Arakoon: 02 Shiraz/Grenache, 01 Cabernet, 02 Doyen Shiraz
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:46 pm
Firstly thanks to Ray and Patrik Jones for provising these as samples for this tasting group. Thsi came about as we couldnt arrange a time to be at cellar door or winery at the same time on a recent Adelaide visit. I thought the offer of samples instead was commendable.
These three tasted as part of a regular group tasting.
02 Sellicks Beach: 14.5%, Shiraz grenache blend. Purple. Spicy, white pepper, and funky nose. Earthy, savoury Dark berries, pepper and spice, this holds its alcohol on the palate better than the nose. Reasonable length too. Over time this evolved to musky red fruits, and eventually became volatile as the wine hit room temperature (probably 28 degrees) on a warm night. On night 2, this has settled and shows as blackberries, not jammy, and still some spice. Good BBQ wine, and could use a year or two in the cellar. $20ish. Good.
01 Lighthouse Cabernet Sauvignon: 14.5%, Mclaren Vale/Langhorne Creek, 20 months new & 1 yr french oak. Dark purple. Inky cassis nose. Redder berries initially on the palate, then a bit of leaf, eucalypt and blackberry. Other tasters notes residual sugar. Non varietal, but a good dry red. $26ish, Good.
02 Doyen Shiraz: 15.5%, McLaren Vale. Purple Black, very dense colour. Fennel, licorice, herbs, cola, menthol, thyme, al lmake an appearance on the nose. The palate is a juicy purple jube, cola and liqueured black barries. Some oak on the finish, but the fruit has largely soaked it up. Very fruit sweet, and very ripe, maybe overripe. Low tannin, but acid is good, and again some residual suger methinks. I reckon this would have been a significantly better wine if it was picked at lower baume, and fermented to a degree less alcohol. Nonetheless, in its style this is very good. $42 or so.
If you like 'em big and bruish, this is a label for you.
cheers
Andrew
These three tasted as part of a regular group tasting.
02 Sellicks Beach: 14.5%, Shiraz grenache blend. Purple. Spicy, white pepper, and funky nose. Earthy, savoury Dark berries, pepper and spice, this holds its alcohol on the palate better than the nose. Reasonable length too. Over time this evolved to musky red fruits, and eventually became volatile as the wine hit room temperature (probably 28 degrees) on a warm night. On night 2, this has settled and shows as blackberries, not jammy, and still some spice. Good BBQ wine, and could use a year or two in the cellar. $20ish. Good.
01 Lighthouse Cabernet Sauvignon: 14.5%, Mclaren Vale/Langhorne Creek, 20 months new & 1 yr french oak. Dark purple. Inky cassis nose. Redder berries initially on the palate, then a bit of leaf, eucalypt and blackberry. Other tasters notes residual sugar. Non varietal, but a good dry red. $26ish, Good.
02 Doyen Shiraz: 15.5%, McLaren Vale. Purple Black, very dense colour. Fennel, licorice, herbs, cola, menthol, thyme, al lmake an appearance on the nose. The palate is a juicy purple jube, cola and liqueured black barries. Some oak on the finish, but the fruit has largely soaked it up. Very fruit sweet, and very ripe, maybe overripe. Low tannin, but acid is good, and again some residual suger methinks. I reckon this would have been a significantly better wine if it was picked at lower baume, and fermented to a degree less alcohol. Nonetheless, in its style this is very good. $42 or so.
If you like 'em big and bruish, this is a label for you.
cheers
Andrew
