30th August 2009

As I have mentioned before, the “Last Sunday” tasting group that I belong to provides a real highlight each month. The quality of the wines is usually superb, and the members are great value.

Terry James hosted the August tasting and our theme was non South Australian shiraz. This is a very broad topic, and saw a diverse range of wines. One wine that appeared several times from various vintages was the Peel Estate. This is a wine that can look awkward and clunky when young, but this tasting highlighted that these wines age superbly.

Unfortunately, this tasting was on the same day as the City to Surf Marathon, and I was still not thinking very clearly by the time the tasting started. Take my comments and marks with a grain of salt. The results could have been much worse if it was not for Terry’s excellent hearty cooking. Great work!

Tasted

Jaboulet – La Chappelle – 1998 (18.5). This is seriously good. There are plums, prunes, spice and licorice. The plums and licorice continue on the complex palate. Silky tannins with some developed characters frame the finish. Superb wine.

Peel Estate – Shiraz – 1994 (18.5). Superb fruit and great structure. Dense and ripe, with liquorice notes. The palate is long, powerful, silky, refined and tight. Great length and intensity.

Bailey’s – 1920’s Block – Shiraz -1996 (18). Lovely lifted fruit with savoury notes. Still tight. The palate is grippy, long and structured with spice and anise. Excellent balance.

Castagne – Genesis – Shiraz – 2001 (18). Warm and generous. Spice and licorice. The palate is big and textured with extracted developed characters. A touch of VA adds complexity. Meaty wine.

Mathilde et Yves Gangloff – Cote Rotie – 1998 (18). Focused, ripe and complex. Cedary oak still apparent. Ripe cool climate fruit to the fore with black current, camphor, cedar and some meaty characters. Viognier adds lift.

Murdoch James – Saleyard – Syrah – 2006 (18). Dense, ripe and full of licorice, spice and cedar oak influences. White pepper, red currant and cherries too. The palate has superb structure and length, but the oak dominates the finish right now.

Peel Estate – Shiraz – 2000 (18). Remarkably elegant and fine. Cooler red fruits to open, with a touch of menthol. This is perfumed and silky. Just hitting its straps.

Vasse Felix – Shiraz – 2000 (18). Sweet ripe fruit here with mocha notes. The palate starts off quite lean but builds intensity. Textured ripe fruit that becomes really succulent. Souring finish is crying out for food.

Cape Mentelle – Shiraz – 1996 (17.8). Spice, leather and cedar on the nose. The palate is developed, with spice, anise and leathery characters. Obvious age.

CJ Pask – Gimblett Road – Shiraz -2006 (17.6). Starts off 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.

Houghtons – Frankland – Shiraz – 1999 (17.5). Some aged characters on the nose, but with some cool fruit characters and a touch of dried herbs. The palate is soft and round and really builds in the mouth. There are earthy and leathery characters on the savory finish.

Clonakilla – Viognier – 2006 (17.5). Apricots to open with creamy floral notes. The palate is viscous and really long, with the floral fruit following through. Almond meal to close with a touch of oak to add complexity. Smart.

Peel Estate – Shiraz – 1995 (17.5). Licorice, leather and cinnamon spice. This is a robust wine with sweet warm fruit. Plush, long, dense and seamless. Fine tannins to close. For lovers of big shiraz.

Red Hill Estate – Shiraz – 2002 (17.4). A cooler style with pepper and cumin. The palate is fine, long, rich and textured. Lots of pepper to close. All the usual wine making inputs.

Bailey’s – Shiraz – 1996 (17). More developed than the 1920’s Block. Leather and spice with fresh acid on the finish. A good wine.

Cape Mentelle – Shiraz – 1999 (17). Leaner leathery style. Long precise palate.