Australia’s Barossa Valley is generally regarded as Shiraz country, but can also produce very smart reds from Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. This textured, well-structured red from winemaker Brett Schulz is a case in point. Plush, glossy and slightly minty, with understated French and Aussie oak, it has ample concentration, supple tannins, cassis and blackberry fruit and undertones of liquorice and dried herbs.
Country: Australia
The Dilution of Terroir
by Guy Woodward
First up, a trigger warning… I’m approaching this article from the premise that terroir exists. It’s a position to which I would hope most readers of this site would subscribe....
2021 Tesco Finest McLaren Vale Grenache, McLaren Vale
( £11, 14.5%, Tesco )Aussie Shiraz may be better known, but the country’s Grenaches have a pedigree that is just as long and impressive. This rich, full-bodied, lightly wooded example comes from the Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale, situated to the south of the city of Adelaide, has appealing flavours of bramble and red fruits, plenty of balancing acidity, smooth tannins and a dab of patisserie spices. Try it lightly chilled.
2023 Devil's Corner Chardonnay, Tasmania
( £15, 12.5%, Tesco )Aussie Chardonnay is increasingly impressive these days, especially if you’re prepared to trade up from the bargain basement. This bright, tangy, very lightly wooded example from the east coast of cool-climate Tasmania is fresh, vibrant and crunchy, with aromas of lemongrass and gunflint, a vivid citrus zest, pear and apricot palate, and a zingy, lingering finish.
2022 Nocturne Treeton Chardonnay, Margaret River
( £31, 13%, 92 or More, Oz Wines, Parched )Is Chardonnay Australia’s finest white variety? Riesling and Semillon lovers might disagree, but I reckon so. This one comes from two vineyards in the landlocked Margaret River sub-region of Treeton and is a beautifully judged wine from Julian Langworthy’s personal project. Textured, aromatic and finely wooded, it has layers of cream, citrus, apricot and wet stones, plenty of zip and energy and a focused, mouth-watering finish.
2023 Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Barossa valley
( £15 on offer at £12 until January 1, 14.5%, Sainsbury's )Château Tanunda is one of the grand old names of Barossa Valley, dating batch the end of the 19th century, so it’s great to see this intense, well-balanced Shiraz on the shelves here, especially at the offer price until the end of the year. Curated in new and older French and American oak barrels, this is smooth, glossy and intense, with supple tannins, layers of plum, blackberry and sweet aromatic spices and enough acidity to lift and freshen the palate. An Aussie Shiraz with a nice combination of elegance and concentration.
Tailoring Terroir
by Margaret Rand
In London, if you want your friends to hate you, give their dog a squeaky toy. In Ireland, or at least in the house on the West Coast where I’m...
Getting Better All The Time?
by Andy Neather
Dream’s hit Things Can Only Get Better was the theme tune of Britain’s Labour Party in Tony Blair’s 1997 victory, much reprised at Labour’s election landslide earlier this month. It...
By The Book?
by Margaret Rand
Can winemakers still be self-taught? Or must they, in this technocratic age, be able to sport some letters after their name? When I asked Peter Hall, the arch-maverick of Breaky...
Just Another Luxury Product?
by Andy Neather
This year’s Bordeaux En Primeur campaign has attracted much controversy over release prices. But while a number of leading châteaux have made substantial cuts on what they charged for the...
The Weight Of Wine
by Margaret Rand
What constitutes high alcohol now? In table wines, I mean; fortifieds haven’t changed. But I recall the horror when reds started hitting 14%. Then 14.5%. And now? 14% seems quite...
Neither New, Nor A World
by Dariusz Galasiński
I live in Poland, which means my home is in Eastern Europe. Most of us would take this as a simple statement of fact, hardly giving it another thought. Many...