Category Archives: Barossa

Brokenwood Shiraz 2007

Brokenwood, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Shiraz 2007 The nose of this wine combines the sweetness of a caramel dessert and the spiciness of black pepper. In the mouth it is quite supple, a little earthy and tasting of tangy cherries. … Continue reading

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Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2008

Thorn-Clarke, Barossa, Shotfire, Shiraz 2008 This is oak city, smelling of freshly split logs and coconut. On the palate the theme continues, quite rich, with ripe tannins and a nice sense of acidity. The grapes are sourced from the family’s … Continue reading

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Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2007

Yalumba, Barossa, Bush Vine, Grenache 2007 The nose features red fruit, fresh and dried with herbs and brambles. In the mouth the wine is soft, fruity and very light-bodied. The vines that produced this wine are 30 to 70 years … Continue reading

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Sweet side of Semillon

Margan Hunter Valley Botrytis Semillon 2005 This wines has tropical fruit and the volatility that accompanies many botrytis wines. The palate is very thick and the acidity seems shy though the stats say otherwise at 10 g/L. RS 12.7%, alcohol … Continue reading

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Serious Syrah II

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 … Continue reading

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Barossa Refreshers

Henschke Eden Valley Julius Riesling 2006 Full-on aromas of lime are enhanced by high acidity in the mouth and long-lasting flavor. Of course the fame for Henschke is with their red wines based on Shiraz. What delighted me most when … Continue reading

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Que Shiraz

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 … Continue reading

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Tempted by Tempranillo

This flight illustrates the divide between European and New World approaches. The Pesquera has complementary brett that works but offends some. The Yalumba is ripe and supple. Pesquera Ribera del Duero DO Reserva 2001 100% Tempranillo. P&B by Alejandro Fernandez … Continue reading

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