New Release – Part One

12 June 2010

After the excitement of the recent cabernet tastings, it was time to plough into the myriad of shiraz that have come in over the last few weeks. Breaking with my tradition of randomly selecting wines for the tasting, we decided to put together a bracket of Western Australian wines for this tasting.

The highlight by far was the three wines from Howard Park in the Madfish, Leston and Scotsdale. All three were excellent, with the Leston receiving a gold medal. It would be interesting to look at the three again in five and ten years to see how they develop.

The Palmer – Cracker Jack, Goundrey – Homestead and the pair from Kalgan River represent good value.

Reviewed

Howard Park – Shiraz – Leston – 2008 (18.5). This only hints at its potential. Ripe, rich, dense and powerful, the superb fruit leads to a really textured finish. Lovely mouth-feel and length. Yes, there is a touch of oak apparent, but the fruit will absorb this in time.

Howard Park – Shiraz – Scotsdale – 2008 (18.4). Dense and closed with dark fruits on the nose. The palate is dense, rich, powerful and tight. Chocolate and leather dominate the very fine finish. This is powerful and superbly made. The length is excellent and the mouth-feel is quite seamless. 10ys +.

MadFish – Shiraz – Gold Turtle – 2008 (18). A more serious nose, this is quite closed and tight. There is mint and eucalypt, with red fruit highlights. The palate shows good quality fruit with pepper and some mulberry fruit. Excellent wine-making and fruit. There is some spice and white pepper and the tannins and oak are fine to close. Will evolve.

Leeuwin Estate – Shiraz – Art Series – 2007(17.7). More approachable and pretty, this has attractive, even succulent fruit on the close. The palate is dense and there is spice and black plums running through the finish. This is really juicy and drinking well. Has the structure to age well too.

Kalgan River – Shiraz – Ciprian – 2008 (17.5). Alluring and intriguing. There is ripe juicy fruit in the plum spectrum. Spice and pepper are complemented by fine vanillin oak. The palate is really peppery and there is a souring finish that adds freshness. There is a touch of cherry fruit and spice to close. There was a question about the tannins, but I liked them.

Palmer – Shiraz/Cabernet – Cracker Jack – 2007 (17.5). Sweet lifted fruit is complimented by cedar, spice, licorice and a touch of earthy characters. The palate is rich and round, with good length. There are generous fruit characters and a whiff of white pepper, and the finish is firm. Excellent mid-term drinking.

Goundrey – Shiraz – Homestead – 2009 (17). Very pretty nose with floral fruit characters. Supple and fragrant, this also has some peppery characters. Very youthful and fresh with a long and juicy finish. Uncomplicated and delicious.

Kalgan River – Shiraz/Viognier – 2008 (16.9). This is a touch volatile to open. Some earthy, funky notes develop with air. The fruit on the palate is high quality and perfumed. May have had a touch of viognier. Only medium bodied but quite persistent.

Willow Bridge – Shiraz/Viognier – Gravel Pit – 2008 (16.9). There are some earthy fruit characters to the fresh, plump fruit. Good drinking.

Palmer – Shiraz – 2007 (16.5). Wow, dense and powerful nose. There is some cherry and plum fruit. The palate is a fruit bomb and tends to the candied spectrum. Warm finish attests to the 15.4% alcohol.

Shepard’s Hut – Shiraz – Limited Release – 2007 (16.5). Sweet ripe fruit. Leathery and earthy notes over the primary fruit characters. The palate is almost confectionary but this is a solid wine.

6 May 2010

Stuart Blackwell, the chief winemaker for St Hallett winery in the Barossa Valley was in Perth last week to meet with retailers and host a dinner to celebrate the launch of his new release wines. While in town, we went through the range with Stuart and I was impressed for two reasons.

Firstly, the enthusiasm and passion that Stuart puts into all aspect of the wine experience is fantastic. He lives and breathes St Hallett. This was reflected in the quality of the wines we tasted.

The second point relates to the 2008 vintage out of the Barossa (and other parts of Australia). Over the last month or so, we have looked at a quite a few cheaper 2008 reds, and in general, they are fantastic! There is a vibrancy and a and concentration of fruit characters that is really exciting. I am talking about wines that sell for $10 – $20. I can’t wait for the premium wines to come on the market. For those of you who can remember, the wines remind me a lot of the 1998 vintage. These are delicious wines that will drink well now, but also improve for quite some time.

For me the pick of the current releases is the 2008 Gamekeepers Reserve shiraz/cabernet. A delicious wine that will be available for $10-$12 on special. Please be aware that this was not a blind tasting, so use my points as an indication only.

