Cloudwine Newsletter
ed#3 March 2006
Howdy folks!
This newsletter is all about shiraz. Now, it was a little tempting to just feature 12 different shiraz from Barossa, but hey, there is so many good shiraz from different regions we thought it best to feature a different shiraz from each region to make it a little more interesting. There is shiraz from Gippsland, Margaret River, Mornington Peninsula, Langhorne Creek, Great Western, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, ACT Hilltops, Heathcote, Pyrenees, Beechworth & Strathbogie Ranges. But we just haven't chosen any old shiraz, the wines listed are among the finest in Australia. They are leading wines of the region and many are trophy winners, gold medal winners and more. So, not only do the wines in this newsletter represent good drinking, but it also gives you a chance to sample a wide variety of shiraz from a many different places!
Also, it's official! Cloudwine is among the best wine shops in Australia! Gourmet Traveller Magazine (April 2006) has selected Cloudwine as one of the top wine shops in its inaugural "Best of the Best" which highlights the best hotels, restaurants, food shops and wine shops in Australia.
On our forum this week: Checkout all the big brands owned by the three big companies!! It's staggering.... http://www.cloudwine.com.au/global/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=467 Makes us appreciate all the different wineries we stock at Cloudwine!
Happy reading!
Chris, Jacinta and Stew
The Cloudwine Team
Super Shiraz Newsletter Deal
Whether you're filling your cellar or just wanting a dozen wines to drink now, the shiraz in this newsletter will do the trick! So to help you out, we have put together a dozen deal which includes one bottle of each shiraz featured in this newsletter. As you scroll down, you will see that each shiraz is from a different region, ensuring your palate will never be bored. Also, at the same time, you'll be noticing the differences caused by regional characteristics!
Wines included in the Super Shiraz Newsletter Deal
Lazy Ballerina Shiraz 2004 (this wine is no longer available, so we'll replace it with another for $23)
Paul Osicka Shiraz 2004
Grove Estate Cellar Block Shiraz 2004
Heartland Directors Cut Shiraz 2004
Smiths Vineyard Shiraz 2004
Smith's Vineyard Great Western Shiraz 2003
Longwood "Old Vineyard" Reserve Shiraz 2003
Narkoojee Myrtle Point Shiraz 2004
Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz 2004
Willespie Shiraz 1999
Paringa Estate Shiraz 2004
All for just $313
This wine is now sold out.
Lazy Ballerina Shiraz 2004
"When I was tasting it I didn’t know the price, and would’ve guessed $35 easy....this wine is going to sell out mighty fast, and those who nab some will have themselves the bargain of the year."
Ok, you may think we have been lazy by just including the article below, but this article is great and describes everything about the wine, the winery and the man behind it!
Also, please note this wine is exclusive to Cloudwine in Victoria- even the winery has no stocks!
An article from Winefront Monthly...
James Hook is a young bloke with a big reputation in viticulture circles and the
story is that he spotted an exceptional field of shiraz grapes in McLaren Vale
in 2004 that were destined for a big company blend – so he nabbed them and had
them made into wine at the Redheads Studio (Hook: “I set out in secret to
produce the best wine possible, with the best package, at the best price. I had
the perfect cover story. By day I was viticulturist to most of the regions top
grape growers. By night a secret winemaker”). The grapes were hand picked and
sorted, the irrigation regime over the preceding growing season set to achieve
maximum colour and flavour (the back label, and you have to admire this, even
mentions the phrase Regulated Deficit Irrigated). I thought the wine itself was
shy and dilute when I first opened it but it turned out to be anything but, it’s
warm, rich, chocolatey deliciousness absolutely in the groove. Almost all
the oak the wine has seen has been mopped up by the fruit. And the thing that
really sets it apart is the high class structure of its tannins – grade A – and
the nutty, Amarone-like flavour profile nestling in among all that ripe black
fruit. This is a top, textured, tannic McLaren Vale red. Indeed, when I was
tasting it I didn’t know the price, and would’ve guessed $35 easy. Take a look
at the website – this wine is going to sell out mighty fast, and those who nab
some will have themselves the bargain of the year. Drink: 2006-2014. 94 points."
