TN: Blacktongues - New Releases 14/7/04

[n4sir]

Last Wednesday night I again was lucky enough to fill in at a sitting of the Black Tongues to sample a line up of nine latest release reds. All were tasted blind and served in the order listed. All participants then scored the wines, and voted for their two most preferred and their least preferred drops. Thanks again to Steve and Co for a great evening, and again my apologies for any errors in the names.

2002 Reschke Vitulus Cabernet Sauvignon $23: Superb inky purple/black colour. It has a very closed, slightly briary and spicy nose at first, then showing some sweet plum and blackcurrant, mint and spice. The palate features an impressive, slow, spicy build-up, dropping off at first, and finishing a touch bitter. With breathing it dropped these awkward points, softening and becoming richer with liquorice on the aftertaste, earning a big + mark for cellaring potential. Seemed to be far warmer and spicier than previous tastings, but as expected, was in even better form when I finished the remains of the bottle at home later that night. Great value. Ranking = 3rd place.

2002 Deuschke St Jakobi Shiraz: Dark purple colour. Very sweet and earthy nose dominated by toasted/buttery coffee oak. The palate has a huge, slightly hot build-up, with the rich coffee/buttery oak and a deep blackberry aftertaste. My closing note on the night was that the wine needs more air and/or cellaring time to see its best; that oak handling is very rich and pleasant, but more of the hidden fruit needs to surface to balance it out. Then it will be absolutely stunning. Ranking = 3rd place.

2002 Reschke Bos Cabernet Sauvignon $37: Dark, inky purple colour. A very gamey nose, with some unusual apricot, BBQ and mint characters. The palate features sweet plum and blackberry fruit, a noticeable hole in the mid-palate, finishing with very fine but very noticeable tannins. Like its cheaper stablemate, it’s a lot more elegant with more time and air, but I prefer the Vitulus and will happily pocket the $14 difference. Ranking 7th place.

2002 Irvine Zinfandel $22:Dark purple colour. Very closed at first, before letting rip with that familiar Zin mess of a nose of coffee and spicy/herbal/gamey/green and slightly stalky characters. The palate is big, with rich plum/blackberry fruit, vanilla and coffee in the aftertaste. With breathing it gets a little hot and ripe, with some smoke and raisin/sultana characters. This was more impressive than the last time I tried this a few weeks ago between the Irvine Merlots, and for the Zin lovers is good value for the price. Ranking = 3rd place.

2002 Kabminye Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon $38: Inky purple/black colour. A classic, elegant nose of mint, coal and sweet earth was very welcoming. The palate was a surprise, with a savoury entry, and a very meaty and soft body, finishing with good length, a touch of alcohol heat, and tar/chalk on the aftertaste. This was one of two wines that had me a little puzzled, and I’ve the feeling I may have been a little too tough with my scoring in this case. Ranking 6th place.

2002 Liebich Leinert Shiraz: Inky purple colour. Stinky nose featuring heavily toasted/vegemite oak, savoury/meaty characters, some liquorice and blackberry, and finally a dry chalky finish with an awful medicinal/herbal/aniseed aftertaste. Unlike the Deuschke, this was a case where the excessive oak was truly disgusting, resulting in it finishing dead last on my scoresheet. Ranking 9th place.

2002 Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon $24: Dark purple/red colour. Magnificent Coonawarra nose of chocolate, mint, chalk, tar and supporting oak that won me over at the start and just got stronger as the night wore on. The perfectly structured palate mirrors the class and power of the bouquet, with a chalky/minty entry, some pencil notes, and a big, chalky finish. I didn’t have a clue what was in the line up, and until the bags came off thought this wine could have been the Reschke Vitulus! Ranking 1st place.

2002 St Hallett Blackwell Barossa Shiraz $28: Inky purple colour. A slightly closed nose at first, but beautifully perfumed with some tar. The palate is likewise very elegant and spicy, with a warm and earthy mixture of blackberry fruit and classy coffee oak that carry on in the aftertaste. The wine seemed to be very reserved, and yet there was an abundance of rich fruit and oak and a classy structure that saw it finish equal on points with the Penley Estate, with a big + for cellaring potential. Ranking 2nd place.

2001 Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon $30: Dark purple colour. This was the other wine to puzzle me, with a strange herbal and cheesy nose at first, then closing up completely to reveal squat. The big palate features a huge structure, but it’s a little on the hot side and drops off rather dramatically. Others were more forgiving, but I really didn’t like this wine. Ranking 8th place.


Cheers
Ian