Tag Archives: Barossa Valley

Flaxman Shiraz VP 2008

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I love a nice Aussie Shiraz VP and this is certainly one. As an aside, I generally drink this style as a table wine, with food, and I feel it works tremendously well in this context. I guess that’s why I have a soft spot for some over those overwrought, overripe red table wines that exist between medium bodied sanity and the delicious lunacy that is the Shiraz VP style.

A woollen blanket of aroma, all prickly and comforting. Such dense smells of chocolate, ripe plum, spice, nuts, vanilla and leather. I can’t tell if this is complex or just overwhelming; it’s certainly seamless and expressive. The palate is pure luxe. Quite cool and slippery on entry, it quickly floods the mouth with sweet plum and chocolate, and that unmistakable mouthfeel that goes with 17.5% abv. Aside from abundant flavour, there are equally abundant tannins, silty-fine in character, and a burn of alcohol through the after palate and finish that speaks of decadence rather than imbalance. 
Admittedly, this isn’t a style for everyone, but those who enjoy these wines will find great reward here. Will go for ages.

Flaxman Wines
Price: $A20 (375ml)
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Ishtar Goddess White 2009

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I find it interesting that Viognier seems to polarise not only drinkers, but winemakers as well. It’s perhaps not unexpected for a variety that is still quite new in mass market Australian terms, but there’s a diversity of styles (see our recent mega-tasting for some examples) that, it seems to me, speaks more of uncertainty than confident choices. 

By contrast, one of the things I enjoy about Anita Bowen’s wines is that they are all about confidence. Not showiness, but a certainty that enables them to reveal themselves slowly, never crying out too loudly for either love or admiration. Her 2008 Viognier stood out in the mega-tasting lineup for its appropriate winemaking and sense of stylistic resolution. This more recent vintage is no different, though apparently achieved with more subtle winemaking inputs.
A heady, perfumed nose of honeysuckle, spice and nectarine skins. It’s an entirely coherent aroma profile without being especially complex (in the sense of having a cascade of different flavours). It is, however, very well defined and precisely layered, and becoming more expressive the longer it sits in glass. 
The palate is similarly etched, with an additional, quite adult, streak of phenolic bitterness that strikes me as entirely positive. First, the entry, which is immediate and fleet, depositing bright fruit flavours onto the tongue before reaching a middle palate that shows good balance between acidity and the sort of viscous mouthfeel that can easily sink Viognier. The tension between these two elements is more interesting to me than the flavours here, which are very correct but slightly simple and “grapey.” The after palate shows that lovely bitter, pithy streak before the wine tapers off through a reasonable finish.
This wine just feels right in the way it has been judged and executed. 

Balthazar of the Barossa
Price: $A19.50
Closure: Other
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Devote Greenock Shiraz 2008

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The third in Yelland & Papps’s trio of new release reds (Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon reviewed earlier). I think I like the Grenache most of all, though this comes in a close second.

The nose shows brown spice, oak, liquerous dark fruits; generous and comforting without being excessively rich. It’s a very clean aroma profile with a hint of mystery too — a dark pool of smells, rippling gently and promising cool refreshment.
A gentle entry follows, showing no great rush to get to the middle palate. Rather, fruit begins to come in waves, riding slightly prickly acidity and an incline of grainy tannins. Not a highly defined wine, this is more about expressionist brushstrokes and broad statements. It’s also quite sophisticated; the flavour profile, mixing sourness and nutty oak flavours with just enough fleshy fruit, seems quite adult to me. A nice, long, gentle finish.
This held up well over three days of tasting. Give it a couple of years and then tuck in.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A32
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Devote Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

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Two things to note up front regarding this wine: it doesn’t smell or taste much like Cabernet, and I’ve personally struggled with it over two days of tasting. From which some readers may conclude it’s a bad wine, or that I don’t like it, neither of which is necessarily the case. It is atypical and difficult. It’s also oddly compelling and quite drinkable. 

Starting with the nose: nougat-heavy, somewhat malty oak flavours cushion red, plum-like fruits and an odd tarry note. It’s very expressive in its way, though the aroma profile is angular and overwhelming in equal measure. It reminds me of a woolen blanket you’ve just taken out of storage; promising comfort but giving off strange smells that are both familiar and difficult to love.
In the mouth – plenty of flavour for sure. A rush of confectionary red fruit alongside a slightly raw, twiggy note, plus the aforementioned coal tar. In form, it’s quite uncontrolled, lurching this way and that, swelling on the middle palate and turning suddenly towards a thinner expression through the after palate. It’s also charismatic and a bit of a wag. Some heat on the finish seems oddly appropriate.
What to make of this? Bad vintage? Perhaps, though in terms of wine appreciation, that strikes me as a cop-out. Still, its aesthetics defeat me; you may have better luck.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A32
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Yelland & Papps Devote Old Vine Grenache 2008

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As nice as it was, the 2007 vintage of this wine pales in comparison to the current release 2008. This is seriously good Barossa Grenache in all respects.

