The Auswine Forum

Alexanders Block Cabernet 98 and McShanes Block Shiraz 98. Has anyone ever heard of these wines or tried them i cannot seem to find much info on them at all? Are they any good?

Thanx Ahead.

The Alexander's Cabernet (Blend) used to be Mildara's top of the range Coonawarra until 1992, and is now only released as a straight Cabernet Sauvignon in great vintages under the Jamiesons Run Single Vineyard special releases; the McShane's Block is similarly a Single Vineyard Shiraz but also only when the vintage is deemed to be good enough.

The last time I tried the 1998 Alexander's Block was when I took it to an Auswine tasting panel a year ago:

n4sir wrote:1998 Jamiesons Run Alexanders Block Cabernet Sauvignon: I double decanted this about three to four hours before serving. Dark crimson/purple colour. Very complex nose, featuring some savoury notes, mint, green/leaf, some herbs, and tar. The soft entry features a huge and slow build up of slightly tarry, blackcurrant/cherry fruit culminating in a long chalky finish with some coffee appearing in the residue. A much-maligned wine on the forum in the last few months, but this was an exceptional bottle.

I've always loved it since it was released, although it's had a mixed receiption from other tasters on this forum.

I haven't had the 1998 McShane's Block since the last Norwood Hotel Coonawarra Show (back in late 2002?), where it was very smart indeed.

Cheers
Ian

This is a Coonawarra winery that produces everything from $10 stuff to top of the line. When they get it right they're very good, I think the head winemaker Andrew Hales knows his stuff but maybe hamstrung by the corporate suits. They do suffer from too many labels and no obvious structure in their range.

The 98 Alexanders and McShanes are both very good wines and good examples of what Coonawarra and this winery can produce. I've never had a disappointing bottle of these two wines.

The current releases have been subject to massie price slashing and along with the slightly more expensive Winemakers Selection represent great buying at present.