New Release Tasting

Reviewed: 15 February 2012

John Griffith established Faber in 1997 after working with several wineries (including Houghton for 6 years) and a stint teaching winemaking at Curtin University.

The most interesting facet of the Faber story is that the first vines were only planted in 1997. At a time when there is a lot of cache given to old-vines shiraz, the Faber wines highlight that old vines are not the only ingredient required to make great wine. Rightly, the Reserve shiraz is considered to be amongst WA’s finest.

Looking through the new releases from Faber, I was impressed at how each individual wine was handled to maximise enjoyment. While John is a champion of Swan Valley shiraz, he draws on grapes from several premium regions to fashion other wines in the range.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Faber Reserve shiraz is a superb wine. Having said that, the other wines that I have reviewed here are worthy of attention.

Reviewed

Faber Vineyard – Malbec – Dwellingup Vineyard – 2011 (17). The colour is almost crimson/purple. This is very deep smelling, with blueberry and raspberry over mint, with briary, earthy undertones. The souring finish adds life, though there is a touch of astringency on the close (that softens noticeably with air). This wine has excellent quality fruit that has been massaged in the winery, resulting in a pretty wine that is full of subtlety.

Faber Vineyard – Petit Verdot – 2011 (17.5). Attractive, forward nose that shows very pretty ripe fruit and well-handled oak. The palate, on the other hand, is quite firm and tannic, with plum and mulberry jam components showing through. After a day on the tasting bench, this really softened, allowing the pretty, fragrant fruit to shine. Whilst ideal for lovers of a big red now, this will be much better with a few years in the cellar. Diam closure.

Faber Vineyard – Shiraz – Riche – 2011 (17.5). Rich and dense red/black fruit with a touch of fruit-cake, menthol and spice. The wafts of sweet, cedary oak compliments the style very well. On the palate, the textured, drying tannins from fruit and oak are the main feature initially. With air, the dense, rich shiraz fruit shines through. This is almost inky in the mouth. A rich shiraz that deserves time in the cellar. Made in the Saignee method where some of the lighter juice is bled from the top of the vat to concentrate the flavours.

Faber Vineyard – Shiraz – Reserve – 2010 (18 – 18.5+). There is lovely fruit on show here, with dense, ripe berries over cocoa and coffee aromas. There is also a slightly resinous character from the oak, though this will settle with time in the bottle. The palate is superb, with white pepper over dense, dark fruit characters. One on hand, this is immensely powerful, yet on the other hand, balanced and lithe. The essence-like fruit and spice speaks to the quality of the superb Swan Valley fruit used to make this wine. Sour plum and spice on the finish really add to the mouth-feel and texture. A superb wine with a long future. Cork closure.

Reviewed 17 January 2012

A short, sharp tasting resulting in some excellent wines. None more so than the Windy Peak. I would like to try this again as the panel was unanimous in their praise. At $14 or less, it is a great bargain.

Ultimately though, my wine of the tasting is the Forester Estate. Whilst good now, it will be even better in a few years.

Reviewed

Forester Estate – Shiraz – 2009 (17.8+). Mulberry, mint and eucalypt on both the nose and palate that speak to this wine’s Margaret River heritage. The medium weight, succulent fruit has been skilfully combined with sympathetic winemaking. The result is a supple, almost fragrant wine with no rough edges. With air this develops a touch of opulence with licorice and a soft, lingering savouriness. This is a smart wine that deserves medium term cellaring and is great value at around $20.

De Bortoli – Shiraz – Windy Peak – 2012 (17.8). Souring fruit that hints at Satsuma plum and fresh cherry. On the palate there is masses of peppery fruit over cherry and souring acidity that really adds life. Textured and fine, this is a very well made wine. Long and supple, the tannins are fine while the oak only provides support. If you can hold on for a year or two to allow everything to settle, this will be a superb drink. At $14, it is a tremendous bargain.

Juniper Estate – Shiraz – 2009 (17.3). Dense, cooler region fruit here with a core of medium-bodied mulberry and plum fruit. Long and savoury in the mouth, this is a smart wine. Medium-bodied and supple, the acid and tannins shut down the palate, but this should evolve with time in the cellar or a bit of air in the glass.

