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I’d argue that this wine would be significantly better with a whole lot less oak as the fruit is beautiful and needs to be heard more clearly. Nevertheless, after four days of being open it showed no sign of tiring, and the oak slunk off into the background like a noisy bore at a party that finally gets the message, which surely augurs well for future festivities.

Fresh and minty with a mix of black and blue fruits, aniseed and a double shot of toasty espresso oak. On the palate blue fruits, Barossa coal, spice, milk chocolate, aniseed and plenty of toasty savoury coffee oak - sweet fruit and savoury oak. It has magnificent ultra fine tannins married to fruit of outstanding purity and freshness that’s currently submerged under a blanket of toasty oak. Very long finish. It needs a lot of time to come together and the points are for then, not now.

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Well I tasted this on a coolish Sydney late Autumn night, and it’s just the right sort of wine for that of thing, but while you are reading this and quite possibly shivering, most likely I’ll be sunning myself and sipping a gin and tonic..or perhaps a dry Martini (stirred, not shaken) on a tropical island somewhere in the Pacific…

Lots of interesting things to smell here - bramble fruit, gum leaf, boot polish, pepper, nougat and toasty oak being the main ones (real or imagined). It’s nice and dry on the palate with attractive chunky tannins and briar, pepper and mixed berry fruit flavours. Just above medium bodied with good freshness and drinkability although not especially deep. It could easily take a bit of bottle age to gain further complexity too. Very nice wine and one of good value and authenticity.

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I don’t know too much about this wine but I do know it won the trophy at the McLaren Vale show as best red under $20. Fair enough too, you’re certainly getting a lot of bang for your buck here!

Opens a little charry and then comes chocolate, black plum and cherry brandy. On the palate full bodied with saturating long smooth tannins and flavours of chocolate, earth and plums. On the first day’s tasting no hint of alcohol warmth - it’s all neatly folded and hidden in the velvet folds but on the second day the heat was on so I’d suggest drinking young rather than cellaring. Points are for drinking now..and at cool cellar temperature rather than room temperature.

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The trade label on the back says $20 which seems not only awfully cheap, but also a considerable reduction in price from last years model. It’s a cellar door and on-premise only jobby but well worth seeking out.

It smells of cassis, berries and liquorice but it’s also nice and meaty rather than sweet - the Viognier having been taken up beautifully and adding floral interest rather than overt apricotiness. Full bodied with firmish tannins but oh so smooth and well balanced. It has flavours of meat juices and juicy berries and presents as a sumptuous, classy and thoroughly delicious wine. Long too…and if the price is right..then come on down.

Other vintages : 2005

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This is from a total production of 64 dozen and as at yesterday I believe there are about six or ten cases left at the winery (I forget which but I’m sure the number is nearly as fluid as the wine).

Perfumed and crammed with Chinese five spice, sour cherry jam, blueberry and subtle creamy oak this smells immediately appealing. On the palate just medium bodied with a fine sense of freshness and elegance - it fans out and spreads flavour though the mouth in the most delightfully gracious manner. It tastes of sour cherry jam (but not too sweet), tart blueberries and plenty of exotic spice - all light and fresh with fine feathery tannins and a long spicy finish. Marvellous wine. A Shiraz for Pinot fanciers perhaps?

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Hmmm well I think I like this one a little more than the 2005 vintage (more length) so logically I need to give it a slightly higher score, even though I have both 92 and 93 written on my pad (a trend you might begin to notice). I’d need to taste them side by side to be absolutely sure, rather than many months apart, but I’m as confident as you can ever be when dealing in absolutes. Well that’s my story anyway, and I’m sticking to it.

It’s fragrant and creamy with spice and pepper over dark cherry and fresh blackberry and a bit of the old liquorice coming up with air. It feels medium bodied in the mouth with excellent flow and nice fine smooth tannins, acidity perhaps a little unsettled at this early age, but set for a long future. There’s no heat or over-ripeness - just beautiful blackberry/dark cherry fruit seasoned with pepper, spice and subtle creamy oak running onto a good long finish. A boastful advertisement for stylish Grampians Shiraz at a painfully modest price.

Other vintages : 2005

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Greenvale is near the Melbourne airport, so I’ve plopped this wine in the Sunbury region. The vineyard is dry grown and the wine was made by Antonio Nania, Bruno D’Anna and Franco D’Anna using natural yeast, no filtration or pumping, and gravity feeds. This is the inaugural release.

A lovely nose, with the aromas oscillating between black cherries, red currants and black currants, with some vanilla pod, spice, and a matchstickiness. The palate is soft, red fruits, blackcurrants, liquorice, old black pepper and some matchstick on the finish. On the lighter side of medium bodied, with soft tannins and highly drinkable.

