A mostly Shiraz wine with smaller components of Mataro and Grenache, sourced primarily from good vineyards along the Margaret River. Drawing inspiration from the wines of the Rhone Valley, Marmaduke balances the pepper and spiceyness of Shiraz, sweet fruit flavours of Grenache with the earthy, gamey influence of the torrid Mataro. The search for fully ripe flavours essential to the Marmaduke style requires harvest in the latter part of the season when the flavours and natural fruit sugars climax, while the tannins mature and soften.

The majority of the Shiraz was grown on Cape Mentelle vineyards, mostly located in the Wallcliffe and Karridale subregions within the Margaret River appellation. Soils are derived from decomposed granite and consist of gravelly loam over deep clay subsoil. All vines are vertically shoot positioned and managed to ensure balanced growth throughout the season. Parcels of hand and machine harvested fruit are vinified in a combination of open and static fermenters, managed with a combination of plunging and pumpovers. All batches were basket pressed and transferred to large oak vats for malolactic. Marmaduke was matured fourteen months mostly in large oak barrels before assemblage. Alcohol 14.0%

Dark red with crimson hues. Vibrant blueberry and dark cherry in the foreground with complex earthy characters, spice and lifted, bright violet notes. Rich and textural palate with briary dark fruits and subtle pepper. The palate’s length is defined by long, fine, chalky tannins. A medium bodied, fruit forward red wine where the spice, depth and richness of Shiraz are tempered by the warming personas and engaging complexity of Mataro and Grenache, the classic Rhone varietal blend, at its best with wood fired pizza.

Vivid crimson; a highly fragrant, sweet-fruited bouquet leads into a textured palate juxtaposing red and black fruits with a grainy finish; no lack of character. Shiraz/Grenache/Mataro. Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 91 Points; Drink 2018 $19 Date Tasted Jul 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011

The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Estate Vineyards of Wallcliffe and Trinders along with a 38 year old vineyard in the Wilyabrup sub region of Margaret River. Fruit was selectively harvested based on flavour and tannin maturity. Fermentation took place in a combination of open and static stainless steel fermenters. The ferments were managed with a combination of plunging and pump overs. All batches were basket pressed and transferred to large oak vats for malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured for 18 months in predominantly Burgundian coopered French oak barriques, 30% of which were new, before being bottled in November 2010.

I have previously described this wine as Hermitage meeting Cornas at bargain basement prices, well the 2009 has about a foot-and-a-half in the Hermitage camp such is the power here. A deep, teeth staining purple the nose is all about dark plum, black berry, pepper, aniseed with some cedary oak influences and persistent aromatic characters adding the elegant dimension. In the mouth, the liberal dark fruit content continues in the mouth with precise oak handling and the tannins behaving like a guard of honour to the very end of a long finish. After an hour or two there is already wonderful integration of fruit and oak, this is an impeccably balanced wine. Just a gorgeous cool-climate Shiraz. Not for the first time Cape Mentelle teach a vinous lesson on how to be powerful and elegant at once. How to be spicy and savoury without being extracted or overripe. A wine finding itself easily in the "Exceptional" rating zone it, very conservatively, has a decade in front of it (said with supreme confidence given the screwcap seal). Forty bucks is bargain city, thirty bucks is a steal for this. Drink: Now-2020+; Quality: Exceptional BW; WineStar© August 2011

Rob Mann is a Jedi Master of structure. Here, for the first time, is the proof that his craft transcends the known universe of cabernet. This fortified death star of tannin demands at least a decade for its defences to come down, so don’t even dream of invading yet. 96 Points Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste

95 Points; Jeremy Oliver

It’s well known that Cape Mentelle winemaker Robert Mann is the grandson of Australian winemaking legend Jack Mann but he’s also the son of Tony Mann, who made a hundred for Australia Vs India as a nightwatchman in 1977. Remember it well – Bishen Bedi bowled in that test and I was so fond of Bedi that I named one of my childhood dogs Bishen. The dog was a Collie and had long hair.  I named another dog Roscoe after Roscoe Tanner and for the life of me I don’t know why I didn’t choose Bjorn instead. Or Jimmy. Rob Mann himself has been at Cape Mentelle for a few years now and he’s fast building a big reputation of his own. I’d think this 2009 version is right up there with the best shiraz the estate has yet released. This 2009 shiraz came over all voluptuous and oak-driven at first but twenty or so minutes later it had transformed itself. So much so that I looked at it and said, You’ve changed. It carries a beautiful swagger of fine, grainy, earthen tannin and while sure, it delivers a healthy dose of aniseedy, blackberried, plum-like fruit flavour – and sweet cedary oak – it still makes a solid attempt to be firm and dry. As a young wine you will need to be tolerant of fresh, new, high quality oak flavour. But this is a crackerjack shiraz from all angles. Rated : 95 Points Alcohol : 13.5% Price : $40 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2014 - 2022; By Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

