For much of my time in wine retail, consumers have had a fondness for Kiwi whites and Aussie reds and there's no doubt that cooler weather and cuddly Aussie shiraz and cabernet do go hand in hand.
Some of the older, big Aussie fruit bombs provided the opportunity to engage in hand-to-hand combat in a glass, while the sweet vanillan oak could become overpowering.
Ripeness has never been a problem in Australia but an ongoing trend is seeing more restraint and the pursuit of balance and, on the showing of today's wine, achieving that goal very nicely.
Joining me was Alastair McLaren.
The wines were tasted blind, by variety.
Price: $11.99
Rating: Very good
Attractive, vibrant nose. Fruit pastilles, oak spice, cooked fruits and licorice. Ripe flavours on the palate with red fruits moving into plums and jam. Nice texture too. Juicy, moreish and very drinkable. Boiled lollies come with aeration. Not a big wine but not overworked and a really nice package. Outstanding value.
Price: $34.99
Rating: Excellent
Dark fruits; spicy and brooding, though nose a little shy at first. Licorice and menthol notes initially on the palate, with raspberry and pepper to follow. Powerful in the mouth, lovely mouth feel, very rich and plush: nicely judged tannins and acidity to give balance. A long finish. Warm, cuddly and delicious.
Price: $35 (not yet released)
Rating: Excellent
Touch of red fruits with spiciness and savoury influences. Fruit compote. Quite fine with good structure: the acidity and tannins give real spine to the wine. A savoury mid-palate, quite chewy, with an excellent finish. Time lends earthy notes with blackberry and licorice. Raspberry on the nose. Finely poised and full of interest.
Price: $22-$25
Rating: Good
A subtle nose, dusty with musk and a whisper of mint. Minty/menthol notes evident on the palate with ripe, dark fruits. Sweet fruit builds, quite supple and softly rounded with a pleasing, mellow finish. Not hugely complex but very enjoyable.
Price: $35 (not yet released)
Rating: Very good
Dusty with intense menthol notes. Fruit shy on the nose at first. Mint/menthol on the palate with blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf. Powerful mid-palate: good ripeness without being overtly sweet or overworked, lending a drier touch to proceedings. The fruit sweetness builds, hinting at redcurrant. Nicely together.
Price: $22-$25
Rating: Very good
Blueberry, plum and mint on the nose with some toasty oak characters; moving into the blackcurrant spectrum. Blackcurrant and leaf on the palate, with hints of leather and savoury elements. Freshness here from the leaf notes gives almost a cooler climate feel. Juicy and rather drinkable; should be nice with food too.