Winefront Monthly. February 2006
Single Bottle Price:
$28
Dozen Bottle Price: $26.16
Paul Osicka Shiraz 2004
When people ask Cloudwine "What type of wineries do you sell?" The answer always describes wineries like Paul Osicka. In many ways Paul Osicka epitomises small wineries in Australia. His family are pioneers in the Heathcote region, he is founder of the winery and he does everything himself.
The vineyard was planted in the mid-1950's, making it among the oldest vines in the Heathcote region. Good things take time and Paul Osicka began the commercial production of wine in the 1970s, by that time he was considered an industry veteran, even though it was his first vintage!
These days, the wines sells out fairly quickly, which is remarkable considering the winery doesn’t market their wine. As James Halliday says in his latest book: "A low profile producer but reliable, particularly when it comes to its smooth but rich shiraz." We should also point out the vineyard is managed according to organic principles without the use of herbicides or insecticides.
Single Bottle Price: $24
Dozen Bottle Price: $22.50
Made by Tim Kirk of Clonakilla!
That headline is sure to make any wine drinker look twice! Tim Kirk produces the finest
cool climate shiraz in Australia under his Clonakilla winery and his reds always sell out in the first month after release. Luckily for Clonakilla fans, Tim is also in charge of the shiraz at Grove Estate and this wine is around for a little longer!
Another little known fact about the winery is that it houses some of the oldest vines in Australia. Those vines were planted in 1886 and the scientists are currently investigating which variety the vines are! What we can say for sure is that the vines that produce this wine are a little newer and produce high quality cool climate shiraz. Don’t expect a high alcohol, over ripe shiraz, but a more elegant number that the winery promotes as a food wine - and rightly so - it won 2 trophies at the Sydney International Wine show, a show dedicated to highlighting the best wines judged with food in Australia!
What the judges at the Sydney Int. Wine Comp thought...
"Spicy, fragrant, fruity, modern Shiraz. A touch of mocha. Very
seductive nose. Good structure on the palate. A touch of vanilla and briar.
Excellent food match. It did everything possible for the dish." Tony Allen
"Intense. Beautiful peppery nose. Lovely, dense, tight, firm focus. Beautiful
texture. Long. With the food it is intense, beautiful. Pepper, lively fruit.
Plush, lovely texture evolves across the palate beautifully. Very long."
Mark de Vere
"Some nice, lifted, floral notes on the aroma. Spicy and restrained. Firm
tannins but harmonious. It complements the beef nicely." Philip Reedman
"Big, bright, lovely cherry fruit. Maraschino cherries. Pretty and soft. Second
time round showing hints of clove and cinnamon spice. On the palate, lovely soft
tannins. Ripe pure fruit. This is a great wine." Steve Flamsteed
"Smells of leather, savoury meat. Cherries. Juicy and fruity entry. Long finish.
Ripe tannins. The cherry characters in the wine went well with the sauce of the
Chateaubriand." Daniel Lopez Roca
P.s. What is also pleasing to see? The winery isn’t content with just producing shiraz, most years, it releases Zinfandel, Barbera, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese, so chances are you’ll be seeing one of these wines in an upcoming Weird and Wonderful newsletter!
Trophy
‘Best Red Wine’
2006 Sydney International
Wine Competition
Trophy
‘Best medium bodied Red’
2006 Sydney International
Wine Competition
Blue Gold/Top 100
2006 Sydney International Wine Competition
Gold
2005 National Wine Show of Australia
Gold
2005 Canberra Regional Wine Show
Single Bottle Price:
$27
Dozen Bottle Price: $25.17
Peerick Reserve Shiraz 2002
When people think of wineries from Pyrenees, inevitably they think of Dalwhinnie and Summerfield, but soon they will be thinking of Peerick if they continue to make wines as good as their viognier last year and shiraz this year.