This recently released shiraz from one of Margaret River's top producers, Cape Mentelle, looks stunning and neatly integrated for such a young wine. It's a perfectly poised cool-climate shiraz full of dense, ripe plum fruit, peppery ad exotic spice, too, with cedary nuances from the oak. It has nice acid balance and plenty of ripe, if slightly raw, tannins that will soften over time; this is a wine to age at least 10 years. Jane Faulkner; The Age Epicure

Excellent crimson-purple; a carefully shaped wine that respects and protects the cool-grown, early picked shiraz fruit characters, with as much red as black berries; fine tannins and integrated French oak. Screwcap. Drink by: 2020; Alc: 13.5%; Price: $40; Rating: 94 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

In Western Australia, the Great Southern area tends to dominate shiraz consciousness and with good reason. It's produced the state's best shiraz for four decades, in a spicy, cool-climate package. Pemberton also has some fine shiraz, such as Picardy. However, Margaret River is interesting because it's always been regarded as a cabernet region - as if cabernet and shiraz can't both be done well in the same place. Indeed, Margaret River producers have been chastised in the past for bothering with shiraz. But crack a bottle of 2009 Voyager Estate or Cape Mentelle shiraz and the evidence is clear. They are lovely wines. Huon Hooke; SMH; Executive Style

Did you pick before or after the heat? This was the question most commonly asked around South Australian wine areas in the 2008 post vintage period. A record 15 days straight over 35°c in mid March saw sugar levels skyrocket. Thankfully we had picked our last block on the first day of the heatwave, so saved ourselves much grief. The vintage was bookended by heat with the warmest New Years Eve on record as well. But.... the bit in between was lovely!! No rain, mild days and good medium crop levels
stood the vintage in good stead as long as you finished early.

Fruit from one of our finest Barossa blocks makes up the majority of this wine. It is a more elegant model of the Barossa Shiraz tradition but still retains the warmth and
generosity of the Barossa. Sweet rich warm and cuddly. Big firmer classic Barossa style in contrast to the Voices. Less new oak evident and more a style that will evolve into that sweet cedar Barossan burgundy style that typified Barossa Shiraz back when it used to be either burgundy or claret! (And in fact, a number of wines in the sixties and seventy’s won trophy’s or gold medals in both classes with the same wine). Dark, rich, fruitcake flavours that will complex and soften with age.

We aged this wine in older (two and three year) oak barriques for 18 months to allow the ripe, soft fruit bouquet to shine through. The plump but firm palate will develop further complex flavours with extended ageing. A light filtration was given prior to bottling. No refining agents are used in the production of our wines. Fully de stemmed fruit was fermented for 8-9 days at 18-22C before transferring into oak for finishing.

Did you pick before or after the heat? This was the question most commonly asked around South Australian wine areas in the 2008 post vintage period. A record 15 days straight over 35°c in mid March saw sugar levels skyrocket. Thankfully we had picked our last block on the first day of the heatwave, so saved ourselves much grief. The vintage was bookended by heat with the warmest New Years Eve on record as well. But.... the bit in between was lovely!! No rain, mild days and good medium crop levels stood the vintage in good stead as long as you finished early.

This wine is sourced from a vineyard which sits on the boundary of Eden valley and the Adelaide Hills. Technically, this wine is from the Adelaide Hills, but spiritually the fruit is Eden Valley. A densely structured, but finely perfumed wine that reflects its cool growing site. Richness gained from 24 months ‘sur lie’ ageing in Barriques has given it a smoothness and polish. Quite simply, a pearler. Dark, highly scented nose complemented by 100% new oak (75% French/ 25% American) that leads to a classically cool climate palate structure with weight; balanced tannins and intensity that remains the whole way down the palate. A very good example of the cool climate South Australian shiraz style that we think will evolve and become more perfumed and complex over the next 20 years. A classic long term cellaring style.

Ferment 90% de-stem uncrushed fruit 10% whole bunch. Cool 8 day ferment, before pressing, with all the pressing returned to the blend before final fermentation finishing in barrique.

