Winetastic

I had been meaning to try the Knappstein Ackland Riesling 2005 for some time having seen many favourable reviews upon its release. This particular bottle has been sitting on my tasting shelf for a few months, summer has come and gone with only a few bottles of white being cracked open at all, perhaps I am becoming a red bigot?

Pale straw in colour, aromas of lime, lemon and just a hint of petroleum are present. No petrol flavours were evident, however there is a good whack of lemon zest and lime. Not fruity, not dry, really well balanced with good length.

From reading other reviews written closer to release, apparently this Riesling had racy acidity which appears to have settled down. Perhaps that was the little bit of extra excitement that I found to be missing in this otherwise well made wine. I have two more bottles and wont be touching them for several years at least.

Score: 89/100
Price: $22
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 13.5%
Other Opinions: Knappstein, Winorama, Winediva
Would I buy this wine again?
Probably not, I was expecting a little bit more.

I was surprised the other day when I spotted the Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Shiraz in the South Australian aisle at our local Dan Murphy’s. Next door, Jacobs Creek looked busy attempting to clean up their front yard, clearly the Jonses have moved into town.

Inviting ripe fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and a hint of spices had my nose buried in the glass for a good five minutes before even taking a sip. Best of all, it tastes as good as it smells, with pure ripe shiraz fruit supported by a little pepper on mid palate, just enough oak and super fine tannins to dry out the finish. Its lush, full of flavour and exceptionally well balanced.

Even if you plan to drink a bottle of this Shiraz tomorrow, do decant in order to remove the large amount of sediment. I found the wine was still opening up and becoming even more full flavoured after around 4 hours in the air.

Score: 94/100
Price: $30
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Vinosense
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, at $30 I think it is well priced

The Lake Breeze “Bernoota” 2004 is a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet grown in Langhorne Creek. This particular vintage picked up trophies at the Adelaide and Perth wine shows in 2006, and as such is festooned with gold stickers.

Up front aromas of dark fruits and berries, mint and an underlying dustyness lure you into the glass. Intense and full bodied, this blend shows ripe plum and dark berries, puckering tannins and hint of spices and bitter cocoa on the finish.

I can see how this wine would stand out from the pack at a wine show and it is excellent value for the price. Recommended for those who like their wines coming straight down the line at full throttle.

Score: 90/100
Price: $17
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Would I buy this wine again?
For the price it would be interesting to see how a couple of bottles were showing in a few year time.

I just stumbled across an aussie video blog called Wineweek, they have been up and running for a few months now, producing a short show in a somewhat weekly format that review three wines per episode in a clear and straightforward manner, good stuff Brad & Danny.

In recent times I have not bought a great deal of Barossa Shiraz since I typically prefer the jucier flavours of the McLaren Vale or more savoury approach from the Hunter Valley. That being said, Magpie Estate’s “The Sack” Shiraz 2004 got some good press, so I ordered a few bottles.

Dark fruit aromas of plum, black cherry and crushed berries are intertwined with detectable alcohol. Inky purple/red in colour, very much a full bodied proposition with up front dark fruits & spices and fine drying tannins on the finish. Persistant and mouthfilling, this is a great example of Barossa Shiraz for the money.

The winery website suggests this is a wine designed to cellar, however if you are drinking now, give it at least an hour in a decanter. I found the wine to be a far better proposition after two hours in the open air.

Score: 91/100
Price: $23
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Winorama
Would I buy this wine again?
I have two more bottles and that is enough for me, if Barossa is your thing, then you cant go wrong here.