Peter Howland Pine Lodge Vineyard Shiraz 2005 Wednesday, Jun 4 2008
Tasting Notes and Australia and Great Southern and Variety and Red and shiraz et al
While it’s not my highest rated wine of the WA Shiraz Trio (narrowly missing out on a whopping 96 points), this is my favourite of the three, and the one I most enjoyed drinking. Sometimes it works that way.. oh and it’s from Mount Barker.
It smells of gum leaf, licorice, dark chocolate, spice, black fruits, black olive and some meatiness but all flamboyant and fresh - invigorating even, but it’s not the feeling of Scandinavia here, more like a walk in the Australian bush after a spring shower. Anyway, in the mouth medium to full bodied and distinctly fresh, cool and spicy with fine acidity, plenty of ripe grainy tannin and flavours of black and red fruits, pepper, dark chocolate and ground spices with a savoury dried herb and black olive twist. It has a very long expansive finish that leaves the mouth clean and dry. It’s a wine of great style and authority. An absolute cracker.
Rated : 95 Points
Tasted : Jun08
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $40
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2010 - 2020
Source : Winery Sample
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25 Responses to “Peter Howland Pine Lodge Vineyard Shiraz 2005”
June 4th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Yet your TN of the Frankland wine gives the impression it’s better as well as you rating it higher. JH rated the Parsons highest of the 04s too.
Are you just blindsided by Mt Barker? And on Mt Barker, have you tasted a Plantagenet Shiraz 01 recently? Wondering when to open the 2nd of 2.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:38 am
It’s just a style thing mainly. I like the freshness and energy of this wine. I’d say Frankland was as well known for knocking out good Shiraz as Mount Barker.
My experience of Plantagenet Shiraz is to drink them medium term rather than too old. The 94 was at its best at around 6 I think. I’d open it now or over the next couple of years.
GW
July 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Amazing, all 3 reds now available for $19.95 at GWD.
Wineries must be really feeling the pinch of the economic slowdown - more to come I’m sure.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Paul, please pardon my ignorance, but what is GWD? They’re great prices for those wines
Pete
July 10th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
http://www.winorama.com.au/tasting-notes/peter-howland-parsons-vineyard-shiraz-2005/
July 11th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
PeteHazz,
Here’s a link to the Get Wines Direct homepage:
http://www.getwinesdirect.com/
Packing and delivery fee is very reasonable - $6.50.
Cheers
July 11th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Geez. Just read that…they laid it on pretty thick eh!
GW
July 11th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Nah, that’s their new restrained mode.
July 12th, 2008 at 12:46 am
GW,
When GWD quotes you as outpointing 03 Grange with these howland wines, do you feel it’s slightly taken out of context? (for e.g it’s a better drink now but where will it be 30 years on..)
Or would you say its a fair comment?
Michael
July 12th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Well it’s a sensationalist comment for sure but with points scoring you (legitimately) leave yourself wide open to it. Yes, I think the Parsons and Pine Lodge are currently better wines than 03 Grange, although VERY different styles, but in 20 years as you say, probably not. One of the things you pay for with Grange is longevity and breeding (for lack of a better word).
I’m actually more concerned at the damage this may do to the Howland Brand. The wines deserve to be fully priced. Perhaps it may get the wines into more peoples mouths which is positive, but on the flip side, once a wine is heavily discounted then it’s often a long road back…
GW
July 12th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Surprised you hadn’t read it - GWD does that sort of thing all the time and seem to delight in comparing just about any shiraz with higher point scores than Grange 03 to it.
I’ve noticed your reviews/ratings are being quoted in an increasing number of wine promos by sellers.
Onya
July 13th, 2008 at 8:14 am
No. I’m not really in the market for much wine at the moment…apart from very long term stuff.
GW
July 13th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Gary Walsh said :
Why are you concerned? It’s his problem (if it is a problem) not yours.
I am guessing GWD sourced the wine directly from PH, he must have known what price they would set on them. They should know by now what scores JH allocated in the forthcoming Wine Companion 2009. Maybe they couldn’t wait and your rave reviews didn’t generate enough sales yet. Or maybe the picture on the web site puts of potential direct buyers. Or maybe they made heaps and the GWD offer is just a teaser. Or maybe it’s just a tough market out there for small players.
