We’ve been quiet on the blog front (preparing for the Fine Wine Fair and organising various forthcoming sales has been taking up all our time). However I wanted to share a couple of notes on some wines which are coming up for sale shortly. Both are Australian Shiraz but are as far removed from the common perception of this wine as one could imagine. Indeed they share far more in common with Syrah from the Northern Rhone or the Languedoc.
Handhorf Hill Shiraz 2005
Dark red centre to crimson rim. Fine, delicately spicy nose with notes of plum, smoke, soy sauce and aniseed. Perfumed. Very fine and poised in the mouth – plenty of fine, delicate tannin and a good acidity underlies ripe but savoury fruit, tea, grilled meat and spice flavours. Real length. This will go on for years I think. 4*
Larkhill Shiraz 2003
Deep red to crimson rim. Very closed at first; a hint of American oak but that’s it. In the mouth this is a little more giving – some spice and red fruit. With time this opens up a little to become higher toned – almost shades of a top notch Rioja but with more pepper and dark spices. On day two the nose is very much in the sous-bois/pepper/black fruit spectrum. Cool and slightly peppery in the mouth, a real note of cooked plum on the long finish. Good wine – no crime to open it now but would be just as happy being forgotten about for a while. 3.5*
