Winetastic

Just after Christmas Gemma and I inexplicably found ourselves at the Boutique Wine Center inquiring after any new releases. Although there was nothing released in the previous two months, we were lucky enough to taste some unreleased 2007 reds from Meerea Park (all of which look superb), including the Meerea Park Shiraz Viognier 2007 which is available as of today.

Showing perfumed aromas of cherry and clove, there is an intense and fruity front palate followed by some spices that lead to a tangy and savoury finish. The fine/approachable tannins and pure fruit make this an excellent drink-now proposition, or you can wait a few years for some further complexity to develop.

This is the best Shiraz Viognier Meerea Park have produced to date, though my score is the same as the 2005 vintage since I am marking a little harder these days…

Score: 91/100
Price: $20
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Would I buy this wine?
Yes, you should be able to find it for around $17-18

The Mountain X Hunter Shiraz 2006 is the inaugural release and the brain child of Gary Walsh and Campbell Mattison of The Wine Front. It is a blend of 95% Hunter Shiraz (good start) and 5% Yarra Pinot - a throwback to a traditional hunter blend of yesteryear. The winemakers are Rhys Eather (Meerea Park) and Franco d’Anna (Hoddles Creek) respectively.

Stylistically modern Hunter Valley - showing fruity aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and some licorice. The palate is initially juicy and intense with tangy dark fruits and berries, a dash of spice and a dollop of vanilla oak. There are just enough super fine and approachable tannins to pull the finish into the savoury realm.

If you plan to drink up now, I suggest 2+ hours in a decanter, otherwise it should improve in the cellar over the medium term. A successful first release, there is something here for hunterists and non-hunterists alike. Since I don’t mind giving this lot a plug, you can buy the wine from the Boutique Wine Center, Boccaccio or North Sydney Cellars.

Score: 91/100
Price: $30
Closure: Diam
Alcohol: 13.5%
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes I will, $30 is a reasonable price for a low production, hand picked and unique wine.

It is said great wine starts in the vineyard and Lengmeil certainly have a head start in this regard, boasting some of the oldest shiraz producing vines in the world. This up and coming Barossa producer has made an intense and bold, yet strangely elegant wine from a blend of Shiraz (48%), Grenache (42%), and Mourvèdre (10%).

A deep blood red in colour, with a nose of brooding cherries, damp hedgerow berries and a hint of subtle spice, this blend is initially juicy and fruity on the palate. This wine settles down into earthier, almost dirtier, darker berry flavours, with prominent but fine tannin. Medium bodied, there is a subtle jammy quality which is balanced out by the red juicy acid flavours. This is a bottle that definitely benefits from some time in the decanter.

Score: 89/100
Price: $19.50 from the cellar door, though I do believe some Dan Murphy’s stores are carrying this wine.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Langmeil
Would I buy this wine again? I really appreciate the slightly more savoury approach to GSM’s, rather than the overly sweet fruit monsters that have made their way onto the market, so yes. I am also a big fan of this producer and have them down as one to watch over the next few years.

The last in a trio from Barossa producers Scorpiiion is their 2006 GSM, which is comprised of 45% Grenache, 42% Shiraz and 13% Mataro, all of which is sourced from the Barossa Valley.

Vibrant ripe plum and blackberry aromas are entwined with lurking chocolate and vanilla. On the palate I found intense flavours of fleshy dark fruits, a velvety mouthfeel and a little drying tannin on the finish. Its full bodied, fruit forward and very gluggable.

After having the chance to taste three different wines produced by Scorpiiion, I can definitely see the fruit driven but balanced style they are aiming for across the range. The GSM represents the best bang for your buck and is a great option if you just want to buy, open and drink. Prices appear to range from $15-23, depending on your selection of retailer and the number of bottles, Squashedgrape being the cheapest at this time.

Score: 89/100
Price: $21
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Wine Without Wank
Would I buy this wine?
Although I personally lean toward more savoury styles, $17 per bottle is a great price.

