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McLaren Vale Wine – Scarce Earth Shiraz Project #3

Saturday, 19 May 2012 21:10
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McLaren Vale Scare Earth Shiraz Project Tasting

During the month of May the Scarce Earth wines are available for tasting from the cellar doors for the respective wineries or some of the smaller wineries are showing their wines at the McLaren Vale Information Center.

My view about the McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Shiraz Project this is a chance for McLaren Vale to market, as a combined approach, one of the wine styles this area does really well – Shiraz.  There has been a better roll out this year and as a general opinion the wines are much better than last year.  The big thing the group need to ensure that the Scarce Earth Project does not turn into a an “old boys club”.

Now my comments about the remaining McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Shiraz Project……

Battle of Bosworth Chanticleer Shiraz ($45)

From stony loamy soils from their Binney Road vineyard.  The fruit is very clean on the nose but the flavors really shine through with white pepper with soft velvety fruit character.

Bottle of Bosworth Braden’s Shiraz ($45)

From the Bay of Biscay clay soils from the same Binney Road vineyard.  Tis wine is all about darkness and strength.  Just so good and so different from from the other wine from this stable and from the same vineyard.

d’Arenberg Shipsters Rapture Single Vineyard ($99)

Mulberry and spice and all things nice that what this wine is made of.

d’Arenberg The Blind Tiger Single Vineyard Shiraz ($99)

The 87 year old Blewitt Springs vineyard produced a fruit rich offering with white pepper on the nose and anise infused fresh plum compote with a dark chocolate finish.  A seriously good wine but at this price so it should.

d’Arenberg The Garden of Extraordinary Delights Shiraz($99)

Of the 3 d’Arenberg offerings this wine has what appears to be the best balance between spice and fruit.  Neither is dominate over the other.

Kangarilla Road Scarce Earth Shiraz ($50)

From their Maslins Beach vineyard I got limited aromas but showed considerable depth of all the classical Shiraz flavors.

Shingleback Unedited Single Vineyard Shiraz ($70)

Limited aromas and a relatively short flavor profile of the dark black fruit character makes me wonder if this wine was only recently bottled as I know this wine’s pedigree and expected more.

Vinrock Shiraz ($40)

This is just pure juicy Shiraz in a bottle.  I enjoyed the pure flavors and definition of the plum and spice range character.  I see this as a definitely drink now wine as I am not sure I could wait.

Hugh Hamilton Black Blend #1 Single Vineyard Shiraz ($50)

The 2 Black Sheep wines were probably the most interesting for me.  These wines were almost under oaked and I believe the wines could have been better with a little more oak.  I do not think I have ever said or thought this about a red wine before – this wine made me think about what was happening and not just experiencing the wine.  My notes just said – fruit, fruit and more fruit.  In this case mulberries.

Hugh Hamilton Black Blend #2 Single Vineyard Shiraz ($50)

As for the wine above this is all about the fruit.  This wine showed more concentrated black fruit profiles so was very different than the previous wines.  One could not argue this wine was showing off the essence of the vineyard!

McLaren Vale Wine – 2010 Scarce Earth Shiraz Project

Sunday, 13 May 2012 21:04
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A couple of weeks ago I had the pleaseure of attending the McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Shirz Project.  Check out my views about the project and the tasting here.  This post will continue my rieviews of these wines.  As I discussed last week I will be reviewing the McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Shiraz Project wines over a few weeks, with each review I will be mainly discussing the differences between the wines and not that all of them have plum character.  I hope you enjoy the comments and I welcome any of your comments as well.

Tatachillia Hall Entrance

Sabella J. Petrucci and Son Shiraz ($25)

Another value offering from the Sabella vineyard and winery.  I have tried the last 3 vintages of Shiraz that Michael Petrucci has made and I think each year has been better than the last.  I suppose one should make good or better wine from the 2010 vintage, but I get a sense of more.  I get the feeling that Michael is getting to understand his craft and his raw materials (grapes from his father’s vineyard) better. The wine shows the aromas expected from Shiraz and a mild dose of white pepper.  I really enjoyed the strength brought on by the fruit as much as any oak treatments.  There is plenty of acid here also so the wine should last for ages.

Penny’s Hill Footprint Shiraz ($60)

Even though there is minimal American oak used in the making of this wine I got an immediate sense of the vanilla and sweetness brought on by oak of the American variety.  What I also took away was the depth of character that lingered until the next mouthful.

Wirra Wirra Patritti Single Vineyard Shiraz ($132)

Grapes for this wine were from the Whittings Road vineyard in the Blewitt Springs area.  The deep sands with peat layers have a distinct effect on both the aromas and flavours.  I also got a feeling of blue-ness what tasting this wine – there is a Shiraz clone that exhibits blue berry, so I guess this is what I was experiencing.  The spice mix was more towards pepper aromas but anise flavours.  A special note about the packaging here, the bottle shows a contour map of the region showing the vineyard location (see the photo).

