Tag Archives: aussie shiraz

Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz 2014, Barossa Valley, Australia

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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Very brooding and dark purple in the glass- promising some heady, extracted juice.  The nose is full on dark plums, blackberries and cedar plank.  The initial palate is straight up blueberry pie meets blackberry jam.  Very viscous in the mouthfeel and very smooth.  The wine glides past the mid palate with hints of plum ganache and mocha and a touch of acidity.  I had to wait until the finish to get a glimmer of the fine grained tannins that hold this package together.  I believe this wine is drinking great now and has a few years of cellaring available, say till 2022.  I would pair it with Strip steaks, perhaps a peppercorn sauce based meat or even corned beef.  The acidity and tannic structure seem ideal for casual drinking and lighter fare, not something too heavy or fatty.  It really is tasty.  90 points.  I paid $15 and would do it again for this 4 star effort.  Salut…

kessler stone horse shiraz

Schild Estate Barossa Shiraz 2014, Barossa, Australia

13 Monday Mar 2017

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It was Moxie’s 50th birthday last week so we have been celebrating all month.  Her mother took us out for a really nice dinner last night.  The very first wine listed was the Schild Shiraz 2014.  It was priced right at $30, which is not even double retail, so I took the plunge and ordered it even though the mother-in-law was footing the bill.  I just had to try it.  You see, I have been chasing this elusive wine for a few years now.  Back in 2010 I read a stunning review of their ’08 Shiraz, it got 94 points from WS.  I was dying to try it.  I then read another, more damning article a year later that put me off-  they had ‘made more’  when they ran low.  I was stunned and saddened.  Yep, read it here.  http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/44637

Anyway, I am over it now and the mere sighting of this wine was my nod to go for it.  If you look at their earlier vintages, there were a string of 92-94 point years, followed by a slight decline.  This wine unfortunately was not in that realm of quality.

Dark purple hues.  Nose of black berries, leather and earth.  On the palate I get more dark berries, some coffee, chocolate dust and a touch of oak.  The mid palate has more dark fruits and a sinewy set of tannins. The finish is quite long and dry with the tannins really kicking in.  There is an austerity I cannot put my finger on which detracts from an otherwise very pleasant wine.  I drank it with braised Lamb Shank.  89 points and 3 stars for this $16 (retail) effort.  In hindsight, I am glad I came across this wine and look forward to future vintages that perhaps will reinstate it to a level it is capable of.  Salut….

schild shiraz

Torbreck The Steading 2003

05 Sunday Feb 2017

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I have been sitting on this one for a long time.  While setting up to cook some Steak au Poivre I decided I needed a heady Australian to accompany us, this one happened to be next in line in my kitchen chiller.  Unfortunately the cork crumbled so I had to decant it through a wire mesh to filter out the bits.

At first glance, the wine has a certain amount of bricking and is not very clear.  Age will do this to a wine, I hope it is still okay.  The first whiff is incredible, very Bordeaux-like.  Cassis, leather, plum and spicebox.  I am intrigued as to what it beholds. Remember, this bottle is 13 years old…

Amazing, smooth, calculating.  This wine is gorgeous!   Plum, pepper, tobacco, a touch of oak and some violet.  The mid palate is svelte, with extremely tight tannins swirling around the precise acidity, coupled with nuances of blueberry pie and more leather.  The finish is great, mid length and a continuation of the story.  This wine is drinking beautifully.   A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mataro and 20% Shiraz, it combines the finesse of a Rhone wine with the power of Aussie fruit.  Beware the well hidden 14.5% Alcohol, which has probably been a key to why this wine has held together so well and been able to develop tertiary flavors.  A gem.  95 points from me and I wish I had more.  The critics were mixed about this wine on release, ranging from 89 to 93 points.  Just goes to show you what a little time in a dark, cool room will do.  I found it online for $50, well worth it for a big occasion.  5 stars from me, Salut….

torbreck the steading

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2011 revisited

03 Saturday Dec 2016

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I’m a huge fan of this winery and am working my way through their offerings and revisiting some that I have had a chance to cellar.  I keep a stash of wines in my locker at ‘work’.  Those of you that know me will realize that my locker is half way around the world from home, but I have some gems in there that have been sitting patiently in near perfect conditions- 60 F, humid and dark.  I met up with a mate from downunda, whom we shall call Mr. Rangley and I pulled this one out for a tasting.  The last time I drank the 2011 Blue Eyed Boy it was delicious so I was really looking forward to it.