The good thing about Peerick is that they are no flash in the pan, they've been going for 15 years now, slowly building up experience and a reputation. Their vineyard is a 6-hectare property adjacent to the State Forest in the Pyrenees region. The vineyard is small but there's a good mix of varieties. The owners are Chris and his wife Meryl, and they've planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Viogner. They do all the pruning and harvesting themselves too, meaning the vines are treated like babies, receiving the TLC required to make a soft and plush shiraz.
About the wine
The wine that goes into this wine come from vines aged 8-15 years old. Each year the wine is on the improve and the 2002 was among the best to day. It was also the coolest year, so this wine is best described as having elegance and subtleness, rather than sheer fruit power. But that's the beauty of each shiraz in this newsletter- they are all made in different styles.
Tim White in the Financial Review, 5 May 06...
"Deep and dark smelling with some shellac development and lovely cracked black pepper. Smells fleshy and sharp. There's pepper, plenty of blackberry and sharp-sweet plum fruit in the mouth, held in place by excellent tannins. A stunner. 94/100".
GOLD
Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2005
GOLD
Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2005
GOLD
Rutherglen Wine Show
Single Bottle Price: $24
Dozen Bottle Price: $22.50
"This is outstanding value"
This is the 5th Heartland wine to feature on a Cloudwine newsletter, so there's probably no need to do another introduction to the winery, so today we'll just feature a few of the many reviews this wine has received....
"Thankfully, Parker hasn't rated this, or any of the Heartland wines, yet. If he did I am sure that it would be in the 93-point range. Look for a refined, very faintly smoky, cedar-tinged, plumy, ripe cherry nose. It is big and surprisingly extracty with mouthfilling, plumy, fairly juicy, black cherry flavours and a buttery, brioche finish." Michael Vaughan, National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits, Canada. Feb 2006
"Heartland Directors' Cut celebrates
the pruning or cutting that results in low yields. Eventually the best
selection of that low yielding fruit ends up in the Directors' Cut -
presumably Heartland's directors need something good to drink around the
boardroom table. The 70/30 blend of Limestone Coast /Langhorne Creek
shiraz is aged in both French and American oak. This is succulent shiraz
with floral coffee, mocha, black fruit flavours streaked with savoury
licorice and pepper. Love the slippery tannins and balance. Serious red,
great value. Anthony Gismondi, Gismondi On Wine website.
Dec 2005
"93 points. To make this wine they reduce the cropping levels that they use for the $20 shiraz in half (down to 2 tonne/ acre), and then ferment it cool before maturing it in a mix of 70% French oak and 30% American. The extra effort pays off. It’s meaty and savoury and cedary, with spice and a fluid sense of luscious, ripe, delicious fruit. It’s not heavy, but it’s generous, and there’s a distinct sense of layered, savoury complexity – that subtle, savoury-meatiness is a winner, especially when matched to such gorgeous, well-mannered ripeness. This is outstanding value. Drink: 2005-2010". The Winefront Monthly Top Wines of 2005 (*Winefront Monthly Best Sub-$30 Red Wine)
"For those that like bang for their buck, this medium-to-full-bodied and unctuous (but not too over the top) shiraz certainly delivers the goods. Made from Langhorne Creek (68 per cent) and Limestone Coast (32 per cent) fruit by Ben Glaetzer (a partner in Heartland who has also released some top-notch and well-priced wines under the Glaetzer label this year), there are copious amounts of dark berry fruits, liquorice and vanilla (all the oak is French) on the nose while the palate simply oozes ripe, yet not too heavy or unbalanced, delicious shiraz fruit flavours. To be enjoyed now and over the next couple of years." Philip Rich, Financial Review Magazine Nov 2005
Wine of the Year 2005
The Adelaide Advertiser/Hyatt Awards
5 stars
Winestate Magazine
Single Bottle Price: $34
Dozen Bottle Price: $31.50
Smiths Vineyard Shiraz 2004
What is the oldest vineyard in Beechworth?? It's Smiths. Not Giaconda, not Havelock Hill vineyard and not Sorrenberg. Yep, it's Smith's and it was established in 1978!