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A rich red. Red cherries and red plums, lifted florals and strikingly deep seated peppery spices. There is also the impression of concentration, and hints of milk chocolate, cocoa and even chocolate. The palate is wonderfully balanced, cherries and plums, blackberries, maybe some raspberry acidity, milky and tangy, ripe but not too sweet, all with some beautiful tannins. Quite primary at the moment, but oh-so easy to drink. No sign of any heat whatsoever.

Other vintages: 2004, 1999

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A colleague of mine (and I use the term loosely) told me I ought to get on to Collector Wines, so I wasted no time touching them up for a few bottles. I like a hot tip. Anyway, Canberra is looking more and more like one of THE regions in which to make great Shiraz in Australia and this is no exception. I love the tannins here. Welcome to Tannin country.

Strong dark colour with a delightful aromatics of black cherry, toffee, Brazil and hazelnuts, pepper and meat. On the palate medium to full bodied with rich smooth fruit of the blackberry and dark cherry persuasion, pepper, aniseed and a nutty toothsome fine grained dark chocolate texture. It has superb ripe tannins, a fluid glycerol mouth feel and no hint of warmth or intrusive alcohol. Fully ripe, but not sweet, closing with a long dry finish of nuts and chocolate. Outstanding.

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Grange eh? A wine that requires no introduction.

As with all Grange the aromatics are layered and complex with this vintage offering a whole raft of interesting things to smell. It’s showing a touch of char, brown spices, blackberry, coconut, liquorice, aniseed, soy sauce, camphor and fruit cake in and amongst other things. Seek and ye shall find but the overall impression over three days tasting is of a rich darkly fruited wine backed with liberal high class oak that smells terrific. On the palate full bodied and bulging with powerful dark tarry fruit, mince pie, dark chocolate, dry spices, aniseed and plenty of perfumed cedary oak. It maintains a good level of freshness and has layers of open knit very firm chalky tannins that make their presence felt from start to long finish. The tannins receded and softened over three days but still felt a little raw and blocky at the end. Young wine, no doubt, but I’d suggest it will always be a more rustic example of Grange, although a good one. A remarkable wine considering the vintage too.

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I opened this last night alongside the Shaw + Smith Shiraz and De Bortoli Reserve Syrah of the same vintage in a spectacular “Syrah stylee” tasting (of which more later). Stiff competition (not that I see wine tasting as a competition mind you) and it was the Vinea Marson that held the most appeal for JP and me this particular evening. There’s just something so Euro-appealing about it, Italianate perhaps, but certainly a wine of great personality. Sharp eyed pedants will notice the Nebbiolo pictured so I’ll cut you off at the pass; the bottle looks the same anyway.

It has just a dab of perfume but mainly it’s all about black and blue fruit, new leather, spice, chocolate coated Brazil nuts and liquorice. Dark and seductive. Sultry even. In the mouth immediately appealing and seriously structured with a dry textured feel but not without elegance and finesse. It has good fruit but it’s not sweet or fruity, more nutty and savoury, finishing with firm grippy tannin on exit. It’s satisfying and engaging; a real wine of integrity and class.

Other vintages : 2005

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I’d suggest buying magnums of this wine; one bottle is clearly not enough in one sitting. We tasted this over a couple of days and the last glass evoked a little tear in the eye and the sound of cash registers ringing in my ears. Ouch..but it’s Awesom-o.

This offered a remarkable array of smells and flavours over several days with brazil nuts, flowers, cocoa, blackberry, plum, roast lamb and mint being the big ticket items on its glorious olfactory shopping list. It does have some oak showing on the nose but it’s well into the background. In the mouth medium to full bodied with powerful cherry and berry fruit and a violet mouth perfume combining with more savoury roast meat flavours. It’s fresh and smooth with strong ripe tannins that melted down into an almost creamy mouth filling texture with extended breathing. Enormous length of flavour. It’s destined to become one of the greats.

Other vintages : 2003, 2003, 2002, 2002, 1997, 1995, 1991, 1986, 1976, 1971

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Well I think I can tell you that the 2007 red vintage in the Hunter Valley will widely become considered one of the greats. Just as well really because it’s the birth year of my son, and along with Margaret River sharing an equally fine year, it makes for happy news as they are my two favourite regions in Australia (although I’m sure I should not declare any favouritism). I’ll be keeping an eye out for the better Bordeaux as well…but that will no doubt involve some careful triage not to mention serious payage… In the interim we have one of the first bottled specimens of that fine local vintage..most likely for local people.

Magnificent smelling wine with blackberry, clean earth, liquorice, spice, pepper and sort of an intriguing Chinotto-like top note. On the palate medium bodied with fresh acidity and lightly grainy ripe open knit tannin - quite light but very charming. It has flavours of bramble fruit, spice, cocoa and liquorice that tails off a little on the back palate but return with a flourish on the lengthy spicy aftertaste. A fine regional wine that offers great value and significant cellaring potential.

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I like the Cabernet Sauvignon from this vintage but not so sure about the Shiraz. Release date is July 1.

