21st July 2009

Every now and then, we are lucky enough to do a tasting where most of the wines are good to excellent. I was both suprised and relieved to have this happen with these wines. Any of the wines that scored 17 or more were good. Some might have scored more on another day. Most of the wines tasted much better the next day after getting a bit of air. It is certainly a bit unfair to open and taste the wines within a few minutes, but that is the way it goes.

The Single vineyard wines from Yering Station continue to impress. The Windrush was a real suprise.This is a bargain at under $25 full retail.

The bargain of the year is the CJ Pask Shiraz. Grays online are auctioning off palates of CJ Pask wines and they are going for $10 – $25 per bottle. They usually sell for between $30 and $60.

Of concern was the number of wines with alcohol hitting 15%

The Wines

Yering Station – Smedley Lane Vineyard – Shiraz/Viognier – 2006 (18.5). Opens with clean varietal fruit on the nose and the palate. This wine is all about perfumed fruit and elegance. There is summer berries to close. The finish is long and silky and builds in the mouth. Excellent balance. This is the iron fist in the velvet glove. Took a while to open up, but a real delight and my choice to drink with rare roasted scotch fillet the next night.

Yering Station – Carr C Block – Shiraz/Viognier – 2006 (18+). Closed, but displays some sweet fruit and oak on the nose. This is followed by dense, rich, cool climate fruit. It is grippy and tannic right now, but will soften. There is liquorice and chocolate to close. Well balanced, this needs a few years to settle down. Hides the 15% alcohol well.

Rosemount – Balmoral – Shiraz – 2004 (18). Complex and evolving. Cherries, ripe plum and aniseed dominate the nose. The palate is structured, dense and mouth watering. Long and builds. Mouth coating with fine dusty tannins to close. Fine oak t dominates finish, but this will settle. Riper style with real substance.

Windrush – Shiraz – 2007 (17.7). A real surprise here! Opens a touch earthy, with pepper and liquorice on the nose that follows through on the palate. This wine is earthy, dense and ripe. The fruit is lovely and ripe. There are chalky tannins to close and the oak is well judged. A long, persistent finish. Not the most complex now but will evolve. (Really fleshy the next day. Very good.)

Sandalford – Estate Reserve – Shiraz – 2005 (17.5/17.9). Complex, rich and dense. Black fruits and a touch of forest floor. There is red currant on the palate with fine chalky tannins that shut down the fruit now. Vanillin oak grip noted but fine. Really dense and chewy the next night.

CJ Pask – Gimblett Road – Shiraz -2006 (17.6). Starts of closed and subdued. Demonstrates clear cool climate fruit. The palate starts quite lean and fine, but opens to show bright fruit with some pepper and spice. Supple oak to close. An elegant and refined wine.

Peter Lehman – The Futures – Shiraz – 2006 (17.5+). More of everything here, with real quality fruit and excellent structure. The palate is dense and long with sweet oak to close. This is dense, viscous and mouth coating. Classic Barossa Shiraz.

Hentley Farm – The Beauty – Shiraz – 2006 (17.4). Impressive packaging on this hard to assess wine. Will probably develop very well, but did not show well on the night. Next day – sweet dense and ripe. Ripe but fine finish. Long and silky. Very well made and good quality fruit. 15% alcohol.

Hentley Farm – Shiraz – 2006 – (17.2). Lifted and opens with a touch of earthiness. The palate is clean and fresh, with vibrant red fruits. Raspberries, peppery finish, viscous and mouth coating. Very seductive wine that is good right now. Bring on the pizza (purists might note the alcohol at 15%).

Capel Vale – Mt Barker – Shiraz – 2007 (17.2). Closed, but with fine sweet fruit. White pepper and lifted nose. The palate has sweet fruit that is ripe and a touch angular. Lots of cool climate peppery fruit. Very young but enjoyable over the next 5 years.

KT and the Falcon – Churinga – Shiraz – 2007 (16.9). More robust and richer in style. Some mocha and chocolate fruit. Oak rich and lifted. The palate is dense and layered. Vanillin oak to close. Structured and long. A big wine.