Tag Archive | "Shiraz"
Interviewing Tasmania’s biggest Shiraz producer, Jimmy Watson Trophy Winner Nick Glaetzer
Drier and warmer than the rest of Tasmania, the southerly Coal River Valley has form when it comes to vinous surprises. Who would have believed Zinfandel could be grown on this cool climate island, less still that Stoney Vineyard’s 1982 Zin (pictured below) would still be in the game. In the 90s, Stoney Vineyard’s then new owners, [...]
Continue reading...Into the heart of the Hunter with Tyrrells – sublime Semillons & sensual single vineyard Shiraz
Posted Monday 15th August 2011
Participating in a Decanter panel Shiraz tasting the week before last reminded me just how exciting the Hunter Valley is at the moment, prompting me to write up the first of my winery visits, with Tyrrells. And this is where it all started -the ironbark slab hut in Pokolbin, the Hunter Valley. Hand built in [...]
Continue reading...Penfolds first stand-alone Barossa sub-regional wine: Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2008
Posted Monday 28th February 2011
Last November I tasted a couple of new kids on the block from Penfolds, as well as some glorious old vintages of iconic wines Penfolds St Henri Shiraz (the 78, 86, 91 & 2006) and Grange (1978 and 1990). I’ve felt a little ambivalent about writing up my tasting notes because my nose and palate were in less [...]
Continue reading...Majestic, dribbling & d’Arenberg: The Deadarm Shiraz, a vertical
Posted Thursday 18th November 2010
On Tuesday night I presented a tasting for Majestic staff. That day, The Evening Standard was in majesterial form, announcing Wills’ and Kate’s engagement, also reporting on Majestic’s half-year profits (up 20%), in which context its staff were praised for “not dribbling while the talked about wine[!]“ Fortunately for them, it was down to me to talk and not [...]
Continue reading...Shiraz: South Africa’s Bellingham -v- Australia’s Barossa Valley Estate
Posted Thursday 8th July 2010
So we’ve had South Africa -v- the Loire on the blancs, Sauvignon and Chenin. What about this pair of seemingly evenly price matched Shiraz, tasted blind for fun? Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2006 (Stellenbosch) – deep ruby, a warm, earthy, oaky toast and mocha-edged nose, with sweet vanilla to its creamy cassis, plum and [...]
Continue reading...Penfolds Icon & Luxury Release tasting Part 2 – the reds
Posted Friday 7th May 2010
As promised, here’s Part 2 of my blog about Penfolds latest Icon and Luxury releases, this one covering the reds: Grange 2005 St Henri Shiraz 2006 (the 50th commercial release) RWT Shiraz 2007 Magill Estate Shiraz 2007 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. So a fair smattering of 2007s, a testing vintage for the eastern states. [...]
Continue reading...Cult & Boutique Wines from Down Under
Posted Monday 8th March 2010
Cult & Boutique Wines import a number of wines I’d not previously tasted, many of which, given their name, you’ll not be surprised to hear have received rave reviews in The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. Last month’s Australia Trade Tasting provided the opportunity to suss them out. With few exceptions, they’re big, bold wines with [...]
Continue reading...St Hallet Old Block Shiraz 2006 – snap up the no. 1 wine – Wine 100 magazine
Posted Friday 26th February 2010
A quick post so you’re not pipped at the post! I’m part way though writing up my notes of the Australia Trade Tasting of which St Hallet Old Block Shiraz 2006 is a highlight – I’ve extracted my tasting note with alacrity below so you can make a pre-emptive strike. Reason is I just had [...]
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Posted Thursday 2nd February 2012
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