It smells of of chocolate, pepper, cassis, currants and cedary vanilla oak. On the palate full bodied and very chocolaty with pepper and spice, rich blackberry fruit and some vanilla oak. It’s warm and quite sweet with smooth tannins but lacks freshness and charm - at least for this taster. Warm chocolate sauce finish of moderate length. It’s nice enough but too leaden for higher points.

Other vintages : 2004

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Barossa Shiraz is probably best not known for providing weekday bargain drinking but here’s a winery that’s been delivering the goods year after year at very modest prices. I have tasted every release of the ‘Boundary Row’ Shiraz since the 2001 vintage and this could well be the finest. They are currently looking for distribution in NSW if any readers have a hole in their portfolio they would like to fill.

It smells of black and blue fruit, coal, dried mint, pepper and a bit of chocolate. On the palate medium to full bodied with an attractive mix of sweet fruit and more savoury Barossan flavours. It has fine dry tannins, a fresh balanced mouthfeel and provides a great deal of juicy drinking satisfaction. Tails off a little on the back palate but you’ll only notice if you are feeling either over analytical or a little churlish, otherwise you’d be too busy drinking and enjoying yourself.

Other vintages : 2004

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Yes it was tasted in February and somehow I missed writing it up. Opps. There’s a lot of 2006 Hunter Shiraz coming your way over the next week or two as well. So good news for some, not such good news for others, but certainly excellent news for me.

It presents with a bit of a Spanish feel (a technique quite popular on crowded buses or so I am told) with dark fruit, plum and cherry, some herb, coffee, spice and clean earth. It has a fluid medium bodied palate with dark fruit, coffee and fine textured ripe tannins. Good firm finish with a touch of herb to close. It’s very fine Hunter Shiraz with a little something extra thrown in; I know not what but I know I like it.

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It’s a blend of 87% Barossa Shiraz and 13% Riverland Petit Verdot. Not sure about the label but it’s certainly eye catching..perhaps even a little suggestive….

Direct and relatively straight forward it offers up mixed berries (mainly red), pepper, a bit of char and a slight perfume - presumably from the Petit Verdot component. The palate is medium to full bodied with good fruit weight and appropriate tannins - slightly gritty but giving the wine shape and food friendliness. Good value, bang on the money and a fair bit more interesting than many at this price point. It’s a good satisfying drink.

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Not to be confused with the standard Brokenwood Shiraz, this is the pure Hunter version. Initially a confronting wine, it looked dry and very stinky, but given time in a decanter it sweetened up and completely won me over.

Opens up stinky and charry with an array of distinctly non-fruity smells like earth, bacon, smoke, pepper but with time the powerful blackberry/blackcurrant fruit rises up and a licorice/dark chocolate sweetness also emerges. On the palate a mix of savoury earthy flavours and peppery blackcurrant/blackberry fruit backed with plenty of toasty mocha/vanilla oak. It’s medium bodied in weight with attractive fine soft tannins and a long dry earthy finish. A wine with attitude and personality. It comes over as a real Hermitage meets Hunter style. I love it. If you drink it now make sure to give it a couple of hours in the decanter.

Other vintages reviewed : 2005, 2004

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I have all the Elderton Estate wines lined up for tasting, including a new (I think) 2007 Zinfandel. I thought I’d kick things off with the Shiraz and I don’t mind telling you this is the vinous equivalent of a torp from 60 metres straight through the posts. I was expecting something pretty decent, but this is a bit special.

It smells rich and fruity, but not heavy, offering up blackberry, violet, spice, vanilla, aniseed and mocha. On the palate full bodied but fresh with lush dark fruit, aniseed, brown spices and vanilla coffee oak - nothing over played with exemplary fruit and oak balance. It has ultra-smooth velveteen tannins, a gorgeous seductive mouthfeel and a long spicy finish. It’s a complete wine of breed and enormous drinkablity at a bargain price…and I’m a huge fan.

Other vintages : 2004

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The more I taste, the more I’m liking the 2006 Hunter Shiraz vintage. It’s just so medium bodied, fine, ripe and charming - a vintage to seduce rather than bludgeon. So if your tastes run to this style then here’s another one you might like to add to your shopping list. In coming days (or weeks) I’ll be reviewing Brokenwood’s Graveyard and Hunter, Meerea Park’s Aunts, Hell Hole and Alexander Munro, Tulloch Dry Red, Thomas KISS and so on.

A seductive wine from start to finish - it opens with a waft of perfume, ripe blue and black berries, spice and creamy oak over a bed of latent (clean) Hunter earthiness. On the palate it’s medium bodied but thoroughly mouth filling with beautiful supple fine grained suede-like tannins and flavours of rich berry, creamy French oak, violet and spice. If flows through the mouth in a most delightful manner and finishes long and spicy with a creamy berry aftertaste. A fabulous, but highly polished, regional wine. Make sure you decant it if drinking young.

Other vintages : 2005

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