A real step in the evolution of this label, the 1999 Astralis is a deeply flavoured, wild, briary and luxuriant red wine of substantial power and structure. Underneath its musky chookshed aromas lie genuinely ripe but not over-cooked concentrated red fruit flavours which finish firm, fine and earthy. Already a terrific accompaniment to food, it will certainly cellar well. (19.0, Drink 2011-2019, Jeremy Oliver, OnWine.  01/10/2001.

Finally in 2010 the drought broke. The rain started on Christmas day 2009 and fell on a number of occasions through summer and early autumn. The water was a blessing for thirsty vines, but choosing picking dates became a race against the weather. As it turned out, the last of the Hilltops fruit came in just before the heavens opened. The grapes were in excellent condition. True to form the 2010 Hilltops shows deep colour and a vibrant aroma of dark cherries, blackcurrants, summer herbs and spice. The palate is warm and inviting with plenty of crunchy tannin. Drink over five to ten years. Tim Kirk; Winemaker

Video Tasting: http://www.clonakilla.com.au/index.php/2011/2010-hilltops-shiraz-tasting/

By daylight the finest wine to appear under this label, this very harmonious and unusually fragrant shiraz has a heady, floral bouquet of sweet small berries, cherries and restrained, fine-grained oak lifted by alluring hints of spice and black tea leaves. It's not hard to imagine a splash of viognier in there somewhere. Long and supple, it's smooth, gentle and very fine-grained, delivering a charmingly willowy presence of vibrant black, blue and red fruits supported by bony tannins, finishing savoury and slightly meaty, with exemplary freshness and persistence. Rating: 95 Points; Jeremy Oliver - The Australian Wine Annual 2012

Full red-purple, not star-bright; the bouquet is complex, with warm spices threaded through dark cherry and blackberry fruit, the medium- to full-bodied palate with ripe fruit complemented by firm tannins and quality oak. Rating: 94 Points; Drink By: 2024; James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2012

This has trademark jube fruits in abundance: nice, ripe cassis and blackberry, some plums too, a little toasty oak, pepper and liquorice. The palate's lithe, bright and medium-weight - good balance here in 2010 - showing composed, dark-fruited style, with vibrant freshness through the finish. Drinking: Now; Rating: 93 Points; Nick Stock; The Good Wine Guide

Tim Kirk’s new Hilltops shiraz shows the comparative elegance of a cool, post-drought vintage – following the plumper juicier wines of the warm 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons. Appropriately for a wine from Young, the flavour resembles fresh, ripe cherries – with a noted buoyancy and liveliness. Kirk says he picked a little earlier than usual, just beating the rain. This, along with a portion of whole-bunch fermentation (where the fermentation occurs in inside the berries), and a touch of viognier, added to the bright, berry-like flavours. Chris Shanahan

Black and red fruits combine seamlessly with a strong tar-like quality running through the core; medium-bodied, dark and savoury, with firm tannin taking over the palate and wrestling the dark fruit to the mineral floor; long, chewy, intense and needing time to reveal the inner beauty. Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 95 Points;  Drink 2020 $90 Date Tasted Mar 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

Winemaker Tim Kirk sources fruit for O’Riada (a shiraz-viognier blend) from four vineyards: Phil Williams’ at Hall, and Long Rail Gully, Ravensworth and Quarry Hill at Murrumbateman. The blend also contains estate-grown material from barrels that don’t make the cut for the flagship blend. O’Riada’s slightly leaner than the flagship and the tannins are less apparent. It shows a pleasing hint of stalkiness from the use of whole bunches in the ferment. But this is just seasoning in an aromatic, juicy, silk-smooth, medium-bodied wine of great complexity.  Though lovely now, it’s another long-term keeper. Chris Shanahan

The 2009 O'Riada Shiraz is made from fruit selected from five vineyards around the villages of Murrumbateman and Hall. The winemaking included the use of pre-ferment maceration, whole bunches, warm extended ferments, 5% co-fermented Viognier and twelve months maturation in French oak, 25% new.

2009 was a great year in the Canberra District. The warm vintage and lower than average crop combined to produce fruit with a deeper, darker dimension woven through the classic Canberra cool-climate spice. Blackberry, aniseed, dark cherry and black pepper; a potent dark fruit aroma leading into a long, densely textured palate. Drink now after decanting or cellar for up to twenty years. Clonakilla

Winemaker Tim Kirk sources fruit for O’Riada (a shiraz-viognier blend) from four vineyards: Phil Williams’ at Hall, and Long Rail Gully, Ravensworth and Quarry Hill at Murrumbateman. The blend also contains estate-grown material from barrels that don’t make the cut for the flagship blend. O’Riada’s slightly leaner than the flagship and the tannins are less apparent. It shows a pleasing hint of stalkiness from the use of whole bunches in the ferment. But this is just seasoning in an aromatic, juicy, silk-smooth, medium-bodied wine of great complexity.  Though lovely now, it’s another long-term keeper. Chris Shanahan

The 2009 O'Riada Shiraz is made from fruit selected from five vineyards around the villages of Murrumbateman and Hall. The winemaking included the use of pre-ferment maceration, whole bunches, warm extended ferments, 5% co-fermented Viognier and twelve months maturation in French oak, 25% new.

