The Auswine Forum

2003 SCHWARZ WINE COMPANY Nitschke Block Barossa Shiraz

This is the first time I tasted anything from the Schwarz Wine Company. I had never heard of them before this but I think itÂ’s time not only I but everyone started paying attention and taste this outstanding Barossa. This is a "no prisoners" 15% alc/vol gentle monster. A limited production with a pricetag I believe to be AU $40+. The grapes were picked from the 4 acres of Shiraz planted in 1967.



Colour impenetrable black with purple on the rim. Super ripe exotic spices and aromatic plum on the nose. I spent minutes admiring the complexity and array of aromas. After a swirl the alcohol rises but that is expected.
The palate is super ripe and thick with first class old vines Shiraz fruit. It is a blockbuster that will sweep anyone off their feet. Superbly balanced wine with velvety tannins, fine acid in the background and perfectly judged oak. Amazingly deep blackberry flavours on the creamy palate. Nice aftertaste and length. A classic Australian and textbook Barossa, a world class wine for sure. The rich fruit swallows up the oak right now, magnificent. After tasting many 2003 vintage wines, it just might be the greatest vintage in this country for some time. Parker does not need to be notified, he already gave the 2002 SWC Shiraz 96 points (USD $60) and judging by this example, rightly so.
Strangely enough itÂ’s drinking superbly and will cellar for 10-12 years in my opinion.
Wow, what a surprise on a Friday morning. Certainly made my day.

Cheers,
Attila

Tasted: February 2005

Attila wrote:2003 SCHWARZ WINE COMPANY Nitschke Block Barossa Shiraz

Wow, what a surprise on a Friday morning. Certainly made my day.

Cheers,
Attila

Tasted: February 2005

Attila,
this early in the day? What did you do, pour it on your corn flakes??
MM.

Attila wrote:2003 SCHWARZ WINE COMPANY Nitschke Block Barossa Shiraz

This is the first time I tasted anything from the Schwarz Wine Company. I had never heard of them before this but I think itÂ’s time not only I but everyone started paying attention and taste this outstanding Barossa. This is a "no prisoners" 15% alc/vol gentle monster. A limited production with a pricetag I believe to be AU $40+. The grapes were picked from the 4 acres of Shiraz planted in 1967.

Hello Attila

Agree with you 100% on this wine. Indded, I had one just the other night with Adair and a few others at an offline, it blew all of us away.

re price, at least with me, it was $33 per bottle, so very very well priced I thought.

There is also a very very good Grenache that's worth seeking out, if you can find any.

2003 is looking interesting here, rain caused problems for some, but many of the smaller quality boutique wines I've seen are very high quality indeed, albeit different from 2002.

How do can get our hands on this wine?

PaulS wrote:How do can get our hands on this wine?

How do can?

Are you drinking with Attila?

Unfortunately I'm not sure you can, (unless he sells it directly). I believe I received the only stock not exported, and I'm sold out. (sold to my mailing list as, unfortunately, some of these tiny runs need to be).

Attila may know another source?

Unfortunately I don't. I asked around today but no results.
You were my only hope Gavin.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila wrote:Unfortunately I don't. I asked around today but no results.
You were my only hope Gavin.
Cheers,
Attila

Sorry to disappoint, totally sold out until the 2004's.

Attila wrote:Unfortunately I don't. I asked around today but no results.
You were my only hope Gavin.
Cheers,
Attila

I do have in stock 3 and 3 only of the 2003 Schwarz Thiele Grenache.

I realise this is tricky of course as you have not tried this wine, so will probably end up drinking them myself!

The Shiraz is simply gone.

Be kind to Attila, Gavin please.
Is there a spare bottle of the 2003 Shiraz in your cellar?
I'd love to get one and take it overseas in May for the Australian Shiraz masterclass.
It's such a great wine...just superb.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila wrote:Be kind to Attila, Gavin please.
Is there a spare bottle of the 2003 Shiraz in your cellar?
I'd love to get one and take it overseas in May for the Australian Shiraz masterclass.
It's such a great wine...just superb.
Cheers,
Attila

A couple, but they are staying in my cellar, sorry, but I only kept a couple, and we drank one the other night!

Attila, You gotta give Gavin more business instead of cherry picking from his treasure trove

Attila wrote:Be kind to Attila, Gavin please.
Is there a spare bottle of the 2003 Shiraz in your cellar?
I'd love to get one and take it overseas in May for the Australian Shiraz masterclass.
It's such a great wine...just superb.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila
A UK merchant (Adnams) have 2002 stock available - not sure if this is of any use to you. There may be others not listed on wine-searcher who have 2003.
regards
Ian

Hello All,

I've drunk my last remaining bottle of the 2003 Nitschke Block Shiraz a few days ago.
This time the freshness is gone, and some bitter oak is creeping up on the back palate. Smooth and round, ageing fast(er) than it should, it's still a good wine but I believe it was absolutely at it's best on release.
It is closed now and probably will re-emerge in 3 years time as a soft and supple red. 92 points
Tasted: May 2006

Cheers,
Attila

Being abroad, I foolishly bought Australian wines highly regarded by the forums. If I didn't, by the time I got home, the wine would be long gone.

My observation from all this is basically, many blockbuster Aussie wines go backwards in points quite quickly.

Are tasters here easily bluffed by new oak and all that primary fruit? Barosssa & McClaren Vale seem most afflicted by this phenomenon!

It's not really about the bluff Jamie...Striking, bold McLaren Vale wines do taste fantastic on release and I personally think, they should be drunk when they taste good, I certainly wouldn't wait for them to get better because they probably won't. My newest similar discovery from Victoria is the 2004 Dalwhinnie Shiraz, it is a sweet fruited blockbuster, beautiful fruit bomb that is velvety and delicious. I'll say, the time is NOW for that one. The 2003 Dalwhinnie however is a completely different long haul wine which I'd cellar. Still, in my view both are 97 points wines.
Cheers,
Attila

JamieBahrain wrote:Being abroad, I foolishly bought Australian wines highly regarded by the forums. If I didn't, by the time I got home, the wine would be long gone.
My observation from all this is basically, many blockbuster Aussie wines go backwards in points quite quickly.
Are tasters here easily bluffed by new oak and all that primary fruit? Barosssa & McClaren Vale seem most afflicted by this phenomenon!

Jamie,

Yes.

The only wines you should buy without tasting are the wines I recommend.

Adair