Evans and Tate – Shiraz – Metricup Road – 2010 (17.2). Lighter, fresher fruit than the Riche shiraz from Faber. Bright plum and cinnamon spice characters with juicy, supple fruit flooding the palate. The tannins are ripe and soft, while the oak provides good support. There is a touch of licorice and tannin grip to close. An excellent mid-tier wine for early/mid-term consumption.

Killerby – Shiraz – 2010 (16.8/17.5). Soy sauce, sweet and sour and herbal notes stamp this as a cool climate shiraz. The palate is dense and textured, and obviously expensively made. There are hints of plum cake to close. The question is whether there is enough generosity to the fruit to make this good drinking now. Certainly, it will be all the better for 5 years+ in the cellar.

Reviewed: 1 January 2013

What is not to like about shiraz? There were some excellent wines on display from quite diverse regions.

The wines from Mount Pleasant are worth a mention due to the old-vines fruit that is used to make these. These wines must surely be some of the best value old-vines shiraz available.

The big surprise for me was just how good the Ad Hoc shiraz is. This is one of Larry Cherubino’s brands and it is excellent value.

Reviewed

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – Maurice O’Shea – 2010 (18 – 18.5). Beautifully ripe, yet fragrant fruit on the nose. There is tremendous concentration of fruit on the palate, with the fruit soaking up the high quality oak. In the glass, this became inky and developed chocolate-like fruit aromas. Long and savoury, this is an elegant wine of charm. Needs 5 – 10 years to really hit its straps.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – Old Paddock and Old Hill – 2010 (18+). A smart wine that has lovely up-front fruit though the whole package is very subdued at first. The fruit and oak quality are excellent and this is a wine of great potential. The next day, this was a revelation! High quality fruit and oak combine to make a complex wine of real potential.

Cherubino – Shiraz – Laissez Faire – Syrah – 2011 (18). Opens with dense plumy fruit, spice (cloves) and sweet oak highlights. There is white pepper to the fore on a palate that is lean and savoury, making this ideally suited to food. Builds depth on the very long finish and is likely to improve for many years. A smart modern wine.

The Lane – Shiraz – Block 5 – 2011 (17.8). Sweet, floral fruit with a touch of vanillin oak and even candy. This also shows really spicy white pepper. The palate is full of white pepper, with floral highlight and licorice on the close. Dense fruit and fine tannins, with souring acidity to hold it all together. A modern, cool-area wine.

Ad Hoc – Shiraz – Middle of Everywhere – 2011 (17.7). Closed at first on the nose but develops ripe berries with air. The palate is dense and chocolaty, with bitter almonds to close. This is quite savoury on the finish really. A smart wine but really needs another 5+ years as the very fine tannins are surprisingly firm on the finish. A modern, complex wine with superb length. A remarkable wine given that this is well down the pecking order in the Cherubino line-up.

Grant Burge – Shiraz – Balthasar – 2008 (17.5+). Lovely sweet fruit with a touch of cedar and spice on the nose. The palate shows licorice, mulberry, blueberry and pepper. Long, the fruit is a touch linear now, but this will evolve with time and there is nice texture to close. With air, this opens to show plum fruits and becomes really good drinking. (I rated this very highly, though some felt that the hot vintage produced a wine with very ripe fruit characters).

Yerring Station – Shiraz/Viognier – 2010 (17.5). Earthy aromas and flavours here. Dense, ripe fruit of very high quality that is quite restrained. With air, the wine develops coffee, tar and chocolate characters. The finish is very long, if a touch sturdy now. Give it 5 years.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – Rosehill – 2010 (17). Attractive berry fruit with pepper and a touch of savoury soy characters. Compared to its big brothers this is not that long or dense, but this is, however, an easy drinking red that has lovely mouth-feel and fruit.

West Cape Howe – Shiraz – 2011 (17). An attractive wine that has quite soft, forward and ripe fruit and nice grip on the finish. Medium-bodied and spicy, the fruit really opens up on the finish and is complemented by a touch of savoury oak and fine tannins. European in style and a lovely drink now or in five to ten years.

