TN: Teusner Avatar GMS 2013

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

This sees some older oak, unlike its little brother Joshua. GMS = Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz.

Purple red in colour. The nose shows big jubey red and blue fruits with a touch of leather and a little spicy oak.

The palate's a little more interesting, with some chocolate and ripe dark cherries on top of grippy tannins and a long savoury finish.

I've probably opened this a little young. Based on some older vintages, this should fill out around 7 years of age.

Cheers
Allan

[Waiters Friend]

I found a few of these in the cellar tonight and gave one the chop. I should have taken my own advice from my note last year.

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the wine, especially with a beef bourgignon. All of the previous TN still applies, with a little development, but I know from previous experience there's way more to come. There's hints of the Christmas cake and richness I found in the 2006 Avatar, and I suspect this will develop with time.

Maybe another 5 years?

Cheers
Allan

[rooman]

I remember trying one of these last year but found the fruit a tad too sweet. Has that sweetness settled down at all?

[Waiters Friend]

I remember trying one of these last year but found the fruit a tad too sweet. Has that sweetness settled down at all?

Not noticeably. It's still prominent, although slightly more developed.

[Waiters Friend]

Here we go again. Was it really 5 years since I tried this wine? I drink very few Grenache-based wines, so it's likely. My second-last bottle is in the glass now, after a quick decant.

Ruby/garnet in colour. The nose is no longer fruit-sweet and shows some leather and spicy oak, with red fruits largely in the background. Spices are in the five-spice realm, and a little fragrant. The palate is now definitely that of a dry red, and not really showing the grape varieties within. There's persistent and grippy tannins, soft supporting acid, and the blue and red fruits linger through the palate to a gentle finish.

While this is interesting to drink, I suspect I should have opened it a couple of years younger (time to open my 2015s again). The bottle won't be disappearing down the sink, however - there's enjoyment here.

Cheers
Allan