The Auswine Forum

Hi All,

I've organised a tasting for a group of friends this Saturday night with the theme of red wines over 15.5% alcohol and i need some help with some suggestions for some of the guests.

The purpose of the tasting is to look at wines with a high alcohol content and the effect it can have on balance and structure. That and its getting cold around here...and i have an ox to slay and BBQ.

Anyway, I've come up with a few on my own ie, Warrabilla, Liebich, Bullers but could use a few more ideas.

I figured this would be a good place to ask for some ideas as there are a few of you guys out there with a fetish for the mega red.

Any help would be much appreciated,

Cheers
Cheyne

Noon, Kaesler, Wild Duck Creek.

Jim Barry Lodge Hill. Havent had the 03 yet but the 02 is the goods and they can be had for about $18

Bullers have just released two new wines, a straght Mondeuse at 17.5% and a Shiraz Viognier at 16%. Available Cellar Door only.

If you are looking for Over 15.5% and not equal to 15.5% this is really the thin end of the wedge. Add to the list above:

Warrabilla - the winemaker is a regular here
Greenock Creek

AB

Cheyne, this is an interesting exercise, there are a lot of reds in the 14.5 - 15.5% bracket but there are not all that many that are in fact labeled as over 15.5% and are reasonably available. Some producers deliberately mark down the alcohol a few 10ths of a percent, so some of the 15.2-15.5% may actually be over 15.5%.

I can't think offhand of any more than those already listed, as I'm pretty tolerant of high-alcohol I tend to ignore that and conentrate on whether the wine is in balance and has a flavour/structure profile I like. Although my database has a field for alcohol % I seldom fill it in.

A few that may be getting close if you need some more, although you may not be able to get some of them in time for the weekend:
Tyrrells Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2003 (15.2%)
Water Wheel Shiraz 2003 (15.5%)
Tait Ball-Buster Shiraz/Cab/Merlot (15.5%)
Tait BP Shiraz 2002 (15.3%)
Glaymond Shiraz/Mataro 2002 (16.4%)
Glaymond Cabernet 2002 (15.6%)
Kangarilla Rd Zinfandel 2002 (16.0%)

Cheyne,

As RB says, many wines are purposefully labelled with lower alc/vol. Regulations dicatate that the label must be within +/- 1.5% of the actual alc/vol. (the US and UK have different rules)

This means that a 15.0% wine can be labelled as 13.5%.

Its effectively a marketing tool so that the maker can communicate alc/vol as well as style (to a certain degree) and not scare the consumer off (by detailing 15% alc/vol)

That said, there are couple of Normans wines (old Vine & Chais) that are over 15% but labeled under.

Cheers
David

Hi Cheyne,

You can add to the list the 2003 Jeanneret Grenache/Shiraz - labelled as 15.5%, but it's officially 15.9% - tastes like it too.

When you guys are drinking all these, please don't get too close to the BBQ or you could spontaneously combust!

Cheers
Ian

Pity you can't get the 2003 Two Hands SophieÂ’s Garden Padthaway Shiraz 16.6%, or the 2003 Marquis Philips #9 Shiraz which comes in at about 16%.

The 2003's from Gnadenfrei Estate are up there, over 15%, but probably hard to find as well.

Mike

If you don't mind Grenache, 2001 La Testa Grenache @ 15.5% and CMC Grenache(cheaper version) which is @15.0%.

Pretty rare but early Duck Muck's (1992 /1993) came in at around 18%! Apparently still drinking very well too.

Davidc wrote:Cheyne,

As RB says, many wines are purposefully labelled with lower alc/vol. Regulations dicatate that the label must be within +/- 1.5% of the actual alc/vol. (the US and UK have different rules)

This means that a 15.0% wine can be labelled as 13.5%.

Its effectively a marketing tool so that the maker can communicate alc/vol as well as style (to a certain degree) and not scare the consumer off (by detailing 15% alc/vol)

That said, there are couple of Normans wines (old Vine & Chais) that are over 15% but labeled under.

Cheers
David

I always thought that the labelling requirements were within +/- 0.5% alcohol: has this changed in the last year or so?

If so it would certainly be a God-send to Jim Barry Wines who were openly packing it about how the 2003 Armagh was looking like two years ago - at that stage they thought it could be over 16% which would wipe out their UK market as it would have been classified as a fortified.

Cheers
Ian

Arakoon DOYEN 2001/3

There is one type of Sevenhill that ive seen that is 15.5+ but cant remember which one. Hav'nt tried it.

As mentioned above I have Lodge Hill in my cellar and its a great drop for the money and really starts to open up after 2 hours in the decanter.

I also have Eclipse.

Ian,

The UK has a limit of +/- 0.5%. Aust has alway been 1.5%

Cheers
David

If you can find a Jasper Hill Georgia's 99, it's labelled 15.5%. One of my best ever Shiraz and still have 2 btls left - and NO you can't have one.

daz

Thanks everyone,

There have been a lot of helpful suggestions, i'll let you know how the tasting turns out.

Cheers
cheyne

Here's a few more:

Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 2002 16%
Hobbs Gregor Shiraz 2002 16.6%
Shirvington Shiraz 2003 16%

lantana

Highest I've seen is 18% on the Peel estate Zin.
Don't know if its dry though, and i'm a big believer that they have to be BONE dry....ie less than 1 g/L residual sugar.

Cheers
Smithy

Smithy1 wrote:8)

Highest I've seen is 18% on the Peel estate Zin.
Don't know if its dry though, and i'm a big believer that they have to be BONE dry....ie less than 1 g/L residual sugar.

Cheers
Smithy

I'll bring one over next year.