Reviewed: 12 November 2012

Hosted by Sam Badger (Sommelier’s Australia) and Rockpool Bar and Grill – Perth

Shiraz is the great all-rounder of red wine. Grown in cooler climates, it produces wonderfully fragrant, almost perfumed wines that are full of spicy, peppery fruit. In warmer regions, the density of the fruit increases and the flavour profile moves from pepper and spice to red berries and plum. Both styles can produce wines of the highest quality, giving the consumer the choice of which style to drink.

Given the variety of styles on offer, there are wines made from shiraz that will suit almost any palate. The important point here is that the wine must taste good to the person who is about to drink it. When it comes to a collection of wine industry insiders, the focus can be on the technical aspects of the wine rather than drinking enjoyment.

I try to balance this by giving drinkability the attention that it deserves. I try to differentiate between consumer-friendly wines that are great drinking now and those for the connoisseur who has the ability to cellar wines for extended periods. A good example of this is the wine by Chave.

Here is a wine that polarised the assembled tasters. The old fashioned, earthy, leathery, herbal notes strongly suggested that this wine has a bit of brettanomyces. One of the tasters declared that the wine was faulty. But wine is a very personal experience and individual response to brett is varied. There is now doubt that there is a threshold above which the wine becomes less palatable, but this varies from one person to the next.

Anyone who grew up drinking old Hunter Valley reds will have fond memories of those leathery, horsy characters. And, yes, the Chave has plenty of these characters. While the wine is a long way removed from the modern, fresh Australian wines, it is not without interest or charm. My view is let the consumer decide.

Let me know your thoughts!

A special thanks goes out to Rockpool for hosting this event.

Reviewed

Jim Barry – Shiraz – The Armah – 2007. (18.5+). Chocolate, coffee, licorice, tar, earthy notes and sour plum all vie for attention on the nose. The palate is immense and powerful, yet remarkably, remains balanced and fine. The tannins are expertly handled and the fruit really builds on the finish. The oak has been swallowed up by the high quality fruit, imparting gentle texture rather than overt flavour. Plump, ripe and delicious, this develops coffee and licorice on the palate too as it evolves and builds. A highlight.

S.C. Pannell – Shiraz – 2008 (18/18.5+). Attention grabbing nose that blends ripe, fragrant fruit with quality winemaking inputs. Supple, the palate is initially textured up front, though the oak and tannins really shut down the finish. Licorice, plum, tar and chewy (drying) tannins all build on a very long palate. Immense fruit that needs time to unwind from the winemaker’s cocoon. Spectacular!

Te Mata Estate – Shiraz – Bullnose – 2010 (18.5). Austere and firm, this is very unrewarding at present. The closed nose only hints at what lies ahead. The palate is firm, yet the texture and tannins are very well judged. Opens to show mulberry, plum, licorice, spice and high quality oak. There are very firm, yet incredibly fine tannins to close. Ideally, this needs years to come around.

Shaw and Smith – Shiraz – 2009 (18.3). This wine stood out for its blend of high quality fruit and slick winemaking. Whilst powerful, the wine has lovely poise and balance. The finish is chewy and dense, yet there is vitality to the fruit that is captivating. Souring acidity adds life, the length is superb and the balance spot on. Beautifully made, this will live for many years.

Clonakilla – Shiraz/Viognier – 2010 (18.2). Cooler fruit on display here. Lovely spicy fruit on the palate with raspberry and cherry fruit over musk/Turkish delight highlights. Violets, perfume, white pepper, silky texture, near seamless palate, this has it all. The length is excellent and, with air, this really builds depth on the palate. Cracking cool climate shiraz, with the viognier adding a real lift.

Frankland Estate – Isolation Ridge Vineyard – 2009 (18 – 18.5). Lovely ripe fruit showing perfume over floral blueberry and plum. The palate is dense, with the sweet fruit complemented by dense, almost earthy characters. The palate is near seamless, the length prodigious. The finish is silky and the tannins are beautifully polished, adding grip along with the vanillin oak on the finish. Needs ten years to open up and will last for many more.