Blueberry nose with plum ganache- delicious.  On the palate is a thick, long blueberry note with dark chocolate and graphite.  The mid palate involves a full blown explosion of more blue fruits, vanilla bean and rolling tannins.  I detect some heat which makes sense as this one packs 16% alcohol.  The finish is long and full of blueberry pie, 92 points all day long.  I did not notice too much evolution over the past three years which is interesting.  I’m not sure where this wine is going over its life span but it is built for the long haul and may yet develop nuances of age and secondary flavors.  If it doesn’t that is fine too – a unique tasting Shiraz that is well made and a treat.  5 stars at $40.  Drink all by itself for the ultimate experience of this wine but if you must pair it- Filet Mignon with Bearnaise sauce and some asparagus will do the trick.  Salut….

blue eyed boy shiraz

 

 

 

First Drop Mothers Milk Shiraz Barossa 2014

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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I have tasted the 2010 Mothers Milk before and really enjoyed it, so much so that I have been on the lookout ever since.  Moxie and I were in New Jersey this past weekend and I took the opportunity to visit The Wine Library, a wine store I have shopped from online and have been following for some time.  They used to have a great podcast on wine tastings and they started http://cinderellawine.com.

I was super excited to revisit this wine.  On the nose- cherry and blackberry with red licorice.  On the initial attack there is raspberry coulis and black cherry juice flavors.  Really slight tannins open up after a while on the mid palate through to the finish, where I’m getting sour cherry from the acid.  Easy to drink and delightful, this wine is not complex but offers a balanced mouthfeel and hides the 14.5% alcohol beautifully.  This is an easy wine to quaff but would pair nicely with pizza, grilled lamb chops or a hearty winter stew.  89 points and 4 stars for this $13 effort.  Salut…

first drop mothers milk 2014

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2010, Yarra Valley Australia

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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I got an email recently advertising this wine at a crazy good price, under $10 for a 90+point wine.  I was intrigued and bought a few bottles.

A nice purple that did not quite show over the top extraction that presented a nose of baked plums, blackcurrants and vanilla. The initial taste is somewhat expected with respect to my comment about extraction. This wine is far more subtle and refined compared to some of the more bombastic Aussie Shiraz’s I have tasted. It does come with a price though, 14.5% alcohol that just slips by unnoticed. The flavors are delicious, with blue fruits, a hint of pepper and violets. Tannins still lurk in the background and give the wine a nice crunch.  The acidity is ever so slight and does not overpower. The mid palate is where this wine shines, the fruit is very much alive and the mouthfeel hits its pinnacle. The finish is decent in length and gives a nice tannic coating that does not overpower. Overall a delicious wine that I am having with homemade pizza baked in the Big Green Egg.  89 points and 4 stars based on it’s normal retail of $16. Drink now- 2020.  Salut….

bering station shiraz viognier yarra valley

Sigston Swift Tatachilla Block Reserve Shiraz 2011, McLaren Vale

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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This was the second Sigston Swift bottle at our tasting, the other being the Aunt Prissy Tempranillo.  This Reserve Shiraz has a bit of bottle age on it and is drinking well.  A nice purple color that leaves a sexy set of legs on the glass and introduces you to a nose of gorgeous black and blue currants. I’m missing the telltale white pepper notes associated with Mclaren Vale Shiraz, but they are replaced with some vanilla that I’m really liking. On the initial attack I get black berry torte, some blueberry pie and a touch of cinnamon. Mid palate wise it just flows on from the front end. The wine finishes with perfume, some slight tannins and black cherries. I think this wine is worthy of 87 points and 3 stars for its $15 price point.  Drink now-2018.  Salut….