A special thanks to Paul at Vintage Cellars in Shenton Park for arranging this tasting.

Tasted

St Hallett – Riesling – 2009 (17.5+). From Eden Valley (a sub-region of the Barossa), this has classic floral notes with a citrus lift. The palate is long and tight, with pure lime to close.

St Hallett – Shiraz – Gamekeepers Reserve – 2008 (16.9). Juicy. Lifted, floral fruit with cherry fruit and a pippy finish. Good quaffing. This wine is blended with cabernet for the shiraz/cabernet sauvignon blend.

St Hallett – Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon – Gamekeepers Reserve – 2008 (17.2). The mint from the cabernet is apparent on the fruit and the cabernet adds structure to the juicy shiraz characters. A touch of herbal characters adds complexity. Excellent value. Drink the shiraz now and put some of this away for a few years.

St Hallett – Shiraz/Grenache – Gamekeepers Reserve – 2008 (16.8). This is a much more savoury wine and the fruit has been handled very differently. There is no oak, but there has been extended lees contact that adds complexity and texture. Has the characteristic cherry/pippy fruit on the finish.

St Hallett – Shiraz – Rosedale – 2008 (16.5). This and the Greenoch are Vintage Cellars exclusive wines. This is closed and tight right now. I would like to see it in another 6 months.

St Hallett – Shiraz – Greenoch – 2008 (17+). More fragrant and floral than the Rosedale, with ripe red fruit. The palate has fresh plum, is quite silky and has real persistence. Plenty of structure ensures the ability to age. Will improve. $14 by the dozen at Vintage Cellars.

St Hallett – Shiraz – Faith – 2007 (16.5). A softer, more approachable wine with a touch of mineral and dusty oak over quite vibrant oak. Reflects the vintage.

St Hallett – Shiraz – Blackwell – 2008 (17.8). Real density of fruit here with licorice, tar and very fine tannins. Lovely mouth-feel and a long finish. A very good effort.

11 April 2010

What is happening at Houghon? After praising the 2008 Cabernet a few weeks back, it was the shiraz’s turn to shine. This is another brilliant bargain. This would be a good wine at $20. The fact that it is discounted to $8 is hard to imagine.

I get the impression that the marketing department dictates how much wine is needed for the premium labels from Houghton, Brookland Valley and Hardy’s. In good years like 2008 the rest of the premium fruit gets funnelled into the cheaper wines in the portfolio. This is great for the consumer, but must be heartbreaking for the winemakers/viticulturalists.

Not to be outdone, Peter Lehmann has released a sensational shiraz from 2008. This is a serious shiraz at any price, but should be discounted below $15 per bottle. There will be a few boutique producers who would be pleased if they could sell this as their premium wine. I will be putting some in my cellar!

Finally, a word on corks versus screw caps. The Eight Songs unfortunately suffered from random bottle oxidation courtesy of its cork. I was also interested to see the Voyager showing less well than previously. Screw caps are not perfect, but the bad bottles are few and far between.

Reviewed

Peter Lehmann – Shiraz – 2008 (18). Dense, with some plum, cedar and cigar box. Intriguing and enticing, but is quite closed and reserved right now. The palate is big, rich and ripe with some chocolate/berry notes. The vibrant fruit has absorbed some quality oak with ease. This is textured, dense and well proportioned. Quite seamless and has excellent palate length. Shows the characters of a warmer region. A true bargain at $15.

Castelli – Shiraz – 2008 (17.5). Dense nose, with lifted fruit. Think cherries, and briary dark fruits. Dusty oak is not intrusive and will further integrate. The palate is also dense and has excellent line and length. The fruit is in the chocolate spectrum. The fruit and oak tannins are a touch firm now, but this will settle.

Houghton – Shiraz – Stripe Range – 2008 (17.2). Really quite dense and deep smelling. The fruit starts off shy, but quickly opens up with a bit of pepper and spice. A couple of years will allow this to build. The palate is refined, silky, supple and succulent. Excellent winemaking has built on good quality fruit. This is not the most complex wine, but it is extraordinary value.

Voyager – Shiraz – 2008 (17.2). Closed. The fruit is just a bit flat at the moment and needs a month or two to settle down. The palate is the same in that it is very closed. Opens up to build rich, chocolate and fruit characters with black pepper. Will score higher points in a year or two and will improve for 5+ years.

