Terry

2006 Gramps Five Generations Shiraz, Barossa, South Australia

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Dec 242011
 

imageConsumed at an early Christmas dinner, this wine was a great success with both males and females and nicely accompanied the usual Christmas fare on the table.

An intense dark plum colour with a strong aromas of berry fruits and a little pepper spice, provided a smooth finish with a touch of tannins to enliven the taste buds.

It has aged well and will probably go a few more years with further cellaring but is certainly drinking well right now as well. I will be looking for more of this wine.

[ Orlando Wines Group ]

AWG Notes: AWG was present for the opening of this bottle.  It was a pleasant drop, good plum in colour with a mildly spiced body with a hint of currants.  Went down very nicely, thank you!

 Posted by Terry at 9:05 pm  Tagged with: Shiraz, South Australia

2008 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz, Barossa Regional, South Australia

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Dec 232011
 

imageI am not sure what went wrong when we had this wine with a BBQ lunch but it did not sit well with some of our dinners.

While in appearance and nose it seemed quite fine, the impact in the mouth was disappointing, particularly for the ladies. It seemed as if it was too young and was a little sharpish for some palates. I would give it another year or two in the bottle and try it again.

AWG Notes: There’s a chance that perhaps there was some issue with the cellaring of the bottle. We’d expect some degree of development from a South Australian Shiraz over the course of three or more years, which should offset some of that sharpness which we tend to find in young Shiraz.

[ Jacob’s Creek Website ]

 Posted by Terry at 11:49 pm  Tagged with: Barossa Valley, Jacob's Creek, Regional Blend, Reserve, Shiraz, South Australia

2008 Wyndham Estate, George Wyndham Shiraz, Langhorne Creek

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Dec 222011
 

imageIf I can find more of this wine I will buy it today. At a very reasonable price, this was a very well received wine at a dinner party of six people with varying tastes in wine.

All found it very easy to drink and came back for another glass. Rich dark colour, a strong but not over powering nose, with plum, berry and spice flavours make this a typically good shiraz. Some oak taste and tannins added to the body of this wine.

A very happy choice for our steak dinner.

AWG Notes: Langhorne Creek is one of South Australia’s better kept secrets.  Much like Marlborough was to New Zealand, ten years ago. 

For those still trying out Australian Shiraz (especially reasonably priced Shiraz), you might do well to sample from this underrated region.

 Posted by Terry at 10:08 pm  Tagged with: Langhorne Creek, Shiraz, South Australia

2009 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Philip Shiraz

 Wine Tasting Notes  1 Response »
Dec 212011
 

imageNo pun intended, but this wine was a pleasant surprise which was enjoyed by both our female and male dinners. It had a good dark purple colour promising some body and depth to the wine, which it delivered on the palate and nose.

However, it was not an over powering red, and the ladies liked the medium body and softer taste with berries and spices and just a touch on tannins. Given this is only a few years old, it could well develop further in the bottle but it certainly is very drinkable right now. I would buy more of this one. Reasonably priced.

[ McWilliams Hunter Valley Shiraz ]

AWG Notes: This is a splendid example of the Shiraz produced in the Hunter Valley.  As Australian wine reviewers are oft to remark; Hunter Valley Shiraz is quite different from its South Australian, Victorian and Western Australia peers.

For my mind, Hunter Shiraz – whilst an acquired taste – is far more malleable and subtle drop than other Australian Shiraz, and (as such) is likely to be more easily appreciated by those new to the variety.

 Posted by Terry at 9:21 pm  Tagged with: hunter valley, Shiraz

2006 D’Arenberg “The Galvo Garage” McLaren Vale South Australia

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Dec 202011
 

This is a multi-varietal wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvginon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

imageIf you consider gold medals in choosing your wines, then you would probably look closely at this one as it has 4 gold medals from both here and overseas.

Consequently, we were a little disappointed that it did not have a greater impact on us than it did. It did have a good dark plum colour with an interesting nose, strong berry flavours and an earthy finish.

The use of oak in the wine process was evident and this could have added to the tannins which the ladies at our small dinner were not very keen on.

