TN: Capel Vale Whispering Hill Shiraz 2014 (Mount Barker)

[Waiters Friend]

I have a few vintages of this in the cellar, and this surprisingly is the youngest.

Crimson in colour, and quite bright in the glass. The nose is complex, with ripe fresh dark plums, cinnamon, cloves, mocha, and just a touch of white pepper.

On the palate, there's milk chocolate, and more of those fresh plums. It's quite intensely flavoured, without being heavy, with integrated fine grained tannins, supporting acid, and the wine finishes quite long.

The back label recommends drinking within 5-8 years of vintage. From this tasting, and experience with previous vintages, I believe this to be a conservative estimate. Excellent cool climate shiraz.

Cheers
Allan

[Waiters Friend]

A couple of years on, its time to have another look at this wine. Decanted a couple of hours before service.

Colour is still crimson-purple, and doesn't seem to have changed much at all. Powerful nose, redolent of red plums, cloves, coffee grounds, and a little leather.

The palate is showing milk chocolate as before, some leather and leather polish, more red plums, and a ittle raspberry or cranberry. Tannins are fine, dusty and grippy, with acid providing some firmness. Full flavoured without enveloping the entire palate, and a long finish.

Very enjoyable, and on a par with the bottle from 2 years ago, just different and more evolved.
No rush to open the rest of the stash.

Cheers
Allan

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