Voyager – Shiraz – 2007 (17). Cooler notes on this, with some herbal notes. There is also a touch of menthol. The palate is also quite lean, but well balanced. (We reviewed this previously and gave it much higher points. We love screw caps, but they are not perfect.)

Chapoutier – St Joseph – Deschants – 2006 (17). Lifted and quite floral fruit. The palate is simple at the start but well structured, with some varietal berry characters coming back on the finish. Really improved with a few hours on the bench, and will score higher points in a few years.

d’Arrenberg – Grenache – Nostalgia – Rare – NV (17). Complex rancio notes with raisins and Christmas pudding. Cognac-like aromas, but not too much spirit on the nose. Nectar like in the mouth and great viscosity suggesting some bottle age. A touch spirituous to close, but very complex. (A fortified wine).

Houghton – Shiraz Temperanillo – The Bandit – 2008 Screw Cap (16.8). A touch old fashioned on the nose with some earthy/leathery notes. There is plenty of ripe fruit and texture, and the oak is subdued and balanced. Should come into its own with food.

Pemberley – Shiraz – 2004 (16.8). Solid wine with ripe fruit. Nothing flashy, just an enjoyable drink.

Hewitson – Shiraz – Ned & Henry’s – 2008 (16.5). Surprisingly shows some cooler fruit characters on the nose with some herbal notes. Plenty of pepper on the palate, but could do with more fruit richness. May be a bad bottle?

James Oatley – Shiraz – Tic Tok – 2008 (16.5). Chocolaty fruit with dense plum and spice. The warmer region’s fruit shows through but without the density of fruit of the very best. Probably good value.

4 February 2010

A shiraz tasting is not what I would choose to do on a hot summer’s evening, but it is important to keep the samples turning over. So having said that, I actually quite enjoyed this tasting, as the wines were of quite high quality.

The highlight was the Pirramimma grenache. This is succulent, juicy and great drinking. At $20 direct from the winery, it is an absolute bargain. The St Cosme I have written about before, and it continues to impress.

Finally, the Voyager Estate shiraz is an excellent cool climate shiraz. This really improved over the next day or so and has received good reviews elsewhere. Kemeny’s has this at $27 which seems very fair.

Tasted

Pirramimma – Grenache – 2004 (18). Lovely dense nose. . Ripe fruit with a lovely sour cherry mid-palate. Builds sweet fruit on the finish. The slight confectionary character makes for easy drinking. Good structure to close. Showing the benefit of extra time in bottle, but will continue to develop for many years.

St Cosme – Cotes du Rhone (17.8). More earth, spice and savoury characters. Dense ripe fruit with excellent length and persistence. Develops some leathery characters in the mouth. Ripe fruit with plums and spice. Good texture and mouth-feel. Improved with being open for a day.

Voyager – Shiraz – 2007 (17.7). Denser and more serious fruit here. Licorice and spice, long and supple mouth-feel. Fine tannins and integrated oak build on the finish. A very good effort. And one that will continue to improve for several years.

MadFish – Shiraz – Gold Turtle – 2007 (17.5). Ripe berries over the top of a brooding dense nose, but a touch jammy. The palate is flooded with dense fruit, but the balance is out now. Will integrate and improve with a few years in the bottle.

Barossa Valley Estate – Shiraz – Ebenezer – 2005 (17). Sweet and plump fruit to start. Develops complex licorice and spice. Generous plummy fruit with some grip. More elegant and medium bodied than expected.

Delas – Cotes du Rhone – St Esprit – 2007 (17). This really opened up after being left open for 24 hours. Lovely perfumed ripe fruit. There is a mealy, spicy palate with cinnamon. Licorice and rhubarb fruit lead to an earthy and leathery finish. Worth a try.

MadFish – Shiraz – Sideways – 2008 (17). Raspberry, cherry – red fruits and sweet vanillan oak. Lifted and forward nose. Ripe, generous, soft and round. There is a silky finish and reasonable length. Not complex but excellent drinking. A good commercial style.

Hewitson – Miss Harry – 2008 (16.6). Starts off quite dumb on the nose, but the palate is a riot of sweet fruit with firm tannins and oak grip. May settle.

Millbrook – Shiraz Viognier – Barking Owl – 2008 (16.5). Floral notes to the red fruit characters. The palate is forward, but grippy. There is a dense finish, but again needs to integrate more. Could improve.

Hewitson – Mouvedre – 2008 (16.5). Closed but enticing nose. The palate is licorice, satsuma plum, spice and cinnamon. There is ripe fruit and elegant tannin structure. A fruit driven style.