sigston swift tatachilla block reserve shiraz

Two Hands ‘Bella’s Garden’ Barossa Shiraz 2010

30 Thursday Jun 2016

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A few posts ago I wrote about buying up wines from a shop that was closing.  I picked up two bottles of this delicious, heady Shiraz and sat on them for a few years.  Turns out my timing was just about right.

Nearly black in the glass and super brooding. A nose of plum jam and hoisin with a baconny hint as well. The first sip reveals gorgeous plum reduction, violets and rich, thick blueberry pie. This wine is full on, with layers of extraction and polish. To say it is meaty is an understatement. The alcohol (15.5%) becomes evident in the mid palate, as well as the acidity. It refreshes where the tannins left off. A telltale Shiraz hint of pepper and some tar come out eventually.  The finish is somewhat abrupt after a decent length of time but leaves some tannic residue on the gums. This wine begs for a Sunday roast, Lamb or beef- with horseradish. It is a fall or winter wine that will reward more cellaring but is hitting all the notes right now. Drink from now until 2026. 93 points from me but the pro’s went higher at 95.  My only concern is the undeniable hit of heat on the mid palate.  If you can still find it they cost $75 at retail making this a serious 4 star contender.  Glad I have one left!  Salut….

two hands bella's garden barossa shiraz

Tahbilk Shiraz 2010

27 Saturday Feb 2016

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This is bottle number 2. Number 1 was opened last night and I was too tired to take notes. It mellowed out tremendously after 24 hours. Meanwhile, back at the tasting table……
Full frontal assault on the nose and palate. Hints of spice, white pepper and rich plum pudding hit the nose right off the bat. The first taste is exotic, purple everything….. Plums, violets, dark blueberries and some blackberry. The spiciness is intriguing. Medium grade tannins follow through into a mid palate of red raspberry and blueberry jam. They continue all the way to the end where they balance out with the acidity. A decent length finish make this an all-around delicious wine. With shipping I paid just under $13 per bottle. 5 stars as this wine rates 91 in my books and sits on top of my 2016 best buys. WS gave this Aussie gem 90 points and it normally retails for $23, still a great deal!  Salut….

tahbilk shiraz

Dominique Portet Heathcote Shiraz 2008

10 Tuesday Feb 2015

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I bought this wine on spec for $40, pretty pricey I know- but one of the pro’s gave it 95 points.  Upon opening the bottle I noticed the cork was nearly black with stain.  Pouring the wine into the glass I could already smell it.  5 minutes of letting it just sit there and I can sense plums, lavender and blackberry jam.  I have not even sniffed it yet, this is going to be a powerhouse.

I was right.  This wine has a huge nose- black fruits, cinnamon, oak, fennel.  The wine is very dark with dark legs sliding down the glass showing off it’s 14.5% alcohol.  The first sip is pretty big.  Loads of black berry, with striking tannins and a touch of heat.  I am going to let this wine sit for a few minutes.

It is a brooding beast, I may run it through an aerator as the wine seems to be stuck, not showing off it’s fruit properly and displaying too much tannic bite with a slight overdose of the wood.

I was right, it needed some air.  The tannins have smoothed, the balance is good and the fruit has shone through, all is right with the world.  Blackberry coulis dominates with spice box and cedar.  The finish is rather long, me likes.  The wine is not an everyday drinker, probably better suited to a big roast leg of lamb with all the fixings.  It rated 95 with one pro and 88 with another.  I must say it is a baffling decision, but 90 points is where I see it and that makes it a 3 star wine in my books.  It already has 6 years of bottle age but will last until 2022 in my opinion.  Salut….dominiqu portet heathcote shiraz