2009 was a great year in the Canberra District. The warm vintage and lower than average crop combined to produce fruit with a deeper, darker dimension woven through the classic Canberra cool-climate spice. Blackberry, aniseed, dark cherry and black pepper; a potent dark fruit aroma leading into a long, densely textured palate. Drink now after decanting or cellar for up to twenty years. Clonakilla

A gentle, willowy blend that initially flaunts its viognier content, but then which steadily unfolds surprising layers of depth and texture. It’s floral, musky perfume of blue and red flowers, dark berries, red cherries and plums reveals undertones of pepper and tightly knit cedar/ vanilla oak. It’s long and supple, with a dusty, faintly, stalky spine of mouth-watering tannin beneath a bright, translucent presence of penetrative, fruit and earthy undertones, finishing fine and savoury with a very persistent core of flavour and a lingering hint of meatiness. Drink 2022-2030; 97 Points. #1 Shiraz & Blends; Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2012.

An elegant, cool, spice-laden Clonakilla that I adore! Beautifully floral, swimming in violets, exotic spice sarsaparilla, tiny dark berries and white and green pepper. Taut and edgy with beautifully honed, fineground, granitic tannins. Sensational reflection of a cooler season. Drink 2015-2020; 96 Points. Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste, August 11, 2011.

Tim Kirk at Murrumbateman, just outside Canberra, has created the benchmark for cool-climate shiraz/viognier blends. There’s fragrant perfume and lift from the viognier on the nose, but the complex palate has blackberry and plum flavours allied to white pepper and mocha. A gentle, complex, medium-bodied wine that evolves impressively in the glass. This is not a wine that jumps out at you, rather one that creeps up on you with its lithe muscularity. It's a beautifully constructed wine. $100. Wine Of The Week; Winsor Dobbin

Put this in a blind tasting with top–end Cote-Rotie wines of the Rhone Valley and it would be a bargain, easily outpointing wines costing far more. It is due for release in September, and will sell out immediately. Light, bright crimson-purple; a highly fragrant bouquet of red fruits and subtle spices leads into a medium-bodied palate; here more savoury characters join the fruit, lengthening the finish. Drink to 2025. 95 Points. James Halliday, The Weekend Australian Magazine, August 6-7, 2011

There’s no question that the 2010 vintage was difficult in the Canberra District but sometimes – difficult can be a good thing. Less hedonistic than recent releases – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you have a line of these running in your cellar then this is a really good vintage to include, for its difference as well as for its quality. It’s more savoury than sweet, and has more tannin than flesh. But it does not lack fruit power – nor charm. It tastes of fennel and roasted nuts, blackberries and autumn leaves. There’s some viognier-derived perfume here but my main impression was a savoury one. It feels sure of itself in your mouth. I suspect it has a beautiful future ahead of it. 95 Points.  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Yarra Valley is traditionally better known for Cabernet rather than Shiraz, as is the Margaret River. But just like premier producing region of WA, when the Shiraz is done right here it is a brilliant example of the variety, a style more reminiscent of Cote Rotie than any other region in this country. For many years Yarra Yering and Yarra Yarra then Yering Station and most recently De Bortoli flew the flag producing world class Syrah or Shiraz wines from the cool climate of 'the valley'. Having rated the 'Reserve' wines (Chardonnay, Cabernet and Pinot) of Coldstream Hills over the years, I was very keen to look at their first foray into a Reserve Shiraz after making a 'regular' version in their $35 Estate Range for many years. This emanates from the exceptional 2006 vintage.
 
