The Auswine Forum

I've been out of circulation for a long time now (no, not at Her Majesty's pleasure!) and have lost touch with what's good in new releases.

I'm having a Shiraz Viognier tasting, no price restrictions. So far have RunRig, Clonakilla, Turner's Crossing, Sons of Eden, The Relic, Hobbs.

Appreciate your suggestions.

Yering Station Reserve SV

John loxton Regional Selection: Currency Creek. SV 2002

Very hard to find but this vintage is very good


ross

I think there is a new release of the Yalumba Hand Picked SV around the traps, and I definitely saw the new release of the Wolf Blass Gold Label SV recently. Eden Hall is a fave of mine. No idea where you might source that from, but if you're in South Aussie, it might be everywhere, I dunno...

If your budget can run to Runrig, think about some of the Cote Rotie for sale at the Exchange run by Langtons. Last time I checked they had some very respectable 99s.

second vote for Cote Rotie, got to have a benchmark in there, maybe if you can find a Guigal La La, also to keep it interesting a bottle of Boireann Shiraz Vion from Queensland Granite Belt. Sounds like an interesting tasting!

Jamie

rooman wrote:If your budget can run to Runrig, think about some of the Cote Rotie for sale at the Exchange run by Langtons. Last time I checked they had some very respectable 99s.

A lot of Cote Roties are 100% Shiraz now ... just a point of order .

Shaw and Smith should be in there.

cheers

Carl

is shaw and smith a SV?

JamieH wrote:is shaw and smith a SV?

It certainly was. Not sure about the 2007. They seem to keep the viognier addition pretty quiet. Maybe some people in the know can let us know?

cheers

Carl

Torbreck Run Rig or Descendent
Guigal Cote Rotie "Brune et Blonde"
Yalumba Shiraz/V
Clonakilla

The problem also lies in the fact that there are many supposedly straight shiraz around that have a small percentage of viognier and you wonn't know unless you ask the winemaker

dave vino wrote:Yering Station Reserve SV

This. Excellent wine.

griff wrote:

JamieH wrote:is shaw and smith a SV?

It certainly was. Not sure about the 2007. They seem to keep the viognier addition pretty quiet. Maybe some people in the know can let us know?

cheers

Carl

I have had the 2007 twice. I would be pretty surprised if it had any viognier. It's pretty savoury. The nose is more like chicken stuffing, all herbal, than any of the typical apricotty stuff you'd get from viognier.

Meerea Park SV 2007 is inexpensive and rather good.

JamieH says

a bottle of Boireann Shiraz Vion from Queensland Granite Belt

Second that! Try and get an 05 if you can. Peter Stark's SV's do better with a little time and when he can use his own fruit (ie has not been wiped out by hail!). IMHO of course

Yering Station would have to be in there too I would've thought.

If you can find it, 2007 Lazy balerina Sv is a cracker

... and you could also check the suggestions when you brought up this same question six months ago Steve:

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=8859

By the way, how was NE Victoria?

Cheers,
Ian

Jay60A wrote:

rooman wrote:If your budget can run to Runrig, think about some of the Cote Rotie for sale at the Exchange run by Langtons. Last time I checked they had some very respectable 99s.

A lot of Cote Roties are 100% Shiraz now ... just a point of order .

every time I think I understand life's rules, they move the bleeding goal posts.

n4sir wrote:... and you could also check the suggestions when you brought up this same question six months ago Steve:

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=8859

By the way, how was NE Victoria? Cheers, Ian

Thanks Ian, that's what wwwwworking does for you - makes you forget what you've already done! Useful suggestions from both posts so thanks everyone, I'll now go out and scout some good stores.

NE Victoria was bloody dry, I got out just before the bushfire perod so it's a damned sight drier now. The most stupid thing I saw was the $700M pipeline being constructed from a nearly dry lake in NE Victoria down to Melbourne, go figure!

707 wrote:

n4sir wrote:... and you could also check the suggestions when you brought up this same question six months ago Steve:

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=8859

By the way, how was NE Victoria? Cheers, Ian

Thanks Ian, that's what wwwwworking does for you - makes you forget what you've already done! Useful suggestions from both posts so thanks everyone, I'll now go out and scout some good stores.