Wills Domain – Shiraz – 2006 (16.5). Some earthy characters on the nose. The palate has earthy notes, but is relatively austere and tight. Would take food well, but the style may polarise.

Juniper Estate – Shiraz – 2005 (16.5). Subdued nose with some cherries. Dull plummy fruit on the palate. Coffee, chocolate, sweet fruit, complex.

5 December 2009

From time to time something will happen that makes me question my palate in the course of a tasting. This occurred this week during our panel tasting. After actually finding an excellent rose to recommend, I ploughed on into the bracket of reds. The first wine was absolutely stunning! The essence of shiraz. The next two wines were very good to excellent. It was at this point that I thought “am I doing something wrong here”?

As I progressed through the rest of the wines, I started to appreciate the quality of those earlier wines, confirming that my palate was working just fine. The Standish Wine Company’s Borne Bollene shiraz is the best wine that I have tried from the 2007 vintage in South Australia. It is a stunning effort. The Leeuwin Estate was also fantastic, but the winery has moved onto the 2007 vintage, so I will try that soon.

I am pleased to report that we have reached the end of the box of roses. To celebrate the fact, I am recommending the Sandalford. This will be delightful drinking over the summer.

Tasted

The Standish Wine Company – Borne Bollene – Shiraz -2007 (18.7). Intense powerful shiraz fruit on the nose. Think black fruits, tar, aniseed, spice and a touch of menthol. This is complex. So to the palate. Wow! A huge wine. Sweet blackcurrant fruit with some cedary oak characters. Very dense and ripe, this wine is of immense proportions. Vanilla notes round out the palate. This has the potential to improve with age, but it is succulent enough to drink now. The winery has this available for $99 per bottle and, yes, it is worth it!

Leeuwin Estate – Shiraz – Art Series – 2005 (18.5). Cooler climate fruit on this, with redcurrant, strawberry and cinnamon spice. Spice and fine oak to the fore on the palate, with fine silky tannins to close. Oak adds to the finish, but is well judged. Long and savoury close.

Moombaki – Shiraz – 2007 (17.5). Dumb to start, but has ripe fruit. Is not revealing much. The palate is closed and fine. Well-balanced lighter style with succulent fruit and good length. Drying finish maintains interest. Should flesh out in time.

Lamont’s – Shiraz – Swan Valley – 2007 (17.0). Another ripe and intense wine, without the concentration of fruit of The Standish. Sweet and succulent fruit. Tar, leather and ripe chocolate fruit on the palate. This is quite savoury. The oak is a touch obvious, but this should settle. Grippy to close, this should improve in the cellar if the alcohol does not dominate the finish.

Sandalford – Rose – 2008 (17.2). A more complex wine here. Savoury spicy nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with enough juicy granny smith acidity to make this a great drink.

St Hallet – Shiraz – Gamekeeper’s – 2008 (17). Again, cooler fruit. The palate is flooded by black and red currants and some plummy fruit to close. Long and chewy finish. A solid wine that will reward mid term aging. A bargain.

Victory Point – Rose – 2009 (16.9). Dry, but with freshness. The palate is fresh, savoury and dry. The fruit is succulent and long. Very good quaffing. Moorish.

Silverstream – Rose – Cabernet Franc – 2008 (16.8). Paler than most here. Subtle nose with rose petal and musk scents. The fruit carries through to the palate with rose water and a touch of almond. A touch of phenolics on the close does not detract.

Flametree – Shiraz – 2008 (16.8). Deep smelling and silky too. Succulent fruit with chocolate and dusty tannins to close. Not as rich or dense as some here, but is well made and approachable.

Capel Vale – Rose – Shiraz – Debut – 2008 (16.3). Sweet and sour nose. The savoury characters add interest. Round and generous palate with enough intensity to make enjoyable drinking.

Madfish – Rose – Sangiovese/Cabernet Franc – 2008 (16). Juicy fruit with a drying finish. Lacks mid palate generosity. Opens. Would probably take lighter foods.

St Hallet – Shiraz – Faith – 2007. (16). Cooler fruit. Quite closed to start with. A touch herbal with some peppery fruit. Not generous. Perhaps a reflection of the year.

Lamonts – Cottesloe

11 October 2009

The Barossa Valley is one of the most significant wine regions in Australia, if not the world. The wine making tradition dates back to around 1850, and some of the early vineyards are still in production today. As the Barossa was not affected by phylloxera, it is home to the oldest shiraz vines on the planet. The oldest of all is thought to be the original vineyard at Langmeil Winery. This was planted in 1843.