Clearly the team at Coldstream Hills saw what I saw when deciding to bottle a separate Reserve bottling in 2006. The aromatics of this wine draw you in instantly, the florals intertwined with liquorice and spice give the impression that there may have been some Viognier contact somewhere along the line. My old adage that 'if it keeps you guessing, then you have enough' rings true here. The palate continues with liquored cherry, cinnamon and cloves and even a hint of mushroom character to add to the complexity and deviate from the absolute cleanliness it had shown to this point. This is up with the best I have had from these parts which is a big call but it is a stunning wine. Exceptional in fact and can be enjoyed over the next decade. Drink: Now – 2020; Quality: Exceptional BW; WineStar© March 2010
 
In a very welcome twist, we are offering this wine - which retails at cellar door for $45 per bottle - in our Loyalty Section for as low as $29.92 per bottle! Please note, this is for one week only (or whilst stocks last) and a reminder that this is indeed the 2006 Reserve, not the Estate level wines which actually retail for more than our offer price also!
 
Fragrant aromas of rose petal and plums with black pepper and spice, lead into the medium-bodied palate, which has silky tannins and length to the dark plum and cherry flavours, the oak well-integrated and balanced. Screwcap. 14.5% alc. Rating: NR* Drink 2018; James Halliday Wine Companion. *Not Rated by James Halliday as he founded this winery and still acts as a consultant.
 
Fleming has calmly set about putting his personal seal on the Coldstream Hills wines, including the multi-award- winning Reserve Chardonnay and its equally revered Reserve Pinot Noir. His sense of style is best seen in the current Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the warm 2006 vintage – a multi-layered gem with the innate refinement of this classic variety. Likewise, his 2006 Reserve Shiraz is elegant, subtle and spicy in the Rhône Valley mode. Indeed, elegance is a hallmark of his style, reflected in the more affordable Yarra Valley range sourced from various sites in both the Lower Yarra and the Upper Yarra Valley. Winemaker of the Year 2009 finalist: Andrew Fleming, Coldstream Hills by James Halliday, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Wine

Well we’re all in for a rare old time when Yarra Valley Shiraz starts looking better than Cabernet. This is a lovely spicy wine packed with dark cherry, raspberry and leather scents backed with tasteful French oak. In the mouth medium bodied, fluid and smooth with fine grained tannins and just a little warmth. The rich Maraschino cherry flavours mingling with spice and earth are particularly fetching. On the first day I thought I sniffed a waft of tinned corn, but tasting on the next day it had vanished like the Jolly Green Giant. Lengthy, composed and drinking superbly right now - a delicious wine. Rated : 94 Points; Tasted : Oct08; Alcohol : 14.5%; Closure : Screwcap; Drink : 2008 - 2014; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front
 
To create the Reserve Wines of the Coldstream Hills winery, each year outstanding parcels of grapes are earmarked for special attention, using 100% French oak barriques. When the resulting wine is regarded as outstanding it is released in strictly limited quantities. While the fruit in the Reserve Shiraz remains the driving force, there is more focus on structure and complexity. The Reserve Shiraz is made to live for a decade or more. Medium dark red with a purple hue. Fragrant characters of rose petal and plums with black pepper spice and underlying toasty oak. Medium bodied in style with silky tannins and length. Dark plum and cherry characters dominate with attractive spice and toasty oak. An elegant style with concentration and complexity. Coldstream Hills

Exclusively estate grown, the majority of vines are approximately forty years old. Coriole know from Shiraz, having grown the varietal since 1919 and receiving Langtons Classification for their Lloyd Reserve. Coriole is sylistically strong, showing good concentration and flavour, without any excessive weight.

Winemaking at Coriole is very traditional and always labour intensive, fermentation is in open tanks with hand plunging and pump overs. The estate's Shiraz vines are rooted in relatively shallow, generally classic Terra rosa red brown earth over limestone soils. The climate is quite maritime and windy, with cool winters and warm to hot dry summers. Ripening periods continue steadily throughout autumn until the picking. Each vintage is an opportunity to experiment with new techniques and evaluate their role in achieving the evolving Coriole style. Maturation takes place over the course of a year in a combination of new and seasoned French and American oak barrels.

Deep scarlet colour. The nose displays sweet red fruits, raspberry, plum and mulberry with nutmeg and cinnamon. The palate is soft and rich with blackberry and plum. The oak is well integrated and the finish is long with ripe, chocolate tannin.