Part of the reason why it’s good is that it doesn’t try too hard. Rather than going down the “more is better” road to quality, I feel this aims for a distillation of the style’s potential, cleanly articulating instead of overreaching. The colour here is certainly approachable, quite see-through really, showing some vibrant purple hues and flashing brightly due to its moderate density. 
The nose is complex and bounces between sweet and savoury. There’s certainly a hit of sweet Grenache fruit, but there’s also musk, nougat, deeper plum fruit, coffee and more, wrapped in an expressive, almost piercing bundle. Though there’s clearly oak here, it’s not the dominant element. Good integration for such a young wine, and any slight edginess that is showing at the moment will no doubt calm further with short term bottle age (or some air).
The palate is simply awash with fruit from entry through to finish. It’s quite tingly at first, fine but edgy acidity pushing bright red fruits onto the tongue, at which point they take a fast ride to the mid-palate and are joined by an altogether darker series of notes. A slightly meaty element asserts at this point, along with black fruits and coffee grounds. Nervous structure aside, the flavours are well harmonised. Brisk movement through the after palate, where a medicinal note lifts and carries the wine through a high toned finish.
There’s lots going on here, most of it attractive and compelling. I suspect this will be a ripper in two to five years’ time.

Yelland & Papps
Price: $A32
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Karra Yerta Barossa Shiraz 2005

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My acquaintance with Marie Linke of Karra Yerta Wines has been rewarding in all sorts of ways; it has provided me insights into the world of the boutique micro-producer, into the trials associated with just getting your wine out there in the public eye, into the challenges of juggling family and work life. And, not least, it has provided me with the opportunity to taste wonderful wines, borne of passion and commitment to regional tradition. My view is producers such as Karra Yerta are the backbone of the industry, providing a philosophical base around which trends and companies may come and go.

Case in point: this wine. It’s identifiably Barossan in character, with that luscious, irresistibly drink now fruit character starting to come up against some more adult, bottle-aged aromas. So, it’s very much in transition. I sometimes read that as a mark of disinterest, but that’s kind of like saying teenagers aren’t interesting because they’re neither children nor adults. Surely there’s a particular fascination in the confluence and clash of nascent maturity? That’s what I’m seeing in this wine’s aroma. 
The palate is full of flavour in a characterful way. An interesting counterpoint to this wine was a 2006 Penfolds Bin 407 I tasted just the other day. I didn’t write it up because it was pristine, perfect, clean, and faceless. This is precisely the opposite; it’s tangibly textured, imprinted with imperfection in the most positive manner; from entry through finish, a dense wave of regional fruit, roughed up by an edge of earthy, spiced humanity that puts corporate swill to shame. This isn’t trying to win medals, it’s simply a reflection of its place and maker, and is utterly worthwhile for precisely this reason.
Perhaps not much of a tasting note, then, but, one hell of a worthwhile experience to taste. Highly recommended.

Karra Yerta Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Ishtar Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2008

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Really curious flavour profile here. Looking back over my notes, I found the 2006‘s fruit character quite sweet, though tempered by spice and meatiness. This wine, all other things being equal, presents a rebalanced set of flavours, tilting further towards savouriness, though retaining hints of the fun, playful Grenache fruit of its predecessor. I like it.

The nose takes some time to blossom. When it does, it shows quite complex aromas of malt, cough syrup, red fruit and twigs. I found it a little confronting at first. I suppose it’s not the kind of aroma profile one expects in a sub-$20 wine, possessing considerable character and feeling somehow risky. Does it all come together? I’m not sure. It’s certainly fun to smell. It will probably polarise drinkers too, perhaps alienating those who prefer a straighter set of aromas. 
The palate retains the moderate intensity of the 2006, while reflecting the complexity of the aroma. Entry is subtle, ushering in little bombs of sweet fruit on the mid-palate, framed by sappy, meaty flavours and underpinned by a softly viscous mouthfeel. This is a light to medium bodied wine, brightly flavoured, unapologetically funky. The after palate is savoury, with medicinal flavours over the top of pepper steak. Finish is sappy and astringent.
A cubist rendition of Barossa GSM. 
Update: another unexpected trait for a wine of this modest price — it tastes even better on day two. Markedly better balance and integration of flavours. A really pleasant surprise!

