Clarendon Hills Clarendon Brookman Merlot 2005
Roman Bratasiuk pulls no punches with his opulent wines. This Merlot features ripe fruit and the cigar box characters we often associate with Bordeaux. The texture is oh so plush. P&B in Blewitt Springs 14.5% $60 suggested retail in the United States Clarendon Hills
Geyser Peak Alexander Valley Reserve Alexandre Meritage [...]

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d’Arenberg Mclaren Vale The Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Red Chambourcin
Loads of overt fruit mark this a fun quaffer. Grown, produced and bottled in McLaren Vale 14.5% $$17.99 at K&L d’Arenberg
Charles Melton Sparkling Red
This is amazingly delicious with complexity, length and the supple texture that one desires in Sparkling Shiraz. Produced in Tanunda and bottled n [...]

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This flight follows-up on last week’s. We repeat the d’Arenberg Dead Arm (see previous notes) with two other heavy weights in the Shiraz kingdom.
Clarendon Hills Clarendon Liandra Vineyard Syrah 2002
This wine sports an outlandish amount of fruit, mixing the fresh with the raisins. Smells of coffee and smoky oak add complexity and the acid provides [...]

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Spinifex Barossa Valley Esprit 2004
There is sweet black fruit and tar in the nose. The mouth shows a soft structure that is lush. The in-mouth flavors are very fruity in a candied way. This GSM blend is 36% Grenache, 34% Shiraz, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault, sourced from six vineyards in the Barossa and Eden [...]

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d’Arenberg McLaren Vale The Dead Arm Shiraz 2005
In the nose there is vibrant fruit enhanced by earth and complementary oak. There’s a mouthful of dense fruit as well to keep up with a big structure in this youthful Shiraz - deliciously chewy. Aged in new and one use French and US oak for 22 months. [...]

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Clarendon Hills Clarendon Kangarilla Grenache 2004
Vibrant black fruit, actually liquer-like in the nose. The palate is spiritous, ripe, framed with acidity around a vast expanse of fruitiness. Sourced from old Grenache vines in the Kangarilla Vineyard. P&B in Blewitt Springs 14.5% $55.99 at Bottle Barn Clarendon Hills
Turkey Flat Barossa Valley Butchers Block 2005
A complex medley [...]

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Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard Roussanne 2007
Pretty floral notes with bits of herbs. The mouth is full of citrus with a light body and some refreshing acidity. V&B in McLaren Vale 13% import sample
Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard Viognier 2007
A stunning example of the exotic peaches that Viognier can convey with an oily and rich [...]

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In this latest taste-off, we look at a Kiwi Chardonnay alongside the Giaconda.
Babich Hawke’s Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2006
This wine is all stainless steel. P&B in Henderson 13.5% $10.99 at K&L Babich
Two delicious wines, two very different interpretations of one grape.
Yangarra McLaren Vale Un-Oaked Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2007
Full of a bevy of fruits with built up [...]

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Both wines in this flight display deep concentration and a tannic backbone. The difference in style comes in the use of oak and the display of acidity. The Thorn-Clarke exudes oak while the d’Arenberg Magpie is enhanced by acidity to make it a gem with food.
Thorn-Clarke Barossa Shotfire Shiraz 2006
Sourced from the family’s Kabiningie [...]

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Pirramimma McLaren Vale Old Bush Vine Grenache 2003
The last two tastings of this wine earlier in 2007 showed the fruit of Grenache with ever-integrating oak. Again tonight it is supple and the raisiny fruit is surounded by acidity and still kissed by oak. This is sourced from the oldest vineyard on the estate, dry farmed [...]

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