Henschke – Shiraz – Hill of Grace – 2006 (18 – 18.5+). Lifted fruit over sweet vanillin oak. A heady mix of red fruits over menthol and subtle spice. The palate is powerful and ripe, with tight oak and chewy tannins. There is fantastic length, souring acid and a very textured palate. This is a wine that has had the volume turned right up and the quality fruit builds with air. A clear favourite with some attendees.

Rene Rostaing – Cote Rotie – 2007 (18+). An interesting wine that is noticeably different. Leads off with herbal aromas over cherry and Satsuma plum. On the palate, it is apparent that this wine is more about texture than primary fruit. There is excellent length and depth to the wine, but the fruit is gentle. White pepper, fine tannins and herbal notes carry the finish, with lovely souring acid. The oak is apparent but sympathetic to the style. Really builds with air to show red currents, chocolate and spice and there is real density and depth of flavour.

Yves Cuilleron – Syrah – Cote Rotie – 2010 (18+). Balanced and enticing nose full of supple fruit with hints of savoury complexity. Builds to show black fruits, spice and a touch of anise. With really bright red fruits over white pepper on the palate, this is juicy, succulent and very long. The fine tannins and oak on the finish suggest that this will develop well, but this is so delicious, I would recommend trying a bottle now.

Clape – Shiraz – Cornas – 2009 (18). Ripe and fragrant fruit that, whilst full and dense, has lovely perfume and spice. Pepper, red fruits and spice all meld together with fine oak and a hint of licorice/herbal notes. With air, the wine opens up to show cherries and blueberries. The palate has lively white pepper and fine, though palpable tannins from the fruit and oak. The finish has cedary overtones, is very long, and has dusty tannins to close. A youthful and vibrant old-world shiraz.

J.L. Chave – Shiraz – Hermitage – 2006 (17/18+). A touch more ripe fruit characters here, with hints of fruitcake. There is lovely depth to the nose with aniseed, plum and earthy, forest floor, leathery characters. The palate is very fine, yet rich and textured. The bright fruit is the focus here, with the silky tannins and oak only making their presence felt on a very long finish. (The oak is all about texture rather than flavour and the tannins are really fine). The length is a stand-out. Elegant, medium-bodied and starting to show the first signs of development, you will either love or loath the earthy, forest floor characters. I am a fan!

Brokenwood – Shiraz – Hunter Valley – 2009 (17.8). Yes, this is a big wine, yet it is remarkably elegant and reserved. The souring acidity on the finish adds life and interest, though ideally, this needs a good steak to bring out its best, as it is dense, tight and restrained. The oak is a little obvious now, but will settle in time.

Greenstone – Shiraz – 2009 (17.5 – 18). Lovely nose that blends ripe, succulent fruit with savoury hints and a touch of oak lift. With red fruits to the fore, the palate is remarkable for the fruit-dominant mouth-feel. The structure builds with air. A well-made wine from Heathcote.

Sadie– Shiraz/Mouvedre – Columella– Liberatus in Castro Bonae Spei – 2008 (17.5 – 18). Dense, peppery fruit of some class. Rich and textured, this is a meal in itself. Dense, long and textured, there is weighty, dark fruits, tar, anise, spice and black pepper. There are savoury oak notes and chewy tannins to close. Some thought it just lacked a bit of life, but I thought it was spot on. From South Africa.

Chapoutier – Crozes Hermitage – Les Meyoniers – 2007 (17.5+). I like this a lot. Supple, floral fruit to the fore, showing spice, black pepper, plum, licorice, tar and earthy hints. The oak here is merely a whisper on the finish and the souring acidity carries the palate. Youthful and relatively uncomplicated now, this is a wine to drink or keep.

Pierre Gaillard – St Joseph – 2009 (17.5). Impenetrable nose. This is very closed and tight. The palate is, again, lighter bodied and very fresh, with cherry fruit to the fore over white pepper and spice. Excellent length and texture, the mouth-feel is the key here. Drink now to 10 years.