Wirra Wirra Scarce Earth Shiraz

Geoff Merrill Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz ($75)

Just making it into the McLaren Vale region being made from Kangarilla fruit next to the Mt Bold Reservoir.  One special barrel was selected that shows anise aromas but a fruit driven front flavours with a big mid palate and a soft finish.

Hastwell and Lightfoot Scarce Earth Single Vineyard Shiraz ($28)

My first wine from this stable and I was not disappointed.  This wine from the Foggo Road vineyard has lots of spice and length with an interesting mouthfeel that brings me back for more.

Chapel Hill The Chosen House Block Shiraz ($65)

Blue aromas mixed with a funky, earthy and almost barnyard stink style flavours.  The fruit has been well looked after here.

Chapel Hill The Chosen Road Block Shiraz ($65)

The aromas were somewhat closed but the wine here is all about the fine structure and lovely spice.  This wine will live for a long, long time and will reward anybody who cellars this wine.

Angoves Warboys Vineyard Shiraz

From a small section on the hill of the Warboys vineyard .  Lots of spice and fruit sweetness that melds into an interesting viscocity and the resultant mouthfeel.

Dowie Doole Scarce Earth Shiraz ($45)

A little fruit sweetness here as well with a depth of fruit based character and the wonderful experience of mixed spice.

Brash Higgins SHZ ($37)

This wine really made me sit up and take notice.  A meatiness like chorizo sausage loaded with paprika, the usual iodine character (that I seem to get consistently from this Malpas rod vineyard) and some slight citrus (most unusual).  There is sufficient tannins here that act like all they want to do is to is to dry out your teeth.  This wine is my second favorite from the Project wines.

McLaren Vale Wine – 2010 Scarce Earth Shiraz Project

Wednesday, 09 May 2012 13:26
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The Scarce Earth Project was born from the passionate and creative minds of Dudley Brown (Inkwell) and Adrian Kenny (contract winemaker) to show off what they understood very well.  McLaren Vale produces great Shiraz wines plus the varied geology and micro climates of the region produces such different expressions of the same grape variety.  The vision moved into action ready for last year where 2009 wines were released.  How does a wine get to be part of this project.  Well McLaren Vale wineries can submit barrel samples of wine for a first pass review by a tasting panel of McLaren Vale regional experts.  If these wines are deemed acceptable then they get tasted twice more – before and after bottling.  Oh and by the way the wines are to be from single geology (typically single vineyards) and show off the fruit definition and not the use of oak.

Last year the 2009 wines were released in somewhat of a hurry where not all wineries had the labeling ready plus I thought the marketing was also hurried.  I also considered the wines to generally be over oaked and this did not seem to marry with the intent of the Project.  Well what a difference a year make the 2010 Scarce Earth Project Shiraz wines were released to the public in a tasting held at the old Tatachilla Winery to some considerable fanfare and the wines were just so different.  Yes the 2010 vintage was a significantly better vintage that 2009 but the treatment of the wines seemed so, so different as well.  With the 28 wines that made it through to the Project list I did not consider any to be over Oakes.  Sure some had more oak than others but I did not once feel like I was drinking a glass of “splinters”.

As a passionate McLaren Vale-ite the offerings from the Scarce Earth Shiraz Project made me feel all warm inside – not just from the alcohol but I can now see this scale of work can only increase the standing of McLaren Vale to the whole of the wine world.  Now if we can just do something similar with Grenache……….

I will be reviewing all of the 2010 Scarce Earth Shiraz Project wines in the coming weeks.  With each review I will be mainly discussing the differences between the wines and not that all of them have plum character.  I hope you enjoy the comments and I welcome any of your comments as well.

Scarce Earth Shiraz Project Tasing Event

Cradle of Hills Row 23 Shiraz ($55)

From a new player in the world of McLaren Vale wine with their patch of dirt in the Sellicks area.  When I initially tried this wine the aromas were quite closed, but I was so surprised so I went back and found a totally different experience.  The second time I got the expected plum but there was the spiciness that is Paprika and a finish on the nose that was almost meaty.  There were tannins here but I thought they were more skins and seed tannins than wood based tannins.  There is the floral-ness that is violets and oh what length.  What a start both for the vineyard and the tasting.

Waywood Wines Reserve Shiraz ($45)

Made from grapes fom the same vineyard as the Cradle of Hills wine and so different.  The aromas were based around a lifted cherry with perfume and hints of cedar.  The flavors surprised me – not for the plums, not for the acid inspired length, but for the citrus zest oil character that left the taster right on the back palate.

Vigna Bottin Wines Shiraz

From a vineyard next to the Aldinga Airport, the grapes have imparted the lifted aromas of dark fresh plums with hints of violets.  The wine is all about the fruit – stewed plums all the way.

