Heathcote - how does it stand up?

[Rosco]

At the recent meeting of our wine club, the following wines were featured - all "masked" to further explore the "might" of ther Heathcote area in comparison to other recognised Victorian wines!
The wines were:-
Mt. Ida Heathcote shiraz 1998
Craiglee Sunbury shiraz 1998
Clayfield Moyston shiraz 2001
Green Vineyard Heathcote shiraz 2000
Lethbridge shiraz/Viog. 2001
Castagna Beechworth Shiraz/Viog. 2001
Shadowfax Heathcote shiraz 2001
Hanging Rock Heathcote shiraz 2000

Wines and notes in descending average points order were:-

Shadowfax (18.4 points)
Dense,lifted nose of plums,violets,ink,meaty,vanillin.
Palate showed licorice,plums meaty characters with mouthcoating texture with spice and pepper showing through on a complex and complete wine
Absolute class
Lethbridge (18.2)
Lifted sour cherries spice, pepper,tobacco and dust on nose
Savoury style with pepper,floral and spice on palate showing cooler climate lighter bodied structure but with substantial complexity.
Hanging rock(18.1)
Spice,pepper,floral with fine tannins.
Cool climate characters of mint,menthol,with green leaf and rose petal.
Interesting marmite and savoury influences with sustained flavours
Castagna (18.0)
Spice,cloves,scented with touch of leafy green and fine tannins
Powerful palate with ripe plums and mouth coating taxture but with hints of leafy green underneath. Wine sits "higher" in palate.
Clayfield (18.0)
Lifted estery nose with vanillin,chocolate,plum and bramble.
Complex palate with chocolate,mint,dust,spice and plums.
Palate was mouth filling without having mouthcoating texture.
Green Vineyards (17.3)
Dark plums,chocolate,meaty(black pudding),soft wood tannins
Palate of plums,dust,esters pepper but showing some over ripoe and extracted characters.
wine seems "stretched" and some found it a touch "dirty".
Mt Ida (17.2)
Lifted nose of chocolate,vanillin,licorice and liqueur cherries.
On palate mouth coating with dark chocolate,dark cherries and vanilla.
However very high acid and tannin levels combined with alcoholic heat seemed to overpower the fruit and other characters.
Craiglee (16.5)
Lifted cherries soft and touch "plastic" on nose.
Pepper,cherries,vanilla and soft tannins but wine lacks complexity and intensity.
some tasters referred to the wine as "watery" pepper!

Overall the "texture" of Heathcote was to the fore.
This area is fulfilling its potential!!
The Shadowfax is a brilliant wine and the Lethbridge surprised.
As for the Craiglee (usually one of my favourite cool climate shiraz) - enough said
regards,
Rosco

[michel]

Great Tasting Rosco.
I am not sure how the Sunbury Craiglee fits in here. I had my last of a case early this year and it is in transition from primary fruit to more secondary characters and showed poorly for me as well. I dont know if it will ever come 'good'. As a young wine it was brilliant fruit driven and didnt show the 14%.
Had the Castagna 2001 as well and was so impressed.
regards
michel

[Colin]

Rosco
I visited the Werribee cellar door last week to taste the range, leaving the One Eye til last. What an absolute cracker of a wine, one of the best Shiraz I have ever tasted. 2001 is the first vintage for this wine but I am tipping this wine will soon rank with the best in the land, sublime wine. Your notes are one the money with this one. Colin