Balthazar of the Barossa
Price: $A19.50
Closure: Other
Source: Sample

Balthazar of the Barossa Shiraz 2006

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Without wanting to suggest this wine is all about its 15.4% abv, smelling it reminded me of something a very clever fellow said to me the other day. And I paraphrase: alcohol can have its own smell, and it may, perhaps, be legitimate to enjoy a sweet tingle of ethanol as much as any other aroma. Food for thought, and a challenge to the reflexive position often taken that perceptible alcohol is a fault. 

And yes, this wine does show a whiff of alcohol on the nose, as well as that characteristically swollen, slinky mouthfeel. It’s also a complex and seductive wine that I am enjoying very much. The alcohol lends an air of louche decadence and seems appropriate within the context of the style. Hence, it bothers me not in the slightest. 
On the nose, hospital floors, rich earth, dark berries, cedar and tobacco. It’s quite approachable and well integrated, yet also shows quite serious levels of density and concentration, befitting its position as the premium label in Balthazar’s portfolio. It seems more approachable in some respects than its older sibling, with perhaps a slightly different oak flavour (going by my previous note, anyway). 
The palate is very impressive. On entry, quite a fruit driven flavour profile, showing sweet blackberries and some astringent plum skins alongside attractive, supportive oak. The suppleness of the mouthfeel becomes apparent as we hit mid-palate; it glides and winds its way over and around the tongue, scattering complex flavours of cigar box, blackberry, salami, spice and dirt roads. The fruit is sweet, but the overall impression is savoury. Really satisfying intensity of flavour, and the density isn’t so great as to be forbidding. Indeed, this is quite approachable right off the bat. Very good, flavoursome finish.
As with all of Anita Bowen’s wines (that I’ve tasted), this wine shows serious intent and possesses an ability to jump around under one’s nose, delivering a series of shifts and changes through what I’d suggest should be a lengthy drinking experience. Sip slowly, deliberately, sensually. 

Balthazar of the Barossa
Price: $A49.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Smallfry Barossa Tempranillo Garnacha Joven 2009

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What are the chances? This is the second Australian wine tasted in as many weeks made in a joven style, blending Grenache and Tempranillo, but referring to the former as Garnacha instead of the more bogan-sounding Grenache. This one is from micro-producer Smallfry, and the bottle in front of me is one of a run of 110 cases.

Dowie Doole’s G&T showed a Grenache Garnacha-dominant flavour profile of jammy red fruit, with Tempranillo adding savouriness and complexity at the edges. This, by contrast, takes a completely different approach, with funky, meaty Tempranillo taking centre stage, and Grenache adding some soft fruitiness. On the nose, the smell of pulling weeds, charcuterie, spice and soft red fruits. It’s light and fun, and its savouriness is attractive to me. No oak that I can detect. 
The palate is feather light, almost insubstantial, and it all might be too ephemeral if it weren’t such easy fun. Entry is sweet, but this quickly fans out to a savoury middle palate that is perhaps a bit dilute. The after palate shows the greatest complexity of flavour — crushed leaf and fresh cranberries —  plus a smattering of grainy tannins. Finish is decent. 
Very refreshing style. Personally, I prefer this to the Dowie Doole, though the latter’s generously sweet fruit will win many fans too. 

Smallfry
Price: $NA
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Gift

Flaxman The Stranger Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

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Flaxman wines are, if nothing else, beautifully packaged. Pete Caton has created the design, and lovely it is too, but the words are also well chosen and applied, something I wish I felt more often about wine labels. It’s all quite artisanal and cuddly in equal measure. The wine itself is made from purchased grapes (hence “The Stranger”).

The nose is slow to emerge from its shell. At first, I got a bit of stressed stalk and old oak, which has in time given way to quite dense red and black berry fruit. It’s not the most expressive nose — not right now, anyway — though it seems to express a coherent character in its low-key way. It’s almost as if there’s a whole aroma profile in there relaxing in shaded comfort. 
The palate makes complete sense of the nose, bringing what is merely suggested by the aroma into full sun. It’s also luxuriously textured. The entry shows dense, dark fruit, liqueur-like in expression and elevated in deliciousness. It also establishes a charismatic textural presence, with velvet-like tannins appearing almost instantly, weaving in and out of a fine acid line. It’s a deliciously sour, orange-juice acid that risks disrupting the more voluptuous aspects of the wine’s flavour profile, but which in the end just serves to keep things fresh and shapely. The middle palate is pure luxe, lashes of fruit flavour flowing over the tongue. There’s perhaps a hint of overripe fruit here, tending towards a prune flavour. No matter. This is a sensual wine; satin sheets and chocolates and all that implies. A decent finish rounds the experience off with a gentle taper, neither too dry nor simple.
A really lovely wine with serious “x factor,” particularly impressive considering the difficult vintage. 

Flaxman Wines
Price: $A35
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample