Birth of the Cool: launch of a new Grange Rival
Saltram has released an ultra rare premium shiraz, The Eighth Maker that is a modern classic in the making and will rival Grange as a definitive example of the best of warm climate Australian shiraz.
Admission 1:Aside the traditionals (Grange, Henshke HOG etc) I own not one bottle of new wave top tier Barossa Shiraz. Generally I am not persuaded by thunderous one-dimensional power. Parker and his acolytes can take it. I can leave it. At under $20 Barossa shiraz can be like a friendly mutt. Good for what it is. The more reductive the style the harsher the sledge hammer meets the anvil. Not a sculptorÂ’s chisel. I prefer more nuanced delights. Nothing satisfies the soul and emotions quite like great pinot noir whilst fine cabernets satisfies the intellect. Shiraz, to my palate, all too often straddles the two without delivering either rapport. This is where I am coming from.
Admission 2: I was invited to an exclusive black tie dinner at the National Gallery of Victoria to the backdrop of TiepoloÂ’s Banquet of Cleopatra for the launch of Nigel DolanÂ’s 2000 Saltram Eighth Maker, Barossa Shiraz. Normally the press gains access to a world of seductive marketing the likes of which we punters rarely see. Who would not be favourably disposed towards a generous host who provides exceptional hospitality and access to rare wines and privileged company. Payola can take subtle forms. It would be hard to be so ungracious as to bite the hand that has literally fed you. A gift pack of two special commemorative Riedel shiraz glasses was a delightful and unexpected parting present.
But my comments are not borne of loyalty and gratitude; rather real surprise and admiration for the wine at hand.
As winemakers increasingly soup up wines to match the insatiable American demand for alcohol enriched blockbusters, it is quite against the modern trend to look back at history and recreate the styles of past generations. To introduce the Eighth Maker, so named because Nigel Dolan is only the eighth wine maker in Saltram’s 145 year history and a son of one of the former maker’s, Brian Dolan (1954-1959) Dolan presented two “Burgundy†style shirazes: a 1959 Bin 27 Shiraz and a 1963 Shiraz with 15% dolcetto and 30% muscadelle. When wine styles were generically labelled “claret†for Bordeaux style and “burgundy†as a malaproposism of Burgundy; a shorthand way of describing soft, velvety textured wines, the classic Barossa shirazes of 40-50 years ago bore no resemblance to the ultra ripe, shiraz jus concentrates lashed with American oak that passes as superfine modern Australian shiraz.
It is to history that the new marque pointedly and triumphantly defers.
Saltram 1959 Bin 27 Shiraz
A rare wine it goes without saying and four disparate bottles were consumed. Unfortunately our table had an indifferent bottle.
Unpleasant burnt match odours; thin, sulphuric, harsh and extractive nose. Fleshy yet has simultaneously dusty parched tannins. Tired. Savoury cheese crackers with a finishing pettilance on the tongue.
Saltram 1963 Shiraz
Raisins, amaretto, savoury powerful attenuated long lean muscles. High VA lift. Beguiling softness. Very little signs of ageing: a wine made in the 80Â’s I would have thought.. A wine that will not die and I have no doubt the current plateau will last another 40 years. Fascinating.
2000 Eighth Maker Shiraz
With 50% old oak and 50% new French tight grained oak.
Dusty, traditional. I get old oak. Subtle, lean, intense and persistent. A great regional wine. Seemingly untrammelled restraint masks a retaining wall balancing the submerged power of guile. All the power and intensity of the wine is hidden under the surface. Wow. Drinks with real savoury finesse. Lots of Lindt chocolate. .Sexy in a knowing, Catherine Deneuve way. A modern classic.
These 3 wines showed a similar palate weight, texture and expression of fruit and terroir. The similarities provided context. In contrast we also had the 1998 Saltram No 1 and the 1998 Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon. No slouch the latter.
