My Fleep:
Wine
Wine
A Taste of Australian Wine
'Shiraz'
by Gavin Trott
This is Australia’s highest profile wine style, and arguably its best
red wine. The grape is believed to have come to Australia first from
its home, Hermitage in the Rhone area of France many years ago.
Some believe, again arguably, that due to extensive re-planting in
France due to Phylloxera, our older vineyards are more like
Hermitage used to be, than that region is today. Some vineyards of
Chateau Tahbilk for instance date back over 100 years unchanged
(and small amounts of wine are still made from these old grapes.)
What is not in doubt however is that Shiraz is the best and best
known red wine of Australia. It is the most widely grown red grape
variety, grown in almost all regions, and makes the most
recognised Australian wines in the world market such as Grange
and Henschke Hill of Grace amongst others. In addition it is used
in blends with many other grapes, as well as being used
extensively in the Fortified wines of Australia, most notably our
Vintage Port styles.
Through all of this and in almost every climate, Shiraz makes
quality wine. It rarely needs or receives the same volume of new
oak as Cabernet, it can be delicious and fruity when young, but can
mellow with up to 20 or 30 years in the cellar into magnificent wine
showing earthy, velvety, almost sweet fruit characters.
The aromas and flavours of Shiraz vary with wine style and region,
but are usually blackberry, plums, and pepper in varying degrees
dependent on growing conditions. In addition, even more regionally
based, we can find liquorice, tar even, and bitter chocolate and
mocha. Climate affects these with the warmer climates providing
the plums and chocolate (Barossa) and the cooler climates giving
more of the pepper (Victoria).
Below is a list of some of the Australian regions producing quality
Shiraz wines, plus some labels to watch out for from those regions.
Naturally there will be many that I have missed, and this is not
meant to be a definitive list, but if you try these wines you will find
quality, and discover some of those flavours for yourself (with
apologies to other regions and producers I have missed).
Cool Climate
Victoria
Mt Langi Ghiran
Seppelt Great Western
Bests Great Western
Western Australia
Cape Mentelle
Vasse Felix
Warm Climate
Barossa Valley
Rockfords Basket Press
St Hallett Old Block
Charles Melton
Elderton
Henschke
Grange
McLaren Vale
Eileen Hardy
Coriole
Seaview
Woodstock
Clare
Leasingham Bin 61 and Classic Clare
Wendouree
Tim Adams
Jim Barry the Armagh
Mitchell Pepper Tree
Coonawarra
Wynns
Bowen Estate
Zema Estate
Leconfield
Hunter Valley
Brokenwood Graveyard
Tyrrells
Rothbury Estates
Gavin is the manager of the Australian Wine Centre (a large
collection of affordable, rare and cult Australian wines) and hosts
the very popular Auswine Forum (An online discussion forum about
Australian wine) . You may reprint this article either on a website or
in print but you must maintain this resource section naming the
author. Please email the author with details on where you intend to
use it. You can obtain the latest version of this article and more free
wine content for your website from www.freesticky.com
'Shiraz'
by Gavin Trott
This is Australia’s highest profile wine style, and arguably its best
red wine. The grape is believed to have come to Australia first from
its home, Hermitage in the Rhone area of France many years ago.
Some believe, again arguably, that due to extensive re-planting in
France due to Phylloxera, our older vineyards are more like
Hermitage used to be, than that region is today. Some vineyards of
Chateau Tahbilk for instance date back over 100 years unchanged
(and small amounts of wine are still made from these old grapes.)
What is not in doubt however is that Shiraz is the best and best
known red wine of Australia. It is the most widely grown red grape
variety, grown in almost all regions, and makes the most
recognised Australian wines in the world market such as Grange
and Henschke Hill of Grace amongst others. In addition it is used
in blends with many other grapes, as well as being used
extensively in the Fortified wines of Australia, most notably our
Vintage Port styles.
Through all of this and in almost every climate, Shiraz makes
quality wine. It rarely needs or receives the same volume of new
oak as Cabernet, it can be delicious and fruity when young, but can
mellow with up to 20 or 30 years in the cellar into magnificent wine
showing earthy, velvety, almost sweet fruit characters.
The aromas and flavours of Shiraz vary with wine style and region,
but are usually blackberry, plums, and pepper in varying degrees
dependent on growing conditions. In addition, even more regionally
based, we can find liquorice, tar even, and bitter chocolate and
mocha. Climate affects these with the warmer climates providing
the plums and chocolate (Barossa) and the cooler climates giving
more of the pepper (Victoria).
Below is a list of some of the Australian regions producing quality
Shiraz wines, plus some labels to watch out for from those regions.
Naturally there will be many that I have missed, and this is not
meant to be a definitive list, but if you try these wines you will find
quality, and discover some of those flavours for yourself (with
apologies to other regions and producers I have missed).
Cool Climate
Victoria
Mt Langi Ghiran
Seppelt Great Western
Bests Great Western
Western Australia
Cape Mentelle
Vasse Felix
Warm Climate
Barossa Valley
Rockfords Basket Press
St Hallett Old Block
Charles Melton
Elderton
Henschke
Grange
McLaren Vale
Eileen Hardy
Coriole
Seaview
Woodstock
Clare
Leasingham Bin 61 and Classic Clare
Wendouree
Tim Adams
Jim Barry the Armagh
Mitchell Pepper Tree
Coonawarra
Wynns
Bowen Estate
Zema Estate
Leconfield
Hunter Valley
Brokenwood Graveyard
Tyrrells
Rothbury Estates
Gavin is the manager of the Australian Wine Centre (a large
collection of affordable, rare and cult Australian wines) and hosts
the very popular Auswine Forum (An online discussion forum about
Australian wine) . You may reprint this article either on a website or
in print but you must maintain this resource section naming the
author. Please email the author with details on where you intend to
use it. You can obtain the latest version of this article and more free
wine content for your website from www.freesticky.com
SHIRAZ