by Ray Johnson | Jan 20, 2009 | Australia, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Syrah
d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Dead Arm, Shiraz 2006 This wine is dense all around, from the color to the palate. Black fruits combine with hints of eucalyptus. The mouth is taught, just a baby yet the tannins are ripe with no astringency. Aged in new and one use...
by Ray Johnson | Jul 10, 2008 | Alexander Valley, Australia, Bordeaux Style Blends, Guenoc Valley, Idaho, Lake County, McLaren Vale, Meritage, Merlot, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, South Australia
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...
by Ray Johnson | Dec 14, 2007 | Australia, McLaren Vale, South Australia
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...
by Ray Johnson | Dec 3, 2007 | Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Syrah
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...
by Ray Johnson | Dec 3, 2007 | Australia, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Petite Sirah, Rhone Blend, South Australia
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,...
by Ray Johnson | Nov 30, 2007 | Australia, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Syrah
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...
