Wakefield/Taylors

These wines were all labeled Wakefield, but in Australia they're known as Taylors (which I didn't know before). Anyway, they're all from the same producer, but some are only listed in CT as Taylors, hence the discrepancy. Anyway, they're all frankly solid. The St. Andrews wines are something else. Wow. Tasted sighted.

• 2014 Wakefield Riesling Saint Andrews 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Pale straw color. Smells of sliced limes, white peach, nectarine, floral perfume and a complex mix of chalk and dusty minerality. Crisp and lively on the palate but some waxy texture adds depth. Green apple, kiwi, orange rind, lime, the fruit is pure and driven. This Riesling possesses a deep sense of minerals, mountain stream, smashed rocks and chalk. So clean, zesty and vibrant. A gorgeous Clare Valley Riesling.

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• 2014 Taylors Chardonnay Jaraman 87 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Medium gold color. Bold aromatics of apricot and baked yellow apples, topped with chopped nuts, honey, white tea and a hint of chalk. Creamy texture on the palate, but balanced out a bit by moderate acidity. Fresh apricot and yellow apple fruit mix with notes of cinnamon, clove and nougat, but the French oak elements are woven in well. Some white flower and chalk flavors as well. Fun, juicy, toasty stuff but the freshness keeps this interesting.

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• 2014 Taylors Shiraz Jaraman 87 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Rich purple color. Dark and saucy aromas, like fig paste, plum skin, some blueberry jam, some vanilla coffee and sweet oak. Chewy but maintains a velvety feel from the tannins, medium acidity helps ton down the loud fruit (black cherry, blackberry, blueberry). I get notes of vanilla, cola, eucalyptus, roasted red pepper, and sweet black olive. Mouth-filling but stays relatively smooth and fresh. 55% of the fruit comes from Clare Valley and 45% comes from McLaren Vale, aged in American oak barrels.

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• 2013 Wakefield Shiraz St Andrews 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Deep purple color. Concentrated aromas, but vigorous swirling coaxes out blackberry, blueberry and rich plum fruit, along with dusty-loamy soil, coffee grounds, violets, graphite and cedar. A gorgeous mouthfeel on the palate with refined tannins, moderate acid and silky-rich fruit. The blackberry, plum and blueberry fruit is full but refreshing. I get spiced coffee, clove, eucalyptus, fallen leaves, black olives and pepper glaze. Complex and full of flavor, but a gliding mouthfeel keeps it smooth. Drink now with a very good decant or hold for three to six years at least. Aged 20 months in American oak.

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• 2012 Taylors Cabernet Sauvignon Jaraman 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Saucy purple color. Gorgeous blueberry, dark currants and plums, along with smoke, some dark earth, clove and black pepper. Full and saucy with chewy tannins and some surprising moderate acidity. Blackberry and blueberry jam, the fruit is bold but smooth. Some smoky, peppery, savory spice to accent the richer elements of cedar, vanilla and cola. Chewy and rich but maintains some freshness and some nuanced non-fruit elements. I’d like to see this in three or four years.

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• 2013 Wakefield Cabernet Sauvignon St Andrews 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Bright purple color. Rich but tart black and red currants, some exotic eucalyptus, violets and complex spice tones add an attractive sense of warmth. The currant and plum fruit is tart, crunchy but fully ripe, and the wine glides across the palate despite the firm tannic structure, and I get some freshness from the acidity that makes this wine so pleasant to drink young. Earth, eucalyptus, clove, coffee, well-integrated amounts of cedar and vanilla. Long, full but elegant, accessible young but I’d love to lay this down for five or six years and revisit it. Wow, this is a very pretty wine. If you’re looking for a more nuanced and elegant Cabernet, check out Clare Valley, and this wine in particular. Aged 18 months in 50% new French oak.

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