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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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This is a new line from Seppelts (hence the review) that came along with a 2006 Heathcote Shiraz. It’s yet another wine from the 2007 Victorian vintage that I reckon is showing smoke taint characters. I think I’m either looking for it too closely or just getting too sensitive to the smell and taste of it (and it’s mainly the taste that presents the problem) because it keeps cropping up over and over again, and while this is not nearly as bad as some, it’s enough to knock a couple of points off and shorten the drinking window.

It smells of nectarine, yeast, smoke, aniseed (or is that Bonjella on my finger?), orange and cardamom spice. Nice and tight on the palate with fine clean acidity and good balance throughout. It’s medium weight with attractive citrus and nectarine flavour that’s marred by a slightly acrid character that carries through to the finish. A promising debut but a tricky wine to score, all things considered.

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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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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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Now I would not normally bother writing this up if it weren’t for the distinct possibility that many might be inclined to try the new vintage based on the glories of past. And maybe you should try it too because there is also the distinct possibility that I have fluffed the review, or had an indifferent bottle.

It smells very good with violet, black and blue fruit, dusty wood, cocoa and an aniseed/ouzo lift. On the palate medium bodied with a mix of berry and cocoa, not much width and quite strong furry tannins. It starts well but much like the opening credits of Get Smart the steel doors slam shut as the wine travels along the mouth - hard, cold and final. Tasted over two days it remained closed and unforgiving, although perhaps time will be kind and unlock its charms.

Other vintages : 2004, 2003

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I recently reviewed the top end Arapiles Shiraz from Norton Estate and if that wine was full cream milk, then this is Lite White. And that’s not to be taken in pejorative sense by any means; it’s just a lighter, less thick and intense version with a very similar flavour profile. And a very attractive wine it is too.

Ripe black and blue fruits, spice, liquorice, chocolate and perhaps something a little more savoury and leathery make this a most enticing smelling wine. On the palate just above medium bodied with a mix of berries and spice and some more earthy flavours. It has fine tannins and feels soft and natural in the mouth. Neither heavy nor stolid; it wins you over with a light touch. Good clean finish too. A charming wine of great appeal.

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It’s about 6km outside the Grampians GI but I’m popping it in anyway. Tastes like Grampians and I like it better than some of the bigger (and more expensive) names from the region (or not as the case may be). So there we have it. Just call me GI Joe. I know no boundaries.

Aromatic and packed with exotic spice it fairly bursts with black cherry, blackberries, new leather and creamy vanilla oak. On the palate just above medium bodied with beautiful velvety tannins, balanced alcohol, clean acidity and a lush creamy texture. It offers sweet black cherry fruit, licorice, spice and vanilla and fairly ripples along the palate in a most seductive manner, closing with a long black fruit and spice aftertaste. It’s an absolute beauty and I strongly recommended it to fanciers of spicy Western Victorian Shiraz.

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I didn’t think the 2005 Chalambar was much chop (although I only tasted it briefly in amongst a raft of other wines) and the 2005 Moyston I can’t recall tasting at all. This vintage looks to be back on top form mind you and tasting this over two nights I have the scores of both 92 and 93 circled on the madness that is my tasting notes book. If you have a taste for Grampians/Bendigo shiraz then I’d expect that you will be very pleased with this wine. Release date is April 1.

Opens with a little toasty oak and a slightly reduced meatiness but give it some time and a rich mix of berries, plum, pepper, spice and aniseed will be revealed. It delivers all those good things you expect in Victorian Shiraz. On the palate medium bodied with good weight and depth of ripe fruits such as plum and mixed berry but essentially it feels quite dry - certainly spicy, a little bit meaty and has some dark chocolate thrown in too. It has plenty of ripe mouth coating talc-like tannin, unobtrusive acidity and closes with very good length and a slightly bitter chocolate aftertaste. A very good Chalambar. Good news for many because if it’s a staple in your cellar then you can safely bang a few in.

