Tag Archives: shiraz

Jim Barry ‘The Barry Bros’ 2015, Clare Valley, Australia

30 Thursday Jul 2020

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I was super excited to see this wine for sale being a huge fan of their Shiraz lineup.  This one is more on the budget side and includes a dollop (31%) of Cabernet Sauvignon and a hint(4%) of Malbec- here goes.

Dark purple, opaque but not showing legs in the glass.  The nose is briary with some poached plums, a touch of charred wood and coffee bean.  The palate is very rich with black fruits, cedar box, leather and espresso.  There is a hint of tannins, but loads of acidity.  Very tart on the mid palate but refreshing.  I start to get sour blueberry as well as the black fruit compote, leading to a bit of mouth watering.  A very interesting melange of flavors and mouthfeel.  The finish is medium length, tasty and really juicy. The black fruit theme continues as does that charred note.  It’s a very fruit forward wine meant to enjoyed in the short term.  It’s no Armagh or MacRae Wood- but it has evidence of deft winemaking and decent fruit.  Enjoy till 2023 with grilled steaks.  89 points from me and 5 stars for this $15 effort.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills Piggott Range Syrah 2010, McLaren Vale, Australia

18 Thursday Jun 2020

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I love this winery, they make very Old World style Syrah in Australia that is very rich, extracted but not jammy.  This one happens to be a younger version of the 2006 Syrah.

It’s very inky and opaque in the glass.  The nose is brooding, and the 14.5% alcohol is evident.  Black plums, dark fruit melange and spicy oak are all present.  With a good deal more swirling I get violets, Boysenberry and a charred note.  On the palate it is very juicy right off the bat.  Figs, blackberry and espresso hit my palate alongside some slightly green tannins and a nice acidic cut.  The mid palate is quite focused on that tartness alongside a blueberry meets plum note.  Tannins take a step back while the acidity plays lead.  The finish is long, mouthwatering and modestly dry.  Black fruits dominate the back end with some Mocha, licorice and that burnt wood note.  I think I preferred the 2006, but this is a very tasty wine that I feel is acid dominated and slightly off balance.  Drink till 2026.  For $100, it’s quite pricy which gets 92 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

Kaesler The Bogan Shiraz 2017, Barossa Valley, Australia

04 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Bright purple in the glass.  The nose is smoky, laden with iodine and laced with blackcurrant jam.  The palate is austere with a minerality starting us off.  It opens up to the rich black fruits, and very lithe tannins.  The wine is tasty once that austere punch fades, it’s a bit off-putting.  The mid palate has nice cedar and black currant notes alongside some well integrated acidity.  The finish is more black fruit that transitions to an oaky, tasty, mineral driven note.  I kinda like it.  I’m going to reserve a point for the austerity that hits at the beginning with a recommendation to cellar this one for a year or two and perhaps decant it.  89 points, which shocks me for this $45 wine.  2 stars unfortunately.  Salut….

Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2017, Grampians, Australia

24 Friday Jan 2020

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Bright purple.  On the nose I get blueberry, vanilla, wafers and sweet oak.  On the palate it is fresh, with gobs of sour cherry, rhubarb and blueberry.  There is a nice tannic bite that starts off gently and reaches a decent level of dryness without being overly astringent.  The sour cherry component really takes charge on the midpalate and the acidity peaks.  The finish is quite sour yet refreshing.  The oak has long disappeared, the ending being red fruits galore with rooibos tea and crunchy tannins.  It’s a decent wine that is a touch out of balance with the heavy handed acidity.  It may smooth out after a while.  88 points and 3 stars- $18.  Salut….

Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz 2010 (2020 tasting), Barossa Valley, Australia

24 Friday Jan 2020

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If you look at my previous reviews of this amazing Bella’s Garden, you will see some differences, and some similarities over the years.  This wine has evolved beautifully and the fact that I picked up extras is awesome, for me!