Shirvington The Redwind McLaren Shiraz ($85)

From their Willinga vineyard and oh bring on the spice.  I get aromas that. Can only be considered to be depth of floral, peppered plums.  The spice continues on the palate with white pepper and plums plus just the right amount of oak that gives a finish of drying tannins.

Halifax Per Se Block Shiraz ($50)

I am going to have to say that this was my favorite wine from this tasting.  Aromas of black and concentrated fruits.  In terms of flavors I got fresh fruit compote – you know all the fruits of fresh plums, blackberries and cherries that transformed into a silky concentration on the mid palate and a subtle spice finish.  In a word – Yum!

Fork in the Road ($15)

The first surprise from this label (that I had not heard of before) was the price.  Made from Sand Road fruit the wine showed the first hints of American oak for the afternoon.  The American oak sweetness came shining through on the nose with with an interesting perfume.  Then came the treat – a really good fruit and oak balance with black plum sweetness.

Purchase McLaren Vale Wines – Backyard Shed Cru Pack

Saturday, 07 April 2012 22:49
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The web site www.tastemclarenvale.com.au has a membership offered where a pack of 6 wines from six different small artisan winemakers from McLaren Vale.  These wines are selected to be a show case of these small winemakers as well as McLaren Vale.  The members who can sign up easily on the site (check out the link here) and will automatically receive a six pack every six months – freight free.  Check out this offer plus other membership benefits here.

These packs have been dubbed – Backyard Shed Cru packs.  The name comes from the backyard nature of a number of the winemakers.

Alternatively these six packs can be purchased (without the membership discount) from the web site here.

The current Backyard Shed Cru Pack has the following wines:-

2009 Grancari Estate Dry Grown Organic Grenache

2010 Waywood Wines Quattro Vini

2008 Danshi Rise Shiraz

2006 Braydun Hill Single Vineyard Premium Shiraz

2009 Pikkara “McMurtrie” Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Graham Stevens Wines Liqueur Muscat

McLaren Vale Wine – Tintara (part 2)

Sunday, 01 April 2012 21:37
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Check out my general review of the Tintara Cellar Door here.  For the red wines see below.

Tintara Cellar Door

2010 Hardy’s Oomoo Shiraz ($A18)

Form a good vintage this wine comes from good stock.  With the black fruits of blackberry and black current with the classical oak influence that manufests itself as cinamun that brings the Christmas cake thoughts straight to my palate.  Good clean wine that sits well at this price point.

2009 Tintara McLaren Vale Shiraz ($A27)

Plum or Christmas cake combined with dusty oak aromas lead one to a typical McLaren Vale Shiraz – lots of plums plus the wonderfully soft butgenerous mid palate.  This wpen will get better over the next few years but I am not sure one will wait.

2008 Reynella Basket Press Shiraz 2008 ($A54)

This wine has an excellent reputation and I was so glad that it was available for tasting. The last few times I have wondered into the cellar door as well as the one in Reynella it has not been available.  The wine was opened at the time of tasting and passed through a Vinturi aerator.  Even after doing this the aromas were closed and all I could get was some darkness.  The flavors were dark as well with intense black fruits with a concentrated almost viscous mouthfeel to the wine.  The oak was present but was not dominant as the blackness was all encompassing.  This is definately a wine that needs a number of years to approach it’s best.  I drank a similar wine recently that was 12 years old and it was just coming into it’s own.  I think this wine is of a similar nature.

Inside Tintara Cellar Door

2009 Hardys Oomoo Cabernet Sauvignon ($A18)

The cooler nature of Coonawarra fruit comes through here straight away.  The essence of blackcurrent aromas is very different to those from McLaren Vale.  The blackcurrent theme continues on the palate with hints of red fruits and the mintiness that Cabernet can sometimes produce.  Yet again the Oomoo range over delivers – I just wonder if people are put off by the label?

2008 Tintara McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon ($A27)

The difference between Cabernet from Coonawarra and McLaren Vale is shown hen you try this wine after the one above.  The Cabernet aromas of black current come through but the chocolate one tends to associate with McLaren Vale is here.  There is bright cabernet fruit flavors but there is no Cabernet hole here.  Cabernet is know for lacking in flavor on the mid palate but McLaren Vale is know for a generous mid palate – there is definitely a mid palate here.  Maybe, just maybe, the “terroir” of McLaren Vale is dominating!

2007 Reynella Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon ($A54)

Unlike the Tintara labeled wine this wine shows significant finesse with black current combined with sage and mint aromas.  The herbs here added complexity and interest straight away.  The flavors backed up a mouthful of typical Cabernet flavors with maybe a hint of American oak sweetness.  For the Cabernet lovers out there this wine shows that McLaren Vale and seriously good Cabernet can be used in the same sentence.

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