Other vintages: 2005, 2004, 2004, 2003

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There is a good story to this. Winemaker Rory Lane takes small batches of Grampians fruit and makes them into wine in a little factory apartment in Melbourne. The fruit for this vintage is sourced from the Westgate and Robinson Vineyards (of Mount Langi fame) and it includes a portion of whole bunch action in the ferment which really lift the aromatics.

Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, pepper, spice, chocolate, meat and creamy French vanilla oak. Perfumed and exotic. On the palate medium bodied with dark cherry, spice, pepper, chocolate and some meaty flavours with quality oak adding a little creamy vanilla. The tannins are very smooth and fine grained and it feels lovely and supple in the mouth. A bit more weight on the back palate and I’d rate it through the roof (although it did fill out after being open for a day). This is an artisanal wine dripping with love and regionality and comes with a strong buy recommendation from me.

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Friends Morryfyd and Graeme brought this wine to dinner. They bought it on a trip a few years back. The wine was served blind and no clues given and I thought it a Central Victorian Shiraz, but not rich and sweet fruited like those of Heathcote or as fine as those of Avoca. It did not show that grassy herbaceous cabernet flavour at all but the nose had the tar and earth flavours that I am often not so fond of. It has very drying tannins. Once it was revealed I wondered about its future, it was picked ripe so that probably explains why it wasn’t green or herbal but the drying tannins were a concern. It went really well with the roast lamb.

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This is a well-known label that just seems to get cheaper and cheaper; I am sure I paid more for the 1998 vintage. An interesing nose, showing milk chocolate, nuts, red plums, cinnamon quill, spice, black cherries, deeply spiced actually, and with time a bit of seaweed and oyster shell. The palate shows plums and spice, nicely scribed on an oak backboard, seeming more generous than the ‘04, a bit salty with firm acid and drying finish. Some more time in the bottle is recommended, though I am concerned this is was an atypical bottle.

Other vintages: 2004, 2004, 2003

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I am not entirely sure if I will be heading north when I shuffle off but if I do I think it would be good to front up with a bottle of this. St Peter, the bouncer manning the “Pearly Gates”, would probably go for his eponymous shiraz rather than the traditional biblical top end bribes of gold, frankincense and myrrh. I’d say this would get me through the door no worries and I’ll be swanning about drinking Krug in a white robe in no time flat. It’s probably more likely that I will end up going the other direction though, to “Underworld” to do battle with the three headed door bitch, but only after heeding the sage advice of Mr Chris de Burgh…

Quite fragrant with aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, cracked pepper steak, aniseed and sweet vanilla oak. On the palate medium bodied with sweet black and blue berry fruit, aniseed, pepper, meat and vanilla oak. Very fine firm but persistent tannins and good acidity. Immaculate and finely balanced throughout. Finishes with plenty of spice and good length of flavour. I can’t fault it but I don’t find it particularly exciting either - at least as a young wine. It will, of course, cellar beautifully.

Previous vintages reviewed : 2004, 2004 , 1999, 1998, 1996

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Not sure I really like the name ‘Silverband’. It conjures up too many non winey images for me. Things like pirates, parrots, rock bands and sandwich meat. This may well be because I am a bit odd though. Granted.

Aromas of black cherry, black jelly beans, pepper, five spice and subtle creamy French oak. On the palate medium bodied with black cherry, bramble fruit, five spice and some meaty flavours. Fresh prominent acidity and strong powdery tannins. Tight. Structure nearly overwhelms the fruit..but not quite. Finishes dry and spicy with crisp acidity. Needs a bit of time this one but I reckon it will deliver.

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Apparently I missed National Sparkling Red Day (NSRD I presume) on Tuesday 19 June. Who would have thought? Every dog will have its day I suppose. This is a new release from the grandly named “House of Seppelt” , and while NV, has a release date of 2007 printed on the bottle so you know what you are drinking. It has an average vintage age of six years meaning it is a blend of different parcels put together to make a house style - much like Champagne.

