2004 Pirramimma Petit Verdot 1.5L magnum, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark crimson/purple, the colour a bit of a shock compared to the 2002 vintage in the regular 750ml bottle. After an initial whack of vanillin oak and crushed ants, the bouquet and palate are about what I would expect, albeit a bit ahead of schedule; lifted violets, tomato skin and toasty/cedar oak characters match smoky/mudcake chocolate and bright blueberry/cherry fruit. The palate’s medium-weight and tangy with grippy tannins and a very dry, minty/peppery finish. A pleasant wine, but surprisingly not in the same league as their best vintages.
I haven't had the '04, but the '02 is an absolute cracker. I still have a few bottles that I bought from the winery several years ago and they are still travelling really well. The bottle we had last year suggested it still had plenty of life left. I also have a few of the '06's as well which I won't touch for a few more years yet. In my opinion Pirramimma make the best straight Petit Verdot produced in Australia. Having said that I've only had a few and haven't seen many more available.
Thanks for the note Ian.
If you had to choose between drinking great wine or winning Lotto, which would you choose - Red or White?
What is nice about it, Chuck? Looks neither comfortable nor terribly stable to me.
Returning to the topic at hand, it would be good to see more straight PV, as it has great colour, an enticing nose, and vibrant fruit, when it is right.