Smiths Vineyard is situated on the outskirts of Beechworth town in North East Victoria (it overlooks the Victorian High country). The region's claim to fame is that it's the home of Giaconda, one Australia's great chardonnay producers. Smiths also produce a great chardonnay and that too is available at Cloudwine, but today we are talking about shiraz and there is plenty to talk about too.
Like many of the small wineries and unlike many of the mass produced factory wine, the Smiths method to making great wine is simple - let the vineyard do the talking and try to avoid messing around with the wine. They source fruit for their shiraz from different parts of Victoria, depending on the season. The result is remarkable and it’s great to taste the differences a region makes! In 2003 (see below), they produced a Great Western Shiraz, which is powerful and full of flavour. In 2004, they produced a shiraz from two sites in North East Victoria and made a Rhone styled Shiraz. There is the bold richness of Taminick grapes mixed with the spicy, pepper lift of the cooler Strathbogie Ranges.
Single Bottle Price: $36
Dozen Bottle Price: $33.25
Smith's Vineyard Great Western Shiraz 2003
Huon Hooke: "I expect it will age for a good 20 years"
We've explained the story about Smith's and touched on this wine from Great Western, but we didn't mention Huon Hooke predicts this wine to age well over the next 20 years! In 2003 bushfires made it impossible for the Smiths to produce good shiraz - all the grapes were tainted by smoke, so they sourced high quality fruit from Great Western and produced this highly commended shiraz.
The critical Review
"The other wine to grab why you can is the 03 Flamsteed Great Western Shiraz...Its sensational...This is a statuesque wine, spicy and concentrated, powerful but seemless, with perfect ripeness, great length and balance. A most impressive red that certainly shows these two know how to make a red wine. I expect it will age for a good 20 years, especially as its also under screwcap." Huon Hooke. Good Weekend. March 11 06.
Winery Tasting Note
We sourced this fruit from 35-year-old vines and it shows. The nose is integrated and mature showing charry oak, spice and ripe cloves, slightly floral with a touch of apricots. Cinnamon and pepper dominate the palate. We added just under 5% Viognier to this beauty which will really show through on the nose as it matures. Great until 2010.
Single Bottle Price: $20
Dozen Bottle Price: $18.84
Wineries from Strathbogie Ranges continue to be putting their hands up for making high quality wines at affordable prices and this wine from The Falls Vineyard is no exception.
The winery started out in 1969 by Andrew Cameron; he was challenged to plant some vines and make a decent red; things were obviously simpler in the sixties and Andrew took up the challenge and released his first wine in 1972.
Only two years ago, Sam Plunkett (of Plunkett Wines) approached the folk at Longwood and asked if he could make them a ‘Reserve Shiraz’. So, with the help of the Euroa Apex Club (who have hand picked the grapes for 28 years) and Mr Plunkett, the winery now has 300 cases of Reserve Shiraz, which is causing a little stir in the press….
"New name, old vines. From The Falls vineyard in the Strathbogie Ranges, this is a concentrated yet elegant and supple wine with plum, blackberry and savoury/nutty flavours. Its rich and smooth in the mouth and responds to breathing. Now to 2015." Huon Hooke, SMH 24/05/05
"From shiraz vines planted at the northern end of Victoria's Strathbogie Ranges in 1969 and made at The Falls winery by Andrew Cameron, this one offers exceptional value: it's dark, smoky, deeply fruity (plums,prunes, cherries), and has a gamey, spicy overlay that makes it really intriguing." Weekend Australian Magazine 4th June 2005 by Max Allen
Single Bottle Price:
$35
Dozen Bottle Price: $32.34
“Stacks of ripe Margaret River shiraz crammed into each glass”
It’s always interesting to drink older wine for there are secondary flavours that are simply not present in younger wines and today we are please to offer the 1999 Willespie Shiraz from Margaret River.
Margaret River is one of the great wine regions of the world and Willespie Shiraz 1999 was one of the great wines of the highly acclaimed vintage. Accordingly it has received gold medals and trophies and was the top 1999 shiraz at the 2000 the London International Wine Show.