Aromas of dark cherry, licorice, dark chocolate, leather, camphor chest and pepper. Just a touch of the smoky farmyard but a really nice balance of savoury and fruity. On the palate rich and full bodied with cassis, cherry, chocolate, spice and leather. Sweet and savoury with a lick of dry tannin and gentle foamy bubbles. Sweet cherry and spice finish. I don’t go a bunch on fizzy reds but this (almost) wins me over.

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We found this wine in a small food shop in Dunkeld. I had never heard of the label and at $20 decided to try it. Medium depth red colour with a soft cracked pepper based nose. The palate was very clean with pepper being present but a nice rich palate in back. It has medium length and I suspect will reward a short time in the cellar. It may well continue to flesh out for many years but I would be cautious.

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Very nice to see yet another Australian benchmark red closed with a screwcap, and let’s face it, the screwcap argument is all but done and dusted (locally at least) so I won’t harp on any longer.

Aromas of black cherry, blackberry, aniseed, lots of spice, just a little pepper and some cedary slightly coconutty oak. A veritable potpourri of smells leap out of the glass. On the palate medium to full bodied with black and red berry fruit, spice, pepper and vanilla oak. It has plenty of firm sandy tannins and lively acidity along with a little warmth from alcohol but nothing out of balance. Finishes long, dry and spicy with a rasp of tannin to close. It’s big and ripe but not overdone. A very convincing example of MLG.

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There has been a lot of talk about Sangiovese in recent years. I have found most to be disapointing but I sometimes wonder if its just not my kind of variety. The location of the Langi Ghiran cellar door is drop dead gorgeous (see the picture on the website) and in recent years they have replaced the dowdy old cellar door with a very spiffy new one. Just another reason to visit the region. The colour was medium density red with enough brilliance to gain my interest. The nose seems tight and unyielding. In a short time the aromas indicate cherry and raspberry. The palate is similar, showing varietal typicity and a hint of secondary flavours from the spice rack. Hard to describe the mix but overall a pleasant flavour set with a nice finish. It is tight suggesting that it will reward a little time in the cellar.

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The problem with writing introductions to tasting notes is that sometimes the well is dry and one can’t think of much to say except for maybe if I had a well I might like it filled with this wine because it is really very nice. And it would smell great and all the villagers would be sozzled and their clothes would be an attractive mauve colour. I think that would make for a good place to live.

Lovely vibrant aromatics here with lots of flowers, vanilla, licorice, pepper and cinnamon spice over a core of sweet cherry, boysenberry and raspberry fruit. Exceptional. On the palate medium bodied with boysenberry, cherry, pepper, spice and vanilla flavours. Quite tight and fresh with lightly gritty grippy tannins. Good length of flavour. It drinks so beautifully and smells so magnificent that I feel like a points miser with the score.

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This is a single vineyard wine from Mount Langi Ghiran; there are two others: Robinson’s Vineyard and The Gap Vineyard. And if this is any indication it will be an interesting exercise tasting and comparing them. The Nowhere vineyard is north-facing, with red clay loam soils and shale. A juicy nose, with blackberries, dark cherries, spice and a bit of vanilla pod. The rich and beautifully ripe, dusty black fruits and plump red cherries, a bit of spice (but none of the pepper you would expect when you see a Langi label). The finish is drying and satisfying. Tip top for about $25.

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This talk of a Mount Langi Ghiran tasting has made me realise that the Langi Shiraz has been off my radar for a few years now. In fact, 1999 was the last vintage I bought, and after drinking my last bottle last night I can hear a ‘bip’ ‘bip’ ‘bip’, because this is just my type of wine (when I’m in a Shiraz mood). Sure, there is a core of cracked white pepper that some find distracting, but there is also lots of fruit and interest: red plums and blackberries, red cherries, cinnamon, vanilla pod and even some meatiness. The palate is beautiful, all those red and black fruits, fine fine tannins and then some creaminess and raspberries, pepper and dry spices. The length is excellent - a very satisfying wine, and better than my previous bottle a few years ago. Drink over the short term I think, as it dried out a touch after a few hours.

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