Searching for the best currently available W.A. Shiraz

Attila · Post by **Attila** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:24 pm

Hi! Guys!

I'm looking for a GREAT Shiraz from Western Australia for my next tasting. It must be a sensational wine in all aspects. The best I've got so far is the 1999 Houghton's but I'd like to find something BETTER with fantastic and fragrant nose, rich fruit, it has to be perfectly balanced and quite approachable next year and need to last at least a decade.
Any suggestions?
I'm pretty up to date with most regions but haven't tasted Shiraz from W.A. recently so your help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Attila

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:17 pm

Attila,

These are what I bought from WA 99.

Batista (Savoury, huge Pepper cold climate style from Manjimup)
Cape Mentelle
Peel
Gralyn
Houghton Frankland River
Houghton Gladstones
Vasse Felix

Any of the last 5 would fit your bill, but particularly the Gladstones or Gralyn, however I would imagine either would be pretty hard to source and the Gralyn is CD or mail order only.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 7:52 am

Houghton Gladstones, Gralyn, or a good vintage of Plantagenet (94, maybe) or Vasse Felix are the obvious choices. Gralyns are enormous, but approachable in their youth because the tannins are so fine.

Other possiblities - Alkoomi 99 Jarrah, Houghton Show Reserve 95.

Kieran

Attila · Post by **Attila** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:55 am

Because the 1999 Houghton's Frankland River is part of the line up, the next wine has to be of an other brand.
Any suggestion which Cape Mentelle or Planatagenet vintage shall I look for?
For some reason Vasse Felix didn't work out for me in the past.
I've never seen any Gralyns before, what's the story there?
Cheers,
Attila

707 · Post by **707** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:04 am

Gralyn is one of the first wineries in Margaret River so have old vines by MR standards.

I tried their range at CD, $60-90 from memory but very good. Service from them has been excellent so maybe give them a call and see if they'd send you a single bottle of their Old Vine Shiraz?

Of the others Gladstones is one I can recommend.

Gary W · Post by **Gary W** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 12:47 pm

Do you need 1999 specifically.

I have
99 Alkoomi Jarrah
99 Houghton (a little too much charry oak but very good)
99 Voyager
99 Plantagenet.

I can let you have a 99 Jarrah if you like. I think you may like this wine. It is refined and will cellar well.

GW

Gary W · Post by **Gary W** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 12:48 pm

oh oh

2001 Howard Park Leston
2001 Howard Park Scotsdale

both VERY good wines.

GW

Martin C · Post by **Martin C** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:23 pm

Houghton Gladstones by miles......

Grant Dodd · Post by **Grant Dodd** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:27 pm

Attila,

The 95 Houghton Show Reserve (Frankland) is the greatest WA shiraz I have ever tasted, and will be coming into it's drinking window soon. I think it will live for a good 20 years too,so it fits the bill in most respects. It is a table lifter.

Cheers

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 2:08 pm

"Currently Available"

Grant Dodd · Post by **Grant Dodd** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 3:11 pm

Well,it pops up at auction every now and again,and usually for not much more than it cost originally ( $60 - $70). It is worth the effort .

GD

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 4:08 pm

Sorry, Got 99 on the brain.

Current release I would include Cape Mentelle, Watershed, Brown Hill Fimiston, Xanadu, Gralyn, Happs Three Hills, Peel & Vasse Felix.

All excellent and the latest Peels showing the benefites of recently instituted cold ferments with beautiful up front sweet fruit.

Attila · Post by **Attila** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:24 pm

Gentlemen, Thank You so far!

Gary, the 1999 Jarra sounds interesting, the Voyager I already shown last year and the people liked it's seductive and gamy nature.
I like Grant's "table lifter" idea but there is no way I can find the 1995 Houghton's anywhere now.
Gary, today I was at a liquor store (a certain Matau works there) and I saw both Howard Park Leston and Scotsdale 2001... but WHICH ONE to buy? Richness, fragrance and underlying POWER is of paramount importance.
It could be only one from that producer.
Dear 707...I am ashamed that the Gralyn is an old establishment and I've never tasted any of their wines (yet). Are they mail order only?
Anyone tasted the 1997 Cape Mentelle Shiraz? I saw it today for $37.
Cheers,
Attila

Gary W · Post by **Gary W** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:35 pm

Scotsdale for fragrance. Leston for power. You should buy both and see for yourself. I like the Scotsdale better.
GW

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:56 pm

Atilla,

Gralyn are mail order or CD only.

Cape Mentelle 1996, 1997, & 1998 are well below their best IMO.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:44 am

Attila wrote:I like Grant's "table lifter" idea but there is no way I can find the 1995 Houghton's anywhere now.

You just dont know who to ask or where to look. Give me a call.

brad · Post by **brad** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:11 pm

1999's were pretty smart but if you need the power I'd go to 2001's.