I find the “Old Vines” story interesting for a number of reasons:

1. This is a recent trend. No one produced an “Old Vines” wine 20 years ago.
2. In other regions (beg Bordeaux), the oldest vines are replanted to keep up production.
3. There is a belief among some that 20 – 70 year old vines produce the best fruit.
4. There is no formal definition of how old “Old Vines” need to be.
5. The number of “Old Vines” wines released each year seams to go up exponentially. (Maybe they are planting out “Old Vines” vineyards to avoid having to wait for them to get old).

Having said all this, there is no doubt that the Barossa produces some fantastic wines from old vines. The tasting at Lamont’s this week aimed to highlight some of the newer premium producers from the valley.

Many of the producers present had their entire range available for tasting. Due to my desire to stay (relatively) sober, my tasting partner (David) and I decided to focus on the wines made principally from shiraz. The tasting was fascinating as it highlighted some regional differences between Barossa and Eden Valley, and the vintage variations from year to year.

I have always thought that you need to be careful with French wines as the bad years are really bad, and the good years great. By the same token, I have always felt that the Australian regions were more forgiving of vintage variation. This tasting challenged that notion somewhat. The 2006 wines were generally very good, whereas the 2007s were quite variable and often not quite up to expectation. The 2008s were juicy and succulent, but without the density and complexity of the best from 06. Rumour has it that 2009 is going to be a cracker too.

Alcohol levels were another interesting factor in this tasting. Over the last two decades, I have noticed a gradual rise in the alcohol levels of wine in general. Numerous wines in this tasting were at 15%+. This can result in a slightly porty wine or, worse, a wine that actually has a slight alcohol burn. To put things in perspective, I opened a Clare Valley shiraz from 2000 with an alcohol of 13.2%. The wine seamed to possess a balance and finesse that some of the high alcohol wines lack. This, despite 2000 being an average year.

The find of the tasting was Sons Of Eden. We loved their pair of shirazes and I would encourage you to get hold of a bottle of each and see for yourself the difference between Barossa and Eden Valley. Their entire production is only 2000 cases so they may be hard to find. (Lamont’s have them for around $40).

Caveat: The wines in this tasting were not tried blind. I was a guest of John Jens at this tasting.

The Wines

Sons of Eden – Remus – Shiraz – 2006 (18.5+). From the Eden Valley. Great wine this. Enticing nose, with ripe fruit, licorice and subtle mint. The palate displays great balance with elegant black plums, cedar, cigar box and spice. The tannins have a talcum powder silkiness to them which gently dries the finish, and the mouth feel is excellent. Very long finish. Sealed with cork.

Sons of Eden – Romulus – Shiraz – 2006 (18.5). From the Barossa. There was some debate as to which of the two Sons of Eden wines was better. The Romulus is richer and more overt. The fruit is ripe with licorice and spice complementing the black fruit. Whilst this wine has bright fruit on the palate, the tannins tend towards the chalky side. Again, great balance and length.

Schwartz – Nitschke Block – Shiraz – 2006 (18.3). This is good. Opens with dense red berries with chocolate overtones. There is a touch of mint too which adds complexity. At this stage the palate is dominated by licorice, black fruit, cedary oak and tar. The structure and the length stand this apart from many here. The fruit really builds with air.

Teusner – The Albert – Shiraz – 2006 (18.2). Licorice and black fruits to open, with some nice tart plum to add freshness. The palate is dense, ripe and succulent, with a touch of leathery complexity. The palate is silky, ripe and long, with a touch of sweet vanillin oak and cigar box to close. Very good wine.

Teusner – Astral Series Riebke F.G. – Shiraz – 2006 (18). From 130 year old wines! Amazingly dense, ripe and intense fruit. The palate continues the party with some chocolate fruit, but with chalky/dusty tannins that shut down the finish. Very long indeed. A luscious wine that is a bit more “in your face” than The Albert. Will point higher in the future. Choose your style and price!

Kalleske – Johan Gorge – Shiraz – 2007 (17.8). Dense, long and fine, this is very closed. The silky palate is seamless and surprisingly elegant and refined. Needs several years to open up.

Kalleske – Moppa – Shiraz Viognier – 2008 (17.5). This is really juicy. Fresh, vibrant and fruit driven with plums and warming spice. Supple and silky in the mouth, this is good drinking ($28).