NE Victoria was bloody dry, I got out just before the bushfire perod so it's a damned sight drier now. The most stupid thing I saw was the $700M pipeline being constructed from a nearly dry lake in NE Victoria down to Melbourne, go figure!

It makes more sense than the $10b give away by the government just before xmas, most of which went into the pokies at the local pub and new tvs from JB HiFi.

Starvedog Lane is pretty good.
GW

Ravenswood Lane (www.thelane.com.au) "Off The Leash Max" SV 2006, or 2007 is/are very nice, and very affordable. Lovely cool climate shiraz.

Suggestions for a Shiraz Viognier tasting? Don't do it. (Joking)

Turners Crossing 2005 from Bendigo is a ripper

rooman wrote:

Jay60A wrote:

rooman wrote:If your budget can run to Runrig, think about some of the Cote Rotie for sale at the Exchange run by Langtons. Last time I checked they had some very respectable 99s.

A lot of Cote Roties are 100% Shiraz now ... just a point of order .

every time I think I understand life's rules, they move the bleeding goal posts.

From Tim Atkins MW -

"I'd always assumed that the perfume and elegance of Côte Rôtie was partly explained by the presence of a small amount (3-10%) of Viognier in many of the wines. This most opulent of whites is the sole grape in neighbouring Condrieu and accounts for 5% of plantings in Côte Rôtie, too. This makes Côte Rôtie one of the few red wines that is co-fermented with white grapes.

That's the theory, anyway. It's only when you ask around that you realise the reality is rather different. Many of the top producers don't use any Viognier at all. The fact that the variety is planted in the appellation is 'a historical accident', according to René Rostaing, the renowned Côte Rôtie producer. There are a few who do use it (Montez, Guigal, Gérin and both Villards), but the majority prefer to make their wines as pure Syrahs.

The problem with myths is that people tend to believe them. The Syrah/Viognier blend that is supposed to be typical of Côte Rôtie has started to catch on in other parts of the world, especially Australia. Some of the resulting wines are very good indeed ..."

Jay60A wrote:

rooman wrote:

Jay60A wrote:

rooman wrote:If your budget can run to Runrig, think about some of the Cote Rotie for sale at the Exchange run by Langtons. Last time I checked they had some very respectable 99s.

A lot of Cote Roties are 100% Shiraz now ... just a point of order .

every time I think I understand life's rules, they move the bleeding goal posts.

From Tim Atkins MW -

"I'd always assumed that the perfume and elegance of Côte Rôtie was partly explained by the presence of a small amount (3-10%) of Viognier in many of the wines. This most opulent of whites is the sole grape in neighbouring Condrieu and accounts for 5% of plantings in Côte Rôtie, too. This makes Côte Rôtie one of the few red wines that is co-fermented with white grapes.

That's the theory, anyway. It's only when you ask around that you realise the reality is rather different. Many of the top producers don't use any Viognier at all. The fact that the variety is planted in the appellation is 'a historical accident', according to René Rostaing, the renowned Côte Rôtie producer. There are a few who do use it (Montez, Guigal, Gérin and both Villards), but the majority prefer to make their wines as pure Syrahs.

The problem with myths is that people tend to believe them. The Syrah/Viognier blend that is supposed to be typical of Côte Rôtie has started to catch on in other parts of the world, especially Australia. Some of the resulting wines are very good indeed ..."

Tim Atkin saying something nice about Australia? Nah, don't believe it.

if you want a kiwi representation 06 Trinity Hill Homage Shiraz (has a splash of viognier). its pretty sexy stuff

In yesterdays Good Living, Huon Hooke's article was on Shiraz Viognier - particularly Blue Pyrenees Estate. The reserve is just labelled as shiraz but it does contain 5% viognier. He seemed pretty impressed with it.

Lerida Estate Shiraz Viognier - this was used by Iron Chef Chen Kinichi when out in Australia as a surprise wine thinggie - not tried it myself, but would love to hear feedback if lined up next to the Clonakilla

Hi 707

I have looked, but I can't find a write up of this tasting. Is it on the forum anywhere?

Cheers

Michael