Vintage Aussie Tasting at Wine Watch

“The food we were given was no more than eatable, but the patron was not mean about drink; he allowed us two litres of wine a day each, knowing that if a plongeur is not given two litres he will steal three.”

- George Orwell, Down and Out in Paris and London

I knew there was a reason I liked George Orwell and two liters is my kind of ration when it comes to wine- that is why I like Australia.  Australia is the only country that I have visited where they offered us beer after every wine tasting, Coopers was the brew of choice and it is so refreshing to have a beer after drinking a lot of red wine, especially Australian Shiraz.

After this first trip down under I fell in love with Australian wines and have been selling and collecting wines from Australia for over 15 years now.  With the bottom falling out of the market in 2008 we have struggled to sell some of the higher end brands that were developed in the 1990's but that is no problem because I am happy to drink these wines as they are some of the best examples of this variety on the face of the earth. 

We just did a super Syrah tasting featuring Syrah from all over the world and once again the Aussie's were on top with the 2002 Hobbs Shiraz taking the top spot for me, gaining the coveted KILLER rating!!  This is one of the wines that I found on this first trip to Australia and one that is from on incredible 100+ year old vineyard site.  Australia has some of the oldest Syrah vines on the planet and their wines can go toe to toe with the best from anywhere.

Every year we have experienced a similar phenomenon but are still in our beginning stages of our scientific process of tasting through the top wines from the land down under that are reaching their peak years of maturity.  That is why we made this an annual event- there is a lot of research that needs to be done on the subject of vintage Australian Shiraz.  Will they age like the great wines of France, Italy and even California?

Join us as we experience ten 10+ year old Aussie wines and Wine Watch Catering’s Toni Lampasone will be providing a few treats to accompany the tasting wines.  The fee for this tasting is $149 per person + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Vintage Aussie Tasting at Wine Watch
Friday, August 19, 2016
7:00 PM

1996 Fox Creek Reserve Shiraz McLaren Vale
Price: $105.00    Sale $92.40
Quantity in Stock: 4

(93 points) Displaying the most roasted herb, tar, meat, and concentrated blood-like essence of Syrah is the 1996 Shiraz Reserve. Notes of blackberries, creosote, earth, and pepper are found in this dense, inky/purple-hued effort along with loads of body, sweet tannin, and a massive style. It should last for another two decades. All of these wines were made by one of the wine bloggers’ favorite whipping boys, Sarah and Sparky Marquis, who have since moved on to their own projects. I rated these Australian reds highly when they were first released, and lo and behold, they are still spectacular wines that are aging beautifully. They admirably demonstrate that the Marquis team knows a great deal about what they are doing. Wine Advocate #183 Jun 2009

1998 Chris Ringland The Rivers Shiraz

(100 Points) The Chris Ringland (formerly known as Three Rivers Shiraz), which is aged 42 months in 100% new French oak, and is rarely racked until bottling, represents an extraordinary expression of Barossa Shiraz. The perfect 1998, made from a single, 88-year-old vineyard cropped at one ton of fruit per acre, soaked up its wood component as if it is not even present. It boasts a sumptuous texture, great delineation, and a huge fragrance of bacon fat, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis, toast, espresso roast, and hints of chocolate as well as pepper. Full-bodied yet remarkably well-delineated and fresh, this stunning wine is still a baby, but it promises to evolve for two decades or more. - The Wine Advocate Oct 2004

1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz

(98 points)  A sensational wine, the 1998 Syrah Astralis is a candidate for perfection. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as a big, complex, sweet perfume of charcoal, spring flowers, blackberry liqueur, roasted meats, and damp, forest floor-like notes. Enormously endowed, with good acid, backstrapping tannin levels, fabulous concentration, and a layered mouthfeel, it is beginning to throw off some of its closed, impenetrable personality. A long-termer, it needs another 5-7 years to fully open, and should last for 2-3 decades thereafter. (6/2009) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

1999 Penfolds Grange Shiraz South Australia
Price: $438.00    Sale Price: $350.00
Quantity in Stock: 39

(94-96 Points) Only the third Grange to be made from 100% Shiraz , the 1999 Grange is superb. The color is inky purple. The wine shows unformed but gorgeously sweet notes of blackberries intermixed with smoke, licorice, and asphalt. This is a wine of great intensity, sweet tannin, voluptuous texture, and a spectacularly long finish. Patience will be required, as it will not be released until May 1, 2004. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.  The Wine Advocate

2001 Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz McLaren Vale
Price: $110.00    Sale Price: $80.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

(98 Points) "The 2001 Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyard is built along the lines of the 1998. With 14.8% alcohol, and huge levels of tannin balanced by a wealth of blackberry and cherry fruit intertwined with sweet notes of compost, smoke, camphor, and earth, this massively full-bodied, dense, opaque purple-colored effort is Shiraz at its most concentrated. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025. Patience! The Wine Advocate

2002 Greenock Creek Shiraz Alice's Barossa
Price: $125.00    Sale Price: $100.00
Quantity in Stock: 9

(96 Points) Flamboyant as well as focused, with laser-like precision, the 2002 Shiraz Alice’s was produced from 7-year-old vines. Dense, with remarkable intensity and wonderful freshness, it is a cool climate Barossa Shiraz with good acidity, enormous concentration, and a backward style that promises to be ethereal with 4-5 more years of bottle age. It should last for two decades or more. If I had to select the number one Australian winery, it would be hard not to choose the Greenock Creek Winery, run by the humble, shy Michael and Annabelle Waugh. The quality that emerges from this estate is extraordinary. In short, these are thrilling, world-class wines that are about as compelling as wine can be. Wine Advocate # 161, Oct 2005

2003 Torbreck Shiraz Run Rig
Price: $250.00    Sale Price: $210.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

150 year old vine shiraz 5% viognier, 3 years in French oak. Exotic nose of fresh floral perfume, bark chocolate, black cherry and blackberry liqueur, sweet balsamic, very complex bouquet of aromas. Smooth and silky texture on the tongue with layers and layers of juicy fruit decadent spice and ripe round tannins a clay like minerality. Finish 55+ KILLER

2003 Teusner Shiraz Albert
Price: $62.00    Sale $54.56
Quantity in Stock: 10

(93 Points) The 2003 Albert, a 100% Shiraz cuvee produced from 45- to 89-year-old vines, is brought up in 100% French barrels. A dense purple color is followed by a sumptuous perfume of blackberries, smoke, and cassis, medium to full-bodied, opulent flavors, low acidity, ripe tannin, and a long, luscious finish. It should drink well for 7-8 years.  Wine Advocate #155, Oct 2004 

2005 Amon Ra Shiraz Barossa
Price: $107.00    Sale $94.16
Quantity in Stock: 4

(92 Points) Smooth, round and spicy, with star anise and soy sauce overtones to the rich cherry and toast flavors, lingering on the generous finish. Has depth and impressive detail. Best from 2008 through 2015. 1,000 cases made. –HS Wine Spectator May 31, 2007

2005 Two Hands "Ares" Barossa Valley Shiraz

(98 points)  A majestic wine that's tremendously aromatic and dense in texture, but amazingly refined. Delineates its ripe plum, blueberry and currant flavors with precision, shading the fruit with nuances of coffee and dark chocolate, hinting at smoke and licorice as the finish laps at the palate like the shore of a deep lake. Shiraz. Best from 2010 through 2020. (9/2007) Wine Spectator

Menu
Selection of Cheese:  Beemster Gouda, Parmesan Reggiano
Shepard’s Pie
Dark Chocolate covered Berries