1997 Seppelt Shiraz Reserve Great Western Vineyard: Elegant, pure and understated. Has a core of delicious raspberry fruit. There are light florals, some black pepper and a touch of baked earth. it has a hint of leathery development and tannins are relaxed yet supportive. Excellent balance and detail and a joy to drink.
2004 Wendouree Shiraz: Deep, dark and black of fruit. Almost impenetrable. Sooty and savoury. Some menthol and eucalypt. Perfectly ripe, earthy and engaging. Brilliant but 20 years away from its apogee.
Shaw+Smith is an excellent producer. Their Adelaide Hills Shiraz is a good example of a cooler climate Shiraz. The 2013 is a wonderful drink at the moment. They also have a Tasmanian project called Tolpuddle under which they release a very fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
We are pouring '14 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec by the glass at the moment and it is drinking rather well, albeit young, but the Wendourees of today are far more approachable as youngsters than the wines of the 80s and 90s.
Drank this and a bottle of Luke Lambert Syrah last weekend with a couple of friends who are also winemakers here in Napa. Stylistically, it was rather different from the LL, but we thoroughly enjoyed drinking it.
One of the major grocery stores in town has a seriously good wine section and carried the Tolpuddle Chardonnay for awhile. Expensive (~ USD $50), but a damn good bottle of wine. My friend James, an Aussie winemaker and fellow Wallabies supporter, brought the '18 to my bday a few years ago. I think the two of us drank most of the bottle before we let any of the other cretins in attendance have a crack. Writing this, I’m suddenly inspired to see if it’s been restocked.
Had a bottle of 2012 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards yesterday that drank really well. It had a deep, saturated purple colour. The nose has raspberry jam, soot, iron and smoked meat notes. It is a fleshy wine, with a creamy mid-palate. It is rich and powerful but by no means heavy or cumbersome. It has the feel of an old school Aussie claret but with a little extra ripeness. The finish is fresh and long and it has been preserved beautifully under screwcap.
Kays (Amery)…ahhh, there’s a name I haven’t heard of in a very long time. They were available in NZ at one time but that’s probably 20-25 plus years ago.
Would be interested in your thoughts, as I unearthed a number of 1990s Australian wines while dealing with my late father’s cellar. I suspect the Penfolds Bin 707 Cabs will be just fine, and I know the Grange will be, but stuff like the 1998 Parker Connawara Terra Rossa First Growth (and Terra Rossa Shiraz) are not something I am familiar with.