A return to the form of 2004 I think, and a good result from a torrid vintage. Press release is refreshingly honest with none of the old ‘picked before the heatwave’ stuff – this was picked after with strict fruit selection. Savoury and ferrous with black fruit and a bit of chocolate. It’s dry and largely savoury but has a juicy blackberry pastille flavour in the mix. Dry, hot year tannins,  offer a bit of grip and chew, but it feels good in the mouth – rugged and authentic. Touch of bitterness on the finish but an all round excellent wine. Really enjoyed drinking it. It’s a good example of the more ‘adult’ style of McLaren Vale Shiraz – the kind I like best. Rated : 92 Points Tasted : Sep10 Alcohol : 14% Price : $28 Closure : Screwcap By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

Deep and earthy; nutmeg‐smelling, with some floral, aromatic elements. Really pure, fragrant and sapid‐smelling, complex. As it is in the mouth, too – sweetmeaty, with sharp, plummy fruit, as well as subtle pepper spice. Chewy and long, with a mouth‐watering crispness to the tannin. 94 Points; Inside Out; Tim White

A classic every year and this is one of the best ever. Bob Campbell MW; Taste Magazine

Formerly known as the Block 14, the 2008 Gimblett Gravels Syrah is now augmented with other parcels, hence the change of name. It has a ripe, well defined nose with dark cherries, raspberry, damp earth and a hint of white pepper. The palate is medium‐bodied with fine and gentle grippy tannins. It comes across as a more “tempered” Syrah compared to previous vintages, but it is well balanced and silky towards the pure blackcurrant and cassis finish. This divine Syrah will age beautifully. 93 Points; Neal Martin, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, November 2010

Dense dark berry fruit, dark chocolate, cracked black pepper and a hint of wildflowers. This is great Syrah at a very reasonable price. Delicious now but will cellar for up to a decade. 93 Points; Bob Campbell

A winery with a proud 19th-century record, Craiglee recommenced winemaking in 1976 after a prolonged hiatus. Produces one of the finest cool-climate shirazs in Australia, redolent of cherry, licorice and spice in the better (warmer) vintages, lighter-bodied in the cooler ones. Mature vines and improved viticulture have made the wines more consistent (and even better) over the past 10 years or so. James Halliday

96 points; James Halliday – The Weekend Australian November 13-14, 2010

A Shiraz Viognier from Craiglee, sealed with a screwcap. There was a time when I couldn’t imagine either. In customary Craiglee style this wine takes some time to reveal itself. I’ve had this bottle open for 24 hours and it’s improved slowly throughout. It’s peppery and dark cherried, slightly meaty and glycerol. There is some noticeable alcohol warmth but fruity, sappy, smoky flavor is the mainstay of the finish. I wondered whether the Viognier clouded the issue a bit at first, but I’m now sure that the wine is none the less for it. This will cellar well, no problems. Rated : 93 Points Alcohol : 14% Price : $48 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2013 - 2020; Campbelll Mattinson; The Wine Front

Rainer Breit and partner Wendy Oliver have achieved a great deal in a remarkably short period of time. In 1996 they purchased their property at Curlewis with 1.6 hectares of what were then 11-year-old pinot noir vines; previously, and until 1998 the grapes had been sold to Scotchman's Hill. They set to and established an on-site winery, making 800 cases of very good Pinot Noir in their first vintage of 1998. Rainer Breit is a self-taught winemaker, but the full bag of pinot noir winemaking tricks was used in 1998: cold-soaking, hot-fermentation, post-ferment maceration, part inoculated and partly wild yeast use, prolonged lees contact, and bottling the wine neither fined nor filtered. While Breit and Oliver are self-confessed 'pinotphiles', they have planted a little chardonnay and buy a little locally-grown shiraz and chardonnay, but do not yet make these wines on a commercial scale. James Halliday

Winery note for 2004 Curlewis Syrah: Bottled 2nd May 2006. A bit riper than the 2003 but more oak treatment to balance it. Give it at least 12 months in bottle to produce its best.

It is used by wine writers, it is used by wine makers and it is even used by wine retailers. I’m sure it has been used by yours truly a number of times in this publication but I will also admit to taking the mickey out of it. So what exactly is ‘it’? ‘It’ is the uncanny ability of the aforementioned sectors of our industry to proclaim the latest release of any given wine ‘the best ever’. I wonder however, if there is a greater exponent of its use than Dalwhinnie owner and winemaker David Jones?
 
The Dalwhinnie Shiraz 2002, as with most Shiraz from the region was an excellent wine. On releasing the 2003 he said “while the 2002 Shiraz was outstanding, the 2003 is even better”. Well there’s something you don’t here every day. And so it went. Upon release of the 2004, Tyson Stelzer wrote “I've heard David rave about wines but never before have I heard him this excited”. Of the 2005 David wrote “definitely the most drinkable Dalwhinnie Shiraz to date…this wine is some of our finest work. Don’t miss this one”. The 2006 was a tough vintage in the Pyrenees. In fact all seven Shiraz blocks, including the single vineyard grapes went into making the 2006. David was unfazed stating the wine “reminds me a lot of the ($100+) 1997 Eagle Series”. The next year, he did not mince his words “2007 in my opinion is the best Dalwhinnie Shiraz to date” and finally, the release this month of the Dalwhinnie Shiraz 2008 which he says “in my opinion this really is the holy grail of Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz”. Now, Jones either uses ‘it’ more than any other or is producing some amazing and consistently exceptional Shiraz.
 
