New Release: November 2016
Barry Weinman: 21st November 2016
This tasting provided several highlights. Brilliant value from the likes of Shingleback and Angoves, along with serious wines from Karawatta and Shottesbrooke.
Something for everyone!
Reviewed
Angove – Pinot Grigio – Long Row – 2016 (17pts – $10). Pretty floral fruit on the nose. The palate is textured and chewy, the phenolic richness balanced by fine acidity. Near seamless palate transition is remarkable at this price-point. Unbelievable value.
Howard Park – Pinot Noir – Flint Rock – 2016 (17.5pts – $28). Fragrant red berries/strawberries and supple spice. The palate is fairly light bodied, but the fruit sits well within this frame. The palate transition is excellent, with just a little bit of grip on the close. Very easy to drink with a BBQ this summer, or should develop depth with a few years in the bottle. Definitely worth a look.
Shiraz
Angove – Shiraz – Long Row – 2015 (16.8pts – $10). Fragrant and floral nose. Medium bodied, with plump fruit and an approachable, gentle structure. Uncomplicated, but a decent drink.
Shingleback – Shiraz – Aficionado – 2015 (18pts – $15). Souring cherry/plum fruit is the primary focus here. Whilst the fruit is ripe and dense, the fresh acidity gives this life, allowing it to be drunk with pleasure young. The supple oak and tannins add texture to the quality fruit. Impressive, and unbelievable value.
Howard Park – Shiraz – Flint Rock – 2014 (17.5pts – $28). Lovely fruit on the nose, with lifted aromatics over savoury components. The palate is medium weight, with the textural/structural components adding focus. Good length, this finishes with drying tannins and acidity. A food wine, this would be at its best with roast meats and represents handsome drinking.
Karrawatta – Shiraz – Dairy Block – 2015 (18pts – $38). Reviving an old Clare Valley name. Ripe, dense and textured fruit that is really concentrated, with intense raspberry/strawberry characters. Big and powerful in the mouth, yet with decent balance and structure. I would leave this for 5 years at least, but will last for at least 15. An excellent wine!
Shottesbrooke – Shiraz – Eliza – Reserve – 2013 (18.7pts – $60). A different style to those from WA, showing plum, fresh berries and mint. An impressive wine where the ripe, high quality fruit is balanced by savoury characters and refreshing acidity. There are hints of chocolate and coffee, as well as liquorice and spice. The depth of the fruit is amazing as is the structure. A powerful dense wine that will live for decades, yet will be a joy with lamb cutlets now.
Talijancich – Liqueur Shiraz – 1980 Solero – NV. (18.9pts – $65). Sweet and vibrant, yet amazingly concentrated and complex. The balance is excellent, as is the length and mouth-feel. The drying acid adds balance to the sultana-like fruit. Viscous, with enormous length, the combination of fresh and aged material makes this dangerously easy to drink. Points are irrelevant, this is liquid gold!