Schubert Estate Goose Yard Block Shiraz 2003

[Grant]

Schubert? Where have I heard that name before? Max? Max Schubert? Surely not related?!

Well, maybe somewhere in the deep past, but Steve and Cecilia Schubert are not claiming any descendant legacy from the godfather of the Australian industry. They are growers in the Barossa who have been selling their grapes since inception to Torbreck, which is high enough praise in itself for the quality of their fruit. Two years ago they thought, “hey, how hard can this be?”, and kept a portion of the fruit back for their own label.

The 2002 Shiraz met with great acclaim, attracting the attention of AustraliaÂ’s foremost critic, James Halliday, and receiving a colossal 96 points in the process. I didnÂ’t get to try the 2002, so I canÂ’t make any comparisons, but the 2003 is by any account a terrific wine.

One thing that is apparent in drinking this wine is that you cannot generalise about vintage. Despite the hype about 2002 and the inferred inferiority of 2003, there are always some wines that step up to the plate regardless. This appears to be one of them. A dense, glowing deep purple in colour, it is wrapped up pretty tight at the moment on the nose, but the hints of chocolate, coffee, spiced plum and violets give you some inkling of what is to follow. In the mouth it really hits its straps, as seamless and elegant a young Barossa Shiraz as I have seen in some time. Mocha, dark fruits, spice, a dash of pepper and microscopic tannins all meld together harmoniously, the alcohol is balanced and unobtrusive, and it finishes with grace, a term I donÂ’t always apply to Barossa shiraz. This is the best 2003 Barossa Shiraz I've tasted to date, and it will be even better when it reaches its peak sometime in the next 5-10 years. 95 points

[Gavin Trott]

Schubert? Where have I heard that name before? Max? Max Schubert? Surely not related?!

Well, maybe somewhere in the deep past, but Steve and Cecilia Schubert are not claiming any descendant legacy from the godfather of the Australian industry. They are growers in the Barossa who have been selling their grapes since inception to Torbreck, which is high enough praise in itself for the quality of their fruit. Two years ago they thought, “hey, how hard can this be?”, and kept a portion of the fruit back for their own label.

The 2002 Shiraz met with great acclaim, attracting the attention of AustraliaÂ’s foremost critic, James Halliday, and receiving a colossal 96 points in the process. I didnÂ’t get to try the 2002, so I canÂ’t make any comparisons, but the 2003 is by any account a terrific wine.

One thing that is apparent in drinking this wine is that you cannot generalise about vintage. Despite the hype about 2002 and the inferred inferiority of 2003, there are always some wines that step up to the plate regardless. This appears to be one of them. A dense, glowing deep purple in colour, it is wrapped up pretty tight at the moment on the nose, but the hints of chocolate, coffee, spiced plum and violets give you some inkling of what is to follow. In the mouth it really hits its straps, as seamless and elegant a young Barossa Shiraz as I have seen in some time. Mocha, dark fruits, spice, a dash of pepper and microscopic tannins all meld together harmoniously, the alcohol is balanced and unobtrusive, and it finishes with grace, a term I donÂ’t always apply to Barossa shiraz. This is the best 2003 Barossa Shiraz I've tasted to date, and it will be even better when it reaches its peak sometime in the next 5-10 years. 95 points

Agree totally Grant, I received tiny stocks of the 2003, well miniscule really.

I loved the 2002, but agree, the 2003 is a touch better, a wine of power, class with style.

Good note.

[Grant]

Gav,

Do you have any left? I've heard that the US is getting the bulk of the stock this year, it will be interesting to see what it goes on sale for over there.

By the way, I still can't log on to the forum through the site, I have to go to that e-mail you sent me. Any thoughts?

Cheers

[Gavin Trott]

Gav,

Do you have any left? I've heard that the US is getting the bulk of the stock this year, it will be interesting to see what it goes on sale for over there.

By the way, I still can't log on to the forum through the site, I have to go to that e-mail you sent me. Any thoughts?

Cheers

Received 12 bottles only, all sold, apart from the tiny bit that 'fell' into my cellar!

I believe in fact most goes to the mailing list directly and probably not too much to the US, only a couple of barrels made I believe??

That said, I'm not sure, but it certainly is a second great wine in a row.

[TORB]

Agree with you guys about this wine. If you want more deatils, it can be found here. http://www.torbwine.com/pf/SA%202005%20Chapter%20Four.htm

I believe a small quantity is still available from the winery. Brian and I split a case.

[Grant]

Ric,

All gone as of this week.


Cheers

[Andrew Jordan]

Also agree that the 2003 is a better wine (right now) than the 2002. From memory the 2002 had a distinct menthol aftertaste to it that I could not get past.

Maybe it is time to crack another bottle open to see how the '02 is travelling.

AJ

[Grant]

AP,

Funny you should say that. The first bottle I was sent had pronounced menthol/ eucalypt notes, and was quite reductive also. I wrote to the Schuberts and asked them about this matter, they sent another, and it was nothing short of superb. As hard as I tried,I could not find a thing out of place, no menthol, no sulphides, just a cracking wine. They also said that they had not encountered this matter in any bottle.

One of the mysteries of wine- who knows?


Cheers

[JamieBahrain]

Another phenomena affecting Australian wine.

This one is R.E.I - Random Euculyptus Infusion.

My most recent experience of it a 1994 Seppelt Show Reserve Sparkling Shiraz with DLole & Radioactiveman at a Canberra offline. Dead set infused with euculyptus. Not noted in this wine previously and enquired with Seppelt who forwarded Arthur's note which made no mention of euculypt-menthol nuances.

Maybe a gum nut made it way into a wine press.

[Guest]

Sorry guys, but I think I bought the last of it from the winery. Cecilia was saving two 6-packs for her brother in law, and I managed to con her out of one of them. Oh, and the price went up earler this year to $55pb. Apparently this will also be the price of the 2004 (to be released later this year, with mailing list customers getting preference).

[Gavin Trott]

Sorry guys, but I think I bought the last of it from the winery. Cecilia was saving two 6-packs for her brother in law, and I managed to con her out of one of them. Oh, and the price went up earler this year to $55pb. Apparently this will also be the price of the 2004 (to be released later this year, with mailing list customers getting preference).

Mine was dearer at retail.

I also have to pay the 'mailing list' price, no wholesale price for these, so after margin and GST the price is inevitably higher.

I'll probably get the 2004 also, but mailing list will always be better value than the tiny amount at retail.