REVIEW: Australian shiraz - a wine of many parts

Australian shiraz comes in many guises, from sweet fruity reds to big muscular wines with gripping tannins. Unless you like sweetish reds, it's worth paying about $20 at least for something with good flavour and a firm finish.

It's mellow and velvety with a rich maltiness and a firm finish with chewy tannins.

4 stars (out of 5)
Value: Good

 

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Wyndham Bin 555 Shiraz 2005 (about $17).

A tad on the sweet side, but pleasant with hints of cherries and berries and simple, easy finish.

2 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Value: Average

 

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The Willows Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2004 (about $23) oozes ripe fruit and spicy oak; it's densely flavoured with berry and cherry fruit, just avoiding jamminess, and toasty oak and there's a savoury undertone, a rich texture and a lingering finish.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Value: Average

 

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Beresford Highwood Shiraz 2006 South Australia (about $19) sits between the sweetish Beresford Beacon Hill Shiraz ($17 **) and the delicious McLaren Vale Shiraz ($25 ****).

The Highwood oozes ripe juicy fruit with hints of chocolate, a savoury undertone and a nicely balanced, lingering finish. Good now.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Value: Good

 

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Penfolds Kalimna Bin 28 South Australia Shiraz 2005 (about $30) is dark and fragrant with hints of spice, vanilla, dark cherries, dried figs, chocolate, a rich, velvety texture and a firm grip on the finish.

It will develop with more bottle age.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Value: Average

 

 

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Penfolds Bin 138 Barossa Shiraz Grenache Morvedre 2006 (about $30) is a blend traditional in the southern Rhone, where grenache and morvedre lift the darker shiraz.

This hints of mineral, spice and ripe cherry fruit, and has a chocolatey richness, firm structure, and a grippy finish.

It will develop with bottle age.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Value: Average