Deep dark purple, shiny. Evocative perfume taking in fresh herbs, cherries, mocha and damp earth. Very tight and sinewy with concentrated dark berry fruits, super fine grainy tannins and the most incredible presence in the mouth. The finish is also super long. The 29th vintage of this Australian icon and in my opinion this really is the holy grail of Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz. The vintage year 2008 cannot be underestimated, a 9/10 year, hence the quality of this lovely wine. It will need 2 – 3 years in bottle to really appreciate what’s going on. Enjoy with Victorian lamb. David Jones, Winemaker

Well, take an each-way bet on that because the great news is the Shiraz IS that good. What I failed to add in my ‘mickey-extraction’ above is that the critics almost always agreed with the high ratings of this wines. The 2004 received a massive and very rare 97 points from Jeremy Oliver, the 2005 and 2006 had 96 points and 95 points respectively from James Halliday. The 2007 again lifted the bar to an almost unbeatable position. To achieve a 97-point rating with any of the major Australian critics is a wonderful achievement. To do it twice and be available for under $60 is brilliant stuff. For the technicians out there, the Dalwhinnie Shiraz 2007 could claim to have done it four times (2010 Australian Wine Companion, 2009 Halliday Top 100, 2010 The Big Red Wine Book and The Wine Front) but we will run with two given there is overlap. Anyway, semantics. This was one of the super-premium Shiraz buys of 2009 with The Big Red Book as being “as good as perfect”. Indeed with a 97 points rating in that publication, it was beaten home by just one wine for the Best Shiraz gong, that being a wine going by the name of 2004 Grange. At our price, you can buy almost a dozen Dalwhinnies for one Grange.
 
This all brings us to the holy grail of Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz, the 2008. Aside from David Jones being excited by it, Jeremy Oliver has it head and shoulders above the last three vintages and I am tipping James Halliday and the gents from The Wine Front will also go gaga over it. The concentration of deep, dark fruits is matched only by the Bests Thomson Family Shiraz 2006 of any Shiraz I have tried this year. While the flavour profile is of a darker, youthful wine, it is already showing a hint of earth, cloves and cherry liqueur. It has the most wonderful mouthfeel which teases with a glimpse of raw power before retreating into a savoury styled restraint. This is very much a baby with all the tricks and it will be great to see it evolve over the next decade. Finished under screwcap, an Exceptional wine. 2011 – 2021+; Quality: Exceptional BW; WineStar© April 2010
 
A huge return to form for Dalwhinnie. Beautifully ripe and vibrant, with layers of deliciously spicy fruit finely integrated with oak and tannin. Deep, ripe aromas of dark berry/plum fruit are backed by musky spices and fresh cedary, gamey notes. Long, smooth and succulent, with a seamless presence of juicy dark cherry/plum flavour tightly knit with vanilla oak, it finishes with persistent meaty undertones and a fine, lingering grip of dusty, astringent tannins. (Pyrenees, $70 retail, approx., 18.7/95, drink 2016-2020+) Jeremy Oliver

Attractive colour; the bouquet has a seductive offering of black fruits, dark spices and minerals; the palate is loaded with sweet fruits, with redcurrant providing light to the blackberry shade; the texture is engaging, with plentiful fine-grained tannins, and a lingering mineral complexity to the finish. Screwcap. 13.5% alc. Rating 95 Points; Drink 2025 $60 Date Tasted Feb 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011

The recent vintages of Shirazes coming off this estate are seriously worth finding. Beginning with the very deep garnet-purple colored 2008 Moonambel Shiraz, there’s a moderate, muted intensity of ripe blackberry and blueberry aromas with a dash of anise and black pepper leading into savory game, marmite and toasted nut notes. The medium to full-bodied palate has crisp acid and a medium-high level of very fine tannins. This wine is tightly knit with that elusive combination of concentration and elegance, finishing long. Delicious now, give this wine another year or so to really open, and drink to 2020. Score: 94. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW; Robert Parkers The Wine Advocate, June 2010.

