Winetastic

Before tasting (drinking) a sample of The Story Wines Grampians Shiraz 2007, I really should have read the blog post by winemaker Rory Lane on this very wine. Not only did he open with “This years story …” as I had intented (nevermind, that was so December 2008 anyhow), but he dished out some excellent advice on approaching this young shiraz - give it at least 2 hours in the decanter!

Initially the wine was rather restained in both its aroma and fruit flavours, however if you allow sufficient decanting time, a richer and fuller experience awaits. There are aromas of cherry, raspberry and nutmeg and a medium bodied palate with decent length and fine tannins. The balance between fruits/spices and tannin/acidity hits the mark and keeps you coming back for just one more glass…

Rory needs a pat on the back for turning out a very good wine from a difficult vintage, likewise for deciding that 2007 was not the year to release a single vineyard wine, but rather declassify the fruit (grapes!) into the regional blend.

Score: 90/100
Price: $22
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: The Story Wines (read this - it’s open and spot on with the self assessment)
Would I buy this wine?
Yes, this is the style of Shiraz I like to drink and good value to boot

It seems like only yesterday I was reviewing the 2005 vintage of this wine, since then “The Story” by wine maker Rory Lane has really begun to unfold, grabbing high praise and high scores from the likes of James Halliday.

Vibrant in both colour and aromas, this deep purple Shiraz smells of inviting cherry and blackberry with a little vanilla and licorice. The initially tart blackberry and cranberry flavours transform over a few hours into sweeter blackberry and cherry, backed up with aniseed and a some spice on the finish. Much of the interest of this lies with the mouthfeel that runs a line from fleshy to intense and zesty before easing into the long smooth finish. Excellent balance, a wine of power and finesse.

A price tag of $30+ would be justifiable for a wine of this quality, however luckily for us some online retailers such as Boccaccio (cheaper freight), Squashedgrape and Auswine have a listed price of only $20-21 per bottle. Buy some - this is the best value for money wine I have tried this year.

Score: 93/100
Price: $20
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: Winorama, The Story Wines
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this was a 6-pack buy for me.

The Story Wines are a boutique producer based in Melbourne and a predominantly Shiraz vineyard in the Grampians region. From what I can gather the 2005 “Orphan” Shiraz is their second commercial release under the label.

Slightly off blood red in colour, this shiraz smells like damp English hedgerow berries, dark chocolate and a hint of raspberry jam. Medium bodied yet full in flavour with fleshy blackberry, blueberry and plum up front, some pepper and spices, a soft and supple texture and integrated chalky tannins on a savoury finish.

In essence this Shiraz is a reminder that I need to drink more wine from our Mexican friends south of the border. It is seriously moreish and very reasonably priced at online retailers Squashedgrape and Boccaccio.

Score: 91/100
Price: $20
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: The Story Wines, Winorama
Would I buy this wine?
Yes, very good value for money

The Mount Langi Ghiran “Billi Billi” Shiraz is yet another value for money red highlighted by the current “Top 50″ promotion at Dan Murphy’s.

This Shiraz is blood red in colour with aromas of plum, cherry and chocolate. The wine feels rather full and fleshy in the mouth before bursting into a peppery finish that lingers for some time. With little tannin to speak of and drinking well now, this would be an ideal wine to crack open at a BBQ with a big t-bone steak.

Most red wines are definitely better if opened an hour or two before consumption, the Billi Billi Shiraz represents an extreme case of this rule. Minutes after opening, the peppery characters overwhelmed all other aspects of this wine, however after an hour the fruit characters came into balance.

Score: 7/10
Price: $14
Closure: Screwcap
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this is a good value for money quaffing red with character.