TV's - Big Aussie Blood Warming reds

[SueNZ]

A few teeth staining numbers tasted in the last couple of days .....

Knappstein Enterprise Shiraz 1999
Deep lack w. purple rims, not showing any hint of its age. Big, full, rich and spicy with mocha, liquorice and chocolatey oak. Massive tannins. A big powerful wine, needs years.

Beresford McLaren Vale Shiraz 2001
Blackberry colour, creamy, spicy, sweet-fruited, mint, lots of Am. Oak on the nose. Pepper, menthol, liquorice, spice, chocolate, mocha, juicy plummy fruit, big ripe tannins, and a savoury, tarry, salted liquorice nuance on the finish. Good stuff.

Basedow Johannes Barossa Shiraz 1998
Deep black-red, mocha, meat and chocolatey oak on the nose, mint chocolate, rose pepper, spices, vanilla and prunes in the mouth, lingering mint, mocha, liquorice and spicy oak. Finely structured with a powerful finish. Perhaps just a little porty.

Wirra Wirra RSW McLaren Vale Shiraz 1999
Black-red, rich and savoury with mocha, chocolate, blackberry, blueberry, plums, pepper and toasty oak, creamy and smooth, beautifully structured, terrific balance, strong but very well integrated tannins. Powerful finish with just a hint of mint. Top stuff.

Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz 1998
Amazingly youthful looking deep black purple with a glorious nose of mocha, spice, leather, liquorice, mint chocolate and cedar. Masses of mint, liquorice, spice, blackberry, plums and creamy vanillin oak with just a touch of coconut and more mint on the finish. Another beautifully structured wine.

Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz 1997
Deep, dense black red, mint, tar, spice, smoke. A massive wine with loads of pepper, mocha, tar, dark chocolate, tobacco, cedar, blackberries and cherry fruit. More mint and choc on the finish. Amazing length.

Orlando Jacobs Creek Limited Release Shiraz Cabernet 1997
Developing some nice secondary characters, complex and cedary, seamless in its flow, with sweet fruit, mint, cigar, chocolate, currants and tobacco and more mint on the chocolatey oak finish. Beautifully structured.

Orlando St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
Another youthful looker. Two bottles tasted. First one had harsh, dry, mouth withering tannins. Second one still had immense tannins but also cassis, blackberry and spicy, savoury vanillin oak with a strong menthol character lingering on the finish.

Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Cassis, blackberry, plum, tobacco and dark chocolate in this harmonious, seamless, rich and opulent wine that has terrifically, well-integrated tannins and a beautiful undercurrent of French and American oak. Slightly developed in its black-red colour with dairy shed, damp earth and tar on the nose, I love the hint of roasted rosemary, spice and leather on the finish. Outstanding wine.

Knappstein Enterprise Cab Sauv 1998
Wow - mint and eucalypt, lifted cassis, masses of oak, very concentrated, immensely structured, loads of tannins, spicy finish, v.v. powerful. Beautiful!

Cheers,
Sue

[Gavin Trott]

Sue

That's a great line up, the 1998 Lawsons is outstanding I think.