However, the males were quite happy with it but did feel that the combination of so many wine varieties may have caused some loss of definition in the overall product. For a slightly higher priced wine I expected a little more than we received.

[ D’Arenberg Website | 2006 Tasting Notes ]

AWG Notes:  I have to concur with Terry’s comments, considering it had time to mature in the bottle for (conservatively) around four to five years, you’d rightly or wrongly probably expect a bit more complexity in the finished product.  Still, considering the range of varieties here, I think there’s a little something for everyone.

 Posted by Terry at 7:22 pm  Tagged with: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvginon, D'Arenberg, mclaren vale, Merlot, petit verdot, South Australia

2008 Mitcham Estate Shiraz Cabernet

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Oct 152011
 

Region: South Australia

Bought though a wine club, this turned out to be an adequate wine although a little disappointing.

It lacked the full bodied dark purple colour that I like in my shiraz blends but had a reasonable nose and palate of berry flavours and plums.

There was really little complexity to the wine and while it was pleasant enough to drink, it did not leave a lingering impression in the mouth, possibly as there was very little tannin and no oak flavours.

Being a somewhat lighter red it should be OK with all meals. However, a moderate performing wine for a moderate price.

 Posted by Terry at 6:25 pm  Tagged with: Shiraz Cabernet, South Australia

2006 Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Shiraz

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Oct 142011
 

Region: Heathcote, Victoria, Australia

At a dinner in the Hunter Valley quite a few years ago, the late and great Murray Tyrrell told us that the Hunter region was a white wine area and not the best for reds (AWG: some would disagree).

So I was not surprised to see this red under the Tyrrell name actually comes from the Heathcote area in Victoria. A gold medal winner in 2006 at the Canberra Wine Show, this wine is a lovely dark purple colour when poured.

It has complex palate of strong plum and chocolate with something else that escapes me (but which the maker claims is bramble aromas!).

It was certainly a very pleasant red with its complexity providing much enjoyment throughout our meal of slow roasted lamb. Worth another purchase.

 Posted by Terry at 6:22 pm  Tagged with: Shiraz, Victoria

2010 South Island Sauvignon Blanc

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Oct 132011
 

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

This lower cost white from NZ proved to be a very good buy as it was surprisingly good and enjoyed by all of us at a fish dinner.

A very clear but slightly greenish colour gave way on opening to a great aroma of passionfruit and peach. This continued into the tasting with a clean crisp finish and a lingering in the mouth of the pleasant fruit flavours.

I would certainly buy more of this wine and enjoy it with white meat, seafood or Asian inspired dishes.

 Posted by Terry at 6:17 pm  Tagged with: New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc

2003 Moss Brothers Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

 Wine Tasting Notes  No Responses »
Oct 122011
 

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia

On the first sip of this bold red, it seemed we were looking at a very peppery, tannin laden wine but this was very deceiving, as sip after sip it grew on the palate to an excellent wine full of berries, a little oak and almost coffee flavours.

The nose was of oak and mint and it had a good clean finish. The wine accompanied a meal of ossobuco and there was no doubt that the strong flavours of the meal brought out the best in this wine.

The more the meal progressed the more the complexity of the wine became apparent.

However, this wine seems to be pretty near its peak and I would not leave it too much longer to open these bottles if you have any cellared.

Even my mother in law liked this wine, which was just as well as she made the ossobuco! I would look for this label again.

 Posted by Terry at 6:08 pm  Tagged with: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia

Cock & Bull Estate Grown 2009 Shiraz South Australia

 Wine Tasting Notes  1 Response »
Mar 142011
 

c_and_b Despite the humorous name, this surprising Shiraz turned out to be very drinkable. A good red colour in the glass  and interesting aromas of light spice and berry flavours were evident on opening the bottle and this flowed onto the tasting.

There was very little tannin effect but a touch of oak gave the wine a nice balance. 

A relatively light to medium red, this wine is good drinking now and suitable for accompanying any meal. My wife, who is not a lover of powerful reds, actually enjoyed this lighter version.

 Posted by Terry at 3:23 pm  Tagged with: Shiraz, South Australia
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