It is clear that this wine harkens back to its famous lineage. It is in the opposite direction to Saltram No 1. It is far far better. The 2002 won the Jimmy Watson Trophy, not that that is any claim to greatness, but perhaps an indication that the wheel is turning and the industry maturing: think RWT, Magill and St Henri as a counterbalance to ParkerÂ’s predilections. Aussie winemakers can make regional gems, not confections for powerful market forces. Let the wine speak for itself: res ipsa loquitur.
One caveat: I donÂ’t think it will be cheap. Armagh price territory.
Birth of the Cool: launch of a new Grange Rival
Birth of the Cool: launch of a new Grange Rival
Last edited by Neville K on Thu Jun 03, 2004 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Prester John
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Campbell
Some wines have the ability to transcend their region, their variety, their vintage - whilst also staying true to them. Grange is a classic example of this: many who don't like American-oaked Barossa shiraz, do like aged Grange. That's partly why it's a classic.
This new Saltram looks likely to have the same ability. It's a beautiful wine, from a poor vintage. It will cost about $187 per bottle - though it will likely be pre-sold/sold out before it reaches retail. It's a lot of money. But it is a wine of rare quality.
I'm with Neville: it made the 1998 No. 1 look pedestrian - which was good for the Eighth Maker, but not so good for No.1.
Campbell.
This new Saltram looks likely to have the same ability. It's a beautiful wine, from a poor vintage. It will cost about $187 per bottle - though it will likely be pre-sold/sold out before it reaches retail. It's a lot of money. But it is a wine of rare quality.
I'm with Neville: it made the 1998 No. 1 look pedestrian - which was good for the Eighth Maker, but not so good for No.1.
Campbell.
Yeah was a great night. The roles were reveresed on our table, personally I thought the 59 Shiraz was better than the 63. Be interesting to hear Campbell's thoughts on this.
Value for money, the 98 Mamre Cab was awesome. The 98 Number One, bland and very simple even compared to the Mamre. Eighth maker was in a league of it's own and I will be mightly impressed if the 00 Grange is as good as this.
Cheers
Anthony
Value for money, the 98 Mamre Cab was awesome. The 98 Number One, bland and very simple even compared to the Mamre. Eighth maker was in a league of it's own and I will be mightly impressed if the 00 Grange is as good as this.
Cheers
Anthony
Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach
Spanish saying
Spanish saying
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Campbell
Geat night. Informative. Stunning setting. And an interesting array of wines - if you sat there and thought about it, there was a lot to be learned from a line-up of wines like that.
98 Mamre - complex, soft, good mid-palate power - you can't ask for little more. I suspect a number of "second-string" wines from the Barossa from the 90s are better than their big brothers.
Re: the 59 - my first impression was that it was corked. I let it sit for a while and the corkiness became less obvious but I remained suspicious. Despite that it was still a pretty good wine - but in the end I grabbed S. Gregor's glass and smelled his, and it was completely different (and better) to mine. This makes me think that the bottle I was drinking from was different to that poured for the rest of the table - wish I'd had one of the good ones! My impressions then are closer to Neville's - I preferred the 63, which was bloody good.
Maybe I should ask Saltram to send through a replacement 59 (huge grin).
Campbell.
98 Mamre - complex, soft, good mid-palate power - you can't ask for little more. I suspect a number of "second-string" wines from the Barossa from the 90s are better than their big brothers.
Re: the 59 - my first impression was that it was corked. I let it sit for a while and the corkiness became less obvious but I remained suspicious. Despite that it was still a pretty good wine - but in the end I grabbed S. Gregor's glass and smelled his, and it was completely different (and better) to mine. This makes me think that the bottle I was drinking from was different to that poured for the rest of the table - wish I'd had one of the good ones! My impressions then are closer to Neville's - I preferred the 63, which was bloody good.
Maybe I should ask Saltram to send through a replacement 59 (huge grin).
Campbell.