root day Source: Sample Price: $35 Alcohol: 13.7% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.lowewine.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
It's a mark of the quality of the Chapel Hill portfolio that I expected a little more from this wine. Dark impenetrable core, a vibrant rim, aromatic introduction of blue fruits, chocolate and florals. Tart fruit on entry, a little nippy acid to follow, earth and spice - feels like there is a little something missing from the middle for me - fruit represents itself towards the back palate. Decent-ish length. You'll be a happy consumer at $16. 88 Tasted on: Wednesday 14th May, a Flower Day Source: Sample Price: $16 Alcohol: 14.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.chapelhillwine.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
I'm a little unsure how a $20 Shiraz comes to market as a four year old. Regardless, savoury on opening, suggestive of whole bunch - 20% inclusion of stems - cassis, bramble/briar. Peppery, hints of charred meat, violets. Seems quite closed, flashes of eucalypt; good savoury body - fruit appears somewhat lacking. Medium bodied, fine grain tannin, good length but somewhat lacking in cohesion and presence to be considered 'better' - however one approaches such a qualitative assessment. 89 Tasted on: Sunday 11th May, a Root Day Source: Sample Price: $20 Alcohol: 13% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.toolangi.com/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
The next installation from the David Bowley curated Urban Winery Project, and as Bowley puts it: "hundreds of people have helped foot stomp, basket press and tranfer this wine to oak for maturation, tasting it along the way. Now complete, a wine by the people, for the people". Quite possibly one of the most drinkable wines I have come across. A curious mix of Aglianico, Shiraz, Barbera, Graciano, Sangiovese and Pinot Noir - it opens with an eclectic mix of strawberry, raspberry, Mediterranean herbs before segueing to a little black olive - exhibiting savoury depth juxtaposed against a juicy personality. Schizophrenic in some respects, on entry it reveals itself to soft and spicy: juicy, gummy, touches of whole berry/ carbonic effects; a little bucolic on the middle - licorice, touches of woody tannin, cinnamon sticks with fresh and more-ish acid. Whether I've called this correctly is in many regards neither here nor there. There is so much going on that I would hazard we'd all see this differently. 91 - a bloody drinkable proposition but probably lacks formal structure and the true length that would be sought to make it a higher scorer.
Tasted on: 23rd April, a Root Day Source: Winery Purchase Price: $25 Alcohol: 14% Closure: Cork Website: http://www.vinteloper.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
I'm reminded of Debussy's "La fille aux cheveux de lin" (girl with the flaxen hair) when taking in this wine in glass. A composed wine of delicate honey, honeysuckle and suggestions of citrus rind. Beautifully composed mid-weight and mid-texture, a suggestion of minerality where the intensity of the wine builds. Honeyed, a gentle pinch of phenolics and a creamy-richness following through with a cascading length. Sublime. 92
Tasted on: Monday 19th May, Fruit to Root day Source: Retail, Cru Bar & Cellar Price: $25 Alcohol: 13.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.yangarra.com/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
Attractively packaged releases from Hither & Yon, a new-ish label to market but the Leask family is certainly not new to wine. Delightful black cherry in colour. Reels you in from the off with raspberry, cherry skin, a touch of earth and a ferrous streak. Light on its feet, raspberry followed by tart cranberry; smooth and juicy, tang and tart - so approachable. Get into it - you won't be disappointed. 89 Tasted on: Friday 25th April, a Flower day Source: Retail, Grand Central Cellars Price: $20 Alcohol: 12.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.hitherandyon.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
A lovely liquid amber in the glass, the concentrated flavours in this wine are the result of rack-drying for 5 weeks. Treacly, dried straw, apricot, honey and dried citrus rind. It's thick and lavish in feel. Apricots, dried stonefruit, golden syrup qualities here. Length is a little on the slow burn, creeping up on you. A delightful dessert style, I paired this with a citrus and chocolate cake with a little creme anglaise poured over. Apricot tart or panacotta would be another good option - you'd want the sugar cranked up to at least nine to handle the wine. 91 Tasted on: Saturday 19th April, a Leaf Day Source: Retail, Craft Red Hill Price: $34 Alcohol: 10.5% Closure: Screwcap Website: http://www.barambah.com.au/ Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