Slightly more complex, powerful and grainy than the Moonambel, but the swings and roundabouts mean there is less hedonistically luscious fruit. It's all a question of personal taste, I suppose. Cork. 14.2% alc. Rating 96 points; Drink 2025 Date Tasted Jan 07 James Halliday Wine Companion 
 
This wine is a 100% varietal Shiraz from the Dalwhinnie Vineyard in the Moonambel region of Western Victoria. The Shiraz clone originated from the Best’s 1860’s vineyard cultivated by the Thompson family of Great Western, Victoria. The Southwest Rocks vineyard was named after the geographic location on the property where explosives were used to shatter the reef enabling planting and trellising.

The grapes were crushed and destemmed into a small 5 tonne open fermenter for a 10 day fermentation, followed by basket pressing then 18 months French oak maturation, of which 50% is new oak. Very dark red - black. A beautiful perfume displaying fresh ripe red berries with lifted five spice notes. Very fresh, just amazing. The mouth is coated with intense raspberry fruit, clean sherbet like acidity followed by very fine powdery tannins. The length of finish is impressive showing great elegance and finesse.

Like the 2004 Southwest Rocks the 2005 is a great follow-on. Complex, elegant and rustic. Syrah in style but New World passion and integrity come through in this superb single vineyard wine. A passion of mine is to make three classic single vineyard Shiraz wines expressing site, aspect and individual Shiraz clones using Rhone vinification techniques. Cellaring Potential: 6 - 8 years. David Jones, owner and winemaker

Pretty sexy stuff. It slinks through he mouth, all plums wrapped in satin wrapped in kisses. There's a host of pepper spice resting in the background and cedary oak that has been taken up fully by the wine's layers of fruit flavour. A gorgeous sense of finesse. And length. A wine that does youth beautifully. 95 points; Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book 2009/10, Jun 2009

Made by a team of Pinot masters. It's a little wonder that this is a seductively silky wine. Maker Steve Webber cares more for charm, character and detail than he does for varietal flavour, and wines like this show why. Layered with spice and ultra-fine tannins. It's a beautifully polished style with the texture of a Grand Cru. 95 points; Tyson Stelzer, WBM, Jan 2010

De Bortoli Wines is one of the few Australian producers that have not only given lip service to climate change, it is actively restructuring its vineyards to include sustainable practices such as organic viticulture and biological water and waste management. Does it produce better wines? It can't hurt. This blend is very captivating, with soft, silky, almost pinot-like characters and some real finesse. Enjoy! The Examiner , Apr 2010

The smell of the soil on the nose is followed with grip on the palate; fruit is there but kept under at the moment. Still needs more bottle age for all to integrate but all the good points are there. 92 points; The Krow Issue 25, Feb 2010

Much like Yalumba, Wine Enthusiast's 2009 New World Winery of the Year, De Bortoli is a family owned wine company that is gaining ground even in tough economic times. Aside from the legendary Noble One dessert wine, the top wines from De Bortoli stems from the family's estate vineyards in the Yarra, where Chief Winemaker Stephen Webber makes wines that accurately reflect their cool Victorian roots. His 91 point 2007 Reserve Release Shiraz shows a lot of earthy, savory characters at moderate alcohol levels, but with only 150 case imported it will be hard to find. The 2007 Shiraz Viognier is not – like so many Shiraz Viogniers – a soft cuddly blend loaded with apricot notes. Instead, it features savory, meaty aromas lifted by peppery elements and black olive, espresso and tart plum flavors characteristic of the region and Webber's somewhat contrarian winemaking. It's medium bodied, firmly structured and should age through at least until 2020. Wine Enthusiast, Jan 2010

The 2007 Shiraz-Viognier (5%) spent 10 months in barrel. Dark ruby-colored, it sports an alluring nose of cedar, Asian spices, incense, bacon, and blueberry. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, this sweetly-fruited, impeccably balanced wine will evolve for 1-2 years and drink well from 2011 to 2019; 91 Points; Jay Miller, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Dec 2009

Shiraz Viognier blends are all the rage, but do they last? That was the theme at a recent blind tasting featuring a dozen Australian wines from 2005. Most were travelling exceptionally well, with De Bortoli's Yarra Valley wine rated one of the best. This release should keep pretty well too. But given its vibrancy and attractive spicy red fruit characters, few bottles will have the chance. Shiraz with pizzazz. Mark Smith, Aug 2009

A fabulously vivacious nose – the herbal smoky red bite of roasted paprika. Succulent juicy fruit. Peppery spice. Lithe. Drink 2009-12. www.jancisrobinson.com (UK), Feb 2009