Whatever the case, he’ll sell a heap of wine at the $19.95 price and get some cash flow and, as you said, get a lot of people to try the wines.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
There would be an embargo on using the scores until publication..although most men and a few of their dogs seem to know their scores by now. I know that of my own wine.
Anyway, I’m concerned when I see any slash and burn pricing of any good wines/brands whatever. Those that are being undervalued. Life is not all about dollars and cents and screwing people on price. At least not for me. And yes it’s obviously good cashflow..that is largely the point of the GWD sales channel for wineries. And also you’d be a bit miffed if you had bought direct from the winery and this comes along. Bad for long term relationships with customers.
GW
July 13th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Re JH scores, quite a few seem to be leaking out, somke of them as teasers by JH himself. Re pricing/discounting: Maybe your perspective has changed a little now that you are making wine for yourself?
Smart wine buyers are quite used to buying at retail cheaper than at the winery (where there is a retail presence), but yes, 30%-50% less is stretching things a fair bit.
My perspective is that good wine will sell briskly at a price the consumer sees as good/fair for the quality. Even with the glowing reviews you provide, shelling out $30-$40pb on a mixed case of wine, plus freight is a bit of an ask for a relatively unknown maker. If they sold direct to GWD, at least they avoided the 30%-40% wholesaler margin.
July 13th, 2008 at 10:35 am
There won’t be too much problem selling our own wine. It’s only 150 dozen and it’s already mainly pre-sold…
GW
July 13th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Hi Gary. Don’t know much about your venture into winemaking and am interested. Is their a website I could visit to find out more?
July 13th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Not yet. I have not got it up - well I have but it is not ready - apart from a label shot..
Wine will be available in a month or so though usual independent retail channels or direct. Price will be around $35. They are small make single vineyard wines of 150 dozen. The first is a 2006 Mountain X Shiraz Pinot that comes off low cropping old vines in the Hunter Valley (1968 plantings). Made with about 1/3 new French oak and in a classic medium bodied style with a dash of (Yarra) Pinot to provide a little perfume. There is also a 2007 in the wings (looking good, aged in puncheons, also Hunter fruit, same vineyard) and a 2008 bubbling away but this time from Canberra fruit (Four Winds Vineyard near Clonakilla). Same treatment with puncheons etc.
They won’t ever be reviewed here but Lincoln and David have both seen the wine and liked it.
GW
July 13th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Cheers Gary, will be on the lookout for them
July 14th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Does anyone know where the Pine Lodge vineyard is in Barker that Peter Howland sourced his fruit from for this wine?
July 15th, 2008 at 9:12 am
http://www.exploroz.com/Places/63475/WA/Pine_Lodge.aspx
:-)
July 18th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Bought last 2 bottles from GWD this morning. No parsons left at all. Good searching for it.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:52 pm
My case arrived from GWD on Friday while I was off work for the day to have a medical test procedure carried out.
Tasting the first bottle from the doz., a Pine Lodge. Two things in particular (apart from the whole palate experience) is the very nicely balanced, softish acid treatment and the excellent length on the finish that’s like watching waves at the seashore that ebb and flow, come back again. Tannins are ripe and fine for me. Very impressive wine, very serious bargain for $20.
I’m looking forward to trying the Parsons in a couple of days, after I try the Viking shiraz 06 tomorrow night.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 am
spot on review and points for this wine GW. good work and thanks for the heads up
It definately is a spicy and complex number and I know what you mean when you said it could be a bit much for some.
How do you think it will age though? Do you think it will soften out and be more graceful and integrated? For me at the moment it is the intensity of the deep black fruit (much attributed to the youth of the wine) which balances out that high level of spice.
A good comparison is the 05 HP Scotsdale.. equal points now but that wine for my palate is dead set to be better with age.
Back to question, How do you think this will come about with a couple years?
Cheers,
Michael
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I think the 05 Scotsdale more accessible than Pine Lodge. I think this will become quite eucalypt and maybe bony but very good. It has sufficient structure to go a good while - per drinking window. Let me know in a few years..
GW