Faber Vineyard Shiraz Benchmark Tasting June 16, 2019

[Waiters Friend]

Each year, John Griffiths puts his Faber Vineyard Reserve Shiraz up against a range of Australian shiraz wines. This year he put his Swan Valley 2016 up against another 5 wines from W.A., and 6 from S.A, again all from the 2016 vintage. These are tasted blind, in three flights of four wines. Votes for each wine are taken at the end of each bracket, and I have recorded these against each wine’s TN, along with an approximate retail price. There was approximately 45 of us voting.

John and his partner Jane also provide a delicious three-course lunch in between flights, with Faber Vineyard wines featuring with each course. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

As the wines were all 2016 shiraz, they were quite similar in colour, and therefore I will not comment on the slight variations.

Faber Shiraz tasting 1.jpg

First flight:

Turkey Flat (Barossa Valley): The nose shows liquorice, dark plums, cedary oak, and then opened up in the glass to show ripe red raspberries. The red fruits follow through on the palate. At this stage in its life, its only moderately tannic and medium bodied, but I know from experience it will fill out with another few years in the bottle. (2 votes, $50).

Cape Mentelle (Margaret River): Red plums, a fair amount of vanillan oak, a little black pepper, herbs (including dried oregano), and slightly dusty / earthy. The palate had a slightly slippery mouthfeel, moderate fine tannins, some acid freshness, and a reasonable palate weight. The palate was definitely heavier or fuller than the nose. Perhaps a wine to drink young-ish. (11 votes, $45).

Quin (Barossa Valley): Slightly savoury oak, with red and dark plums, blueberries, a little dark chocolate, and a hint of leather. The palate shows rich and juicy red plums, mulberries, integrated fine tannins, and a medium to long finish (15 votes, $55).

Houghton Thomas Yule (Frankland River): Red and dark plums, cedary oak, coffee grounds, and a touch of leather. The palate is slightly cordial-like, with soft plums and red fruits. Tannins are grippy and the wine is medium bodied. (12 votes, $75).

Second flight:

Upper Reach Reserve (Swan Valley): Vanilla and cedar. Blueberries, chocolate, sweet plums, cloves. Great length and well balanced. (26 votes, $42).

Spinifex La Moline (Barossa Valley): A big wine, with lots of leather polish, tar / charry oak, plush and possibly over-ripe fruit. The palate has masses of leather polish as well, wi9th dark cherries. I found the acid to be quite sharp, and there is a noticeable Band Aid or medicinal character. John revealed that the wine had at least some whole bunches in the ferment (so considerable carbonic maceration). Not my favourite, and it seemed that was a widely held opinion (2 votes, $80).

Mandoon Estate Reserve (Frankland River): Savoury cedar oak. Juicy plums, dark berries and mocha on the nose. The palate reveals grippy tannins, good supporting acid, and the wine finished long. (5 votes, $55).

Glaetzer Amon Ra (Barossa Valley): Soft nose with a touch of mint. Soft plums on the palate along with red and blue berries. The wine is gentle (in this company, anyway), medium bodied but finishing moderately long. (9 votes, $90).

And the third flight:

Wendouree (Clare Valley): Red plums, and cedary oak. The palate is richly plummy, and the considerable tannins are starting to integrate already. Acid is high, and the wine finishes long. Even tasted blind, it is evident (to me, anyway) that this is going to need years to come around. (5 votes, $65 if you can get on the mailing list).

Faber Reserve (Swan Valley): Lots of mint up front, with dark plums and savoury oak. There’s mint on the palate as well. Tannins are prominent and grippy at this stage, and there’s just the right amount of supporting acid. It’s medium to full bodied, and finishes very long. (16 votes, $65).

Henschke Tappa Pass (Barossa Valley): Ripe plums and dark cherries, over vanillan oak. Juicy currants add fruit sweetness. There’s a lovely viscosity to this wine, with chocolate flowing slowly over the tongue. The wine finishes long and rich, with a slight astringency at the end. (11 votes, $115).

Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga (Barossa Valley): Lots of vanillan oak, dark juicy plums, and a touch of liquorice. Dark chocolate on the palate, with grippy tannins, leading to a long finish. Well balanced. (15 votes, $100).

Faber Shiraz tasting 3.jpg

With 26 votes, the Upper Reach Reserve Shiraz 2016 won the day. If you like the style, get some, because there will be no 2017 (due to Swan River flooding in February 2017 and wiping out the crop on the river flat). I was one of the 26 people who voted for this wine.

However, for me, the 2016 Shiraz of the Day was not in the tasting, but served with lunch – Faber’s Millard Shiraz ($45). The Millard vineyard is just up the road from the home block, and John buys the grapes and makes a separately labelled wine in most years. This was the most complete and balanced wine I tasted today, while sharing many of the tasting descriptors of most of the wines ‘officially’ tasted. A half-dozen of these came home with me (along with a half dozen of the Faber Reserve).

Many thanks to John, Jane and Cam for a sensational day, and to all those who attended for their intelligent and perceptive comments.

Cheers
Allan

[DaveS]

Always wanted to get to one of these but it’s just getting there and getting home that always seem to put me off. Thanks for the notes Allan, it’s good to hear the Faber wines showed well. The Faber style is pretty obvious to pick in a line up, or at least it is to me. Very unique style of Shiraz, none other like it that I’ve had.