This is considered the biggest and the best of the whole Arakoon line, and this 2004 is no exception. Round, ripe, polished and almost exuberant, this is a full-flavoured, long finishing wine that will reward 3-5 years in a cellar, or enjoy it tonight with a t-bone or bison steak.
CHARLES CIMICKY THE AUTOGRAPH SHIRAZ 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
27326 (D) 750 mL $ 41
Tasting note: The dense purple-tinged 2004 Autograph (a 100% Shiraz from 45-year-old vineyards, aged 18 months in new American oak as well as a small quantity of French wood) exhibits a tight but promising nose of black raspberries, cassis, licorice, and acacia flowers. The ample fruit suggested by the aromatic profile is obvious on the attack, and the wine reveals impressive purity, texture, and persistence. It should drink well for 10-15 years. For some reason, this high quality winery never receives the press it merits. Drink 2005-2020. Score - (92-94).(Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2005)
CLARENDON HILLS LIANDRA VINEYARD SYRAH 2004
McLaren Vale, South Australia
702332 (XD) 750 mL $ 157
Tasting note: The 2004 Syrah Liandra was fashioned from 100-year-old vines grown in clay and sandy soils. Its inky/purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, blackberries, tar, and hints of smoke and bay leaves. Full-bodied, opulent, and rich with low acidity as well as sweet tannin, it can be drunk young or cellared for 10-15+ years. Score - (92).(Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2005)
CLONAKILLA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2005
Canberra District, New South Wales
27367 (XD) 750 mL $ 73
Tasting note: The brilliant 2005 Shiraz/Viognier reveals a dark ruby/purple hue along with an exotic, flamboyant bouquet of peach jam intermixed with blueberry and blackberry liqueur. Deep and rich with excellent precision, full body, sweet tannin, and decent acidity, it can be enjoyed over the next decade. Drink 2006-2016. Score - 91.(Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
GLAYMOND ASIF CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
34918 (D) 750 mL $ 44
Dan Philips, contributing editor at Wine & Food magazine had this to say about Glaymond: "Glaymond is a gold mine. I’m not kidding. If it’s not THE key vineyard site in the Barossa, it’s one of them. It’s been a key supplier to Rockford, St. Hallet’s Old Block, Grange, and Torbreck. The vineyards are in the Northwest, right next door to the Greenock Creek ‘Creek Block’ vineyard. I suppose it was only a matter of time before young Damien Tscharke took over from his father and got the itch to make wine. This is a winery to watch.
GLAYMOND LANDRACE SHIRAZ/MATARO 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
658492 (XD) 750 mL $ 46
The 2007 James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion gave this "outstanding" winery its highest rating of *****.
Tasting note: Blends of 60% Shiraz and 40% Mataro (Mourvedre), the 2004 and 2005 Landrace are both outstanding. The 2004 is more powerful (16.5% alcohol), but there is no raisiny, pruny, or over ripeness in evidence, which shows that thinking within strictly defined parameters of ripeness just simply does not make sense in many viticultural areas of the world, especially if you are comparing a New World vineyard to one from the Old World. The dense ruby/purple-colored 2004 Landrace exhibits notes of blueberries, damp earth, and sweet black truffles. It is a wine of great intensity, richness, body, and loads of glycerin and rich fruit that easily cover what I am sure are relatively elevated tannins. This wine should drink well for 10-15 years. Score - 93.(Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2006)
JIM BARRY THE ARMAGH SHIRAZ 2002
Clare Valley, South Australia
729129 (D) 750 mL $ 149
Tasting note: Amazingly, the 2002 Shiraz The Armagh is even better than the McRae Wood. This cuvee is aged 14 months in both French and American oak, and is bottled without filtration. The inky/purple-colored 2002 The Armagh boasts notes of scorched earth, chocolate, leather, blackberries, and cassis. Its huge body, marvelous integration of acidity, tannin, and alcohol, and stunning finish of 60+ seconds are impressive. While accessible, it will be even better with 1-2 more years of bottle age, and should evolve for 12-15+. Drink 2005-2019. Score - 99.(Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2004)
MAGPIE ESTATE THE ELECTION SHIRAZ 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia
34926 (XD) 750 mL $ 54
Tasting note: The deep, full-bodied, intense, opulent, inky/purple-tinged 2004 Shiraz Election offers loads of toasty oak, blackberry and cassis fruit, smoke, and meaty characteristics. It is a big, mouth-staining Shiraz that fans of Euro-styled, more elegant reds will find too much of a good thing. It should drink well for a decade. Drink 2006-2016. Score - 92. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2006)
TORBRECK RUN RIG 2003
Barossa Valley, South Australia
997874 (D) 750 mL $ 255
Tasting note: The estate’s flagship cuvee is the virtually perfect 2003 Run Rig. Made from 8 separate Barossa vineyards (ranging in age from 94 to 158 years), it is primarily Shiraz with 4-5% co-fermented Viognier included in the blend. The wine was aged in French oak of which 60% is new. The sensational, inky/purple-tinged 2003 exhibits a stunningly sweet nose of blackberries, blueberries, litchi nuts, smoked meats, and a hint of apricots. Elegant yet super-powerful, rich, concentrated, and long, it is a tour de force in winemaking as well as a modern classic example of Barossa Shiraz. It should drink well for 20-25 years. Score - 99. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2006)
TURKEY FLAT VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2001
Barossa Valley, South Australia
636373 (XD) 750 mL $ 43
Tasting note: The saturated purple-colored 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon is top-flight. Notes of figs, black currants, tobacco leaf, and earth cascade from the glass of this full-bodied, ripe, noticeably tannic Cabernet. Long and dense, 1-3 years of bottle age appears warranted. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2015. Score - 92. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Aug. 2003)
TWO HANDS BELLA'S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2005
McLaren Vale, South Australia
636407 (D) 750 mL $ 65
This "stunningly complex" Shiraz received scores in the mid-90s from both Robert Parker Jr. and Wine Spectator for each of its last three vintages. An aromatic tidal wave of ripe plums and succulent blackberries laced with a hint of cedar spice cascade on the nose. Elegant fruit purity is not sacrificed by this wine's amazing depth and power. More critical praise surely awaits the 2005 vintage.
Australia White
Wines - May 2007
Australia
GROSSET POLISH HILL RIESLING 2006
Clare Valley, South Australia
932962 (XD) 750 mL $ 35
Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and the Wine Enthusiast have all bestowed scores in the 90s on the last several vintages of this beautiful white. The 2006 vintage had yet to be reviewed by them.
Tasting note: A shapely and finely presented Polish Hill that will develop beautifully in the bottle, but perhaps for not as long as its more classic vintages. Scented with minerally notes of lime and talcum powder, its floral perfume remains delicate and rather closed. Long and supple, its smooth and stylish palate of intensely concentrated lime juice, lemon rind, paw paw and white peach flavours fruit belies the earliness of the season, culminating in a tightly sculpted finish of musky fruit and citrusy acids. Drink 2011-2014+. Score - 95. (Jeremy Oliver, www.jeremyoliver.com.au, November 30, 2006)
