Tag Archives: australia

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

Sigston Swift Aunt Prissy Tempranillo 2014, McLaren Vale

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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A friend brought this to the tasting, and I was impressed.  I was not expecting a Tempranillo from Australia, nor one that was this delicious.

Dark purple, with lots of extraction.  A full on nose of black currants, a hint of earth/dust and possibly some eucalyptus. A super smooth intro of Ribena, black olive and spice on the palate.  The tannins are very integrated and there is a nice touch of acidity.  The mid palate gives black fruit and an interesting note of bell peppers.  This wine drinks well now and will drink nicely all by itself or perhaps with some charcuterie.  It may have some cellaring capacity but the structure calls for pop-n-pour.  It closes with a sour cherry note and a mid length finish that I enjoyed.  I’m not sure if much oak influenced this wine but the relatively low 13% alcohol makes it a treat to drink.  I really like this wine and look forward to it becoming more widely available.  A very respectable 88 points from me and 4 stars for its $15 price point.  Salut….

sigston swift aunt prissy tempranillo

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

Clairault Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2012

18 Sunday Oct 2015

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A Margaret River presentation with very dark purple appearance in the glass and a nose of ginger, plum, clove and vanilla. On the palate, youthful and bursting with blue fruits and plums. The mid palate shows off some wood notes and much more meaty plums. Mid range tannins and a very slight acidity make it an easy drinker right off the bat. $12, 88 points and 3 stars.  Salut….

clairault cabernet sauvignon merlot

Corymbia 2013

07 Friday Aug 2015

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I am always in search of the unique, the different.  This wine is one of those that I would classify as such.  Not yet available in the US market, I happen to know ‘a guy’ and got to try some.  Start with the label, which is a graphical display of the sunshine and rainfall on the property for the whole year…. who thinks this stuff up?  Brilliant.  The blend itself is quite intriguing.  85% Tempranillo co-fermented with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Swan Valley in Australia.  Atypical for Tempranillo it reminds me of Burgundy in its softness, melded tannins and mouthfeel. The flavor profile is much more new world though with a nose of plums and blueberry. Carbonic maceration gives it a fruit forward approach on the initial attack much like the Gamay wines of Beaujolais. Loads of blue fruit and some gentle acidity combine with the melded tannins to give a nice mouthfeel. The back end is where I get some firmer tannins and a decent finish. 88 points from me. Aus $35, U.S. $25, 3 stars.  A treat if you can find it because it allows for the broadening of the palate.  Truly unique, it drinks well as an aperitif but would go really well with some charcuterie, perhaps some hard cheese. 2015-2018.  Salut….

corymbia wine

 

Deakin Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Series 2013

07 Friday Aug 2015

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Nice purple color. Nose of black currants, cinnamon and elderberries.  Initially some slight tannins and a good presentation of dark berries and brush. Some earthy elements come across in the mid palate. A very basic wine that provides enjoyment and will drink well with barbecue, roast game and pizza. Nice acidity counters the gentle tannins and it leaves you with a nice mouthfeel. 87 points. 2015-2017.  I paid $11 making it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

deakin estate cabernet sauvignon

Clarendon Hills Blewitt Springs Grenache 2007

26 Monday Jan 2015

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As you may know I am a huge fan of the Clarendon Hills winery.  They make smooth, polished, refined wines that ooze class and refinement.  This one was no exception to the formula.  Starting with pencil lead, blueberry and oregano on the nose followed by a fresh and bright intro with young tannins that coat the mouth. Blueberry, plum and a dash of pepper make for interesting notes on the palate while star anise on the finish really pops out.  This is a very young wine that has not filled out yet. 2017-2025 would be a better window unless you like a tannic monster for a juicy steak. 92 points now but the potential to go up in my opinion.  This wine is extracted and precise.   Priced originaly at $75, it’s most likely a Sunday roast wine rather than an everyday drinker.  4 stars. Salut….

Ps. I noticed that it had a double back label.  Someone has very precisely laid the label on top of the original.  I wonder if that was a labeling issue or if they needed to change it for import reasons.  I tried to slice it off but the sticker merely tore in my hands, intriguing.

clarendon hills blowout springs grenache

Elderton High Altitude Barossa Shiraz 2012

21 Tuesday Oct 2014

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I have never seen this wine in the local mart where I shop occasionally so naturally I was obliged to try it having gone through most of the other offerings! This wine comes from the higher elevations of the Eden Valley and had a beautiful dark purple complexion. On the nose- black currants, plum and some tar, yummy. First impression, very smooth. Extremely smooth with fine grained tannins and a hint of juicy acidity. More black fruits and plums shine through as do some blueberries on the mid palate. Some earth and game come up later as do some herbs. A nice, medium finish caps off this excellent wine. I would drink this alone or with some lighter fare such as roast chicken, veal scallopini or maybe a cream based pasta dish. The fine structure will hold this wine until 2018 but it is drinking beautifully now. I can’t believe I never saw it before. I’m off to buy more of this 91 point, $11 wine that surely gets 5 stars from me. After yesterday’s abysmal wines it is so great to hit a home run! Salut….

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