…enjoy making new discoveries as well as trying the latest vintages of old favorites.
Last week I wrote about the Australian white wine seminar I attended via the Australia Up Close event; what I learned and what we tasted. It got a little lengthy so I split up the story into two parts. Today is what happened the second part of the day, after the seminar, and is limited to all of the Australian red wines that I sampled in a walk around tasting; those that I loved and hope to get my hands on again.
My favorites (of those tables I got to as I know I missed quite a bit) are listed below. Wineries part of the “Australia’s First Families of Wine” designation that I liked are noted as an AFF Wine.
Trade Tasting Participating Wineries
Andrew Peace Wines
Ashton Hills
Austins
Ben Haines
Best’s Great Western
Bethany
Brokenwood
Brown Brothers
Campbells of Rutherglen
Cape Mentelle – 2013 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot blend; 2014 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend.
Climbing
Cullen
Dalrymple
d’Arenberg (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Dead Arm” McLaren Vale Shiraz; 2013 “The Ironstone Pressings” McLaren Vale Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend; 2013 “The Coppermine Road” McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon; 2011 “The Old Bloke and Three Young Blondes” McLaren Vale Shiraz, Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne blend. (The Old Bloke…only used 2% of each white wine varietal listed in the blend. They are newly biodynamic and organic. This may have been my favorite table.)
De Bortoli Wines
Delinquente
DiGiorgio Family Wines
Fowles Wine
Giant Steps
Handpicked Wines
Helen & Joey Estate
Henry’s Drive
Henschke Wines
Howard Park (AFF Wine) 2012 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon; 2009 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. (While both were excellent I enjoyed the younger 2012 for all of the outstanding fruit and peppery notes. There was no irrigation used – though the vineyards have irrigation if needed – and the vines were planted in 1975.)
Innocent Bystander
Jansz Tasmania
Jasper Hill
Jim Barry (AFF Wine) – 2014 “1877” Hilltops Shiraz.
John Duval
Kaesler
Kilikanoon
Koonara
Langmeil
Leeuwin Estate
Mac Forbes
McWilliam’s Wines
McPherson Wine Co
Negotiants USA – 2014 Langmeil “Orphan Bank” Barossa Valley Shiraz (Vines had to be moved, 90% survived, and were called orphans due to the move.)
Nova Vita
Ocean Eight
Old Bridge Cellars – 2014 John Duval “Eligo” Barossa Shiraz; 2015 Cullen “Diana Madeline” Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot blend; 2013 Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Heathcote Shiraz. (They only made 600 cases of my favorite at this table, the Eligo.)
Penfolds – 2014 “Bin 389” Barossa Valley Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend; 2014 “Bin 407” Coonawarra Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon; 2014 “RWT” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (Who isn’t familiar with Penfolds? I stuck to just the wines I didn’t know, so damn good. The vines for these wines were planted between 1951 and 1960.)
Penley Estate
Peter Lehmann – 2012 “Stonewell” Barossa Shiraz.
Pewsey Vale
Pikes
Rob Dolan
Rogers & Rufus
Rymill Coonawarra
Schild Estate – 2013 “Moorooroo Ancestor Vines” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (170 year old vines, two years in both new and old French oak and then two years in bottle before release. Worth the wait for this 100% Shiraz.)
Shaw + Smith
Snake & Herring
Syrahmi
Tahbilk Winery
Thorn-Clarke Wines
Tolpuddle
Torbreck Vintners – 2009 “The Factor” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “The Struie” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “RunRig” Barossa Valley Shiraz and Viognier. (Only 3.5 % of Viognier was used in this blend to “soften” the wine and for a “tonal” lift. It worked.)
Tournon
Tyrrell’s Wines
Vasse Felix
Vinaceous
Voyager Estate
Wakefield Wines (AFF Wine) – 2013 “St. Andrew’s” Clare Valley Shiraz had a lovely touch of sweetness and great balance.
Wicks
Wirra Wirra – 2013 RSW McLaren Vale Shiraz (With vines between 40-60 years old, low yield production and the vineyard was originally planted in 1890.)
Woodstock
Yaldara
Yalumba (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Signature” Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend.
Yarra Yering – 2010 “Dry Red No. 1” Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec blend; 2013 “Old Bastard” Barossa Valley Grenache Mourvedre blend. (These both got big “wows” from me.)
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com
