Page 1 of 1
TN Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz (NV)
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:13 pm
by John #11
Dense, plummy, rich and delicious.
Nary a hint of sweetness, just some juvenile leather notes, and the complexity of a $50 SS.
A class above the Seppelts OSS (vintage).
They should vintage this, and ask a few dollars more!
$15-18
13% alcohol
high quality cork / cage
Drink now, or within 5 years.
Excellent. 92/100
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:08 pm
by griff
I agree it is very good (as good as Seppelt Original in the better vintages) but not as good as SS in the $50 bracket.
cheers
Carl
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:31 pm
by pstarr
John, I have to disagree here. The Bleasdale is decent sparkling red in its price bracket, and has an attractive profile of mulberry fruit, but is no better than that (for my tastes), and does come across a bit sweet. I drank several bottles of it alongside the settling-well 2004 vintage of the Seppelt's Original Sparkles while in Adelaide this Christmas. With groups including some keen red bubbles drinkers, the Bleasdale was enjoyed but the 2004 Seppelt OSS was preferred.
It is then a very long way from there to reach the complexity, depth, length and interest of top-tier Australian sparkling shiraz. This includes good bottles of the Seppelt Show, Leasingham Classic Clare, the Joseph from Primo Estate, Rockfords, Melton's etc. Not to mention the emerging mid-range options, such as the excellent first release of the Seppelt Silverband, or the first Pondalowie red bubbles release.
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:36 pm
by ChrisV
I have also found the Bleasdale pretty sweet. I much preferred the 04 Seppelt's but have tasted the 05 and am a bit dubious.
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:15 am
by John #11
Thanks guys.
I perhaps should have said I've had a few in the cellar for about 1 year, and they have improved significantly, particularly losing some of the early sweetness that you mention.
John
Re: TN Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz (NV)
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:40 pm
by mattECN
John #11 wrote:Dense, plummy, rich and delicious.
Nary a hint of sweetness, just some juvenile leather notes, and the complexity of a $50 SS.
A class above the Seppelts OSS (vintage).
They should vintage this, and ask a few dollars more!
$15-18
13% alcohol
high quality cork / cage
Drink now, or within 5 years.
Excellent. 92/100
I like it too. I tried it at cellar door a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:12 am
by ChrisV
Yeah a lot of red bubbles seem to have a tendency to lose sweetness with a year or two in the cellar. The Seppelt's 04 was the same - I drank several of them young and enjoyed them, but one that I left until recently had really shaped up, less overtly sweet - drinking beautifully.
The Karatta Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet, which just took second place in sparkling wines (top sparkling red) in Winestate's WOTY contest, is the same - a bit cloyingly sweet right now. I have a couple of them left and intend to leave them for a year or so to see if they can pull off the same trick.