The Auswine Forum

Not so much in volume but in the size of the wines.

Warrabilla Reserve Shiraz 2002

What can I say but WOW. This is a huge wine at 16.05 ethanol, but the wine itself is so big the alcohol content is well balanced and not an overt feature. Colour is intense with huge depth and the nose and palate have gobs of black berry fruits, black plums and licorice with well handled vanillin oak. The tannins are remarkably soft and though very young the wine is emminently drinkable now.

Had it for lunch with BBQ. Sensational together.

Wondering what to have with dinner and with fond memories of lunch we opened big brother:-

Warrabilla 2002 Parola's Shiraz

If possible an even bigger wine in all regars, including alcohol at 16.5%. Again the wine had the fruit and body to handle it and really is quite an excellent drop in the full bodied Oz style.

Having the rest of the bottle with dinner tonight after 24 hours air time.

Thanks Davo,

Sound like my kinda wines. I'm impressed how can they produced a monster out of Rutherglen

Cheers,

Davo,

The Parolas's 2002 Durif is actually 17.5% and carries it brilliantly.

Martin, why would you be surprised about hot and relatively dry Rutherglen producing big reds? They've been doing it for at least 30 years in my personal experience. Not always as harmonious as the Warrabilla, but at least one year in 10 there is a freakish big red vintage in Rutherglen that produces some amazing wines for those who can stand a bit of alcohol.

In fact the wine that first turned me on to Rutherglen reds was a 1962 Bullers Calliope Shiraz, tasted in 1972, a superb wine that will live in my memory until I die or Alzheimers kills off that set of neurones.

agree, had a bottle of 1979 Baileys Hermitage (with the red stripe) about a month ago and it seemed to be just hitting its straps

Brian,

I bought a 6 pack of the Parola's Durif in magnums as they had sold out of std's. Looking forward to opening one when we get a crowd around.

The Parola's Shiraz was still opening up after 24 hours of air and had changed little from the night before. Sensational big wine that brings the memories flooding back, shortly before obliterating them again