Words from a Wine Glass

Everybody knows Taylors so I’m not going to go on too much about them except to say, they are still family owned and would have to be the largest winery in the Clare Valley.

I’m not sure how long this particular wine has been around but I do recall seeing it about when I was, well, a lot younger than I am now.

Check out the label.  There is plenty of gold hanging off this bottle and 3 trophies too. Lucky they didn’t put the 16 silver medals on it otherwise it would end up on the bottom shelf so as not to attract all the attention.

What can’t be overlooked is, it also won the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge.

So, I got home and opened the bottle and I’m sure I could hear the echoes of applause as I did.  So much so, I felt I had to stand up to acknowledge the ovation for the  wine.

This is one complete, polished wine. It has plenty of  flavour, it’s slurpable, it’s approachable, the tannins are harmless and, I couldn’t help myself, I kept going back for more.  I had it with lamb koftas and that seemed to work for me.

Ridiculous value!

Region: Clare Valley     Price: $20 (I’ve seen it for $15)     Source: Local Bottle Shop

http://www.taylorswines.com.au

Co-founded by winemaking brothers-in-law Daniel Chaffey Hartwig and Theo Engela, Chaffey Bros has developed quite a following with their cool labels and very good wines. (Daniel’s great uncle William Chaffey founded Seaview Wines in McLaren Vale so grapes/wine/winemaking/drinking wine was always in the blood)

I had only tried their Rieslings up until a mate brought this one along to a tasting we had on the weekend just gone.

This Single Vineyard Eden Valley Syrah had everybody’s immediate attention, not only due to the striking label but because of the deep dense colour and when I poured it, boy did the aromas burst from the glass.  Someone said blackberries, three or four people said plums, someone said blueberries too I think.

The aromas you experienced were also on the palate but there was plenty more good things going on.  A bit like organised chaos but in a balanced, structured elegant sort of way with a bit of pepper/spice thrown in the mix.  Everybody enjoyed it and were surprised the alcohol level was 13.9%.  I’ve been trying to think of the word that bests describes this wine and the one that springs to mind is ‘plush’.

Evangeline is Greek for “Bearer of Good News” and there is a lot of that tucked under the screwcap for the consumer.

Region: Eden Valley     Price: $35     Source: Tasting

Go to http://www.chaffeybroswine.com.au and make sure you check out their Rieslings too.

Before I say something about this wine, please let me take you back to 1952.

Leigh Matthews, the Australian Rules Football Legend was born and went on to carve out an illustrious career both as a player and a coach.

Marjorie Jackson (AC, CVO, MBE), the ‘Lithgow Flash’, won gold medals in the 100 & 200 metre events at the Olympics in Helsinki and went on to be the Governor of South Australia.

Well, it just so happens to be the year of the first vintage of this wine.

When you think of how long these people have been successful at what they do and what they have achieved, you could almost say, it is no different when it comes to this wine.

It has been gracing the shelves of bottle shops and accompanying the dinner table of Australians for 62 years which is a testament to the consistent quality of this wine.  I began collecting it with the 1998 vintage and the oldest I have had the pleasure of trying was a 1986.  I still buy it today.

At the 2015 Royal Hobart International Wine Show, this particular vintage won top gold in its class, the trophy for the Best Shiraz and the trophy for the Best Red Wine in the show.  It’s easy to see why.

For a wine that cost me $15, it over delivers with plenty of black fruits and some nice spice and black pepper.  It’s colour is dense and looks like it’s going to pack a punch but is perfectly medium bodied.  It’s certainly a classy wine that is very approachable now with definite plans for a successful future.

Region: Coonawarra, SA     Price: $15     Source: Local Bottle Shop

https://www.wynns.com.au/

In 1963 the Fratin family cleared some land and planted, amongst other things, vines. The vines were eventually replanted on Mount Langi Ghiran and, as it mentions on their website, “…created the iconic Langi Old Block Shiraz”.

Most of the fruit was sold to Seppelt Great Western but eventually the Fratins began releasing wine under their own label.  The wines were well received but in 1980 the wheels fell off.  Cue, the late, Trevor Mast.  In 1981 he put on a new set of wheels and everything was back on track. So much so that Trevor and his wife Sandra bought the Mount Langi Ghiran in 1987.  The Rathbone family are the current owners with Ben Haines the chief winemaker.

The wine was off to a great start with the intense array of dark fruits on the nose and palate. Yes, I expected and did taste the pepper in the wine but, it was like the fruit dictated it’s presence and appearance so as not to dominate the palate and boy does it hang around.  I could’ve almost asked it for board and lodgings it stayed that long on my palate.  I reckon it is going to go the distance for quite a few years.

This shiraz may not be the luxury model in the Mount Langi Ghiran range but you would be forgiven for thinking it was.  I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting the ‘Langi’ but I can only imagine how good it must be if this, their $30 shiraz, tastes like it does.

A ripper Cliff Edge Shiraz.

http://www.langi.com.au

The first thing I have to mention is when I drove up to the Rymill cellar door.  What an amazing welcome.  Walk in the door and the welcome continues. The cellar door staff are very engaging, informative and by no means pushy or suggestive of what I should be drinking.  It was a “come in, relax and let me know what you’d like to try” and you weren’t made to feel you had to leave with a bottle of something (much like all the Coonawarra cellar doors actually).

Cabernet Sauvignon is the Major General of Coonawarra let’s be honest. It’s a shame that varieties like Shiraz live in the shadows of this highly ranked variety in this region. Shiraz deserves to be its Sergeant Major.

The colour is dense but has a youthful purple rim that is so alluring.  And the nose!  The nose goes right through to the long, long palate.  Dark fruits, plums, a hint of star anise and tannins nicely coated in a smooth creamy oak which, I think (and please correct me if I’m wrong), had a little bit of chariness to it.

This example of Coonawarra Shiraz yields a mighty stick. It’s dead set serious about putting its flavours in order, on parade & proud to call itself Coonawarra.

I swapped some Tassie Pinot Noir and Riesling with John Rymill (a very kind and generous man) for a mixed dozen of his wines and I’m stoked this was among them.

This wine is worth the $32 you will pay for it from the Rymill website.  Yes, you will pick it up cheaper if you google it but when you try it, the price becomes irrelevant.  It’s a very nice wine.

http://www.rymill.com.au