Mind you, another beauty from 1999 not mentioned was Amberley, 'though I don't know how it's travelling now.

For 2001 power you could try the Alexandra Bridge 101. Needs a bit of air to blow off the slight reductiveness but a balltearer nonetheless. Fits the bill for "richness, fragrance and underlying POWER is of paramount importance".

Not sure the power is really there with either of the HParks...., and I'd steer clear of 97 CM if you don't like the 'funk'. Not a fan of their 2001 either.

(For the record I no longer have direct affiliation with AB).

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:02 am

2001 Merum Pemberton Shiraz
2000 Pannell Picardy Shiraz

didgidee · Post by **didgidee** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 10:56 pm

i do like Houghtons Shiraz but my wallet is usually a puffed out pony so
i find Paul Conti's Shiraz my BEST value.he makes honest wine without the wanky price tags.
ps: yes, i know, you wanted the VERY BEST, but i just had to have my miserable twenty odd dollars worth.

bob parsons · Post by **bob parsons** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:15 pm

Gary W wrote:Scotsdale for fragrance. Leston for power. You should buy both and see for yourself. I like the Scotsdale better.
GW

Oct 23, `07.

I have just opened `01 Scotsdale and it is not an experience I am willing to go through again. Bad bottle, poor storage, whatever..very sad wine which I will return tomorrow as I just purchased! Has an almost confected nose and there is some vegetal tones on the finish. The color is good with just a hint of bricking. Maybe I should let breathe a couple of hours? Not hoping for too much however.

roughred · Post by **roughred** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:40 pm

The 99 Gladstones is the best I have had.

Next down the rung would be the the 01 Willow Bridge Black Dog, and the 03 Cape Mentelle Walcliffe, which I thought excellent for the price.

I have never had a straight Grayln Shiraz, but if it is on par with their Shiraz Cabernet it must be bloody good.

As a ringer I would suggest just about any vintage of Three Hills Shiraz from Happs. Always over-delivers, and often much more interesting wines, if not better in a purest sense.

Cheers,

LL

Wayno · Post by **Wayno** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:07 pm

I recall a 2001(?) Gladstones which was excellent. Rarely have I enjoyed Margaret River Shiraz but this was one to remember.

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:55 pm

Wayno wrote:I recall a 2001(?) Gladstones which was excellent. Rarely have I enjoyed Margaret River Shiraz but this was one to remember.

A pity this wine is from the Great Southern then :wink:

Partagas · Post by **Partagas** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:47 pm

Agree with Grayln, Cape Mentelle and HoughtonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s GladstoneÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s as easily the best WA ShirazÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s by a mile. Alkoomi, Happs Three Hills and Brown Hill are still quite good on exceptional years. 99 and 01 are good vintages that might still be available. I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t think the earlier great vintages of WA (like 91, 94, 95, and 96) are quite as good as the later vintages of Shiraz.

Wayno · Post by **Wayno** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:12 pm

Davo wrote:
Wayno wrote:I recall a 2001(?) Gladstones which was excellent. Rarely have I enjoyed Margaret River Shiraz but this was one to remember.

A pity this wine is from the Great Southern then

Margaret River, Great Southern, pfft all WA ...

Julio G · Post by **Julio G** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:01 pm

I had a very good bottle of Faber Reserve Shiraz (Swan Valley/Perth Hills) last year... I can't recall the vintage but do recall that it needed another few years in the bottle to come together.

Dave Dewhurst · Post by **Dave Dewhurst** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:33 pm

Second Brown Hill Fimiston, Picardy and Plantagenet. Had the latter 99 recently and it was still very primary. The 93 was beautifully restrained and elegant for my palate; although bought recently in Perth, maybe not easily available nationwide!

Cheers

Dave

holy grail · Post by **holy grail** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:37 pm

The Harewood 2005 Shiraz is my best WA shiraz which is currently available. Quite a big wine, but has great fruit. Screwcap. From the Great Southern region which does shiraz far better than MR.
Plantagenet IMHO have traditionally made some great shiraz but have lately gone off the boil.

Julio G · Post by **Julio G** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:17 am

I agree re Plantagenet... their Cabernet has overtaken their Shiraz as their best red wine since the 2001 vintage.

bob parsons · Post by **bob parsons** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:22 am

bob parsons wrote:
Gary W wrote:Scotsdale for fragrance. Leston for power. You should buy both and see for yourself. I like the Scotsdale better.
GW

Oct 23, `07.

I have just opened `01 Scotsdale and it is not an experience I am willing to go through again. Bad bottle, poor storage, whatever..very sad wine which I will return tomorrow as I just purchased! Has an almost confected nose and there is some vegetal tones on the finish. The color is good with just a hint of bricking. Maybe I should let breathe a couple of hours? Not hoping for too much however.

Well, for once (grin) I have to take a hit here. 2 hours in the decanter was a revelation and one of the best reds tasted this month. Will post some notes asap!

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