Willespie’s vineyard was established in 1976 but it didn’t have winery facilities until many years later and the wines had to be made at nearby wineries. Luckily, those wineries included the likes of Cape Mentelle; the Willespie folk obviously picked up a few trade secrets, as the wines now been produced can stand alongside all these producers.
Tasting Notes…
“Stacks of ripe Margaret River shiraz crammed into each glass. A rich dense palate with nice French & American oak treatment. The background of spicy savoury fruit completes the picture. The palate has delicious sweet fruit suppleness. Still has plenty of cellaring potential.” Ray Jordan
“4.5 stars. Attractive youthful plum & cassis & spicy, mature oak. Substantial rich, round palate sweet fruit, fine ripe tannins and chary oak” Winestate
Trophy
Best Shiraz
2001 Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia
Gold
2001 Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia
Silver Medal
2003 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London
4 ˝ Stars
Winestate Magazine
(July / August 2003)
Single Bottle Price:
$20
Dozen Bottle Price: $18.84
Narkoojee is located in Gippsland, a cool climate region in South East Victoria and has released a few 2004 vintage wines that have really caught our attention! The winemaker is Harry Friend and he was a star on the amateur wine scene before taking the plunge in 1981 and starting Narkoojee. The winery is tiny, producing around 3500 cases in a good year from its 10 ha of vines and more than half of the production is chardonnay, which James Halliday rates "the pants off". They are now starting to push their shiraz and it has been very well received....
The experts say....
"The Gippsland Winery, Narkoojee, is kicking goals at the moment with some rich, textural chardonnay and elegant, herbal, curranty cabernet. This shiraz - from a vineyard near Bairnsdale - is a very good example of the spicy, medium-bodied cool-climate style, with powdery oak texture and lovely floral, peppery characters." Max Allen, Weekend Australian Magazine, 14-15 January 2006.
"East Gippsland was a thriving wine region in the 19th century. But changing tastes saw its demise. We are now seeing a gradual return to favour, and Narkoojee is one of the vanguards. I cannot think of a better style to demonstrate the way the succulent fruit can sorbet the palate after tasting spicy food. The aroma is black pepper mixed with dark berries. Fruit flavour crawls around the palate in an explosion of fruit with subliminal tannins. Your lips may not get bigger, but you’ll feel like licking them." Leader Newspaper. Roy Moorfield, 1/11/05.
Single Bottle Price:
$40
Extremely limited
Six trophies in its first show!
It's probably fair to say that most wine drinkers have heard of Paringa Estate, that's because each year they produce a range of wines that receive accolade after accolade (they have a very big pool room).
Paringa Estate Winery was established at Red Hill on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula by owners Lindsay and Margaret McCall in 1985. Today the winery is one of the best in Australia. "Winemaker Lindsay McCall has shown an absolutely exceptional gift for winemaking across a range of styles, but with immensely complex Pinto Noir and Shiraz leading the way. The wines have an unmatched level of success in the wine shows and competitions. Paringa Estate is able to enter, the limitation being the relatively small size of the production." James Halliday 2006 Wine Companion
The winery has 10 acres of vines and the Estate range is produced from vines
aged between 15 to 20 years. In more recent times, it has leased other
vineyards which has enabled them to make entry level wines. But today we
don’t feature the entry level wine, this wine is a leader and text book
example of Cool Climate Shiraz and is sourced from the actual estate.
We should also mention the previous vintage too- it performed like no other on the show circuit and won the following awards last year. This wine is still available at Cloudwine too! Check out our website www.cloudwine.com.au
Gold Medal- 2005 Rutherglen Wine Show
Gold Medal- 2005 Small Vignerons Award
Gold Medal- 2004 Southern Victorian Wine Show
Gold Medal- 2004 Cowra Wine Show
Gold Medal- 2004 Victorian Wine Show (Top Gold)
Gold Medal- 2004 Ballarat Wine Show
Gold Medal- 2004 Royal Adelaide Wine Show (Top Gold)
Gold Medal- 2004 Royal Melbourne Wine Show (Top Gold)
Trophy - 2004 Southern Victorian Wine Show
This year, the wine looks even better, picking up 6 Trophies in its first show - first time in a long time any winery has achieved such a feat. The 2004 vintage shiraz will sell out very quickly. The 2003 vintage is also available for $40 per bottle. Click here to buy
Two Vintage Dozen Dea!!
