M3, Steingarten, Majella, etc etc

[Wayno]

Had our work Christmas party last night and quite honestly I am surprised I am up and alert writing these notes. Mad. But some nice wines.

D'Arry's Original Grenache Shiraz 2003
Performing well above it's weight, solid, clean wine with enough oomph to convince me that it's well worth the price and certainly put others to shame. Nice, warm McLaren Vale flavours, quite balanced and with decent length - the sort of wine you could drink all night because it's not a heavyweight.

St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Beneath an ingratiating must of hessianed cork taint there dwelt a nice wine, quite obviously. I think. Nuff said.

Tamar Ridge 2004 Pinot Noir
Not totally convinced of this one, a bit light and bland. Can't remember much more.

Orlando Steingarten Riesling 2003
So unbelievably focussed and resolved, steely, lemony and with just total 'riesling attitude'. A shapely, steel clad valkyrie of a wine. Long, minerally, citric, rivetting. Not so much a lazy drink but an encounter.

Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2005
Fantastic, my wine of the night easily and everyone else at the table. Fresh, lifted aroma and palate of white peach, melons and some nutty complexity. Long, lovely fresh fruit sweetness. Elegant but awesomely drinkable. Made the Steingarten (which came after this) appear even more austere than it probably was. Two wines that defined their grapes perfectly well.

Majella Cabernet 2004
Again, a fresh and lifted wine with loads of zing, a veritable coiled spring. Very telltale Coonawarra nose of mentholly eucalypt and green notes that seem to melodiously harmonise cabernet sauvignon. Long, enveloping and tight and with a good life ahead no doubt. Reminded me of the 04 Bowen Cabernet but not at all like the Wynns BL 04.

D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie 2005 Shiraz Viognier
A rustic, dusty nose like dried apricots just fallen from the tree into a dusty paddock wherein small driftwood-like pieces of oak have been strewn asunder. Or something like that. Quite a nice wine, a bit angular and elbowy and perhaps needs some time to settle a little. Cannot compare currently to the smooth and juicy 05 Yering Station SV (if such two wines could at all be compared?)

Henschke Keyneton Euphoniwhater 2003
Classy wine, smooth as a very smooth thing, artfully assembled although perhaps lacking some pokey bits. ie. character. An easy wine to fill your mouth with and enjoy. I really liked this one but I think the 02 was better (from memory).

A nice way to finish off the year and now a day or two's respite before it all starts over again.

[rwatkins]

Have you every had the 2004 Shaw Smith Shiraz? We have some in our wine store but as yet no one has tried it. Just because of how good the Chard is I picked up a couple but they are still resting in my cellar.
Thanks - Rick

[Wayno]

I tried the S&S Shiraz a while ago and don't remember being blown away by it however this wine seems to be rated quite highly and is probably worth a re-visit. I just can't fault the M3 though, other than perhaps it is too clean and spotless, rather than having some quirky bits and bobs to muse upon! Could do a lot worse...