Radford – Shiraz – 2006 (17.2). From the Eden Valley, this is clean, fresh and succulent. Sweet ripe fruit and spices lead to a palate that has vanilla bean, spice, licorice and red currant. This succulent wine would be great with a BBQ this season, but will also take a bit of time in the cellar.

Teusner – The Riebke – Shiraz – 2008 (17). Sweet ripe fruit on the nose, but the palate starts off quite austere. Whilst long, it is quite drying. Sweet, spicy, even juicy fruit hidden underneath with plum and cinnamon accents.

Kalleske – Greenoch – Shiraz – 2007 (16.9). Licorice and tar on the nose with spice and fine cedary oak. This is a substantial wine. Perhaps reflecting the vintage, there is leaner fruit on the palate compared to the Moppa.

Spinifex – Shiraz Viognier – 2007 (16.8). Quite dense and ripe, with some aromatic fruit lift on the nose. This is a big wine, but the slight astringency prevented me giving higher points.

1st August 2009

A smaller tasting this week saw a bracket of rieslings and then shiraz/blends. The highlight for me was the Leo buring rieslings. These wines make the back bone of many Australians and I was reminded just how good these wines can be and what good value they remain. The current release is 2008 and they can be picked up for around $15. If you want to try a bottle of the 2003s, let me know as I have quite a bit in the cellar.

The reds were generally good, with a couple of labels that I know little about (Windance and Both Barrels) showing very well. If you get the chance, try the “Both Barrels” and let me know what you think.

I was unfortantely reminded of the vagaries of cork. The Silkwood had a dry cork that broke as I was taking it out, and the wine was BAD. Thank God for screw caps.

Tasted

Leo Buring – Clare Valley – Riesling – 2003 (18). Lime fruit to open, but with some developed characters starting to show on the nose. Becomes quite overt with air. The palate is long elegant, and fine. Lemony acid to close. This is just starting to open up, though the finish remains quite tight.

Leo Buring – Eden Valley – Riesling – 2003 (18). Developed edge on the nose, but lime to follow. This is long, fine, elegant and quite steely. Really builds in the mouth. Still in its youth.

Spy Valley – Riesling – 2006 – (18). Lime (citrus) and a touch of brulee on the nose. The palate has lovely sherbety fruit but finishes quite dry. The backbone of sweet limey fruit is a highlight. The finish is quite viscous with a touch of minerals. Good length and aftertaste.

Clairault – Riesling – 2008 (17.2). Sweet floral fruit that is soft and appealing. The palate is round and textured, and the finish is long with lemony fruit. There is a touch of musk to close. The acid builds on the finish, and this needs a little time to settle. An elegant wine.

Rosemount – Mountain Blue – Shiraz Cabernet – 2006 (18.3+). A serious and powerful wine. The fruit is shy,but is aided by sympathetic oak use. The palate is elegant, very long and oh so fine. Needs many years to develop. This really opened up over 3 nights, but still had a way to go. Not your average pizza wine. (Terry tells me the 1997 is really hitting its straps now, so I will try this on the weekend.)

Both Barrels – Frankland – Shiraz – 2005 (17.8+) Dense, ripe, sweet fruit that are dark but perfumed. . Liquorice and spice are evident on a very tight palate. Seamless, with lovely fine tannins and well-integrated oak (these shut down the fruit right now). Some leather to close. Give it a few years.

Teusner – Avatar – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – 2005 (17.5). This is a complex wine that has lots of brambly fruit. The finish is all structure and the texture and mouth feel. This is very good but is not easy to drink. Could improve.

Tapestry – The Vincent – Shiraz – 2006 (17. 5) this is a big wine. Opens with a touch of volatility, but has brooding black fruit and a touch of coconut oil oak. The palate is rich, dense, ripe and structured. The finish is long and relatively fine. One for the brave.

Windance – Reserve – Shiraz – 2007 (17.5) closed to start with, but opens, showing bright red fruit with cherries and white pepper. The firm finish is long, with fine but grippy tannins. This will take quite a bit of aging in the cellar.

Picardy – Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc – 2007 (17.3). Plummy fruit that is dense, soft and plush. Continues the theme with plush, soft, round, fruit. Very fine finish that lingers and builds.

Hentley Farm – The Stray Mongrel – Grenache/Shiraz/Zinfandel – 2007 (16.8). Red fruits and ripe plums dominate the nose. This continues on a soft round palate with nice grip to close. Appealing drinking over the next 5 years.

The Vicarage – Shiraz – 2007 (16.4). Really sweet smelling fruit but then flooded with lifted coconut oak. Masses of red fruit and oak bordering on cordial like. Not my style.