The 2003 and 2004 are great vintages, so we are offering a great deal! For $462, we'll send you 6 bottles of the 2003 shiraz and 6 bottles of the 2004 vintage- that's $38.50 per bottle and delivered FREE in Australia. click here to buy!
Trophy
Best Wine Exhibited in Varietal Classes
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Trophy
Best Previous Vintage in Show
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Trophy
Best Wine of Show
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Trophy
Best Medium Bodied Red in Show
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Trophy
Best Red Wine of Show
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Trophy
Best Shiraz in Show
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
Single Bottle Price: $25
Dozen Bottle Price: $23.34
Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz 2004
The Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz is the big bold shiraz we had to include in this newsletter. The big Aussie red & true to form, the king of big red wines, Robert Parker Jnr rated it 93 points- see the full tasting note below.
Keasler has a history like
no other in the Barossa- their webpage has 7 pages of history it's
actually quite interesting and a little funny. But the short of it is that the vineyards themselves
were established in 1893, making them among the oldest in Australia
(note the vines for Stonehorse shiraz are a little younger though).
From 1893 untill
1997, the Kaeslers and the current owners did not make their own
wine- they sold it to the bigger players such as Seppelts. But it
got to a point where the grapes sold were just so good and the
prices of wine was sufficient to support a winery, hence the Kaesler
winery was born!
The experts
say....
"...I particularly liked the 04 Stonehorse Shiraz, which is sweetly ripe, with excellent depth of fruit and balance. A gold medallist at the 05 Barossa Show, its a wine to drink now or cellar a few years." Huon Hooke, Good Weekend Magazine, 5 November 2005.
93 points Drink 2005-2020. Kaesler’s deep ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Shiraz Stonehorse (100% Shiraz aged in a combination of French and American oak) exhibits a big, sweet nose of blackberries, cassis, pepper, and spicy oak. Its opulent, richly fruity, full-bodied, yet well-balanced style suggests it will drink well for 10-15 years. Wine Advocate #161 (Oct 2005) Robert Parker
Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz is inky plum red in color with a nose of plums, blueberry, blackberry, vanillin oak and spice. Full-bodied with firm tannins, this red boasts big flavors of baked black fruits, blackberry, pepper, leather and earth. It has a hint of oak (French and American), with the fruit dominating. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine is well balanced and cellarable through 2020. The finish is long with lean tannins. Winemaker's notes.
Gold
Barossa Wine Show 2005
Prior Newsletter offers still available at Cloudwine
There are heaps of different shiraz at Cloudwine, so why not make your own dozen?
That's right there are heaps and more can be found on our website www.cloudwine.com.au. But to get you started, we've listed some premium wines that are sure to make your mouth water!
