I went to the Victorian Wine Show in Sydney in the first week of February with the intention of looking at the current range of Victorian Shiraz. These are my brief impressions. On the Dalwhinnie wines, I wrote a separate report, click here if you missed it.
2000 MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN - Langi Shiraz
This Grampians wine is from an average vintage. Ageing took place in 38% French oak and 62% American oak for 15 months. Surprisingly soft and medium bodied, a pleasing wine that is ready to drink or cellar a few more years. Good tannins and a fine grip but lacking the concentration and focus necessary for a flagship wine. Cost AU $55
2001 MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN - Cliff Edge Shiraz
This is more like it! The Cliff Edge is from younger vines with fruit included from the Old Block. A very intense and vibrant style, I enjoyed this a lot more. Aged in French and American oak. This is the third vintage for this wine. Beautiful black cherry colour, aromatic nose with pepper and spice. Silky smooth with richly sweet fruit. Delightful now or cellar 8 years. Very good and a bargain at AU $25.
2000 MITCHELTON - Print Shiraz
I am a fan of the Print Shiraz. The 1998 was magnificent while the 1996 somewhat disappointing. This 2000 is lovely and very promising. This is the Mitchelton flagship.
Colour dark cherry red. Mulberry and unbaked Christmas pudding on the nose. On the palate it is velvety, soft with rich fruit flavours. Quite concentrated and focused. Fine tannins and good oak. Very well balanced with a savoury finish. Approachable and nice now but I believe that in 4-5 years this wine will show even better. Secondary characters are starting to emerge. If you own this, donÂ’t open just yet. Cost AU $45.
2002 SEPPELT - Chalambar Shiraz
I used to buy the Chalambar, the 1997 being round and soft but very nice. The 1998 had more focus and grip. For me the 1999 was a little one dimensional. The 2002 is probably the weakest Chalambar I had ever tasted, but luckily not much made this vintage. Unfortunately itÂ’s nothing more than a light bodied, slightly diluted, but still somewhat pleasant little wine. AU $22.
2003 SEPPELT - Chalambar Shiraz
Return to form. This is a fine wine. Those who love the style will be pleased. As good as the 1998, possibly better. Colour very dark ruby, lovely savoury cherry flavours on the palate, fine and strong tannin grip. Very young, needs at least 6 months to settle. AU $22
1994 SEPPELT - Show Sparkling Shiraz
Sold out under crown seal, I tasted two bottles under cork. The second example looked much cleaner and better. Black cherry and plum perfume on the nose. Full bodied, rich and sweetly fruity palate. Needs airing for at least 15 minutes. (After opening, put a Champagne stopper on and put it back in the fridge for a while.) A tasty sparkling shiraz, very well made and just one stop short of being great. Perhaps the crown seal version is better? AU $65.
1998 SEPPELT - St Peters Shiraz
I was very impressed with this at the tasting so a few days later I opened one at home with Laszlo to savour and appreciate it fully. It is a great Grampians wine. Grapes were picked from low yielding vines of the St. Peters, Imperial and Police vineyards surrounding the Great Western Winery. The wine spent 18 months in new French oak. Alcohol is at 14.5% vol. This is a superb Victorian Shiraz, job well done by winemaker Paul Lapsley.
Colour very dark cherry red, much darker than youÂ’d expect 7 years past the vintage. This wine is like a chameleon, it will change a lot in 3 hours so observe the changes as you drink. Its first-up sweet aromatic cherry scents on the nose change to noble Bordeaux like aromas after 2 hours. The palate after 3 hours is superb, packed with blackberries, plum, black cherry and mulberry. Lovely length. Long savoury finish. (Decant it to get there sooner.) While drinking, this wine appears to be soft and cuddly but after 2 glasses youÂ’ll realise what a powerhouse it is. It has awesome underlying power. A quite heavy, complex and very interesting wine. Appearing ripe and ready but in fact itÂ’s only entering its plateau of maturity. Open it again in 10 years time to get the full picture. No doubt it will still evolve and last many years after that. Amazing dark chocolate and mocha flavours emerge even later in my glass. Very smooth and well balanced, it is a top Aussie Shiraz that cost AU 65+. Seppelt only has museum stock of it now. Although nothing wrong with this wine, my only wish is that they should have used higher quality corks for this bottling of the St. Peters.
2001 SEPPELT - St Peters Shiraz
Not following in the footsteps of the great 1998, this wine showed stalkiness and quite high acid on the palate but with good fruit intensity. Lacked the ripeness and complexity of the previous example.
2002 SEPPELT - St Peters Shiraz
A very young dark wine that is not ready to be drunk at all. Closed right now. Amazing complexity and concentration, tight and focused middle palate, superbly balanced. It will be a great St. Peters like the 1998 in time. Needs at least 5 years to show richness and complexity. Nothing to see or drink here at the moment. It is a promising and outstanding St. Peters so plan for the cellar. Released April 1 2005.
2001 PARINGA ESTATE - Estate Shiraz
This is the Paringa flagship wine at AU $42 while the 2001 Peninsula Shiraz costs less at AU $28.
Made from 100% estate grown fruit, the wine spent 15 months in Troncais French oak barriques, 40% of the barrels new.
Colour bright cherry red with cherries on the nose. Pepper and spice on the palate. Lacks fruit richness but good savoury length. Will last 8 years. Good wine but not outstanding, maybe time will be for itÂ’s advantage.
Cheers,
Attila
Tasted: February 2005