Nearly black in the glass and somewhat surprising with it’s lack of legs considering the monster 15.5% alcohol. On the nose it’s very rich with dark plums, black berries, cinnamon stick.  The palate is lush, rich, layered and delightful.  Dark fruits meld with extremely well integrated tannins, deft oak and syrupy cassis.  The mid palate is gorgeous, bright dashes of those black fruits with a great mouthfeel which balances the tannins with a touch of acidity.  This wine is young at 9 years.  Primal fruit is still in full force with a great structure which will assure a long cellaring potential and the possibility of tertiary flavors evolving.  The finish is long, filled with blackberry reduction and black tea.  There’s a nice hint of vanilla on the back end.  Great wine.  95 points. 5 stars for this $75 jewel.  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2015, Clare Valley, Australia

18 Wednesday Dec 2019

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To say I am excited about today’s tasting would be an understatement.  Many years ago, I discovered this Shiraz in a wine shop in Anchorage, Alaska.  The local restaurant also carried it so it was easy to avail myself of this heady Shiraz, the little brother to the iconic Armagh.  I have searched high and low for over 10 years, until today.  Nestled into a corner of the local wine shop in Hong Kong were 5 bottles.  I’m trying this one out and will return for the others if it works out.  Here goes….

It has changed with the absence of a cork, replaced with the ease of a screw cap.  Fully opaque, dark and brooding…  Like I remember.  The nose offers up sweet damson,  charred oak, plums and lilac.  I get a little blackberry jam note as well.  The palate is as I remember- rich, deep, layered and chock full of flavors.  It’s a lighter, less jammy version of the older ones which makes it a bit fresher and easier to drink.  Blackberries, delicious oak, blueberry pie and vanilla all swirl around the palate.  There is a very gradual introduction to the tannins, which are super fine grained and not very obtrusive.  This wine has a very lush mouthfeel, it coats my gums and palate with delicious dark fruits from the front to the back.  The astringency is well in check and there is a touch of acidity that keeps it fresh.  This wine is a pleasure to drink, I am loving it.  I would imagine it would pair beautifully with Filet and Bearnaise, or you can just sip it alone like I am.  93 points from me for this $38 effort that gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz/Mataro 2017, South Australia

21 Wednesday Aug 2019

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Mataro is also known as Mourvedre apparently….  Very dark and enticing purple in the glass.  On the nose there is lush blackberry, currant, oak.  On the palate it is straight up delicious.  Loads of black fruit, entwined with cloves, bramble and very subtle tannins.  The mouthfeel of this wine is phenomenal, very balanced and not overly dry nor acidic.  The mid palate shows off some sage brush alongside iodine with the friendly tannins running as well.  On the finish it starts to dry up a touch as the grip of the tannins kicks it up just a small notch.  Blackberry, Lapsang Souchong tea and that earthy brush are the main components of the medium length finish.  This is a really nice drop to drink now or cellar till 2027. 92 points and 5 stars for this $20 wine.  Salut….

Two Hands Wines Angel’s Share Shiraz 2016, McLaren Vale, Australia

26 Saturday Jan 2019

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Very dark in the glass.  Nose of black jam, eucalyptus and charcoal.  On the palate there’s a rich warm black currant note with lithe tannins and a fruitcake hint.  The mid palate is very smooth with a tannic bite that kicks in. The finish is gentler, mid length and chock full of black jam, cedar and a touch of vanilla bean.  91 points and 4 stars for this $29 effort.   Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2016, Coonawarra, Australia

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

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Really dark purple, extruded looking.  The nose is of lush ripe plums, black cherry and cinnamon stick.  On the palate I get a very smooth intro of black currant preserves, black cherry extract and the beginnings of a dose of mouth coating tannins.  The mid palate is heavy with the black fruits and tannins.  They coat the teeth, the gums.  Rooibos tea is the balancing flavor here.  Everything else is dark and brooding.  The mouthfeel is great, if you like a dry wine.  It is not overly tannic, but will most definitely get your attention.  The finish is of medium length and focuses on the black currant preserves I got at the outset.  Overall a decent drop that gets 89 points from me and would do well with hearty game, roasted meats and even Bolognese.  $15 and 3 stars.  Salut….

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2013, Barossa, Australia

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Wow…. super dark and brooding.  I get nice, rich blackberry notes with coffee bean and vanilla extract on the nose.  The initial palate is thick with black fruit preserves, finely integrated tannins, chocolate powder and an oak hint.  The mid palate continues the theme but the tannins start to build.  By the finish my mouth is coated with caressing dryness and a blackberry meets tar note.  Intriguing.  I think this wine will open up with decanting and develop somewhat in the glass.  It is young and the potential for it to gain tertiary flavors is definitely there.  I would cellar for another 2-3 years and pair it with roast lamb all day long.  Delicious, powerful, well made and worthy of 92 points.  For $36 it is not an everyday wine, but it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….