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.

For those who enjoyed the 2004 vintage of the Meerea Park Shiraz Viognier, there is some great news - the 2005 vintage has recently been released and it is even better than the previous effort. If you have not yet familiar with Meerea Park wines, now really is the time to get acquainted.

Deep red/purple in colour, aromas of blackberry, plum, orange peel, and a hint of pepper virtually leap out of the glass. Medium to full bodied, tart blackberry and plum fruit flavours are balanced nicely by fine, mouthfilling tannins, subtle oak and a healthy dose of acidity. There is a level of balance and complexity here that you typically will not find in a sub-$20 wine.

Although this blend is great to glug down on its own right now, it really did shine even brighter when paired with a nice rich pasta sauce. No doubt it would be equally at home with any bbq meat or hearty beef dish. By all accounts there will be some good rewards for putting some bottles away in a cool dark place for a few years.

Score: 91/100
Price: $18
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: Meerea Park, Winorama
Would I buy this wine again?
Although this bottle was a sampler, I will definitely be purchasing some more.

I picked up a bottle of the Bleasdale Shiraz Cabernet 2003 the other day because it has been getting a fair bit of good press and it also happened to be on special for $10 per bottle.

Aromas of ripe plums, red fruits and a hit of leather, this blend of 51% Shiraz and 49% Cabernet Sauvignon tastes a bit dirty, with dark fruits, bitter herbs and a little tannin and spice. A couple of hours later the fruit character was more foreward, however the wine still failed to excite.

I must admit that although it is a decent wine for the money, I fail to see what the fuss is all about. For a similar price you could pick up a far better bottle, such as a Mount Pleasant Philip Shiraz 2002.

Score: 82/100
Price: $12
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: Bleasdale
Would I buy this wine again?
No

I purchased a mixed dozen of wines from Longhop last week based on a nod from the Red Bigot, 4 bottles each of the Boomerang Shiraz 05, Old Vine Grenache 05 and The Longhop Old Vine Reserve 2004, which is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Shiraz.

Inky purple/red in colour, this wine exibits complex aromas of fleshy plums, cherries, blackcurrant, and mint/eucalypt. On the palate there is an initial burst of juicy plum and blackcurrant fruit, chased down the line by plenty of powdery drying tannin that leads into a very long finish with hints of mint and charcoal. A powerful but well balanced wine.

The quality of this blend literally oozes out of the glass, however it really does need a few years in the cellar to allow the feisty tannins to settle down.

Score: 92/100
Price: $25
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Vinosense, Torbwine
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes at $25 it represents good value for money.

The Meerea Shiraz Viognier is the wineries entry level red. As with many premium producers, this means excellent value for money. The 2004 vintage contains 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier.

Medium red in colour, the lovely red berry fruit aromas of the Shiraz are given a floral lift by the Viognier. Medium bodied and full flavoured, both red fruits and a little plum are present on the palate. There are no apricot flavours here, however some tangy citrus peel is evident on the slightly savoury finish.

I would be drinking these now while the fruit flavours are vibrant and fresh. I really like the style, food friendly but gluggable, not a confected dark fruit and apricot monster.

Score: 8/10
Price: $17
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: Meerea Park, Winorama
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this is one you can pick up for a good price at uncle dan’s.

The Lake Breeze Bernoota 2002 is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. I picked up a bottle to try that was on special for $17, marked down from $20.

Aromas of mint, plum and blackberry, the wine has a distinct purple colour with mauve hues. Dark fruits dominate the well balanced and full flavoured palate, supported by a hint of spicy oak.

Initially this blend was tasting distinctly like a mint laden cabernet, however that soon faded and the Shiraz elements came to the fore. It went quite well with beef slow cooked for many hours in red wine and herbs.

Score: 7/10
Price: $17
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: Lake Breeze, Winorama
Would I buy this wine again?
Probably not, the Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 is a better choice.