Kallekse Grennock Creek Shiraz 2004 From $38 per bottle Buy online
Schubert Goose-yard Block Shiraz 2004. From $61.16 per bottle Buy online
Arakoon The Doyen 2003 $40 per bottle Buy online
Red Edge Shiraz 2004 $45 Per bottle Buy online
Craiglee Shiraz 2003 From $38.66 per bottle Buy online
Brothers in Arms Shiraz 2002 $39 per bottle Buy online
Mitolo Reiver Barossa Shiraz 2004 From $47.66 per bottle Buy online
Mitolo Savitar Shiraz 2004 From $62.08 per bottle Buy online
Mitolo Reiver Barossa Shiraz 2004 From $47.66 per bottle Buy online
Hobbs Vintners Gregor Shiraz 2003 $135 per bottle Buy online
Kilikanoon Shiraz Reserve 2002 $105 per bottle Buy online
Kilikanoon Shiraz Reserve Greens 2002 $75 per bottle Buy online
Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz 2003 $39 per bottle Buy online
Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2003 $58 per bottle Buy online
Kay Brothers Block 6 2003 $63 per bottle Buy online
Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz 2003 From $36 per bottle Buy online
Wild Duck Creek Springflat Shiraz 2003 l From $44.16 per bottle Buy online
Glaetzer Godolphin 2004 (A shiraz Cab) $60 per bottle
Buy online
Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz 2004 $91 per bottle
Buy online
Groom Shiraz 2004 $48 per bottle Buy online
Torbreck The Factor 2003 $125 per bottle Buy online
Torbreck The Struie 2004 $47 per bottle Buy online
Veritas "Bulls Blood" Shiraz Mataro 2003 $39 per bottle Buy online
Bress Heathcote Shiraz 2003 $36 per bottle Buy online
Cobaw Ridge Shiraz Viognier 2003 $40 per bottle Buy online
Gill's Journal
Ahh, Shiraz / Syrah! Call it what you want, it is always a crowd pleaser. This journal I will focus on the comparison between Aussie Shiraz and Rhone Valley Syrah. I’m constantly reading reviews which say ‘great Rhone character’ about Australian Shiraz as if it is the hugest compliment that could ever be bestowed. I know that the Cote-Rotie style of blending a little Viognier with Shiraz has been replicated in Australia with varying degrees of success and the Southern Rhone blend of Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvčdre works superbly well in regions like the Barossa. However one thing I also know is that Australian Shiraz is very often perfectly approachable on release (although some aging wouldn’t hurt it) where as many of the Rhone wines from every appellation I tried during my visit there desperately needed a lot more time in the bottle. Another thing I know is that Aussie Shiraz flavour roars at you like a Lion, bursting with flavour, which ever region it’s from. Not so all their French cousins which can sometimes be more of a purr, flavour wise. Often a lovely refined purr I might add. Then there’s Hermitage which in Australia we seem to get very excited about possibly because we used to call Grange “Grange Hermitage’ Tain L’Hermitage is a small picturesque village and the hillside where Hermitage is grown is exactly that, a very small hillside. I was shocked that this tiny area could have become so famous and so revered. I have sampled some very rich, luscious Hermitage in my time but I still don’t think they taste similar to Shiraz from any region of Australia.
The third country which has a huge reputation for making great Shiraz (after France and Australia of course) is the U.S. Here the ‘Rhone Rangers’ (a group dedicated to the advancement of Rhone grape varieties in the U.S.) have made a superb contribution to the wine world particularly with Shiraz. As the group’s name suggests they are deliberately trying to model much of their Shiraz around the French style so I guess comparisons are natural. I think comparing old and new world wine is an interesting exercise and I have run many tasting events doing just this. However I find regional differences in Shiraz grown around Australia and particularly Victoria something quite magical, all those intricacies and subtle idiosyncrasies could keep my taste buds exploring for many more years. I hope so. Australian Shiraz is overflowing with personality all of its own, which ever direction you go, just let the Terroir do the talking!
Feel like a wine tour to Heathcote? We'll be going to 3 or 4 wineries and the winemakers will be taking you "out the back" to taste wine from the barrels and even providing lunch! How good's that?? To find out more, click here
Cloudwine Wine Course – South Melbourne
Wine amongst the Art - Cloudwine Cellars is now taking bookings for its next wine appreciation course which will be held at GalleryM (http://www.gallerym.com.au) in South Melbourne. You can admire the beautiful artwork whilst you learn about wine! This course starts Tuesday 16th of May and runs for 6 weeks (2 hours/one evening per week). Fun, informative and featuring fantastic wine. For more information contact gill@cloudwine.com.au or call 9882 0954.
Stewart Went, Jacinta & Chris Plazzer
Cloudwine Cellars
317 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne 3205
766 Burke Road, Camberwell 3124
Dendy Plaza (right next to Coles Supermarket), 24 Church Street,
Brighton 3186
email:
sales@cloudwine.com.au
ph: 03 9699 6700 (South Melbourne)
ph: 03 9882 0954 (Camberwell)
ph: 03 9553 8416 (Brighton)
ABN: 96 090 706 853